an epic week

Help me, Rhonda.

I do believe my head has detached and is floating somewhere in the thick layer of clouds covering the greater Seattle area.

If you've been reading here this week, you know this has been an epic week for me in regards to photography. Something I've been less explicit about is just how much I've been wishing and praying for some clarity about the role of photography in my life. There have been a lot of tears and prayers and outbursts of frustration over the last several months where this issue is concerned. Do I have any talent, or do I just really like it?

Last week, I explicitly asked for a miracle. All I wanted to know was whether or not I should give up on dreaming about what might be possible for me with photography. Because I have been dreaming. I dream a lot. I needed clarity of some sort.

Let's recap the week, shall we?

On Monday, I learned that I had been featured in Flickr Explore, which features 0.005% of the photos uploaded to Flickr on a given day. This post does a good job of explaining what it is and how they determine which photos are on that list (while not giving away any big secrets).

Woo hoo!! My very first foray into Explore (uploaded December 27)!!
This one topped out at #4

I learned over the course of this week that two more photos had made it into Explore. That makes three photos. In one week.

This one (uploaded December 23) topped out at #230

and ...


This one (uploaded December 29) topped out at #403

This is where you can picture me falling out of a chair and hitting the floor with a very loud thud.

But I'm not done. Not hardly.

This morning I learned I was featured on the portion of Shutter Sisters website known as "The Daily Click" which features submissions they receive from their pool on Flickr.

OH. MY. GOSH.

Click on the photo to go to the Shutter Sisters page

But I'm still not done.

About 10:30 this morning, I got a message on my Facebook page from my friend Betsy. Hey, I think one of your pics is on Pioneer Woman's site. Did you know that?

Um, no. Pioneer Woman?? As in ... Pioneer Woman??

Choke. Gasp. Flutter. I was totally geeking out. Pioneer Woman's site is HUGE.

Thud.

My hands starting shaking. Yep, that's me alright. Those are my ornaments, my socks, and my silver ribbon. For crying out loud, that's my living room floor!!

Click on the photo to go to the Pioneer Woman/Photography page
Click here to see the original photo.

I do believe I got my miracle, times five. I have no idea what will happen with any of this, but I feel like I've received an answer, or sorts. Even if I don't quite know what to do with it.

Now, if you will pardon me, I need to go and find my head. Hopefully it hasn't gotten too far.

* * * * *

UPDATE 12:50 PM: No doubt thanks to the Pioneer Woman feature, my elfish socks photo has also made it to Explore for December 21 uploads. 4 times in one week!!