In Your Face, Gregor Mendel!

Editor Dad’s Note: I’ve asked my eldest daughter to write a guest blog post.

I come from a family defined by two things. One, their intelligence and two, their creativity. My father is a computer programmer as well as a talented artist. My mother, sharp as a tack, has a voice like an angel. Also, she cooks like nobody’s business. And if anybody dares to think cooking cannot fit under the definition of art, they’re an idiot. To eat a delicious meal is to experience a three dimensional masterpiece of the senses.

But I digress.

Lastly, there is my younger sister, who magically happened to develop a hand for drawing as well as a voice for singing  AND an evil genius sort of mind.

I, however, did not. Way to let me down genetics.

I spent most of my life trying to come to terms with the fact that I was just the smart one. Creativity had escaped my genetic makeup. All hope was lost.

That is until a few weeks ago…

Two of my co-workers, who are each planning separate weddings, were discussing their progress at work.

“Hey, I found a photographer!” exclaimed Bride Number One in excitement. “For four hundred dollars!”

“”Four hundred??” I ask incredulously. “Are you kidding me?”

That elicited chuckles of pity. Apparently, my naiveté had struck again. Oh how little I knew of the world for she proceeded to inform me, “Yah, that’s pretty cheap. I had another guy wanting to charge me $2,000.”

I could not contain my disbelief again and blurted out…

“Oh my gosh, are you kidding? I could take your pictures for you!” 

Let me explain. Through the years I’ve actually attempted to break the chains that DNA held me with by dabbling in several artistic outlets. Guitar, piano, mime. Photography was the only one that held potential. I had taken pictures here and there. Pictures over which I could feel some actual pride. Yet, it fell to the wayside as life found a way to crowd itself in. And my ADD like "blurtation” was a joke. Which was apparently lost on my co worker as she pressed the matter, intrigued.

The next thing I know I’m staying up until One in the morning editing pictures to add to my portfolio. (Giggling at the fact that I got to use the word, portfolio. It’s so, dare I say it… artsy!) With the help of Walgreens.com I put together a 20 page, hard cover book, chalk full of MY own photographic work. It was beautiful.

I nervously wrung my hands as my co-workers leafed through the book a few days later. And to my surprise, they liked it! Not only did they like it, they raved about it. Showered me with compliments. It was a foreign experience to me, being praised for my artistic talent. Strange, but wonderful.

Now, contracts to photograph both of their weddings are in the works. Not bad for “just” a smart girl. In your face, Gregor Mendel.

…Cuz, you know, he’s the father of genetics. And I was talking about genetics earlier, and being limited by my own building blocks… Never mind.