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In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Yahoo! is donating $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for each pink photo added to this pool up to $50,000
Day overcomes Night at Vermillion Lakes, Banff National Park, Alberta
My husband alway chants "shoot it, shoot it" when he spots something while I am looking elsewhere.
Packed up and starting our journey back to our vehicle, he started up his chant so I turned and captured this image with my infrared converted Nikon D80 just as the sun was about the rise above Mt. Rundle.
Marines from the Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry-East, navigate their way through the obstacle course at Camp Geiger, N.C., Oct 4, 2013. This is the first company at ITB with female students as part of a measured, deliberate and responsible collection of data on the performance of female Marines when executing existing infantry tasks and training events. The Marine Corps is soliciting entry-level female Marine volunteers to attend the eight-week basic infantryman and infantry rifleman training courses at ITB.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Paul S. Mancuso/Released)
I was in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in June 2004. This is a view looking down through the CN Tower. I had to overcome my fear of heights to take this photo. It was vertigo inducing. Looking down certainly gave a totally different perspective of just how high this building is.
The CN Tower is considered to be the World's Tallest Freestanding Structure in the World.
Untitled_005
Life as it is, is not a walk in the park but rather a picture in the rain. One by one droplets will come to overcome us and wash everything what we have. Heads up, keep the faith and accept the cold of every strike till all the memories burn in our hearts and melt the fears within.
This photo was taken on Piccadilly near Hyde Park Corner during the anti-Trump ban march from the US embassy to Downing Street.
On Friday morning thousands of protesters armed with placards filled most of Grosvenor Square outside the American Embassy in London. They were rallying to demand that prime minister Theresa May repudiate Donald Trump's shameful blanket entry ban on all Syrian, Iraqi, Somali, Yemeni, Iranian, Sudanese and Libyan nationals for the next 90 days as well as the indefinite ban on all Syrian refugees.
Some also demanded that his planned state visit as a guest of the queen be revoked and that the British government also take decisive action to help desparate refugees and ease the conditions within the UK for asylum seekers.
By 11 am an estimated ten thousand had gathered outside the US Embassy for a march on Downing Street organized by the Stop the War Coalition, Stand Up to Racism and the Muslim Association of Britain
Among the most frequent chants heard were "May shame on you", "dump Trump", "build bridges not walls" and "refugees are welcome here". Protesters pointed out that all the countries effected were Muslim majority nations and yet none of the countries targeted had any nationals implicated in any recent terrorist attack within the United States.
Ironically it is US foreign policy in the Middle East, including years of bombing and support for regional dictators that is one of the main causes of the current refugee crisis.
Benzo-elektrische Colorbino 2094 in de Beethovenstraat.
Nu Combino's op deze lijn steeds meer een normaal verschijnsel worden komen ook de reclame varianten vaker voorbij....
Meer dan 300 andere Colorbino uitvoeringen zijn HIER te vinden:
I walked through the university campus in downtown Toronto prior to my class, keeping an eye out for an interesting person to meet and photograph when I saw her. She appeared to have stepped outside on this beautiful fall day for a break between buildings and was listening to music through earbud headphones. I walked up to her and she responded with a smile and removed the earbuds. She listened with obvious interest to my introduction and invitation to become part of my project. “I’ll do it” she said without further ado. We shook hands. Meet Julianne.
We were in a rather unattractive location, between some buildings in a laneway with dumpsters and little that was positive – other than the light which was diffuse and good for a portrait. I suggested we take a few steps and use some painted plywood on the side of a building as a simple grey background. By closing the lid of a dumpster and positioning myself and Julianne carefully I was able to get a “clean” background and avoid the advertising messages above. It was all a bit iffy at first and Julianne was patient with the process and seemed a bit bemused by my efforts to transform the junkheap location into a studio.
Julianne was a natural smiler so I took the initial few photos of her smiling. I then suggested a few with a more neutral expression and explained my thinking – that sometimes peoples’ individuality shines through more when they move away from the traditional smiling pose. I knew I would have a hard time choosing later on. Once I was sure I had some usable images, I asked if she had a few more minutes to try a location I had noticed around the corner featuring metal grating over some store windows. She was good-natured about it and picked up her backpack and followed me to the storefront where we completed a few more portraits before settling into chat mode.
Julianne is 22 and was born and raised in Toronto. She is studying Philosophy at university and when I asked what she was going to do when she graduates, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree and mentioned both the University of Toronto and the University of Chicago as possibilities. I’ve studied at both universities and we had a nice time with me telling her a bit about Chicago.
When I asked Julianne what has been the greatest challenge she has had to deal with in life she asked “You mean really?” “Yes, really” I replied. “Mental illness” she replied. “Can you tell me more?” I asked. “Yes. Depression. Deep depression. I spend four years in that pit in high school and it is terrible.” “How are you doing now?” I asked. “So much better” she said. “I’m really doing well and enjoying life again.” I explained that I knew about depression both through my career as a therapist and through the experience of people in my life and it was wonderful to hear that she is now doing so well. “How did you get to this better place?” I asked. “Did you get therapy and/or medication?” “No, I didn’t” she said. “I just did it myself.” “How?” I asked, thinking it might be useful to others who read her story. “I just made myself reach out to others because I knew social contact would be the way forward, even though it didn’t feel like it would. I also made myself listen to music and read, both of which I knew would be healthy for me.” “And now?” I asked. “There is no comparison” she said with a smile. I told her others have likened it to having the world change from black and white to color and she agreed with the description. It was an inspiring story of one woman’s recovery from depression. While many benefit from medication and a therapy relationship, occasionally one meets someone like Julianne who manages to create her own way out although it was clear that human connections were an important part of her path to health.
In her spare time Julianne enjoys reading science fiction, a genre my brother loves but one which I have not learned how to enjoy very much. I told her I have a hard time suspending my disbelief but that it is interesting the way science fiction often paves the way for inventions and discoveries in the fields of science and technology. When I asked how her friends would describe her, Julianne said somewhat shyly “Probably that I’m smart and a good, loyal friend.” “You don’t have to feel arrogant saying that” I told her. “It’s just your friends talking, right?” We laughed. Her message to others? “Reach out, the world is a magical place. Enjoy it fully.”
"What was it like to be approached by a complete stranger to take part in his photography project?" "I was flattered" she replied. "I really like the way you described your project and everyone has a story to tell."
It was time to say goodbye and thank Julianne for her candor and for joining my Human Family project. Double-checking about permission to share her story, she smiled and said “Of course you can tell it. I wouldn’t have shared it otherwise.” I think it is through the courage and honesty of people like Julianne that issues like depression are being seen for what they are – illnesses which can ruin lives but which can also be overcome. I found the time I had spent with Julianne very enjoyable and very inspiring.
Thank you Julianne for taking the time and for your engaging with The Human Family. Stay healthy and I wish you well with your studies. If you make it to the University of Chicago, I hope you enjoy the unique community of Hyde Park where I grew up.
This is my 80th submission to the Human Family group on Flickr.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.
Master of the Bartholomew Altar (active 1470-1510)
Inv. Nr. 1183, 1184, 1185.
Alte Pinakothek, Munich.
Provenance: In the Boisserée collection in 1825.
Sulpiz Boiserée (2 August 1783 - 2 May 1854) was a German art collector and art historian. With his brother Melchior he formed a collection that ultimately formed the basis of that of the Alte Pinakothek. He played a key role in the completion of Cologne Cathedral.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulpiz_Boisser%C3%A9e
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The saints are depicted standing on a narrow platform with their clearly shown attributes.
In the right panel:
St. James the Less was beaten by a fuller's staff. (A fuller's staff is a tool used to produce a finish on woolen cloth.)
About St. James the Less:
James was given the nickname “the Less” so that he would not be confused with the other Apostle named James, whose feast we celebrate on July 25. We believe that it means that he was younger than the other St. James, who was called “the Greater.” James the Less was the son of Alphaeus. His mother stood at the Cross with Mary on the day Jesus was crucified.
After Jesus’ Ascension, James the Less became an important part of the Church’s growth in Jerusalem. Tradition tells us that he led an important meeting of the early Church, the Council of Jerusalem, in the year 50 AD. At this meeting, St. Paul, St. Peter, and other Church leaders discussed whether Gentiles, or people who were not Jewish, could become followers of Jesus. James listened carefully to the discussion and helped the group to decide that the Church was open to all and that all people could be saved by living as followers of Jesus.
Like Philip, James was martyred for spreading the Gospel.
saintsresource.com/james-the-less-apostle
St. Christina is shown with the attributes of her martyrdom - a millstone and arrows.
About St. Christina:
" In Tyre, on Lake Bolsena in Tuscany, St. Christina, Virgin and Martyr. This virgin broke up her father's idols of silver and gold and gave them to the poor because she believed in Christ. On her father's orders her flesh was torn with lashes, she suffered other cruel tortures, and she was thrown into the sea weighted down with a great stone. She was saved by an angel, however. A second judge succeeded her father in ordering even more severe torments. Finally, under the prefect Julian, after five days in a burning furnace and after overcoming an attack of snakes with the aid of Christ, she achieved martyrdom when her tongue was cut out and she was pierced by darts. – Roman Martyrology for July 24."
www.christianiconography.info/christina.html
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About the artist:
The Master of the Saint Bartholomew Altarpiece (sometimes called the Master of the Saint Bartholomew Altar,[1]) was an Early Netherlandish painter active in Germany between 1475[1]/1480 and 1510.[2] Despite his anonymity, he is one of the most recognizable artists of the early Renaissance period in German art.[3]
Almost nothing is known of his life, including his name; nevertheless, his hand is distinctive enough that scholars have found it fairly easy to trace his career.[2] His name is derived from an altarpiece dated to between 1505 and 1510, depicting Saint Bartholomew flanked by Saint Agnes and Saint Cecilia. The painting is known to have hung in the church of Saint Columba in Cologne; the inclusion of a Carthusian monk in the picture indicates a possible connection to the Carthusian monastery in that city.[1] The identity of the Master remains unknown; it has been suggested, given the number of commissions he executed for the Carthusian order, that he may have been a member himself.[1]
It is now believed that, despite his associations with Cologne, and with German artistic circles, elements of his style suggest that the Master was initially trained in the Netherlands - a point of origin in Utrecht, or in the Gelderland region, has been posited.
A Book of Hours, open to an identifiably middle Netherlandish text, in the hand of Saint Columba in a panel attributed to the Master conserved at Mainz,[4] offers a clue to his cultural origins.
It is further suggested that he emigrated to Cologne in about 1480.[1][2] His early style may be seen in the miniatures he painted for the Book of Hours of Sophia van Bylant; the Flagellation in this collection is dated to 1475, the earliest date associated with the Master. The calendar in the book is that of the diocese of Utrecht; nevertheless, certain oddities of language indicate an affinity with Arnhem, which was also the home of the donor.[1]
Other early works, dated to the 1480s, include an Adoration of the Kings and a Madonna and Child with Saint Anne, both of which exhibit affinities with northern Netherlandish painting and may have been created in the Netherlands.
Among the very few works attributed to the Master for which the original location is documented are a pair of altarpieces commissioned for the Carthusian monastery in Cologne by a lawyer, Dr. Peter Rinck,[1] and the Deposition, now at the Musée du Louvre, that was executed for the hospital of the Antonite brothers in Paris.[5]
Style
It has been said that the Master is the last "Gothic" painter to be active in Cologne. Approximately twenty-five paintings have been attributed to him[1] on the basis of his highly individual style, which does not seem to bear any affinity to that of any other school then active locally.[2]
Despite the fact that he seems to have been the leading painter of his time in Cologne, no evidence of any followers, or of a school in the usual sense, may be found.[1]
A number of influences, mainly Netherlandish, have been traced in the Master's paintings. These include Dirck Bouts and Rogier van der Weyden,[6][7] whose influence may be seen in the Munich Madonna and Child with Saint Anne.
Stylistically, the Master's paintings are characterized by their use of bright, enamel-like colors[7] and an affinity to the International Gothic style of painting.[8]
The Master's work may be found in a number of international museum collections. Three panels from the altarpiece which gave him his name are in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, and the Deposition for the Order of St Anthony is at the Musée du Louvre.
There are four works in the National Gallery, London[9] and a double-sided panel of the Journey of the Magi (or Three Kings) and the Assumption of Mary at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.[2]
A Baptism of Christ is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.[1]
Other paintings are in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston;[10] the Philadelphia Museum of Art;[11] and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne.[12] A Death of the Virgin formerly in Berlin is now lost.[8]
18 2nd St NW.
Closed and for sale.
www.southernminn.com/faribault_daily_news/news/village-fa...
Village Family Theater still on the market
By JOSH MCGOVERN josh.mcgovern@apgsomn.com
Oct 3, 2022 Updated Nov 9, 2023
Village Theater owner Steven McDonough is left with open options after an undisclosed Northfield buyer backed out of a potential deal to purchase the theater in downtown Faribault.
McDonough hopes to sell the theater due to personal reasons, but is open to suggestions should he decide to retain ownership and reopen.
The single father of eight purchased the theater in 2013 and reopened it as a family-focused venue in 2014 after renovating it himself. Ticket purchases were capped at $30 per group, allowing large families to attend without emptying their wallets.
“That’s what it was about,” McDonough said. “I wanted to create a place where families could come and enjoy a good, wholesome movie.”
Throughout McDonough’s almost 10 years of ownership, the Village Family Theater was host to more than just films. Play productions were performed on the stage behind the screen. Weddings and graduation parties were held in the spacious back rooms. Even the well-known band Owl City shot scenes for a music video in the theater’s brick halls.
The building itself is bigger than it appears from the outside. While its main feature is the theater, there are open rooms available for large gatherings. In the basement, the floor was originally cut at the cross beams to give the theater its slant.
When describing the theater and its many possibilities, McDonough summed it up in one word: “Potential.”
The historic theater on Second Street NW is no stranger to potential. It was opened in 1896 as an armory. After this it was a funeral home. The murdered victims of the famous Faribault family, the Goffriers, held their funeral in what is now the Village Theater.
The building was remodeled at some point into a theater. The theater closed in the 1970s and had a few other uses before McDonough bought it and returned it to a theater.
McDonough spent significant effort reshaping the theater to fit his vision of a comfortable venue. He refurbished the screening room, installed sound-absorbant curtains, and moved the screen closer to the seats to create room for a stage.
In the 2013 grand opening, McDonough brought back the theater’s original door man to attend a showing of “Mom’s Night Out.”
During events, he sold tickets, concessions and operated the projector all in the same night.
A week before Village Theater was set to have its biggest weekend in McDonough’s ownership, COVID lockdowns closed the theater. The repercussions were difficult to overcome, McDonough said, and has kept the theater closed to this day.
McDonough says despite recent obstacles, the Village Theater remains an important building for Faribault. He says it has imprinted itself in history and the lives of the people who attended events throughout the years.
Mirit Ben-Nun's art usually exists independently of reality, she even dares to move it away. Her aggressiveness in the use of primary colors along with bright tones, reveal Her autonomy in relation to shapes. The lines, the points and the forms do not try to imitate reality but rather give each work a unique importance showing the emotional charge of the artist.The artist has a spirit of rebellion, new ideas, trying to overcome without seeking perfection, just looking for expression. Through her work she explores personal identity trying to redefine the art itself. Its purpose is to describe and illustrate or to reproduce the world and the nature of human civilization, focusing primarily on the dominant exposure of the expressive function.His art is made by an artist that reflects the complex problems that shape our diverse, global and rapidly changing world, trying to redefine art.
Dora Woda
“One by one she slew her fears, and then planted a flower garden over their graves.”
― John Mark Green
Silver birch clinging on to a sheer slope in a disused slate quarry somewhere above Llanberis.
Midday is not necessarily the best time for photography, but with the steep walls of the quarry in deep shadow the illumination of the young silver birch trees provided a nice contrast.
Model/Hair: Audrey StarksPhotography/Editing/Makeup/Props/Wardrobe: Nico NordströmTeam: Decker Derdeyn, Michael McBride, Mitchell Reiter, Reece Wills
Blog post coming soon with behind the scenes photos! :]
"No more dreaming of the dead,
as if death itself was undone,
No more calling like a crow,
for a boy,
for a body in a garden"
No more dreaming like a girl so in love,
so in love"
Follow Me: niconordstrom.tumblr.com
Become a Fan: www.facebook.com/niconordstromphotography
Yosemite National Park.
Elevation 7,150 feet = aprox. 2179.32 meters
Over looking the Glacier Point. Half dome and Nevada Falls seen across the valley.
6174
As if this Joshua tree didn't already have enough trouble, trying to exist in a crack between two huge rocks. But then something caused its trunk to snap
Not a bad place to spend sunset. The hike up was short and very steep but the awesome lookout was a great payoff. Heres a shot of my number one model enjoying the colors change over Mt Rainier.
© roseinthedark. All rights reserved.
22nd October 2007: I posted my first shots on Flickr.
It was a year ago and I couldn't imagine how much it would have changed myself.
For me, Flickr and burning passion for photography have come together. I couldn't say how much I've learnt and keep on learning, my friends, looking at your shots, talking with you. I didn't know what "bokeh", "DoF", "panning" or whatever meant before, and I would have been afraid to use manual mode while shooting, fearing to make mistakes. Then...I felt in love with many photos of yours, not the usual "point-and-shot" photos, but the ones that mean passion, study, willing to learn. I've decided to try myself, with a lot of mistakes, but also growing passion.
I have learnt a lot, I have a lot to learn, and this makes me happy like nothing else, expecially in time of changes and state of uncertainty - the time that I'm living nowadays. It's hard to describe the way I feel when I'm able to take "that" shot I had in mind, no matters if that means attempts, patience, time, sometimes going beyond my own fears (I can overcome vertigo for a shot only!); it's hard, but I know it's the same for many of you. And I know that I'll be always late for lunch or whatever if I go for a walk with my camera, because I'm sure that after a while I will find something that worths a stop for a picture, and then something else, and else...I had never understood how world is beautiful before seeing it through a lens. That's a precious gift that photography (and Flickr, in a way) made to me.
But there's also another gift: and it's you, my friends. Wonderful photographers, and often wonderful people that I was so lucky to find.
So: 366 days of Flickr, 366 times thank you.
I must apologize on the lack of sharpness this was hand held and the wind was gale force you could hardly stand up!
Nectar is derived from Latin nectar, the favored drink of the gods, which in turn is the Latinized version of Greek νέκταρ, néktar, presumed to be a compound of the PIE roots *nek-, "death", and -*tar, "overcoming", i.e. has a similar etymology to ambrosia, the immortality-conferring food of the gods. The earliest recorded use of its current meaning, "sweet liquid in flowers," is 1609 C.E.
(from Wikipedia)
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© Copyright Natalie Panga - All rights reserved.
* Lightbox: Best seen in larger size on black (click image above)
Have a bright and beautiful weekend, dear people :)))
(As ever, there was no post-production work apart from resizing)
Overcoming substantial light pollution to capture a Supernova in a galaxy 14 million light years away with a Seestar 50mm digital telescope. It's amazing! This type of affordable technology has opened the door to the absolute novice and give experienced astronomers an easy and fast setup to enjoy the night skies and more. This is an unsolicited testimonial, letting the world know, if you have interested in astronomy, it can be easy and affordable for most everyone.
I captured an image of a supernova in a highly light polluted sky where I could barely count 20 stars above my head.
The Path of the Rovingian Nomad Monk - Overcoming the Comfort Zone by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)
The Path of the Rovingian Nomadic Monk: Overcoming the Comfort Zone
Structure and Reflection on the Pillars of Transformation
The Initial Challenge: Leaving the Comfort Zone
The greatest challenge lies not only in gathering the courage to face the unknown, but in taking the first step to abandon the comfortable routine. The comfort zone is so called because it offers security and predictability, making inertia a difficult force to overcome.
Although the unknown causes fear, it is the act of starting that demands the greatest effort, as it requires breaking with passivity and making a conscious decision for personal growth, even if this implies temporary discomfort. As the saying illustrates: "a ship in harbor is safe, but that's not what ships were built for."
The Journey of the Rovingian Nomad Monk
For a Rovingian nomadic monk, the first step is to overcome their comfort zone, motivated by the desire to explore new landscapes and cultures, respecting religious and worship differences, always with the humility of a pilgrim of the world. This transition is not merely a physical displacement, but represents a true inner transformation.
The challenge ceases to be the fear of what is "out there" and becomes the detachment from what is "in here," requiring conscious management of emotions and expectations.
Central Pillars of Transformation
Activation Energy
Just as in physics, initiating movement consumes more energy than maintaining it. The secret lies in not waiting for the fear to disappear, but acting based on a conscious decision.
Pilgrim's Gaze
Humility is fundamental to ensuring safety on the journey. Those who present themselves as "masters of truth" encounter resistance, while those who present themselves as "learners of the world" are received with open arms in diverse cultures.
The Holiness of Difference
Respecting the beliefs and religions of others goes beyond tolerance; it is recognizing that each cultural expression is a unique manifestation of the sacred.
Purpose as an Anchor
Having a clear and transformative goal sustains the courage needed to face daily discomfort and keeps the traveler focused on growth.
Destiny is the Path
For the learner of the world, there is no end point, only constant presence in each new culture, valuing the moment and the experience.
Growth Requires Discomfort
Personal evolution occurs outside the comfort zone. Temporary suffering, or "growing pains," is an inherent part of the learning process and should not be seen as punishment.
Light Baggage
Internal detachment—from prejudices, expectations, and ego—allows activation energy not to be wasted on unnecessary burdens, making the journey lighter and more productive.
Experiencing Solitude as an Internal Dialogue
Learning to enjoy one's own company transforms solitude into a serene, free, and conscious internal dialogue. This pillar prevents the pilgrim from becoming a fugitive from reality, allowing them, when facing silence, to discover that true home is not a place, but a state of mind.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
O Caminho do Monge Nómada Rovingiano: Superando a Zona de Conforto
Estrutura e Reflexão sobre os Pilares da Transformação
O Desafio Inicial: Sair da Zona de Conforto
O maior desafio não reside apenas em reunir coragem para enfrentar o desconhecido, mas sim em dar o primeiro passo para abandonar a rotina confortável. A zona de conforto é assim denominada porque oferece segurança e previsibilidade, tornando a inércia uma força difícil de superar.
Embora o desconhecido cause temor, é o ato de iniciar que demanda o maior esforço, pois exige que se rompa com a passividade e se tome uma decisão consciente em prol do crescimento pessoal, mesmo que isso implique desconforto temporário. Como ilustra o ditado: "um navio no porto está seguro, mas não foi para isso que os navios foram feitos".
A Jornada do Monge Nómada Rovingiano
Para um monge nómada rovingiano, o primeiro passo consiste em ultrapassar a zona de conforto, motivado pela vontade de explorar novas paisagens e culturas, respeitando as diferenças religiosas e de culto, sempre com a humildade de um peregrino do mundo. Essa transição não é apenas um deslocamento físico, mas representa uma verdadeira transformação interna.
O desafio deixa de ser o medo do que está "lá fora" e passa a ser o desapego do que está "aqui dentro", exigindo uma gestão consciente das emoções e das expectativas.
Pilares Centrais da Transformação
Energia de Ativação
Assim como na física, iniciar o movimento consome mais energia do que mantê-lo. O segredo está em não esperar pelo desaparecimento do medo, mas agir baseado numa decisão consciente.
Olhar de Peregrino
A humildade é fundamental para garantir segurança na jornada. Quem se apresenta como "mestre da verdade" encontra resistência, enquanto quem se coloca como "aprendiz do mundo" é recebido de portas abertas em diversas culturas.
Santidade da Diferença
Respeitar os cultos e religiões dos outros vai além da tolerância; é reconhecer que cada expressão cultural é uma manifestação única do sagrado.
Propósito como Âncora
Ter um objetivo claro e transformador sustenta a coragem necessária para enfrentar o desconforto diário e mantém o viajante focado no crescimento.
O Destino é o Caminho
Para o aprendiz do mundo, não existe um ponto final, apenas a constante presença em cada nova cultura, valorizando o momento e a experiência.
Crescimento Exige Desconforto
A evolução pessoal ocorre fora da zona de conforto. O sofrimento temporário, ou "dor do crescimento", é parte inerente do processo de aprendizagem e não deve ser encarado como castigo.
Bagagem Leve
O desapego interno — de preconceitos, expectativas e ego — permite que a energia de ativação não seja desperdiçada com pesos desnecessários, tornando a jornada mais leve e produtiva.
Viver a Solidão Como Um Diálogo Interno
Aprender a desfrutar da própria companhia transforma a solidão em um diálogo interno sereno, livre e consciente. Esse pilar impede que o peregrino seja um fugitivo da realidade, permitindo que, ao enfrentar o silêncio, descubra que a verdadeira casa não é um lugar, mas um estado de espírito.
I got this tattoo in November.
It's not to represent not having any fears, but indeed having fears and overcoming them. It's on my foot so that hypothetically, when I look down I'm reminded to indeed be fearless before I jump into whatever situation I'm faced with.
Taylor Swift inspired? Yes. But it's not there *because* of her. It's my message, for myself, everyday.
My daughter would run and scream if one of these "daddy long leg" spiders came anywhere near her....now look at her. She aint scared of no spider!
This is Felix Wilkins , a street musician in Philadelphia.Life has dealt him many twists and turns but he always remains true to his passion for music.You can hear him play here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qvIenwgjnA and read his fascinating life story written by Michelle Alton here...
Beat
By Michelle Alton
Felix Wilkins was playing “Anchors Aweigh” on the City Hall Concourse in Suburban Station when I first saw him during my commute.
I had just begun a new job in Philadelphia after a period of unemployment. Raised in Edison, New Jersey, I‘d built my career in central New Jersey pharmaceutical companies as a clinical researcher. Then suddenly, like so many others across the country, one morning I drove to work only to find myself without a job on the drive home. Now I was making a new start, with a whole new understanding of how it felt to be down and out. Perhaps that’s what drew me to the street musician as I still struggled to overcome the confidence loss I’d suffered after the layoff.
In the past, large cities had always been sources of fear and intimidation to me. So coming to Philly each day was opening my eyes to so many sources of its wonderment — and also to its darker, gloomier sides.
A street flutist in Center City, Felix (I did not even know his name at the time) was a tall, lean, older, striking-looking black man. He was usually dressed in a stylish suit, starched shirt, perfectly-knotted tie and matching handkerchief, and had Old Glory draped over his rolling suitcase’s extended handle. He played the notes flawlessly, and every so often a passer-by smiled and placed a dollar bill in his flute case.
I noted that Wednesday was his usual day, and found myself happily anticipating those mid-week mornings. In addition to his patriotic fare, he also played show tunes, other popular music and a collection of national anthems.
An avid amateur photographer, during lunch breaks, I trek about the city with my camera chronicling the “HYPERLINK "http://maltonphotos.zenfolio.com/philadelphia/slideshow"Philadelphia Experience,” for my website. As I became more familiar with the city, my feelings about it changed as well. My photographer’s eye noticed more details and my other senses became more attuned to its sights, smells, textures, and sounds.
On one noon-time jaunt, I was short-cutting through the east entrance of City Hall, camera conspicuous around my neck, headed toward Market Street, when I caught wind of the flutist in the concourse near the souvenir shop.
Noticing my camera as I passed through, he barreled up to me and asked if I would photograph him. “It’s my birthday!” he announced, thrusting his drivers’ license into my hand to prove it. He turned 68 that day. “Will you put my picture on the Internet?”
Happy to accommodate, though a bit wary at first, I made camera adjustments to compensate for the difficult lighting conditions: half dark with midday light streaming in through the low archways. While I snapped shot after shot, the flutist played, on bended knee, by his American flag. Moments later, a heavy-set, mustached man of about 45, sporting a red headband and yellow printed bandana, and leaning heavily on his cane, hobbled into the hallway.
The flutist approached him, and began speaking in Spanish. Suddenly, the man was singing his country’s national anthem, accompanied by the flute player. Though absorbed by the rapport that had sprung up spontaneously between the two men, I just kept shooting until the man finally limped off.
Later that week, as my birthday gift to the flutist, I posted the photos to my website. On the following Wednesday morning, I presented him with two full-color prints, mounted in gift folders. “You’re a good photographer, “he exclaimed, to my great pleasure.
I waved to him as I hustled off to work. But during the next week, my thoughts repeatedly returned to him. One day, on a coffee break, I typed, “Philadelphia + flutist + Suburban Station” into a Google search box to see what I could learn. On the first hit, I read about Felix’s arrest near Rittenhouse Square about three years before. There was no law on the books forbidding the playing of music on street corners, but he had been handcuffed and spent 45 minutes in jail. The next item was a headline announcing that he was being awarded compensation to settle his suit against the city for unlawful arrest. The article went on to say that Felix was a Panamanian musician and a retired professor of music at Brooklyn College. His life was beginning to fascinate me.
I also found rave reviews of his music and several outstanding decades-old recordings. Renowned jazz flutist, Andrea Brachfeld, in an internet interview, explained that Felix had been an early mentor to her in New York, and she credited Felix with having “shown her the ropes” back in 1972. He was so accomplished, —and judging from the mp3s I downloaded, an amazingly talented musician. Now I was determined to understand how such a man had wound up busking on the streets of Philadelphia, playing patriotic tunes for small change and occasional smiles. Convinced Felix had a story to tell, I made it a point to strike up conversations with him on several subsequent Wednesdays, and our chats became warm and friendly. “I’m an ethnomusicologist,” he told me one day, when we were talking outside City Hall. "Whatever is that?" I wondered.
Suddenly energized, Felix, not trying to disguise his passion, explained that you don’t just learn the music -- you learn the geography, culture, cuisine, customs, literature, architecture, and ethnicity of a country. Then, when you play the music, you impart the feel of the region from which it arose. To provide a more visual explanation, he went on “Take music from the Baroque period. It’s a very rough sort of music.” To illustrate, he sang a few sort of choppy sounding segments from a Bach fugue.
“Now look at that baroque carving near that window,” he went on, pointing at a portion of the City Hall façade and growing more animated. “It is also rough, just like the music from that period.” Though I didn’t really understand the analogy, the teacher in Felix was surfacing before my eyes and ears. And I thought, “He is not down and out, or a loser. He actually loves what he does!” Felix speaks fluent Spanish and English, and “gets by” in Greek and Portuguese and can also utter several phrases in a Chinese dialect. I was awed at the knowledge and passion of this man who played for coins in the train station. And although flute is Felix’s major love, he also plays saxophone, clarinet, piano, violin, cello, and other instruments. And he sings! He describes himself as a classical flutist, jazz and dance band performer. As we spoke, he artfully played and sang excerpts from Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, and Chopin.
Then he stood, suddenly switching to Charanga, a spirited Cuban/African dance genre, played on the flute in impossibly high registers. His crocodile leather-clad feet stepped and danced rhythmically in place on the pavement. I looked around in disbelief, astounded that no one on the plaza seemed to be paying any mind to the music. I would have expected other lunchtime shade seekers to be lined up, ears cocked, to hear what was going to happen next. But as I was becoming more and more mesmerized by his performance, they went about the business of enjoying their sandwiches, oblivious to Felix’s performance.
When he finished, we talked some more, and I learned that this man who takes such joy in his music does so in spite of a hard-lived life. That was when I realized the common ground we shared: My passion and gift for photography had carried me through one of the most difficult periods of my life –the sudden loss of livelihood. Could it carry me farther? I think it was at that moment that I began to plan a new chapter in my life.
Born to Jamaican parents in Panama City, Felix’s family lived in a rough neighborhood where his father worked by day as a laborer and played saxophone in local clubs at night. The elder Wilkins didn’t want his children following in his footsteps because of the drug-infused lifestyle typical of nightclub musicians there. But when his father came home one night to find his reed protector wedged into the belly of the horn, he realized that young Felix must have been playing while he was at work. So his father began to teach him Saxophone, but also made him agree to attend vocational school to learn a marketable skill. Felix promised. He became certified as an automotive mechanic and then studied at Panama’s National Conservatory of Music, where his romance with the flute began.
Active in Latin dance bands, most notably in Conjunto Impacto, (Joint Impact), he also played first flute in the Panamanian police band, and dabbled in composition. Some of his work was recorded by other artists.
Ambitious and married with two small children -- a boy and a girl -- his dream was to immigrate to America to play in the big jazz and Salsa bands. Felix brought his family to New York City, where a relative had offered to sponsor him. Supporting himself as a mechanic, and later, working at a bank, he played flute in various bands around the city. He played and recorded with Latin legends like Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Machito, Patato and Johnny Pacheco. During this time, his flute was also featured in the album Tico Alegre Allstars Live at Carnegie Hall with Joe Cuba. At the same time he began to study music at Brooklyn College, struggling to work full time, attend classes, be a family man, and hone his performance skills by playing in clubs.
So Felix left his day-job and joined the welfare rolls. A divorce from his wife soon followed. When he speaks about the woman he still carries a torch for to this day – 40 years later – his facial muscles flatten and his voice becomes muted as he allows the memory of those painful years to settle on his mind.
“But why,” I asked, “would she not have given you another chance, knowing that you cared so much for her?”
"Well," he offered, “In those days, I was a machismo man.” Felix, like most of us, also had a dark side. I did not question him further on this as I watched the sadness spread across his eyes. I didn’t want to prolong the grief he seemed to be reliving. But he told me that what transpired caused his wife to forbid contact with his children until many years later, when they were grown and had families of their own.
But that grief, I learned, nourished his music. He says he still loved her with all his heart and soul, and to keep his sorrow from overwhelming him, he threw himself into his education. One of his dreams had been to teach music to young people. He returned to Brooklyn College, where he completed a four-year degree in less than three years, earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1977 and eventually accepted a teaching position. He returned to Panama in the mid-1980s where he taught at the U.S.-supported Panama Canal College, the National Conservatory of Music, and the University of Panama. While there, he also played with a consortium called "Jazz Unlimited," and arranged and performed his own salsa version of "Baroque and Blue," a classical and blues fusion composition by the acclaimed pianist, Claude Bolling. In 1994 he returned to the United States, settling in Philadelphia.
He supported himself meagerly, playing gigs with a Cuban dance band called "Foto y su Charanga" and giving private music lessons to both adults and children. He says he loves to work with children because their lives are uncomplicated and they don’t skip as many lessons as adults.
Now, one or two days a week, Felix keeps his performance skills honed by playing on the streets of Center City, Philadelphia. He plays the morning commute in Suburban Station, outside a wig shop near the City Hall exit. In the afternoon, he migrates to the Historic District, where his flute fills the air with patriotic American tunes mixed with World Music. He is retired now, collects a very modest Social Security check, and lives in subsidized senior housing. He still loves to play his flute, saying, “Music is my soul. “If I don’t play, I will lose it,” he explains with a sort of distant look in his dark, expressive eyes. He truly enjoys the smiles and good will of the “regulars” at the train station, and of all who appreciate his warmth, his enthusiasm, and most of all, his spirited playing.
The next week, as I hurry through the train station, I hear in the distance a most heavenly flute rendition of Beethoven's "Fur Elise." As I round the next bend, I spot Felix, perched on a high stack of newspapers outside the wig shop, eyes closed, playing as though to an audience of angels. I stand and listen quietly as he finishes the piece, completely unaware of my presence. It is a brilliant and thrilling performance.
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