In this post below – Trial and Failure – Howard County Today – Random Thoughts of the Day

Trail and Failure – I’ve been pretty harsh editing the last few days and thrown out a lot of shooting. That used to bother me but I’m trying to challenge myself to better the quality of images. So really I had nothing from last night’s shoot. But this shot reminded me there is a new dawn coming tomorrow and I should keep trying and not let failure stop me or slow me or affect me other than to learn from it.

It’s a hard thing to overcome, a failure that is. I guess we all should be used to it because everyone has some failures in their lives. I’ve failed a great number of times. And I’ll probably fail some more. It doesn’t feel good when it happens. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of. I know at times in my life I’ve been afraid of failure enough to not try. And that is a bigger failure in reflection.

Sometimes it’s all in how you look at it. For instance, I wanted to do some more sanding today and only got to spend a few minutes on that goal. It looks like I’ve got nothing done and failed at this task. I felt successful because I didn’t blow it off entirely because of limited time today.

I remember failure as a young baseball player. I was just more comfortable playing pickup. Put a uniform on me and people on the side and I was a basket case. I wasn’t horrible, I just wasn’t able to do my best because I was too afraid of making a mistake. I got tense and nervous.

It’s easier as you age to separate failure from trying. Professional baseball players strike out, they make errors. That feeling of failure from a single plate appearance is nothing. But losing the ability to come to bat the next time thinking hit and an average of .500 is another.

So like I stated the other day I’m going to be trying things with this blog. I’m sure I’ll have many failures on top of the many examples already.

Howard County Today – I thought I’d start a section about the wonderful county I live in. Growing up we used to refer to it as Hazard County. But really it was a wonderful place to grow up myself and then raise a family. It’s a place I will probably pass one day from this earth. I was 3 years old in late 1960 when we moved to the southern part of the county.

And except for a 4-year stint in Catonsville, I’ve been in this county all my life. Even when I lived in Catonsville I worked in the county. So we were here before Columbia and saw that great change. We have seen multiple floods in the area. We have experienced the continued explosion of the population and land being swallowed up at alarming rates.

Just out of high school I was lucky enough to land a job with the Times Newspapers. This allowed me a wonderful and expanded perspective of the area for a few decades. It was wonderful experiencing the people of the county. Seeing their stories and photos grace the pages of local papers. Meeting them when they would come in to pick up shots of their sons or daughters at this or that game or award. I would meet them at the Times Information booth at the Howard County fairgrounds and other events each year. I could see new places through the lens of our photographers.

But now it’s time for me to start documenting the county and maybe mixing in some older shots along the way where it’s of historical interest.

Random Thoughts of the Day

• I like writing in the mornings, but it’s a little tougher after being up all night.
• Watching basketball makes me want to get outside and shoot. Someone page me when the temps hit 60+ degrees again. Go Terps
• Learned about anchors today. Not the kind my Dad would think of being he was in the Navy.
• That was an interesting call between Orange Julius and the Georgia election officials. It reminded me of a few conversations I’ve had in my life. And as I recall one of them, my statement to the VP was “I don’t care what that manager asked me to put in the report, it wasn’t the truth so I didn’t do it.”
• Tip the people who work in your community. We are getting back in the habit of giving something to our recycle and trash teams. Buy a patrolman a coffee or the guy plowing your neighborhood streets. Maybe a bag of cookies for your mailman. Stop by and say hello and thank you to the guy opening and closing our parks and rec areas each day.
• If I keep creating sections in this blog to fill with photos, I’ll be a happy camper.