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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Scared to vote on "Fire II"
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 08/14/2006 04:47:31 PM · #1
So here's the story. A little while after I got home from college I moved out with a friend to an apartment in the city. It wasn't the greatest of places but wasn't the worst. One month after I moved in... gosh, it's hard to write about this.

I was out at a friend's apartment - peroty actually. And peroty's roommate comes into the room after a while and says he was on AIM with a mutual friend who also lived in the same apartment building as I did, and I might want to get over there because there had been a fire. I can't remember if I was told at this point where the fire had been.

So we went - it was about a ten minute drive, and the whole time I was terrified, trying not to think the worst. peroty was good at reassuring me and telling me not to worry No fire trucks were there when we got there (I was told later that they had just left) and we stepped inside. The door to my apartment was open and I saw the apartment manager in my bedroom. The bedroom door was open and I could see inside but I had to step inside to get a closer view, and.. I discovered that my bedroom window had been burnt.

After an initial "undetermined" cause, it was determined to be arson, but the police never investigated who was behind it. Nobody was in the apartment and it was a relatively small fire, just burning the corner of my room, so they did not feel like it was worth spending the resources to find out who did it. I have always felt annoyed about that but I do understand, as Richmond does have a high crime rate and there are probably not enough people to go around. And of course I was thankful that it was a small fire.

But still, having my stuff burnt... there was a box of stuff I couldn't go through for the better part of a year. And I was so very annoyed at the apartment leasing company for the way they handled some stuff, and the stress of just dealing with everything was not slight.

So, to get to the point. It doesn't have a huge impact on my life right now but I still think I need some cartharsis about it. My plan was to go back to the building and shoot the outside window for the "Fire II" challenge. (The last time I saw it, it had been a year and the apartment leasing company had STILL not cleaned up the broken glass and the shards of wood. (This is, in my opinion, stupid and insane.)) However, I was not able to do that, so my plan now is to try to vote on a majority if not all of the shots in this challenge, as well as comment on as many as possible.

I've viewed the challenge thumbnails but that is as far as I've gotten. If anyone could be so kind as to offer a little encouragement, I know I could do this. Thanks in advance.
 08/14/2006 04:54:32 PM · #2
Wow! I'm sorry that had to happen to you, and I hope that the very act of sharing has made you feel somewhat better. I can understand your discomfort. If it makes you uncomfortable to vote, don't feel you have to.
08/14/2006 04:57:52 PM · #3
Sounds like some mighty big personal demons, my friend. I have faith that you can, move beyond it though. It's just like eating the elephant. Just take one bite at a time.
 08/14/2006 05:00:21 PM · #4
Originally posted by persimon:
Wow! I'm sorry that had to happen to you, and I hope that the very act of sharing has made you feel somewhat better. I can understand your discomfort. If it makes you uncomfortable to vote, don't feel you have to.


Sharing has made me feel a little better, actually, which is quite neat. I do not at all feel that I *must* vote. I just think that the fire challenge would be a great way to face my apprehension and show myself that everything is alright. But if it does get to be too much, I am not going to force myself or anything.

Thank you.. :-)

08/14/2006 05:02:11 PM · #5
Originally posted by _eug:
Sounds like some mighty big personal demons, my friend. I have faith that you can, move beyond it though. It's just like eating the elephant. Just take one bite at a time.


Thankfully it hasn't been a huge thing... I'm not paranoid of fire or have a phobia now... just little stuff like tensing if I see a fire truck. But still it isn't a tiny thing either, and I will definitely keep in mind the "one bite at a time" - thanks :-)
 08/14/2006 05:03:23 PM · #6
It's amazing how powerful the words "I have faith that you can" are.
 08/14/2006 05:06:09 PM · #7
I understand your tensing at fire engines, I have the same with ambulances after my mother in law died of a heart attack last year.

Please do not feel pressured to vote. You can only do what you feel comfortable with and only you know where the line is.
 08/14/2006 05:07:56 PM · #8
Could be a way to desensitize yourself, maybe? You can do it Kelly. Just try to keep in mind that most of these shots were set up under controlled conditions. Picture the dpc photogs out there, setting up their shots - naked.

Oh wait, that's for public speaking...

Message edited by author 2006-08-14 17:08:40.
 08/14/2006 05:10:32 PM · #9
Originally posted by rinac:
Picture the dpc photogs out there, setting up their shots - naked.

Oh wait, that's for public speaking...


LMAO! :)
 08/14/2006 05:11:02 PM · #10
Originally posted by davyaldy:
I understand your tensing at fire engines, I have the same with ambulances after my mother in law died of a heart attack last year.


One of those situations where I am glad that someone can identify, but at the same time sad about the fact that the are able to identify.
 08/14/2006 05:12:07 PM · #11
Originally posted by rinac:
Could be a way to desensitize yourself, maybe? You can do it Kelly. Just try to keep in mind that most of these shots were set up under controlled conditions. Picture the dpc photogs out there, setting up their shots - naked.

Oh wait, that's for public speaking...


Haha! It does indeed help to think about it being controlled conditions - I'll certainly keep that in mind while going through the entries, thank you.

And the laugh definitely helps as well. :-)
 08/14/2006 05:14:02 PM · #12
Good girl, now go help boost our scores. We need all the help we can get! :D
 08/14/2006 05:15:34 PM · #13
I find it a bit strange that the police and fire department didn’t feel the incident was worth investigating. Arson is a very serious crime, no matter how small or minor an incident may seem. I don’t know about other states, but here in Oregon it’s one of only two legal reasons for the use of deadly force.

On the other hand, I don’t know the facts about your incident. Perhaps there was some reason(s) for the investigators to think that the fire was started accidentally. Fires are often started accidentally, even in closed and unoccupied rooms.

I wouldn’t dwell on it if I were you. Just accept that it happened, and then move on.


08/14/2006 05:16:11 PM · #14
Originally posted by rinac:
Good girl, now go help boost our scores. We need all the help we can get! :D


I'll start right now :-D
 08/14/2006 05:27:17 PM · #15
Originally posted by micknewton:
I find it a bit strange that the police and fire department didn’t feel the incident was worth investigating. Arson is a very serious crime, no matter how small or minor an incident may seem. I don’t know about other states, but here in Oregon it’s one of only two legal reasons for the use of deadly force.

On the other hand, I don’t know the facts about your incident. Perhaps there was some reason(s) for the investigators to think that the fire was started accidentally. Fires are often started accidentally, even in closed and unoccupied rooms.


Well..... the screen was ripped by the fire department... and cut, very very neatly. I was told that the fire department would NOT have used a knife or blade to make that neat of a cut... but someone who wanted to reach into the room to light the drapes would have.

I actually spoke to the police chief that was in charge of things and he did say it was ruled arson. It really does not matter terribly to me that they did not persue it although it was a little frustrating at the time. The only thing I cared about was NOT having it be ruled accidental if it wasn't.

I did hear - only after this happened - that in that same building the same thing had happened before, with someone's window being set on fire.

Originally posted by micknewton:
I wouldn’t dwell on it if I were you. Just accept that it happened, and then move on.


Very good advice. I was told that I actually handled things quite well, especially considering I am a very emotional person. And I am hoping that the challenge will clear up the small lingering things.
 08/14/2006 05:56:03 PM · #16
You have rated 13 of 160 images (8%) in this challenge.
You have commented on 13 of 160 images (8%) in this challenge.

YAY! Gonna take a stretching break and then continue. It has been easier than I thought it might be so THANK YOU everyone for the great things you have said; they helped a bunch. :-)
 08/14/2006 06:37:28 PM · #17
Originally posted by klstover:
You have rated 13 of 160 images (8%) in this challenge.
You have commented on 13 of 160 images (8%) in this challenge.

YAY! Gonna take a stretching break and then continue. It has been easier than I thought it might be so THANK YOU everyone for the great things you have said; they helped a bunch. :-)


I got mine! Thank you!

Knew you could do it ;)
 08/14/2006 08:12:57 PM · #18
Originally posted by rinac:

I got mine! Thank you!

Knew you could do it ;)


Awww, thanks :-D

I've done a bit over 20% now and I'm stopping for the day - will come back later to hopefully vote and comment on more.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!!
 08/18/2006 01:39:58 AM · #19
Originally posted by klstover:

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!!


You have rated 78 of 157 images (50%) in this challenge.
You have commented on 78 of 157 images (50%) in this challenge.

Thanks *again* again. It is such a wonderful feeling to be doing this. Not just the making it through voting on stuff, but voting and commenting on everything I've seen so far. I have not tried that before and it really makes me appreciate each photo more.
 08/18/2006 02:36:04 AM · #20
I think this is a great goal :) I'm really glad to hear you are amking it through and that it sounds like it's helping a little.

I'm still waiting for your comment on mine though ;)

I know you can do it!

(just some friendly encouragement to be strong and carry on)
 08/18/2006 03:34:58 AM · #21
Kelly - first, let me say I am sorry to hear about that, but glad you weren't in the room when it happened.

Secondly, I would just like to state for the record, that I was nowhere near your village at the time of this incident, I have five wintesses (albeit, they're all made of wood) that were with me the entire night.

;-)
 08/21/2006 09:41:14 AM · #22
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Kelly - first, let me say I am sorry to hear about that, but glad you weren't in the room when it happened.

Secondly, I would just like to state for the record, that I was nowhere near your village at the time of this incident, I have five wintesses (albeit, they're all made of wood) that were with me the entire night.

;-)


Yes, I'm so glad nobody was in the apartment at the time.

And... LOL
 08/21/2006 09:43:42 AM · #23
Originally posted by Megatherian:
I think this is a great goal :) I'm really glad to hear you are amking it through and that it sounds like it's helping a little.

I'm still waiting for your comment on mine though ;)

I know you can do it!

(just some friendly encouragement to be strong and carry on)


Yeah, I am sad to say that because of time issues, I did not make it through all of the entries. Thank you for your encouragement and thank you everyone else for the encouragement, it has been a really positive thing.

To the people I did not comment on, I am sorry!

You are right, it has helped me a lot... I am very thankful for this challenge and everybody's images. :-)
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