Art is Life

We have all heard the saying that "Life Imitates Art". I am here to say that life really is art. Same hard choices. Business school or History. Foreign language or mathematics. All our choices impact our future choices. Notice though that I only admit "impact". There are too many artists and pseudo artists who have a personal pity party going on. They have some misguided belief that being an artists means suffering and privations. That it means not being able to pay one's electric bill. That it means that the artist is always looking for a patron to sponsor him/her. This morning I looked at a few photographer's websites. More of the information is about how to make money; how to market oneself; how to advertise or not; how to determine what is fair pricing. Makes you think that being an artist might mean choosing to wear two hats ARTIST and business person. It would be nice if people were pounding on your door to have their portraits, weddings and events done and that there was some magical way that you could easily convince them that artists have needs, supplies and expenses, too. But there isn't so, the artist has to establish his/her own fair pricing. A digital camera cost X dollars and will last Y long. When that camera needs to be replaced with a new version it will cost X+ dollars. Other expenses are gas, housing, food, lodging for trips to make the photographs, insurance, pensions or savings, upgrades, education, professional fees. It is quite a bunch to keep track of and we haven't even produced a single photograph yet. It is not free. Time is valuable. Ask any executive who needs to have time in the schedule for 9 holes on Friday afternoon with the lobbyist or the legislator. I think I see why so many of us barely make it. Let's let people really pay for the skill and the energy and talent. We can always donate our time for charitable causes.

Ice on Rocks

Ice on Rocks, originally uploaded by Lukasia.

This is the view from our window. Last night we heard the wind whipping the waves against the frozen shore. Mean temperature of Lake Superior is 40F. Imagine just how treacherous that is for sailors and the poor soul who might wander out onto the rocks for a better view. Cold and slippery...I had a dream that my ever so adventurous daughter took a risk and that I drowned struggling to save her from the icy waters. But it is beautiful just to look at; especially from the warm interior of our room with jacuzzi and fireplace.

Ice

Take take take. Sometimes you have to give them exactly what they ask for. My daughter wants to spend all of her time with her GF and family. She spent the day with her and now she wants to sleep there for the night. I am not going to fight her; mostly because I will not force myself to be around the sulking silly soror. I also intend to put my energy and time into the people who are here and making this a family event. I shared with her my displeasure and even offered her an analogy related to her recent injury. No go. Nothing gets through that tremendous armor plating that she has encased her 13 year-old mind in. Nothing gets through the forcefield of ignorance. But I did take some beautiful photos.

 
 
 
 

Sometimes you just have to go on and do what you know you should be doing. I worked yesterday and was really tired when I arrived home. I thought I might simply like to open a nice bottle of merlot or slip back out to the liquor store to grab some Irish Cream. But we had plans to visit friends for New Year's Eve. These friends have two daughters that are in my Sunday School class. They see me regularly and like me. We have also taken care of their dog when they have been out of town. So we showered and dressed and headed out the door for the 30 minute drive across town on New Year's Eve. My wife was driving because she prefers her style to mine, even though she has creeping night blindness. I sat quietly and snapped some photos on the way. Downtown at dusk; the tunnel, and some interesting lights. Nothing worth keeping. We were moving along at 60mph and I didn't really anticipate a keeper from the bunch. But it was experimental. Play with the shutter; play with the ISO.

There was another couple there. Older, golf buddies of the husband. We had met them before but really had not gotten to talk with them.

The girls were on their starlet best behavior. It was raucous and fun.

Great dinner - roast, potatoes, gravy, and a kickin' salad with pecans and apples and greens. We polished off a couple bottles of wine...one we had not heard of that was awesome and inexpensive (tasty and cheap). Oatmeal raisin cookies, cheesecake for dessert and more wine. The group abandoned the table and headed off into the LR for some discussion - politics, personal views and to get to know each other better.

This night ended too soon for me. Have to do this again. Adults and kids.