rantings of a loon

Let Go. Let God-POD 37

sdazzle — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:43:07 +0000

It’s amazing to see the mysterious ways God works. This has been one of those nights where I see how incredible He is. It may not mean much to many of you, but I am so full of joy as a result of God’s amazing power.

I’ll be honest, I was really debating about going to Ash Wednesday mass tonight. It’s not a Holy Day of obligation, and honestly, I just wasn’t feeling it. I was feeling really human and thinking about how if I went to mass at my normal church, I would get home after 8:30. Fairly selfish thinking. However, I kept feeling this tug that I really needed to attend mass.

Next door to my school is another Catholic church that I’ve gone to on occasion. I tend to not like the church too much because it just doesn’t feel like “home.” Regardless, I went to their website and saw there was a 4:30 mass. After grading persuasive papers for three hours straight, I figured a little God in my life would be a good thing.

So off to mass I went. What was strange, was the absolute power I felt when I entered the church. As I prayed, gratitude overwhelmed me. I hadn’t felt so filled with God in a long time. My heart was absolutely on fire.

As mass began, I noticed the priest was someone who was very familiar to me. I knew this priest had returned to the area recently, but I figured the odds of him doing one of the six masses the church offered this day was slim. Plus, when I decided to go to this mass, I hadn’t even thought about this gentleman until I saw him walk in.

I turns out this priest was my good friend Father Akan Simon. Father Simon was the priest who headed up the RCIA process when I entered the church in 2000. I haven’t seen Simon in about seven or so years, after he moved to another parish. Father Simon was in a sense, my first spiritual advisor. He helped me in becoming the Catholic I am by how he displayed his love of God. He is a good man.

After mass ended, I got to speak to my friend for a few minutes. The look on his face was priceless. Heck, I’m sure the look on my face was pretty hilarious too. The fact that I got to reconnect with my friend means the world to me. I’m grateful that I got to tell my friend how much I missed him. Words cannot even begin to describe how I feel.

Some people would say that this encounter is nothing more than a coincidence. I don’t believe in that. I believe in God.

Ash Wednesday

Boundaries

Until next time,

Peace!

Spiraling Reader-POD 36

sdazzle — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:52:58 +0000

It’s all about Hipstamatic in black and white today. I think we’re both playing around with the app and seeing what it is capable of. My youngest son wasn’t the biggest reader in the world. Much of it had to do with his confidence. I also think he was delayed slightly with his vocabulary when he was small thanks to in part having 15 plus ear infections as an infant. So he spent much of his early childhood hearing things as if he were underwater.

Now he won’t put down a book, unless he has a video game in hand. Then we sometimes have a challenge. But for the most part, he’s discovered the wonders of reading and it really has helped his confidence. My oldest son seems to be playing with another spiral staircase using the black and white qualities of Hipstamatic.

Diary of a Wimpy Reader

Spiraling Downward

Until next time,

Peace

Zombie slaying, bagel lady & the fan dance-POD 35

sdazzle — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:47:21 +0000

Spending this President’s Day with a raging headache, catching up on chores and past episodes of one of the best shows on TV, The Walking Dead. I just finished watching the episode where they killed all the walkers in the barn. Holy zombie slaying Batman! That was one of the most intense episodes I have watched in a long time. I don’t know what it is about zombies that fascinates me but….I’ve got to finish reading the excellent urban fantasy, The Rook by Daniel O’Malley, and read the zombie novel Zone One by Colson Whitehead

It’s official. Hipstamatic is incredible. I love it so much, I’ve purchased the rest of the film, lens and flash packages. This app, in combination with Instagram, is really making photography fun again.

Bagel Lady

Fan Dance

Until next time,
Peace!

For the Love of Photography-POD 34

sdazzle — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:32:49 +0000

When I started this blog and especially when my son and I started this photo a day challenge, I never thought these words would ever come from my mouth. But, I might be falling back in love with photography. It’s not the deep-seeded love affair that occurred when I first picked up a camera in 1979. This is less passionate, but it is just as enjoyable. Strangely, this is thanks to my son, two iPhones and two photo apps. I’m not, nor will I ever again, need a $2,000 camera and variety of lenses to help fuel the love.

The difference? I’m shooting photos that I want to with no thought of satisfying anybody else’s vision of what photography is about. Especially some editor that has no clue about good photos versus photos that need to run to make the public happy. I was lucky to work for an editor who respected photography immensely. But I was also “blessed” to work for a number of people who will NEVER understand what a good picture is all about. I don’t have to worry about making anybody, but myself, happy about the pictures I make. That’s a great feeling.

I’m dropping the Instagram and the cliché labels from the title from now on because we’ve evolved a little. As of now, we’re sticking with iPhone photos, but we are also going to include Hipstamatic photos as well as Instagram photos. I just bought the Hipstamatic app and I must say, I might be enjoying this a little more than Instagram. Combining the two makes things incredibly interesting.

The first photo is an Instagram photo, but run through a number of filters to give the photo a “grungy” appearance. My son is loving his Pokemon game and I felt the need to photograph him playing. I really enjoy this photo. Let’s be honest, photography is about documenting the things we encounter in life. My son’s photo is a black and white using Hipstamatic. It’s glamorous and displays a beauty not often seen in color photography.

Pokemon Battle

Glamorous

Until next time,

Peace!

Grimes and Pennies from Heaven-Instagram POD 33

sdazzle — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:04:15 +0000

Want to kick this off by introducing you to a band that has an upcoming release on one of my favorite labels, 4AD. I just discovered this band, Grimes, last night and fell in love with the combination of dream pop and a voice that reminds me some of Liz Frazier from the Cocteau Twins. The first single, Genesis, is a thing of beauty. It’s pop, but not “pop” enough to become unlikable.

Here is also a video from their last release called “Vanessa.”

POD 33

A former student of mine, gave me some crosses cut from pennies that she picked up at Bald Knob Cross in Southern Illinois. This is the site where I took one of my first pictures as a journalism student. It’s also one of my favorites to this day. My son has been on a roll studying reflections and glass. For some reason, I can never succeed with taking pictures in this style.

Pennies from Heaven

Reflective Brick

Until next time,

Peace!

Black and Blue Instagram photo of the day 32

sdazzle — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:03:41 +0000

The shoes have seen better days. Imagine what the feet are like that wear these puppies. Better, imagine what the person is all about and what type of adventures these shoes witnessed. It reminds me a little of a beginning of the year writing prompt I offered my kids, “Every shoe has a story to tell; tell it.”

Much the same could be said about the building my son photographed at the University of Illinois. Imagine the people who have passed through the halls of the building he photographed. Imagine the collection of minds and the impact those people have had on society. We’re not talking about a light-weight school. When you begin to look at humanity with this viewpoint, it almost becomes too much to fathom.

Which brings me to what seems to be a common theme in the middle school classroom. When you begin to look at what people are REALLY about versus what you think they are about based on some silly preconceived notion, things can change. Why is it that we are so ready to judge and condemn people based on appearance or first impression? Admit it, we’ve all done it. Why can’t we reserve our judgement and look at people for what is in their heart? I truly think too many of us are ready to condemn an individual or a group of people just for the sake of condemnation. Hate for the sake of hating. It boggles my mind. Wow, all that from discussing two photos. I might be a little random today. Or I might not be.

Black on Blue

Hallowed Halls

If you haven’t figured it out, I like dubstep. If you haven’t figured it out, I really like Skrillex. So here is the new Skrillex video, Bangarang.

Until next time,

Peace!

Night Reading-Instagram photo of the day 31

sdazzle — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:33:23 +0000

I’m tired and worn out, so this will be a fairly quick one. It’s been a fantastic week. It’s amazing that no matter how bad a mood I may be in, working with my students usually brings me back to reality. Usually. It’s really hard to believe that I get paid for doing what I do and have so much fun.

Photo of the day involves to completely different and random photos. The picture my son shot is of some building on the campus he’s at. Surprisingly, the noise is fairly minimal for an iPhone. In my photo, this is pretty much the life of our kids, especially this son. His pattern is make a mess, leave it where it’s at, then do homework or read. The Lego tornado is still on the family room floor waiting to be picked up. Chances are my wife and I will get it after one of us steps on the sharp edge of a Lego. I’m just thrilled my son likes to read because it wasn’t the easiest thing for him to like when he first started. Now he loves it.

The Aftermath

Night Light

Until next time,

Peace!

Speed Eating-Instagram photo of the day 30

sdazzle — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:31:24 +0000

Yeah, I’m not sure about the title, but it’s the best I have at this very moment. We have a little reflection in each photo, but the Legos don’t have enough to make it a theme. For some reason or another, my wife has an assortment of Lego key chains and characters on the dashboard of her car. I’ve never asked why. It’s a given. My son’s photo of the man “reflectively eating” is stunning. I really like it. It’s odd and then you add in the subtlety of the person eating what I believe is a sandwich. Add to that, repeating shapes of the people and the posts in the glass. There are just so many elements to look at in the photo.

Lego X 1000

Reflective eating

Until Next Time,

Peace

Looking for Love-Instagram photo of the day 29

sdazzle — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:54:00 +0000

Time for a Valentine’s Day edition of the Instagram photo of the day. Valentine’s Day would normally mean absolutely nothing to me. Except I have one really good reason to care about this day. It is also my wife’s birthday. So, I actually love this day. I have to “doubly” love this day. Talk about a complete bummer for me, and my wife, if I forget about this day. Well, in 24 years, I haven’t forgotten.

Let me take a few moments to share some things about my wife. I may have said them before, but when it comes to my wife, I don’t mind repeating myself. First of all, she’s an incredible wife and mother. Ru is one of those people who is completely selfless. Sometimes to a fault. She has a level of patience that I just can’t understand (but she’s also helped me become more patient). Very little gets to her.

She’s been more than challenged over the last decade. I’ve given her an absolute run for her money. Ru is one of the most spiritual people I’ve ever encountered. Her faith is incredibly important to her. Ironically, she never forced God on me for the first 13 years of our marriage. She just lived her life with God in her heart. I gave her so many reasons to give up on me, yet she never did. She never complained and never pushed me. Ru just patiently waited and loved me as no one ever has.

You have no idea how many nights she held me as I broke down in tears, feeling as if my world was crumbling around me. When my emotional wall began to finally crumble and my heart began to soften, she listened and guided me. Ru was always by my side, carrying me when I fell. She loved me when I felt that I shouldn’t be loved. She helped me find my faith. She helped me to find myself.

When I finally found God and discovered true love, she celebrated with me. She never said, “I told you so.” Patiently she just said, “I knew one day it would happen.” I never thought it would be possible for us to grow closer, but when the “bigs” left for school, our bond became stronger. Though it’s strange not to have our “bigs,” we’ve found a way to laugh and cry when we are with our kids. There is a mutual appreciation for each other that I can’t even express in words. I look forward to growing very old with my wife and friend.

So let me just take a moment to talk to my wife. Ru, I love you more than I ever imagined possible. When I proposed to you on that magical April Fools Day (yep, don’t be hatin’, I’m such a romantic), I never imagined life would be so grand. While life has brought us our share of ups and downs, I look forward to this roller coaster ride that we continue to share. I hope that I can hold tightly to your hand as we journey through all the peaks and valleys we still have in our future. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and our family. Thanks for helping me find my way on a much happier path. Happy Birthday kid. I love you.

Heart You

Looking for love

Until next time,

Peace

Whitney Houston and the Hot Peeling Tree-Instagram POD 28

sdazzle — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:41:14 +0000

After watching the Grammys last night, I was left more disillusioned with the music and entertainment industry. First the highlights. Bon Iver’s acceptance speech for best new artist, though I’m wondering what qualifies him for best new artist since he’s release two albums and an EP. Foo Fighters. ‘Nough said. Deadmau5 with Foo Fighters. Again, ‘nough said. Everything else from last night, I could do without. And Nicki Manaj, what in the world was that?

Which brings me to a rant that many people might take the wrong way. First it is not intended as a slam on any person in particular. I was really troubled with the Whitney Houston vibe that the night possessed. Granted, she died the night before, but it still didn’t feel right.

First of all, she’s just a person. Secondly, she’s just a person who happens to be a celebrity. Why is it that Americans find the need to elevate celebrities to god-like status? I just don’t get it. Whitney was also a celebrity who has had her share of drug and alcohol problems. From all indications, she may have battled those demons the last few days before her death. Why do we find the need to “hero-ize” a celebrity who struggles with addiction? I just don’t get it.

A celebrity is no different that anyone else. I think we send the wrong message to youth with how we treat and react to celebrity. It’s beyond ridiculous. It’s like people are drawn to the spectacle of watching a human train wreck, when it comes to celebrity addiction. Celebrity does not guarantee happiness. We see examples of that far to often. How about we try to teach our youth ways to attain personal happiness that doesn’t involve becoming rich, no matter the cost? I just don’t understand the allure of celebrity.

Before you call me a hypocrite, I am a fan of many musicians. But, it’s not unhealthy. If I met one of the musicians that I’m a big fan of, great. I wouldn’t lose my mind. I’ve been blessed to meet and photograph many celebrity and musicians. It was no big deal. Years ago, I was once blessed to photography Adrian Belew (great guitar player and member of King Crimson) at his home in Wisconsin. We just hung out at his home for the afternoon shooting the breeze and talking like people. It was like hanging out with an old friend. There was no hero-worship involved. If I ever saw a celebrity in public, I left them alone and respected their privacy.

As Americans, we need to quell our appetite to acknowledge celebrity. Our society places far too much importance on becoming famous. Look at some of the people/families who have become famous because of some lame reality show. So, Whitney, I hope you find the peace you were searching for. But it’s time to move on.

Photos of the day

I’m not sure what my son photographed with the chili pepper, but if he owns these sheets…..disturbing. The texture of the peeling tree was visually interesting to me. It reminded me of a wound that would not heal or a really bad sunburn that peels.

Sunburn

Hot Hot Hot

Until next time,

Peace!