Electronic Writer

I was talking with a friend a while back–who had some interesting words about her generation.

She described her generation as the hardest-working, socially conscious, politically active group to hit the American shores. I loved that moment–seeing her idealism and her fervor. It remembered me of when I thought the same thing about myself and MY generation–about the time when I started college.

Today, we may count the number of e-mails you send to your Senator as a measure of activity. Ten years ago, it may have been the number of telephone calls you made in support of your measure. In the 60’s, however, before the advent of e-mail, activity levels may have been measured by the number of protests or marches attended. There is no real way to measure her assertion (or mine, when I made it).

That idealism, in my mind, is a vital part of the maturation process. As you leave the nest that your parents created for you, you get your first taste of your own strength and abilities to create change. Too young to feel trapped, it is YOUR responsibility to make changes in society. Perhaps later in your life you will lose the ability to make change–when your responsibilities overtake your time and life. Or, perhaps you may lose the desire to affect change. You may want to simply make money instead.

Whenever I see that idealism in someone I meet, I think of you, my friend. Your description was perfect.

Here’s to you and your generation, Katrina.

I SWEAR it! Some scheduling conflicts may occur, but I never imagined 5 months of it. No excuses. It is time to get back to it . . . .

It has finally started to rain. The temperature has finally dropped. The combination of being land-locked, and moving indoors makes me wistful for other places . . . this being one of them.

This is a Mexican sunrise in Cabo San Lucas with a heat-generated rainstorm forming in the center of it all.

I am only 1500 miles and 50 degrees on the thermometer away . . . .

The State Fair is a curious mixture of pleasures for me. It is composed of part ritual, part adventure, a smidge of food and alcohol, and a definite overindulgence of people watching.

Of course, it would not be fair to ignore all of the flashing lights, jingling noises, and the air tinkling with laughter.

She reminded me of Bjork. When I put money in her basket, she took fairy-dust (it was glitter, actually), and blew it into my face. For just a moment, I felt as if I were in the middle of Black Forest.

For just a moment . . . .

Normally, I wouldn’t find this funny, but this story is hilarious. The sad part of the story is that a 16-year old girl tried to poison her family. She poured cleaning products into the a dessert, and fed it to them.

The HILARIOUS part of the story is that the father was able to identify, by taste, the BRAND of the cleaning product, and continued to eat the pie anyways . . . .

The Palais Versaille is quite phenomenal. The grounds are enormous. There are literally miles and miles of gardens. The buildings are ostentations. Everything about it reeks with history.

You can walk through the antechambers and the King’s bedroom, the Hall of Mirrors (where the Treaty of Versaille was signed), and see the Dauphin’s personal study.

This is something that you simply need to see for yourself.

You have to see this. I would almost be honored to get a speeding ticket from this officer . . . .

Life is simply more interesting with people in it. People are the seasoning to your recipe. They have a great influence on your day and your moods–both good and bad. And, biologically, humans are social creatures (I hope the Anthropologists would support this assertion). We need interaction with others humans to survive and be emotionally healthy.

As a photographer, I have always struggled with creating Landscape images. Even my images with the best composition and lighting left me feeling empty–as if there was something missing. That element has always been people. According to my tastes, a person, or people, would make this image more interesting. A silhouette or someone sitting on the rocks. Perhaps a couple holding hands. Children playing in the tidepools.

As much as I love this image of Monterey Bay at sunset, the photograph is a bit deceptive. There WERE people present when I pressed the shutter release. There were boats returning to harbor. People were walking on the sandy portion of the beach. A couple stood behind me in an embrace. His arms were warmly wrapped around her–sharing warmth as they watched the sun descend for the day.

Where are the people in your life? Keep your favorite people close to you, and allow new people into your life. There is a risk that they may make things worse, but most likely, they will add an unexpected dimension to your life–something you cannot achieve on your own.

I am dredging up more pictures from my Paris trip. Part of this re-visit is plainly for nostalgia. The other component, however, is to surround myself with really energizing things.

The image is of the Georges Pompidou Centre–located in the Marais district–and, I love the lines of the building. It is architecturally interesting with all of the plumbing, heating/cooling, wiring, and exhaust pipes built on the OUTSIDE of the building rather than being nested within the walls.

The Marais, where the Pompidou Center is located, was a fashionable neighborhood where the French Bourgeoisie lived until the French Revolution–when they were beheaded by the peasants. The neighborhood was left alone, for the most part, until the 1970’s (about 200 years later) when it was rediscovered because of the low property prices and historic buildings. The properties were mostly undisturbed, and close to historic sites–Place de Nation, and the ruins of the Bastille Prison (which the peasants burned to the ground after their successful revolution).

The Georges Pompidou Center, the Picasso Museum of Modern Art, and The Museum of History and Science were all built in the Marais within the timespan of about 15 years.