3rd day of unemployment.

Last night I went to a meeting of the Central Maryland Photography Guild. It used to be relatively easy for me to create links and upload pictures onto this blog, so I could let you click on "Central Maryland Photography Guild" and you would go the the Guild's web site so you could see what that was all about. But, alas, the new and improved version on blog-city now makes it impossible to do that. It has also proven impossible for me to display my entry for "Theme Thursday", even though I have been fighting with this software for about an hour and a half.

Now that I'm thoroughly pissed off, I've decided to write a blog entry about how pissed off I am! Okay, not much interest in that. I'll just tell you about the Photography Guild Meeting. CMPG is a group of people, many of whom have links on my site (that is, if they are still working) who are interested in all kinds of photography and in photography on many different levels. It's open to anyone, regardless of skill level, which is great for me because "skill" and "photography" probably ought not be used in the same sentence when talking about my pictures. But, the point is, that I am interested in improving, and the experienced members there, especially Geren, Will, and Rob, are into sharing their knowledge and advice. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month at a church in Ellicott City, assign ourselves various projects, share the results and talk about how we can improve. At the last two meetings, Rob has given extremely informative talks on some of the more technical aspects of photography, which I find very especially helpful since I've never taken any formal classes.

Anyway, at the end of the meeting, Will wrote a web address up on the board, telling everyone they should write it down, so I dutifully got out a pen. When he moved away from the blackboard this is what it said: http://somewingedcreature.net. Hey, wait, I thought. That looks like my blog-city address. What happened? Did I accidentally steal somebody else's name? Who the heck else could be as into the book of Ecclessiastes as I am? (It's my favorie book of the Bible. Most people find it depressing. Go figure) I sat there staring stupidly at the black board, wondering why these talented, technically with-it guys were smiling at me.

"It's your new web site. We all went in together, paid you up for a year. You just have to learn how to use Moveable Type, and we'll help you. I have to e-mail you your password." Rob said.

For once in my life, I was speechless. I either said, "Say what?" or "Thank you" I hope my manners raced to the forefront and it was "Thank you" but you never know. I'm liable to say anything, especially when I'm surprised. Mostly I think I was sitting there like a carp: mouth wide open, eyes wide.

"We figured, we're getting frustrated because we can't read your stuff because blog-city is down all the time, or half working, or whatever is wrong with it. We figured you must be freaking out! So, now, you'll have a place for your postings that won't go down whenever somebody else decides to do improvements without testing them first."

"I have to settle this up with you guys somehow." I said.

"No. Just write." they said, emphatically.

Whoa! I have true friends! Or even, like, PATRONS. Between this and my brother coming over to my house and cajoling me to try to publish some of my stories, and casually calling me "an artist" I feel - well, not so much like something that has come in on the bottom of somebody's shoe. Higher than a duck's behind. Sort of, head level with the duck.

So this is my official Some Winged Thank You to the gentlemen of CMPG. And as soon as I get my password and figure out what I'm doing, I'll let everybody know when I "move". Meanwhile, I'm still going to try to post that photo and keep you all up to date on the exciting world of unemployment from here until then.

For instance, right now I'm going to try to find a pair of clean pantyhose to wear to another job-in-another-box open house that starts at 2:00. It's 12:15 now, that gives me an hour and 45 minutes to find the pantyhose, get them back from either the cat or the dog, both of whom have a history of grabbing them right off of my legs as I'm trying to wrestle into them, put clear nail polish on the inevitable runners resulting from the battle, hop around on my good foot while trying to get my slightly gimpy left leg into the appropriate side,etc.

Sounds like just about enough time.