Earth Day 2010

My big mission today was to take photographs for my DMA266 class. That ended up taking me most of the day.

We started out visiting the Swap Meet but there were few people there worth photographing. I was focusing on children and there weren't many there. There were plenty of other interesting folks I got to meet, though, including an old co-worker of mine who filled me in on the old office gossip since I left. Some co-workers have left, one died of a heart attack last year, and a few were fired. And one former Marine was hired as a GS-15.

But I wasn't interested in office gossip. I never could get into that stuff.

Our next move was the commissary and PX, where I did some comparison shopping of cameras. The PX sells the Sony SD970 for $199. The same model on Amazon goes for $359.

I had planned from here to go back home and get ready to drive over to Bisbee for its well-known Earth Day festival, but instead we came across the Earth Day celebration right off Fry Boulevard in town, known as the West End Block Party. I didn't even know the town was holding it today! I met a few more people there, including the wonderful bunch from the Tombstone Vigilantes, an all-volunteer group that collects donations to the city's animal shelter. They were dressed in 1880s regalia and gladly posed for photos.

We ate a quick lunch at the nearby Chinese restaurant and drove home. I drove back to the festivities for a few more hours, photographing singles, couple, groups and children. I was nervous at first (especially around children) but soon learned that after asking permission to photograph someone's children you normally get a smiling face. Young girls were always willing to pose. Less so the boys. And when I started meeting people with dogs, they all willingly posed. So did the aging veterans and grandparents of children. No one told me "No!" I met a cross-section of Americana right here in my town.

The fun part was meeting students from the high school. They all smiled and waved at me. It's been admittedly a great semester at the school and I enjoy my job. I've improved on my technique so much this second year. I smile more, I love going to work and I feel fulfilled when I get to help young people. Some came up to me to chat. One student's father was the drummer for the local band "Solstice" which played sets all afternoon.

There was plenty for the entire family. The kids could try to throw someone in a dunk tank. One lady from Elfrida, Cindy, brought her entire petrified rock collection to give away to kids, who loved picking up the rocks and placing them in plastic bags to take home.

"I collect them every year from around my house" said Cindy, "And I give them all away every year." Her booth attracted a lot of kids and parents--a perfect place to hang out and meet parents--and watch the glee begin.

Another kiddie attraction was a 15-year-old desert tortoise that refused to sit still for me.

My camera, however, gives people the impression I am a professional photographer. Or they think I work for the local newspaper. I told everyone the truth: I was simply out to take photos for a class assignment.

I got to met such a variety of people today, from the working poor to the comfortably rich and they were all courteous to me. I met such a variety of backgrounds that it made me proud to be here. This town is starting to feel like home.