possible holiday card #32

possible holiday card #32, originally uploaded by pixietart.

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Rudolph the Red Fanny Reindeer?

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Long day

Long day, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Some people have "one of those days".





I have "one of those lives".

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Song of Myself

Song of Myself, originally uploaded by drp.

I turn 40 years old today.

In that time I've lied, cheated, and stolen.
I've loved greatly, failed miserably, and felt deeply.

I've known moments of immense joy and pleasure.
I've lived through times of incredible pain and suffering.
Depression, elation, enlightenment, and disillusionment have been my companions.
I have broken hearts and bodies, and healed minds and spirits.

I have been both good guy and asshole, lover and loser, friend and foe.
I'm a little boy. I'm a grown man.
I am intelligent designer, and evolutionary ape.
I am mid-life crisis personified.
I'm potential incarnate.

I have won awards, and lost causes.
I have missed opportunities, and hit strides.

There is much I have experienced, and there is still very much I have left to learn.

So, I acknowledge this occasion, but will not revel in its importance.
Each day that I can still wake up, breathe, walk, and make a difference somewhere is one that should and will be celebrated.

Someone once said "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

Just watch me......

Blue Jean Bag

Blue Jean Bag, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Bags o' Fun

I made this purse after having thought about it for years, gathering the bits and thoughts for months, working on it and leaving it until logistical solutions came to me, getting to the store to get heavier and heavier sewing machine needles... (ones to sew leather finally won as the best) and finished it last week...

Actually, not 'finished' finished, it still have to put rivets on the shoulder strap belts.

I didn't embellish it with embroidery as I had to put into use once it was done, and at this point I think it would be gilding the lily.

Awfully handy bag, though. Roomy enough for commuting from New Jersey into Manhattan every day.

I do embroider, but I liked the clean lines of the bag once it was done. I thought the jeans themselves made enough of a statement. I was tempted to add beads and crewelwork, but I really needed to put it to the test before I embellished it. What if my prototype started to fall apart under heavy use? I would have hated to destroy all the 'beauty' work because the function was flawed.

That's also why I didn't use a pair of jeans that had sentimental value to me. I bought these at a thrift shop. They are a Girls' size 14, but with the boxy shape (the sides have pockets that were on the front of the thighs), it ends up being quite a large bag. Smaller than a gym bag, but a large purse.

It's 18" wide at the bottom, tapering to 13" wide at the top, 9" tall and 6" deep.

I am also making a customized insert with dividers so that the small things don't get lost, and pens will have slots that are readily available. I HATE digging around in my bag looking for stuff.

The pockets on the outside are SO handy, and I hang my keys from a belt loop with a brass clip on my keychain, just like I used to do so long ago.

So now, when I'm wearing 'nice office wear', I still have a connection to the 'jeans girl' that I really am.


Comments from the Flickr "Bags o' Fun" Group:
cramzy says:
I think this bag embellish it is a wunderful bag I try to make one and let you see

Jam_mam says:
Love the boxiness of your bag :) and the straps are great too - do you embroider? Maybe next time :)

Kay Susan says:
Love the square shape of your bag, and the way you filled in the top! I used a jeans needle on mine and that was fine, but when I stitched on some of the thickest areas, it forced the feed dogs of my machine down!

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Puzzle Object: What is This?

Puzzle Object: What is This?, originally uploaded by Telstar Logistics.

WTF???

Seraphim looks

Seraphim looks, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Another Swan picture... but how can I resist?

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Seraphim

Seraphim, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Autumn glides in on golden wings.

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Seraphim in Flight

Seraphim in Flight, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Strangely enough, this morning I woke up earlier than usual and instead of the customary mad dash out the door, I got to see the sun rise. I went down to my dock to snap some shots and there was my buddy, Seraphim... making his Oooof! Ooof! noise at me. Lots of Oooofs! this morning.. He started swimming towards me and I dashed up the stairs to get crackers for him - as was our usual routine.

When I got back down the stairs, matzoh crackers in hand (they have no salt), there were several rings of ripples on the lake surface and no Seraphim in sight. I heard this rhythmic, distant semi-oof/honk getting closer and close and looked up to see that Seraphim had taken flight - the rings of ripples were where his wings hit the water during take-off - and had circled back around to fly past me.

This was the only decent shot I managed to get as I saw my friend fly off into the sunrise.

I don't know if swans migrate and if this was farewell for the season, but I was sad to see him go.

Farewell, Seraphim! I hope to see you again soon! Safe journey, my friend. I will miss you.

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Six words he never saw coming...

Six words he never saw coming..., originally uploaded by darkmatter.

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Ah, the nature of addiction.

It doesn't have to be chemical, does it?

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Mammaw and Me

Mammaw and Me, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Maybe it's just me, but I can see in my face a kind of fearlessness that I carry with me even to this day.

I love my grandmother's smile in this image, too.

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truth

truth, originally uploaded by mquest foto.

me too.

Paranoia

Paranoia, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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Dirigibles monitored me through dirty windows.

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Going, Going, Gonzo

Going, Going, Gonzo, originally uploaded by drp.

::: After having read many accounts of Hunter's send-off, it seems that it turned into exactly what he would have liked... and also what he would have hated.

Explosions, booze, loud music... but why sucha private affair? I heard many people came to be part of the send-off only to be turned away by security.

Was Sonny barger even invited?

Well, maybe after all this time, Hunter and Sonny were still not on speaking terms, but it would have shown real class to have invited him to pay his respects.

And where was the Gonzo sensibility in those who were turned away? Placidly accepting their fate as personas non grata? No one tried to earnestly crash the party either by clever deception or out and out bad craziness???

What a sad place this has become when we accept the restrictions of The Man and deny our inner Gonzo.

"We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark - -the place where the wave finally broke and rolled back. "

What a shame that no one remembers the thrill of the wave.

No wonder you blew your brains out.

Uh oh

Uh oh, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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I must have been up to something.

Ii was never known for being shy.

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Brownie and Me

Brownie and Me, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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When I was a tiny, wee thing, I had a dog named Brownie. I had Brownie for a good, long time as my memories of Brownie are of him being the best dog in the world. My Brownie! My bestest friend ever! The best, most beautiful, smartest dog that ever lived!

Many years later, my mom came across a box of old pictures. As I flipped through the images of my baby/childhood, I recoiled in horror at this bizarre wolf-beast looming over my tiny, sleeping, vulnerable self!

“What the hell is THAT?” I cried.

“Don’t you remember Brownie? You loved that dog more than life itself.” my mom replied. “He had light brown eyes and even the skin on his nose was brown.”

When you’re young, there’s no difference between inner beauty and outer beauty.

A lesson I strive to remember every day.

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Clash Of The Titans

Clash Of The Titans, originally uploaded by drp.

Clash Of The Titans
Even though they test one another's limitations, they share a mutual respect and admiration. They honor the "Alpha" in each other. To see them interact is to witness two storm fronts swirl and permeate, repel and roar. They are the God and Goddess of this place. Both halves exist as the whole. It is right that they should have the water between them. It reflects the nature of one in the other.
-DRP

Reflecting in the Shallow Water

Reflecting in the Shallow Water, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

Do you remember us? We’d cry in movies and punch you in the arm if you made fun of us for doing so. maybe not verse or prose, but we always said something really funny. No one knew until much later how good we gave head as it was never really a consideration. Like getting head from your sister. We might not have cooked much, but we’d split whatever we had down the middle with you, remember to put water in the vase and smile at the pretty colors, and understood you better than almost anyone you ever knew.

We were ‘one of the guys’.

Quick to smile, tell a dirty joke or laugh heartily at one told to us. No one thought about our sexual proclivities. You had no idea how much we wanted... you.

We were one of the buds. We smuggled tequila into band camp and snuck out to drink it with you in the woods. We weren’t afraid of bugs or getting dirty and we played footbal in your front yard with you until we were hot and sweaty and out of breath. We didn’t get breasts until after high school. We probably helped introduce you to that cute girl you lusted after or the girl you ended up marrying, and swallowed hard when you kissed her in front of us.

We never forgot you.

So flash forwrd to now and you run into one of us... we’re older, womanly, confident, brave, independent... quick to smile, grab a drink and relive the old days a bit and then disappear into whatever we ended up doing with our lives. Trying to ignore your offhand comment of ‘wow, you sure turned out pretty!’ You never considered why you didn’t go for us back then.

Ex Tomboys. We never forgot you.

And every now and then, when no one is around, we allow ourselves to ponder “What if?”

And we swallow really hard and ignore the sting of tears that we won’t allow to fall.

I've Watched the Ripples Change Their Size..

I've Watched the Ripples Change Their Size.., originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

From the Daily OM: Zen Commute

Skylight in the Bathroom, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

March 14, 2005
Zen Commute
Discovering Ourselves In Traffic

No one wants to be angry with a fellow human being who is lost or confused, but if we get stuck driving behind one, we may find ourselves feeling wildly, uncharacteristically impatient. It is our earnest goal to have compassion and love for other people, but when one of them cuts us off, we feel personally offended, angry and hurt. The good news is that by experiencing these difficult emotions, we have the opportunity to see ourselves and to change our approach. In that light, being stuck in traffic can become a vital part of our spiritual practice.

Sages of all faiths agree that the present moment is the only thing that really exists. The past and future are equally irrelevant in the presence of the now. Therefore, at the deepest level, there is nowhere to go, because the only place we need to be is here, now. Just reminding ourselves of this in the midst of traffic can be extraordinarily helpful. The Zen mantra "nowhere to go/no one to be/nothing to do" can work wonders on our panicky misperception that we need to get somewhere fast. By remaining in the moment, we inevitably get to our destination. We don't need to push or rush or panic.

Another tool, used throughout the ages to maintain enlightened awareness, is breath meditation. The simple act of consciously inhaling and exhaling grounds us in our bodies, reminding us where we are, who we are, and how precious our life is. When we connect deeply to our own existence in this way, many of the petty thoughts and feelings that can dominate our minds dissolve without any effort. We have breathed our way back to sanity.

From this place of awareness, we can feel compassion for the drivers who are banging their steering wheels and honking their horns, even if they're honking at us. We know it's not personal; they have simply lost perspective. On your exhale, send out a wish that they, too, might find the cool ease of the present moment

For more information visit dailyom.com


This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day.
Register for free at www.dailyom.com

Hot dog cat

Hot dog cat, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

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This is not my photo. It was sent to me and every time I look at it, I crack up.

I had to share. I wonder who belongs to this...

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A Quiet Moment in Times Square

A Quiet Moment in Times Square, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

What can I say?

Sometimes the photo gods love you.

Johnny

Johnny, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

Thanks for all the laughs, Johnny. You taught me so much.

Keep In Touch...

Keep In Touch..., originally uploaded by Le'3z.

I love this shot.

Sunset Panorama, Hudson River, 11.9.04

Sunset 2, originally uploaded by OldhaMedia.

While setting up for a photo shoot, I look out the window of the posh apartment we were shooting at the next day and I see this... Whipped out the handy Olympus DC-380 and snapped a bunch of shots. Every two minutes, I stopped what I was doing and shot some more.

Sometimes, looking at the photo logs, it seems like you're peeking through a little rectangular hole into someone else's world. Sometimes the view is very close, macro even, and that's fine. Sometimes the view is pretty wide, but still it seems like you're looking out of the inside of a refrigerator box. You know there's a whole lot more out there on the edges.

That's why I love my panoramas... Sometimes you have to shoot all the way around, and it's still not enough.

More is not necessarily better, sometimes, it's just... more.

Sometimes, it's everything.

Okay, so I keep forgetting about this blog thing. Now it's the "next big thing" according to the press. Everybody's got, everybody's reading, everybody's posting to blogs.

I can never think of anything to write when I get here. Writer's block? Well, I guess you have to be a writer to get their block. I do however, post to my flogs nearly every day. If not post, at least peruse and comment on flogs every day. Several times a day. Flog? Photo Log. Fotolog.net, and my new love, Flickr. I can't find enough to say to keep a blog going... maybe because I'm too secretive when it comes to innermost thoughts, but images... I can show you what I want, evoke a feeling, ask what you think when it comes to an image. Yammering on in text, well, that's just a little too close for comfort.

Showing you a picture, well, maybe you'll see what I mean, maybe you won't. But with a photo, you can never be certain of what exactly I was saying.

Not like words. Words are evidence. Pictures are emotion.

The Seven Gummie Sins: Anger

The Seven Gummie Sins: Anger, originally uploaded by Wiedmaier.

Weidmaier posted the "Seven Gummie Sins" recently and I don't think I would have found it on my own. It wasn't until he added me as a contact did I see them.

Have a look. I think it's a stunning series - the kind of inspired work that comes from pure sillieness.

Thanks for adding me, Wiedmaier!