Note to Self: More Sunshine.

Last week, if you read, was a bit of a downer. However, I think, for whatever reason, this weekend was what I needed. I didn't do much--Friday I stayed in, Saturday I went to a cookout at M's where we ate, laughed, and cooed over my dog, and Sunday was the nicest day I've spent at home in a long while--we had brunch at Marche and went to the dog park, I took pictures for class, and had a 2 hour conversation with Rome. But the weather was beautiful and I think having all that sunshine and warmth outdoors really helped soothe my spirits. I didn't even mind the time change and losing an hour of the day, because it means that it's not pitch-black the second I leave the office. I love when it stays light out til 7 or 8pm. I feel like I have so much more time added to my day with more light.
It's only Tuesday, but I still feel pretty good about the week. I think having a weekend to relax, have all the doors and windows open with fresh air flowing, and take my time doing things was a way to recharge my batteries, despite my worry that I wouldn't know how to do so. I still would like to take a break from things and relax more, but considering the little time I had for it, I felt I used it appropriately.
I was worried about photography class last night because I was embarrassed by my photos; I didn't think they were very good and I was unsure if I actually achieved the purpose of using the shutter and aperture properly. Turns out, I don't suck. I didn't get one negative critique on any of my shots; instead, I was told "gorgeous," "crisp," and "that one's a keeper!" I was so surprised and pleased; it gave me a warm glow and I left smiling. I was reminded of why I like critique sessions. Even if I had gotten negative reviews, I would've taken that and applied it to my future shots. And having the teacher explain why my shots were good helped me see not just that I did something correctly, but how to recreate it and why shutter and aperture work the way they do. I didn't feel quite so confused and that's an incredibly nice feeling. That's always been my problem--I second guess myself and doubt my abilities. I know I shouldn't do that, because 9 out of 10 times, it's better than expected (I guess because I take it 5 steps further in order to better understand it). I suppose last week, my confidence was shaken with things in my life and it made me doubt myself, which put me into a tailspin. But by getting my confidence back in a couple of departments, that helped me a lot to feel better about the situations in general. Not everything is fixed, but I know that it can be--it just takes some time and patience.
I think it's going to be a busy week, but I feel better about this one. On tonight's agenda: Drag Queen Bingo at Mad Donna's.
Thank you for the reassurances, support, and SMSes. :)
LC.