Late night

It is amazing what the late night brings. Especially after a day like today. It was not particularly different. Whitney got me a new tv that we bought off of one of her nursing friends that was getting a new flat screen and sold it to us cheap. However I think that the drive there and the time spent was worth more than the television itself.

Though Whitney is picking up extra shifts so to get us out of debt faster, she allowed me to drag her out of bed to ride with me to Roxboro (30ish minutes away) just so I could spend some time with her...awake.

After that I met with friend and pastor Greg Moore to discuss some Audio/Video business for the church (if you didn't already know I am the lead for that at church) and to just catch up as he is always pulled every which way by those seeking to improve this baby church that has been planted in Brier Creek. For those of you who do not live here, Brier Creek is a brand new and booming subdivision in Raleigh and is in great need of churches to contrast all the commerce blooming there.

In my discussions with him, outside of business I rediscovered the power and absolute necessity of a person or group that holds you accountable for your actions and disciplines, or in my recent case, lack thereof. Not only in matters of character and health, but especially in matters of love and relationships not only with people, spouses, but most of all in matters of God and the relationship and constant building of relationship with him. Alongside that discussion I realized the fact that I really had not built strong relationships with guys around here that can hold me accountable and visa versa as I should have already.

So, all of this has got me thinking at what is now 4:11 in the morning when most everyone else is asleep. What am I doing to improve myself and my relationships with the people with which I have constant contact? What am I doing to improve my relationship with God as I seek to walk His path and not my own? Am I living according to His will and seeking that rather than my own? And one that Greg brought up today which hit me hard, "How are you loving your wife?"

I sit here thinking about it and it is a little depressing, a little encouraging, and gives me much hope for the future. What steps am I going to take? How am I going to play this? Can I commit? What happens now?

Waiting...

Hello to the few of you who read this!

So a quick update on the job sitch. I got a second interview after my first at Ten Plus Systems. I sent him my references and am now waiting on him to schedule the second interview.

I will also be meeting with the photographer this week in hopes that he will like me and want me to be his protege. I don't know how much experience he is expecting but we will see. I may be getting my camera sooner than I thought if it means that I will get a job. This would be even more perfect than the job above obviously.

I went to the Casting Crowns concert in Raleigh last night. It, as usual, was an amazing experience. They put on such a show it is breathtaking. I will post some pictures here and on my web gallery. The quality will be poor because there is a lens issue with our point and shoot. So don't judge my skill on the quality of photos seen from this concert.

I will update with information on employment as I get it!

Looking Upward

It really has 2 different meanings: things are looking up around here and because of that I have to look upward because it is all His fault.

When I was poking around Craigslist last night and found this:

Looking for a fun part-time studio Manager. Ideal person would be great with clients, very organized, current on what is in style, can update the blog regularly, has an interest in photography, great with kids and has a strong work ethic. Strong photoshop skills are a big plus.

Brand new studio will not be finished till Mid-May but would like to start training the right person before the move in date.

A great part-time "stay at home mom" job.

So I of course immediately composed an email with my resume attached. I got an email back today:

Hey Aaron,

I got your email from my craigslist ad for a studio manager. I am pretty
sure that job is filled but I did want to see if you might be interested in
second shooting some weddings to get some experience. We are looking to
also ad an associate photographer in the near future but would like make
sure it is a fit and that they feel very comfortable working on their own
some day. Wedding are exciting but you have to be a certain type of person
to deal with everything that comes at you.

I am actually moving to a new studio space in Durham mid May.

Let me know if you are interested in meeting up next week.

Thanks,

Kevin

I really don't have to type anymore considering the title of this entire blog. Here is his website!

WOOT!

Ok so I have an interview on Monday at Ten Plus Systems! So everyone pray for me!

Basically I will be doing everything I ever did at Apple: Sales, Training, Support. I'm hoping it is for a position that I heard about where it would be a manager type thing where I would have people under me. We shall see but I am excited!

Resumes

Today I dropped off two more resumes to 2 different companies that deal mostly with what I was doing with Apple. So hopefully I will receive word on that soon and have some good news to report. I finally got the results of my appeal at Apple last night. I didn't win it. Oh well. Hopefully there is something so much greater out there for me that can get me on the road to getting out of debt and on the right track to becoming a wedding photographer sooner. We shall see. However Whitney once again has taken some steps of her own by picking up some more overtime shifts at work. This was definitely a God thing because two of her coworkers had to quit unexpectedly and so they are offering what is called ESSI pay which is $20 dollars extra an hour on top of her current hourly pay. This came at the same time where we finally sat down and worked out a budget we think will work for us to get out of debt by June or July.

Sitting here thinking about it I really cannot imagine a life being out of debt. Conceptualizing not having to work for the creditors is about as cognitive as me learning advanced Japanese in the same period of time. It is sad that this is what it has come to but really this is it. So for those of you out there who are in the same boat, GET OUT NOW!



If you want some help on the subject check out Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University. He takes a whole different approach than I have ever heard and much like alot of things, it just MAKES SENSE. So if you are interested check him out here.

I'M BACK!!

Totally new look, totally new me, I'm back.

There is alot more to becoming a photographer than I thought. Sure you can learn f stops aperture and the general function of a camera, the types of lenses, filters and all the post production work that goes into the industry. Moving past the differences in RAW and jpeg and which is better there is one thing more than anything else that a good start-up photographer needs: Money. That is what this blog is about. Not money per-sé but life and the steps taken to get where I want to be because it is definitely going to be a journey...

I hope that you will once again check this blog and we can all be friends again! I look forward to your comments...so please COMMENT!

With the new beginnings of this blog I leave you with a couple of my favorite quotes:

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
- St. Francis of Assisi

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."
- Calvin Coolidge

Andrew Largeman: Hey Albert
Albert: Yeah?
Andrew Largeman: Good luck exploring the infinite abyss.
Albert: Thank you, and Hey, you too
- Garden State