Sorry all for not posting yesterday... I had to hunker down and do some serious homework, that equals no time to blog. Sad, I know.
So many of the pictures I take are in passing, and quite often I don't realize what I have taken until I put it on the computer. Such is the case for this photo. What I love about this image is the fact that someone made the effort to get the Gatorade bottle to the recycling cans, but failed to put it in one of them. This begs the question: What happened to that person? Were they in the act of opening the can when suddenly an out-of-control Vespa sideswiped them, knocking them down to the pavement and earning them a trip to the hospital? Or did they all of a sudden realize that by recycling one measly bottle wasn't going to save the world and decided to mock the system by tossing the bottle on top of the can? These questions unfortunately will have to go unanswered, but sometimes fiction is better than reality. I'm invested in the Vespa Theory.
Frog has been a 13th street staple. For those who do not know him, he is a homeless comedian that posts up right in front of the Bookstore and tries to sell his homebrew joke books. Needless to say but he doesn't sell many. So when things get slow, he sits, very unhumorously, and stares off into the distance; probably reminiscing on his days at the Improve.
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
- Robert Frost, "Nothing Gold Can Stay"
So today I have been awash with a sea of homework. Fortunately for me my good friend Jeff sent me this picture via email. This is what the message read:
"Hey Nick,
Love the picture blog. I took this with my phone from my office at church yesterday. I thought of you and your blog."
I was glad to see that I have a fan besides my wife and am more than happy to post his photo here today; partly because I didn't have time to post one of my own.
Alternatively, I titled this photo "Hosanna in the Highest". There is a new Hillsong worship song titled Hosanna and it has been stuck in my head all week. Hosanna is a cry for salvation, while at the same time is a declaration of praise. That has been the overarching theme in my life this week and I am happy to sing Hosanna to the Lord Almighty!
So, thanks again Jeff – God Bless.
I saw this out the window while i was having coffee down at the Beanery, Eugene, OR. It was inspiring to see. I reflected on how a new day has dawned in many different ways in my life.
I thought that this photo pretty much summarized how I feel about winter coming. Yesterday was probably the good weather's last stand against the reign of fall. It rained then shined then rained then shined and finally rained. This was a good contrast, the fire of the changing leaves against the bright sky of summer, never again to meet. That may be a little too melodramatic. Sorry. The fact is that the bright days of summer are definitely over and a dreary Eugene winter is close at hand. Usually I dread the winters in Eugene but this year I am going to take an optimistic look at it: Bring it on!
This is an election day special... I know that you might be expecting some photo of some dude holding a "Vote Obama" sign but bear with me as I explain this. Recently there have been a ton of people around the UO campus flying signs about voting and the election, but they are only here during elections. This bike has been on campus well before I came here 4 years ago and will be here long after. The guy who owns it, Doug, has been holding his "Trust Jesus Now" sign on campus every day of the week for years upon years. Talk about dedicated. I have so much respect for this guy; way more than any of the tools that come around for a couple of weeks telling everyone to vote. I would like to see any of those guys take the crap that Doug gets. So hats off to Doug, the man who is voting for God every day.
This is the dog that I grew up with. She is thirteen and a half (that's sixty seven in human years!) and she is quite possibly the best dog on earth. I captured this when I was feeding her this morning and thought that she looked so peaceful. Despite her age she is unusually playful and that's what I love about her. It is going to be a sad, sad day when she is gone but for now this image sums up everything about her. She is a joy and has made a big impact in my life, that's pretty amazing considering she's a dog.
Yes... there is no denying it, Autumn is here! I thought I would try using "Autumn" instead of "Fall" this year; seems more prestigious and its so much fun to say. Awwwtummmm. It leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy. Hope that it does the same to you. Merry Autumn!
It's well after midnight, I have a paper due in the morning – check that – later today, my wife is asleep and I'm still sitting in front of this computer. In the time it took me to snap a picture, upload it and blog about it I probably could have proofread my paper again. Nope. I decided to do this. My day is full of procrastinating moment such as this, but something inside of me tells me that when I waste ten minutes or so I kick into overdrive and do my work twice as fast. I am sure that that isn't scientifically accurate but yet I am still here typing. So about that overdrive, that burst of energy and creativity... I better get back to work.
Richard got me addicted to a classic LucasArts game, "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis". It's a point and click game where you have Indy walk around, picking up artifacts, solving puzzles and getting into fights. Great fun, I know. This is what I have been doing for the better part of my afternoon. I know I should be reading for class, but this is a serious trip down memory lane; how can I give that up?
On my way to a study group this morning I saw this. I snapped a quick shot and continued on my way to the coffee shop that we were going to meet in. I got my coffee, sat down and started to wait for my group. So far, they are nowhere to be seen. So it's my coffee, my computer and I. There are so many combinations that this trifecta can create; this is one example. I have found myself in this situation more than once and it is safe to say that what comes out of these moments may not be innovative breakthroughs worthy of the Noble Prize, but they almost always bring a smooth sense of satisfaction. A man, a machine, and some rocket fuel. Ask any man... those are the ingredients for something awesome.
As any college student can attest to, being late to class is always awkward. There is no glory to coming into a classroom which the prof is in the middle of his opening statement. It's almost like a firing range; everyone sees the agony on your face and the sweat on your brow. So as I was late for class it was reassuring to know that i wasn't the only one. This poor chap not only was late to class and awkwardly running to get there, but was bent slightly by the lens of my camera. Anyways, it created a cool accidental effect and I was well pleased with my little camera. Run Forest, Run!
I am turning my photoblog into a "Digital Lomography", or what I like to call "Domography", blog. Basically I am taking images with my cell phone camera, sending them quickly through photoshop, then posting the images here. Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography with characteristics such as over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring and "happy accidents," (see 10 Golden Rules of Lomography). Here at Back to the Basics, I am always trying to keep it simple and to keep the first tenant of the 10 Golden Rules; the cell phone camera helps me to do exactly that. I encourage all to do the same. Be bold – be basic! Peace.
