I've never missed a kick

In general, people who watch football games on TV are all pretty good at telling the players and coaches what they're doing wrong.  If the stupid running back would've just cut left...  If the kicker would've made that simple 43 yard field goal from the left hash into the wind in the snowstorm...  Yes, we all know what to do, and if we just had a shot on the field, we could show'em how to do things right.

As it turns out, this stuff isn't that easy.  That might explain why there are so few players and so many spectators.  Last week we got a chance to walk the field, make some passes, catch some balls, and kick some field goals.  With no technique or practice, and a couple glasses of wine in them, the success rate for most people from 10-15 yards out was pretty low.  The ball would end up a few feet off the ground, to one side or the other, or shanking off into the pass throwing activity's area.

Personally, I never missed a kick.  Some people might bring up the fact that I didn't attempt a kick and regurgitate that motivational "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" stuff.  My stance is that given my near complete lack of athletic ability, my miss rate would be about 100% anyway, so why bother?  At least now I get to say that I never missed and then quickly change the subject.

I did have fun watching other people attempt some kicks.

And another attempt.  Note where the ball ends up in the last picture.  

I didn't switch in a picture from another series, I swear.  

Business advice from Big Head

The agenda for Tuesday

I've been away from the corporate world for two months now.  As I sit and think, it doesn't seem like I've done much or made much forward progress.  But then I look at the easel with my giant notepad full of stuff to do.  Pages full of lists, most of them with items crossed out as completed.  In a couple of months I've become a legitimate business with local, state, and federal tax IDs.  I have a bank account, an accountant, and a registered trade name.  I have all sorts of insurance and can take credit card payments.  There are Photo Steevo ads running in print and online.  I've gone from working with one other photographer to three.  I've sold big prints, signed wedding contracts, and have a cover shot on an upcoming magazine.  I'm going to Toastmasters meetings and getting involved with the New Orleans Photo Alliance.  In the next two months, business will take me to North Carolina, Ohio, and Florida.

There's a little corner store two houses down from me run by a Vietnamese guy who calls himself Big Head.  It's a simple, cash only business, but it's his.  When we got to talking about me starting my business, he gave me one piece of advice - be patient.  Things will not always go as quickly or in the direction that you expect, but keep at it.

When meeting with my accountant to talk about how messy my taxes are going to be, she responded to my self loathing about this year's drop in income with "be patient, you're a startup."

Every day I wake up and look at how far I am from where I want to be.  Every day I have to remind myself to be patient.  The list above doesn't show any individual giant leaps forward, but taken together, the items show a gradual increase in forward momentum.

This is me being patient.

And this is me going to buy an energy drink from Big Head.  There's so much that I want to do...

It's Raining Men - Southern Decadence

Labor Day weekend brought three days of rain.  Non. Stop. Rain.  Not that something like a tropical storm or a hurricane could put a damper on the Southern Decadence celebrations.  In 2008 when Hurricane Gustav was approaching the city, the only party still going on was Southern Decadence.  While deciding whether or not to brave the rain this year I checked the festival's website and its statement "It's raining men" was too funny for me to not go to the parade.  Here's some of what I saw. 

It's 130 days after Mardi Gras, let's celebrate with a parade!

I love talking to friends and family in Ohio about all the stuff that goes on down here in New Orleans.  Last weekend was Midsummer Mardi Gras.  They ask what Midsummer Mardi Gras is and I tell them that it's the "six months after Mardi Gras" parade starting on Oak Street.  I never really thought about it like that before, but you gotta respect the city that marks time between festivals and holidays by having more festivals.

Guys - Put on something fabulous and grab your boyfriends because Southern Decadence Festival is next.

-10 points for our lack of costume planning.  +10 points to the photo bomber in the background.