I have been thinking a lot about an old project this evening. It is associated with a sense of mystery and beauty regarding nature and the outdoors, feelings that have been absent during this season of my life.
For the first time in over a year, I miss the feeling of rebirth, or renewal. The glistening rays of the rising sun, as it climbs the hill bathing us in its presence. That is the feeling I miss. Hidden behind a cloud of work, trying to prove myself (to myself), and trying too hard to avoid being me.
To miss the beauty and wonder of nature is to miss the essence of who we are as humans. To be accessible to beauty is a mystery, because no one can describe it, but knows it when they see it.
If I climb the hill looking for the sun, will it be there?
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Free Clinic
Last night, my wife and I ventured to the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington to have a bump/rash on my forehead looked at, and ask a doctor why I am getting really bad headaches. I was amazed that the clinic was staffed entirely by volunteers because it was incredible efficient and were able to see many people from the community who didn't have access to affordable health care.
After waiting three hours to see a doctor and get some prescriptions for tension headaches and anti-itch cream, Kristina and I left talking about how many young families we saw in there. An alarming amount! Is health insurance that expensive that parents can't afford the basics for their families? The question I ask is this: "if health insurance was as inexpensive as auto insurance, would more people have it?" Would we get multi-person discounts, like having more than one auto on a policy? I don't know what the solution is, but I can only imagine that the problem is increasing, rather than decreasing, and I think we are going to see more and more families resorting to the free clinics of the world, praying that they don't get into major accidents.
The Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, http://www.freeclinics.org/, needs our help so that more people in the community, who can't afford insurance, can come and get their basic health examinations done. Volunteer or make a donation, they need the help. They not only see patients for free, but fill prescriptions for free. All this for a suggested donation, yet won't turn you away if you can't make a donation at the time of treatment.
After waiting three hours to see a doctor and get some prescriptions for tension headaches and anti-itch cream, Kristina and I left talking about how many young families we saw in there. An alarming amount! Is health insurance that expensive that parents can't afford the basics for their families? The question I ask is this: "if health insurance was as inexpensive as auto insurance, would more people have it?" Would we get multi-person discounts, like having more than one auto on a policy? I don't know what the solution is, but I can only imagine that the problem is increasing, rather than decreasing, and I think we are going to see more and more families resorting to the free clinics of the world, praying that they don't get into major accidents.
The Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, http://www.freeclinics.org/, needs our help so that more people in the community, who can't afford insurance, can come and get their basic health examinations done. Volunteer or make a donation, they need the help. They not only see patients for free, but fill prescriptions for free. All this for a suggested donation, yet won't turn you away if you can't make a donation at the time of treatment.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Instant Gratification
I have finally invested in a system of instant gratification, and I love it!
I recently purchased a Nikon D70s digital SLR camera, a 1GB CompactFlash memory card, and eight AA batteries for my Nikon SB-600 speedlight. Before getting this camera, I used a Nikon N65 SLR and my favorite film, Fuji Velvia, but amazing as that film stock is, the practicality of learning to be a photographer and the cost and accessibility of slide film development resulted in about 10 rolls of film sitting on my desk collecting dust. How depressing!!!
As each roll of film landed in its sanctioned corner of the desk, I would simultaneously be reading Ken Rockwell's website on photography, dreaming (perhaps even lusting) of the time when I would be able to have a digital SLR. I had used digital cameras before, but only the small pocket-sized cameras that had a significant shutter lag, so you had to anticipate your subject's movement and pray to God that they didn't move faster than expected.
I recently went out with my new Nikon and hiked around Round Lake in Camas, WA. I was amazed at the frugal mentality that I had achieved from not having the resources for film development. Here is an almost unlimited source of instant gratification, and yet I was sheepish and shy to take a picture that I might regret. However, over the course of the hike, I was standing in the bushes taking pictures of backlit trees, pieces of grass, dandelions and just about anything that looked cool.
Uploading the pictures was a blast! Instantly being able to see what worked, what didn't worked, what I should do differently, and how the blasted thing works.
It is a total blast and I am all for this new way of instant gratification.
I recently purchased a Nikon D70s digital SLR camera, a 1GB CompactFlash memory card, and eight AA batteries for my Nikon SB-600 speedlight. Before getting this camera, I used a Nikon N65 SLR and my favorite film, Fuji Velvia, but amazing as that film stock is, the practicality of learning to be a photographer and the cost and accessibility of slide film development resulted in about 10 rolls of film sitting on my desk collecting dust. How depressing!!!
As each roll of film landed in its sanctioned corner of the desk, I would simultaneously be reading Ken Rockwell's website on photography, dreaming (perhaps even lusting) of the time when I would be able to have a digital SLR. I had used digital cameras before, but only the small pocket-sized cameras that had a significant shutter lag, so you had to anticipate your subject's movement and pray to God that they didn't move faster than expected.
I recently went out with my new Nikon and hiked around Round Lake in Camas, WA. I was amazed at the frugal mentality that I had achieved from not having the resources for film development. Here is an almost unlimited source of instant gratification, and yet I was sheepish and shy to take a picture that I might regret. However, over the course of the hike, I was standing in the bushes taking pictures of backlit trees, pieces of grass, dandelions and just about anything that looked cool.
Uploading the pictures was a blast! Instantly being able to see what worked, what didn't worked, what I should do differently, and how the blasted thing works.
It is a total blast and I am all for this new way of instant gratification.
The Joys of Blogging
So, I thought that I would program my own blog, but you know how much work that is? So, I jumped over to blogger.com, home to many of my friends' blogs, and created my own. Happiness. Much happier, and now I don't have to go through the tedious process of making sure everything works.
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