So Here We Go

Dreams and aspirations. Taking the time to be lost in them. For a brief period, all is well in the world. You have all that you want, the sun is warm, and the cool breeze wafts over you as you achieve your goals in brilliant fashion. Life is exactly what was tacitly promised you as a child. Time becomes irrelevant. No when, no want, no worry. Trials and tribulations fall by the wayside. It simply does not get any better.


Are you waiting for the BUT?

Don't.

Not this time. This time make it become a reality. Why not? What is preventing the fantasy from becoming reality? Why CAN'T you have it? Have you tried? REALLY TRIED??? What is the worst that could happen? Will you fall on your ass? In all probability, many times. Will someone take your dream away? No, that is yours to keep forever. It has been said that if you do what you love, you will never work another day in your life. Don't you miss the excitement, the enthusiasm, the pure joy of it all (whatever that may be)? I do. I WANT the chills again when a eureka moment is presented. I WANT the childlike glee when I do something I love. I WANT to look at the person next to me and say, "Ain't this cool!" and have them say, "Yeah, it's pretty cool." That's the feeling I want every day. If it doesn't come today, it will come soon. And, with practice and patience, I hope to have it always.

I'm getting on that boat and no one is dumb enough to try and stop me.

Selah

P.S. There has been some movement in my family's artistic endeavors and I promise to post them soon. No, really this time ! I will, I swear !!!

Insomnia

An hour or two of sleep, then BLAM, eyes open and that's all folks. I need to have a completion to the day. I can't seem to relax when I KNOW there is SOMETHING on my mind. Like this picture. For some reason it has just bothered me since I took it today.

Was it because I was technically trespassing off and on all day looking for photos?
Does it remind me of something I've seen before ?
Do I have any credible CLUE as to what the hell these huts are doing here ?

As I was leaving this site, a gentleman approached me and asked if there was anything interesting to photograph there. Instead of climbing on the throne and saying that there is ALWAYS something interesting to photograph EVERYWHERE, I walked to a decent vantage point and pointed out the places where I had been and what he could find there. He inquired as to the legality and I responded, "I'm more of a beg for forgiveness kind of guy." This seemed to take him aback somewhat, so I wished him happy shooting and went on my way. Leave only footprints, take only pictures and memories has worked for me for forty-odd years and I don't see any changes on the horizon.

I really don't like looking at other people's photos for fear that I will mimic what they do to a ridiculous extreme. It's part of my personality, ask my long suffering wife. I do it ALL THE FREAKING TIME with people's accents. Pittsburgh, NYC, Boston, Baltimore, I find myself slipping into the accent after about 3 hours exposure and CAN'T STOP until she tells me to quit it. Don't know why, it just happens. I HAVE to study photos, though, so it gets really tricky. I set myself the ground rule that the photo cannot be created after 1950 or must be a news photo from a war scene or some other situation that I hope to never have to face. I rationalize this by referring to it as "studying the classics." I think it's kinda working out, but I am sure someone will point out that someone else (famous) has done whatever I am doing and I shoot just like them. I should take it as flattery when the time comes and, because of my rule, know in my heart that I am NOT ripping someone off.

Tom Robbins once said (supposedly) that if you want to be a writer, go find yourself a cabin in the woods and, for a year, do nothing else but write. Read nothing, don't talk to anyone, just write.

I am a photographer. I take photographs.

Selah