i’m on pei for the week, visiting with colourful characters like jonathan cameron and tristan gray. oh, and this guy pictured above (chris francis.)

for the most part, it’s been a fairly relaxing and unambitious experience consisting of catching up, video games, photography, risk 2210 AD, and ridiculously large breakfast sandwiches.

as always, it seems as though life has taken a bit of a new direction. i’ve been working on websites for the scoreboard weekly and fredericton’s own cedar tree cafe (coming soon.) but most of all, i’ve been carefully reviewing different life paths and options for the next 5 years.

one thing that has been really piquing my interest as of late is wedding photography. wedding season is fast approaching and i’ve been loading up on new gear and fresh inspiration. in order to coordinate this, i’m also working on a second face to letlightraindown: a commercial one, further expanding on my portfolio and detailing the photography services i’m offering.

graphic design, however, is still my central focus. a lot of my latest work is being launched soon (including my latest endeavours for cedar tree and other fine projects.)

it’s time to get the ball rolling.

well, it sure has been a while.

my lack of updates on this blog is perhaps an indication of my extreme schedule these past few months. in addition to working independent contracts for certain e-learning and graphic projects, my position as the arts & entertainment editor for the brunswickan has also fired up.

i’m also playing a role as new media coordinator for canadian university press. this is a national position at the country’s oldest student association for campus papers abroad.

and of course it’s september, so i’m back to school. this time at the new brunswick college of crafts & design taking a photography diploma, something that (as i’ve discovered) i actually want to do.

so yeah, you could say that i’m fairly busy.

on the bright side, i’ve never been happier. with so much going on, time for procrastination and idling simply doesn’t exist and prioritization has become the name of the game.

life has definitely shifted gears. there’s so much going on all around me that for once i find myself rarely ever without something i have to do or a place i need to be.

i’m contracting full-time as a flash and multimedia developer. in an effort to give back to the ict community that’s been so kind to me already, i’m also a creative mentor at propelict, where i’m helping facilitate web identities for startups in new brunswick.

i also finally re-activated my eve online account. it’s been a week, but in how busy (and cash-strapped) i’ve been up until today, i had a feeling it might happen. i’m excited to get back in touch with my corporation and fellow pilots.

lots of driving, lots of time in front of a computer and a lot of lazing around in my downtime has led me to feel quite out of shape and out of touch with myself, so i’m making it a goal to spend more time outdoors and live a more active lifestyle in the coming weeks. i know just from subtle changes, i’ll start to feel much better.

i ordered a dell mini 10 this morning along with this nifty backpack (kitbag for you islanders.) i can’t wait to get it.

in other news, steph, brian and i are headed back to pei this coming weekend and i’m pretty excited. i’m making it my mission to drag the handsome (but frustrating) tristan gray into a stellar photoshoot, so expect something fresh in a few days.

• a week ago today, i was biking to pick up some eats when a car ran a stop sign. i slammed on my brakes in an effort to avoid being hit, and succeeded in doing so. what i didn’t succeed in was avoiding the pavement. i was not wearing a helmet. i hit it hard; broke my skull in four places, blacked out for a few seconds and managed to stagger up, but the car drove off. if it weren’t for an RBC Financial employee standing a few feet away, i don’t know how i would have made it to the hospital where i spent several days in emergency.
• as a result of the above, i’ve relocated to my hometown of quispamsis for a week or two in an attempt to recover. things are much slower out here. it’s peaceful and calming, but my active nature causes me to quickly grow bored and frustrated with the way of life out here. so…
• i’m taking the time off to figure out my employment plan. a few prospects that i’ve been scouting have finally started to mature and take off. nothing official yet, but i’ll release more details soon.
• i’ve also had to spend quite a bit of time restoring websites hosted on thedrop.org, my server, which was attacked by some kind of malicious php injection script a few days before my bike accident. if you discover any strange errors or warnings on my sites or the sites of others on this domain, please let me know.

all of these developments have left me very little time to photograph, though that will change soon. i have plans for a photoshoot with a local pop/acoustic outfit called she roars! in the next week.

i’ve also started another blog, not to replace this one, but instead to accomodate it. i’m a geek at heart, so while i enjoy this little place for my life and photography-related endeavours, i was lacking an outlet to rant about my technological obssessions. these include, but are not limited to: linux, drupal, eve online, wordpress, open source, etc. if any of these things appeal to you, check it out here: http://tuxedout.thedrop.org.

life is getting back on track. i can’t remember that last time i felt this optimistic. i realize that i’m extremely fortunate, and i hope the trend continues.

i may have been seen walking around downtown fredericton carrying umbrellas, lightstands, tripods, and other various equipment, but it’s worth it for shots like this.

school is almost over. i can’t believe it’s this close to the end. with uncertainty about my summer plans still lingering, i’m feeling a growing pressure to get in gear and figure everything out.

major life changes ahead.

anyone that hasn’t had the pleasure of a meal at bulgogi should immediately do so. i haven’t tried the sushi, but i enjoyed a quick korean dish with jordan graham and christian hapgood last week and i was surprised at the environment the owners have created there. it’s something i didn’t expect of fredericton, which added to the thrill.

more changes. though officially unconfirmed, it appears as though the multimedia studies program, in which i am enrolled, may be folding in to cultural studies effective this fall. the director of the program as well as one other professor have left.

my thoughts are scattered on this. what will this mean for the fall? will i stick with UNB or will i venture into some other form of education more closely related to what i want to do? cultural studies isn’t exactly what i was banking on when i enrolled here.

post-secondary life so far has been a persistent battle between what i’m doing vs. what i want to do. dreams are pulling me in one direction while the real world directs me in another.

i don’t just want to dream; i want to shape my dreams into reality.

i want to soar.

over the course of life, one is undoubtedly met with a series of trials and tribulations that put one to the test – mentally, physically, and spiritually. one of the most impacting factors on this metaphorical obstacle course is the helping hand of companions along the way.

through these challenges, we learn a lot about ourselves. we also learn a lot about the true meaning of friendship and the genuinity of those that we share it with. many falter, letting alterior motives and goals shine through their smiling faces. others miraculously stick through it all, proving their unconditional regard in even the most unlikely circumstances.

this is steph. she’s the latter.

you can wander on over to her own words of wisdom right here.

things are changing, and i feel as though i’ve had a metaphorical breath of fresh air. in fact, i can’t remember the last time i felt this motivated.

weak size fish (seen above) have just released their full-length album “off we go”, for which i did the artwork. i’d really appreciate any feedback on it, as it’s one of my first times doing that kind of thing (and actually seeing it go to print.)

i’m likely spending the summer in charlottetown. it’s something i’ve wanted to do for years now, and it should actually come to fruition this time (provided that i find a decent job there.) i’ve managed to scout out a couple of it consulting firms as well as a potential position at the guild. fingers are crossed. if you have a job suggestion for me, i’d love to hear it. well, except if it’s something ridiculous.

like bus driving, for example.

steph goes under the pen today at 12 for her tree tattoo. as always, i seem to pack everything that i need except for my camera charger, so the k10 is dead until we get back to fredericton. i’ll be shooting with her d60 for the next couple of days.

more photos to come.