Dabbling

I have long been fascinated with High Dynamic Range photo processing. When I visit online photo sharing sites I am nearly always drawn to these types of images. I thought I'd give a go, using an image used for the first Photo Phriday, the Tronorail.

I hope you consider it not a bad first effort.

Something On A Sunday

Lakeside Chapel

Lake Junaluska, NC 08.14.10

A Sign Its Saturday

On a regular stroll around the World Showcase, I often will pass by Norway. True, there are interesting elements of the pavilion, but the photographs I will most often take are available from the promenade; the Stave Church, the grass roof beside the Kringla Bakeri, the flowers near the walkway. I will sometimes walk into the Stave Church to enjoy its background music. This is especially nice just after dusk as the combination of time and sound have a transportive effect on me. Still, I often will pass by and not walk far into Norway.

On a recent trip I decided to do so, simply to shot a few photographs for the A Sign... series. This was the first. Incidentally, fjording is an alternative name for the Norwegian Fjord Horse.

...if i lived in central florida i'd...

... somehow arrange to take all the backstage tours. it would take some time, but then, i'd have the time.

Forwarding Email

I am not a big fan of forwarding email. Most people who know me know that. Consequently, my inbox is not littered with subject lines that begin "Fwd:" And this is a good thing. More often than not when I see something has been forwarded I'll delete it without reading it. However there are some occasions that I will open a forwarded email.

These times are when the email comes from family or one or two very close friends. Knowing that they know my aversion, yet still forwarding something, I'll usually take a look.

No long ago my daughter-in-law sent something. It was a PowerPoint show that someone had put together about aging. It had a nice Windham Hill-esque soundtrack and a variety of outdoor images; epic grandeur. Each slide featured a bit of wisdom as to growing old. So, being one who is growing old I thought I'd take the few minutes to watch the presentation.

I must say, I was struck by what I read. In fact, some of what I read that day brought about some changes in how I live life today. If I may, in the spirit of departing from the Disney theme for a moment, I'd like so share these small pieces of wisdom with you.

1. Throw out nonessential numbers: age, weight, height.
2. Keep only cheerful friends - the grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning: learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain be idle.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: if it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where guilt is.
10. Tell people that you love them at every opportunity.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I don't know who to credit the PowerPoint to, or to whom these bits of wisdom came from. But I thank them. I also thank my daughter-in-law for going against the grain and sending these along to me. I find some of them quite profound and inspiring. And in my desire for a simpler life I have found them helpful.

Perhaps you will too.

Apologies

This has not been a month for keeping my resolution to post at least 10 items. You'd think that would be easy right? Especially with a blog that seems to do little more than post photographs. So for this lapse in content, I apologize.

Can we be honest here? For awhile now I have had the thought of giving up the blog. I believe that when it comes to Disney content, there are a lot of great sites. Sites that are providing readers with a wide variety of content; old and new, nostalgic and forward looking. I have often thought would this little endeavor be missed? My answer has usually been, "probably not."

This month has provided a great deal of distractions; some important, others not. There are things around the house that need tending to, other goals in life that need to be fleshed out and addressed and then, there are times when you simply come home from a busy day at work and not want to do anything. And I have had a few of those lately.

But you know, as these days of May have progressed I have decided that I really don't want to give up the blog. Although my output is minimal, not cutting edge and tends not to shed light on new and exciting things, it does, from time to time amuse. A photograph may take you away for just a moment from whatever your day is and cause you to smile. It may ask you to stop and think that there is not a whole lot on this earth that is more important than family and the time we have with them and give to them. That are blogs that I read that challenge me to dream; to ask myself, "What is my dream?" Perhaps The Disney Obsession has caused you to dream - to look beyond today.

I realize that I repeat myself at times and I know I have mentioned this previously. But, as I continue with The Disney Obsession you may find me writing about other things from time to time. I don't feel that I can stop posting (deep down I'd come to miss it) but I know that to continue means a change here and there. It is all part of the search for that dream that moves me forward. The blog may more closely resemble its tagline, "celebrating the love of life with a little obsession behavior towards disney thrown in." It may become more of a personal blog, but still contain that Disney passion that perhaps prompted 82 of you to follow the blog. For you, and for me, I promise there will still a great deal of Disney. But as my days continue I know I have so much more to explore.

We all are on a journey and we often encounter twists and turns on the paths we have taken. There is the occasional fork that prompts us to choose one direction over another. And all the while, we constantly need to look at where we have been and think of where we may be headed. We have to ask, "What it is the next thing?" I have a few ideas.

It is an often overused cliche, but it remains true, "keep moving forward".