It's Not All About the Size

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Bigger is Better was the tag line I was going to use for my Logo when I started to get more serious about making large landscape images for commercial and residential walls. After a comment from my professional photographer son, Michael, I ended up with Nature Inspired imaging - a fundamental truth for me, bigger picture (pun intended) view, and certainly more professional than Bigger is Better.

The fact is, I have focused, with equipment and technique to facilitate large prints. Being able to print big is key for me and remains the objective.

However, I don't want to miss an opportunity for a cool image. I carry a compact camera that has enough mega-pixels to print 20 inches, long edge (substantially more than my iPhone).

I now have a number of compact camera taken images that have risen to my favorites.

Golden Gate Hasselblad Stellar 10.4mm 1/320 sec f3.5 ISO80

I love Golden Gate! I have learned that it is not always about capturing an image with a zillion mega-pixels, so I can print the size of your couch; it's about the impact on me, my feeling, with seeing the results.....and not all images (I take) are best printed big anyway.

Nature presents so many wonderful moments - it is no wonder that there is a proliferation of great digital images. My differentiation, and passion, is to print a fine piece of art that I, and other viewers feel good about and want to have around for others to feel good about too!

Turn to the Light

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Congratulations Bridget for completing the Integrated Health Studies Masters from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). The resulting Coaching and Wellness Management certifications enhance other education you obtained from Duke University and the Coaches Training Institute (CTI). 

Bridget Masters Integrated Health Studies CIIS

My belief though, is that your greatest understanding of wellness issues has come from your personal passion for understanding cause and affect of human conditions -  you've lived darkness, felt deeply, researched and learned much. You have a great deal to offer the world - trust yourself and serve with passion. Turn to the Light; It is bright, blinding sometimes. but with love of self and love of others, will present your doors and/or windows, to pass through, to serve and have happiness.

I may be corny, and crazy, to have tattooed my back with a Keltic butterfly in remembrance of the concept.....but, I do believe that Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it the more it alludes you, but Love and it comes and rests gently on your shoulder!

I am proud of you and want to yell it out and share it with my world. I am thinking of you today, as I affirm my mantra, which you sprung the seed for (now on my 69th version) with a Christmas present from you, more than a quarter century ago - A framed  calligraphy  with the words- "Love the moment and the energy will spread beyond all boundaries".  Little did I know at the time, that those few words would expand to 100 and have such a positive impact on my life. Thank you.

You have your own Mantra. I would love to provide a seed or two for you, as you have done for me......after all, those types of things are suppose to go from parents to children, not children to parents. The part of my mantra that comes to mind to share here is ....Contribute your uniqueness. Accept the uniqueness in yourself, as well as that of others, without judgement, with respect, patience and a sense of humor. I love you.

I know this blog is personal and maybe should be presented that way, but this is The Love Priorities Blog - My view of SCG ....and what a good example to share!

Twilight

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I was conflicted....now I'm not. The question was - Do I come above ground and talk freely about  Patty's Alzheimer's or do I ignore it, like she does. It has taken me years to accept that Patty has Alzheimer's, and now she is in the middle stage of the terrible illness. I battle with Patty (battle is probably too strong of a word) every night about taking Donepezil, her prescribed medication for Alzheimer's. She says "why do I take this, I don't forget, I just don't pay attention sometimes. By the way, where do you keep the pills? (I tell her which cabinet they are in every time she asks) I can take them myself" She also says "often I don't swallow the pill, I take it out and throw it away after you are not looking'".

Now there are dozens of daily reminders that Patty has Alzheimer's - almost to the point that she can't be left alone......and that is just fine with her, because she doesn't want to be alone. 

Alzheimer's is hard to accept. If I had it I would want to forget about it too - a catch 22, I guess. I however feel a need to alert people, maybe stamp on her forehead - fragile, easily confused, handle with care. I don't expect to get any help from Patty with managing her plight. I am coming above ground, not to her delight, and speaking of Alzheimer's to her, others and the world, with sensitivity and when helpful.

This is real. This is life. Talking helps. Understanding, empathy, counseling helps - Thank you Pam, Jane, Alzheimer's Association. I am learning about Alzheimer's, and with help, will cope just fine. In fact, many moments are more special, to me, knowing that it is twilight and each moment is worth loving.

Twilight

 

 

Prep Passion

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In preparation for my key-note, career day address to 250 or so current St John's Prep students, just off the shores of Lake Sagatagan, in the midst of the wonderful 2500 acre arboretum established by Bro Paul Schwietz, I found myself pondering the positive impact the Prep School had on me while attending SJP from 1960 to 1964. Young, naive and vulnerable was I.....and, how fortunate was I to have been so positively impacted by faculty, peers and, maybe unknown at the time, the beautiful natural setting of St. John's. 

During my visit to Minnesota, my sister Bernadette gave me a rock with the word DREAM on it. She said bury this in the land in Richmond, Vermont, where you are building your multi-generational home and photo studio. She said "you dream and then you do your dreams" I said thanks and yah, I guess I do. The prep experience helped me know passion and do dreams.

It wasn't until 2008, about the time I sold my Life-Wealth planning practice, marking the end of doing my passion of financial planning for clients, was I able to 'put it together' and start articulating the importance of focusing on process and the Love Priorities, in doing passions. It is obvious that we would all like to do what we love to do. The hard question is HOW.

SCG - The Love Priorities

SCG - The Love Priorities

I felt so passionate about what I call the LOVE PRIORITIES and the PROCESS to do them that I wrote a 350 page book as a reference guide. Further, I made the book ADVOCATE PLANNING; To Do What You Love To Do, a free download on this site www.MySCGpriorities.com. I feel everyone should benefit from what came to me after much practice with myself and clients and much reflection on the big question: HOW do we do what we love to do?

I now long to mentor someone who will carry the torch  of professing the Love Priorities. Maybe a Prep? My treat - "It is in the giving that I receive"..........However, I do sell my favorite photos!

 

 

Positano

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I Love it - Traveling to Positano, Italy, with the McGinty"s - Sun, Sea food, wine and time with love ones, in such a beautiful place, along the Almalfi Mediterranean Coast. It doesn't get any better!

Positano PhaseOne IQ 180 80mm 1/6 sec f11 ISO 35

Viewing other's travel images, (even mine!) can be boring. However, capturing a bit of natural beauty is exhilarating, humbling and an honor to share. I have a few images at www.mesipe.com from Positano that I think captures an inspiring view of this miraculous, wondrous place we live. "All is Gift". I hope you see that as well.

Pre-Book Article Published

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Light and Landscape Magazine published 8 water images of mine with 1000 words by Trevien Stanger, environmental writer, as a preview to our up-coming coffee table book - OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS; Celebrating a culture of clean water in the Lake Champlain basin. Check it out at http://www.lightandlandscape.co/mag

Lake Champlain Watershed

Lake Champlain Watershed

Water is wonderful - I love it - It is now my subject of choice - for photographing and protecting - so precious a resource. Click image above and check out Lake Champlain Project / Book fifty, to see what images I am considering for the book. Give me your comments. I will be limiting my images to about fifty - I will need to exclude some images. Please help me edit by telling me what you like and what you don't like.. 

Trevien's curating of 10 to 15 articles and water stories will be of great value for understanding why we so love and need water. Let me know if you have an interest in having a copy of the book and/or wish to donate to our clean water efforts. 

Presumptuous - Yes - But let me say... Thanks for being Blue Mindful.

Blue Mindful

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I have been searching for material regarding the value of clean water. I am doing this because I feel that understanding the value of this precious natural resource, and feeling grateful for the availability to clean water, is paramount to action for protecting it. We protect what we love. We love what we need and what feels special to us. 

I found the perfect book to support and build on my premise - Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols. "The surprising science that shows how being near, in, on, or under water can make [us] happier, healthier, more connected and better at what [we] do" 

Blue Mindful, two image composite with Topaz Liquid pencil filter.

Dr Nichols' claim is lofty. He does a great job supporting it with all kinds of statistics and anecdotes. I especially appreciate his holistic approach, with an emphasis on "emotional science" (often thought of as a contradiction in terms). 

Water is everywhere - we are water, mostly. Without water there is nothing. Nichols mentions comments made from space, by the Apollo 17 astronauts, referring to OUR earth as the tiny blue planet - far away it looks like a blue marble. Nichols started giving blue marbles to people, showing his gratitude for people mindful of the value of clean water. He encourages people that are mindful of clean water to pass on a blue marble to others that also are mindful of the value of clean water. There are now millions of blue marbles in circulation reminding people of protecting what they love - our precious, life sustaining, God given natural resource - CLEAN WATER - PASS IT ON!

Diversity of Thought

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I thought a lot about John, last month and this weekend. I loved John Rosch, my brother-in-law, Pearl Harbor survivor and great example to me -  I never heard him complain about anything or judge anyone. At his funeral service, nearly twenty years ago and again, just recently, that reality stroke me - how great it is to know someone - how they think, who they are, no matter how different they think than me, without hearing complaints or judgements. 

Accepting diversity of thought, and pressing for your favorite cause(s) is a formula for making a difference. I admire those who do that, including the many people who marched yesterday for protecting and advancing woman's rights, while still understanding our common privilege, rights and responsibilities of a strong democracy. I loved that my sister Joannie was a strong Pro-Life advocate, and often a sign carrying protester.  

River meets Lake meets Land PhaseOne IQ 180 35mm 1.3 sec f16 ISO 35

Democracy is messy. When different elements collide, who knows the results? Like nature, you, individually are not in control - the collective concern of those connected will make a difference. (albeit, there is always the uncontrollable devine element to marvel in.)

In my planning practice, I always wanted my way! I guess that is why I ended up with my own boutique practice, rather than being part of a large firm. However, somewhere along the way (Kenzie Phelps was a positive influence),  I learn a lot about the power of consensus building. I was often amazed, when open to it, that a group of divergent thoughts would come together and make a conclusion that was better than mine....or any other single thought. 

Maybe the only diversity practice policy we need in the USA is the acceptance of diversity of thought - doesn't that include race, religion, gender....et al? And wouldn't that lay a nice base for working through issues together? Now, if we could only expect Congress to come to some consensus on so many things that need to be done - That sounds a little like a complaint or judgement.......I am too human....

 

 

 

The Greatest Love of All

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Whitney Houston's The Greatest love of all is one of my favorite songs.....I love the message - "learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all". Take a listen https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-iry-fullyhosted_011&hsimp=yhs-fullyhosted_011&hspart=iry&p=the+song+the+greatest+love#id=1&vid=a142ac48c9cf2a791fd46129f2c956fd&action=click

I call this Self-realization - one of the three Love Priorities (Connecting and Giving are the other two), which is the basis of this blog . 

Self-realizing is the biggest Love of the three Love Priorities - Devine driven, I believe, and harder to grasp, as a principles-based priority, than Connecting and Giving. The words Connecting and Giving are almost synonymous with Love. But, what does Self-realizing mean? You think about Maslow's latter and self-actualization or psychology mambo-jumbo. Maybe there is a better word to use. Let me know if you have one. I know some are turned-off by the term self-realizing, and i would like not to contribute to that.

What is clear to me, though, are the benefits of Self-realizing - Learning, Serving and Mentoring - the three activities of Self-realizing means loving what you do to contribute and make a difference in your world, to the best of your ability - a purpose you love and feel passionate about; your uniqueness ...and the realization of your unique good - your personal feeling of success. Your extent of success with self-realizing is not measured by the money you have, the number of children you have raised, or any other material "thing" that the "public" uses to judge others or, for that matter, we use to judge ourselves - it is a feeling of well-being, that we are doing our unique good, to the best of our ability, in the present, regardless if we are 23 or 103. 

For this 70 year old and my passion of photography, I can report that I feel 2016 was a year of much well-being - Other areas too - I feel good about myself, but let's just stick to photography in this short blog.

Maine Roadway Hasselblad Stellar 10.4mm 1/250 sec f5.6 ISO 125 captured moving 60 mph.

I am learning much about photography. I have started to offer (serve) my best. And, I don't know if I will ever mentor, or teach anyone much about photography. I however, consider this blog my mentoring, using photography as a metaphor, while talking about the Love Priorities, which, I am unknowenly, driven to do. 

For the artist...... maybe for everything we love to do, maintaining a spirit of continual learning, growing, and offering our best, regardless how shity others think our results, is a major component in personal well-being. Keep up the shity work and, if you love it enough to learn, grow and serve, you will find more admirers! And, if you love it enough, maybe it doesn't make any difference what others think anyway.

 

Etna Foothills Canon 1DS Mark III 24mmT/S 1/60 sec f11 ISO 100

2014 and 2015 were years I learned more about black and white and split-toning . I like the results of split-toning, but didn't do much with it in 2016. I moved to what felt right in 2016.  I have always loved a painterly look in my images and, in 2016, I was introduced by Light and Landscape magazine members group mentors David and Shannon, to the Topaz plug-in that gave me the ability to add more of that painterly look I love. I am now spending more time processing  my images, to get the look I love, than I do in capturing them......and I love it!

 

 

Water Wonderland

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All natural living existence depend on water - clean water - unpolluted by harmful waste or land product run-off. Having grown up in Minnesota pristine and moved to much of the same, in the beautiful Champlain Valley of Vermont, I took clean water for granted. I wasn't personally affected by "dirty" water, until recently, when I started to look around, photograph, and ask a few questions. 

Lake Cloud Canon EOS 1DS Mark III 420mm ISO 100

Lake Champlain has become more and more polluted by excessive phosphorous runoff from water flowing across land, from the Adirondack and Green mountains, through the brooks, streams, rivers, valleys and streets to our drinking water, and our fishing, swimming and boating in Lake Champlanin. 

I have always loved to photograph water. Capturing beautiful images in the Lake Champlain Basin (a very large and wonderful watershed) has now become a passion - a passion to capture the beauty of water in it's natural environment. I  photographed Champlain beauty during the floods of 2011, the droughts of 2012 and 2016, and the dramatic clouds of 2013 and 2014. I started shooting tributaries of The Lake in 2015 and I love it - a variable water wonderland..

I am now  challenged to capture the "toxic sublime" of algae. This I do not like. I wouldn't do it,  if it wasn't for the benefits of drawing attention to the problem, for me and others, so we will get educated about EPA (Environmental Personal Accountability). It is important for me "to do my part"; take "personal responsibility" by attracting viewers and readers to OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS: Celebrating a Culture of Clean Water in the Champlain Basin, a forthcoming coffee table book, www.champlainbasinrelations.wordpress.com, which will include informative and interesting writings by many people in the know, and fifty or so of my favorite Lake Champlain Basin images. I desire to impassion your action to clean water, without needing the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) pushed down regulations. We, the users - home owners, farmers, builders, boaters, fishers, pet lovers, and others, can do this, by doing what we need to do as we learn more about what that means.

 

Burlington Bay Bloom PhaseOne IQ 180 35mm 1/4sec f18 ISO 35

Clean water means the world to me - water touches me on all levels - mind, body and soul! Water brought me out of dehydration, twice. My PT, while in-hospital rehabilitation for my Stroke, suggested drinking a glass of water an hour - wow - can't do it, but that says a lot about how important water is to our health. A cold glass of water on a hot summer day beats a cold beer, under the same conditions, anytime......well, maybe not. But, I would hate not to have that cold, clean glass of water available when I want it.

My love and passion for being around water, in nature, and capturing a moment of beauty, to have and hold in site, touches me deeply. I can't explain it, but it "completes" me! Every time I think about the native american reverence of nature I feel the rightness of that. My reverence for water and nature are growing and it is good. I am now going for a walk and listen to Thoreau. 

 

It was The Worst of Times. It was The Best of Times.

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Alzheimer's, Stroke, Cancer and a sprinkling of depression is a  recipe for a bad year.... potentially. This was 2016. Actually, with the bad stuff came good - We are managing the memory issues without outside help. I have 85% recovered from the June 10th stroke. And, the lucky catch on Patty's malignant melanoma was eradicated with a single surgery.

Mostly, for me, it was a year filled with love and growth.....maybe, partly, as a result of the bad stuff presented. I am delighted with my increased sensitivity and feelings of love. I repeatedly, daily, express my love to Patty - not because I desperately need to be heard, but the wonderful delight in expressing my love for her - A precious time. 

Patty Stellar Christmas Eve 2016

My sister Elizabeth and daughter Bridget each spent about two months in Vermont,  far from their normal surroundings, Italy and Seattle respectively, helping during struggles as a result of my stroke. I really felt the love and am so grateful. Other family members and friends too, in varies ways, continue to express love and support. I am changed forever by the touch of your  love.

I feel all the more resolved that the  Love Priorities blog and related book I wrote: ADVOCATE PLANNING: To Do What You Love To Do, is right....right for me, to better SCG - self-realize, connect and give. Purpose. Passion. Contribution.

Great growth this year for me, despite....or maybe due to, the hardships.

I let go of my professional planning career - three years after retirement from private practice. I think it took the stroke for it to happen. I let go of trying to influence the planning community to focus on priorities planning. I ceremoniously tossed a number of books, rather than soliciting professionals to read and apply the precepts. That being said, I would not change a word in ADVOCATE PLANNING; To Do What You Love To Do, except maybe the title - I would now call it THE LOVE PRIORITIES: Your Passion and Purpose. I must have given forty copies away to various care givers  during my PT! I have a few paper copies left. I get great pleasure from giving it away, especially when I hear that it connected, one way or another. I made a PDF, free download of the book on this site, for that purpose. 

My top priority now is Patty....and that feels good. More focused - Less stressed - Purpose and Privilege. I added patience to my mantra, but the affirmation doesn't always work!

My photography, surprising to me, improved this year, even with six months of finding my legs....again, maybe because of the stroke - having to learn to walk again and appreciating the gift of mobility. My sensitivity to natural beauty is heightened.  And, thanks to VCWN (Vermont Clean Water Network), my understanding of the value and beauty of water has advanced. I, more than ever, appreciate  the ability to capture natural beauty and a feeling to hold in sight. Thank you David Pasillas and Shannon Kalahan for your mentoring to help present what I feel.

Merry Christmas to all and to all - my love and gratitude! And, may you live your love priorities in 2017....always.

I hope to see Basin of Relations: celebrating a culture of clean water in the Lake Champlain basin published in 2017. Trevien Stanger, environmentalist, editor and curator, has nearly ten writers to accompany about fifty of my images for the coffee table book. Follow it's progress at www.champlainbasinrelations.wordpress.com

Water is Wonderful - "that's for sure rain-man" Thank You

 

 

 

Even the Smallest Stone makes a Ripple

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It's Hallmark station time-of-the-year again! I love it. The last one I watched was about a lovely young nurse in a small town in 1945 who thought she lost her husband in the war and had no reason to live, as she was reading to a young sick boy, caring for others and returning a lost dog in a snow storm. Of course there was a comet that night that somehow took her 71 years forward - a Wonderful Life type thing - sort of.  Before she left for 2016, a wise, older nurse said to the young nurse in a funk, "even the smallest stone makes a ripple". The rest of the story was about how she made a big difference in peoples lives with the smallest of acts with her obvious love of others.

Ripple Reed Reflection PhaseOne IQ 180 240mm 1/8 sec f16 ISO 35                                   

Everything always turns out well (and good) in a Hallmark movie (her husband actually didn't die). Often the Hallmark messages are powerful, as they relate to SCG - Love of self and love of others - Something one may find solace in, after such damning antics with the elections.

Love is the an.....an...swer!

                                                                                                                                                                            

What If There Was No Water?

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Rhetorical, yes.....but just image. No, you can't - everything living depends on it! Precious - Premium - $5 a bottle, at an airport. I wouldn't be without it. I love it.

I was sad to see Johnny Brook at Fays Corner not running this fall.

Johnny Brook at Fays Corner - dry PhaseOne IQ 180 80mm 1sec f7.1 ISO 35

Johnny Brook at Fays Corner PhaseOne IQ 180 80 mm 120sec f14 ISO 35

Johnny Brook at Fays Corner PhaseOne IQ 180 80 mm 120sec f14 ISO 35

The image, without the falls, is scary - I show it here for affect only. The image has no "flow" without the falls - it's a reject, as a photograph.

Huntington River Falls 2 Drought PhaseOne IQ 180 30sec f12 ISO 35

Huntington River Falls Hasselblad Stellar10.4mm 1/20sec f4 ISO 100

Water levels, in the Champlain Basin, are low, very low. Lake Champlain hasn't been at these levels since 1941. There is such a delicate balance in nature. I remember, and treasure, my shooting of the floods in 2011 and then, unbelievably, the drought of 2012 - How can it be so drastic from one year to the next?.......and then this, in 2016. One expert commentator said, "it's not the droughts I worry about, it's the floods - since the 60's it's the high water levels that concern me". God only knows - That's for sure rain-man. We deserve to keep every bit of the gift of water we get CLEAN!

Unruly, Enigma

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Some referred to me as the enigma, while us CPA partners at MHA & Co. were struggling with issues in the early 90's. I am proud to be called an enigma - mystery, puzzle, question, .........well, maybe not "problem". (I googled the word). Enigmas are different, unique, aren't they? That is how I interpret enigma - unique. Since the 90's, I have ran with - celebrating uniqueness.  In fact, I made it centerpiece in my mantra - "Love in the Moment .... contribute my uniqueness; accept my uniqueness, as well as that of others, with respect, patience and a sense of humor".

Nurturing and planning to one's uniqueness became a major thrust of my financial planning practice, culminating in my treatise ADVOCATE PLANNING; To Do What You Love To Do (free download from this blog site www.MySCGpriorities.com.) We all should be so lucky to know, nurture, and celebrate our uniqueness!

I was keenly attracted to Sieur de Monts, at Acadia National Park, both, last year and this, while photographing in the park. I didn't really understand why, until recently, when I processed Unruly, with the help of David and Shannon, my mentors at Light and Landscape magazine members group. 

Unruly PhaseOne IQ 180 120mm 1/3 sec f16 ISO 35 Topaz filter

Last year I attended a PhaseOne Photo workshop, with mostly professionals, and everyone walked though the swampy boardwalk area, without capturing an image, accept me. 

Sieur de Monts Boardwalk PhaseOne IQ 180 120mm 1/6 sec f16 ISO 35

I was uniquely attracted to the area - to make sense of the unruly birch and brush. I am attracted to the birch and brush going, uniquely, every which way. Might I be personally identifying with the stubbornness to naturally "fall in line"?

My favorite image of the year may very well be Birch Berries and Brush, captured just yards away from Unruly and Boardwalk. (I presently have 15  candidates for favorites of 2016. I have little over a month to add to the list, before I post my selections. I hope you will view my choices.) I Love it!

Birch Berries and Brush PhaseOne iQ 180 1/3 sec f16 ISO 35

Translucent

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I want to share "Translucent".

Translucent PhaseOne IQ 180 35 mm 1/40 sec f22 ISO 35

I was driving home from "the land" one stormy day last week, fall colors still strong, and the sun peaked through, back-lighting the scene above, I call it Translucent. I braked, turned around, and captured the wonderful light passing through the brilliant Maples, during the five minutes the sun lit up the trees.

It's been a great fall for photography. As I mentioned in a previous post, I tend to favor more muted colors in my images, www.mesipe.com, (see new prints or trees) because they have, for me, more staying power, printed big and hung on the wall. Translucent is no exception, but it caught my attention, for now - present impact. I love it.

A week and the the leaves will be down, ready to receive the beautiful white rain. 

The Best Fall....ever!

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I had a chance to photograph, thank God, a lot this October www.mesipe.com. I do not remember an October more spectacular than this for photography......and I'm 70. Maybe my appreciation is heighten, having lost (and mostly regained) my ability to walk, with my June 10th stroke now in the past..

Field of Dreams PhaseOne IQ 180 120mm 1/25th f12 ISO 35 stitched and filtered

I love to walk the woods and photograph in Fall. I focused on rivers and streams of the  Champlain basin this year, knowing that is a element lacking in my images for Lake Champlain, Our Basin of Relations - a culture of clean water, a forthcoming coffee table book that environmentalist, editor and lead writer, Trevien Stanger will bring real value to. A book website has recently been launched at www.champlainbasinrelations.wordpress.com. I have 50 of so images I have preliminarily identified for the book at www.mesipe.com at the menu - Lake Champlain Project/book fifty?

I love the image (above), Field of Dreams, It is where the family photo studio is planned.....and (just to tie it into the river thing) Johnny Brook is just beyond the trees in the foreground. Johnny brook leads to the Winooski River, which is a major tributary for Lake Champlain. 

 

The Value of an Argument.

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NONE, as I see it. Oh, there may be value to one or the other to be able to vent anger to a another person, but let's call that expressing anger......and I would think that the other(s) would actually be listening - a place for anger to land is likely to have some value, as the ability to get it off your chest has some value. An argument though is just people yelling at each other, sometimes simultaneously, with no interest in listening to the other side - unlike a debate, where at least you have a third party listening, where maybe, with open minds, someone learns something. When I hear people with opposing sides, yelling at each other, at the same time, I throw up, change the channel or move away...and escape with my photography..

I hate arguments, simultaneous yelling. We must think the louder we yell the more we are heard. Really? It's a turn off to me, maybe stemming from hearing my dad yell a lot. I guess that is a little different then an argument, though - you didn't dare yell back at my dad, with your disagreement, without expecting a major consequence. Yelling is the sign for me to move on....unless it is me yelling: then I want someone to say - "It's ok Mike, you are always right". 

Vase Full View PhaseOne IQ 180 120mm 3 sec f18 Photo Painting 75%

Arguing is a waste of time, making no connection, especially the louder you yell. I am not going to waste anymore  time talking about it. I am up for more and better connecting, though. 

I love to connect with my photography. I took this image a couple hours ago and it connects with me. The vase was a gift from our son Michael. I appreciate it more with this capture. It's beautiful and so are the flowers. I  don't have to go far to find beauty. Although, being able to drive, after having my stroke in June, will be a special treat, I hope to have the privilege to do in October. Here i come, my New England.

Balance

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How long can you stand on one leg?

Black Crested Night Heron Canon EOS IDS Mark III 600mm 1/500 sec f16 ISO 320

I suspect not as long as the Heron above. I was surprised when I googled the subject. I am curious because I am just now finding some, post-stroke, success with standing on one leg or the other. I found that on the average, the ability to stand on one leg or the other diminishes dramatically after your fifties - It goes from about 40 seconds, with eyes open, in your fifties and below 20 seconds, on average, in your 70's. And, with your eyes closed, you can divide those numbers by 3!

Wow. I hear this diminishing result is not necessarily destiny - it is the result of sitting much more, on average, after your fifties. Maybe it is time to take up Yoga......that is, after I get through Rehab. By the way, I am shooting to get to about 20 seconds before the end of Rehab and 40 seconds with much personal challenge after formal rehab.

Change

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I hate change. I love change. Which is it? It depends.....on my mood at the moment! Maybe it is about attitude, and with a little help, I can decide on the attitude I have. I know this to be true.

Thunderbirds 2 Canon EOS 1DS Mark III 400mm 1/1600 sec f16 ISO 400 

On August 14th I had my first, post-stroke, photo outing, assisted by my sister Elizabeth. It was an air-show over Lake Champlain. The clouds were great. The Thunderbirds were impressive. I scared everyone around me, including myself, when my excitement got the best of me as the Thunderbirds flew directly over head, and I wobbled crazily when I stood without aid and panned the camera, with a 400mm lens attached, trying to catch the expert flyers with a great back-drop. I could have sat in my "stroller" and watched the show, but I loved the moment by "going for it", instead of being perfectly safe, as some of my OT's would have suggested. Elizabeth was great, allowing me to risk a fall to capture an image I could get excited about. She did keep me clear of the nearby rocks and water though, and I know she had a sigh of relief when the show was over. She said more than once, while here to help over the last two months, "not on my watch" - an obvious statement of responsibility for my well-being.

In the last few years I lost my planning position, moved twice, had a stroke and Patty's presence  is passing. Expressed differently - I received a nice severance from a good acquirer of my practice, with a great four year employee contract. I had time to write of book of appreciation to clients, about thoughts over a long career, dedicating the book to my great life-time advocate - Patty. I have more time for family and fine-art photography in my new wonderful New England surroundings. I can now love each moment I have with Patty with what is, while I recover completely from a short-term inconvenient stroke! 

I choose the love priorities - self-realizing, connecting and giving - to the extent I am given the ability to do so. Life is good!

 

 

Trust is Tricky

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I had a saying with associates - Without Trust there is Nothing - Meaning mostly - why would anyone what to allow us to handle their money without total trust in us? In client surveys Trust always popped to the top as our most important attribute that attracted Clients to us. Trust is a value of character near the top of the list of values for me. 

Fair Trade. Cantania Fish Market. Trust.

The tricky part of trust is - how do you balance trust with reasonable risk, worthy of your taking, to advance your interests. One doesn't want to 'Howard Hughes it' and trust nothing, while sitting  naked in a sanitized room, with nothing but "clean x" to connect with. 

I don't want to mention names, but I am beginning to believe that politicians and the media are the antithesis of trust - saying whatever their particular listeners want to hear, or whatever is necessary to get votes/readership! I think I am changed forever.....I am only looking at collective positions on issues now. knowing that in the long-run people (collectively) will solve the obvious problems  (debt, social security, medicare, social justice, legalities....oh, so many), one way or another. I trust in people - in the long-run, like I trust that stocks will have the highest returns - in the long run. And, I believe we are all dead in the long run and, mostly, I Trust in God.

I asked Nick (the name I gave the imaged person above) if I could take his picture, while at the Catania, Sicily Fish market. I loved the face, the character. He agreed to 2 euro - a fair exchange, I thought, for the second I took to snap the image with my compact. I pulled out all the change I had in my pocket and he said I'll take it all. I said 2 euro - we agreed. He didn't kill me....maybe too many people around for the 15 or so euro I had in my hand - A reasonable risk of trust?