It's for you.

"And when she wraps her hand around my finger,
How it puts a smile in my heart,
Everything becomes a little clearer,
I realize what life is all about."

Yes I have a lot of daughters and one is not any more important than the other---but there are differences in each of them that create their individuality. If they have anything in common it would likely be their acting ability because they sure know drama. 

One of my daughters has retailing in her blood. She knows it, loves it and is very good at it. It's not an easy career, but with all of the benefits of being in her position, it fits her like a glove. Our second oldest  has just shocked us with her ability to do so much and do it all well. When she was growing up she was shy---or at least quiet around others. Looking at her now you would never know it. She has more drive in her and she is one really strong photographer. We like that in our household. Although she has made fun of me and the number of photos I take. What does she know?

The next in line did something I would have never suspected. She turned on her computer (actually not hers but who would know that?) and went to YouTube to learn how to play guitar. It doesn't hurt that her father is a very good guitar player (it's not me by the way) and what she has accomplished in less than a year is mind boggling. 

I am going to skip to our youngest because when I think about her, she should live on a farm the way she "milks" it. We should have known early on when she didn't bother to learn to walk until she was 19 months old that she was going to learn how to "handle" us. Worse part, she looks like me so I guess I am the one to blame as I am the youngest in my family.

Then there is our little cook. She loves to make cakes. Not your average from the box kind of cakes, she likes to make ones that are not easy; funny thing about her cooking, and why I think she is a natural, she doesn't eat all the goods. She wants others, her family in particular, to enjoy them. It makes her feel good, and it makes us feel good as we devour them.

The photo above was taken with my iPhone. The photo is not of the greatest quality, but I can assure you the cake was. I am not much of a cook, and I know I will likely never put on the chef hat, but I can say when you bring together all of our daughters, and their brother, it makes having children worth it---no matter how much drama we have to deal with.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Too cool to be true.

"That used to be us, we used to be cool
With the music cranked up, hanging out after school
That used to be Jill, that used to be Joe
Tell me where in the world did we all go."

Something has happened. Just when we were sure we were as cool as we could be, suddenly the winds shifted and we were ice cold. It happens and when it does, you realize this is what reality is all about.

As we age, and we all do, the concept of being "cool" changes. When my daughters come home from school and talk about how so and so is "cool," I think about how when I was about their age I thought certain people were really cool and so much better than I was. Want to know how cool they are today? Look them up on Facebook, squeeze your index finger and thumb together as you look at their photo and watch the weight fall off their body or face; now you know how cool they are today. It's amazing. I have had to do this a number of times---but there have been other situations where I have had to squint or turn my laptop sideways because they have lost more than half their weight since high school or college. 

I am going to assume others go through the "wondering" what so and so looks like, what they are doing, and more?  If you have been to a reunion, or even seen someone in public you have not seen in say 30 years, I find it very difficult to go up to them and say, "You look just like you did when I last saw you." Pretty much the only way that will happen is if I saw them yesterday or at best the week before. 

However, I do have a fraternity brother, I am not very close with him but did see him on Facebook, and he has not aged. I have no idea how he does it, but unless he is photoshopping all of his photos, the guy has defied aging. Perhaps he has found the Fountain of Youth? 

Back to being cool.

The guys who I come in contact with who are for sure seen as cool are the football players at our local high school. Winning "State" has put them in a league of their own---but when I was talking with a friend the other day, and I heard his excitement about how cool these players were, I thought, "He must not realize these kids are going to be like us one day..." I am okay with it. Sort of.

The photo above is on the back of the minivan of a friend of ours. I knew when I saw this it was going to be in "Snap. Shot." There's nothing wrong with getting older and experiencing what life has to offer---but deep down, it is a good feeling when you are seen as "cool."  I guess.

Thanks for stopping by.

Shadows.

"I'm Standing in the shadows of love
I'm gettin' ready for the heartaches to come
Hope to see you standing in the shadows of love
Tryin' my best to get ready for the heartaches to come."

We all want to shine in the sun during our lives, however there are times when we fall into the shadows. It's not a bad thing, it's just human nature. We can't always be on---if we are, we are in many ways just kidding ourselves because we need to "observe" as well as be the center of the world we live in. 

Maybe its me, but there are times when I just want to step out and be by myself. I was talking to a friend the other day and the question came up, "If you could take 48 hours and do what you wanted, what would you do?" I didn't know if this was a loaded question that would come back to haunt me, so I said, "You go first." That's bravery for you! 

After I learned he would like to go out and play as much golf as possible, I knew saying "spending time with the family and going to family gatherings and events" was not going to be believed. What I told him was, "I would like to go to the Southwest, yes the family can come, but I would like to take photos for at least 3 to 4 hours a day while I am there." Hey, even if I did take photos for 4 hours, there is still 20 hours left in the day. What's wrong with that?

Apparently plenty as his wife over heard our conversation. I figured I was in the clear---I was---because we both knew there was no way I was going to go shoot for 4 hours a day; it would be for 6 hours. Sue me I am being honest---my wife just laughed.

It's when we come out of the shadows that we need to be who we are; whether it's the role of a father, mother, boss, or whatever it might be---when we show our true selves, there is no more hiding.

The photo above was taken at my niece's wedding this past fall. Whereas my family was not impressed with the idea of taking a photo of our shadows, I knew there was something there. As a family we always allowed the sun to shine on all of us equally---unless we just needed to be alone in our rooms and then, just don't bother us because my brother did it!

Thanks for stopping by.

Jump.

"Ah, I might as well jump. Jump! 
Might as well jump. 
Go ahead, jump. Jump! 
Go ahead, jump."

There are times when you just feel like risking it all; it might be going after that job you know is way over your head to asking out that person who you know will likely say..."umm, I don't think so..." to going to Vegas and putting more than you know you can afford on red. 

You only live once so you might as well "jump."

I would not be seen as one who is a huge risk taker; sure there are some things I do that would be seen as a bit of living on the edge, but in general the likelihood of my putting it all on the line in Vegas is not going to happen. However if it were to be something that I was passionate about, I might even surprise myself. For some reason, and I don't know what gets into me, I have little fear about talking with people; if I know them it's easy, if I don't, it's about the same as if I do. This is not something I have always done, I would say it started when I turned 40 or so. I think.

Actually, a lot has to do with photography. I don't know why, but when it comes to wanting that photo so bad I will do most anything to get it, I do some really nutty stuff. I have leaned out of windows from many floors up, laid down and watched football players come right at me as I kept on clicking, and probably the craziest thing, I have actually taken photos of other people's families.

That may not sound like much of a risk, but when people are paying you money to photograph their family at a special event or just in their homes, there really are only two options---either you get the photos and they are happy or they aren't. I have been on both sides and I can say it's a lot better when people are happy with your work.

Probably the worst photo session we had was actually at our home. It should have been easy. Just a couple of boys who were going to have their holiday photos taken. The parents said, "we might get in a couple of shots---we're not sure." Wrong. The family not only wanted to be in photos all together---they brought their dog without letting us know. Doesn't sound too bad? The father screamed and threatened his kids that if they didn't behave he was going to really let them have it...and the worst, one of the boys broke our back drop. When it was all said and done, they really didn't like the pictures and I vowed to never take their photos again. I still see the Dad---I just never ask about the pictures.

The photo above was taken at the Willis Tower last week. While I was up on the 103rd floor, I saw these two guys taking photos and lying on the ground on the "Ledge"---a glass cube that is attached to the face of the building. I went up and asked "if they would jump" and I would send the picture to them. They said, "sure." As I explained afterward, if anything had happened and the Ledge had broken loose and fallen the 1700 feet, it would have made for a once in a lifetime photo. Well that would have been a once in a lifetime photo for them as I would have probably continued to take pictures after I got home.

Thanks for stopping by.

Enough to take your breath away.

"I breathe in I breathe out
Put one foot in front of the other
Take one day at a time
'Til you find
I'm that someone you can't live without
Until then 
I breathe in and breathe out."

For some, being on the top of the world takes your breath away. For others, feeling like you are left on the ground while everyone seems to be at the top, does the same thing. In other words, life does have its ups and downs.

We all go through these times, and in some ways it seems unfair---but in the end, we get through them by either looking back and exhaling that its over or inhaling the good that has now come our way. There is not one that's better---it's all about breathing. 

With today being Groundhog Day, I turn to Punxsutawney Phil for his advice as I am very tired of winter and I know that spring, technically, is less than 2 months away. I do believe this is a  tough time of the year even though our winter has been less than difficult; snow is something we actually have not woken up to very often. We have a lot of grey days here in Chicago; I should be used to it by now, but for some reason when we have a day like we had yesterday where you could see for miles--today we are lucky if we can see 200 feet. 

I did learn spring, according to Phil, is only 6 weeks away; I am not sure how accurate he really is, but I do know that hope springs eternal and I am very hopeful we will be seeing the buds start to pop and the cold weather start to head north. (I assume it goes there.)

Today is one of those days where we find our own little space and work to stay warm. In our home the fire is burning---it's gas---and we have all found our private space. I am in one room, the kids in another, and my wife is watching one of her favorite shows she recorded for later viewing. (As you might guess, it's not a Chicago Bulls game.)

The photo above was taken at the Willis (formerly known as the Sears Tower) yesterday. A couple in love found what they thought was a nice quiet corner 1700 feet above the ground. By stroke of luck, I saw them and snapped away. When you are standing that high off the ground, and whether you are in love or not, it does take your breath away.

Thanks for stopping by.