Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Gift Of friends

In my younger days during middle school and high school, I was a pretty shy and quiet (believe it or not) person.    I would interact with people but never really had a friend or group of friends that I consistently hung out with.

That changed in my senior year of high school as I got to know a person that would become my "best friend" for many years into college and beyond.  Through this "best friend", I met others that also became long term friends as well.  

These people became my default group I hung out with for many years.  I personally liked having a stable group of people to hang out with.   Through this group of friends, I met a few other people including one person I still talk to regularly.

As I have gone through college and into the workforce, I have opened up to the point where my friends are surprised when I DON'T talk.  Alas, as I have matured, I have realized that I am somewhat of an open book.  I don't like holding things in and have to get my feelings out.

That is why I am thankful for my friends who have listened to me talk about various things over the years.    Obviously, these friendships are not one sided.   One thing people really don't know about me is that I listen well and I think my friends appreciate this.

However, I am fortunate to have other friends beyond the ones I talk to.  I may not talk to some of these people as much as my older friends but we have common interests.   I definitely enjoy the times I spend with all of my friends whether it is talking, playing basketball or doing some other activity.



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Day Off in San Francisco

Since I returned to work back in late May, I have only taken one day off + one sick day. Thus, I topped out on the number of vacation days I could accumulate. As I had a Groupon for a photography class, I decided to take today off and redeem my Groupon and do the class at Fisherman's Wharf / Pier 39.

It was a great choice all the way around. First, the weather was absolutely lovely I'm San Francisco. Unlike the usual fog, we had plenty of sun. Second, I was the only person who signed up for the class today. So, I got a chance to work with my instructor Kelly one-on-one. She was a nice gal with plenty of knowledge to pass on.

I learned quite a bit about the art of manual photography. Kelly's philosophy was to get students away from shooting in automatic modes. I had tried reading about manual photography but nothing beats practice and having someone talk you through things. I took quite a few shots today for practice. Some turned out well and some didn't but that's ok. It takes a little time to grasp everything.

To cap the day, I went and got a massage and hung out at the bookstore for a little while. All in all, a lovely way to spend a day away from work.


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