Wandering through galleries, thinking about entries for a Juried Exhibit – okay, insomnia. Realized I need to organize “Places I Remember” (thanks Paul McCartney).
Made this in Waikiki, late 2013. High end shopping district: Cartier, Chanel, Hermes, LV, et al. This store has since closed but I could not resist the pun.
My first paycheck, at age 15 for .75 per hour bought a pair of Levis and a suitcase disguised as a record player. The speakers swung out and the turntable tilted down. Up in my room, I played two newly bought albums over and over. 1965 me, discovered Judy Collins. I later saw her perform live, over decades, at Blossom Music Center (Ohio), the Hampton Beach Casino (New Hampshire) and Lorain County Community College (Ohio). 75 year old me finds the music and magic just the same.
I’ve been struggling on how to start curating 12 years of my roughly edited dance galleries – on playing for my Muse. Figure I’ve got about a decade or so left. That ought to be enough time. Could not resist the title (guessing at her age). Didn’t want to step on the Degas Sculpture Title.
Bravo Academy of Dance, Recital Rehearsal – Chapel Hill, N.C. 2017
As for Degas, I did try to get an introducton to make photographs at the Ballet School of the Opéra national de Paris. Having made friends with a retired dancer during a Master Class who I learned was connected there, I asked for an introduction. And she told me not to mention her name, she hadn’t gotten along at all, with a director at the school. C’est la vie, y’all!
Made these from the Observation Deck, way up high . Click images for full size
Made this photograph long ago. Some images stay in memory. This is one.
Bravo Academy of Dance, Recital Rehearsal – Chapel Hill, N.C. 2017
“In the mid-1960s, when a person had a medical emergency, a police wagon or hearse would usually arrive on the scene. The patient would be put in the back, alone, and taken to a hospital“.
Gave some fellow grey hairs a presentation today at The Cary Senior Center. Went well but I was as nervous as blind cat in a dog pound!
Home, my informally adopted Granddaughter & Dumpster Puppy Rescuer & Elementary School Music Teacher & Soprano & Confidant stopped by ( okay dragged by now grown dog for treats) on a rare Feb. 70’s, screens open afternoon before the Dog Park. Told her how it went, 4 years after my last class, cleaning out the cobwebs. She smiled and said ‘Teaching is hard!”.
And I said it is and it’s also wonderful! And she smiled, again.
Deanna Seay and student – Cary Ballet Conservatory – 2011
Been overthinking a presentation this week to some fellow gray hairs about Lighting for Photography – in this case Table Top. Do it well, better numbers on eBay, something I know first hand!
Regardless of purpose, principles remain the same. And wandering around the Web-O-Sphere, found lots of noise and little understanding. And surfing some local Headshot Photographer offerings, was wildly underwhelmed. Everything looked flat. There ain’t no silver bullet, including “Nano Banana”.
This from my last Headshot Session in 2022. Made with obsolete Mole- Richardson Tungsten Fresnel’s, some flags, the Inverse Square Law and a young lady who renews my optimism for humanity.
Music is often, I believe, woven through memory. Age allows the luxury of time to listen. The 1968 Judy Collins recording of “Who Knows Where The Time Goes” was heard this evening. By an aged northern Ohio boy who found himself topside in the 1970 pre-dawn of the Firth of Clyde. And a 1973 winter beach house in Virginia. And a 2010 solitary sunrise on Cape Hatteras. 19 year old Sandy Denny wrote the song.
A Financial Bluebird visited, twice!
Zucker Bucks: Closed my Facebook account years ago and forgot about responding to a Class Action Privacy Violation Settlement Notice afterwards. Bought stuff in January via PayPal and reviewed the monthly statement today. And discovered a Deposit in my PayPal account. Yep, Class Action Payout! Thanks, Mark!
Tax Free: Been using H&R Block Tax & Filing Software forever. Gave the latest discount mailer pitch to my young neighbor. And wondered if I still had to file. Google searches said I didn’t but to make sure, I went to IRS.GOV for the authoritative answer.
Answered the Questionnaire honestly – Age (Old), Filing Status (Just Me), SSA Box 5 and the 1099 INT of the accounts at my Credit Union. Nope, I’d need to earn a LOT more than the photography gigs I recently turned down.
Between Zucker Bucks and Tax Filing Expense savings, I’m up about $200!
The non existent ventilation in my apartment during winter gives me pause before using the gas range & oven. Yeah, listening to the bathroom exhaust fan gets old. Good news is, Carolina weather allows open windows, often.
This “magic” device works as a Microwave and a Convection Oven! Chops, Chicken Thighs, et al! (Haven’t tried the Air Fryer or Broiler options yet!) Got this on sale last year for about $180! I’d buy again tomorrow.
My Curmudgeonly disregard for the noise of popular culture has, until recently, reduced my television time to new episodes of SNL, where I discover current popular culture. Emotionally thawing, I’ve lately (with the assistance of the Mute button during commercials) watched local 6 PM & and national 6:30 news.
7 PM curious, I discovered a post Notre Dame fire Rick Steve’s program on PBS about Paris – a very dear place to me. My sweetheart made it so – and especially Marais, where we and Rick, spent time a lot of time. Click images for full size.
Rare Carolina Ice & Snow necessarily caused hibernation. But the “Web-0-Sphere” knows no such limits. During last weeks weather events, received two paid offers that boosted my ego! Turned down one but accepted the other, Pro Bono. Bunch of gray hairs, like me!
Spent a full afternoon at my desk, thinking, editing and putting together a presentation appropriate for the audience. These were made before I had a literal truck load of fresnels, speed lights, mono lights and grip gear. Minimalist!
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