Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "hobby"

As someone once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words."
I must confess that as a writer, I used to hate that saying. I resented the idea that photographers captured images that easily conveyed or evoked emotions that I often struggled to put into words.
But somewhere along the line, photography became an interest and then hobby and then something that I did as part of my job. Now it's something I do for fun. Let's just call it another creative outlet.
At any rate, the resentment I once felt is now a thing of the past. Now I admire the photographers who have the technical skill I have never mastered. I have tremendous respect for skilled professionals like my friends Lisa, Adam and Randy.
But instead of emulating those who have mastered the craft, I've created my own unique style while embracing urban photography, beach photography, automotive photography and travel photography. Of all the places I love to shoot, New York City is my favorite. Since I love big, bold graphic images, Times Square is my favorite place to shoot in the Big Apple.
For some reason, I rarely photograph people. Perhaps it has something to do with my dislike of having my own picture taken. I've gotten a few shots of people that I like. One is of a man walking down Main Street in Warrenton, Va., during a snow storm. The other is the one I used as an illustration for this blog. I took it while visiting Lake Eleola Park in Orlando, Fla., a couple of weeks ago.
It was a beautiful, warm early February afternoon, and a number of people were sitting on the park benches near the veterans memorial. But this particular person caught my attention. I couldn't help but wonder about his or her story. After all, everybody has one.
Until next time, "That's life...'

As many of you know, a challenge is issued on goodreads.com each January.
Members are invited to join an annual reading "competition" in which they estimate the number of books they think they can read in a calendar year and then try to meet that goal.
This year I'll be participating for the first time. Given the demands of my day job and writing my second book, I set a rather lofty goal of 100 books. I'm hardly a math major, but I believe that means I'll have to read a little less than two books per week. Coincidentally, I've also got 100 books on my Goodreads "to-read" shelf.
To be honest I probably won't get around to reading all of these. I'll be reading some that I haven't bothered to shelf. For example, I am currently reading The Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum, which isn't on the shelf.
Here, in no particular order, are a few books from my "to-read" shelf that I do plan on tacking this year:
- Critical Condition by CJ Lyons
- The Empress of Australia by Harry Leslie Smith
- Playing Dead by Allison Brennan
- The Prey by Allison Brennan
-Smoky Mountain Tracks by Donna Ball
-No One Left to Tell by Jordan Dane
-Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag
-Where There is Evil by Sandra Brown
-The Arsonist by Sue Miller
-The Light Horseman's Daughter by David Crookes
What about you? How many books can you read in a year? What do you like to read? Do you follow recommendations from friends, base your choices on reviews, or just on what's popular? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? What is your favorite genre?
Let me know in the comments below, on Google + or on Twitter.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Hi there. My name is Alex, and I'm addicted to books.
All together now... "Hi, Alex!"
Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'll get to the point. I'm serious. I'm a bookaholic. I have been since I was a little kid.
Back then my parents read to me all the time and I was only allowed to watch half-an-hour of TV per day. As a result, I developed a healthy appreciation for books and learned to read at an early age.
I read whenever I got a chance, even on the way back to school from a field trip when I was in first or second grade. I remember looking at the words above the front door and a snotty teacher asking me what on earth I was doing.
"Reading," I answered. "What do you think I'm doing?"
Yes, I was a brat. And she was another word that begins with a "B." But I digress.
In third or fourth grade, I started reading everything I could get my hands on. I read The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, the Black Stallion books, the Trixie Belden mysteries and the Bobbsey Twins series.
When it came to reading, I was always a few grade levels ahead of most of my peers. I remember tackling my first Ludlum books when I was in middle school. I also read sci-fi and fantasy and thrillers.
I read in school. I read at home. I read at camp and on vacation. I read when I was supposed to be studying. I read on my lunch break at my first part-time job. At night I sneaked a flashlight into my bed and pulled the covers over my head so I could keep reading after I was supposed to be asleep.
Now that I'm almost 50, nothing's really changed. I read whatever I can, whenever I can. Hardcovers, paperbacks, e-books, it doesn't really matter. Mysteries, suspense, thrillers, sci-fi, romance, historical novels, fact-based novels... Yes, I'll read it all. Having said that, I prefer fiction, but I'll read non-fiction, too. I love a good memoir, but in all honesty my favorite is my own.
A really good book will keep me up until the crack of dawn. A bad one... well, that's better left unsaid.
At any rate, I've got to go. I've got to finish Best Kept Secrets by Sandra Brown.
Until next time, "That's life..."