More than 300 words

Friday, September 11, 2009

300 words for a blog entry just doesn't seem like enough to convince someone who doesn't know me to vote for me. Unfortunately this contest is mostly a contest to see who can get the most votes, not who is the best choice to send to Antarctica.

So why am I the best choice? Simple. I really really really really want to go! Honestly, that's why we all entered, isn't it? A better question would be, if I did get selected to go, what would I have to offer?

Well, I'm not a professional writer, but I do know what I am doing. There won't be any of the grammar mistakes that make intelligent people want to stab their eyes out. (Notice the correct use of there/their in that sentence?) I know the difference between its & it's, between there, their, & they're, and between your & you're. I've been keeping a journal online since 2002, and have a very conversational writing style.

In addition to my journal at LiveJournal, I keep up with the latest social media trends. Twitter's popularity may have exploded when celebrities such as Oprah & Ashton Kutcher joined, but by that point I'd already been using it for almost two years. I also have active accounts at Facebook and Flickr.

If I am selected to be the Quark Expeditions Official Blogger, my blog entries won't be just writing. I'm an amateur photographer who has been taking photos since my first photography class 20 years ago. I joined the digital revolution in 2003 with what was then Canon's top of the line prosumer camera, the G3. Since then I've upgraded to a digital SLR, the 40D, which I will be bringing with me to record all the beauty & detail of Antarctica.

My favorite things to photograph are nature, both animals and plants, landscapes, and architecture. Here are some samples of my work. These were taken in a 3 hour time frame on July 18, 2009 when I participated in the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk in Minneapolis.

I also love taking pictures of birds. I can hardly wait to take pictures of penguins in the wild!

Now that you know a little about what I have to offer, how about learning more about me?

I'm 39 years old. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis, MN with my husband of 15 years, Rick, and our two cats. I just received my A.A.S. in Graphic Design and Visual Communication. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. Before settling on Graphic Design, I had studied Zoology and Photojournalism. Currently, I'm employed at a camera store where I work in the photo minilab printing other people's vacation pictures.

Rick & I love to travel, but can rarely afford to. The first time we saw an ocean I was 31 years old and Rick was 32. We never left the country until I was 34 & he was 35, and that was just a day trip to Canada. When I win this trip to Antarctica we will have another milestone. At 39 & 40 years old we will be leaving North America for the first time.

It won't be just Rick & I on the trip. We will be bringing my little buddy, Moose, with us. Moose is a Beanie Baby moose that I've had for over 10 years. He goes with us on our vacations, as well as traveling with friends when they go cool places. I may have never left North America, but Moose has been to 5 continents already. Besides his travels here in North America with us, he's gone to England, Italy, and France with friends. He also just recently went to Ethiopia, and has been to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The 5th continent he's been to is Antarctica. Yes, he's already been there even though I haven't! I met a guy working at McMurdo Base through his blog, and he graciously agreed to host Moose for a visit. I also take pictures of Moose with different celebrities I meet. He's met folks such as Alton Brown, Adam Savage, Penn & Teller, James Marsters, Kevin Sorbo and even a Blue Man from the Blue Man Group! If you are on Facebook you can follow Moose's adventures on his page here.

Well, that's all for now. I plan to keep updating this page with info about me, about how I'm doing on the contest, with special thanks to people who help put out the call for votes, and with samples of my photography. Even if I don't win this contest, I intend to get to Antarctica some day and this blog will chronicle how I get there.

Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for updates!

Sharon, the Quark Expeditions Official Blogger (hopefully!)