View allAll Photos Tagged Expectation
Foto: (EN) My first glance of India, out of my hotel room on Kolkata's Park Street - confirming many expectations. (DE) Mein erster Blick auf Indien aus dem Hotelzimmer in Kolkata. Er bestätigte viele Erwartungen.
Von Indien habe ich auf dieser Reise nur wenig gesehen und etwas mehr gelesen. Wir waren jeweils ein paar Tage in Kolkata (Kalkutta) und dem Gurkhaland, beides im Bundesstaat West-Bengalen. Da ich das Land auf diese Art nicht eingehend kennengelernt habe und ohnehin schon sehr viel über Indien geschrieben wird, beschränke ich mich hier anstelle eines Reiseberichts auf zehn Bemerkungen zu Dingen, die ich beim Reisen in Indien interessant oder erwähnenswert fand.
1. Indien ist laut, arm, schmutzig und chaotisch, wie man es sich vorstellt. Es ist aber nicht schlimmer als viele andere Länder und wer ein wenig Reiseerfahrung hat, wird in Indien nicht schockiert sein. Ausser vielleicht vom Schmutz.
2. Das indische Essen ist ein Erlebnis für sich und kann hervorragend sein. Man muss dazu aber die richtigen Restaurants finden. Es kann auch sehr schlecht sein.
3. Indien ist so abwechslungsreich wie ganz Europa. Die über hundert Sprachen gehören vier Sprachfamilien an; das Hindi ist mit dem Deutschen näher verwandt als mit dem in Südindien verbreiteten Telugu. Es gibt zehn verschiedene Schriften. Entsprechend sind auch die Unterschiede in Küche, Mentalität, Landschaft, Wohlstand etc.
4. Die Inder gehören zu den unfreundlichsten und rücksichtslosesten Leuten, die ich je erlebt habe – auch im Vergleich mit Bangladesch und Nepal. Vielleicht liegt dies am Kastensystem. Vergleichbar fand ich (neben den Einwohnern unbedeutender Staaten wie Djibouti oder Monaco) eigentlich nur die Chinesen. Vielleicht sind es nicht zufälligerweise die beiden bevölkerungsreichsten Länder der Welt, wo ein Einzelner nichts zählt.
5. Indien hat eine chaotische, von Korruption und Bürokratie geprägte Form von Demokratie. Das Land entwickelt sich viel schlechter als das mit diktatorischer Hand regierte China, wirtschaftlich fällt es im Vergleich zu den anderen "BRICS-Staaten" deutlich ab.
6. Die indische Bahn ist angeblich das grösste Unternehmen der Welt und hat ein beeindruckendes Streckennetz. Zug zu fahren ist aber nicht einfach, da die Inder sehr zahlreich sind und Züge deshalb ausgebucht sind; ausserdem muss man jede Fahrkarte mit einem ausführlichen Formular beantragen (siehe Punkt 10). Busfahrten variieren stark in Qualität und Sicherheit. In Indien hatte ich die schlimmste Busfahrt meines Lebens (von Mainaguri nach Siliguri) mit einem Fahrer voller Verachtung für das Leben seiner Passagiere und potentiellen Unfallgegner. Es ging aber heil aus.
7. Indien ist territorial nicht konsolidiert. An den Grenzen zu Pakistan und China sind ganze Provinzen (Kaschmir und Arunachal Pradesh) umstritten. Die Grenze zum Norden Bangladesch ist ein elender Flickenteppich aus Enklaven und Exklaven, der eine Verwaltung verunmöglicht. Indien selbst ist in meist ethnisch definierte Bundesstaaten gegliedert. Immer mehr kleine Völker wollen eigene Bundesstaaten – so die Gurkhas im Norden von West-Bengalen oder die Bodos in Assam, wo auch gekämpft wird. Es passt ins Bild, dass auf den Zollformularen prominent darauf hingewiesen wird, dass man Landkarten, welche "unkorrekte" Landesgrenzen zeigen, nicht einführen darf.
8. Indien ist ein gutes Land, um sich mit Büchern einzudecken. Es gibt viele Buchhandlungen, die Bücher sind sehr preiswert und handeln von interessanten Ländern – nämlich Indien und den Nachbarstaaten. Sehr lesenswert fand ich "A Long Way Home" von Saroo Brierley und "Land of the Seven Rivers: A Brief History of India's Geography" von Sanjeev Sanyal.
9. Smartphones sind in Indien weit verbreitet. Dies hat zur Folge, dass man ständig für Selfies posieren muss oder auch ungefragt fotografiert wird.
10. Indien ist bürokratisch, vielleicht sogar bürokratischer als Russland – angefangen vom sehr komplizierten Online-Visumantrag bis hin zu dem Formular, das ich für den Kauf eines Billetts für eine Fahrt über sieben Kilometer mit der Schmalspurbahn ausfüllen musste (offenbar muss man jedes Bahnbillett beantragen). Bei der Einreise an der Grenze zu Bangladesch in Changrabandha mussten wir gleich drei Formulare ausfüllen (eins davon mit dem Slogan "Incredible India") und neben dem Stempel der Grenzkontrolle gab es auch einen Zollstempel in den Pass!
Vgl. Ten highlights of a trip to Iraq
Reisebericht Bangladesch (mit Indien und Nepal) 2014
Teil 1: Ein unbeschriebenes Blatt
Teil 3: Als Tourist Attraktion
Teil 5: Der Norden (Rajshahi und Rangpur Divisions)
Teil 6: Der Schmugglerzug von Hilli
Teil 7: Der Grenzübergang Burimari – Changrabandha
Teil 8: Zehn Bemerkungen zu Indien
Teil 9: Gorkhaland – Separatismus in Indien
Fotoalben Bangladesch | Indien | Nepal
Andere Reiseberichte / Other travel reports:
2012 Jugra (Autonomer Bezirk der Chanten und Mansen) / Yugra
2011 Ägypten während der Revolution / Egypt during Revolution
Big launch & post-workout meal 😛 #launch#foodporn#postworkout#gymlife#fitspo#eatforabs#eatclean#healthy#gymaddict#bodybuilding#allnatural #expectation#determination#fitness #fitnessaddict#lifestyle
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jessflatabsfitness: Booya! 😍
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My company gave me a loyalty bonus to spend on Amazon. Not much.
I decided to spend it on something I wouldn't risk my own money with and bought a lomography plastic film camera.
I've not used film since I was a kid.
Its daunting but a little bit exciting too.
I've been snapping away, but really have no idea how they will turn out.
Especially as these 'toy' cameras really take mashed up pictures that are grainy, washed and gritty.
Now I have to wait until I've finished the roll and then go and get it processed..
Bonjour à tous 😃☀️
Petit déjeuner fruité
#healthy#breakfast#morning#cuttingseason#gymlife#fitspo#eatforabs#eatclean#gymaddict#allnatural #expectation#fitness#lifestyle
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Model: Floofie
NW Glamour Photography ( www.meetup.com/NWGlamour/ ) photo shoot at RBE Studio, Vancouver, WA.
Strobist Info:
Two White Lightning X1600 lighting white backdrop (camera left and right)
One Alien Bee 1600 with 47-inch Octobox (camera right)
All triggered using Pocket Wizards.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Douglas F3D Skyknight (later designated F-10 Skyknight) was a United States twin-engined, mid-wing jet fighter aircraft manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company in El Segundo, California. The F3D was designed as a carrier-based all-weather night fighter and saw service with the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The mission of the F3D-2 was to search out and destroy enemy aircraft at night.
The F3D was not intended to be a typical sleek and nimble dogfighter, but as a standoff night fighter, packing a powerful radar system and a second crew member. It originated in 1945 with a US Navy requirement for a jet-powered, radar-equipped, carrier-based night fighter. The Douglas team led by Ed Heinemann designed around the bulky air intercept radar systems of the time, with side-by-side seating for the pilot and radar operator. The result was an aircraft with a wide, deep, and roomy fuselage. Instead of ejection seats, an escape tunnel was used.
As a night fighter that was not expected to be as fast as smaller daylight fighters, the expectation was to have a stable platform for its radar system and the four 20 mm cannon mounted in the lower fuselage. The F3D was, however, able to outturn a MiG-15 in an inside circle. The fire control system in the F3D-1 was the Westinghouse AN/APQ-35.
The AN/APQ-35 was advanced for the time, a combination of three different radars, each performing separate functions: an AN/APS-21 search radar, an AN/APG-26 tracking radar, both located in the nose, and an AN/APS-28 tail warning radar. The complexity of this vacuum tube-based radar system, which was produced before the advent of semiconductor electronics, required intensive maintenance to keep it operating properly.
The F3D Skyknight was never produced in great numbers but it did achieve many firsts in its role as a night fighter over Korea. While it never achieved the fame of the North American F-86 Sabre, it did down several Soviet-built MiG-15s as a night fighter over Korea with only one air-to-air loss of its own against a Chinese MiG-15 on the night of 29 May 1953.
In the years after the Korean War, the F3D was gradually replaced by more powerful aircraft with better radar systems. The F3D's career was not over though; its stability and spacious fuselage made it easily adaptable to other roles. The Skyknight played an important role in the development of the radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow missile in the 1950s which led to further guided air-to-air missile developments.
In 1954, the F3D-2M was the first U.S. Navy jet aircraft to be fitted with an operational air-to-air missile: the Sparrow I,an all weather day/night BVR missile that used beam riding guidance for the aircrew to control the flight of the missile. Only 38 aircraft (12 F3D-1Ms, and 16 F3D-2Ms) were modified to use the missiles, though.
One of the F3D's main flaws, which it shared with many early jet aircraft, was its lack of power and performance. Douglas tried to mend this through a radical redesign: The resulting F3D-3 was the designation assigned to a swept-winged version (36° sweep at quarter chord) of the Skyknight. It was originally to be powered by the J46 turbojet, rated at 4.080 lbf for takeoff, which was under development but suffered serious trouble.
This led to the cancellation of the J46, and calculated performance of the F3D-3 with the substitute J34 was deemed insufficient. As an alternative the aircraft had to be modified to carry two larger and longer J47-GE-2 engines, which also powered the USN's FJ-2 "Fury" fighter.
This engine's thrust of 6.000 pounds-force (27 kN) at 7,950 rpm appeared sufficient for the heavy, swept-wing aircraft, and in 1954 an order for 287 production F3D-3s was issued, right time to upgrade the new type with the Sparrow I.
While the F3D-3's outline resembled that of its straight wing predecessors, a lot of structural changes had to be made to accommodate the shifted main wing spar, and the heavy radar equipment also took its toll: the gross weight climbed by more than 3 tons, and as a result much of the gained performance through the stronger engines and the swept wings was eaten away.
Maximum internal fuel load was 1.350 US gallons, plus a further 300 in underwing drop tanks. Overall wing surface remained the same, but the swept wing surfaces reduced the wing span.
In the end, thrust-to-weight ratio was only marginally improved and in fact, the F3D-3 had a lower rate of climb than the F3D-2, its top speed at height was only marginally higher, and stall speed climbed by more than 30 mph, making carrier landings more complicated.
It's equipment was also the same - the AN/APQ-35 was still fitted, but mainly because the large radar dish offered the largest detection range of any carrier-borne type of that time, and better radars that could match this performance were still under construction. Anyway, the F3D-3 was able to carry Sparrow I from the start, and this would soon be upgraded to Sparrow III (which became the AIM-7), and it showed much better flight characteristics at medium altitude.
Despite the ,many shortcomings the "new" aircraft represented an overall improvement over the F3D-2 and was accepted for service. Production of the F3D-3 started in 1955, but technology advanced quickly and a serious competitor with supersonic capability appeared with the McDonnell F3H Demon and the F4D Skyray - much more potent aircraft that the USN immediately preferred to the slow F3Ds. As a consequence, the production contract was cut down to only 102 aircraft.
But it came even worse: production of the swept wing Skyknight already ceased after 18 months and 71 completed airframes. Ironically, the F3D-3's successor, the F3H and its J40 engine, turned out to be more capricious than expected, which delayed the Demon's service introduction and seriously hampered its performance, so that the F3D-3 kept its all weather/night fighter role until 1960, and was eventually taken out of service in 1964 when the first F-4 Phantom II fighters appeared in USN service.
In 1962 all F3D versions were re-designated into F-10, the swept wing F3D-3 became the F-10C. The straight wing versions were used as trainers and also served as an electronic warfare platform into the Vietnam War as a precursor to the EA-6A Intruder and EA-6B Prowler, while the swept-wing fighters were completely retired as their performance and mission equipment had been outdated. The last F-10C flew in 1965.
General characteristics
Crew: two
Length: 49 ft (14.96 m)
Wingspan: 42 feet 5 inches (12.95 m)
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
Wing area: 400 ft² (37.16 m²)
Empty weight: 19.800 lb (8.989 kg)
Loaded weight: 28,843 lb (13.095 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 34.000 lb (15.436 kg)
Powerplant:
2× General Electric J47-GE-2 turbojets, each rated at 6.000 lbf (26,7 kN) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 630 mph (1.014 km/h) at sea level, 515 mph (829 km/h) t (6,095 m)
Cruise speed: 515 mph (829 km/h) at 40,000 feet
Stall speed: 128 mph (206 km/h)
Range: 890 mi (1.433 km) with internal fuel; 1,374 mi, 2,212 km with 2× 300 gal (1.136 l) tanks
Service ceiling: 43.000 ft (13.025 m)
Rate of climb: 2,640 ft/min (13,3 m/s)
Wing loading: 53.4 lb/ft² (383 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.353
Armament
4× 20 mm Hispano-Suiza M2 cannon, 200 rpg, in the lower nose
Four underwing hardpoints inboard of the wing folding points for up to 4.000 lb (1.816 kg)
ordnance, including AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles, 11.75 in (29.8cm) Tiny Tim rockets, two
150 or 300 US gal drop tanks or bombs of up to 2.000 lb (900 kg) caliber, plus four hardpoints
under each outer wing for a total of eight 5" HVARs or eight pods with six 2 3/4" FFARs each
The kit and its assembly:
Another project which had been on the list for some years now but finally entered the hardware stage. The F3D itself is already a more or less forgotten aircraft, and there are only a few kits available - there has been a vacu kit, the Matchbox offering and lately kits in 1:72 and 1:48 by Sword.
The swept wing F3D-3 remained on the drawing board, but would have been a very attractive evolution of the tubby Skyknight. In fact, the swept surfaces resemble those of the A3D/B-66 a Iot, and this was the spark that started the attempt to build this aircraft as a model through a kitbash.
This model is basically the Matchbox F3D coupled with wings from an Italeri B-66, even though, being much bigger, these had to be modified.
The whole new tail is based on B-66 material. The fin's chord was shortened, though, and a new leading edge (with its beautiful curvature) had to be sculpted from 2C putty. The vertical stabilizers also come from the B-66, its span was adjusted to the Skyknight's and a new root intersection was created from styrene and putty, so that a cross-shaped tail could be realized.
The tail radar dish was retained, even though sketches show the F3D-3 without it.
The wings were take 1:1 from the B-66 and match well. They just had to be shortened, I set the cut at maybe 5mm outwards of the engine pods' attachment points. They needed some re-engraving for the inner flaps, as these would touch the F3D-3's engines when lowered, but shape, depth and size are very good for the conversion.
On the fuselage, the wings' original "attachment bays" had to be filled, and the new wings needed a new position much further forward, directly behind the cockpit, in order to keep the CoG.
One big issue would be the main landing gear. On the straight wing aircraft it retracts outwards, and I kept this arrangement. No detail of the exact landing gear well position was available to me, so I used the Matchbox parts as stencils and placed the new wells as much aft as possible, cutting out new openings from the B-66 wings.
The OOB landing gear was retained, but I added some structure to the landing gear wells with plastic blister material - not to be realistic, just for the effect. A lot of lead was added in the kit's nose section, making sure it actually stands on the front wheel.
The Matchbox Skyknight basically offers no real problems, even though the air intake design leaves, by tendency some ugly seams and even gaps. I slightly pimped the cockpit with headrests, additional gauges and a gunsight, as well as two (half) pilot figures. I did not plan to present the opened cockpit and the bulbous windows do not allow a clear view onto the inside anyway, so this job was only basically done. In fact, the pilots don't have a lower body at all...
Ordnance comprises of four Sparrow III - the Sparrow I with its pointed nose could have been an option, too, but I think at the time of 1960 the early version was already phased out?
Painting and markings:
This was supposed to become a typical USN service aircraft of the 60ies, so a grey/white livery was predetermined. I had built an EF-10B many years ago from the Matchbox kit, and the grey/white guise suits the Whale well - and here it would look even better, with the new, elegant wings.
For easy painting I used semi matt white from the rattle can on the lower sides (painting the landing gear at the same time!), and then added FS 36440 (Light Gull Grey, Humbrol 129) with a brush to the upper sides. The radar nose became semi matt black (with some weathering), while the RHAWS dish was kept in tan (Humbrol 71).
In order to emphasize the landing gear and the respective wells I added a red rim to the covers.
The cockpit interior was painted in dark grey - another factor which made adding too many details there futile, too...
The aircraft's individual marking were to be authentic, and not flamboyant. In the mid 50ies the USN machines were not as colorful as in the Vietnam War era, that just started towards the 60ies.
The markings I used come primarily from an Emhar F3H Demon, which features no less than four(!) markings, all with different colors. I settled for a machine of VF-61 "Jolly Rogers", which operated from the USS Saratoga primarily in the Mediterranean from 1958 on - and shortly thereafter the unit was disbanded.
I took some of the Demon markings and modified them with very similar but somewhat more discrete markings from VMF-323, which flew FJ-4 at the time - both squadrons marked their aircraft with yellow diamonds on black background, and I had some leftover decals from a respective Xtradecal sheet in the stash.
IMHO a good result with the B-66 donation parts, even though I am not totally happy with the fin - it could have been more slender at the top, and with a longer, more elegant spine fillet, but for that the B-66 fin was just too thick. Anyway, I am not certain if anyone has ever built this aircraft? I would not call the F3D-3 elegant or beautiful, but the swept wings underline the fuselage's almost perfect teardrop shape, and the thing reminds a lot of the later Grumman A-6 Intruder?
The magnificent Retablo da Expectación da Santa Virxe (Altar of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin) is a masterpiece of Galician Baroque art and one of the most outstanding artifacts in the cathedral. It is located in the Capela de San Pedro on the western side of the transept. It was created in 1722 by the master Antonio del Villar from Redondela.
The Virgin is represented pregnant, her hand resting over her womb. The statue of the Virgin dates back to around 1600. The ensemble is flanked by niches with hagiographic representations and medallions with scenes from the history of Salvation, constituting a visual delight for the senses full of historical and symbolic significance.
The Catedral de Santa María de Tui is a castle cathedral constructed in the 12th century in a Romanesque style. Construction began in 1120, although the oldest parts go back to the late 11th century. The cathedral was completed in 1180. Significant changes were added in the following decades, such as the stunning Gothic portico that was completed in 1225. The main portal is one of the earliest Gothic works in the Iberian peninsula. 1225 is also the year when the cathedral was officially consecrated.
The church features a main nave and two lateral naves. The transept has three naves as well. There is a wealth of decorative capitals with plant elements but also featuring an important collection of the medieval bestiary. The two Baroque organs on either side on the main nave were built in the 18th century.
The cathedral is part of a walled complex, and the outside walls of the cathedral have a fortress-like appearance as well. This includes the stunning cloister that was constructed in a Cistercian Gothic style in the second half of the 13th century. It was restored in 1408 because of structural issues with its south wall. The Torre de Soutomaior, fortifying the southwest corner of the Gothic cloister was added in 1408 as well.
One of the 100 statues in Sir Antony Gormley's "Another Place" installation. I got here just as the tide was coming in and need to go back when there's more beach. Taken with a 16 stop ND filter.
St. Peter's square...chairs...
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MY PRINTS PLEASE CONTACT ME BY EMAIL: zhuk@rcn.com
Model : Laurie Mayran
Make-up : Esther Perli
Hair : Christophe Versolato (Bruno Flaujac)
Stylist : Diva
Assistant : Benoit Jacquot
light : two elinchrom flash.
Place : le Palladia
With the cooperation of Marina Muller - Reyan Events.
Late night #postworkout #meal. #dinner#gymlife#fitspo#eatforabs#eatclean#healthy#gymaddict #bodybuilding#allnatural #expectation#determination#fitness #fitnessaddict#lifestyle
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"How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straightaway... And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!"
Canon 5D markII
I'm trying to make a working Newton's Cradle in Cinema 4D using just the built in MoDynamics, no keyframes.
Expectation among the Science and Computing teams minutes before the deadline to submit observation proposals.
More information: www.eso.org/public/images/ann17024a/
Credit:
R. Bennett - ALMA (NRAO/NAOJ/ESO)
---- Sunday 19/05/2013, Limina - Sicily (the expectation that precedes the coming out of the Saint from his church, and His mad rush): two young devotees .... ----
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.... this is a short-long report on the traditional feast of St. Philip which takes place in Limina (Sicily), this feast is held over two days:
the first day of feast takes place early in the month of May (this year On 11-05-2013), with the procession which reaches up to the district of "Murazzo"; the second day of feast takes place the third Sunday in May, called the "eighth" (this year On 19-05-2013).
St. Philip in antiquity was sent by the then pope in the land of Sicily, to evangelize the Gentiles, and cast out demons hiding in the island. The Sicilian town of Limina, dedicates to St. Philip a very typical festival, full of devotion and traditions (which in fact takes place in two non-consecutive days in the month of May).
The float with the Black Holy is carried on shoulders, high up on the hill called "Calvario", then the float returns to the country and here the Saint is rushed back and forth, but is also twirled rapidly; then the saint is again carried out of the country, reaching the district of "Durbi ", then He goes fastly back again to Limina ... and here the Black Holy of Limina continues its race-dance .....for a long long time.....
Waiting is a joyful hope,
patience a chant, steady and clear.
Each thought a seed, shaping the year,
blossomed and known yet still the horizon lingers near.
⁛ echoes beneath the quiet light
© 2025 Lorrie Agapi. All rights reserved.
My heart, my words. Please respect them.
Everything I share here comes from my own soul and my own journey.
Please don’t copy or rewrite my texts as your own.
Your own voice deserves its own space.
Jerry Weiss (born October 21, 1959) is an American figurative, landscape, portrait painter and writer. As a student he studied classical drawing; he initially focused on portraits, and began to paint landscapes during the 1980s. Weiss is a Contributing Editor of The Artist's Magazine, for which he writes a Master Class feature with an overview of historic artists. His father is cartoonist, Morris Weiss.
[Oil on canvas, 36 x 48 inches]
gandalfsgalleymodern.blogspot.com/2011/06/jerry-weiss-exp...
Going for a walk in the middle of a forest somewhere, and my brother decided to take the 'better route', up a small hill, unfortunately, he got stuck. But I took his misfortune as a chance to get a mysterious silhouette shot, which I'm quite pleased with. (He managed to get the down by the way, we didn't just leave him up there..)
One of the most common tropes these days is "expectation versus reality". Everyone likes to joke about it, the times we discovered that what we imagined didn't quite match up to real life. I'm never sure if I come off better or worse when someone meets me face-to-face, but I'm often informed that I'm different in some specific way. "You're taller than I thought" is something that's said, or how I'm younger than they realized. I hear more neutral observations than negatives or positives, though an older woman on the street told me: "You're more handsome in person," which made me smile. The truth is, like all artists with an audience, I'm forging a certain parasocial relationship – a one-sided connection convincing strangers that they know me through my work. But no one ever knows me fully.
The widest gulf between online and off is personality. Judging from my writing, a lot of folks think I'm terminally morose, just about to off myself at any moment. I even had a man show up at my door once, genuinely concerned that I was a suicide risk. Honestly, I see why he might think that. The content I create is often dark, intensely focused on desperation and death. There's no doubt that I'm obsessed with life's other side. But one of my favourite songwriters said it best, the late Mickey Newbury. "How many people have listened to my songs and thought: 'He must have a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a pistol in the other.' Well, I don't. I write my sadness." In another interview, Mickey referred to his process as "robbing the dragon". I've always loved the sound of that, like sneaking in and stealing something back to make it good.
I'm a classic introvert at heart. I might not have a real conversation with anyone beyond my wife and family for weeks at a time, just a quick hello to the workers at the post office or grocery store. Community isn't something I miss – fully engaged with the adventure of exploring, capturing images, arranging thoughts into words, and sharing it with you. But when I do meet someone, I'm anything but tongue-tied. What an incredible experience it is, this human connection, that buzzing back-and-forth of two people usually buried in their own worlds. I'm certain some are taken aback at first contact, having imagined me like a hermit or recluse, devoid of social skills from years of isolation. But I love people in their tiny doses, will always easily talk too much until time runs out. I can't quit loving just how wonderful we can be with each other.
None of my work would be possible if I weren't content with my company. Regularly, I'll hear from folks who profess a hatred for humanity, an appreciation for the remote cabins from my adventures, and a wish to live forever in such a place. I don't know whether to be flattered or frightened that they're telling me this, because discontent breeds misery when you go it alone. A couple winters ago, I met a recent transplant from Ontario, set up at a secluded cottage by the shore. He was middle-aged, recently on the run from a corporate job he despised. With no plans or hopes for the future, besides the vague eternal vacation of early retirement, he did little with his days but watch the money run out – brooding on time and love lost. Getting away from people will not solve your social ills, only narrow and magnify them down to emanating entirely from you. I'm not off in my own little world, I'm off in ours. We're in this together, even when we're in this alone.
November 7, 2022
Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia
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