Dragonfly

Dragonfly.

Mysterious and curious-looking. The dragonfly would appear to defy all odds. It has beautiful but disproportionately large wings, a tiny body and lives on insects. The dragonfly does not have to ask permission to be what it is. It goes about the business of being a dragonfly. To some the dragonfly is frightening or scary. To others the dragonfly is simply beautiful.

I was fortunate enough to have this beautiful specimen visit me while I sat enjoying the breeze at Medicine Lake. We settled on the perch and I grabbed my macro lens from my car. The critter was still there when I returned and allowed my to get pretty close. I danced gingerly around the dragonfly trying to get a background that would be realistic and complementary while trying to maintain a good lighting ratio. I was able to squeeze off a couple of frames before the dragonfly departed. I tried to follow, but this one was headed out over the water.

No Ride Today

No Ride Today

Some time has passed since I last wrote. I have no excuse, I am tired though. Tired of worrying about all the issues that I can't control. That I did not create. That I did not break. Tired of trying to be everything to everyone. There is no justification...

Work is hard. Relationships are so much work. I want it easy. I want no more jerks in my life.

A Walk in the Rain

Iris

This morning I walked in the rain. A gentle, sibilant, rain. I could here the raindrops colliding with the leaves on the trees. I could here the babbling and giggling of water sliding through streets as the laughing waters cascaded into the abyss of cisterns and systems hidden beneath the city. I watched the raindrops glistening like jewels on the petals of freshly quenched lillies, and begonias, and roses. What a beautiful and simple joy. A walk in the rain.

We Are Almost There!

We Are Almost There!

I have been thinking about the political bantering here in the US. I think it is an intentional distraction. Think Rome burning while the leaders fled and Caesar fiddled. While the middle class is distracted by capital gains and what the Conservatives vs the Liberals are ready to dole out to them, we watch while our infrastructure crumbles.

Millions of dollars were donated to a recall election in Wisconsin. Both sides found sources of money to bolster the opportunity to become the political head of a small and broke state. Not as broke as California or Illinois, but hurting as industry flees overseas.

Ask yourself, do the Germans protect BMW, BASF and other companies? Do the Chinese fight to keep their economy strong? Has globalization helped or hurt you as an employee? The answers are not simple and are surely not easy, but we the voting, paying, and concerned public have to stop yelling and screaming at each other and search for answers. /End rant.

Healing

Some days are like this.
People demanding your time and your energy.
Tasks that you do not want to do.
Life seems to be in your way!
Pain in every direction.
No relief in sight.
Jokers all around you.
Truth becomes flexible and that's not right.
Dreamsicle dreams of orange and cream.

Today is just one such day.
My life has finally caught up to me as I have tried to outrun it.
Relationships are fried.
Energy has been displaced by apathy.
I feel too tired to try any more.
Too bereft of motivation to care.

Everyone should just do as they dare.
Dare to be compassionate.
Dare to be loving.
Dare to be genuine.
Dare to be something great.

Leave me alone for the mean time.

Graduation

It is graduation time here in MN. Some from college; some from high school. Some from middle school. Congratulations to all of them. Neighbors, children of friends, co-workers. Honor the hard work and effort put into this.

There are many of us who are finding reason to celebrate growth, change, movement and life. Each organism completes its tasks in an appropriate time frame. What seems to be slow to you may be adequate for them. What we think is too fast, may be right on track for that individual. We each have our tasks to master and obstacles to overcome. Recognize the effort and the hard work of movement.

Vendedera

Vendedera, originally uploaded by lucienphoto.

This woman was selling her wares on the steep steps of an archaelogical wonder. She likely hauled it all up and will have to take it back down. I guess that she does not complain about her station in life; is delighted when she earns a few pesos; and knows that she will have to do the same the next day.

She is probably not too concerned that Facebook shares have taken a beating since the IPO. She is probably not too worried either about the rubbish from the tsunami washing up on the shores of our Pacific coast. Her life is simple.

Simple because she knows what she has to do. Simple because she has only to manage a day at a time. Simple because the machinations of politicians in Mexico City, Washington, DC and Athens are not likely to affect her day-to-day existence.

That is why we have to protect her. We have to protect her lifestyle. She has not bought into the complicated money making schemes that seem to be our primary focus these days. She is born, works hard, makes a contribution in the world and she dies. She likely passes on the knowledge that she has to someone. She is a saint.

Sra. Leonarda

Sra. Leonarda, originally uploaded by lucienphoto.

Grandma's Hands

What a great song by Bill Withers.

This grandmother makes tortillas that she sells from her home. She makes these by hand with the most rudimentary tools. How do I know this? I met her in the process of transferring custody of her two grandsons to her. She has never met them; knows that they have developmental disabilities; knows that they may have trouble fitting in. She took them because they are family. Family trumps everything else that we can think of as an obstacle. They need her and her family. I am glad that I could meet her. I wish there were more people like her in this world.

inner workings

inner workings, originally uploaded by lucienphoto.

I was playing Scrabble with my 14-year-old yesterday. He multitasked and listened to his iPod and watched something on TV in between turns. I learned a couple of things while we played.

1) Some people choose to "do" other things in the midst of enjoying something. We all do this to some extent. I think kids today are more likely to do things that we older people think of as actively engaged tasks. Some examples would be watching TV and websurfing at the same time. Doing email and chatting on Facebook might be another good example.

I know that I find I am better able to concentrate when I put my mind to one task, easy or difficult with the exception of perhaps listening to music or talking while I wash dishes. Are we so very busy that we can't "do" one thing well at a time? Has our world become so complicated that we can't do just one thing? We text and drive (even though illegal) and rationalize our behaviors for reading books and the paper while talking to others. We talk on the phone when we are in the bathroom taking care of physically important needs. We drive and talk on the phone.

We interrupt each other mid-conversation, often because we simply are afraid we might forget that all important quip. We all do it. Try as I might, I find myself also "trying to make a point". When did discussion turn into debate or persuasion? When did the opposing view have less value than your own opinion? Ask yourself!

2) I added a word that I was certain of - nadir - and Marcus looked at it quizzically. He wasn't sure that it was a word, but did not want to risk the challenge. This morning another person asked me about the word.  I explained to her what it meant, then ran for the dictionary to show her.

There are likely many others who don't know where to turn in our discussions of economics and politics and general philosophy. Since so many of us don't have "references" we trust or can be deemed impartial, we have trouble having a serious but civil conversation. If (name your pundit) said it, it must be true.

I think that is how we are being taken advantage of here. We have self-appointed "experts" offering information/opinion as truth that is not challenged. The myriad reasons for failing to challenge are not as important as that we so simply accept opinion as "fact". Historically, that has not been a harbinger of something good for the general population. Think "Dark Ages" prior to the Renaissance.

Think Hitler before the war. Think Salem witch trials. Think slavery before abolition. Think Trail of Tears.  Think weapons of mass destruction.

Maybe if we all slow down and simply work on becoming informed, we can decide where we focus our energy and attention. We could decide if the Republicans or the Democrats have the best ideas for reform.  We could even choose to vote independent of party affiliation.  

Seek knowledge; engage in conversation versus debate. Always hear the other's side and respect that they came by that opinion honestly. You always have the option to walk away or to not accept that opinion.

Take a few minutes daily to establish your own priorities and make time to see them fulfilled.

The Shot

3/4 Shot, originally uploaded by lucienphoto.

Sometimes in the course of just doing what I do all day long, I find a wall or a location that I think would be ideal for a photography session. I took someone to a therapy office on Monday May 7, 2012 and happened to see this corrugated rusty steel wall. It is attached to a tattoo parlor. I stopped by there later during the day and asked permission to use the wall for a background. Resounding yes was the answer. I put an immediate casting request with some of the model talent that I work with and got a quick hit. Jamie Dawn was someone I had wanted to book again with any way.

Mid day session with a fill flash and diffuser/reflector. She was a sport while I tested the fill flash and setup the diffuser.