The road home.

 

“Oh, but I know a place where we can go

And wash away this sin

We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by

The tall grass waves in the wind

Just lay your head back on the ground

And let your hair spill all around me

Offer up your best defense

But this is the end

This is the end of the innocence.”

If you believe in beginning and endings, at midnight tonight, 2020 is over. Many of us will say, “Thank God,” some of us will say, “Hey we made it, it could be much worse,” and then others will say, “What are you talking about?” If you are one of the last group, where have you been?

It was in the news that a sailor had left from Vancouver in September, 2019 for an around-the-world venture—-alone. One year, and no exposure to what he was missing. Sure he knew about what was going on at home, but he didn’t have to worry about a mask, grocery lines, or six feet of social distancing. He even lost 50 pounds on the journey so he came back healthy and fit. Not too shabby.

It’s been a year to remember, and of course the change in the calendar will only have a mental impact on our lives; but if it were possible to “flick a switch,” this would be the time to do it. Most of us will hopefully go back to many of the things we had done prior to March 12, I just hope that we never have to encounter it again. If we have to, we’ll have a number of masks available.

Just for fun, I would like to travel back to the “good ol’ days” to dream of what was then and what I hope is in front of us. The days of freedom to do what we wanted, to not fear the unknown that may or may not be within an arms distance of us at a particular time, and the ability to photograph, just makes me feel good. (Yes, I had to bring up photography as I really miss it.)

There was an innocence to those days we didn’t recognize until they were no longer available to us; now with a vaccine, I am really hoping we can have part of life back.

The photo above was taken near San Francisco; it was Christmas time, the air was cool, but the surfers didn’t care. They knew there was a place they could go and spend the last days of the year doing what they loved…for me, watching them walk home with the sun setting and photographing the moment, was a perfect way to say good bye.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stop clowning around.

 

“Now they're some sad things known to man

But ain't too much sadder than

The tears of a clown when there's no one around.”

There is little doubt the movie, “It” was not good for the clown business. Combine that with John Wayne Gacy, and you can be sure Bozo was never going to be on the air again. By that I mean, no more Bozo Buckets and for sure no more kids interested in meeting him. 

Of what I have heard, and it was confirmed on the world wide web, the average wait to get on the show was 8-10 years. Think about that….if the child was to be in the audience, or tossing the balls, you had to apply when the baby was just a twinkle in the eye or new to this world.  Bozo was a big deal.

When I was growing up there was a TV show in St. Louis which featured a local weather man who also was an on-air clown—the show, “Corky the Clown.” I don’t remember too much about it, but it could not have been that special because I think at best—-the wait time to get on the show was weeks rather than years.

It’s been a while since I have seen a clown in person; probably the last time was at Ringling Bros when they would come to town. Although they are no longer around, when they were… the clowns were very popular; however as time went on, just like the elephants, they were no longer part of the show.

The photo above was taken in Tonopah, Nevada. I was told about the clown hotel before we went; we didn’t stay there, we stayed at the Mitzpah Hotel, which is haunted. Of course I didn’t believe it was haunted, until I got to my room, put my bags down laid on the bed and thought….”What if I am wrong?”

Thanks for stopping by.

Things have certainly changed.

 

“'Cause we are living in a material world

And I am a material girl

You know that we are living in a material world

And I am a material girl.”

The days of going to the mall and shopping for hours took a breather this year. Hopefully, next year it will get its breath back—-the problem is, malls and retailers have been “winded” for some time.

The mall, for so long, was the place to hang out as teens—-and to go to with your Mom when school was about ready to start. Never, did we let the two mix. My favorite stores at the mall were the ones that sold tennis shoes (that’s what we called all shoes) and the Gap. I was not really into shopping so it was much more of a social event.

As I grew up, I found I went to different malls to shop. One of the malls was in north St. Louis, the other further south, and several in between. The stores in the mall were pretty much all the same—-except for Sears. They sold popcorn. 

Before my teen days at the mall, I went with my Dad to Sears. It was a Friday evening event— he went to look at tools, I went to the sporting goods department, and we ended up at the popcorn area and we bought a box to share. It was so good.

Move forward many years and now we have malls that are pretty much empty. One of the most popular stores or “anchors” were Sears and Penney’s—-not only did Sears have stores at the mall, in many instances they owned it. The entire mall.

It seems hard to believe…but at one point, Sears and its sister company Kmart had more than 3500 stores dotted across America. No one was bigger; customers knew it, Sears knew it, and because of this feeling, they were sure they would remain at the top…forever. Today they have about 100 stores combines.

The photo above was taken at a farm somewhere in Western Illinois. When I saw the boot on the pole, and the Sears, Roebuck and Company sign in the background, I knew things were not going well.

Thanks for stopping by.

America the Beautiful.

 

"I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you

And I think to myself
What a wonderful world."

Although I would never normally discuss this, but today I will. I am about as much of an outdoorsman as someone living in a high rise in New York City. I didn’t grow up camping, exploring the wilderness, or venturing beyond cement—-and probably never will.

I think a lot of it comes from my fear of snakes and the limited experiences I have had with them. In St. Louis, and definitely in the area where I grew up, there were snakes;  the developers of the area pretty much took over their land and they were not going to have any of that. One time when I was leaving our house, I was about to step down and there greeting me was a big snake. I am partially (only partially) ashamed to admit that I screamed. I didn’t think anyone heard me, but I was wrong. I didn’t live that one down for years. 

Do I care? Absolutely not.

This fear went on for many years and is still there today. I have tried to work on it, for example, I did go river rafting on the Colorado River with clients a number of years ago—and sure enough someone when someone was off “having a talk with the man,” they saw a rattle snake. I could not wait to get back on the raft and get out of there. That night, as we were sleeping under the stars, I felt something move across my chest—at least I thought I did. You probably think I am going to say it was a “snake”—nope, it was a scorpion. I only know it because the next morning you could see its pattern in the sand. 

Did I mention I’m not an outdoorsman?

Move forward to a couple of years ago and being invited to going camping and hiking in Utah with the editor of the magazine I worked on. When I got done reading the email inviting me, I joked with my wife…”Can you believe they invited me?” She said, “You need to go.” I laughed and said, “there is no way.” So probably 5 months later there I was….getting on board a Southwest flight heading for Salt Lake. I literally was praying something would cause a cancellation but no such luck.

It turned out to be an incredible experience. The part that saved it was…we stayed on a horse farm and they had toilets and showers. It was like the Holiday Inn of camping/hiking. To this day I treasure the experience….one day I will return and I will likely stay at the same place—you don’t want to ruin a good thing.

The photo above was taken at Arches National Park. Never in my life have I seen such incredible scenery—-that is until we hiked in other parts of the area where the beauty continued. It was then that I “thought to myself, ‘What a Wonderful World.’”

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Comfort.

“When you're down and out

When you're on the street

When evening falls so hard

I will comfort you

I'll take your part

Oh, when darkness comes

And pain is all around.”

I don’t know what it is, but this time of year it gets a bit more challenging when the holidays are behind us. I know I am not the only one who goes through it, and I have always come out fine on the other end, but it’s just knowing there’s a lot of grey cold weather between now and spring that is just not appealing.

Like many of us, we are looking forward to the next year on the calendar. As much as it feels enlightening, I know that things are not going to change too dramatically when the ball drops taking us into 2021. I would like to think so, but I am fairly realistic about it. I can just hope and know that there is an end in sight, when a few months ago, we were not sure.

I was not around during the great depression, but I have heard stories from those times. They sounded so hard I am really impressed with the resilience of people who lived through it—-here in the US and around the world. To think about the length of time it took to climb out of the doldrums and keep fighting toward better times, you would have thought it was at least 10 years from start to finish. It was actually less than 4 years; however those were 43 months of total hell of what I am told.

So here we are….we have been through 9 months of the most challenging times I can recall. We knew when recessions and economic downturns were coming, but we have never been beaten by a silent killer in the form of a virus. I know I have touched upon this topic recently, and I apologize, but as we approach tomorrow with hope, I really am in a frame of mind that better days are ahead.

When they do arrive, I think we should all take a deep sigh of relief, learn from what we have just been through—-and never never forget the lives that were taken. They had no idea what was happening, and in an instant they were gone. That’s just not the way to live or to die.

The photo above was taken of my favorite lunch; I love soup. The significance of this type of soup—-mushroom and barley—-goes back to when I was younger. My Mom used to make it and I used to eat more than my fair share. In fact, I ate more of my fair share of most foods she made—-I’ll get to that another time—-but as we approach the long days of winter, I know there’s a bridge out there and it will take us to better times.

Thanks for stopping by.

Let's hit the road.

 

“Life is a highway

I wanna ride it all night long

If you're going my way

Well, I wanna drive it all night long.”

It’s hard to believe where we are a year later. The roads are not packed, the air overhead is not full of planes, and every other way we travelled has pretty much come to a halt. In other words, people are staying home.

If you think this has impacted your life, imagine what life is like for people in the travel field? The travel industry has been leveled by the pandemic as have most of the industries that depend on travel for their income. In locations such as Nevada, where one industry dominates, the impact has been horrific. If you have been to Nevada, and not just Las Vegas, you know it offers quite an experience. I have been fortunate to be in a number of parts of the state and if you think it’s all about gambling, it’s not. 

Right now America is spending the holidays with family and friends. They’re not necessarily doing it with them in their homes or at a special location, they’re doing it through technology. If you have been on FaceTime or Zoom, you know it’s not the most desirable way to get together, but it does work. 

Think about where we were just a few years ago and you know the only option we would have had back then would have been the telephone (one with a cord attached.) There was a campaign many years ago for AT&T, themed, “reach out and touch.” It was all about calling and connecting with people; obviously a lot has changed since this campaign was promoted…if you were to see it today, you would laugh it off as the olden days. Back then it was life as we knew it.

I am optimistic we will be traveling soon. Maybe not far away travel yet, but even if it’s a state or two away, it’s going to feel like we are traveling internationally. I know where I want to go, it’s a little further that 3 states away, but if I make it, I will be taking my trusty Nikon with me! (I want to go to New Mexico, Oregon, or Wyoming.)

The photo above was taken a few months ago. The suitcases were brought at an estate sale on Chicago’s North Shore. I learned, from the people at the estate sale that the owner worked for Neiman-Marcus in Chicago—-apparently it was a display in a store. He moved to Dallas to help get the company back on track as it has filed for bankruptcy protection—and I guess he had enough luggage.

Thanks for stopping by.

You? or Me?

 

“I wanna talk about me, wanna talk about I

Wanna talk about number one, oh my me my

What I think, what I like, what I know

What I want, what I see.”

Perhaps you’ve met someone who is really into themselves. Of course you have, we all know of someone and we roll our eyes with some of the comments they make. It’s when we do the same when we don’t understand.

As a member of the male species, I know we are always talking about ourselves. Especially when you are surrounded by a lot of females, who confirm it. I am partially ashamed to admit this, but we have been watching “The Kardashian’s” in our home. It’s not my idea, and to me it’s just background noise, but that show takes talking about yourself to a new level. 

I never knew a family could have so many issues, with so many different “characters” involved in the process. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I just had never watched it before—it’s my youngest daughter who is suddenly hooked. This is something that’s going to end very soon as there is no redeeming value in this show.

Don’t get me wrong, I have been known to watch some garbage; so in many ways you can say because I am watching it, and I continue to watch it, it must be all about me. Okay, it is. Sue me.

As we move toward New Year’s revolutions, I am going to work at doing some good. I would love to give back more often, and offer what I can to help people in need. I am not sure what it will be, but I hope I live up to it.

The photo above was taken in Detroit a couple of years ago; as we move into 2021, and we look forward to what’s ahead, I will be happy to focus on you and not me!

Thanks for stopping by.

It's going to get better.

 

“Fifteen, there's still time for you

Time to buy and time to lose

Fifteen, there's never a wish better than this

When you only got a hundred years to live.”

If this year doesn’t make you appreciate the “olden days,” then sit back and get ready, because what’s in front of us is going to make us really happy we got through 2020.

It had better.

For most of us, we have pretty much adjusted to our lives and are just waiting for the all-clear sign; but there are many who have not been able to adjust, and wait day after day for something to improve. In many instances they have not been able to leave the building where they live. No walks, no guests, no fresh air.

The last time a pandemic took over our lives here in the U.S. was a little more than 100 years ago. If all goes well, we won’t experience another in our lifetime. What’s most difficult to comprehend is when the last one occurred...communication was essentially newspaper, radio, and word of mouth. People around the world didn’t have nearly the chance of survival as they do today; we’re lucky, so were they…as they lived.

Soon, we will see a very bright light at the end of the tunnel. Millions of people around the world have been shut off from family, friends, and a world we had access to.

With the vaccines now coming into play, I really hope we have changed…but in any case we can never forget the “olden days.” It’s what keeps us optimistic about the future and frankly a few months ago I didn’t know how or when we would see brighter days. (As much as I am sorry to say this, in some respects we will never see those days again—-but, I do know we will recover as they did 100 years ago.)

The photo above was taken this afternoon. The two people in the picture are my daughters; there’s a man in the window —where there’s a yellow sign—-that’s the their Dad. He has not seen, held, or shared a moment without glass between them since March. March! All we can do now is be safe and look forward to life once more—it’s coming and let’s be thrilled when it’s back.

Thanks for stopping by.

The rainbow down the road.

 

“Well the sky has finally opened

The rain and wind stopped blowin'

But you're stuck out in the same ol' storm again

You hold tight to your umbrella

Well, darlin', I'm just tryin' to tell ya

That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head.”

Sometimes we don’t know what we have until it’s staring you in the face; sometimes when it’s staring you in the face, your eyes are closed. I can think of the number of times I should have seen what’s straight down the road, only to have taken a left-hand turn along the way.

When I look back, I often will have tried to figure out why I made the decisions I’ve made? It could be what I thought would be the easiest path, the most creative journey, or something I thought might be fun—-it’s amazing how right and wrong I could be.

Probably the smartest move I made was doing my best not to become an attorney. My Mom wanted it, my Dad never really commented, and as long as I didn’t have to take too many math courses, I was okay with it. In the end, I knew I could not handle any more schooling than I had to take to finish my degree, and law school was just not going to happen.

So advertising became my focus. It fit my interests: it’s creative, sociable, and I learned while being an intern at an advertising agency, that the media sales people had a company credit card to entertain clients. I was hooked.

Move forward many years later, I continued in the same field with a couple of diversions into other areas in marketing. My road has taken me to places in other parts of the country, but it’s funny, I always come back to what I found and what I love.

That “find” for me was photography. I am sure this is not a surprise based upon this blog— it was a long time coming—-but it's something I didn’t see on the horizon even if it were staring me in the face. I will never take a turn away from this passion.

The photo above was taken outside Tucson, AZ earlier this year. For me, the clouds had cleared, the rain passed, and staring me right in the face was the rainbow I had been chasing for so many years.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pressure.

 

“Pressure pushing down on me

Pressing down on you, no man ask for

Under pressure that burns a building down

Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets.”

If you have ever been under pressure, you know there can be many outcomes. Hopefully what transpires will be the one you fought so hard to achieve, but we all know it doesn’t always work that way.

Certainly we have had an overdose of pressure during most of 2020. If you feel you have handled it well, good for you…if not, a lot of us would understand. Here’s something to think about—-for some of us the pressure we have dealt with, and been able to handle, might rear its head after things have gotten back to normal. I really hope no one has to deal with this, but I do know after some very stressful times in my life, the symptoms came after the fact. I am just being honest.

But, there’s good news…the solstice has passed and from this point on daylight is on the plus side, that makes me feel even more hopeful.

I believe some of the greatest pressure I have encountered  during the past year has been heading to the grocery store and wondering if there will be toilet paper available. If you think I am kidding, you should have been at COSTCO on delivery day. You would have thought we had won the lottery….but all we could purchase was one large package and it had to last. How competitive was it? I actually saw someone approach another customer offering to pay for their toilet paper, his answer was “No."

For sure there will be other times of pressure in our future, but if we make it through 2020, we should be able to handle anything. If we can’t then let’s just say we will and be done with it.

The photo above was taken last year when sports were still around. Now it might appear what you see really doesn’t define pressure, unless you are afraid of aliens—but the real pressure is the man sitting in clear view. He’s the principal of the school—now that’s pressure. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Ready any good books?

“One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small

And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all

Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall.”

When we learned of the impending pandemic, I decided I was going to read more. I was going to read a lot more. I bought a book on Amazon I was told was really good, started to read it, and I stopped. I really wish I hadn’t, but I just couldn’t get in the mood to do it.

I have never been an avid reader. My Dad was and I believe my sister and Mom were…my brother? Well, we have a lot in common.

Reading is an adventure…it allows you to escape and spend time with your mind. What I think has really killed it for me are the diversions that are in my life…whether it is the computer (which you can read on), work or taking pictures. If there has been an excuse, I have found it and used it not to read.

I know I am not alone with my thinking. I went to a Barnes and Noble store the other day and it was nothing like I remembered from holidays of the past. In other words, there were no lines, fewer books, and really little that had caught my attention. At this time, since the election is now passed, there are countless books about the politicians, government, and what’s next. This is after the election!

What I am in the mood to read, and I am going to find it, is a book where I can completely escape; if any one reading today’s “Snap. Shot.” has any suggestions, please let me know. I prefer fiction and biographies by the way!

The photo above was taken at a book store in Chicago a few months ago. When I saw this, it reminded me of a friend who has since passed away and his love for record albums; these are books of course, but at one point we had discussed my taking pictures of his record albums in his home. It never happened—-it reminds me,  I need to get a good book.

Thanks for stopping by

What a year.

 

“Just lay your head back on the ground

And let your hair spill all around me

Offer up your best defense

But this is the end

This is the end of the innocence.”

This year has totally sucked. Sure there have been some good things interspersed in between these challenging times, but certainly this year is unlike anything we have experienced. That is, unless we’re over 102—when the last pandemic happened in 1918. (Of course, you would have to be older than 102 to remember it.)

The year started out pretty much the same as other years. We made resolutions, we woke up on January 1st tired, and then for the next 20 days, we were moving ahead looking forward to such important events as Valentine’s Day, opening day, and of course….Arbor Day. (The first U.S. case was on January 21.)

Of course we had hopes of this being nothing more than a flu; I mean, come on, we heard about the flu happening every year, what could be so different? We know the end game, but can you believe….

We were panicked over such necessities as hand sanitizers, toilet paper, and of course…puzzles. I mean, who would have thought there would be a run on puzzles? I know when we bought one at Target we were elated. “Oh boy, it’s 1000 pieces and it’s New York City”—-it was a killer to put together. 

Now it appears things are improving— sort of. Recently a vaccine was approved to help rid us of this horrific disease, and we are waiting with bated breath to see if we will see some form of normalcy by spring/summer. If it really happens, I can assure you I will be outside, amongst anyone who will allow me within 6-feet of social distancing (I assume it will continue for some time). I will have a camera in my hand and I plan on appreciating having our lives back. At least as much as we can.

It would be nice if on New Year’s Day 2021, we could just flick a switch to the old times. I know that’s not happening but it would be great if it did. Today I heard a commercial for Progressive Insurance on the radio. It was titled, “Sounds of the Old World.” It dealt with a guy trying to move from his stadium seat to get something to eat at the ballpark. It’s hard to believe this annoying activity of last year seems so distant and desired this year. 

The photo above was taken in our bathroom. Never did I think this sight would cause such panic…hopefully next time we see this we will think…”that’s so 2020!”

Thanks for stopping by.

The man in the moon.

“If you believed they put a man on the moon

Man on the moon

If you believe there's nothing up his sleeve

Then nothing is cool.”

I have always been mesmerized by the moon. Unless there are clouds overhead, which here in the Midwest is a pretty common occurrence, the chance of spending a few quality minutes just stuck in a trance is pretty good each night.

Although I should be used to it by now, last night I looked up and the moon was just a sliver. I thought, it was full just a few nights ago? Obviously I was wrong, it had been more than 17 days—-boy does time fly by.

Since we have all looked at the moon before, you know it moves…or rather we move….actually we both move. You really take note of this when you are trying to take a picture of it and there are other stationary things in the photo. A while back, I was at the Cubs game and the moon hung over the right field bleachers. I took a picture, looked at it, and saw the moon was blurry but everything else was clear. I tried another picture—it is digital after all—-and another, and another and so on. I took 42 photos, in the same position and my elbows were pressed against a metal rail for stability.

Finally, and I only learned for sure when I came home, the 41st image was clear. What’s interesting about the picture is how Wrigley Field has changed; the signs are gone, the buildings outside the stadium are no longer visible from the seats, and since this photo was taken, the Cubs actually won the World Series. Go figure.

The photo above was taken at Wrigley Field a number of years ago. The moon is overhead, the signs have been removed, and that night…the Cubs lost to the Marlins. As a Cardinals fan, I do like Wrigley, but it will be a blue moon when I root for the Cubs.

Thanks for stopping by.

Offering a helping hand.

 

“Lean on me

When you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on…”

In case you are under the impression today’s “Snap. Shot.” is all about football, it’s not. Sure I mention it—-I do miss photography a lot right now—-but I promise, if you read on, you will see it is much more than sports.

Typically around this time of the year, we hear about stories of people in need. But this year it isn’t just the need for food or money—-now there’s a greater need for comfort and humanity. Of course the thought of going into someone’s home, or even sitting at a table with them, is pretty much out of the question.  Humans need other humans to survive and right now we’re being told to consider other options—-put it off until next year, zoom with your family, avoid contact. This is just not human.

I wonder if in the next 12 months the catch phrase will be, “remember when?” We will say, “remember last summer when we were not able to go to the pool, restaurant or sporting event?” It will be in our past, but unfortunately for most of us it will be around for a lot longer than we would like it to be. We will have fear, we will look for signs, and we will be thankful when it passes. This is not an ideal way to live, but when you consider what we have dealt with…we will be more than happy to accept it.

I know when we get the “coast is clear” signal, I am going to exhale. I am going to hopefully be able to look ahead and do things I could only dream of a few short months ago. It will not be instant, but it will happen and it will get better much sooner than it was when we went dark for so long. You can be sure, I am going to take pictures—-sports will be my first stop. I don’t know which one—it depends on what is in season—-but I am going to empty my memory card and go to town.

The photo above was taken a little more than 7 years ago. It was a mud game and when I was taking pictures that day I had no idea what I was capturing in my trusty Nikon. One thing is for sure, it was a day when everyone on the field, players, coaches, cheerleaders and photographers, knew a helping hand would be needed to get off the field.

Thanks for stopping by.

Get a room.

 

“It's that pivotal moment

It's, ah, subliminal

This kiss, this kiss (it's criminal)

This kiss, this kiss.”

Okay, chances are we have all done it. If not, you are either underage, or I have nothing more to say on the topic.

Your first kiss most likely happens when you are born. First your Mom, then your Dad, siblings others and so on. Although right now with the pandemic, maybe just Mom and Dad. How unfortunate to have these restrictions—because a kiss brings on trust, love, bonding and that lasts forever.

When I was much younger, I was very into raising tropical fish. Although I never saw them do this,I did have two fish which were known as “Kissing Gourami’s.” Supposedly, and this was nothing intimate, they would come together and plant one on each other. I can assure you, if two people came together and were trying to kiss the way these fish do, it would be one and done. 

Since we’re on the topic of tropical fish, I did have some very memorable times raising them. One time, when my parents took me on a trip to Florida, I actually brought a fish back home with me on the plane. Although it didn’t need a ticket, it accompanied me on the flight in a white bucket; the fish was in a bag, but I assure you the flight attendants thought it was weird. It made it, lasted about 4 months, and then met its final resting place though the pipes of our toilet.

My favorite fish story, and this is true, was when both of my non-biological daughters decided to name their two bettas after their Dad and myself. That night, as the fish bowls had been placed next to one another, Bill jumped into Mark’s bowl. The next morning, Mark was dry, brittle and dead. They came down and said, “Mom, Dad killed Mark.” We still tell that story.

The photo above is from Sarasota, Florida. The monument is a recreation of Alfred Eisenstaedt’s “The Kiss.” After World War II, when the soldiers came home, magic moments were made all over the U.S. and in Times Square, NY. The couple walking by the statue obviously understand what it is all about, but they don’t need to be reminded with a crying child in tow.

Thanks for stopping by.

She left us with her photos.

 

“I was broken from a young age

Taking my sulking to the masses

Writing my poems for the few

That look at me, took to me, shook to me, feeling me.”

As individuals, we take many paths to show our true identities. Some of us are out going and open to new things, some fall in the middle, and many of us just want to be left alone. I know which one I am, I wonder what my friends and family would say about themselves?

It’s interesting because some of the most outgoing people I know, once they hunker down, are actually introverts. I know a guy who is the life of the party, but once he comes home, sits down, and calls it a day—-I am told he is a completely different person. I heard this from his wife many years ago. I gave her a look that said, “Are you sure we’re talking about the right person?” We were.

It turns out this individual spent time in the Vietnam war; he was shot, recovered, and realized it was just not his time to go. But, he never forgot what he went through and every night needed time to just be happy he was alive and during this time of nightly reflection went silent. 

I also know of people who you would swear could not utter a word, and when you have a one-on-one conversation with them, all they do is talk. Go figure.

As a photographer, you are “technically” supposed to be invisible when taking pictures. Of course there are some photographers who abide by this rule, and there are many who don’t. You might recognize those who don’t as the ones who stick their camera in front of someone, interrupt whatever they are doing, and then simply walk away looking at the picture they’ve just taken. Often they bump into someone because they’re not paying attention to where they’re going.

As more and more people have begun taking pictures, thanks to the smart phone most of us have in our hands, the Kodak moment has long passed and is now the iPhone moment.

The photo above is a good example. Vivian Maier was an unknown. She would walk the streets taking photos; unlike the photographers of today, she held her camera low and pretty much out of sight. This past spring we saw a mural of her in downtown Chicago and I knew—-whereas I am nothing like her, we do have one thing in common—-we both love and believe in the power of photography.

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Do I really need it?

 

“You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes, well, you might find

You get what you need.”

This time of year, when we are being bombarded by what we think we need, we look for the reassurance that our wants are truly warranted.  I mean think about it. We do need the new Lexus, we do need that PS5 and for sure, we need a 90-inch Smart TV for our 10’ x 10’ room. Isn’t our goal to have a screen dominate our lives? Oh, never mind, it already does. 

It is kind of amazing how our wants and desires change over time. I remember when I was a kid, like 5 years ago, I wanted a new camera. Did I need one? Well that depends on who you ask. I would say I was the only one in the “you need it” category, and in the end I did get it. Did I feel guilt in purchasing a new camera? Yes, I did. But then again I rationalized it by telling myself it would help me take better photos and that would make me happy. Did it? I don’t know, but I do like the camera.

Living in a pandemic I have learned there really is very little I truly need. When health, a roof over your head, and the ability to put food on the table take over your thoughts—the non-essentials live up to being non-essential. Yes, even that 5-year old camera that I can now buy for 60% less.

I do hope in 2021 we begin to see the world go back to a time when it’s okay to dream of what you want, don’t necessarily need, but still can rationalize as being okay to just go ahead and get it. After all we’ve been through, we deserve it. No guilt.

The photo above was taken in Florida this past spring. It was during the time when travel had pretty much stopped, when we were warned that traveling by plane was heavily frowned upon, and worse yet…we stayed in an Airbnb. However, we wore masks, washed out hands, and were socially distant. I can’t say these simple measures were in place for everyone we saw, but we knew if we wanted it, we could be careful and get what we needed at the time.

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Someone's home.

 

“Hold on, to me as we go

As we roll down this unfamiliar road

And although this wave is stringing us along

Just know you're not alone

'Cause I'm going to make this place your home.”

I have written about never forgetting your home and where you come from—but with the way people live, and often move away to other places, sometimes it gets confusing where your truly come from and where your real home is. Confused, of course we are!

When I think about where I grew up, and how I lived the majority of my life prior to college in one home, I know it’s not the normal course. I was talking with someone the other day and they were commenting how he sold the home he grew up in and was so relieved when it was “leveled and re-built into a new home.” His feelings, and I completely understand, was…”It was the home where I grew up and I really didn’t want to share those memories with anyone else.”  Amen.

What’s really interesting is when you meet someone from where you grew up, or have lived for a long time— the feeling of belonging is instant. When I used to travel to St. Louis for business, it didn’t matter if they knew me prior to the meeting, it was that I grew up there….and of course, where I went to high school! 

Living in Chicago I hear a lot about St. Louis. It’s rarely that they love visiting, it’s usually how much they detest the baseball team—this past year it was the hockey team. If you have ever been to a game where the Blackhawks play the Blues, you know the word “rivalry” is not enough—-“hated foes” is more appropriate. 

If you want to risk it, wear a Cardinals jersey in Chicago, or one of the Cubs in St. Louis. The closest I get to that is when I wear my “Spirits of St. Louis” ABA basketball sweatshirt around where I live. The team has been defunct for decades and no one remembers…I do!

The photo above was not taken in Illinois or Missouri…it was taken in Oklahoma. I came upon a site I knew I had to capture. Whereas it might appear to be rural America, it was on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. Although I didn’t grow up there, knowing this area was someone’s hometown, I felt right at home.

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