I lose the local photo competition again

September 2, 2009 at 3:03 pm | Posted in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) | 5 Comments
Tags: aches, exhibition, leg problems, morning stiffness, photos, Rheumatoid arthritis, standing

Once again I entered the local photo competition this year – I’ve entered it for the previous three years, since it started, and I’ve always been shortlisted, and even won some small-scale prizes, but never won a top prize. This year I was shortlisted again, and I dithered about whether to go to the prize presentation or not … you know what these things are like; lots of standing around, which I’m not so good at these days, making inane conversation with people you don’t know and wishing them luck out loud when really you’re wanting to win yourself (not that I’m an overly competitive penguin of course), and wondering when you can go home.

On the other hand I like to support local events when I can … especially when they occur in the building where I rent an office. They notice if I don’t turn up!

I asked hubby’s opinion and he said, ‘Oh go along and practise losing gracefully again.’ I went along and practised losing gracefully again. Trouble was that there was nowhere to sit. Well, that’s not quite true – there were about forty people and about two chairs. I suppose I should have gone in with my stick and a conspicuous limp in order to look like someone who needed to sit down … but the organisers might notice that the limp only lasted for one evening, since they see me every day!

I couldn’t have asked the very frail looking elderly gentleman to give up his chair.I COULD have just thrown a woman’s handbag off the other chair and sat on it, while gently nudged away a man who was leaning on the back of it, but I decided to sit it out … or rather stand it out.

Well, I lost gracefully … well, fairly gracefully … well, apparently gracefully even though I was sulking inside, but I came away feeling extremely chuffed nonetheless. Why? Because I remembered that last year I couldn’t attend the ceremony at all because I KNEW I couldn’t stand up for even ten minutes or so, and I KNEW I would feel wretched the next day if I went. Another little proof of how much better I am this year.

I was a tad stiff this morning, whether from standing or sulks I’m not sure, but nothing serious, and now it’s mid-afternoon and I’m fine. I’ve even revisited the exhibition of photos and grudgingly admitted that the winning picture is rather good!

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