As has been a prevailing pattern in my life lately, it seems when it rains, it pours. I go months without any type of activity and then suddenly I have several opportunities and responsibilities suddenly appear overnight.

This weekend I'm going on a paranormal investigation of Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Louisville, Ky. Laugh all you want, but I'm excited -- not just at the prospect of possibly seeing/experiencing something weird (and, I hope, capturing it on my digital SLR or audio recorder) but because the architecture freak in me has loved this building since I first saw it. It's absolutely, positively HUGE. And the history of Waverly is tragic and fascinating. Also, getting to go with the other members of the East Tennessee Paranormal Research Society, of which I'm a member, is going to be fun. I always look forward to going on investigations with them.

Earlier this week, I was extremely pleased to be able to interview Susan Cowsill. Susan is an accomplished singer/songwriter. Some of you may remember the 60's pop group The Cowsills that was comprised of Susan, her mother, Barbara, and her brothers, John, Barry, Paul, Bob and Bill. Sadly, Barry and Bill died six months apart -- Barry, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and Bill, in Canada, where he'd lived and performed for the last three decades. Susan is performing in my home town, Gatlinburg, Tenn., on June 14, and I'm looking forward to her concert.

Normally, getting to interview Susan (whose music I've loved for years) and getting to go to Waverly (which I've wanted to visit for years) would be the most exciting things in my week, month or even year. But today tops them both for me.

I've been offered space in a new photography art gallery opening in town. This means (at least, to me,) that I'm officially a photographer. I've been a news photographer for years, but that doesn't count. :P

I just hope that I can sell at least one photograph so I won't embarrass myself. :P

But YEE HAW! I can now officially claim to be one of them thar "ar-teests." :>

But also, I can officially claim to be a person who's going to spend the next week without sleep. :P I have to pick out my 10 best photos and frame them between now and Thursday. Eeeeeeeek! I ALSO have to learn the Photo F.A.S.T. method of photography class that's taught here in town, and teach it, all by myself, for the first time on Tuesday, because Jim, the guy who's supposed to teach it, has a schedule conflict. I was hoping that I could teach half a class for my first time and have Jim teach the second half.

This means I get back from Waverly (which is an overnight investigation, from 11:59 p.m. Saturday til 8 a.m. Sunday morning, then drive 6 hours back home); try to get a few hours of sleep; get up Monday, work on framing; attend a Photo F.A.S.T. class; go back to framing for the rest of the night; get up early Tuesday, attend another Photo F. class; have lunch, pick up a framed pic of mine, then go to the Photo F. class I have to teach .... alone! God help the people in the class. :P

After ruining the lives of several innocent photography class students, I will then go back to framing, framing, and then I might do some framing before starting to do some framing. Oh, did I mention I'm also going to be framing?

At this point, I should be scared to death: I've never taught anyone anything before, and Tuesday I'll be teaching photography. Then, I'll be framing photos that will be put before the public for sale. Eeeeeeeeek!

Part of me is thinking, "I can't wait to teach these people how to use their cameras and how to shoot good pictures. I can't wait til my photos will be hanging in an art gallery for the public to see!"

And the other part of me is thinking, "How long before all these people realize I can't teach and my photos suck!?" :P

At least, I'll have a paranormal investigation in one of the most documented haunted sites in the U.S. to look forward to for a relaxing night of hunting demons and ghosties to calm me down. Nothing like ghosties, shadow people, apparitions of suicide victims and doors opening and closing themselves to relieve one, when one is stressed out (but in a good way). :>