April 2026 Updating my profile is definitely overdue. I began my project on May 4th, 2013 and will shortly. complete 13 year here in this wonderful community of inspiring, supportive people. I now have a Canon EOS rebel 6 with two kit lenses, and had started to get comfortable with it, BUT I need to use it more often as I just discovered I have forgotten some of what I thought I had mastered. I had gotten used to the Nikon Coolpix, but it sadly had gotten so dirty inside and would have cost more than it was worth to get it cleaned--IF I could find any place still willing to do that. So, I decided to move on -- though I still have it and there are certain types of things it undoubtedly could get decent shots of. My problem is that I still don't really completely UNDERSTAND the basic principles of photography -- sort of the way I don't understand the basics of electricity (making the stage lighting course I took way back in college challenging -- learned by rote). I can work with the camera settings, but it has not taken root in my brain. Nevertheless...and I digress.

Very shortly after I bought a cheap camera that is small enough to carry around in my purse, so I’d have something better than my iPhone 6 with me, that iPhone developed problems that made it intolerable to use, so I replaced it with an iPhone 12 with much better camera than the old phone. The small camera hasn’t gotten too much use. Oh, well...

I live in Manhattan, Kansas with my husband, Frank. We both grew up here, moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1973, and moved back in 2001 after 28 years. Our son Dan (who was born and raised up in MN) moved back to Manhattan a couple of years ago from the Kansas City area. Hooray!

Even though I now have the Canon EOS Rebel, it's so (relatively) big and heavy that I find myself using the camera on my iPhone 12 most of the time. I suppose it's the convenience of having it in my pocket and the fact that so many people are using their smart phones for photography that I don't feel like I'm drawing attention to myself when I'm out, even though I often could probably get a better image with the DSLR. If I use the camera, it's usually a planned photo shoot at home or out somewhere for the express purpose of taking pictures. I don't carry it around with me.

I have been incredibly inspired by this 365 community. I'm a "picture junkie" and love looking at the amazing variety of images being produced here. It definitely feeds my addiction (sometimes to the detriment of other things I should be doing!) I'm enjoying taking part in various challenges and trying things I've never done before. The friendships being made here, the give and take, are part of what makes 365 so special. I get tremendously behind in posting sometimes, and I appreciate having 365 friends that don't think less of me because of that. I also love getting comments others have taken the time to leave for me. I look for them and read them eagerly. I'm horrible at replying to those comments, but it is not for lack of appreciation. I'm trying to comment on your pictures, rather than just reply "Thank you." But I am constantly behind in that also.

Constructive criticism is always welcome!