By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

I decided to head back to school hoping to earn a degree. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. — Nelson Mandela Life Happens in its own way After a career spent mostly in restaurant and retail management, with some entrepreneurship and artistry mixed in, somehow I desired something else. We are taught in conventional circles that institutional education is the path, a voice kept repeating in my head, that message they put there. I had something nagging, an in-completion gnawing at me. I had moved several times in my High School years, missing some time in school. When the graduation event arrived, I was short a few credits. Read and enjoy the complete text and illustrations on Real Window Creative the Publication.

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized, Writing
pic

Just my luck literary pursuits can bring about a whole series of dangerous maladies “Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness.” — George Orwell The Roller Coaster It’s been a full 10 months since I seriously took on this writing journey. The addition definitely filled in the last bit of available time. Just in the last few weeks, I doubled my efforts, while noticing some new health issues. As usual for me, living leads and informs the writing, a story idea appeared. Doing some research, some of the findings have been troubling, to say the least. Franz Kafka apparently put himself through both physical and emotional turmoil while trying to write. His work took 10 hours out of his day leaving little time for writing. All the activities he jammed in pushed him to the verge of collapse. In a weakened state he unfortunately contracted Tuberculosis which lead to his throat swelling until it closed. He died. Leo Tolstoy of War and Peace fame, suffered from depression. As he aged and his questions became more serious about inquiries into the human condition, the debilitating depressive episodes worsened. He died shortly after collapsing at a desolate train station. And then, there are all the suicides to consider. Hunter S Thompson, Virginia Woolf, Earnest Hemingway, and many more. What is it about seemingly innocuous writing that can create depression and suicide? My own issues have seemed to pop up since taking writing seriouslyContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

Many people come to me asking for help then never start “Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas.” —Paul Samuelson The Hardest Part Like in many things, getting started can be the toughest obstacle. Especially if it’s new to us or unknown. I knew this 20 years ago when I asked myself, “how can I” become an investor. The memory is fresh of how daunting it seemed. I did not really understand any of it, all I did know was my desire to create something more from very little. So, I just keep pushing forward. Back then, I had a Yahoo account that came with a free email and some other tools. It still does today, but I’ve moved over to Google, same tools only better. Both platforms have a finance page that looks something like this. “I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” — Warren Buffett Baby Steps I’ve fielded many comments from people around a lack of money. The thought causing them to stop before ever getting started. That beginning point is actually more perfect than they can imagine. It’s where I started from 20 years ago. With a simple and free Google or Yahoo finance page you can create portfolios and track how they grow or drop in value. I started by watching the marketsContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized, Writing

Finding one good quality in all things and people transforms outcomes, how we feel & attract. “There is an innocence in admiration: it occurs in one who has not yet realized that they might one day be admired.” ― Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche It’s me who needs this, not you I’ll have to admit, I’m in a bit of a funk with now way to create attract ion from anything good. Maybe it’s more like a funky rut of no gratitude available, the law of no attraction.. Yesterday, I received a bill from Amex for a card with my name on it that I have never had. During the several hours of phone calls trying to uncover the reality of the situation, I was not grateful. As a matter of fact, I was downright rude. The event left me with a physical and mental hangover, my own actions creating complete de-motivation. No wonder I did not get the help needed in the end. I was asked to email a copy of the bill to the the fraud department and have not heard anything back. My mistaken choice was to name the whole encounter bad or unacceptable. That cemented my mindset and it hit every person I spoke with like a brick. Part of their listening had to be taken up by processing my stuff. I made them less effective in this encounter by taking that stance. A little voice whispers to me right now, “Let go of what you can notContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

Do you have everything? Is it protected with backups? The answer should be yes. The digital camera is a great invention because it allows us to reminisce. Instantly. — Demetri Martin Loss as inspiration- Everything you create has value In 2005, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks in Los Angeles. It was my first time. Taking copious amounts of pictures, I even took an entire day photographing many of their very unique subway platforms. Artists were hired to do each platform separately making them very charming and novel. Upon returning home my computer broke down. The images were stored on the same drive as the software. The hard drive failed, I had lost those and many other pictures forever. I literally had a wave of anxiety, anger and sadness wash over me. A new commitment was made then and there to protect my data, pictures, writing, diplomas, birth certificates, audiobooks, music, whatever. The data needed its own dedicated drive, and a backup copy. A separate dedicated drive is not effected if the C:/ drive fails. And they all will, it’s not if but when. The digital revolution is far more significant than the invention of writing or even of printing. — Douglas Engelbart I’d like to share the system I have built to protect my data I did know something about archiving negatives, which I have done meticulously for four decades. This was a new problem, and anyone who says taking pictures is now free, with the advent of digital technology isContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

A life altering choice that has brought many benefits and changes “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” — Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing Being a photographer having started at a newspaper, I have always been interested in writing. Text and pictures really go hand in hand, in literature, in news stories and now in web based work. Other than a published print piece back in 2002, I’ve been in a sort of planning mode for 25 years, dreaming of writing, I wonder why I waited so long. I’ve started 6 books in the past ten years, and the key word there is started. Finally, I got serious and began scouring the web for writing opportunities. Most seemed dubious at best and the first 10 messages I sent or links I followed were dead or received no reply. It was very discouraging but, I had a few things going for me. I had just returned to school for the first time in 37 years earning an AA degree in Graphic Design. One of the requirements was some writing, literature, art history and communication courses. Somehow, I scored A’s in all those classes, imagine humility inserted here. The published piece in Nature Photographer Magazine had been well received and was accepted on its first submission. Other writers had told me that was an impossibility. In addition to that, I had started making photos in much the same way and that endeavor turned out pretty well.Continue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

While testing the big bag of white power he had just found in my carry-on. “Without tenderness, a man is uninteresting.” — Marlene Dietrich Luckily, I get to do my fair share of traveling, always carrying various gear and electronics in my carry on bags. Checking expensive gear is not my idea of fun, so I don’t, unless it is unavoidable. I’ve learned much over the years about what to carry and what not to, but this last trip I was carrying something new. Most times, they don’t check me so when they pulled my bag I wondered what was in question. I was in TSA Pre and did not have to take off my shoes or follow some of the other normal criteria, it was unexpected. He said, “I hope you don’t mind, I just have to test a little bit” as he pulled the plastic bag full of white powder out of my case pouring it onto the counter. Christopher Boswell Image When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people. —- Abraham Joshua Heschel “Ahh” I blurted “I stuffed that in last minute without really thinking” I decided to be quiet but could hardly stand it, my mouth started moving again, “How’s the money holding out?” He replies “Oh, you mean the pay and the government shutdown” “Yes” I said. “I get it, my employer is changing our payroll system, worrying everyone” Him, “Oh, I’m holding up, some of the others are notContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

“It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things.” ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook Water is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth’s streams, lakes, and oceans, and the fluids of most living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients. From Wikipedia. While you try and wrap your ahead around that paragraph, think of this, It’s all the same water! It all drops from the sky making it’s way off the highest peaks through the mightiest rivers back to the sea, where the cycle starts again. During all this movement it turns salty filling with sodium chloride appropriate for sustaining a large fish population in the ocean. By the time it makes way back to us for use it’s safe to drink, purified once again. Am I the only one that thinks this is an amazing miracle? Christopher Boswell Image “In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans; in one aspect of You are found all the aspects of existence.” ― Kahlil Gibran Jr. Ilike some of the work Masaru Emoto has compiled before his death. In 2011 he released another volume in his water series called The Miracle of Water. In it, he makes some strong claims that have been much disputed. Image from the Neurologica Blog Yet, I made an immediate strong connection to his work, he photographed thousands of waterContinue Reading

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized

Take a few simple steps for better rest and rejuvenation Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later. — Walter Reisch My mode of operation has almost always been to burn the candle at both ends. It’s become even more challenging since the advent of the computer and the World Wide Web. I often have to force myself to get up from the chair and whatever I’m doing online to head for the bedroom. Over time, I have learned a few simple techniques to keep me in the bed and sleeping soundly through the night. #1: Buy the most comfortable bed you can afford. For me this turned out to be a foam mattress with hypo allergenic fabric and fill. I use a very light high count sheet set and comforter. Pillows are a must, two for the head and one long pillow for body hugging and to keep my legs separated. #2: Add a pillow top Goose down filled feather bed to the top of your mattress. Image from the Country Store Adding this product or one like it will change everything in terms of comfort. My body is over 5 decades old and has endured broken bones and more. I used to wake up in the night with numbness in various areas, not anymore. You will have to pay attention when buying sheets, they must be deep enough to accommodate this item underneath. “Sleep is my lover now, my forgetting, my opiate, my oblivion.” ― Audrey Niffenegger #3: Leave your phoneContinue Reading