One week left in 2007, and what a year this has been for me. Quite the rollercoaster ride.

Even as a child, I was obsessed with photography, and with my love
of music, dreamed of being a photographer for Rolling Stone. But as far
too many of us know, we often get sidetracked from those dreams, and
I’m sorry to say, I have not been an exception.

I almost found my calling when I got involved in photojournalism
back in the 80s, but that was definitely not a kind field for women
back in those days, to say the least. (Maybe still isn’t, for all I
know.) Without dredging all the details of that up, let’s just say I
became very disillusioned with the newspaper business and tried
corporate PR.

Definitely not the right fit.

After a convoluted path that lead me through nursing school, I hit
that classic wake up call that eventually gets us all – the ol’ midlife
crisis. That was 2006, and I bought my first — and only — digital
camera. I started shooting local bands, which was very hard to begin
with, to say the least. Here I was, the poster child for Social Anxiety
Disorder, and old enough to be the mother of most of the bands and
fans…I felt like an idiot out there. The fact that I kept going out
and shooting, despite my discomfort, is a testament to how much I
loved…love…the photography and the music.

This year in particular has been full of highs and lows more than
any other year of my life. I had the first thrill of seeing my photos
in a cd, as a poster and on a t-shirt. (I still get giddy like a little
kid when I see my work used.) I had my first major magazine credit in
Girls and Corpses magazine. This year will see my first cd covers
(Koffin Kats and Stitch Hopeless and the Sea Legs so far.) I’ve met
great people and people who weren’t so great, but the former far
outnumbered the latter, I’m happy to say. I’ve "partied with rock
stars" and discovered said "rock stars" are just real people like you
and me. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, and just as human.

I also damn near imploded here the last few weeks and nearly blew it
all by attacking those closest to me  during my Annual Holiday Blues
Meltdown ™. I’m damn lucky — and grateful — that they have
weathered the storm I created, and I’ve taken that wake up call to
heart. There are a lot of people in the music biz — and any biz —
that will use you and exploit you for their gain. But there are a lot
of good people, too. People that are friends and have your back. And
for them, I am eternally grateful.

What a long, strange trip this year has been, and I can only hope
that 2008 continues the highs, but with a hell of a lot less lows.
Having said that, I have my work cut out for me to top 2007. There are
so many things I could count as favorite moments of 2007, but I think
the winner is clear, hands down.

Seeing the Koffin Kats naked. Definitely. How the hell am I going to top that this year?