A Bit 'O News

First of all, let me begin with an apology to those who read my facebook post of yester eve. I had mentioned that I had some good news to blog about today. Unfortunately, you have had to wait all day for that news, as I was unable to get a bit of html to agree with me this morning, and after church my afternoon was unexpectedly filled with an emergency paintball game. But with further ado, I give you my aforementioned news.

When I entered two pictures in the State Fair this year, I had some vague hope that perhaps a judge would notice one of my pieces and like it enough to give it one of those 'honorable mention' ribbons. Such was my thought as I wandered through the Artisans Building yesterday, viewing the artistic pieces that had been submitted. Just before I came to the amateur photography section, I read a small slip of paper, which had been hung on the wall.

First Place: Not Me
Second Place: Not Me
Third Place: Not Me
Fourth Place: Not Me

It was truly disappointing to discover my great mediocrity in this way. I would much rather have seen my photo hanging on the wall, with no ribbons beside it. At least then I would have been able to revel in the mere fact that my photo was hanging in a gallery, instead of lounging about in a three ring binder.

Still with that distasteful tinge upon my mind, I turned to view some works on another wall. There was my entry in the digital imagery category. Seeing my photo while yet unaware of its fate was all of the experience I had hoped for. But it got better. Hanging beside my picture was a ribbon . . . a blue ribbon. I felt like my wife Mollie acted when got her jersey autographed by her favorite baseball player, Mark Buehrle. She was giddy as a school girl. I was bubbly as a . . . well, what's bubbly . . . a boiling cauldron . . . a hot bath . . . not quite the image I'm going for . . . but the feeling was great!

It is truly strange to think that I won first place in a competition at the Illinois State Fair. I am really looking forward to taking the picture home and hanging it in our house, its prize hanging beside it. But until then, if you have the opportunity to visit our fair, please stop by the Artisans Building and see some of the neat works on display there (but especially mine!). If you cannot make the trip, just keep scrolling. You can see my picture below. (I also found the link to the State Fair competition results page, which you can see here.