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CindeeRoo
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Greetings everyone

It's been a long time since I've written a journal. I may have the gift of gab and tend to be long winded, but I'm not always up for talking and certainly not very good at public speaking and writing journals. I figure I owe it to all my friends and watchers who have so wonderfully supported me over the years to why I'm submitting more digital art than photos lately. And I promise, I'll do my best not to be long-winded in my explanation.

Basically it's along the same ole lines as I've been posting over the years. It all comes down to health. I had to have an emergency hysterectomy in 2012 after battling with severe repercussions to my well being because the doctors weren't listening to what was wrong. Two years later, I found out I have Hashimoto's and again, this time over a decade, of requesting blood tests every year and the doctors telling me it's all in my head, they finally listened. But not before it had such detrimental, even life-threatening, affects on my health. These things caused challenges with the nerve damage I've got from back and neck problems. It's been a long road but I feel like I'm finally able to gain a little bit more control over my life again. I've had to learn to live in a new way and have had to dive deep into learning about living with an autoimmune disorder. I'm still learning that one.

The way that this has effected my photography is that I can't walk much now. I barely leave the house and have to use a mobile cart to shop. Because of all this, I became depressed and eventually lost my photo mojo, as well as art. It's been hard to stay upbeat. I'm a free spirit and begin to fall apart and whither when caged. My health problems have caged me. Art and photography help me. I need to create things. When those things go caput, I go nuts. Have you ever seen a caged bird go nuts? They start to pull out their feathers and begin to resemble Marty Feldman.

Anyhoo ... Something sparked recently and I feel like I've got a little bit of that mojo back. Don't know how long it will last, but I've decided to ride the wave while it's there. I realized that I may not be able to get out and take pictures like I used to, but I can't try to get back into still life and macro right in my own home and I can still do some digital art. I haven't been too inspired lately in the photography department, but sure am in digital art. I'm learning things I've always wanted to do and loving it.

So now, was that too long winded?

I hope all is well with you all. Thank you for your kindness and support over the years. It means more than you know.
Cindee

•*

Like the old saying goes, I can't believe how quickly time has passed. It was a decade ago that I was searching the Internet for fantasy art & wallpaper. Upon my search I stumbled upon this unique art community with a unique name. I began to peruse the plethora of thumbnails and my mind was blown. Never had I seen so much artistic diversity in one place. EUREKA!

I began clicking here and there, opening page after page, viewing artwork, literature and more. I can't remember how long I sat there viewing this entire site, but I know it was a good long while before I finally bookmarked it and saved it for later. When my son was at school and I had some alone time, I would check in from time to time, learning as much as I could about this site. I had been tinkering about with graphics off and on in Paint Shop Pro for the last several years and was happy to find other users. However, I took particular interest in the photography category as I my husband had recently bought me a point and shoot and I was getting back into photography in the digital age.

A year passed and in 2005 my husband had bought me a Nikon D70. I spent most of that year playing with the camera, getting to know it and testing my abilities. I'd check into deviantART on occasion, at this point to find inspiration.

What I discovered was something more!

I really wanted to create an account and share my images. Every time I had the page open to do so, I would end up closing the page and leaving altogether. I was a beginner, I didn't know much, my images weren't good enough ... the whole insecure thing and over-thinking kept me from creating that account. I'd come back, still with that desire to be a part of this amazing community, for an entire year before finally doing it.

What I realized was that not everyone here is a professional in their genre and that was okay. People start from scratch, learn from others and progress. This community was special in that it does not discriminate. Beginners, amateurs, professionals and anything in between ... all welcomed here. I LOVE THAT!

I began my first account here in 2006 and created this one in 2009 as I felt I had grown and so wanted to change my account name. Of course, we can now do that without having to create a new account, so I still have both now, keeping all my older stuff with the first account. I also began a stock account as I was building a collection of "unused/unwanted" images.

Over the last 10 years, I have made friends, learned about and how to use Photoshop, grown as a photographer and am currently learning photomanipulation. All inspired from this amazing site. And although my health continues to deteriorate, I still try to find time take pictures, create art and to take part when I can.


  Thanks to the staff & the members, who help make this the best online art community hands down.

Here's to another 14 years :bademoticon:


Cindee