I thought I had it all figured out. Get through the entire year without single post on politics. I voted early just to get it behind me and then I looked back over previous elections to try and identify the worst times near the end of the race so I could have a plan in place to combat the rising anxiety I always feel as these things come down to the wire. My plan was to turn off the TV on Tues. work all day on portrait retouching and then take Belinda out with me to the Alamo Drafthouse to see the new Dr. Strange movie in 3-D. We'd catch a 7 pm-ish show and also have dinner while watching the movie. Date night instead of the horrible self torture of watching the election results seesaw.
I even stocked in some Trader Joe's cinnamon rolls to cook up on Weds. morning. Something to take the sting out of our new political reality if my candidate was unsuccessful....
But today I woke up with an uncomfortable level of anxiety and I realized that I could go two ways. I could drive out to Precision Camera and buy a whole new camera system. This would keep me occupied and engaged through the worst of the media meandering of Election Tues. but it would also leave me with an economically costly hangover. Were dousing the pre-election jitters really worth ten or fifteen thousand dollars?
The second choice was to move up my schedule on the movie. Since that would only cost me ten bucks I decided to give it a go. I hit the 11:00am show at the theater on S. Lamar Blvd. I settled for the 2-D version, realizing that the enhanced excitement of the 3-D version might be enough to push my frail psyche over the edge...
So, how was the movie? It was actually pretty darn good. The other five people in the theater seemed to enjoy it as well.
Now I need a new plan for tomorrow. I think something along the lines of a good swim and maybe the longest dog walking episode I can imagine. Or maybe I'll just ride around and enjoy my new tires.
Either way I hope we don't have to go through anything like this again in the near future. It's hell on my ability to stay on task. And I wouldn't want to short change photography.
6 comments:
Find something in the house that desperately needs painting! There's gotta be SOMETHING! Primer, two coats of paint, sanding between coats. Keep you busy a while!
That's pretty perfect advice. There was a saying, back when photographers worked with reps, that went something like this: "If business is slow start painting your house. You are almost guaranteed to get a job when you are just about halfway through..."
I went to the Bronx Zoo today for exactly that reason - something to take my mind off the danged (substitute your choice of cuss words here) election. I still need to figure out Tuesday. But this excrement has been making me sick.
Got some great pictures with my well-built E-M1 and Zuiko 50-200/2.8-3.5, by the way. As well as with the incredibly light and faster focusing Panasonic 35-100/2.8.
I voted early on Halloween. Somehow seemed appropriate this time around.
Don't buy into the fear.
I'll be disappointed by whoever wins at the top, but we'll be okay either way.
I've booked an amazing model for next month, I'm sure you can do that too.
I feel your pain Kirk, when I get these feelings I ask myself if I've been here before and did it work out ok,the answer is almost 100% yes so no need to fret any longer.
Michael.
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