Wonderful Technology

So, I didn't get to post last night but it wasn't my fault... for once.  Most of the time technology is great; however, every once in a while it sucks.  My Internet went down last night, so I was not able to get on anything.  I tried my phone and the Internet on it wasn't working either. Go figure.  It's back up today but still going in and out which makes it hard to stay connected to anything.  

Tonight's entry will be short and sweet as I have not been feeling well lately.  I find it a little odd how I've had this diabetes for a while and never felt sick or anything, but the minute they put me on meds, (supposedly to protect my body from the diabetes), I've been sick everyday and my blood pressure is getting higher as well.  Hmmm... today was the worse.  I know that usually it is not a good idea to get off your meds when you have something like this, but I'm tired of feeling sick.  I can still control the diabetes with diet and exercise, (which I've been doing good at the past couple of months), so that is the way I'm going to do it.  All I know is that I didn't have any symptoms before I began the meds, and now I can't get out of the restroom, I'm tired a lot, cold all the time, have flushing, and high blood pressure.  I know my body better than anyone else, so I'm going to take back control.  

I know that God will protect and sustain me while I get my body back into shape.  I'm working very hard to do just that by totally changing to a healthy diet and walking 2 miles everyday.  Life is too short to waste on self inflicted diseases.  My mission right now is to become a new, more spiritual, and physically healthier, stronger me.  Did I say tonight's blog was going to be short and sweet???  LOL   Oh well...  I'm going to be up a bit longer anyway waiting on my sweet hubby to call from CA.  I can't wait until he gets home tomorrow night!  Yay!!  =)   I'm going to try and do a few more things on the Internet, (if it holds up).  See ya soon!


Thanks for reading "All About My Business"
Crystal Campbell
Crystal Campbell Photography

Rainy Day, Sunny Heart ... (can't keep a good woman down!)

Okay, so my hubby calls me this morning from Sunny California to tell me how great and beautiful the weather is out there... and how much fun he and his daughter are going to have at Disneyland.  Meanwhile, I'm sitting in my cube at work, watching the dreary rain, and freezing my butt off...  What!!??  How in the world did I get left out of this equation?  Oh yeah, that's right... no money!  LOL  I really am so glad that he was able to go see her.  He hasn't really been able to do that over the past couple of years, so I know they are having a wonderful time.  However, I did order him to bring the Sunshine, (that he stole), back with him!! LOL

I was so bummed today because it is so yucky outside and I did not get to go for my usual 2 mile walk at lunch.  Then I came home and saw the most wonderful thing!  My favorite photographer of all time, Jason Lanier, is having a workshop in Louisiana!!  Yes!!  This man is a totally amazing photographer.  I strive to have his caliber of quality in my own photos.  He is a master at what he does.  Anyway, his workshops are usually more than I can afford; however, he is doing some that are FREE for the first 2 hours.  The other 2 hours are spent with a model so he can't cut out that cost, but still, it's only $100.  I was so excited!! It's just a few hours drive to LA and I would be learning from one of the best!!  Then I saw it was on April 9th.... darn!!!  I have to work that day!!! It has to be on the one Saturday a month I have to work.  LOL  I also have a photo shoot that day, (yay!!), so I would not have been able to attend anyway.  

So, the light at the end of the tunnel?  He will do these anywhere I can get some people together for the workshop.  Yay again!!!!  =)   This is where you come in.  If you are a photographer, know a photographer, or just want to learn more about photography, and are interested in attending one of his workshops, then send me an email at: crystalcampbellphotography@gmail.com, and I will put you on the list.  Meanwhile, you can go to: www.jasonlanier.com to see his work for yourself.

Well, I need to go finish up my San Antonio photos now, since I didn't get to them last night. See Ya Soon!!!

Thanks for reading "All About My Business"
Crystal Campbell
Crystal Campbell Photography

Missing Him.....

My sweet hubby left this morning... thankfully he arrived safe and sound in California.  I so wish I was there!  It's not warm enough for the beach yet, but it is still so beautiful out there.  My daughter says to me, "So I guess I'll be sleeping with you, huh?"  heehee... she knows the drill.  She's my protector when my man is away... LOL. 
  
I have 5 photo shoots booked in April.  Yay!!!  I'm so excited.  That may not sound like much, but remember, these are all freebies to get my name out there.  My first chance to prove myself as a photographer.  I really hope I do a good job for them.  


Okay, gotta get back to my pictures.  See ya soon!


Thanks for reading "All About My Business"
Crystal Campbell
Crystal Campbell Photography

Relaxing

Today I'm going to take it easy and relax with my hubby before he departs for California tomorrow morning.  Not sure what I'm going to do with myself over the next week.  I'm thinking... a girls night? A trip to Choctaw Casino?? Maybe watching movies or catching up on my DVD recordings???  I'm sure I'll figure out some way to keep myself occupied.  =) 

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that, among all my other life activities, I have started homeschooling my daughter.  She has been struggling in school since the 4th grade.  The schools just kept teaching the next thing although my daughter was not learning what they taught her before.  It was so frustrating... Texas schools have gone downhill....  If you have a child that learns exactly the one way that teachers know to teach, then they will most likely excel, make great grades, and love school.  However, if you have children, like mine, who learn a different way; well, then your just up the creek as far as the public school system is concerned.  Those children get left behind, put in the back of the class, and accused of being "trouble makers."  My kids were not trying to cause trouble, they were just trying to understand why they were being treated so much different than the other kids.  They got less attention and less help although they actually needed more help than the others who could understand.  This year, my a couple of teachers actually accused my daughter of lying about the fact that she doesn't understand simply because she has to ask so many times for it to be explained!!!  And why does she have to ask so many times???  It's because they just keep explaining it the same way over and over again.  If a child cannot learn from the way you teach then maybe you should try another way to explain it!!  As a result, my daughter began to give up the fight.  She started not turning in classwork... not doing homework... not completing projects.... not because she wanted to be rebellious, but because she was frustrated with all the negativity she received from her teachers, athletic coaches, and even her cheer coach.  

When will the schools learn that we do not have "Stepford Children?"  They are not all from a cookie-cutter mold.  Each child has their own strengths, weaknesses, talents, and personalities.  Each reacts differently to any given circumstance... AND... many of them learn in a different way.  <<<Big Sigh>>>  Sorry for the venting, it's just the way I feel.  The public school systems have been failing our children for many years now.  I fought them through 2 children and I wish that I had gotten a clue earlier and done for my son what I am now doing for my daughter.  My son, who was mistakenly diagnosed as ADHD for many years, is so incredibly smart but could not understand things like the other kids.  I spent many years in the Principal's office conferencing with teachers.  I actually had one teacher tell me that she only knew how to teach one way and that was it.  If my son could not understand it, then she did not know what else to do.  I could not believe my ears!!  Where have all the great teachers gone?  Needless to say, my son continued to struggle, and fail, his way through school until he dropped out... he was 17 years old and in the 9th grade!!  It was disastrous.  Of course, along the way we found out he was actually bipolar and by the time he hit high school he was also struggling with drugs.  However, while I recognize that a lot of my sons later struggles were due to his undiagnosed bipolar, I also know that part of his struggles with drugs and bad behavior stemmed from years of frustration with the school system and with us as parents.  I was naive back then, and believed the teachers were doing everything they could, so the harder the schools pushed us, the harder we pushed my son.  I wished I hadn't been so blind.  However, I'm determined that my daughter will not suffer the same fate in her education... and so is she.  

Okay, enough venting.  I'm so excited to be homeschooling my daughter!  =)  It will be a challenge because my husband and I still have to work full time; however, we are all committed to this and are determined to make it work.  Thanks for reading my venting session, (I don't do it very often), now back to my relaxing.  


Thanks for reading "All About My Business"
Crystal Campbell
Crystal Campbell Photography

P.S.  My son is now 18 years old.  He is taking courses to get his GED and plans to enter college afterwards to study Forensic Science, (something he has wanted to do since he was a child).  I'm so very proud of him and tell him that every chance I get.  He still suffers with low self esteem, and thinks he is not very smart; however, I can see that he gains more confidence everyday.  I believe by the time he completes college that part of him will be conquered.  It is never too late...  Knowledge is Power!!!!!

Happy!! =)

Guess what??  I booked my 1st photo shoot for April!  Woo Hoo!!!  I'm so excited... also, my best friend called today and wants to set one up as well.  Here I go!!  I have so much to do... I just hope I can pull this off.  Have you ever loved doing something so much that it would devastate you to learn that you were no good at it after all???  That's where my fear is coming from.  I haven't ever really put myself out there like this before.  I have kept my talents hidden all my life because I was afraid of rejection.  I guess the older I get, the more brave I become??? Or maybe I just care less about what people think??? LOL  

Okay, I have some of the pictures ready from our trip to San Antonio last month.  No one has seen them yet, (not even my husband), but I'm going to give you guys a sneak peak at a few.  I will put them at the bottom of this post.  Please comment on this post and let me know how you like them.  You can even vote for your favorite!  

My daughter is at Main Event with one of her friends, and my sweet hubby is on the couch not feeling very well.  I better go take care of him.  I hope he gets to feeling better, because he leaves for California on Monday.  He's going to see his daughter on her Sweet 16th Birthday.  =)  

Here are the pics I promised... don't forget to comment and vote!

Thanks for reading "All About My Business"
Crystal Campbell
Crystal Campbell Photography

I'm Back!!!

Wow!!  It has been a long time since I have posted anything... please accept my apologies for that.  We have had a rough few months as the switch in our department at work has been more stressful than I anticipated, a very close family member passed away unexpectedly, and I recently found out that my health is on the line.  However, things are settling down a bit at work and home so I will be posting again.  Yea!! 

First of all, things at work are going better now that I'm getting the hang of what we are doing, so I shouldn't be so stressed about that anymore.  Secondly, I went to the doctor last month for my yearly and was told that I now have diabetes... <<<big sigh>>>.  They warned me about this 3 years ago, but I didn't listen so I take full responsibility for it.  They started me on a medication that will help keep my sugar levels under control until I can lose some weight.  Let me tell you, that my fire has been lit!!!  I stopped all sugar and cut way back on the carbs.  I went in for my 1 month follow up this week and the doctor said that I had lost 8 lbs. so far and she is very optimistic that I won't need to be on meds very long if I keep doing what I'm doing because the diabetes will go away once I lose a lot of this weight.  Needless to say, I have been doing great on my new lifestyle change which includes healthy foods and walking 2 miles at least 3 times a week.  My husband and I are trying to work up to 2 miles everyday.  Anyway, I'm very excited about my future health.  I have never felt better in my life.  I can't tell you how much energy I have now!  When I took a step back and looked at what my eating habits have been all these years, I was not surprised that I now have diabetes.  My diet was 90% sugar and carbs... Wow!!  I now use Splenda in my tea and coffee, eat very few carbs during the day, (only whole wheat bread), and eat only protein and green veggies for dinner.  In fact, I eat a lot more protein now and it has been amazing.  I get full faster, don't need to eat as much, and do not feel the urge to snack.  It's great.

Okay, now to my photography.  I been out and about with my new love, (my Nikon D3000), and it has not disappointed!  I am in the process of working on the pics I've taken and will release them soon.  I have also begun booking some photo shoots for April.  I sent out a Facebook message to some close friends and family members offering a free session to get some experience.  I sat there looking at it for about 10 minutes before clicking "send."  LOL  I am so nervous and a little scared to actually do this for real, but the only way to conquer a fear is to just face it... no way around it, have to go through it.  I think I may be more excited than nervous right now though.  We will see what happens.  Hopefully I will get some responses soon. 

I want to say "Thank You" to all who read and follow this blog. I consider it an honor that you take time out of your busy day to read my stuff.  You are Awesome!!  =)

Well, it is very late here and I am soooo sleepy. I'm going to hit the hay for tonight... see ya soon!

Thanks for reading "All About My Business,"

Crystal Campbell

Crystal Campbell Photography