tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216803902024-03-23T13:23:49.825-05:00yawp(echoes from my so-blogged life)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger683125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-37608593648910075182011-02-04T20:23:00.035-06:002011-02-07T22:37:00.234-06:00FrozenThere will be points in life when it is impossible to see the good in anything.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiE-P8p9Lqfjcb3EVTwgUycZdSuv5v2HhRqAeNLjfP5igJqFiUdg0ISuLXvCB3WQWEnxwzc-dtEaCp_NS02xFHm-n7tzXw60yiFgnfGuicx_uW_O6w6n-xflThECzhGlSEDLD/s1600/IMG_4444.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiE-P8p9Lqfjcb3EVTwgUycZdSuv5v2HhRqAeNLjfP5igJqFiUdg0ISuLXvCB3WQWEnxwzc-dtEaCp_NS02xFHm-n7tzXw60yiFgnfGuicx_uW_O6w6n-xflThECzhGlSEDLD/s400/IMG_4444.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570046814776237522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The falling snow -- once a symbol of playtime, beauty and innocence -- will mean cracked radiators, middle fingers and two hour commutes.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNBrLbPxqg7en9uh3W6m7FoAPr_b_P3jWQTMdAET8PO8pW1nBeftD084EanE-Djv-sRhBSOOTZQz6NX364YLcDRiwKOpNM3dzn5h3ASbXnCL9VFomzRXDbESssN-QNTin7GWY/s1600/IMG_4528.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNBrLbPxqg7en9uh3W6m7FoAPr_b_P3jWQTMdAET8PO8pW1nBeftD084EanE-Djv-sRhBSOOTZQz6NX364YLcDRiwKOpNM3dzn5h3ASbXnCL9VFomzRXDbESssN-QNTin7GWY/s400/IMG_4528.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570043747369925138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There will be buckets of rain for every beautiful sunset, a dozen tears for every smile and newspaper headlines that ache to the core.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqUGJOUW4r3XkA6Me3nmhGObbGO3X4ZBiwUtWxMmxev-uqjQk2k8lsvqwnKuCsme1duZ-NJJNLa_-ZZr7UPrC1Fj0QV_FmurgJxpU2imgvUO1n96QHROTaN2Hv8v0ePub2qls/s1600/IMG_4455.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqUGJOUW4r3XkA6Me3nmhGObbGO3X4ZBiwUtWxMmxev-uqjQk2k8lsvqwnKuCsme1duZ-NJJNLa_-ZZr7UPrC1Fj0QV_FmurgJxpU2imgvUO1n96QHROTaN2Hv8v0ePub2qls/s400/IMG_4455.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570046831658364338" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidS-GYP4ybDUvtx3MQl9uxbmDrrxpb_eAISPdRxn8XqinUHiwWuqV0fHsR1qX-d4Tkno6cB5g9buYHG7MJAaNIQDM3HWBstNDW5cZnyRRFabkRKVkXkHeV5BgzDCJeUTq6ZTfO/s1600/IMG_4467edit.jpg"><br /></a>There will be times -- entire seasons -- where every phone call will end in a sigh.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWnLYxnGfOKIs56SnwBKq5aOjMN0LI9u_vXNbdWwl1Zx3PA9IuSUBkRoqThZurO39u4J_9_uK4xe05DJTIpQV-TXEyk4wYQ1RRKXNJvuGeioPxBMUV9X0o_6dD09ZxoTz9t6y/s1600/IMG_4477.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWnLYxnGfOKIs56SnwBKq5aOjMN0LI9u_vXNbdWwl1Zx3PA9IuSUBkRoqThZurO39u4J_9_uK4xe05DJTIpQV-TXEyk4wYQ1RRKXNJvuGeioPxBMUV9X0o_6dD09ZxoTz9t6y/s400/IMG_4477.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570046537191367138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Times when you will plead for news to be untold.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidS-GYP4ybDUvtx3MQl9uxbmDrrxpb_eAISPdRxn8XqinUHiwWuqV0fHsR1qX-d4Tkno6cB5g9buYHG7MJAaNIQDM3HWBstNDW5cZnyRRFabkRKVkXkHeV5BgzDCJeUTq6ZTfO/s1600/IMG_4467edit.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidS-GYP4ybDUvtx3MQl9uxbmDrrxpb_eAISPdRxn8XqinUHiwWuqV0fHsR1qX-d4Tkno6cB5g9buYHG7MJAaNIQDM3HWBstNDW5cZnyRRFabkRKVkXkHeV5BgzDCJeUTq6ZTfO/s400/IMG_4467edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570046522116536706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There will be times when it becomes impossible to love or live as you should<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-WtCe0AKdLBANbRMKNXHYsw0PHGDwtxAxJTuX_wmFAs7qlxsec5jmMYHDJFDZd0inSpShP05IjdXn6VQG5XK8ZTISHKvpjweeiohEnUyXWQkeq-FCbpMx56_6DStVsmL3Gxr/s1600/IMG_4469.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-WtCe0AKdLBANbRMKNXHYsw0PHGDwtxAxJTuX_wmFAs7qlxsec5jmMYHDJFDZd0inSpShP05IjdXn6VQG5XK8ZTISHKvpjweeiohEnUyXWQkeq-FCbpMx56_6DStVsmL3Gxr/s400/IMG_4469.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570046526254260898" border="0" /></a><br />times when the fear of everything prevents you from doing <i>anything</i>.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXO9wKEgzknk0QS3EGIfdNJ-PAipei2TRfxyfzI6o5kEg-ND-HmmM6m48tEYimgBR1fH2smOGKBZWnZxo1PELBoIR1UgWb2mMOLZO7ghxOdybdCXNKdbmTyA7EZ51Ta143lphK/s1600/IMG_4443.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXO9wKEgzknk0QS3EGIfdNJ-PAipei2TRfxyfzI6o5kEg-ND-HmmM6m48tEYimgBR1fH2smOGKBZWnZxo1PELBoIR1UgWb2mMOLZO7ghxOdybdCXNKdbmTyA7EZ51Ta143lphK/s400/IMG_4443.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570047215205866546" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh, yes, there will be times.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkSSfSI5lnNbGWHtcMinRcYmRUQJNqLfNV7RCAIptIzi4mjt183sED4c0oHAiDe-FVzFE29nTmN0F18jIF4alslBERMFPctykLwzOPatb5eEuPoAwGtq85IAu37sytv4eNTGr/s1600/IMG_4494.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkSSfSI5lnNbGWHtcMinRcYmRUQJNqLfNV7RCAIptIzi4mjt183sED4c0oHAiDe-FVzFE29nTmN0F18jIF4alslBERMFPctykLwzOPatb5eEuPoAwGtq85IAu37sytv4eNTGr/s400/IMG_4494.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044741919615826" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Times like today when you think of everyone who has passed in this, the most deplorable of winters.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-OMgqwRWNDKlU6TJ7qSeDL2osVmIyIq6vMa1UJs37ZEEypvMEN5pHfEIg5C3g5zxtzwq8IxtTT1wD5FcT43dAS34thD3sQ4z-fA9qCdG6JqvPVIgyXWHb1jyK3A4eRkeWtEv/s1600/IMG_4498.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-OMgqwRWNDKlU6TJ7qSeDL2osVmIyIq6vMa1UJs37ZEEypvMEN5pHfEIg5C3g5zxtzwq8IxtTT1wD5FcT43dAS34thD3sQ4z-fA9qCdG6JqvPVIgyXWHb1jyK3A4eRkeWtEv/s400/IMG_4498.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044757310151666" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And you will think, hanging up the phone, of the terrifying news to come.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtOueC-NdKRUKCx6zaNHixOV2sGi04aEpvDFlpLBZtg4Idvr4PdjsE8SLF1pS-d8r7IMwY0Dv5mJoNjwrRhCxBAXLV_asPQXRunTOTZowck2LXwg8Y83Aft1GkGApsCmkCsgD/s1600/IMG_4510.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtOueC-NdKRUKCx6zaNHixOV2sGi04aEpvDFlpLBZtg4Idvr4PdjsE8SLF1pS-d8r7IMwY0Dv5mJoNjwrRhCxBAXLV_asPQXRunTOTZowck2LXwg8Y83Aft1GkGApsCmkCsgD/s400/IMG_4510.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044284886107666" border="0" /></a><br />You will swallow, and swallow, the lump in your throat gathering into a whimper.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0Sih1wBM109DLGSy4n-evNd8PuNdWzz50PouLiZKboVmA_cerfVA7alQX3XM2TuJ91WH5WIf_F0tGGkFRwv2D6Eimljnk8wf83riLFmgmgtbAO3kW9CnYXqMrv9VTlHAU8Kb/s1600/IMG_4521+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0Sih1wBM109DLGSy4n-evNd8PuNdWzz50PouLiZKboVmA_cerfVA7alQX3XM2TuJ91WH5WIf_F0tGGkFRwv2D6Eimljnk8wf83riLFmgmgtbAO3kW9CnYXqMrv9VTlHAU8Kb/s400/IMG_4521+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044020715309234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You will limp to your car in the morning, slave away the day and spend your nights wondering where the day -- where the time, where this life<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>-- has gone.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nv1m7AjLZPtAbQIFR6G4KwLtS11WJdF6yQevvcHlYuESs0lmJyu-PcMtodRlMCM-A3Uf7ETkD0svZjoI_lQEwUQY1b4FYZv3LCyNqn4elwG3R_fgxZi-KXXcCRzTIpUqiPUq/s1600/IMG_4516+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nv1m7AjLZPtAbQIFR6G4KwLtS11WJdF6yQevvcHlYuESs0lmJyu-PcMtodRlMCM-A3Uf7ETkD0svZjoI_lQEwUQY1b4FYZv3LCyNqn4elwG3R_fgxZi-KXXcCRzTIpUqiPUq/s400/IMG_4516+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044008192638514" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You will obsess over what you cannot control. You will give into the meaninglessness of everything, marveling as the world seemingly drowns in alternating currents of vitriol and apathy.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cgnkK0j49-aYf4Ny6G6zERRf9Ko66DSitreN4QNER6aIZLTCnYqWiPG0YrGWEPn788HHmexs9zDMjCIl4PB3otKjBR7Hx2bpwKH_A3fJcASNO3foM-j_vPuYrMdQOMlpoKZn/s1600/IMG_4500.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cgnkK0j49-aYf4Ny6G6zERRf9Ko66DSitreN4QNER6aIZLTCnYqWiPG0YrGWEPn788HHmexs9zDMjCIl4PB3otKjBR7Hx2bpwKH_A3fJcASNO3foM-j_vPuYrMdQOMlpoKZn/s400/IMG_4500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044764857030578" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJP3Wi6L0NzGgxmBOKJLYArcjDNOHv-0j8KhcD6qAMXzZB07Ah5EZw1tzV-YHFygC61BBVsmXMSNIlnPmpp9IN8PCrjaXdC36W2wNcVH8xy2mwV6ydidSv1BqQuAeqc1Ae5DS/s1600/IMG_4489.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br />You will see all that remains to be done -- everything you have failed to accomplish -- and you (like Buridan's ass) will do none of it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnCzi5hOUzB075lfktpnntKi7g9m9ZvBesXa8goDebsw4sQqDRWoI_UxXG3OfNjI7HtjjeIAIR3ZblVS1HVReyhrfVrXPyC7jWmbwdeFvCv41__FHYNoUFz5FnmopKcCJgxT1/s1600/IMG_4442.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnCzi5hOUzB075lfktpnntKi7g9m9ZvBesXa8goDebsw4sQqDRWoI_UxXG3OfNjI7HtjjeIAIR3ZblVS1HVReyhrfVrXPyC7jWmbwdeFvCv41__FHYNoUFz5FnmopKcCJgxT1/s400/IMG_4442.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570047205845600194" border="0" /></a><br />You will starve. And you will wither.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoQ_QanDOmtYldjW-pplfmPpzX7cMqpjkQ0fgQLHOdwUbtOpxiLxryKX2bURxPbOhf59cphEjZ9altmrW0PiXZArieVxYrrqZaasrFJEtf9YVlqG9S2HqZO1LVgETm1q4xUIt/s1600/IMG_4518+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoQ_QanDOmtYldjW-pplfmPpzX7cMqpjkQ0fgQLHOdwUbtOpxiLxryKX2bURxPbOhf59cphEjZ9altmrW0PiXZArieVxYrrqZaasrFJEtf9YVlqG9S2HqZO1LVgETm1q4xUIt/s400/IMG_4518+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044015157716802" border="0" /></a><br />You will sit painfully and idly by, immobilized by the future remembrance 0f inevitable loss.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLn8P99LOv2poJx49-nsyO4cJiwAYj-Lhyphenhyphenx8HEV6zFAexmxg3sZ7DDGujBvZ5KrhI80P4wCKvPOWXLdGTBKm-_HeVTZm_yo8JJMlAPKINXde4E4eMBK4ybUsIfhej8vcpT2jR/s1600/IMG_4515+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 398px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLn8P99LOv2poJx49-nsyO4cJiwAYj-Lhyphenhyphenx8HEV6zFAexmxg3sZ7DDGujBvZ5KrhI80P4wCKvPOWXLdGTBKm-_HeVTZm_yo8JJMlAPKINXde4E4eMBK4ybUsIfhej8vcpT2jR/s400/IMG_4515+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044004499382034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And you will forget, as so many people do, that life goes on.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGBOSx_WyZeA0M3d3mDAxw3REavjYGPp_GV-7pc92rjtxihQEnoUa4oHSoOi2Z4hIPQHRrvkeT-MwEVE0ObyJKd61nuO7F5rJpDLOfhrxzcJKCLxmJXTXkOaniO0TUDrEMsGT/s1600/IMG_4517+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGBOSx_WyZeA0M3d3mDAxw3REavjYGPp_GV-7pc92rjtxihQEnoUa4oHSoOi2Z4hIPQHRrvkeT-MwEVE0ObyJKd61nuO7F5rJpDLOfhrxzcJKCLxmJXTXkOaniO0TUDrEMsGT/s400/IMG_4517+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044013680561442" border="0" /></a><br />Whether or not you <span>truly</span> live it is up to you.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm13OJwuaNpMv0sDyHwj5LkM0N2bRkNfl8PFXzv8sa4elqqj4oG34OCHdmCMAhzAKJV8UJyP_hgXPI1XDtfcCFAzaDm_CNN9LBCt8bVxN3n-AEU6W8DQ-6wkRSJ6PnB939jK0/s1600/IMG_4495.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm13OJwuaNpMv0sDyHwj5LkM0N2bRkNfl8PFXzv8sa4elqqj4oG34OCHdmCMAhzAKJV8UJyP_hgXPI1XDtfcCFAzaDm_CNN9LBCt8bVxN3n-AEU6W8DQ-6wkRSJ6PnB939jK0/s400/IMG_4495.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044744913115410" border="0" /></a><br />But the question remains: how do you focus on the now...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavM-Yj5VxM0wkMAymKLoBTvBmiJRRFkEnGU2GxVxk-_QCnoxxrnsrI7o_4yvDnW-RXWbLXQAEcLkqik63PSeBW0xxzVZlYHgL3bM4h5lsyXdhgO4k3rMJ5lXcgVqtLZq8zRsi/s1600/IMG_4473.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavM-Yj5VxM0wkMAymKLoBTvBmiJRRFkEnGU2GxVxk-_QCnoxxrnsrI7o_4yvDnW-RXWbLXQAEcLkqik63PSeBW0xxzVZlYHgL3bM4h5lsyXdhgO4k3rMJ5lXcgVqtLZq8zRsi/s400/IMG_4473.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571125546838793042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />on the moment...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdX4lW73TXF9SC-IznX8tbecq6MtV6vBD9X3wjRXDDITExMdNF_gcGalFrCldKTzkHB6jSYZJUk5eGhwLrXuVWCR9b23WQW0GFiAkTG0jDRNXPE6Yv2U4oeU-LpCfUJOR3BPPg/s1600/IMG_4483edit.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdX4lW73TXF9SC-IznX8tbecq6MtV6vBD9X3wjRXDDITExMdNF_gcGalFrCldKTzkHB6jSYZJUk5eGhwLrXuVWCR9b23WQW0GFiAkTG0jDRNXPE6Yv2U4oeU-LpCfUJOR3BPPg/s400/IMG_4483edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571125539775177682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />when in the end<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21AJwmSdGK7qELu2DlnWrvE0FAEeq9hjPdaX1jOePMg86PKp4K_5DGSfdWrOA6ZHTit83cNPA_63xFYgEizrkOvvheYgELTAS85KTP9qUlnHxv7SsetHaZXn2caDFnlawgzN/s1600/IMG_4513.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21AJwmSdGK7qELu2DlnWrvE0FAEeq9hjPdaX1jOePMg86PKp4K_5DGSfdWrOA6ZHTit83cNPA_63xFYgEizrkOvvheYgELTAS85KTP9qUlnHxv7SsetHaZXn2caDFnlawgzN/s400/IMG_4513.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570044291405107618" border="0" /></a><br />there is so much to lose.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-39575608070671815342009-06-11T18:33:00.002-05:002009-06-11T18:34:41.438-05:00Empty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHR1j4PWF85Ta75O4bJygloODs30ZT6X4zVm2BjAEvXNYA3Rah-vywAZXiXA0g3lfVxmjgQ5wxNkSF_RhIGhnMQH1rA4PgYyBGbJCzS357Nu6qsn8P0piB2UOENPnyvuWEXqgE/s1600-h/IMG_0914b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHR1j4PWF85Ta75O4bJygloODs30ZT6X4zVm2BjAEvXNYA3Rah-vywAZXiXA0g3lfVxmjgQ5wxNkSF_RhIGhnMQH1rA4PgYyBGbJCzS357Nu6qsn8P0piB2UOENPnyvuWEXqgE/s400/IMG_0914b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342216023120854754" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-84013668475034678192009-05-29T05:32:00.003-05:002009-05-29T05:32:00.371-05:00Among the Darbies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8jgv12TnJFsuTnergG5ASKYx5hYm2jad4SEY06qscAn2k-6_ZiKAmkwJwgPd9DXCt_WE_Zlw_qFSLhBLP1a7TIUUeh3-4WKQSBPcoqJZZ8QymtXmfhEXAug154FB-LL-rN63/s1600-h/IMG_0800b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8jgv12TnJFsuTnergG5ASKYx5hYm2jad4SEY06qscAn2k-6_ZiKAmkwJwgPd9DXCt_WE_Zlw_qFSLhBLP1a7TIUUeh3-4WKQSBPcoqJZZ8QymtXmfhEXAug154FB-LL-rN63/s400/IMG_0800b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340635498940104610" border="0" /></a><br />I do not believe in fatalism. I understand cause and effect and believe wholeheartedly that a decision as simple as whether or not to board a bus could very well change the entire course of your life. And yet: I cannot help but deny a certain untouchable defeatist element to existence.<br /><br />And: yes, yes. I know. Everyone feels this way at some point: or else we wouldn’t have clichés about camels and straw; or laws like Murphy’s.<br /><br />But it’s this precise realization that makes me so quick to wonder: why bother at all.<br /><br />Imagine for a moment that you did everything to create a comfortable life for yourself: the life you wanted, even. But what if the harder you tried, the further that dream went away?<br /><br />Just another classic case of Tantalus, you might say.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IExX-2D7Aobw1rmA3tPMbH3i55mAJZqC0A1uN7ho1CUM_8xBf1rLPEygMHICGWhYibyEYR9Sqv88gwgWFqedoqYBvj3Px_v0P7NErZDgGKNRdX-K3BaDv5SZguF08WfHrYnp/s1600-h/IMG_0803b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IExX-2D7Aobw1rmA3tPMbH3i55mAJZqC0A1uN7ho1CUM_8xBf1rLPEygMHICGWhYibyEYR9Sqv88gwgWFqedoqYBvj3Px_v0P7NErZDgGKNRdX-K3BaDv5SZguF08WfHrYnp/s400/IMG_0803b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340635741246830994" border="0" /></a><br />And I say this: I’m not talking about water and grapes. This is life: a vacant and meaningless existence treading dangerously close to an irretrievably crushed spirit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYH_r9ANo0TDhn_sfnTQlFaD6LN6XdIxw5onMZmV-PKv55_JGF8dTh5F-HyjrKB4yqDzMWSw-KuDBnSG2ACxc_XpGPfWm_SVZn6t_qj8h6q2BfIw4M7OLlvdAXcBN_bEMXeLC/s1600-h/IMG_0805b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYH_r9ANo0TDhn_sfnTQlFaD6LN6XdIxw5onMZmV-PKv55_JGF8dTh5F-HyjrKB4yqDzMWSw-KuDBnSG2ACxc_XpGPfWm_SVZn6t_qj8h6q2BfIw4M7OLlvdAXcBN_bEMXeLC/s400/IMG_0805b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340635752456010450" border="0" /></a><br />Recently someone said he admired me because no matter what happened, nothing ever gets to my core.<br /><br />I appreciate what I consider to be a compliment, but I doubt its accuracy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_VCrDJ_ghyphenhyphenPFDkPonqSzA1-sqlnip3NvZl8xLXFbt-kLN6PHLatZLNDDiSWKmc-d1mcG161padZ0Q2KymT3KYWOW9_rTb6E5tgWHZLbl__f9rbDEw1-DDeC7MPxvDOkbQS2q/s1600-h/IMG_0806b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_VCrDJ_ghyphenhyphenPFDkPonqSzA1-sqlnip3NvZl8xLXFbt-kLN6PHLatZLNDDiSWKmc-d1mcG161padZ0Q2KymT3KYWOW9_rTb6E5tgWHZLbl__f9rbDEw1-DDeC7MPxvDOkbQS2q/s400/IMG_0806b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340635751233040530" border="0" /></a><br />Because these things, little by little, are getting to me. And with so much of everything collapsing around me, I feel at times I have only myself to blame. And yet: I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. I don’t know what I could’ve done differently.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU21cU_x0X8-8EdLDI0ulzri5F2nzOEjVBRmxRCC9gugINuUx1hTO9ey2IoSCL1Hu9BT8-y3S4fCciSwne-ZZiUgKpYzAlatUfmbb28hBOiNMO1F7FM52ck3R9V2-bQkUf3lW/s1600-h/IMG_0807b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuU21cU_x0X8-8EdLDI0ulzri5F2nzOEjVBRmxRCC9gugINuUx1hTO9ey2IoSCL1Hu9BT8-y3S4fCciSwne-ZZiUgKpYzAlatUfmbb28hBOiNMO1F7FM52ck3R9V2-bQkUf3lW/s400/IMG_0807b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340635755534621122" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And so: day after day, these experiences tear at me from the inside. I try to heal old wounds and a new one arises; I stop one leak, and a bigger one begins.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuhHa2RJYyBksyavvo5S9-qjstiiWEC36YHPbOHo6Gdzpurg2zx-6SMlTZDtzOf-s83TnXKPuJPhoV_y9YGJfo-vtOrPsUinIajb9EsrUd8eqcmpJWLSUcJc67dKP91g36G1b/s1600-h/IMG_0808b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuhHa2RJYyBksyavvo5S9-qjstiiWEC36YHPbOHo6Gdzpurg2zx-6SMlTZDtzOf-s83TnXKPuJPhoV_y9YGJfo-vtOrPsUinIajb9EsrUd8eqcmpJWLSUcJc67dKP91g36G1b/s400/IMG_0808b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340636112668452914" border="0" /></a><br />But if I must be the girl who serves as a godmother – but never a parent – so be it. If I must be the girl who has to choose between backpacking across Scotland alone or not going at all, I will choose the former.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp2uuE8GbaFRLWvrohJdalDm0KHQ7EImoTFMglphVExO_NjsIRwQe8xlyFV0l4PkwEJQw1p25MmGfY4vHnZZtXbSp3k1GdSdNV9rwvbrtmewlZyNX6hYhn7BDNkuZfKvL2luz/s1600-h/IMG_0809b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp2uuE8GbaFRLWvrohJdalDm0KHQ7EImoTFMglphVExO_NjsIRwQe8xlyFV0l4PkwEJQw1p25MmGfY4vHnZZtXbSp3k1GdSdNV9rwvbrtmewlZyNX6hYhn7BDNkuZfKvL2luz/s400/IMG_0809b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340636114510216114" border="0" /></a><br />And yet: why it is come to this, I will never understand. These shelves of unwatched books; lists of “must see” movies and unseen vistas. Hopes and dreams that once seemed inevitable have somehow become insurmountable peaks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8L8vJoThTUZy8ICmWeAqg9hYJo2CmknNJHLwwFTLRe0esHLcMXBOA_GjIIGR2LBZbilDpacxmw9zuvFP0neNPtqib-2TDLZzOdRZ0OJMCaYrlhrbRbcZLGCSl_9-UNlJt_gMZ/s1600-h/IMG_0810b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8L8vJoThTUZy8ICmWeAqg9hYJo2CmknNJHLwwFTLRe0esHLcMXBOA_GjIIGR2LBZbilDpacxmw9zuvFP0neNPtqib-2TDLZzOdRZ0OJMCaYrlhrbRbcZLGCSl_9-UNlJt_gMZ/s400/IMG_0810b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340636116461785122" border="0" /></a><br />They grow; they loom; they taunt. Fates approach in the distance; growing larger and larger, scissors poised before my string.<br /><br />This is not the life I fought for. This is not the life I wanted.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPsfeTWqISRExtI8yMr7bYJjMF1FfuCccLK0alC3dRBrr6qVA7-dBng_cf3Pnb4C-vgoqGZDNSwDArdy_25O7UIILY-S4-HkIMhz9b52ql6kRQHXTIQJRjgGPRtf_1w3m8C-G/s1600-h/IMG_0811b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPsfeTWqISRExtI8yMr7bYJjMF1FfuCccLK0alC3dRBrr6qVA7-dBng_cf3Pnb4C-vgoqGZDNSwDArdy_25O7UIILY-S4-HkIMhz9b52ql6kRQHXTIQJRjgGPRtf_1w3m8C-G/s400/IMG_0811b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340636122941295538" border="0" /></a><br />This is the life that found me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbcFtErGsOfXgPV198KgR06mjKHSBPrt51vpwc5ZzdIIA0xsxK2kMQ_PVWVdxbml-ReEyHMnENLo9ofJDNqZfAzz6wy5DTh__yz-BqazgPDGGQyX1MXfm-zwhPW20iNXejCio/s1600-h/IMG_0812b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbcFtErGsOfXgPV198KgR06mjKHSBPrt51vpwc5ZzdIIA0xsxK2kMQ_PVWVdxbml-ReEyHMnENLo9ofJDNqZfAzz6wy5DTh__yz-BqazgPDGGQyX1MXfm-zwhPW20iNXejCio/s400/IMG_0812b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340636128978920754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But tell me why – like Sisyphus – I scale the mountain all the same.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8jgv12TnJFsuTnergG5ASKYx5hYm2jad4SEY06qscAn2k-6_ZiKAmkwJwgPd9DXCt_WE_Zlw_qFSLhBLP1a7TIUUeh3-4WKQSBPcoqJZZ8QymtXmfhEXAug154FB-LL-rN63/s1600-h/IMG_0800b.jpg"><br /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-6246272033175544762009-05-28T10:30:00.001-05:002009-05-28T10:30:02.352-05:00And People Call These "Weeds"I'll never understand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnndALBC9kgN2aEWYxeDWCz5yrPaU6wTRqcVJPu4xBXTkPmiJHI1qtDrPNZyA9Pi5kPMNY0Lz49I21Kqu0F4vaksbzWogOltfIHYP9s36FxTesPcVPg-47SkJUwIyqcdPagJ-k/s1600-h/IMG_0801b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnndALBC9kgN2aEWYxeDWCz5yrPaU6wTRqcVJPu4xBXTkPmiJHI1qtDrPNZyA9Pi5kPMNY0Lz49I21Kqu0F4vaksbzWogOltfIHYP9s36FxTesPcVPg-47SkJUwIyqcdPagJ-k/s400/IMG_0801b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340341278944424338" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-45431725818044509762009-05-27T10:05:00.001-05:002009-05-27T10:05:00.657-05:00Every Day is Different. Every Day is the Same.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BCGdTzOJ2H7zYBsqmCLmQATF8jRtYKuYVXJbVu1ovdRcrnqynMy2y_ys7Vf3p2t9rdOVlJ7ZX7NSv_3MCkkVJ_ohxaDTX0P6xhdMwoDkZNVzUi58418kF8pMmTac0UdpbPJM/s1600-h/IMG_0844+copy+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BCGdTzOJ2H7zYBsqmCLmQATF8jRtYKuYVXJbVu1ovdRcrnqynMy2y_ys7Vf3p2t9rdOVlJ7ZX7NSv_3MCkkVJ_ohxaDTX0P6xhdMwoDkZNVzUi58418kF8pMmTac0UdpbPJM/s400/IMG_0844+copy+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339963780434463874" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-58737701789563297632009-05-26T11:41:00.001-05:002009-05-26T11:41:01.286-05:00The Wind in Slow Motion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfClYnuZGhXlnus4GALyVhim17_nSqRtnAAV6prakFINvUZbLX17HATMA6VH7Z1VmKtPVbawhPPibUeSKntlrHAl7XTCKHsFX6r8x21jE8vdBpYuCHDan1VCppJF7Kskz0Z2R/s1600-h/IMG_0844+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfClYnuZGhXlnus4GALyVhim17_nSqRtnAAV6prakFINvUZbLX17HATMA6VH7Z1VmKtPVbawhPPibUeSKntlrHAl7XTCKHsFX6r8x21jE8vdBpYuCHDan1VCppJF7Kskz0Z2R/s400/IMG_0844+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959971383926546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFfYnxkVpEIwXnfpmTjpKmo8FEAyBKWoLoIO2XfMvImmEKPjf5hEYdCitckSZVmqtUDDeLXPT7JcSo3YOPBdslKXK1Oyvb-vWHgoG6tNdkM76c7ZyzySPYPYuqR-Ykl07MKOn/s1600-h/IMG_0845+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFfYnxkVpEIwXnfpmTjpKmo8FEAyBKWoLoIO2XfMvImmEKPjf5hEYdCitckSZVmqtUDDeLXPT7JcSo3YOPBdslKXK1Oyvb-vWHgoG6tNdkM76c7ZyzySPYPYuqR-Ykl07MKOn/s400/IMG_0845+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959846423886306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivx9M_BBWBADcR7LQO3xUZDzujoHM_0rKVFBQ1S5Clm9IHIRKeY77VIYft5tXtsr1KhPXw_gJvjN3JMb0RGurKoC50nv0A75yqbxujfzkYHsN-6xOfONwuPKGL8sIp6aoECKdX/s1600-h/IMG_0846+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivx9M_BBWBADcR7LQO3xUZDzujoHM_0rKVFBQ1S5Clm9IHIRKeY77VIYft5tXtsr1KhPXw_gJvjN3JMb0RGurKoC50nv0A75yqbxujfzkYHsN-6xOfONwuPKGL8sIp6aoECKdX/s400/IMG_0846+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959852219454258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPhJvspmSV7D7PE7iG0lyctVfNZaY9Bbv24g-o0KQqsZgyljIODgOA1_CT-8KG-0_0cJ45mBZo1jwezYHDSqCHW51pJOHavQ7QtiXjVwQPyUmO2alyNs58bzwbgCWkUBWQlyi/s1600-h/IMG_0847+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPhJvspmSV7D7PE7iG0lyctVfNZaY9Bbv24g-o0KQqsZgyljIODgOA1_CT-8KG-0_0cJ45mBZo1jwezYHDSqCHW51pJOHavQ7QtiXjVwQPyUmO2alyNs58bzwbgCWkUBWQlyi/s400/IMG_0847+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959855876332706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhIn3OAEIKUvn8OEdJ733VGVu32JSqsYhx7dCyIc-32_22jrLOEud9YY2qFYbZlShoy3JcX6iiwCkrqXq3GyWUHqNOAGlHWxSAUKsM-TI36QiGVTmk3rjr0wGqPwxHLKwIfIj/s1600-h/IMG_0848+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhIn3OAEIKUvn8OEdJ733VGVu32JSqsYhx7dCyIc-32_22jrLOEud9YY2qFYbZlShoy3JcX6iiwCkrqXq3GyWUHqNOAGlHWxSAUKsM-TI36QiGVTmk3rjr0wGqPwxHLKwIfIj/s400/IMG_0848+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959859559307538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqiaTAUcqh2AWxVCiflaksvjie1f95KLynEIOqU5ehp5rjoRCE8mYFky430dxyTc3y8alsyVgZcKRJgfn6WpmT3Fqc10mDkWzk3Fl5s_xEBW1_Sjc0YXBH1KSXu2Zfqj0b3j8/s1600-h/IMG_0849+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqiaTAUcqh2AWxVCiflaksvjie1f95KLynEIOqU5ehp5rjoRCE8mYFky430dxyTc3y8alsyVgZcKRJgfn6WpmT3Fqc10mDkWzk3Fl5s_xEBW1_Sjc0YXBH1KSXu2Zfqj0b3j8/s400/IMG_0849+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959861131832898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26mOrdCOAn66h2uaGx806B7KLyAuXkijxtY_DMwOMQmBQsC6cNOOdhM4SFeckXJd2j8CRdzQkzb8BHn00fY5U0X5qCcai_55f-npGmhJCfGOatyXbfStxfnGHZnixaCCsc_gm/s1600-h/IMG_0850+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26mOrdCOAn66h2uaGx806B7KLyAuXkijxtY_DMwOMQmBQsC6cNOOdhM4SFeckXJd2j8CRdzQkzb8BHn00fY5U0X5qCcai_55f-npGmhJCfGOatyXbfStxfnGHZnixaCCsc_gm/s400/IMG_0850+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959376241298754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwBcO7qmt96hyphenhyphen04ryLuelPknuXFfRpYepDgwHAWZMPFU6eUxzozQ-nuCd0P7i8BAS8oLxjJEM5enhlVr5_L6OnJtcYu080We98bRkxFIQ90jCUBrzSRdEC-9MXl6VKyy3kNXJ/s1600-h/IMG_0851+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwBcO7qmt96hyphenhyphen04ryLuelPknuXFfRpYepDgwHAWZMPFU6eUxzozQ-nuCd0P7i8BAS8oLxjJEM5enhlVr5_L6OnJtcYu080We98bRkxFIQ90jCUBrzSRdEC-9MXl6VKyy3kNXJ/s400/IMG_0851+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959378763346498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8upB_lr-AM3J6AQAqx4QggSldgcwdCfhCpFX2DhyrOfVzuQhjFIZgobnNADcGD5HyihDEyv8YjyGY6aHLvqfhmg74JIYxFVeGwWpEPt51ALQt_jqsjgmhBKmBeDgWENnbe3n/s1600-h/IMG_0854+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8upB_lr-AM3J6AQAqx4QggSldgcwdCfhCpFX2DhyrOfVzuQhjFIZgobnNADcGD5HyihDEyv8YjyGY6aHLvqfhmg74JIYxFVeGwWpEPt51ALQt_jqsjgmhBKmBeDgWENnbe3n/s400/IMG_0854+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959383119246610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIy6ERLBYKhuoPrH6s874DvAECgDW1klqA7u0PntolmmUhBpkfkMCyx0gn9-CHTEFZT-oprq0Fbyh_eKEjYr227qtzCMA8LsnO-MnfMsvBSboii3hfD5Wn12UO0TSQ28xJKt6U/s1600-h/IMG_0855+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIy6ERLBYKhuoPrH6s874DvAECgDW1klqA7u0PntolmmUhBpkfkMCyx0gn9-CHTEFZT-oprq0Fbyh_eKEjYr227qtzCMA8LsnO-MnfMsvBSboii3hfD5Wn12UO0TSQ28xJKt6U/s400/IMG_0855+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959385817940322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiWBw1tSbuJQJI-tPwbqAMtqUiOJCoJy7AL75xXs612NgrknjwOoBUy68WS5n9q01fHnhnAIwob9BTa27i7fpOWbBc3qtKatO6A0RlT2KHQjEGdkqNvVbkXBj2HajoijF5VP4/s1600-h/IMG_0856+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiWBw1tSbuJQJI-tPwbqAMtqUiOJCoJy7AL75xXs612NgrknjwOoBUy68WS5n9q01fHnhnAIwob9BTa27i7fpOWbBc3qtKatO6A0RlT2KHQjEGdkqNvVbkXBj2HajoijF5VP4/s400/IMG_0856+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339959390800334418" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I shot these at the "wrong" shutter speed and almost deleted them. And yet: I wound up preferring them over most other photos I took this past weekend. Not to mention, my camera broke some 30 minutes thereafter, and I figured I may as well post the last images my Canon G7 produced. It'll be awhile before I can afford another.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-2475021054129608682009-05-25T21:37:00.006-05:002009-05-25T22:08:00.645-05:00Variations of the SameIt's not that I'm back. It's just that I know, deep down, I won't be safe anywhere.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqdaJeJMWEASy0G7KCv_KAAHfALXD6wcfb65-Ec3jLkrEEjzpjIwE_o3FeRu7GWwaWhFm8hmzf5mV5fkpmbxktgv3xTwPDmAH8oM46hHHwy3RT7JQ3fXjcPV1-DzBDJfriZGX/s1600-h/dandelion+blackout1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqdaJeJMWEASy0G7KCv_KAAHfALXD6wcfb65-Ec3jLkrEEjzpjIwE_o3FeRu7GWwaWhFm8hmzf5mV5fkpmbxktgv3xTwPDmAH8oM46hHHwy3RT7JQ3fXjcPV1-DzBDJfriZGX/s400/dandelion+blackout1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339956534325024450" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuMQd47RP0BKF7_Ni-IEG7PQ1zAmdVeH9q9KUxPWmimN7-DBOA4sQjEyaIkSlQ2tzx_enWO2rz3de37dZh4PWaO3lA6r1FCKIH9-fmsOjtCGEDG4mEmu_7wtXU-Xmf8zqxhdw/s1600-h/dandelion+blackout2+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuMQd47RP0BKF7_Ni-IEG7PQ1zAmdVeH9q9KUxPWmimN7-DBOA4sQjEyaIkSlQ2tzx_enWO2rz3de37dZh4PWaO3lA6r1FCKIH9-fmsOjtCGEDG4mEmu_7wtXU-Xmf8zqxhdw/s400/dandelion+blackout2+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339956536031150610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaurd6-NrDx5pPVO5RYBHgVF2Q1Y-Xce4Ko39vB0DaIn05hC-IH2VfseBMswpL6iZoyLkbRwZUhP1p-CL-F_CMdjdLkcN-hqdQaDlorfqfPixMjiNM2-WoKEvdiChFbE50AlB/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaurd6-NrDx5pPVO5RYBHgVF2Q1Y-Xce4Ko39vB0DaIn05hC-IH2VfseBMswpL6iZoyLkbRwZUhP1p-CL-F_CMdjdLkcN-hqdQaDlorfqfPixMjiNM2-WoKEvdiChFbE50AlB/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339956529643428450" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-24585386768435362102009-02-22T09:01:00.001-06:002009-02-22T09:01:59.085-06:00Love Before the Ruins, Part IIThe story <a href="http://occasionalstutter.blogspot.com/2009/02/love-before-ruins-part-ii.html">continues</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-5746292913238370042009-02-13T08:16:00.000-06:002009-02-13T08:16:00.711-06:00Love Before the RuinsIf you'd like to see me be momentarily optimistic -- and believe me, this is a rare occasion indeed -- then be sure to check <a href="http://occasionalstutter.blogspot.com">this</a> out.<br /><br />(And then check back in a day or two for the continuation.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-25274878071446346442009-02-11T17:36:00.004-06:002009-02-11T18:38:29.277-06:00Soccer Fashion<object width="430" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tHpwtuuncn0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tHpwtuuncn0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="430" height="295"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-16831504256550835682009-02-10T17:06:00.003-06:002009-02-10T17:08:02.811-06:00Shameless PlugIt's true I couldn't draw to save my life, and my comics are about as useless as man-teats. But for whatever reason I'm particularly proud of the one I posted today. Check it <a href="http://occasionalstutter.blogspot.com/2009/02/stick-skrik.html">out</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-3432219022968119922009-02-01T20:17:00.005-06:002009-02-02T00:18:50.228-06:00Super Bowl Commentary<span>As I watched the Super Bowl tonight, at best half-interested in the game and mostly just sticking around for the commercials, I couldn't help but wonder:</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span>Have Omar Epps and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin ever been seen in the same room at the same time?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uq6IxoIW8kUptXxUl_NoKJU2RzwkLCrtUptp3921VJtT7xJWsvqwU2nRnaKq0YWBCg9jZbn_dP2fpm1hGRDx5bhXVl8tNuDqLgdKSKRXkHioAUjKlppYQfuF6r-VLVDMB5uP/s1600-h/OmarEppsMikeTomlin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uq6IxoIW8kUptXxUl_NoKJU2RzwkLCrtUptp3921VJtT7xJWsvqwU2nRnaKq0YWBCg9jZbn_dP2fpm1hGRDx5bhXVl8tNuDqLgdKSKRXkHioAUjKlppYQfuF6r-VLVDMB5uP/s400/OmarEppsMikeTomlin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298019492215297922" border="0" /></a><br />Because I'm pretty sure they're the same person.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-43417691563927023152009-01-28T20:50:00.003-06:002009-01-28T20:52:28.965-06:00Music 2000Imagine it's early 1980s and a group sets out to predict how music will sound in the year 2000.<br /><br />This, my friends, is the result:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vwyuB8QKzBI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vwyuB8QKzBI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />(And for the record, that apparition is the ghost of Tchaikovsky -- one of the judges for the Music 2000 contest).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-43020784735122819072009-01-26T22:55:00.005-06:002009-01-26T23:04:45.390-06:00High Five!<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="400" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="key=ae73278a00"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed flashvars="key=ae73278a00" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" src="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="350"></embed></object><div style="text-align: center; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/ae73278a00/high-five-inauguration" title="from Almost Twins">HIGH-FIVE INAUGURATION!</a> - watch more <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/" title="on Funny or Die">funny videos</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-23463261542304998262009-01-22T14:42:00.000-06:002009-01-22T14:42:00.952-06:00Voices (a Q&A with the author)What does it mean when nearly every voice in your head is screaming for you to get the f*ck out of Chicago?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3423T1mEEDlopGvgrqmnMa-I58AYFPmx95szuV2gGbjy6A8Akl-YuSdR4X36pFkqe8VK_pp3-6Uz64HWYoGsixpMT5VT94CsfX78b2FzI8cNIIwUGo2cPpUNL0-7wOV9NUjrv/s1600-h/IMG_5020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267965010120409602" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3423T1mEEDlopGvgrqmnMa-I58AYFPmx95szuV2gGbjy6A8Akl-YuSdR4X36pFkqe8VK_pp3-6Uz64HWYoGsixpMT5VT94CsfX78b2FzI8cNIIwUGo2cPpUNL0-7wOV9NUjrv/s400/IMG_5020.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />(Only to be followed by a whisper, "But to where?")<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyPJ2dH_Atbppdai8c0gIGW2cfhxMdSkroea6meOdVBZYLoACUlwkvugbs3dV-zCpNGJy9sx_bvSeZTtEJeM_SN1NO-cbn0c0QNGrA6rva8ku_SMF3P6BvWvJD8G0YDKFB8b9/s1600-h/IMG_5091b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267965223394969746" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 275px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyPJ2dH_Atbppdai8c0gIGW2cfhxMdSkroea6meOdVBZYLoACUlwkvugbs3dV-zCpNGJy9sx_bvSeZTtEJeM_SN1NO-cbn0c0QNGrA6rva8ku_SMF3P6BvWvJD8G0YDKFB8b9/s400/IMG_5091b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And why, pray tell, does all this news about salmonella leave me craving peanut butter?<br /><div><div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-68197924339707339672009-01-19T22:23:00.001-06:002009-01-20T06:04:38.527-06:00That Which We Do Not SeeEven the most intelligent of our species fail, time and again, to appreciate the beauty of the world around them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVv_RZSqteom-D8n5sMXdaAbSv3SUl_2QqLZUZX0xf3jfRRw23eT04jacOWTxLi7EO6aBLi33TrZ2sCsUvsluQ12jKpU999Gj1fhhnOrOlAL-biajyUDH8kww9GuDqnXMmeakF/s1600-h/IMG_0191edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVv_RZSqteom-D8n5sMXdaAbSv3SUl_2QqLZUZX0xf3jfRRw23eT04jacOWTxLi7EO6aBLi33TrZ2sCsUvsluQ12jKpU999Gj1fhhnOrOlAL-biajyUDH8kww9GuDqnXMmeakF/s400/IMG_0191edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222621170259970" border="0" /></a><div> </div><br /><div>They rush from Point A to Point B with their faces in cell phones,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmRjwsYtjt7j5kTwWa0tVoKOCEFqCvBfDPdn5ZVjBzG2XhrGYVBuKrV8YjTx9lp0jDSspe9UlKglsgxiHAOVmSD5q1ZtB1RbHNB6rpSvKmUEp7Z3Ao63HeekkPLFICtWm-c7D/s1600-h/IMG_0190.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmRjwsYtjt7j5kTwWa0tVoKOCEFqCvBfDPdn5ZVjBzG2XhrGYVBuKrV8YjTx9lp0jDSspe9UlKglsgxiHAOVmSD5q1ZtB1RbHNB6rpSvKmUEp7Z3Ao63HeekkPLFICtWm-c7D/s400/IMG_0190.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222614549650274" border="0" /></a><br />and their heads so far removed from the best of their reality that they dream only of alternates: bigger homes; bigger paychecks; more beautiful spouses.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjyD_7DircndVlt0ABgS8zETe-ZDbTDwMCeIJqBVyZEiZ6smJ_olM015kijWPChJcKHx71IaN-WRXCnHDS9AYMFJCIcM3mctsoXouDTOh25LZudAAK1kWj3RWYO5wBd4Xh3gs/s1600-h/IMG_0177edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjyD_7DircndVlt0ABgS8zETe-ZDbTDwMCeIJqBVyZEiZ6smJ_olM015kijWPChJcKHx71IaN-WRXCnHDS9AYMFJCIcM3mctsoXouDTOh25LZudAAK1kWj3RWYO5wBd4Xh3gs/s400/IMG_0177edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222083411484674" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div> </div>But what of perfectly formed snowflakes, glistening on windshields? What of shadows and sunspots<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGTA8GZyi0b9cAKEldDeRVjRJfA6_Yc35BWAsV1iWLCIR8Bukhkoeh7jDuw6XIAvprUzzWo958h6-5-TkExA8_qDr2U5vi1u0kCF3EXIuqds9viJ3Jb3fF0fcGtEiD77gsT0m/s1600-h/IMG_0140.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGTA8GZyi0b9cAKEldDeRVjRJfA6_Yc35BWAsV1iWLCIR8Bukhkoeh7jDuw6XIAvprUzzWo958h6-5-TkExA8_qDr2U5vi1u0kCF3EXIuqds9viJ3Jb3fF0fcGtEiD77gsT0m/s400/IMG_0140.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220169732818994" border="0" /></a>-- simple smiles or autumnal leaves forever orange (frozen in ice)?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOiGGmpj4vgycW2Gy1P4WYfAWIOlGKaaAclykHCNybHVy4vdjqzaCdIRv-zqCnrluZugsvKj5Ac-98NZtRec-8DcvfbY7KdLPUw0c-EGdd55h1h37Boq-B4DscwE56ojVkTrh/s1600-h/IMG_0125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOiGGmpj4vgycW2Gy1P4WYfAWIOlGKaaAclykHCNybHVy4vdjqzaCdIRv-zqCnrluZugsvKj5Ac-98NZtRec-8DcvfbY7KdLPUw0c-EGdd55h1h37Boq-B4DscwE56ojVkTrh/s400/IMG_0125.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293224366971849970" border="0" /></a><div><br />It has taken me a long time to realize that not everyone sees the world as I do.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNhLDpEPHM8NCxJLvnNPWtc-TChqZ2YnXiif8D530l3Ztxs3YWD9L4G8U5a_4Kjl1FZ87I9QfAFkKpVWl-0KDo1VfOf-nbJxvrv8WWhtgwSqKxyPfE62ZP9qhrDyZvIVY7fx5/s1600-h/IMG_0168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNhLDpEPHM8NCxJLvnNPWtc-TChqZ2YnXiif8D530l3Ztxs3YWD9L4G8U5a_4Kjl1FZ87I9QfAFkKpVWl-0KDo1VfOf-nbJxvrv8WWhtgwSqKxyPfE62ZP9qhrDyZvIVY7fx5/s400/IMG_0168.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293221383603823762" border="0" /></a><br />Which isn't to say there's anything special about me; only that it's with good reason that words such as "weird" and "quirky" are so often used to describe me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zqws_pm2A-Zn8XMv4bzdbZQY8pu4S87f_96mt_P_IweLbMYoL364T1M9lJy78gnwiHxYKZJOywRcy_0ullQUsO8XADkCNBsvhS5bhX-UrQesoVXxyv8SDPwdBDCV8jh8cLZJ/s1600-h/IMG_0162edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zqws_pm2A-Zn8XMv4bzdbZQY8pu4S87f_96mt_P_IweLbMYoL364T1M9lJy78gnwiHxYKZJOywRcy_0ullQUsO8XADkCNBsvhS5bhX-UrQesoVXxyv8SDPwdBDCV8jh8cLZJ/s400/IMG_0162edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293221369537459490" border="0" /></a><br />But it is this same personality trait that compels me to seek out the like-minded,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2q_3YJije8wcURxRLX90avhjY2uI9vfWgaWIoOaoqMYWM-gUccNFdEvKfvFgIxua_fdqON1PEkc9X4TvKmXSpwqPl1Y_5tnH92B5f1J3siCMRlZYD-xFX5FhncFM0O8mbgdBB/s1600-h/IMG_0103edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2q_3YJije8wcURxRLX90avhjY2uI9vfWgaWIoOaoqMYWM-gUccNFdEvKfvFgIxua_fdqON1PEkc9X4TvKmXSpwqPl1Y_5tnH92B5f1J3siCMRlZYD-xFX5FhncFM0O8mbgdBB/s400/IMG_0103edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293224366050333682" border="0" /></a><br />ever hopeful that I will stop to take a picture and the person beside me will understand <span style="font-style: italic;">precisely </span>why I'm fascinated by complex equations,<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVGX9iE9PQyA_yaxe95tH6DbDZ6OecS9QS1dqFwdiVKlWYhjWCgTqlaEzmtqcpky8nhUgvXM9mzsX8_TJOzE1EFF5vsqJaUZVNEouA_4ImBkpBSUvbVYCsQnbi3SskJis7b7O/s1600-h/IMG_5066.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267965208761202466" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVGX9iE9PQyA_yaxe95tH6DbDZ6OecS9QS1dqFwdiVKlWYhjWCgTqlaEzmtqcpky8nhUgvXM9mzsX8_TJOzE1EFF5vsqJaUZVNEouA_4ImBkpBSUvbVYCsQnbi3SskJis7b7O/s400/IMG_5066.jpg" border="0" /></a>or a certain slant of light.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcbtlnSaOViFGy9X6Q4xZLyxrF1tK1qSxpp9-AeS77a76RfobyputoIqJ5bMxqiwvDxMjUIIrQk2WSmqkkEivP8mbdJCNzH-q0QbOclCFHA6KvEGv86lO5owBKJxR7cCsuAg-/s1600-h/IMG_5013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267964995130188354" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcbtlnSaOViFGy9X6Q4xZLyxrF1tK1qSxpp9-AeS77a76RfobyputoIqJ5bMxqiwvDxMjUIIrQk2WSmqkkEivP8mbdJCNzH-q0QbOclCFHA6KvEGv86lO5owBKJxR7cCsuAg-/s400/IMG_5013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Together we will slay dragons with our laughter, run circles around Lake Michigan, and wiggle our toes through the morning dew.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HgbbY9EYWl8G_XS6nPDsl_h3QUfE5bMwze2T962S9VFGxrlrBLNOUdiVEDhWFQdn-PeKrto_J5bGpElUvuWugX4x8lg5YCaccR8QZD5muaHb9a4ju1itS03XFoMSLs0GTvCg/s1600-h/IMG_0133.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HgbbY9EYWl8G_XS6nPDsl_h3QUfE5bMwze2T962S9VFGxrlrBLNOUdiVEDhWFQdn-PeKrto_J5bGpElUvuWugX4x8lg5YCaccR8QZD5muaHb9a4ju1itS03XFoMSLs0GTvCg/s400/IMG_0133.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220165014130450" border="0" /></a><br />But emotion, as with life, is a one-sided beast:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFVI7hcK3FDwFW8ylaRn1EWJFJC3F8_1PYQNF-kwVVnhJ158ZIxkUeYbO2AAs3QuGDZ1g3VLHn3LsM163gyEK1q5ira2fsRu4dDqHh4A7k3gPQvFLjUH6lLv39KX7B3tE5JpB/s1600-h/IMG_0143.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFVI7hcK3FDwFW8ylaRn1EWJFJC3F8_1PYQNF-kwVVnhJ158ZIxkUeYbO2AAs3QuGDZ1g3VLHn3LsM163gyEK1q5ira2fsRu4dDqHh4A7k3gPQvFLjUH6lLv39KX7B3tE5JpB/s400/IMG_0143.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220176258387170" border="0" /></a>a landslide that consumes the very thing it loves, leaving eternity-old lessons in its wake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJprRlbAhCa5Hfjuo1X-DxFxzHVc9tQdMDT_1YwMpup0tMTT-FwRWzSKJRvzCWBOwyrtNg5RhCLqrKZg5x9z9MxMxchSUNd4Vk-Z2ufOjHbPTCLVWG6ZbxtC-4czwYapRIqbJ_/s1600-h/IMG_0199.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJprRlbAhCa5Hfjuo1X-DxFxzHVc9tQdMDT_1YwMpup0tMTT-FwRWzSKJRvzCWBOwyrtNg5RhCLqrKZg5x9z9MxMxchSUNd4Vk-Z2ufOjHbPTCLVWG6ZbxtC-4czwYapRIqbJ_/s400/IMG_0199.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222620720973794" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>You can depend on no one in this world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep-c6sOHg5vmVrg8tqYwwDqcs27niSG6pK77-qaHZE7VpupCJgtLDkOYfRWySWf74D0y5B312xAwz2apdw0NeOq-OuMgzaHmRdZrgK2EcrBZKK2U8P4aTd0WZLwj3Wtn8aw2E/s1600-h/IMG_0185.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep-c6sOHg5vmVrg8tqYwwDqcs27niSG6pK77-qaHZE7VpupCJgtLDkOYfRWySWf74D0y5B312xAwz2apdw0NeOq-OuMgzaHmRdZrgK2EcrBZKK2U8P4aTd0WZLwj3Wtn8aw2E/s400/IMG_0185.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222090734135874" border="0" /></a>Which is to say:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBYZ2wuJYa9XSzY2WfsaKr1wPn0NFzIupDimAVMFOwp_aLIDgJckdi5fPjPuH3bhce95FzJ2yaSWf6nrvT65S3uKaNGR6BRYBSXflqwDfRAq8ks2XsjY4WVmboksPxD-YCutr/s1600-h/IMG_0180edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBYZ2wuJYa9XSzY2WfsaKr1wPn0NFzIupDimAVMFOwp_aLIDgJckdi5fPjPuH3bhce95FzJ2yaSWf6nrvT65S3uKaNGR6BRYBSXflqwDfRAq8ks2XsjY4WVmboksPxD-YCutr/s400/IMG_0180edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222088677069858" border="0" /></a>You are alone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivK6hag88RxHTTnCrR924vF23q6pOKxRgzT9IT455zlXmsY627ZqoNBNIMduBJm67fp2P7GlB9QKp7uksRVoZWtuACR78I4wWnWXgXl5ntkZyFrM3xsgxP9Dfc7oRezZ6gw89h/s1600-h/IMG_0179edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivK6hag88RxHTTnCrR924vF23q6pOKxRgzT9IT455zlXmsY627ZqoNBNIMduBJm67fp2P7GlB9QKp7uksRVoZWtuACR78I4wWnWXgXl5ntkZyFrM3xsgxP9Dfc7oRezZ6gw89h/s400/IMG_0179edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222084248624706" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div> </div>It is this very lesson that I find myself confronting again, even as I try -- perhaps now more than ever -- to disprove lifelong hypotheses.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4LnPuWOILHE2Z5xMJ0tl4mEw7Cy9MqvblanXh2Aaf0Vu6V2miy2i4qsE_6mE0QUvyHAWb4Suz1WZLhucs3YFrs0GHcD3gW3kKZqBhZFEJ6ByYuMmnXqbF4rWdVnZ9shOogaL/s1600-h/IMG_0169.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4LnPuWOILHE2Z5xMJ0tl4mEw7Cy9MqvblanXh2Aaf0Vu6V2miy2i4qsE_6mE0QUvyHAWb4Suz1WZLhucs3YFrs0GHcD3gW3kKZqBhZFEJ6ByYuMmnXqbF4rWdVnZ9shOogaL/s400/IMG_0169.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293221389508597874" border="0" /></a>But am I falling again?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrH3dwkXz4mC3e9ezJE1JQDNEPxukCOSGBVpxDLFG5t_VDI2MbSRMq2zu0au5yj_TijyEVMwLqZW5fgSrG8HFjhw9M84obqpCx2ZsSFPK8CrlrVWS53KTRqwkIb0dEDxf5pFy/s1600-h/IMG_0184+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrH3dwkXz4mC3e9ezJE1JQDNEPxukCOSGBVpxDLFG5t_VDI2MbSRMq2zu0au5yj_TijyEVMwLqZW5fgSrG8HFjhw9M84obqpCx2ZsSFPK8CrlrVWS53KTRqwkIb0dEDxf5pFy/s400/IMG_0184+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293222084777104338" border="0" /></a>Failing?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkuIPyG5SFprLUekF7uGVd_God6Tq3QBHNP9Aa6FoYSndBEywzvtNqK1gwgbGWM11YeGmxdOCQGM_wOFTRC8eLn-DGvDSqrJWz9Us79V1Az7_TnbqQ31xfL2SB7ojmxr4zIrW/s1600-h/IMG_0138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkuIPyG5SFprLUekF7uGVd_God6Tq3QBHNP9Aa6FoYSndBEywzvtNqK1gwgbGWM11YeGmxdOCQGM_wOFTRC8eLn-DGvDSqrJWz9Us79V1Az7_TnbqQ31xfL2SB7ojmxr4zIrW/s400/IMG_0138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220172186461442" border="0" /></a><br />Cornering myself into the circumference of infinity?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIB-rTH3qgl59DYIhgaPwkomhu90xYig_AkPF12TrmHDBjU4iMtxgUhRnS7yIs9Csi7tgg4SI93oWqh25gUnatnTb3v1TaWRWw9FYkWgh4gg3OSGRFYXt8gelVGsh9OejLJm8/s1600-h/IMG_0157.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIB-rTH3qgl59DYIhgaPwkomhu90xYig_AkPF12TrmHDBjU4iMtxgUhRnS7yIs9Csi7tgg4SI93oWqh25gUnatnTb3v1TaWRWw9FYkWgh4gg3OSGRFYXt8gelVGsh9OejLJm8/s400/IMG_0157.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220749564506978" border="0" /></a><br />There's no denying it, I think, staring out of my window and into stained glass: this life is a loop, doomed to repeat itself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0akccphmsEFngqt_bbf2r_4kpY6RDVYvOEar5n06yxkhzzqESdGsaLh7XW_LQI_g9zvDt40RpElAEYpQlIKv0GL-St3gJziCz6yfvsV5VNREK8vYp15Y4f_57-ehyphenhyphenIPZM-zW/s1600-h/IMG_0141.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0akccphmsEFngqt_bbf2r_4kpY6RDVYvOEar5n06yxkhzzqESdGsaLh7XW_LQI_g9zvDt40RpElAEYpQlIKv0GL-St3gJziCz6yfvsV5VNREK8vYp15Y4f_57-ehyphenhyphenIPZM-zW/s400/IMG_0141.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220177138331954" border="0" /></a><div> </div>And so I do, the record and the needle bouncing inconsolably between the bitter and the sweet;<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijodoN3CbAAnbt3uvi05xwkhc71zgR2vadWOyoXroZ4V2WKbLegu1ra-MhwXhUybNXWMiKW7P2olrFRIW40QK2nf49rfnfoafap9eCzO1JhaYDsST8Edl5cGXK8FhAhv1XUuan/s1600-h/IMG_0173edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijodoN3CbAAnbt3uvi05xwkhc71zgR2vadWOyoXroZ4V2WKbLegu1ra-MhwXhUybNXWMiKW7P2olrFRIW40QK2nf49rfnfoafap9eCzO1JhaYDsST8Edl5cGXK8FhAhv1XUuan/s400/IMG_0173edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293221397153228642" border="0" /></a>the beautiful laughter and the desolate sigh.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgiXUHpwsQAScPna6qairpwvnz3oKr6uuLXGA83_XoLTxWUkp-3gDu3me2LWdQ58dglB3W5UDAc2XQNrxSuYyN80Axc4fQ4_SW62ZZyxhkUMljE7If4OypLXhAF07hSlKXUcV/s1600-h/IMG_0174edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgiXUHpwsQAScPna6qairpwvnz3oKr6uuLXGA83_XoLTxWUkp-3gDu3me2LWdQ58dglB3W5UDAc2XQNrxSuYyN80Axc4fQ4_SW62ZZyxhkUMljE7If4OypLXhAF07hSlKXUcV/s400/IMG_0174edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293221396573928210" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div>Which is to say, there's only one lesson to be had here, and you already know it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwOAKLOuk_TwNL_JypkXaFPxOwQ8kIX3fJyTIa1dFZr6Nw6d1T8jjnkmBrn4hcPirqk4gRZg0DTUlksVsdd0aoW35WsJslSTMMf1gM48H2AVaV_D_u1gPoHY4U0hXd2YPeFSP/s1600-h/IMG_0118edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwOAKLOuk_TwNL_JypkXaFPxOwQ8kIX3fJyTIa1dFZr6Nw6d1T8jjnkmBrn4hcPirqk4gRZg0DTUlksVsdd0aoW35WsJslSTMMf1gM48H2AVaV_D_u1gPoHY4U0hXd2YPeFSP/s400/IMG_0118edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293224362467344914" border="0" /></a><br />The people you love will not recognize you even as you stand before them:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLO9OoTsJ_aeUfvE0Mk-Mj7mMHeNtc323-antVk-HPO3838HRHW38ilo4jwzBtWfhkSlHVE80dFM328vblG_yhYscKGPTIxIOeCFpqiojzouEys5RMx7hGSyVd8MdpG_RYLK1t/s1600-h/IMG_0147edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLO9OoTsJ_aeUfvE0Mk-Mj7mMHeNtc323-antVk-HPO3838HRHW38ilo4jwzBtWfhkSlHVE80dFM328vblG_yhYscKGPTIxIOeCFpqiojzouEys5RMx7hGSyVd8MdpG_RYLK1t/s400/IMG_0147edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220741589219586" border="0" /></a><div> </div><br /><div>And yet they will remember you, beautifully and painfully,<br /></div><br /><div> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP3BcIsX4qhgKMz4OOPKPrOy5mHL7xH6K-4tJEIA5I8C2LH7qfsnD545nXQ_DcfPi4M0VrixmR2DQj7jzShcvnVHDJT2oAbhnjK5ULHYZfo2E9LzySWeqUyjKwyFgwfGiNbI5/s1600-h/IMG_0151edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP3BcIsX4qhgKMz4OOPKPrOy5mHL7xH6K-4tJEIA5I8C2LH7qfsnD545nXQ_DcfPi4M0VrixmR2DQj7jzShcvnVHDJT2oAbhnjK5ULHYZfo2E9LzySWeqUyjKwyFgwfGiNbI5/s400/IMG_0151edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293220747829665506" border="0" /></a><br />when you are gone.<br /><div> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-12271570118431030082008-11-15T15:46:00.005-06:002008-11-15T17:29:36.705-06:00The Occasional StutterMy inability to create art is, perhaps, one of the greatest disappointments of my life.<br /><br />Whether it involved drawing, or painting, my talents never evolved beyond 5th grade art class. I was stuck in a land of stick figures, which I continued to doodle in the margins of my poetry books.<br /><br />This has gone on for years, with my drawings being a source of bemused embarrassment; something I never shared, though I seldom had reservations about posting my words under the comfort of anonymity.<br /><br />But then I discovered very respectable web comics like <a href="http://www.toothpastefordinner.com">Toothpaste for Dinner</a> and <a href="http://www.explodingdog.com">Exploding Dog</a>, which helped me come to terms with the terrible artist within:<br /><br />I don't understand perspective or shadows, and I couldn't draw a human face to save my life... but I do understand a bit about the world, and some days I just can't put it all to words. I'm a very visual person, believe it or not (hence my obsession with photography).<br /><br />So for a few years now, I've actually been keeping track of my drawings. And this Friday, something strange happened: I filled up the last page in my book.<br /><br />I've also been sharing a few comics with co-workers, two of which have encouraged me to give my strip a name and put it online.<br /><br />And so I did. I've scanned everything in that I've done thus far, which means there's ample material for a comic-a-day for quite some time... particularly when you consider I hope to continue the series.<br /><br />So here's what I'm going to do: on days when I have a new comic to post, I'll do that. But if the muses fail to inspire, I'll have something old already triggered up and ready to go.<br /><br />Next time you come to YAWP and you're disappointed to see I've (once again) failed to post, try <a href="http://occasionalstutter.blogspot.com/">The Occasional Stutter</a>.<br /><br />You'll be disappointed in a whole new way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-21421045835825259782008-11-13T21:01:00.001-06:002016-08-23T21:49:18.973-05:00Too Silly for SadI'll let these images speak for themselves. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Sj-pI-Yx4DJuHwUrUpDR17Y0DeeUE4vl17Z9NDEtd8ZMxpe60YxJBLNT5zGHvsqW-34um4_66-XA6aTZ5cFxSm3frc7mnTE1R_y3-6IwCMx-C2eSScSZnYOY8rLYjsR3p9FK/s1600-h/IMG_4910.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265413705266801362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Sj-pI-Yx4DJuHwUrUpDR17Y0DeeUE4vl17Z9NDEtd8ZMxpe60YxJBLNT5zGHvsqW-34um4_66-XA6aTZ5cFxSm3frc7mnTE1R_y3-6IwCMx-C2eSScSZnYOY8rLYjsR3p9FK/s400/IMG_4910.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NJANaijKkm9naulOxD3KWnFB4GoFvsKa5W8bHZw1yCfGtky6Dj7PHwQlwLMpLw74SfglwCsZApNayVshNgnY-2-SYZ7h2QlS10EB721MBJJjuVIJZ78e1dJcrZxM3cH-J0A4/s1600-h/IMG_4906.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265413704290978610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NJANaijKkm9naulOxD3KWnFB4GoFvsKa5W8bHZw1yCfGtky6Dj7PHwQlwLMpLw74SfglwCsZApNayVshNgnY-2-SYZ7h2QlS10EB721MBJJjuVIJZ78e1dJcrZxM3cH-J0A4/s400/IMG_4906.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9Fa_Io1cJ4T6g9dtiPUMzEd_LQXWekB5yTu4sjkPK21bybsoNjm6brF4NNy3dwED0S5w9DpQnWhao4waZtH1tKcLv69D1vDBMDGIXMuh1vSaKftBrsj9V86Z5Psj3IczXOzl/s1600-h/IMG_4658edit.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265413698809669426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9Fa_Io1cJ4T6g9dtiPUMzEd_LQXWekB5yTu4sjkPK21bybsoNjm6brF4NNy3dwED0S5w9DpQnWhao4waZtH1tKcLv69D1vDBMDGIXMuh1vSaKftBrsj9V86Z5Psj3IczXOzl/s400/IMG_4658edit.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-4650944947991295742008-11-06T19:11:00.003-06:002008-11-06T20:39:50.778-06:00Being ThereThis, I imagine, is how it begins.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSQQ_-GebL6fNwhZIbOw2h0ecN3xdeBphbMiAqT5NRZS2KfxFJGhCBLMEQGUUYa3gRhsU6pNp9o0VWiNdtt7xw3MSjt2BilOJNvGWgJgesHkyZy8VJE2j1bMUJcAaajTpYvuj/s1600-h/IMG_4669.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265409397998504322" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSQQ_-GebL6fNwhZIbOw2h0ecN3xdeBphbMiAqT5NRZS2KfxFJGhCBLMEQGUUYa3gRhsU6pNp9o0VWiNdtt7xw3MSjt2BilOJNvGWgJgesHkyZy8VJE2j1bMUJcAaajTpYvuj/s400/IMG_4669.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />An entire day spent in silence, readjusting a junk sofa; laying down new rugs and wiping vomit from the old ones.<br /><br />This is what you never wanted; what so many of you fear.<br /><br />It is alone.<br /><br />Not the adjective and not the adverb, but rather the thing itself. It is, for lack of a better description, the genesis of a solitary noun.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu0XQUDm2-g9P9etsG3eaXYpauI8dle0terJKY2cf0kVG3NgZOdH2387cezviG-G_VAQafWmVbJHFXBYsr8DroTCejwhvfdtDOILA45lTd4yEnCd4cK-3NW8z2z3EE8H40_a9/s1600-h/IMG_4731.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265410613458801714" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu0XQUDm2-g9P9etsG3eaXYpauI8dle0terJKY2cf0kVG3NgZOdH2387cezviG-G_VAQafWmVbJHFXBYsr8DroTCejwhvfdtDOILA45lTd4yEnCd4cK-3NW8z2z3EE8H40_a9/s400/IMG_4731.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It is… orange leaves outside of a window.<br /><br />Sirens wailing towards Devon.<br /><br />The gurgle of a seldom used fountain; the collapse of a soap dish unable to carry its burden alongside the tiled bathroom wall.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXKvfBbdLo5p_pEjhU0gUqsFtdeduTH9bQtYYoIrBBdLrGj6wx3o19P33u0u_IB9ZgsSgX0vLeHkpf3ngn7UYi3l9pLE9xuxMLHjB6OmWC-SnYyYuKjpJZXLE7lWPHIbuG7YT/s1600-h/IMG_4854.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265412474250526994" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXKvfBbdLo5p_pEjhU0gUqsFtdeduTH9bQtYYoIrBBdLrGj6wx3o19P33u0u_IB9ZgsSgX0vLeHkpf3ngn7UYi3l9pLE9xuxMLHjB6OmWC-SnYyYuKjpJZXLE7lWPHIbuG7YT/s400/IMG_4854.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It is the sight and the sound and smell of autumn; everything falling and crunching and wailing to its own chord.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtx97VD_DsaJhwpa3xt7UR-90WvQ9_c6T-zgNsSJXGZ71SYUQ1NON51aSsy14Rhvykhz1BRoMR4S1fHfMFkojWTQHrJ3IRfMg4DdkGBBZgf5pzkmngygtBeUTqaeFtzjBScLK/s1600-h/IMG_4809.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtx97VD_DsaJhwpa3xt7UR-90WvQ9_c6T-zgNsSJXGZ71SYUQ1NON51aSsy14Rhvykhz1BRoMR4S1fHfMFkojWTQHrJ3IRfMg4DdkGBBZgf5pzkmngygtBeUTqaeFtzjBScLK/s400/IMG_4809.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265710047098453522" border="0" /></a><br />It is beautiful and sad. It is solitude with little more than a waning desire to be otherwise.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72LKgsYfaxluJQLBHjWtovClU1lUUCTqNlGYlcq1Aj5gCgLuH3jsKDJAWQG7TyDrjEZ7Wx-tne6z1-AkT19IAfi9jBSGJ4-PpDus4-cyVnxx6mq6cIkZmrxWWisw0ijDE1a6K/s1600-h/IMG_4776bedit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265411822995831618" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 328px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72LKgsYfaxluJQLBHjWtovClU1lUUCTqNlGYlcq1Aj5gCgLuH3jsKDJAWQG7TyDrjEZ7Wx-tne6z1-AkT19IAfi9jBSGJ4-PpDus4-cyVnxx6mq6cIkZmrxWWisw0ijDE1a6K/s400/IMG_4776bedit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It is giving up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqOKNmqscrqN3fvqUw9fS35sp4-DMw3IvsRWiG8pT8zlGMhibxupWu9xmDyqymNTSFB57wiIcEH8ly2qxNg4yxwqonn4BBOAGETgCuPpVhIgNQip0BEYAk__-MfTZYt2yjWJA/s1600-h/IMG_4735.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqOKNmqscrqN3fvqUw9fS35sp4-DMw3IvsRWiG8pT8zlGMhibxupWu9xmDyqymNTSFB57wiIcEH8ly2qxNg4yxwqonn4BBOAGETgCuPpVhIgNQip0BEYAk__-MfTZYt2yjWJA/s400/IMG_4735.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265714639682320898" border="0" /></a><br />It is the nauseating understanding of difference; the realization that, hermit or not, there is a profound difference between having the choice of company (youth) and none at all (present).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2y9LScKtrB8YTNpStXBJfSpPepB__wPVOeGINvCCPzYd-ygJTtMBGSsOtEhEWbcnS9XSABcvuVqEs25He6Q8JFShTpb4QDxzlYD3yu0J_SBbstARgx5bp3nkZ-oOCb_ThMoiO/s1600-h/IMG_4699edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265409401741044770" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2y9LScKtrB8YTNpStXBJfSpPepB__wPVOeGINvCCPzYd-ygJTtMBGSsOtEhEWbcnS9XSABcvuVqEs25He6Q8JFShTpb4QDxzlYD3yu0J_SBbstARgx5bp3nkZ-oOCb_ThMoiO/s400/IMG_4699edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And it pushes on your chest, dripping your lifeline into the pit of your stomach, pounding to the beat of old memories and moments. Laughs and pranks and walks and sundry other moments where you were not — by any superficial definition of the word — alone.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05fKo13lwgeyIbIb0N9BUEU0eOyQiL06LnN_y9U-J7n4Ynmk6BCW02rPNXetueiuD6Ojtb2R_PqmNlV2Xr8eLjNIP9mUjECiG42Izw3WYNF-S98wgCYeCyA5WLNpyCQtBkROP/s1600-h/IMG_4766edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265411276979945458" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05fKo13lwgeyIbIb0N9BUEU0eOyQiL06LnN_y9U-J7n4Ynmk6BCW02rPNXetueiuD6Ojtb2R_PqmNlV2Xr8eLjNIP9mUjECiG42Izw3WYNF-S98wgCYeCyA5WLNpyCQtBkROP/s400/IMG_4766edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />But time is a lion, leaving in its wake a path of beautiful destruction.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BbctM_no_tM2hpln3p_2kE5di81vSChBAmUl8MqtSSi1-HhzA3oHJEOG63wF-Zp33RKnbZ7bj_Xca13uAYS94FcocOHowOCzKES1mLMgE1yBpJclVa5_jA2YFI_-zVReoXTb/s1600-h/IMG_4728edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265410612711603490" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BbctM_no_tM2hpln3p_2kE5di81vSChBAmUl8MqtSSi1-HhzA3oHJEOG63wF-Zp33RKnbZ7bj_Xca13uAYS94FcocOHowOCzKES1mLMgE1yBpJclVa5_jA2YFI_-zVReoXTb/s400/IMG_4728edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />People grow. They marry. They have children. The children grow.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I8bSrQkOz55LsW7u8hsl4srmn5s0SFghNrSd1O8ercHxdJh8qqEgHfklvJMeM7qOIwm3HSu0VFuDu_KIN0xN22UUYpE0v00U8HPqx3hJPw_baRiuoykljinzxlrmO4ge29iO/s1600-h/IMG_4722edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265410059151574178" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I8bSrQkOz55LsW7u8hsl4srmn5s0SFghNrSd1O8ercHxdJh8qqEgHfklvJMeM7qOIwm3HSu0VFuDu_KIN0xN22UUYpE0v00U8HPqx3hJPw_baRiuoykljinzxlrmO4ge29iO/s400/IMG_4722edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Everyone older and older, their faces dropping from the only circle you’ve known. And so it goes: you are alone, in the middle of everything.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7HKxaPo2_cmC-ML5p6BGvhC_BFAtnq-OzkbGsrL1FvH-dI0HL2rmq7AcsE3Yw0BFnmRgYZXTc_JCyZFBh6OQn8Xu_sJgNlHHmwwX4bdS9zvuDGq78IgacR1lJnoSWj1Jb_xs/s1600-h/IMG_4708.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265410046181430578" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7HKxaPo2_cmC-ML5p6BGvhC_BFAtnq-OzkbGsrL1FvH-dI0HL2rmq7AcsE3Yw0BFnmRgYZXTc_JCyZFBh6OQn8Xu_sJgNlHHmwwX4bdS9zvuDGq78IgacR1lJnoSWj1Jb_xs/s400/IMG_4708.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />God forbid you should ever wake up to realize what I have: that there’s seldom a need for a telephone. No need for stationery and blank CDs. No need for vocal chords or complete dinette sets.<br /><br />You will stay where you are while the world spins on; stopping and demanding you dance at their convenience. And yet: otherwise forgetting your face; your name; your voice.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ld4b-gWSEsj-Yxm-Jwmms6XZJQHisSBPLhmmYfRsun1xPPXKaMVhD8B0ZjtGYjRI2lq-2E4JoCbIdpTzn_DZ-TZp9KwAKZrJJINZ3q158cj0hMjP9_7St5T04xwCp37zQLH3/s1600-h/IMG_4887.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265413086438261282" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; height: 302px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ld4b-gWSEsj-Yxm-Jwmms6XZJQHisSBPLhmmYfRsun1xPPXKaMVhD8B0ZjtGYjRI2lq-2E4JoCbIdpTzn_DZ-TZp9KwAKZrJJINZ3q158cj0hMjP9_7St5T04xwCp37zQLH3/s400/IMG_4887.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And that, perhaps, is your problem. Your Achilles heel, as it were.<br /><br />You are always there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnHdox5tJpSFXPsLcI4H2rYk2KbGoDl2hY8M3miexvlqMj4G24W7jVkU899JRYqAoAHee2pyxUQMAtVhasKsDoOmtHfInTteWIrfSBYuSG-nfSF6wUK7UjsVlaWdCHT6Qphbn/s1600-h/IMG_4883.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnHdox5tJpSFXPsLcI4H2rYk2KbGoDl2hY8M3miexvlqMj4G24W7jVkU899JRYqAoAHee2pyxUQMAtVhasKsDoOmtHfInTteWIrfSBYuSG-nfSF6wUK7UjsVlaWdCHT6Qphbn/s400/IMG_4883.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265710056969127522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Waiting and helping. Helping and waiting. Like a piece of furniture that brings comfort after a long day, with scarce occasion for reciprocity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTaY6aV0qdNEmcyPPei_pCWKrpO4TUGt3lc6O7uM62u63SUt-OBhZYcf3KmaeMR9di9Db6yEj3sv1US2lA775FrN65YxbYKQejnZCZq79G3nFHQRBHkpr_45Iblh5NgZyvGCg/s1600-h/IMG_4886edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTaY6aV0qdNEmcyPPei_pCWKrpO4TUGt3lc6O7uM62u63SUt-OBhZYcf3KmaeMR9di9Db6yEj3sv1US2lA775FrN65YxbYKQejnZCZq79G3nFHQRBHkpr_45Iblh5NgZyvGCg/s400/IMG_4886edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265713351367929442" border="0" /></a><br />But when the world does indeed comes crashing down — as it most assuredly will — and your ears ache with the sort of silence that only tinnitus knows.<br /><br />No one — no one — will be there to hear you scream. No one will rub your feet or bring breakfast in bed. No one will answer their phone or call for random hello’s.<br /><br />And this, I imagine, is the replicating middle. The climax to a story with no denouement except for the endless repetition of the silence; the solitude; and the fury.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ArAS775eB0zej3ntOzP0wBZcUKFMtj__ExpAU0GPwZq1jT2yurvCTyJ7fFhk46L84JghbbExld3Ycs_mJjNWNLn34hH8iVI-Lo_MwuV2YwAWA6rf7HW67KKkopyNsULJnjRI/s1600-h/IMG_4816.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ArAS775eB0zej3ntOzP0wBZcUKFMtj__ExpAU0GPwZq1jT2yurvCTyJ7fFhk46L84JghbbExld3Ycs_mJjNWNLn34hH8iVI-Lo_MwuV2YwAWA6rf7HW67KKkopyNsULJnjRI/s400/IMG_4816.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265716842655905986" border="0" /></a>But the question remains:<br /><br />How does it end? How do you break out of the cycle and rebirth yourself into the happy happy joy joy of the faces around you?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzH8psBitWUbX1P0q-c6a6aaI0-Yg5XPwBYORQBI2uw7hctIEmQoBi7P7_-eu7bLWij61YXUCTCzxXaUsaXoXjCoY-v_HvFi9Qy48Si33gUATar4MDahyXMMQzrp0g_ZzLpz8x/s1600-h/IMG_4907edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzH8psBitWUbX1P0q-c6a6aaI0-Yg5XPwBYORQBI2uw7hctIEmQoBi7P7_-eu7bLWij61YXUCTCzxXaUsaXoXjCoY-v_HvFi9Qy48Si33gUATar4MDahyXMMQzrp0g_ZzLpz8x/s400/IMG_4907edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265710059611664690" border="0" /></a><br />It is the hardest feat of them all. An action so Herculean in effort that you can scarcely imagine the thought.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyKhnF14q1TL7xRVTalDeVJs_exU7WmAbv2eIhruNKsXuKhCCVHV890KChyphenhyphenYoGbisXjNEqmv_QfGP9pPfE1WPPyceQC5fC99c8bc3haMmzZEcNeM21CdJwUgXITeelPzB5RRJ/s1600-h/IMG_4770.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265411274745824546" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyKhnF14q1TL7xRVTalDeVJs_exU7WmAbv2eIhruNKsXuKhCCVHV890KChyphenhyphenYoGbisXjNEqmv_QfGP9pPfE1WPPyceQC5fC99c8bc3haMmzZEcNeM21CdJwUgXITeelPzB5RRJ/s400/IMG_4770.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />You will have to turn to someone you love and say, anguish dripping from your cheeks, that, no<br /><br />I cannot be there for you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMY8R0E4xuIHqDQXEVcnXJNmudovLHavMhzMwjKxqNwrxm6-Db65muVZqWNMa4hpfn15uLpBazCWBI1kmcaoEial4zrrlXO3SwDFyFQyiyRBUgQPXsJyJclUJvrksHuUozDsgY/s1600-h/IMG_4929cut.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMY8R0E4xuIHqDQXEVcnXJNmudovLHavMhzMwjKxqNwrxm6-Db65muVZqWNMa4hpfn15uLpBazCWBI1kmcaoEial4zrrlXO3SwDFyFQyiyRBUgQPXsJyJclUJvrksHuUozDsgY/s400/IMG_4929cut.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265710060262912066" border="0" /></a>Not ever again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKbOOzzYvZe4fESjOlAzwTcuD7awcNuV8qATI2k-G24bTN1NcBDdg_jX4C0ioxWiPd2pc_aetIR_fb4Q8E8awgV53La2hyYIV8kBGeLRoodyo4OqrgzgnaZf6OLo6jpM13Kkn/s1600-h/IMG_4870.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKbOOzzYvZe4fESjOlAzwTcuD7awcNuV8qATI2k-G24bTN1NcBDdg_jX4C0ioxWiPd2pc_aetIR_fb4Q8E8awgV53La2hyYIV8kBGeLRoodyo4OqrgzgnaZf6OLo6jpM13Kkn/s400/IMG_4870.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265710051064342146" border="0" /></a><br />And until you accomplish this one, great disaster of your life, there is only this:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVBTel6-UWaphSdwOa0GWudUsQ6xjhfWQkytExgyR_5cQPLkNG8kz9GrM65CjTQoDGjGerjsvljneJmRx3T3XS_B8Sv8VINGfzyjazIfBZLo2bh45QDHp29Oc4-2Cy4VI46KS/s1600-h/IMG_4741.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265410617121641218" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVBTel6-UWaphSdwOa0GWudUsQ6xjhfWQkytExgyR_5cQPLkNG8kz9GrM65CjTQoDGjGerjsvljneJmRx3T3XS_B8Sv8VINGfzyjazIfBZLo2bh45QDHp29Oc4-2Cy4VI46KS/s400/IMG_4741.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />the beginning, the middle and the end – consistent only in their unraveling.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-38339699106308873482008-11-03T17:37:00.001-06:002008-11-03T23:39:00.173-06:00To SayListen.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hZ_JCB0hUNIvG6tot3aEZoJJPHvqPg5-xl_KUI_zYJlCt_G51IkRaHWhEhUdaohPgkrd5jTs-x6_0PSJaD07c4uGL_XPpX8qT54utTPxECUcn0ksYxTffYhg7y1mQdR_cmH9/s1600-h/IMG_4602.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585426154494594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hZ_JCB0hUNIvG6tot3aEZoJJPHvqPg5-xl_KUI_zYJlCt_G51IkRaHWhEhUdaohPgkrd5jTs-x6_0PSJaD07c4uGL_XPpX8qT54utTPxECUcn0ksYxTffYhg7y1mQdR_cmH9/s400/IMG_4602.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I have nothing to say.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCTWsWCJ7_0OXuwf2e99yeODqAZmP7ziS_LZ4oe6hb1kUrHYiWKkiEXazH-jpOPQ9LWueGRLjkcWIpZ2_eNSKDENUchhi4qNMiAh4epBynwijmyqxyAhpuF99WFImAFPBzJvj/s1600-h/IMG_4561edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585426374082562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCTWsWCJ7_0OXuwf2e99yeODqAZmP7ziS_LZ4oe6hb1kUrHYiWKkiEXazH-jpOPQ9LWueGRLjkcWIpZ2_eNSKDENUchhi4qNMiAh4epBynwijmyqxyAhpuF99WFImAFPBzJvj/s400/IMG_4561edit.jpg" border="0" /></a> Just these photos, now old, taken of a new experience some months back.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4oM65XkbkXcMmoOrnOwfY95c9Qm5a1OVtjpea2ws9KSIJmGybmqJhyphenhyphenBpiddPgrTIznHZXWM5Ky343-PV891ZWuwCrtvlfumLMXFdLBqQFry8RVvDPghpY6I8BEeKqt4gyNZa/s1600-h/IMG_4565edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585429932882418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4oM65XkbkXcMmoOrnOwfY95c9Qm5a1OVtjpea2ws9KSIJmGybmqJhyphenhyphenBpiddPgrTIznHZXWM5Ky343-PV891ZWuwCrtvlfumLMXFdLBqQFry8RVvDPghpY6I8BEeKqt4gyNZa/s400/IMG_4565edit.jpg" border="0" /></a> There's nothing profound, really: just a memory; a laugh; an experience. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bHYlZyl4HnDdPnLjl8Fr_jnOtUfLLC8MHIX6WHqGNTfDeQeq247Wr7ZRkrzvweqa_RUtkf2O2Tps1vDkiJ_VHcv2UwrQt09qzWYvFIkVP53osYAA16gnuQ-O4CAd9lDLd_na/s1600-h/IMG_4585+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585428406455170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bHYlZyl4HnDdPnLjl8Fr_jnOtUfLLC8MHIX6WHqGNTfDeQeq247Wr7ZRkrzvweqa_RUtkf2O2Tps1vDkiJ_VHcv2UwrQt09qzWYvFIkVP53osYAA16gnuQ-O4CAd9lDLd_na/s400/IMG_4585+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I have been here and there when you have not. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSTC117lISArQ4M7ovKMUKJWEImgjA3ZT8VsU7AQY47Jjtne0JcjteTs6HeF-FlRA38eTGEMN2Kb-pXsONgtSTj3HiSNdm_yBfiCrRt7xH6DwaKpJq2Ya1gAWxujzl1zSkeBUXg/s1600-h/IMG_4547edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585016925095266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSTC117lISArQ4M7ovKMUKJWEImgjA3ZT8VsU7AQY47Jjtne0JcjteTs6HeF-FlRA38eTGEMN2Kb-pXsONgtSTj3HiSNdm_yBfiCrRt7xH6DwaKpJq2Ya1gAWxujzl1zSkeBUXg/s400/IMG_4547edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Living...<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-Ai6I44xe-cr1c31_4ueglb-6GyJNIeWxA4orTzwpWDurDUUGTQcvawxOsaRPXA9xe0Tj8v3Aia7RZ_VwOoPvtZ3KMOAqZn2nAjKPRcuLIanuzdDrwKSkggjtfMFIwdHDQ/s1600-h/IMG_4550edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585021246572050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-Ai6I44xe-cr1c31_4ueglb-6GyJNIeWxA4orTzwpWDurDUUGTQcvawxOsaRPXA9xe0Tj8v3Aia7RZ_VwOoPvtZ3KMOAqZn2nAjKPRcuLIanuzdDrwKSkggjtfMFIwdHDQ/s400/IMG_4550edit.jpg" border="0" /></a> Waiting...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oEPnTX6TWOEnXULxXcIC39JZtKGlTDd1lXcb5NBMSaN62T-Xl6R2unpyGh1ZGxZmJiM-NpR_e3GxM2bAJgn-5VDY5m8zFc7VX18s7wLQ5okgPkzIh6m5Sedk87O7xORNHBBySg/s1600-h/IMG_4551.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585025373352818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oEPnTX6TWOEnXULxXcIC39JZtKGlTDd1lXcb5NBMSaN62T-Xl6R2unpyGh1ZGxZmJiM-NpR_e3GxM2bAJgn-5VDY5m8zFc7VX18s7wLQ5okgPkzIh6m5Sedk87O7xORNHBBySg/s400/IMG_4551.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p>Walking, so often, where we have walked.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEd360yDzAY3eJYzwDYnSS4zxzZnDdoZ9ho8GK0IjqYRNcqO_A0obSGEXrDIuXd7ibm_Qx7CPvGJJbbu-rOzhygHLLHXSwaA_Qz0fePWTL4QiIQZBpZ2jifqNeDHlVfTx-n1O/s1600-h/IMG_4558edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585028644072434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEd360yDzAY3eJYzwDYnSS4zxzZnDdoZ9ho8GK0IjqYRNcqO_A0obSGEXrDIuXd7ibm_Qx7CPvGJJbbu-rOzhygHLLHXSwaA_Qz0fePWTL4QiIQZBpZ2jifqNeDHlVfTx-n1O/s400/IMG_4558edit.jpg" border="0" /></a> But: listen.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalLvZO1J6vE4fXmy7OzsNoWpK_fchJmEQGgnG-J_WNL5bM4LPkbiOYX92kSixMu1p_NoHm6zjayQVfl6b7rmyb-q2oo-w05DD06quJeSRWehMuDWovefTyiz_0pcVmU_L27ca/s1600-h/IMG_4577.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257585038998377378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalLvZO1J6vE4fXmy7OzsNoWpK_fchJmEQGgnG-J_WNL5bM4LPkbiOYX92kSixMu1p_NoHm6zjayQVfl6b7rmyb-q2oo-w05DD06quJeSRWehMuDWovefTyiz_0pcVmU_L27ca/s400/IMG_4577.jpg" border="0" /></a> I have nothing to say.<br /><br /><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-85638214777294385212008-10-16T22:28:00.000-05:002008-10-16T22:28:00.538-05:00Kant Attack Ad<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7M-cmNdiFuI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7M-cmNdiFuI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-1226361335050860802008-10-14T23:01:00.001-05:002008-10-14T23:07:36.374-05:00The Carpe Diem ChroniclesSomething happens though no one wants it to. It sneaks up when you’re in the middle of your afternoon coffee or mid-step on a 12-mile hike. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEOj6AZfH9HcLJ356WKg8quTKMu_nbV9rviuptw7tGa2mNJaA_wspLAZUPhJxegaLSnsTZaQW5dxLVX_890gcqAfSW6N-Mxp_anFZzGMAtBFOiz3YgPOq93B-K9ENsZpIk3dK/s1600-h/IMG_4529edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568791847835826" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEOj6AZfH9HcLJ356WKg8quTKMu_nbV9rviuptw7tGa2mNJaA_wspLAZUPhJxegaLSnsTZaQW5dxLVX_890gcqAfSW6N-Mxp_anFZzGMAtBFOiz3YgPOq93B-K9ENsZpIk3dK/s400/IMG_4529edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You are dying, dying, dying.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsdZ6C8mJaSuABhkeUHrmiNEQVoCYHjwjuSEOQ5Sp9yvZw89lmwEHZdv-TGB_a0U4KEY3cmQecGnagARM5aKZmmVcyEtUbAPdE-eUreFSpaRbeYH2bTJXGmPx_M7zfZndcqOa/s1600-h/IMG_4522edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568788652743810" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsdZ6C8mJaSuABhkeUHrmiNEQVoCYHjwjuSEOQ5Sp9yvZw89lmwEHZdv-TGB_a0U4KEY3cmQecGnagARM5aKZmmVcyEtUbAPdE-eUreFSpaRbeYH2bTJXGmPx_M7zfZndcqOa/s400/IMG_4522edit.jpg" border="0" /></a>And with you: all of those dreams and what-might-have beens. But where did it all go? The almost-reality of summer internships in Paris; the train that kept you from a moment of bliss?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlKEwbHyA5rN-sztDkvT7tUKezXjN5_apduBBJzUrBbEaQHa1ZGotrHXzcNAv0iFeUo2h5KoP6kO7Uznzt15Bjt7y7bBzZsblPAxTnwpgishD77i3jsoVcB6IgBfmuzrXnL48/s1600-h/IMG_4414edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567373825156690" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlKEwbHyA5rN-sztDkvT7tUKezXjN5_apduBBJzUrBbEaQHa1ZGotrHXzcNAv0iFeUo2h5KoP6kO7Uznzt15Bjt7y7bBzZsblPAxTnwpgishD77i3jsoVcB6IgBfmuzrXnL48/s400/IMG_4414edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">And what of those long walks in the rain – where have they gone? Or your spark, for that matter, which once upon a time could ignite the world.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_KT6hAUc60y19wLjhI9yh1zdCKByYFvLlf5F0VXbJYCFRe_stohRMKXFabCh2e5MDArjRVllrj1R8bu_ubLHGvACwFhKKj8bEyiI_XNVrH7hCEiz538YCBQJJiV5QtzFCy9A/s1600-h/IMG_4533edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568793385678050" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_KT6hAUc60y19wLjhI9yh1zdCKByYFvLlf5F0VXbJYCFRe_stohRMKXFabCh2e5MDArjRVllrj1R8bu_ubLHGvACwFhKKj8bEyiI_XNVrH7hCEiz538YCBQJJiV5QtzFCy9A/s400/IMG_4533edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What did they say you would be, when you were young? What did <b style=""><i style="">you </i></b>say?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOHCvlYCzdsyC340Fn-OA5VtyIXEeWUKLze69tX9tgyoNZ-c1TfaVs5MOV1ctNBD64Di7ajzts-ZMC9haByUU7sZqVYVw8VOBwOXmUUPdkI1VJ6cXb5X06PgBfeQGszPhMm-j/s1600-h/IMG_4466edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567872943199586" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOHCvlYCzdsyC340Fn-OA5VtyIXEeWUKLze69tX9tgyoNZ-c1TfaVs5MOV1ctNBD64Di7ajzts-ZMC9haByUU7sZqVYVw8VOBwOXmUUPdkI1VJ6cXb5X06PgBfeQGszPhMm-j/s400/IMG_4466edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Were you going to publish a novel? Act on broadway? Cure cancer?<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb1SscFMsSiiPV_VA5xXYTTqIWki0j3ARJFTZSp1VXSZULj0E4_vcpsN2PEYOwY1kCmBIKjBVEgxm4V6QLHlk0MH0raT_bJYXZ2grl7LLro06l76REzppKnAuOiNoN5MpQ55D/s1600-h/IMG_4514edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568284225291314" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb1SscFMsSiiPV_VA5xXYTTqIWki0j3ARJFTZSp1VXSZULj0E4_vcpsN2PEYOwY1kCmBIKjBVEgxm4V6QLHlk0MH0raT_bJYXZ2grl7LLro06l76REzppKnAuOiNoN5MpQ55D/s400/IMG_4514edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is the potential of every life, exponentially wasted.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O-6byaGxdicBjHExib2tXa8ifCyq-q_l0hats1sQTd0XaK89pW_10OssQml2IDWjt3kM26up1FERMDh0I1rcoi2UIlKzU0ExwX91Mza8OVNHg5vqxXlOlNV4TgJ2U4Wu0WiR/s1600-h/IMG_4536edit+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568994029404642" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O-6byaGxdicBjHExib2tXa8ifCyq-q_l0hats1sQTd0XaK89pW_10OssQml2IDWjt3kM26up1FERMDh0I1rcoi2UIlKzU0ExwX91Mza8OVNHg5vqxXlOlNV4TgJ2U4Wu0WiR/s400/IMG_4536edit+1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In Ernest Becker’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Denial of Death</span>, these dreams of ours dwindle as we come to terms with our mortality, anxious by the ever-increasing pressure to leave something behind.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAm3gKxZl0weWfkVJRAmuXZgmUxbyC83vLGZdR_uUC97f4W4bZJ78QMc8AmutjMZQEdePmp26lAxHSUtr95_-vWmjUyDeHB8IsPQ41sXBMM01EsghYN2jzdVBW2mauZMzIyybZ/s1600-h/IMG_4493edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568279596396962" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAm3gKxZl0weWfkVJRAmuXZgmUxbyC83vLGZdR_uUC97f4W4bZJ78QMc8AmutjMZQEdePmp26lAxHSUtr95_-vWmjUyDeHB8IsPQ41sXBMM01EsghYN2jzdVBW2mauZMzIyybZ/s400/IMG_4493edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“Immortality projects,” he calls them. Beacons by which future generations will remember us. Traces of the dead, forever engrained into the living.<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGiRj0bH_1X4jHmjNNdf5JaCFa9VWUumi4qydJNPw6k8ShbAD5IqWYcuvkWXdgZBoiDBk4Ani0jW1x0bBMMQmFlnvVXYVJhO5Zgj07vSvkgUeKq6ItGEn6j-R-7nhxWYFWRc0/s1600-h/IMG_4473edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567874337317586" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGiRj0bH_1X4jHmjNNdf5JaCFa9VWUumi4qydJNPw6k8ShbAD5IqWYcuvkWXdgZBoiDBk4Ani0jW1x0bBMMQmFlnvVXYVJhO5Zgj07vSvkgUeKq6ItGEn6j-R-7nhxWYFWRc0/s400/IMG_4473edit.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p class="MsoNormal">And while some never lose sight of those early dreams – and so paint their way into history books – most turn instead to the project that society (both modern and ancient) has deemed the simplest means of self-preservation: the propagation of the species.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEuqnvAvTRDXPgSdSFhUyzV0j7jK1sm8XIbjJJlbHQZWsyBB-R70Hkhnslzh4MVn40QMzfBQBQRrX9JJMb4MSdOIp4dKJVoDX_rumTaKq3uDwLWKIKvPkaagnJbfdzLt_VLou/s1600-h/IMG_4457edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567869512649490" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEuqnvAvTRDXPgSdSFhUyzV0j7jK1sm8XIbjJJlbHQZWsyBB-R70Hkhnslzh4MVn40QMzfBQBQRrX9JJMb4MSdOIp4dKJVoDX_rumTaKq3uDwLWKIKvPkaagnJbfdzLt_VLou/s400/IMG_4457edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Which is to say: procreation.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhUX9j-MNTLZJ7R_a_6niNBcZBEqK0gOjfdoZa6yiC9xYNoo5rF-qIv2Y4gCJhpGWlRADe0zRs9MSZVG3o9sVbqqqeLAOo4_YsooJvb5ld7OwjgNwaGo7FPqXTKPUral-Ho2a/s1600-h/IMG_4463edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567867639458770" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhUX9j-MNTLZJ7R_a_6niNBcZBEqK0gOjfdoZa6yiC9xYNoo5rF-qIv2Y4gCJhpGWlRADe0zRs9MSZVG3o9sVbqqqeLAOo4_YsooJvb5ld7OwjgNwaGo7FPqXTKPUral-Ho2a/s400/IMG_4463edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is this biological desire that so strikingly resembles those of our animal brethren – creatures we’ve held ourselves above since the first caveman turned a grunt into an utterance.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lSEx-gHbk2p9cg18dsy37qY4gSLKFbHOLuEyJ3pR1oObR-MuygYSeYrAfQmC_UuCrhWM5iZQ6Qyw-tZ5PvAE5iiBCNDfnV__36QtNDAMZIBPZBcQnoNb9d2sZ5TMzRbw9cyP/s1600-h/IMG_4451edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567381989046178" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lSEx-gHbk2p9cg18dsy37qY4gSLKFbHOLuEyJ3pR1oObR-MuygYSeYrAfQmC_UuCrhWM5iZQ6Qyw-tZ5PvAE5iiBCNDfnV__36QtNDAMZIBPZBcQnoNb9d2sZ5TMzRbw9cyP/s400/IMG_4451edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But even the most brilliant of minds will awaken some day to a realization: the same realization that haunts parents and dictators and artists alike, from the recesses of their very subconscious.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSH9HYi7P5q0DDuh4NmAWXsuWzoT5hAOBa6czXSkZQWbk37HB36tm3yf5p5CULxTZorO79HdXenWDERlZloVfUziQ_xB-zlE-ScWqLdILG4BYUb0AJYfmQehNnFMDM0-zAVXL/s1600-h/IMG_4501edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568279265532290" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSH9HYi7P5q0DDuh4NmAWXsuWzoT5hAOBa6czXSkZQWbk37HB36tm3yf5p5CULxTZorO79HdXenWDERlZloVfUziQ_xB-zlE-ScWqLdILG4BYUb0AJYfmQehNnFMDM0-zAVXL/s400/IMG_4501edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You. Are. Trapped.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hWvrQd3a0woAHezb2xDRZn36WpgtljHKRRuTfyrJK34BCq3FX0wHOTUT3Ret8T5DoaCxy55d-tipR1K9FJ350-v-YoXpYWmhb0Ntp06gGp9XSPDBbJvdgnJ7nTe9zPI2SVaN/s1600-h/IMG_4519edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568788882919282" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hWvrQd3a0woAHezb2xDRZn36WpgtljHKRRuTfyrJK34BCq3FX0wHOTUT3Ret8T5DoaCxy55d-tipR1K9FJ350-v-YoXpYWmhb0Ntp06gGp9XSPDBbJvdgnJ7nTe9zPI2SVaN/s400/IMG_4519edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You’re caught in a life cycle that seems beyond your control; and yet, beneath you: a mammalian instinct engrained in your DNA, and so very well out of your hands.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwUSJ5rHTWhAP20NksoZYT5kOUOA7AEbmJ41NgPYCb1ExmXyTSGdpM5DD0D_Ij8MJaxqHY31_DjdNmhk3M_q15odPo7GuYozis5Ja_KTs-7wZwCwfi8NNCLeiM5XiXARlmE8q/s1600-h/IMG_4487edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568276290940290" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwUSJ5rHTWhAP20NksoZYT5kOUOA7AEbmJ41NgPYCb1ExmXyTSGdpM5DD0D_Ij8MJaxqHY31_DjdNmhk3M_q15odPo7GuYozis5Ja_KTs-7wZwCwfi8NNCLeiM5XiXARlmE8q/s400/IMG_4487edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The doom of your lifeline is carved into your palm, so deeply engrained that no amount of scrubbing could ever erase.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegZ5DVLSTJSnWfztpJomL45Ey5nckiNvlLBRnSow1KvPIdmtz_C9SSKVGyO9IOL5jAumVDcPkvXdUovI7ye98380RZUtxsymkab4Yc7-XKkqLM9Ztzf9NDKDkYVDIVf31CaKz/s1600-h/IMG_4418edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567377310555730" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegZ5DVLSTJSnWfztpJomL45Ey5nckiNvlLBRnSow1KvPIdmtz_C9SSKVGyO9IOL5jAumVDcPkvXdUovI7ye98380RZUtxsymkab4Yc7-XKkqLM9Ztzf9NDKDkYVDIVf31CaKz/s400/IMG_4418edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">[How’s that for futility, Mrs. Macbeth?]</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Yzx-vQ4XfqscYV6hNO-0u0s0dnW2qXa1WP3NdyJ93Jv2PB212tgPfvcHK-LVM_1os01te8IXDm88YkdWPF19WVNr4IP7FYk20JGceOqDx6M_3SqpWQeZhobfxqMnt5keI6Tj/s1600-h/IMG_4479edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247567877306252866" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Yzx-vQ4XfqscYV6hNO-0u0s0dnW2qXa1WP3NdyJ93Jv2PB212tgPfvcHK-LVM_1os01te8IXDm88YkdWPF19WVNr4IP7FYk20JGceOqDx6M_3SqpWQeZhobfxqMnt5keI6Tj/s400/IMG_4479edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Your dreams, once upon a time, were limitless. But your hours upon this earth are not. So why, then, all of this wasting?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj3tYAUJ3x_2sHn3zAiQMfEu9YMQya5wEyuw0_cdty0RbbcgQgoDquDsdLin68V4ZcStJXGQMB310teOZP2_5A20XtuASJVb2poFowUx5qE5Ra1E45elPEA0aWwCeWTRa5Fms/s1600-h/IMG_4510edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247568283545892802" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj3tYAUJ3x_2sHn3zAiQMfEu9YMQya5wEyuw0_cdty0RbbcgQgoDquDsdLin68V4ZcStJXGQMB310teOZP2_5A20XtuASJVb2poFowUx5qE5Ra1E45elPEA0aWwCeWTRa5Fms/s400/IMG_4510edit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When all along, we have only ourselves to blame.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-79502272493154294332008-09-29T06:42:00.003-05:002008-09-29T13:50:15.171-05:00Dog is My Co-PilotWithout question, my "new" apartment is significantly less intense than the last: the police haven't been there once; no one is cooking meth (as far as I can smell); and rather than wearing a snowsuit to bed in the winter, I sometimes feel the need to prop open a window to cool the place down.<br /><br />So in terms of safety and overall comfort, it's an improvement.<br /><br />But that's not to say it's perfect; far from it. There was the <a href="http://thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy.blogspot.com/2007/05/sound-of-screw-or-god-gets-new-pair-of.html">bathroom incident</a>, for starters. Or the fact that my landlady has a habit of letting herself in unannounced, and generally fails to properly finish <a href="http://thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy.blogspot.com/2008/07/sofa-king-miserable.html">necessary</a> repairs.<br /><br />And the <a href="http://thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy.blogspot.com/2007/06/highlights-from-recent-past.html">last</a> guy to live above me was a neurotic, heavy walker who seldom took off his shoes when he was home but often bounced on the hardwood floors at a pace Michael Phelps would be hard-pressed to match in an Olympic-sized pool.<br /><br />He suffered from hearing loss, a problem he accounted for by turning his radio up to obnoxiously high decibels, his speakers just inches above the rotting hardwood that separated our abodes. In other words: I could generally sing along with his music, the tunes so clearly broadcast into my home office.<br /><br />But he was a nice guy, actually, and when I once mentioned the loud music to him, he apologized profusely and generally (though not always) kept his music down. Which is to say: he put his speakers on a rug, so the sound was muffled. It was still audible, but at least it was nowhere near as distracting.<br /><br />When he moved out, I was thrilled to discover his replacement was a light-walker: someone I could occasionally hear walking, but only in the same way it's impossible for anyone to <span style="font-style: italic;">entirely</span> snuff out the sound of their steps on an old, creaky floor. His music is generally kept down; and though I can make out his television set when my apartment is silent, if I turn on something in my apartment, I don't hear his TV at all.<br /><br />It was near bliss until I realized he had one great flaw — a disturbingly dark mark on an otherwise clear complexion.<br /><br />He has a dog. A small, yippy thing that barked almost constantly the first couple weeks after he moved in. But rather than complain — either to him or my landlord — I chalked it up to anxiety with being in a new place and figured I'd give the pup some time.<br /><br />And that seemed to work. The dog barked less and less, and in the past month or so I've heard it bark fairly regularly, but never at intervals as long or as pronounced as those first two weeks. In short: it was occasionally annoying, but the bouts of annoyance were generally short-lived.<br /><br />Short-lived, anyway, until this past Friday. The dog was barking when I got home at 5:30 p.m., and barked off and on for the next two hours... at which point, the pace picked up and was a near-constant until well after 2:30 a.m.<br /><br />It was around 1:45 that I finally called my landlady, something I've never done before (at least: never in regards to a neighbor). She could hear the dog barking through my phone, as though the pooch were inside my very apartment.<br /><br />She was skeptical that it was coming from immediately above me, as that gentleman — as it turns out — actually has <span style="font-style: italic;">two dogs</span>. This became apparent to me when she went upstairs (she lives in the basement, three stories removed — and on the opposite side of the building — from the sound) to make sure my neighbor was OK.<br /><br />We'd theorized that either:<br /><br />• He'd left his dogs alone for hours, and the yippie one was lonely and/or needed a potty break.<br />• He'd had a heart attack or some other major medical incident and needed help<br /><br />When I heard her walk into his apartment, the yipping continued but was joined by a deep, guttural bark from a presumably much larger canine. I was terrified for a moment that she was going to be attacked but as the footsteps continued and I heard her shout for them to shut-up, I figured she was still in one piece.<br /><br />So as the two dogs barked and I tossed and turned in my bed, my alarm primed for 5 a.m. and a 3-hour road trip on the horizon, I waited for the wail of a siren to come to my neighbor's aid.<br /><br />But no such thing occurred. Rather than lying unconscious on his floor, he wasn't home. And hadn't been home. Instead, he'd left two dogs, one of them quite large, cramped up inside a one-bedroom city apartment, potentially all day. And most certainly all night. Maybe he checked in on them once; there was a 1/2 hour period of silence around 10 or 11 when I thought maybe he'd returned home.<br /><br />But then the barking resumed, and I was no better off for the brief silence.<br /><br />I was angry and irritated. Exhausted and anxious. It occurred to me to give up entirely and hit the road then, rather than waiting for sunrise. But I knew I'd fall asleep the moment I got behind the wheel, so instead I alternately packed my belongings for the trip; crashed exhausted into my bed; and then got up again when it became clear — once again — that I couldn't sleep through the barking.<br /><br />This cycle continued for five hours, when at long last — around 2:30, maybe 3 — I heard the hallway stairs creak, followed by light footsteps on the floor above me.<br /><br />The dog hushed, its owner (or possibly animal control) there at long last to end our misery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-51057725216837005932008-09-19T17:37:00.003-05:002008-09-20T15:09:29.620-05:00Boy Toy<strong><strong>Cousin</strong></strong>: So do you have a new boyfriend yet?<br /><br /><strong>Me</strong>: *pause* Do <em><em>you</em></em> have a new boyfriend yet?<br /><br />[I should add that said cousin is a heterosexual male.]<br /><br /><br /><center>***</center><br />Because of these and similar questions, which I seem to be hearing a lot lately, I've begun RSVP'ing to important events for 1 1/2 people, having re-instated a certain man of mystery from a decade-old retirement.<br /><br />My closest friends know what that means.*<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*No, it's not dirty. And NO, I'm not pregnant. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21680390.post-73378726049940809952008-09-17T18:09:00.005-05:002008-09-18T13:36:46.781-05:00You Know It's Over When......you immediately turn a conversation about all of the attractive, single guys who'll be at your friend's wedding into a discussion about your cat(s).*<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*Of particular concern is when said conversation devolves into a wistful remark of how utterly <em><em>cute</em></em> it is when you reach down to pet said cat and she lovingly puts her paw on top of your foot.** </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />**Not that I would <em><em>ever</em></em> talk about something like that.***<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">***Who needs human companionship, anyway?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4