Parallel Challenges

My old computer is clogged with pictures. Well, not really clogged, because it runs and processes just fine, but I've got thousands of digital pictures that I don't know what to do with.

Before the digital age, when I took pictures with my little 110 camera, I'd send the pictures off to get developed and then place them in a photo album. Digital is different. I take hundreds of pictures each month. Some are okay, some pretty good and some are really no good at all, but no matter what they look like they're all sitting on my hard drive.

I've been taking pictures on a pretty much daily basis since I created a photo blog back in October of 2007. I started it on a whim, after a trip to California resulted in some half-decent photos. I'd been tinkering with the idea of a writing blog back then, but really didn't know what I wanted to write about. Then while looking around on the internet I came across a photo challenge. The challenge was pretty simple; take ten pictures a day. Ten seemed like a large number so I started off with two or three and have faithfully posted each day. In the beginning I was adamant that the pictures posted should be taken the same day. In time I gave myself some slack and would often stock up on the weekends and spread the shots out over the following week.

It's been a great experience. My camera has led me out into nature on a more regular basis. It's made me remember how much I love getting out on my bike and allowed me to rediscover the C & O canal towpath that runs from Washington, DC to Cumberland, MD. I go through my day looking for pictures I want to take and on a real good day I find them and even have my camera in hand.

The Slice of Life Challenge is pretty similar. It's been a great experience. It's made me think about the events of my day on a regular basis. I go through my day looking for a "slice" to write about. On a good day I find that slice waiting for me.