Won’t feel blue when I get excited

Made in Canva

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

Daily Writing Prompt

My excitement doesn’t show on the outside, so people don’t see it. Sports events are different, though. If a Finn or a team succeeds in a competition or a game, I cheer for them. Unlike other people, I don’t even need alcohol for that. I never liked that stuff. I don’t feel blue when I get excited. Especially when it’s about getting more confidence. Too many things have put me down in the past. I got excited at first, but the feeling faded. If it’s been in schools or workplaces. I haven’t found the right way that makes me feel comfortable. But now it might be different.

I’m taking part in two courses. The first is about taking photos with a digital camera and posting them on social media. I’m in its third week. It has 8 modules on different subjects related to photography. You get better photos with an SLR (single-lens reflex camera) than a mobile phone. Learning to take pictures with a camera with all the manual settings takes a while. It’s been a while since I did that, which is one of the reasons why I’m taking this course. But also because it has a Facebook group where you can share your assignments and contact other students. You can get help from the group or the organizers. It’s not only photography but also how to post regularly on Instagram. I participated in a free webinar about taking photos in one day, and the course was mentioned. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to join the course. I’ve taken pictures with my iPhone lately because it’s easier to carry. I might get excited again to use a camera. So far, I have no regrets. The teachers are professional photographers, and the FB community is fabulous. In this course, you get feedback on how to become a better photographer. When I studied photography from 2014 to 2015, we got feedback on our assignments, but I didn’t get any comments afterward, so you didn’t know if you improved your photos. Different people have different methods to teach others, so it’s nice to see another perspective.

The other course I’m taking starts on September 2. It’s about stepping into Instagram marketing. It’s for small businesses or those who are planning one. It has 8 modules with different subjects, such as social media strategies and building confidence in front of the camera. It sounded interesting when I took part in a webinar about the course. It isn’t cheap, but it might pay in the end. Both courses are in Finnish and females. They all sound like great people, too. I’m excited about both courses and know I’ll learn something. Anything new I learn is like that. I’ve put things off with becoming an entrepreneur for different reasons. Maybe I’m getting closer to it because I’m bored with my job search. I have people who can support me and help me get forward. I’m glad I don’t need to network on events when I can do it online. I feel blue when I hear or read about how to call or meet people at events. For an introvert, it’s hell. There must be other ways to market your business or when you’re only starting out. The courses I’m taking will help in a lot of things.

I hope my excitement will last a little longer this time, or I will feel blue again.

The golden moment came and went

black cross across gold
Made in Canva

I have a temporary enthusiasm when it comes to interests. I get excited about one thing, but then the golden moment passes. For example, I applied for a job, and they would contact me the following week. Now it’s almost a month, and still no message. I could reach the place, but I’m no longer interested in the job. I prefer to apply for something else instead. I rarely get excited about things, but then when I do, it doesn’t take long. If there were ADHD for making decisions, I would probably have it. My mind is easily distracted. That’s maybe the reason why I have so much unfinished fictions.

I read a column about how you these days need to know what you want to do at 15. It was the same when I was that age; so things haven’t changed. In Finland, you can choose where to study after elementary school. You can go to high school or training school. I didn’t choose either. I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I knew I didn’t want anything ordinary. I went to a folk school for a year in education I didn’t want to be in. But my late mother said you need to start somewhere. I’ve had a few schools I didn’t want to be in, but that’s another story. The column reminded me of how many different subjects I’ve studied. It hasn’t got me a job, but I’m versatile. You don’t need to know what you want to be at 15. You have the right to change your mind. Your interests change. I don’t understand why people tell kids they must choose a career at a young age or they’ll be screwed. Everyone doesn’t know what they want to be. We can’t all be made in the same format. No wonder young people get stressed and depressed when they are lied to. Pressure is the worse kind of motivating factor. The golden moment might never happen but never say never. Life is about trying different things; try again if one doesn’t work.

I had an enthusiasm for becoming an entrepreneur. When I studied web design some years ago, I had a taste of working with clients. It appealed to me not having to go anywhere and working when I wanted. I even went on a course about entrepreneurship in 2018. I still had that as an option later on. But now I’m trying the easier way out, finding a job, because starting a business seems too much work and time-consuming. I’m not afraid of working hard, but I’m not getting any younger. Once, I wanted to become a professional photographer. I put all my thoughts into it. I studied it at the beginning of the 2000s. I enjoyed it for two months, but then I quit. One of the teachers put me off it. He was against digital cameras. It was only film cameras, and nothing else mattered. Developing film and all that was too difficult for me as well. I didn’t think about photography as a profession for years. Thanks to digital cameras, my interest in photography was on again. To make the story short. I came to the conclusion I wanted to do more than photography. It’s only been a hobby for me. It would be nice if I could also use it in a job.

People change, and interests change. What you wanted to do when you were a kid, you might not want when you’re an adult. People change jobs and careers every day. Everything is temporary. Once upon a time, people stayed in a job until they retired, but today and in the future, nothing lasts forever. Doing variable jobs during your lifetime is much better than doing one position for the rest of your life. I would feel trapped if I wasn’t allowed to do different things. I end this post with one of the ‘Lord of the rings’ quotes I can relate to.

“What do you fear, lady?” [Aragorn] asked.
“A cage,” [Éowyn] said. “To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Bloganuary: What is your favorite photo you’ve ever taken?

break dancer on the floor
Split-second by taken by me, 2014

Day 20. Now a prompt I’m familiar with. I have taken photos for over 25 years or so. It isn’t easy to know what my favourite photo is. But this one could be it. I never seem to catch moving subjects. They get blurry. But I manage to get this one. It’s from a dance show on a cruising ship. I took many photos from the show, but this one was the one I managed to ‘catch’. It’s breakdance which goes really fast. It’s taken with Canon EOS D40. Even if I have studied photography, I still don’t get the exposure, apertures, etc. I tried a lot, but still, I find it challenging to photograph moving things. I prefer to take nature and architecture photos.

More of my photos can be found here.