“Imagination prepares me to accept certain things as enriching experiences rather than disregard them as whimsical nonsense.” Cedric
The Milkweed Monster
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Milkweed Monster -
Your Words
Post processed in Topaz Adjust Words take on different meaning in different times, cultures and how they are used. My belief is that placing them together in a paragraph to create a story, express an idea or concept is a form of art. Sometimes in my attempts to use words to express myself or an idea the words work and sometimes they don’t. It is rewarding when I read your words on your blogs and through comments you leave on this blog. So often I find my feeble attempts at expressing myself are found in your words. For that I am grateful! Thank you!
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Old Typewriter
Old Typewriter at Wolverine Press It’s raining. Well, it’s actually misting. Well, that’s not really either true, it’s more like high humidity where you get wet by just standing there. Anyway it is refreshing!
One of my favorite coffeehouses in town is the Bean Cycle. It used to share space with a used book store and printing press company called Wolverine Farm. Within the past year, they moved to a new location of its own. It is a place for local authors and poets to sit and write, have a coffee, connect with other writers and have their work published. This past week I stopped by and discovered they had four older typewriters that customers could use. Just bring your own paper. I’m tempted to bring some paper and plunk away as its been a few years since I used one.
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Life Changing
Tulips on Campus Fifteen years ago I had two life changing events occur in my life: one was provided in a 12 Step Recovery program and the other was purchasing my first digital camera. I purchased a Nikon D100 in October of 2002 and I stopped drinking in January 2003. Life changing because both have given me tools to begin to see myself, people, institutions, and all of creation when properly using these tools. I am grateful for both of these tools.
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“From my experience….”
Arches National Park All of us have heard people say, “I know…” when they really don’t. And, if we’re honest, we are well aware of the times we say it, and don’t. There is a saying that “what I think I think I know, ain’t so.” Reality is we do not know what another thinks or feels unless they share that with us and that is filtered through their ability to articulate and how we listen and understand. We do them an injustice when we assume to know. Our assumptions can easily be our imagination or a thought which we quickly make into a false reality. We’ll believe it. I’ve not found this to be a good foundation for a conversation or relationship. So, what if we were to say, “From my experience….” or something similar. Seems the mind wants to know, plan, or control the next moment, as if it’s real, rather than stay in the present and find out what we don’t really know.
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Looking for Awe and Wonder
Afternoon Clouds on the Farm I have always carried stress in my shoulders. It’s there now. There is a feeling of restlessness. I find my mind wandering to unknown places in the universe. Feel I’m not listening to the inner voice within me but the chatter of my ego and the noise of the world around me. Maybe if I share myself more on this blog, hear what you have experienced, take more action, the stress will lessen.
Now in my retirement there is a life to live full of excitement and adventures, images to receive, words to write in my journals, blog posts to write, places to visit, people to meet and a chance to discover more creativity within me. I find this exciting. However, this requires me to take action and not just dream of them. In the past I have only dreamed. There are no excuses. As I’ve heard, “Dreams without action are only fantasy.” I hope and pray I live the rest of my life with excitement, without fear of failure or success, looking for awe and wonder all around me.
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Silence Within
Solitude at Sunset I go to this area on regular basis because it’s only about 5-6 miles from my home. Until last night I never paid any attention to this tree. Just to to right of of the image are a group of trees I photograph on a regular basis but not this one. I don’t even remember seeing it before. Anyway it is now on my list of subjects to look for.
Silence has become an essential part of my life. It’s not just a time to sit and have external quiet. Finding inner quiet has been a process over the past 20 years or so. I found it useful when I worked as a fight attendant. When flying I discovered how to find places of silence. After the chaotic boarding process we would begin pushing away from the gate and begin our taxi to the runway. It’s at this point we take our jump-seats and as we are trained, make a silent review. This silent review entails a walk through our minds all steps we would take in case of an emergency during takeoff. After a silent review I would also use this time to quiet my inner self. This included deep breaths to help silence the mind. There was no silence in that aircraft but I could find the silence within me.
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My Life and more….
My life: a hat, journal, fountain pen, books, laptop, desk and camera My role as an observer of an image is much different as I practice and mature with photography. I am grateful I’ve come to see the world with new eyes when I look through the viewfinder of my camera. I contribute this with time, practice and learning to be present to life. Likewise, my role as an observer of another person’s image has changed. There has always been the draw of colors, patterns and especially the light and shadows. But, the story an image expresses is becoming a greater interest within me.
I’m posting this image because it says something about me at this time in my life. It tells a story: it tells you I wear a favorite hat on an almost daily basis, it tells you I have established a routine of writing almost daily basis for many years using a small collection of fountain pens, it tells you I allow the words from sacred texts of many faiths, poets, mystics, and creatives transforms me as a person. And, since I’ve taken the image myself it tells how a camera is always with me and used as a creative tool and inspiration in my life. It says something about my life and more.
