Stormy Weather

Faith is not a delicate flower which would wither away under the slightest stormy weather.

Mahatma Gandhi

Tonight my mother called from the Midwest and we talked about one of my nephews who is going though a hard time. On Sunday we had hail and thunderstorms where I live. I grabbed the camera and filed off a couple of shots because I loved the clouds whirling by. It got me to thinking though about life and how quickly it can change. I lived long enough to know even when there is stormy weather happenings in life eventually they will pass and the sun will come back out. It can be rough, but you hang on, have faith and know that this is part of the cycle of life.

Mitch I hope things are better soon. It's hard to go through what you're experiencing, but you have people who love and care for you, and will be there for you. That is one of the major ways you get through life's stormy weather.

Lena Horne, "Stormy Weather":

Reflections

What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.
James Madison

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I've been reflecting on several things. The most significant is the change in our government last week. On Tuesday I was at work and watching the inauguration with our patients. We have several elderly African-American patients so it was a very poignant moment for them. In fact, we decided it was one of those moments in history where you would remember where you were when it happened. At the moment President Obama took the oath, several of the patients were due to be taken off the dialysis machines and they asked the patient care technicians to wait. A special moment to have witnessed.

The harp lessons are going well. I'm looking into a larger harp though as it's easier to practice on and the sound is richer. I love my teacher, she is incredible. On the photography side I haven't been out taking, instead working on the ones I took in Europe. I've weeded through enough to create two photo books. Now I'm working on the third. Next weekend though I hope to venture out and get the camera going again.

I'm trying to figure out how to career change. Some people would say I'm nuts in the current recession. I just know it's time for a change. The problem remains what to change to...I know for sure that I do not want to do photography as a wedding portrait business in order to make my living. My interest in the pursuit of the fine arts aspect. I'll get my answers eventually, I just have to look for the right questions first.

All in all life is good and I'm enjoying it. I just hope others can find the same.

Carbon/Silicon, "The News":

To Be A Bard or A Harper To Be

Edain came out of Midhir's hill, and lay
Beside young Aengus in his tower of glass,
Where time is drowned in odour-laden winds
And Druid moons, and murmuring of boughs,
And sleepy boughs, and boughs where apples made
Of opal and ruhy and pale chrysolite
Awake unsleeping fires; and wove seven strings,
Sweet with all music, out of his long hair,
Because her hands had been made wild by love.
When Midhir's wife had changed her to a fly,
He made a harp with Druid apple-wood
That she among her winds might know he wept;
And from that hour he has watched over none
But faithful lovers.

William Butler Yeats

Magic came my way last week. Let me explain. A few years ago a friend gifted me with a Celtic Lap Harp. I started to take lessons although it meant an hour and a half drive into the Bay area. Then after about 2 months, my shoulder problem made it impossible to play. So the harp sat idle. Shoulder problem resolved, I had been looking at the harp and thinking about making another attempt at finding a teacher. One of my neighbors teaches piano and we were discussing music. She found out about my harp and told me that she might have a teacher for me, i.e. one who teaches not pedal harp, but Celtic harp. She did and best of all, the teacher lives five minutes a way. We met tonight and clicked. Now I can begin to fulfill a long time dream of learning the Celtic harp. So once again I've learned the lesson that magic can happen if we just dream and believe.

Lisa Lynne, "Solo Harp":

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Edith Lovejoy Pierce

New Year's resolutions are not something I'm making this year. I am going to just commit to taking each day as it comes and living life as fully as I can.

Celebrate the New Year.

Kool and the Gang, "Celebration":