Spring Equinox: In memory of the never-ending Winter

In honor of the spring equinox, I've pulled together some of my favorite photos from this "winter". I feel guilty calling what I've experienced "winter", seeing as how there was snow falling in parts of the country yesterday. However, Atlanta did have two major (ha!) snow events, I experienced my first snow days and slipped on the ice and busted my ass, so I feel as though I have earned my whining-rights. Still, I feel like a fool complaining about the length of this winter, which I've spent in Atlanta, Charleston, and Winter Park, Florida, making escapes to the lake and the coast whenever possible.

You can't tell, but I was wearing pants and a sweater while taking all of these photos. Considering my upbringing as a perpetually bathing suit-clad, sand-and-sun-worshipping Floridian, that's a pretty big deal for me.

I'll admit: even though it can suck, winter is pretty and inspiring no matter where you are in the world. Here's some evidence.

January sunset in Charleston.

January sunset in Charleston.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
— Albert Camus
Green finding January sun in Charleston.

Green finding January sun in Charleston.

She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
‘Winter is dead.’
— A.A. Milne
Early January in Isle of Palms.

Early January in Isle of Palms.

Justin and antique ironworks.

I'm guessing this is about as private as it gets. 

I'm guessing this is about as private as it gets. 

My new favorite weekend trip: Charleston, SC.
Spending weekends up in the trees by Lake Lanier.

Spending weekends up in the trees by Lake Lanier.

Lake Lanier at dusk.

Lake Lanier at dusk.

Flowers blooming in early March.

Flowers blooming in early March.

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Ice holding on in late February, after Atlanta's infamous Snowpocalypse v1.0.

Ice holding on in late February, after Atlanta's infamous Snowpocalypse v1.0.

Leaving work, before the first Atlanta Snowpocalypse. It took me three hours to travel 4 miles. 

Leaving work, before the first Atlanta Snowpocalypse. It took me three hours to travel 4 miles. 

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Hiking by the Chattahoochee in January.

Hiking by the Chattahoochee in January.

Christmas Day in my family's backyard in Winter Park, Florida. 

Christmas Day in my family's backyard in Winter Park, Florida. 

On being the least experienced in the room

I am such a happy person when I am constantly learning, no matter what it's about. If I'm taking in anything, and expanding what I know and understand, I feel at home. I love a good challenge. I love creation.

At the end of January, I started a new job. The actual position is exactly what I want to be doing right at this moment. I have daily responsibilities, I have long-term and short-term projects to work on. My bosses are incredibly helpful and want me to grow. The best part is: I'm surrounded by people who are better than me

I am, for sure, the least experienced person in the room. Probably at all times. And I could not be happier.

I have all these people with their knowledge as resources for me. Not to mention, everyone in my department wants to teach, and show their skills to other people, so I make a perfect audience. 

Lately, one of my coworkers challenged me to pursue my desire to learn 3D animation. A couple of the guys suggested bypassing re-introducing myself to After Effects and going straight for Cinema4D. So today, I began doing that. 

Thanks to grayscalegorilla.com and the incredible tutorials available, I think my journey to learn Cinema4D will be less daunting than expected. Here's my first 4-second clip animating text using Cineware (the lite version) for After Effects.


Cheers to creating every day!