When Convenience is an Inconvenience

Sometimes in life we sacrifice things for convenience and simplicity. For the past year and a half,I have done so with my hobby of photography. In college I took a photography and photojournalism course. I bought an expensive camera so I could control more settings, especially aperture and shutter speed, during my freshman year of college. Sometimes I went to the park or other places just to take photos.

Since I returned from Spain, not so much. In June 2012 I owned my first smartphone with a decent enough camera I could use it to take photos. I didn't have much control and couldn't zoom very far but it was good for memories. Small enough to fit in my pocket, it was much more convenient than a large camera and the extra batteries to keep it running. And it was one less item to carry since it was my phone.

In November 2013 my phone was stolen. Highly inconvenient,yes; end of the world, no. Fortunately, I didn't own a smart phone until I returned from Spain. Texting is much simpler, even if I no longer use the phone for checking email and Facebook. Most of all though, if I want to take photos, I have to take my real camera -- the phone camera takes tiny pictures.

I began using the real camera again while hiking at Petit Jean State Park --stopping along the trail just to take pictures that I had taken 10 times before. Later I drove to Mount Magazine State Park and took a few photos. One of those photos, a picture of the sunset from the hang glider launch, I posted to the Arkansas State Parks Facebook page. They re-shared it and it received more than 300 likes and more than 40 shares. That wouldn't be possible had I only had my phone.

Phones, internet, tablets all make life simpler but one has to wonder how much will we sacrifice for a little convenience?

Bringing in 2014

Facebook told me last week I need to get out more, more or less. Each year the social media site offers a summary of a user's top 20 moments for the past 365 days. A couple of items on my summary were pictures from Petit Jean State Park, but sadly one of them was a Bitstrip comic of me telling my niece not to touch my computer. Somehow I doubt the photos from New Years eve show up in my summary for this year but hopefully they do for the 2014 review.

Tuesday night was the annual bonfire and karaoke night. About seven friends and an additional five family members attended. This was about the fifth or sixth bonfire we've hosted where some of my college friends come down and some of them bring a few other friends. Most of the time we have at least two or three new people and many of them are international students. This year we had our second snipe hunt. And of course, we can't forget the karaoke until past midnight. Since it was New Year's we all sang a round of Auld Lang Sine at midnight. We will see if the event shows up in 2014, but regardless, I have got to do more this year.

January 1 is the time to set resolutions -- those things we never follow through with. I've gone so far as to set my resolutions the opposite of what I really want to do; either I will actually do what I really want or I will succeed for once in my resolutions. This year I am trying a third approach.

Get outside more
One of my favorite things about living in Arkansas is it truly is the natural state. City parks, state parks and national forests are all over the state with lakes to swim and trails to hike.

Write more, photograph more
I love writing. I love photography. I don't do much of either any more. In 2014 I would like to write a blog every other week and maybe the photos will help. If I ever finish one of my "novels" I might even post some of the chapters of them on here. Feel free to suggest topics.

Travel more/plan more
I've been a lot of places, but as far as leisurely travel, Branson is as far as I got in 2013. In 2014 I would like to travel more in the United States. Of course, that means I have to plan more in my personal life so that I can take the time off and make the best use of my time. Not only that, but it makes finding friends to travel with easier. If all goes well, some of us are traveling in the first or second quarter of the year to Texas.