View allAll Photos Tagged Prioritize
- Theodore Roosevelt.
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Another shot of the fantastic Sparks Lake near Bend, Oregon. This was one of our surprise locations of the trip, one which we ignored in our first trip to Oregon since we were chasing waterfalls on that trip and prioritized lower proxy falls over this location.
The beauty of Bend Oregon stands out quite a bit among the places we have visited, even in the western side of the United States which is not short on Grand vistas. I used a portrait mode for this shot just so I could accentuate the foreground a bit and anchor the mountains on the horizon. This is basically a three exposure shot blended together to get maximum depth of field since the bushes in front are really close to me and I wanted them to be in focus. I am glad that Nikon had made this feature now much easier with the new D850, can't wait to try it out in the field.
Arashiyama bamboo forest in late December during the annual light up season, shot from a low angle at 12mm with FE 12-24mm f4 G.
Seldom get to use my FE 12-24mm G because most times I prefer my more versatile FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM although the 12mm perspective can be quite unique.
When Panasonic released their Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 back in 2020, it really caught my attention and I’ve hoped that Sony will launch a similar zoom range albeit with higher performance. Reference point (2) of this post from 5 months ago;
www.flickr.com/photos/86145600@N07/52295906674/.
Rumor now has it that Sony will indeed be launching a FE 20-70mm f4 G and this could be the perfect pairing to the FE 12-24mm f4 G.
Conventional standard zooms typically start at 24mm wide angle these days but 20mm is in ultra-wide category. If I shoot with a 24-70mm zoom, I’ll always have to bring along an ultra-wide zoom as well but with a standard zoom that starts at 20mm, I could leave out the ultra-wide zoom.
Big caveat here is, it’s already difficult to make a really good 24-70mm zoom, having this extend from ultra-wide 20mm will make it even more difficult. Even amongst the premium so-called “trinity” f2.8 zooms, the 24-70mm zoom is always the weakest performer.
Sony launched their FE 12-24mm f4 G in 2017, 3 years later in 2020, they released the FE 12-24mm f2.8 GM. Extrapolating a bit, If Sony’s FE 20-70mm f4 G is popular, they may well bring out a FE 20-70mm f2.8 GM around 2026, the new FE 24-70mm f2.8 GMii was recently released this year so the timeline looks plausible for a future FE 20-70mm f2.8 GM.
While a good quality 20-70mm zoom looks like an attractive option, I would actually love a FE 16-50mm f4 G which can effectively replace both ultra-wide and standard zooms. I’ve said some time ago that Sony should leave the 16-35mm range to f2.8 while the f4 G lens be 16-50mm. Such a lens does exist currently but in m4/3 Olympus 8-25mm f4 Pro.
The new FE PZ 16-35mm f4 G weighs a mere 353g, a potential FE 16-50mm f4 G at around 500g ought to be doable.
For years my preference has been to pair my FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM with my FE 85mm f1.4 GM and FE 55mm f1.8 ZA while leaving out the 24-70mm zoom entirely.
I have at times thought about adding the Tamron FE 28-75mm f2.8 G2 but would absolutely go for the Sony FE 20-70mm f4 G instead if it materializes although this is personally not a high priority.
Postscript
=========
FE 20-70mm f4 G, while certainly very good with an attractively unique focal range, it would appear that Sony did not manage to prioritize the performance at the wide end of the zoom unfortunately.
Irish did me, so i had to do him. He didn't ask me to do him, but i couldn't resist. Irish, you are ridiculously adorable and such an inspiration. your honesty and openness to very touchy topics is amazing and admirable. i commend you and thank you. cheers!!! :)
This shot was actually very challenging for many reasons. The biggest reason being that i am left handed and had a lot of trouble holding that pen in my right hand in a way that appeared believable.
so here goes:
secret #1 and only (as i am not in the "secrets" group)
i am a HUGE procrastinator!! it's not just the typical "oh i'll get to that" like most people have. it's much worse. it has gotten even worse w/in the last year and i'm getting a little frightened to be honest. i hate to admit it, but since this is my "secret" shot...i have mail that i haven't opened (bills), phone calls i still haven't returned from months ago, email i haven't answered, gifts i haven't gotten/sent, photos for jobs i haven't edited, painting jobs i haven't finished, etc. the list goes on and on and on. it's becoming a big ball of fear and i just avoid it all by not thinking about it. ever. it's not good and i don't like it at all. no one knows quite how bad it is (well, except for all of you now).
As silly as this shot was to do and the whole copy cat idea, it's gotten me thinking. Admitting it by typing it here and announcing to all of flickr that i have a problem is going to be the first step in my recovery. I need to get my act together fast. I need to stop taking on things when i know i already have enough going on. I need to prioritize and get done what i've committed to do. i need to open my mail, my voice mail, and respond to the unanswered emails. little by little, i need to chip away at this.
oh crap!! i gotta go! i'm getting my taxes done in a few mintues!! seriously! i procrastinated til today!! aaarhrrgggghh!!
(so here's the "irish" part): how about you? what do you need to change about yourself? any other procrastinators out there? i want to hear your stories.
The First United Methodist Church of Crockett, Texas is located at 701 East Goliad Avenue, two blocks east of the historic town center and the Houston County Courthouse. The site-fired brick church was built according to plans drawn by Richard C. Cassidy, and includes nineteen stained-glass windows fabricated in Bavaria. The church, completed in 1902 (with subsequent additions) occupies the original site purchased by the congregation in 1858 and represents the town's oldest continuing congregation. The site and church have been continuously occupied by the Methodist Church. The First United Methodist Church building is most closely associated with the Gothic Revival architectural style, but is more specifically an exemplar of the Neomedieval Auditorium Church, a typology identified by religion scholar Jeanne Halgren Kilde in 2002.
This Neomedieval Auditorium model of church architecture was popular among Evangelical Protestant congregations at the turn of the twentieth century, and is commonly found in the American south; its formal development was a direct result of various trends in theology, ecclesiology, mission, and social identity. Typically, the Neomedieval Auditorium church exterior recalls medieval revival styles, often loosely adapted from the Gothic Revival or Romanesque Revival, with emphasis on revived monumental proportions, ornament, and siting. The Neomedieval Auditorium church interior often does not follow a typical medieval cruciform plan, but rather is organized as an auditorium that prioritizes clear sight-lines, good acoustics, and a sense of unity.
The First United Methodist Church was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on March 21, 2011 in the area of Architecture, as an excellent example of an intact Gothic Revival church, and more speciflcally as an exemplar of the Neomedieval Auditorium Church type. All of the information above was found on the original documents submitted for listing consideration along with much, much more. All of these documents can be viewed here:
catalog.archives.gov/id/40972612
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
Chapter #1: Readiness
🎧 Six Degrees Of Separation 🎵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iOGAF1CZVs
The person who ends the relationship or breaks up with you is the one who is 'ready'...
They've already embraced the truth.
They've already passed judgment.
They've already made their decision.
They've already endured deep disappointment, hurt, and heartbreak.
They've already prioritized themselves over you.
For many, they've already traversed through stages of emotional separation before deciding to end things.
The day they break up marks the beginning of their journey through the entire process, and they are READY to move on.
☑ Experienced people pass through all the stages of heartbreak in your warm embrace and love.
☑ They journey through degrees of heartbreak and profound disappointment, finding solace in your embrace and enveloped by your love throughout our time together. It's within this period that they gradually detach their minds and ready themselves for what lies ahead. The day they breakup marks the culmination of their readiness.
-------------------
The person who is left behind, however, is 'not ready'...
Not ready to be abandoned.
Not ready to face loss.
Not ready to confront the truth about mistakes.
Not ready to embrace a life without a partner.
Not ready to acknowledge the decision.
Not ready to accept the truth.
Not ready to endure disappointment.
Not ready to weather heartbreak.
Not ready to prioritize themselves.
Not ready to depart.
Not ready to let go.
For most, traversing through these emotional degrees proves daunting. Some struggle to move on for months, others for years, and some never find closure or move on even after a decade or more.
☑ They passed through all the heartbreak stage 'alone.'
☑ They journey through these six degrees of heartbreak 'alone,' as a form of punishment and penance for causing severe disappointment to their lovers, for the guilt they never knew they harbored, and for the pain inflicted upon their beloveds.
ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ
" For people who truly love each other, the one who decides to leave is often the one who experienced hurt first and became ready to move on first. It doesn't imply they were devoid of pain prior to the decision to leave, rather, it may seem as though they are unaffected on the day of the breakup, but this doesn't negate the hurt they felt before that moment. "
_________ Scarlett Saphira
ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ
Chapter #2: 'Don't wait for me.'
Beneath the words when she says, 'Don't wait for me.'
Don't wait for me, move forward, let go.
Don't wait for me to seek you out.
Don't wait for me to trail behind you.
Don't wait for my sympathy to awaken.
Don't wait for my apology to come.
Don't wait for me to feel sorry for you.
Don't wait for me to say I'm sorry to you.
Don't wait for my attention to reach you.
Don't wait for my concern to mend our brokenness.
Don't wait for my longing to restore what was lost.
Don't wait for me...
ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ.-:**★**:-.ღ
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(Charadrius cucullatus)
Two Tree Point - Bruny Island -Tasmania
Austrália
This was the first species I saw and photographed in Tasmania. I had hoped to find it, but I never expected it to be the very first species I encountered.
Our trip from Brisbane to Hobart wasn’t exactly smooth. A few weeks after buying the tickets, I got the lovely message: “Your upcoming flight with Rex has been cancelled as a result of Rex’s Voluntary Administration.”
But hey, at least they offered a free ticket with Virgin Australia. So generous, right?
But, after VA totally "forgot" about me for more than 2 months, I finally managed to get a ticket. The catch? Instead of landing in Hobart around noon, as planned, our new arrival time was 5:10 PM.
Problem: the last ferry to Bruny Island leaves at 7 PM. In theory, we could make it, but only if there were no delays and everything—waiting for luggage, picking up the car—went perfectly smooth.
We thought about changing our Bruny Island dates, but accommodation prices had tripled since I’d booked. So, we decided to take our chances.
Oh, and by the way, when we were at O'Reilly's, someone casually mentioned that 40 minutes was enough to get from the airport to the ferry. Spoiler: it's not.
The flight landed on time, but the luggage took forever. So, I went to pick up the rental car while Nita waited for the bags. Conveniently, when we walked past the rental desk earlier, it was empty. Now? Both employees were busy with customers who seemed in no rush to finish their endless questions and conversations.
With the clock reminding me of my ever-shrinking buffer, I started to stress out. Finally, one employee became available—but, of course, she had to make an urgent phone call. That’s when I stepped in and explained my situation. Thankfully, she was kind enough to prioritize my reservation.
Once we got the car, Google Maps told me the ETA to the ferry was 6:43 PM. Okay, doable—assuming nothing went wrong. Sticking to the speed limit (thanks to cruise control), I resisted the temptation to put the pedal to the metal.
Crossing the Hobart Bridge was... an experience. I was in the center lane, with traffic coming toward me on the other side, separated by absolutely nothing. All I could think about was how one distracted driver in the two lanes on my left could send me flying into oncoming traffic. But hey, all went well.
Honestly, Aussie drivers seem incredibly careful and disciplined—they don’t stray an inch from their lanes. I can only imagine the nightmare it must be for them to drive where I am used to drive!
We got to the ferry exactly at 6:43 PM, as predicted. My wife, who has an intense fear of being stopped at Australian airports for carrying food (fruit is a big no-no), decided this was a great time for me to grab something to eat and drink at the café near the dock. Problem: it closes at 4 PM.
Alright, no worries—we'll just grab something on the island.
When we disembarked, there was a sign that should’ve made us pause: "Next service station: Adventure Bay (40 km)". No big deal, though—that’s exactly where we were headed, and we had plenty of fuel.
The drive was lovely, but not a single café or supermarket was open along the way. We stopped briefly to admire the stunning view at The Neck, then continued on. Once we reached Adventure Bay, we quickly found our accommodation. Feeling optimistic, we decided to head to the service station to grab some food.
But… surprise! No supermarket, no gas station, no café was open. The café/restaurant looked like it might be, but as soon as I tried to open the door, they switched off the lights.
The result? We were going to bed hungry. All we had were two yogurts from the fridge in our accommodation and, thankfully, some coffee. Not exactly the feast we were hoping for!
It was 8 PM, I was starving, and there was still some daylight left. Way too early to head to bed. So, I grabbed my camera and went down to the beach right in front of us. And… to my absolute delight, there it was—a Hooded Plover! The light was fading fast, but who cares? Who knows when I’d spot another one of these again?
Not long after, I saw a second one as well a pair of Pacific Gulls and a Pied Oystercatcher (all lifers for me). Suddenly, hunger? Gone. Completely cured.
Now, full disclosure: I ended up deleting all those photos. But at the time, it felt like an elixir for my empty stomach.
This shot? I took it the next day. Turns out, I’d see these birds every single day. They were super tame and gave us plenty of chances for some great photos.
==================***==================
All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.
So, you may find:
- All the photos for this trip Austrália (2024) (309)
- All the photos for this order CHARADRIIFORMES (1170)
- All the photos for this family Charadriidae (Caradriídeos) (182)
- All the photos for this species Charadrius cucullatus (5)
- All the photos taken this day 2024/11/21 (23)
==================***==================
I am 42 today and considering my life. I was born in a hospital in Lae, Papua New Guinea, on this day in 1966. 2nd daughter to missionary parents. I spent the first eight years of my life there in PNG. It was a wonderful beginning. The middle was kind of rough, but it is improving every day!
Perhaps it is kind of silly to ask “Who am I?” at my age, but today this is what I did. -- Melody
I AM
I am a step-mother and a mother, hopelessly lost some days
because I wasn’t parented that well.
I have no compass.
I soak up ideas and solutions from others, mostly my friends, because I am afraid I will “mess up” my children. (Yes, the way I was messed up.)
I am fearful and insecure; in my core believing that I am a screw-up, a loser, a horrible friend, and an even worse mother. I am the worst in-law, daughter, sister or friend
anyone could want (except I don’t nag or bother, rather the other end of the spectrum.
I simply act like others aren’t there.)
I am an alcoholic and a child of an alcoholic
and this affects every single thought and decision that I make.
I am a writer, a thinker, a philosopher.
I make things like photographs, and gardens, and poems, and that makes me happy.
I love to share these things with others.
I am spiritual, preferring old thoughts and music to anything contemporary or new.
I am not religious, or even very faithful. But I do believe in Jesus. And I try very hard! Perhaps that is my problem …. I try. I don’t understand Grace, not really.
So on those days when my unbelief overwhelms, I entertain thoughts that can be desperate and decidedly unfaithful.
I do not let go …. I want and I need to be in control at all times,
about everything, in every way. When I am not, I feel I have failed.
Losing control personally, emotionally, mentally is one of my worst crimes.
Don’t get me wrong, I know I am not all bad.
I am thoughtful. I am usually open and honest with others, when asked.
I take risks and try new things.
I love competition! Sports (watching), playing certain games, setting personal goals. But I'm afraid I get too into it, and at times it's not so pretty.
A long time ago, when I worked full-time, I was a visionary, a pioneer, a competent person, a leader. I was loyal and capable. I accomplished a lot.
Surely, I am still those things.
I embrace and actually love cultures other than my own,
soaking up the ideas, art, food, and music through books, travel and most of all friendship with those who are unlike me.
I usually help others as I see their needs.
I cook well, even better than well. I am a great cook.
My family & friends are well fed.
I organize & prioritize my children’s lives well, putting their needs first,
advocating and challenging others about my children’s needs.
I encourage others.
(At least when I am not selfishly thinking about myself.)
I want some day to know myself well enough
that I can speak out, act, embrace, find and give all that live has to offer!
I want some day to be able to laugh, and cry, and feel
the spectrum of emotions found on that damn feeling wheel!
What might you not know about me?
I’m addicted to coffee. Seriously it’s a physical and psychological thing
and if I don’t have it, I might just come unhinged.
Of course being an alcoholic, I don’t drink.
But I do smoke and I know it’s a slow form of suicide. I don’t do it lightly (almost every cigarette comes with lucid acknowledgement of the consequence.)
but I definitely cannot quit at this time.
I love to exercise and eat well, but I don’t (usually.)
I play music every day; all kinds and it is life-giving.
I am diagnosed with major depressive disorder, which means in layman’s terms:
I have a propensity for melancholia and if I don’t manage it, it will come back. At its worst this type of depression is like drowning in your worst nightmare,
a stinking, dark hellish place to reside. Where truth becomes lies, and lies truth. You are incapable of doing, feeling, thinking, reading, sometimes even breathing.
Thankfully I've been depression-free for almost two years.
[I may regret saying this, but you have an open invitation to ask me if
I am exercising & eating,because these are the first disciplines to go. Also, if you haven’t seen me in a while, it can be a bad sign because I begin to isolate.]
Depression, alcoholism, insecurity, damage,
they are not my complete story,
my story is just starting.
I believe God brought into my life the perfect person for me; he loves me by asking hard questions, telling me the truth about myself which usually means “good stuff” but sometimes even hard truths. He encourages my passions and interests, supports them as well, which is no small thing in this financial climate.
He is a warrior on my behalf
and I love him more than I have shown him or will ever be capable of showing.
People have described me as aloof and private, which I am
but mostly because I am shy and those demons of insecurity are playing out in my head
more often than I would like to admit.
I am creative, intuitive, capable, kind, thoughtful, deep, at times extremely selfish & critical of others, but mostly about my ideas and my time.
My critical spirit, my insecurities, can and do hurt those I love and it is one of my deepest regrets; an Achilles heal.
I am passionate and always reading & thinking about things that are important to me, but I often fail at finishing and carrying them out. Books lay around unread, photographs unprinted, my book of poetry sits unfinished, and commitments become a burden, as I selfishly move on to something new.
I need community, long for it, work to develop it,
but most times I fall short through my own weaknesses and broken heart.
You can be confident that I want to know you, be in your life, especially if I have told you, but my stupid **** keeps me entangled at times.
All in all, I would say I am a good person.
As I learn what it means to be a child of an alcoholic I can acknowledge
that I am still growing up, even at 42;
still learning and discovering who I am
and how I want to live.
I am slowing waking up – from a life-draining,
sad, lonely, scared and cold childhood.
All in all, I am blessed beyond belief – with great love, friendship, abundance, talents and so much more.
I acknowledge that, even while I ache with the painful knowledge that I cannot fully embrace my life – yet – due to all of the above.
The most important thing people may not know about me
is that HOPE is the central thing of importance in my life.
If I have even a tiny inkling of hope – a belief, a dream
or something to hope for, I can put all of this aside. (Okay, not totally of course.)
Although this list isn’t complete,
(how could a perfectionist “complete” a list)
it is all true, as I know myself, today on my forty-second birthday, 2008.
Thanks for being a friend, getting involved in my messy life. Keep hanging in there, because I believe it's on an upward curve and I am hopeful about the future.
This email requires no reply. It is simply a record of my thoughts, and perhaps will give you a glimpse at the ME I let very few in to see. You do not, should not, feel an obligation to reply.
September 24, 2008
Melody Hanson
Another image captured by smartphone. However, unlike previous one that was edited by Snapseed app on the phone.
This image was post-processed via Lightroom. High Falls is a breathtaking natural wonder in Ontario, boasting five stunning waterfalls including Pott’s Falls, Muskoka Canyon Falls, Little High Falls, Big High Falls, and a man-made waterfall for High Falls Water Park. With wheelchair accessibility in much of the site, it’s a great spot to stop and take in the view along the Trans-Canada Trail System. Capture stunning photos of High Falls and the smaller Little High Falls, following hiking trail signs to discover both. However, always exercise caution and prioritize safety when exploring near the rushing waterfalls and rocky surfaces.
At the gates of Reffen, Copenhagen’s vibrant street food haven, a message rises from repurposed containers, simple, bold, and full of promise. I want to believe these young people are trendsetters, offering a glimpse of a more sustainable, communal tomorrow. Copenhagen is one of the world’s most bike-friendly cities 🚲. It boasts over 390 km (242 miles) of dedicated bike lanes, most of them separated from car traffic for safety. More than 40% of residents commute by bike daily, even in winter (same for me here in Berlin, by the way!). Urban planning prioritizes cycling, with green wave traffic lights that let riders glide smoothly through intersections. #GreenCity #WonderfulCopenhagen
23250 McKay Avenue
Maple Ridge, BC Canada
A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.
The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).
An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else.
Image best viewed in large screen.
Thank-you for your visit, and any comments or faves are always very much appreciated! ~Sonja.
…a trailside capture from Margarette Falls, Greenville, Tennessee, Cherokee National Forest… After staying the night in Gatlinburg, I was out the door at 5:15am. After driving about an hour and a half, I arrived the trailhead of Margarette FaIls, where I visited for the first time on Jul 27, 2024. On my first visit, the water flow was substantially lighter…~about 1/4 compared with what it was today. The area had received at least 1.6 inches of rain and maybe more since the weekend with flash flood warnings being issued in the weather forecast. I found the trail to be damp with runoff in sections from several weeps in sections, but it was not overly muddy. On my first visit, I spent at least an hour photographing many scenic creek settings beside the trail, however this time, I decided to prioritize hiking to the waterfall first, making a mental note of a few sections in the creek to photograph on my return.
In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf argues that the creative process requires material and psychological independence. She insists that this is not a romantic defence of solitude but a concrete condition: a woman must have a room of her own to create.
The room Woolf describes is both literal and symbolic. It is an uninterrupted physical space, but it is also continuity of thought. Privacy protects extended reflection, which any serious creative work demands. Without control over one’s time and environment, intellectual work becomes fragmented and secondary.
Psychologically, the room functions as protection. Creative work requires freedom from imposed obligations, demanded behaviours, accusations, or expectations that invade the interior space of thought.
Privacy and independence allow the development of what Woolf calls an “androgynous mind”: a balanced and integrated consciousness capable of expansive imagination rather than reactive production.
Creativity does not emerge purely from innate talent; it depends on infrastructure: space, time, and security. Private space is not a luxury. It is a precondition.
A private room represents cognitive continuity, protection from interruption, and ownership of one’s intellectual life. Artists and highly creative individuals require private, self-controlled environments for cognitive, psychological, and practical reasons.
Creative work depends on sustained attention. Complex ideation activates distributed neural networks. The interruptions force cognitive switching, degrade working memory, and reduce coherence. Generating original material means allowing incomplete, imperfect, even unconventional ideas to exist long enough to develop.
When someone is constantly observing, questioning, demanding, or accusing, the mind turns toward self-monitoring instead of exploration. Even subtle evaluation anxiety increases risk aversion. The imagination begins to censor itself before it has time to expand.
Incubation requires psychological safety because creativity involves vulnerability. The process is nonlinear: doubt, confusion, emotional intensity, experimentation, even failure. When intimate environments are contaminated with tension or negative emotion, expression becomes regulated. The body anticipates interruption. The nervous system prepares for defence rather than creation.
Artists are often highly sensitive in how they organize their working space. They perceive small shifts in light, sound, and movement. Sensory calibration matters. Control over lighting, spatial arrangement, and objects preserves cognitive bandwidth. When that space is repeatedly touched, moved, entered, or emotionally destabilized, something subtle but essential is disturbed.
Creative work is intertwined with personal meaning. Private space forms a boundary between social identity; roles and expectations and creative identity; experimentation and self-definition. Without that boundary, creative output begins to align with external approval or defensive reaction rather than intrinsic vision.
Research in cognitive psychology, stress neuroscience, and creativity studies confirms if physical space and personal boundaries are repeatedly violated over a long period, creative capacities erode in their expression.
Chronic interruption prevents entry into flow states described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The brain requires uninterrupted time to integrate complex ideas. Constant disruption trains vigilance rather than immersion.
Prolonged stress activates the threat-response system. Chronically elevated stress hormones impair working memory, cognitive flexibility, and associative thinking, all these are essential for originality.
Under perceived threat, the brain prioritizes control over exploration. Creativity narrows. Loss of autonomy further diminishes intrinsic motivation.
When space is invaded or constantly monitored, creative activity shifts from self-directed expression to reactive coping. Persistent criticism or invalidation leads to self-censorship and learned inhibition. The process becomes associated with tension rather than safety and something as fundamental as creativity gift is lost.
But inhibition is not the same as structural destruction. The capacity itself does not disappear; access to it does.
What erodes is fluency, trust, and the sense that creation is allowed.
When autonomy and safety slowly return, the nervous system must relearn that imagination will not be punished. Recovery is uneven. It requires rebuilding the internal room before rebuilding the external one.
Prolonged violation of privacy can block creative functioning for as long as the adverse conditions persist but once the door closes again (not as exclusion, but as protection) creation begins to move back into the room that was once stolen.
IMPORTANT STATEMENT
THE LIMITS
To those looking to scrape, copy, or “borrow” my soul, read carefully:
ZERO TOLERANCE: Any use of my works in portfolios, commercial displays, or training data will be met with rigorous legal action.
NO SHARES: Do not share my work to platforms without my permission. Especially to Pinterest.
NO AI TRAINING: My images are strictly prohibited from being used for diffusion models or AI generators.
VISIBILITY IS NOT A LICENCE: Sharing my soul with the public does not grant you ownership. Using my images to feed an AI or build your portfolio is not “sharing” — it is theft.
ANTI-COPYIST STANCE: Technical mastery does not grant you the right to the soul of another’s work. To copy a composition simply because it is “beautiful” is to fail the fundamental test of artistry: having something original to say.
New Magic Art Photography website is now live! I hope you enjoy it.
Have a wonderful weekend.素敵な週末を Mitsushiro
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mitsushiro
First, I will prioritize Japanese and English, and release my novel, B♭ (B-flat).
It is available in the Drive below.
Drive folder for novel publication: (小説専門の公開用ドライブ)
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EUyKO4locQKzfKfvmlh0-uamF...
I want to provide accurate translations in 34 languages.
For those who do not understand English or Japanese, please wait a little longer.
I promise I will release them.
素敵な週末を Mitsushiro
僕はまず、日本語と英語を優先して、僕の小説、【B♭（ビーフラット）】を公開します。
それは以下のドライブにあります。
Drive folder for novel publication: (小説専門の公開用ドライブ)
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EUyKO4locQKzfKfvmlh0-uamF...
僕は、３４種類の言語の正確な翻訳を望んでいます。
英語、日本語がわからない方は、いましばらくお待ちください。
僕は必ず公開します。
#novel #B♭ #小説 #ビーフラット #ネットフリックスへの挑戦 #ChallengetoNetflix #Netflix #ネットフリックス #千葉 #やちまた #八街 #八街市 #yachimata #yachimatacity #cityofyachimata #NewYork #ニューヨーク #マンハッタン #Manhattan #アメリカ #USA #Chiba #MrLonely #BobbyVinton #oneokrock #thepilot
The Red Thread
In Swedish, the expression ”den röda tråden”, which means ”the red thread”, is used much like the English expression ”the common thread” - it describes a recurring theme or characteristic, or sometimes a guiding principle. The same expression is used in German: ”der rote Faden”. Maybe it exists in other languages too.
When I began thinking about this week’s Self Portrait Sunday theme, ”the red thread” came to mind. Over the last years, following the red thread has sort of become my theme song. I try to focus as much as I can on things that are really important to me personally, which to a great extent means working on developing my talents. I get better and better on prioritizing this over caring about what others might think, and over conventional notions and ideas on what constitutes a socially acceptable lifestyle. In short, I am trying my best to follow my red thread, even on days that it might seem hopelessly tangled. I detangle it bit by bit, and it makes my heart sing.
Sunday morning at 8:59 am in the month of May 19.2013. In the city of Surabaya when this photo was taken. Not many wonderful sights in the city of Surabaya only story buildings crammed in every corner of the city.
I just drove old Japanese cars as they circled the city of Surabaya, because at that time my husband had an appointment with the client to plan a project. There I took part, who knows there are beautiful moments to capture in a photo.
My husband and I did not mind so glad I joined, because it can give a little input in determining any idea. In traveling around takes approximately 2 hours I reached the destination.
On the way there are many buildings in the city of Surabaya but only one building with stylish modern architecture facade design using vertical garden system.
This building is an office and do not need to mention because I smelled ads .... hehehehe.
Location of this building right in the middle of a very strategic area, and from any angle looks beautiful in look and very attractive. I first saw this building is very different from the others, because it prioritizes the park although I have seen not so wide to build the park. Maybe the garden vertical garden system is formed, because the narrowness of the land and may again trend today.
After the shots I can directly proceed because I had started to drizzle.
Thank you to all flickr friends who many give support , and I really appreciate your time .
Once again thank you very much . Have a wonderful day with camera .
Take care ! ! ! ! "
* * * Copyright ©
All of which include an image is copyrighted, with all rights reserved please do not use, copy or edit any images without written permission from me Shantyrof (the rightful owner). If you want to use these photos please contact my email address: shanty_rof@yahoo.com
I haven't prioritized birding at all this winter season. That's easier to do when it's extremely cold -which is what we've had for most of February. But on Sunday, we hit 49ºF and it felt like spring! Over the weekend I FINALLY saw new species for the year, including Northern Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, Wilson's Snipe, and Hooded Merganser. This hoodie had caught a fish and swam a little closer to me because another one was trying to grab it away from him. Hennepin County, MN 02/23/25
- Tecumseh.
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During our visits to National Parks, I usually plan my days out in advance, scheduling sunrise, early morning, and sunset sessions with specific locations and hikes. With such a schedule, sometimes I have to bypass interesting views that I come across while driving. I rarely prioritize these spots because of the limited time we have for these trips, but sometimes, I do manage to stop and photograph a beautiful scene that intrigues me.
On a cold and blustery morning during our recent trip to Zion, while driving back to my hotel room from a sunrise hike at Eastern Zion, I came across this beautiful scene. Although I had no feeling in my fingers and the car was warm, I convinced myself to drag myself out back into the cold for a few quick pictures. I thought they would be duds as I took them handheld, but fortunately, a few of them came out sharp. Whenever I look at this image, I can still feel the cold.
Excerpt from Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail brochure:
11 Incidental Abode by Sandra Crisante
Colourful florals contrast subdued factories forging a balance between the natural and industrial environment. A bird is left to fend for itself and nest in a harsh and inhospitable environment. It is a critical look at the world around us, the true cost of what we are prioritizing and the fallout.
Khotan rug, southern Xinjiang, ca. 1930s–40s. Wool pile on cotton.
5' 2" in X 8' 6"
57.5 cm × 259.1 cm
This rug belongs to the late, pictorial phase of weaving in the oasis towns of Khotan along the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert. Unlike the denser, more formally codified carpets of Persia, Khotan weaving developed in urban workshops that were responsive to trade and to the layered cultural environment of the Silk Road. By the early twentieth century, those workshops had begun to move away from repeating medallions and lattice fields toward more open, narrative compositions such as the one seen here.
The imagery is best understood as a textile translation of landscape. At right stands a tiered architectural form that reads as a pavilion or terraced dwelling, its geometry simplified to suit the logic of knotting. At left, a stylized tree anchors the composition, while small birds move across the field in a loose formation. Between them, bands and compartments suggest cultivated ground, water, or garden terraces, but without any attempt at Western perspective. Space is flattened and organized in strips, as if a painted scene had been reassembled according to the constraints of the loom. The result is not naturalistic but mnemonic, a remembered landscape rendered into pattern.
This pictorial turn reflects the position of Khotan at a cultural hinge. The weaving structure and materials are Central Asian, the compositional habits draw in part on Persian garden imagery, and the subject matter and spatial sensibility show clear affinity with Chinese painting and decorative arts. By the 1930s, increased contact with Chinese markets and officials in Xinjiang encouraged designs that would be legible within a Chinese visual framework, including pavilions, trees, and birds arranged in compartmentalized scenes.
The primary market for rugs of this type was **regional and Chinese-facing rather than Western**. They were made for settled, urban households in oasis centers such as Khotan, Yarkand, and Kashgar—merchants, minor officials, and prosperous families furnishing reception rooms or raised sleeping platforms. At the same time, workshops were clearly attentive to **Chinese buyers and administrators** active in Xinjiang, whose familiarity with pictorial garden imagery made such designs especially appealing. A secondary market extended westward through Central Asian trade routes toward Russian Turkestan and, increasingly by the early twentieth century, into European and American hands. Western demand helped circulate these rugs but did not determine their design; the pictorial language was already established within an intra-Asian context.
Technically, the rug is characteristic of later Khotan production: a wool pile of relatively matte, dry handle set on a cotton warp and weft, with a weave that prioritizes design over density. These were not courtly luxury objects but well-made, visually engaging textiles intended for everyday domestic use within a comfortable, middle tier of consumption.
Seen today, the rug carries the imprint of a particular historical moment. It comes from the final decades of a long-standing oasis tradition shaped by caravan trade, before political consolidation and modern economic change altered both production and exchange. Its hybrid imagery is not the result of Western taste, but of a Silk Road conversation between Central Asia and China, translated into wool and organized by the enduring logic of the loom.
The brand-new Alstom-built X’trapolis train, part of Ireland’s innovative DART+ fleet, captured at the Fairview DART depot. This sleek, green train, adorned with a distinctive orange and white livery, represents the latest addition to Irish Rail’s efforts to modernize its commuter services. As of now, two sets of these advanced trains have been delivered and are undergoing extensive testing to ensure they meet the high standards required for passenger service. The X’trapolis design, known for its efficiency and modern amenities, is set to enhance the commuting experience across the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) network.
Alstom’s X’trapolis trains are renowned for their cutting-edge technology and passenger-focused features. These electric multiple units offer improved energy efficiency, spacious interiors, and enhanced accessibility, making them ideal for the busy routes of the DART+ expansion. The new fleet is part of a broader initiative by Irish Rail to upgrade its infrastructure and increase capacity, responding to the growing demand for reliable public transportation in the Dublin region. With a design that prioritizes sustainability and comfort, the X’trapolis trains are equipped with advanced systems for smoother operations and reduced environmental impact.
The DART+ project marks a significant milestone for Irish Rail, aiming to extend and electrify the existing DART network to serve more communities across the Greater Dublin Area. The introduction of the X’trapolis trains is a key component of this transformation, promising faster, more frequent services and improved connectivity. As testing continues at the Fairview depot, these trains are poised to play a central role in shaping the future of rail travel in Ireland, reflecting a commitment to innovation and sustainability in the country’s transportation sector.
- Plautus.
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One thing you have to understand about Southern California is that if you invite people to visit, they are showing up. We lived in Boston, NYC, Pittsburgh, and San Jose and often invited people to visit but seldom got any visitors. But every person we invited while living SoCal ended up visiting us. My hunch is that it has something to do with the weather. But the best part about living in LA was the sheer number of world-class locations that you can visit.
When my family visited us in the summer of 2016, we took off on an extended guided tour of the American southwest. One of the stops during the trip was the stunning Horseshoe Bend, where we spend a very colorful sunset. This trip was a bit different than our usual trips because a lot of the trip planning prioritized the availability of hotel rooms over golden hours at interesting locations. But eventually, the sheer size of southwest caught up to us, and it resulted in us being at horseshoe bend around sunset. So we decided to hang out till unset and get dinner from McDonald's.
The decision proved to be one of the best, and I got to see the most colorful sunsets at this location. I completely forgot about this image being in my family trip folder until I was backing up the folder yesterday. What great little surprise.
In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.
It's March and I finally have the opportunity to do some landscape photography. All of you with newborn toddlers understand how difficult it can be to find time on your own and when the opportunity arises really prioritize the time to something other than their child ...: D
But this time I was able to go out in the nearby nature reserve "Norra järvafältet" and explore the woods. I then found this fallen pine, which was surrounded by a green floor of forest beauty. I couldn't resist seeing if there was a composition among all this beauty. Finally, I found a composition where an old path curled up next to a beautiful pine tree. I composed the picture so that the path looks like it starts at the shattered and fallen tree. The two parts of the image form an S curve that guides you through the image. I call the image "Broken path" and I hope you like it.
Additional information and Gear used
This photo was taken with my Nikon Z6 and Nikkor Z 14-30 f4 S lens. For more information about me and my photography please visit my website at www.andreaslarzon.com
You can follow me on Instagram at: @andreaslarzonphoto
Interrested to know what gear i use for landscape photography? Have a look at MY GEAR list on my website.
Interrested in buying a print?
If you want to support my photography and buy one of my prints please visit my gallery at Printler.com. If you can't find the print you looking for please contact me either through my website or here at flickr.
⦁ As you’ve seen in my previous blogs, I love exploring every corner of this amazing community. My goal is simple: to capture everything that makes it special. Behind each building, there’s a team of dedicated staff members ready to care for residents with compassion and professionalism.
Today, I took a trip to Woodland Grove EMS Station home to our incredible first responders.
The moment a resident dial 911, a chain of lifesaving action begins. The dispatcher quickly alerts Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and within moments, trained professionals are on their way. EMS teams respond to accidents, sudden illnesses, and urgent medical situations where every second matters.
When they arrive at the scene, their work begins immediately. They assess the situation, evaluate injuries or medical conditions, and make rapid decisions about the care needed. Their ability to stay calm under pressure is remarkable. They prioritize treatment based on severity, stabilize patients, and prepare them for safe transport.
Driving an emergency vehicle is no small task. EMS professionals must move swiftly while still adhering to traffic laws and ensuring the safety of everyone on board. Their focus is unwavering patient care comes first.
This department is always active because emergencies can happen at any time, day or night. With over four EMS personnel ready to respond, residents can feel confident knowing help is never far away.
Woodland Grove EMS Station isn’t just a building it’s a hub of courage, skill, and dedication. Behind those doors are heroes who stand ready to serve at a moment’s notice, ensuring our community remains safe and cared for every single day.
Location: Woodland Grove Community / EMS Station
→ 💎Him:
Outfit: [Mazzaro] Elden Set / Shirt, Short. / 10 colors / Equal10
Not receiving Flickr ‘Notifications’ – The good news is Flickr have found a ‘bug’ in the subject line of the emails. The bad news is, quote ‘We are a small team.......and as the issue is not widespread, our engineers have to prioritize bug fixes accordingly’.
Another Friday spent along the rails of Cape Cod did not disappoint.
My main goal was to photograph newly repainted FL9 2011 which I did and then I had planned to again photograph the meet and swap with the northbound energy train. But those plans got changed when Mass Coastal train MC2 was unexpectedly thrown into the mix. They came down from Rochester with a string of empty C&D gons for Cassova at Otis which they were going to swap out with loads before heading back north to Rochester and on to Wareham.
They had to hold the main here at Taylor for a bit waiting for Cape Cod Central passenger train to finish up their station work and clear up the single track there. With the excursion train safely tucked in the siding here at MP 54.9 on the MassDOT owned and Mass Coastal operated former New Haven Cape Mainline, MC2 is pulling south.
Leading the way is MC 2008, a GP9RM blt. Apr. 1956 as CN 2020. On the south end of the passenger train is MC2009, a rare model GP28 built by EMD in Nov. 1964 for the Illinois Central as their #9439. Only 31 of the 1800 hp units were built and only 16 of those were for US roads.
Once the bridge is lowered the 2008 will head south toward the Falmouth Branch and on to Otis meeting the waiting energy train at Canal Jct. The latter will use the same bridge closing to scoot back here and hold the main for a meet and crew swap with the passenger consist before they each then head on their respective ways to Seamass and back down to the station.
For a small little shortline it sure got busy here for a moment requiring some decisions on what I wanted to prioritizing shooting. Not a bad problem to have!
Wareham, Massachusetts
Friday September 15, 2023
A sad announcement came from the RCAF yesterday: there will not be a CF-18 demonstration team for the 2025 airshow season. The RCAF is currently transitioning from its CF-18s to more advanced F-35As. Given the rapidly deteriorating state of global peace and stability, it seems they need to prioritize readiness.
Tomato…
It is always time to eat healthy, even though fresh produce is getting expensive. The health benefits will pay huge dividends in the long run. Prioritizing nutritious foods can lead to increased energy levels, a stronger immune system, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases. While budget constraints may pose a challenge, there are affordable ways to incorporate healthy options into your diet. Consider seasonal produce, which is often more cost-effective, and explore budget-friendly staples like beans, lentils, and whole grains. Preparing meals at home also allows for greater control over ingredients and portion sizes, potentially saving money in the long run. Remember, small, consistent healthy choices can make a significant difference in your overall well-being.
Thank you for visiting for marking my photo as a favourite and for the kind comments,
Please do not copy my image or use it on websites, blogs or other media without my express permission.
© NICK MUNROE (MUNROE PHOTOGRAPHY)
23250 McKay Avenue
Maple Ridge, BC Canada
A Harbour Authority (HA) is a non-profit, locally controlled organization which operates under a head lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to operate and maintain a DFO-owned public commercial fishing harbour in the best interests of the commercial fishing fleet.
The harbour facility consists entirely of the property and water lots under the ownership of DFO – Small Craft Harbours (SCH).
An HA must operate the harbour as a public facility in accordance with the terms of the head lease and must at all times prioritize the needs of the commercial fishing industry above all else
Image best viewed in large screen.
Thank-you for your visit, and any comments or faves are always very much appreciated! ~Sonja.
Kyoto's Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺 ie Temple of the Silver Pavilion) remained unfinished as the intended silver foil overlay was never done.
Its unfinished look hence became the symbol of one of the aspects of "Wabi-sabi" being the acceptance of the incomplete or even imperfect appearance.
With the bare branches and harsh light, I thought it accentuates its wabi-sabi quality best in monochrome.
Been thinking about “baked-in” software corrections and “enhancements” (collectively referred to as “adjustments”) in RAW files.
Quite a number of new mirrorless lenses these days came with baked-in software adjustments with the cameras they were made for. Some even have auto adjustments that we can’t even switch off, like the extreme auto distortion and vignetting corrections in the Nikon Z 14-30mm f4 S, there’s also baked-in sharpness algorithms that can’t be switched off.
As far as I know, there are hardly any review tests done on lenses with all the auto software adjustments switched off, which can be performed with the lens contacts taped over.
Distortion corrections are fine provided it’s not too extreme. Back in the analog era, lens designers have to prioritize low distortion and even vignetting over sharpness and size. Thanks to the advent of distortion corrections via software, lens designers have more freedom now.
However if other lens qualities like color, sharpness etc are baked into the lens’ software enhancement, why should we pay extra for these when we can make the very same adjustments via post processing? As it is, very sophisticated sharpening softwares already exist for a long time, for those who care about post processing of course.
Bottomline, if lens reviews cannot distinguish innate lens qualities from the extent of software adjustments applied by the manufacturer, their conclusions are useless especially for lenses that relied extensively on software adjustments. For now, most reviews will touch on distortion, vignetting and lateral chromatic aberration corrections only, they ought to go further to check what other adjustments have been baked in.
⭐️ It’s useful to keep all this in mind when comparing older DSLR lenses vs new extensively software adjusted mirrorless lenses, sometimes the perceived gap in image quality may well be nothing more than mere sophisticated baked-in software adjustments which we can easily bridge with post processing. ⭐️ These days, there’s also baked-in noise reduction in RAW files as well!
Not too long ago, there was a dearth of 35mm Primes in the Sony E mount system. It never rains but it pours, now Sigma is going to release a 35mm f1.4 DN Art after their boat anchor 35mm f1.2 DN Art and more balanced i35mm f2 DN! This comes at the heels of the Sony FE 35mm f1.4 GM and Voigtlander 35mm f2 APO Lanthar E. Sigma, where’s your 50mm f1.4 DN Art!?
Print journalism may be dying but some of us still like to take the time to read and consider.
Critics argue that media organisations, especially those owned by large corporations, may prioritize profit over journalistic integrity. This can lead to concerns about the suppression of certain stories or the promotion of particular agendas.
It's important to note that trust in the media is complex and can vary based on individual experiences, beliefs, and exposure to different news sources. Media organisations play a crucial role in rebuilding trust by demonstrating transparency, accuracy, and a commitment to journalistic principles.
Wellington, Somerset, UK.
Au Moyen Âge, il suffisait de se promener dans les rues de Trèves pour découvrir le bon vieux temps. En effet, les gens de cette époque traitaient leur héritage historique de manière très pragmatique : les bâtiments qui ne pouvaient plus être utilisés devaient servir de carrières pour de nouvelles constructions. Et c'est ainsi que nombre des tours résidentielles en forme de forteresse qui ont vu le jour dans le centre-ville aux XIe et XIIe siècles ont souvent été construites avec des antiques matériaux de pierre romains que l'on trouvait encore partout. Seules quelques-unes de ces tours ont survécu jusqu'à aujourd'hui, - la tour des Francs du XIVe siècle, dont l'un de ses habitants se nommait Franco von Senheim, est l'une d'entre elles et aussi la mieux conservée. Dans ses murs aussi, des pierres antiques ont survécu aux âges.
La façade sans ornement et la couronne murale crénelée indiquent déjà que les constructeurs de la tour ont mis en priorité le facteur de sécurité. En fait, alors que la muraille d’enceinte antique de la ville avait été en grande partie détruite, la construction du mur d’enceinte médiéval n'était pas encore terminée. Une raison suffisante, donc, pour prouver leurs propres capacités défensives avec de petites fenêtres et des murs défiants. De plus, la porte d'entrée se trouvait au premier étage du côté est et ne pouvait être atteinte que par un escalier en bois rabattable. En cas d'attaque, les invités non invités se tenaient donc devant un mur solide et ne pouvaient pas entrer. Une porte au rez-de-chaussée n'a été ajoutée qu'au XIXe siècle.
In the Middle Ages, it was enough to walk through the streets of Trier to discover the good old days. Indeed, people of that time treated their historical heritage in a very pragmatic way: buildings that could no longer be used had to be used as quarries for new constructions. And so it is that many of the fortress-like residential towers that sprung up in the city center in the 11th and 12th centuries were often built with ancient Roman stone materials that were still found everywhere. Only a few of these towers have survived to this day - the 14th century Frankish Tower, one of whose inhabitants was named Franco von Senheim, is one of them and also the best preserved. In its walls too, ancient stones have survived the ages.
The unadorned facade and crenellated wall crown already indicate that the builders of the tower prioritized the safety factor. In fact, while the ancient city wall had been largely destroyed, the construction of the medieval city wall was not yet complete. Reason enough, then, to prove their own defensive abilities with small windows and defiant walls. Also, the front door was on the first floor on the east side and could only be reached by a folding wooden staircase. In the event of an attack, uninvited guests therefore stood in front of a solid wall and could not enter. A door on the ground floor was not added until the 19th century.
Just Music at club "h" = Fuchshohl Studio = Centrum Freier Cunst, Frankfurt/Main.
At the age of 15 A23H got this Italian tenorsax in 1965.
Photo by Franz Volhard
Alfred Harth’s early ensemble Just Music was a groundbreaking collective at the forefront of European free improvisation, formed in Frankfurt/Main in 1967. Their releases, beginning with recordings for ECM, captured the radical spontaneity and inventive spirit of the group’s experimental approach to sound and structure.
Ensemble Origins and Philosophy:
Just Music emerged from Harth’s vision of blending avant-garde art, literature, and music, notably at the centrum freier cunst, which became an open workshop for experimental ideas and collaborations. The ensemble was deeply anti-commercial, regularly changing names (e.g., New Thing Orchestra, Free Jazz Orkestra Frankfurt) to fit different situations, always prioritizing creative risk over market trends.
Musical Approach:
Early Just Music featured written scores and graphic notation by Harth, soon pivoting to pure free improvisation. Their performances integrated elements of jazz, classical, fluxus, dada, and avant-garde happenings, resulting in music that was almost unclassifiable—marked by wild textural variety, extended instrumental techniques, and collective sound exploration. Audience participation was invited, blurring artistic boundaries and reinforcing their process-driven aesthetic.
Line-Up and Collaborations:
The group operated as a rotating collective of classically trained musicians. Key members included Harth (winds), Franz Volhard (cello), Thomas Stöwsand (cello/flute), Johannes Krämer (guitar), Thomas Cremer (percussion), Peter Stock (bass) and others. These musicians’ creative range enabled a range from lyricism to raw abstraction.
Releases and Legacy:
The group’s most prominent album is their self-titled LP "Just Music" (ECM 1002), recorded in 1969 at Nettekoven Studios and released in 1969, later in May 1970 re-released with a different cover — one of the earliest ECM releases. The album remains influential, demonstrating their explosive blend of intensity, humor, sincerity, and boundary-pushing inventiveness. Other notable recordings and collaborations extended into the early 1970s, including appearances at major festivals and projects with ensembles like the Nicole Van den Plas Trio. After disbanding, members went on to influence both European improvised music and experimental forms worldwide.
Conceptual Innovations:
Harth’s early work with Just Music saw a synaesthetic treatment of all sound—incorporating unconventional objects, unorthodox tuning, and conceptual political gestures (as “urKult”), challenging both musical and social conventions of the era. Their performances critiqued the art world’s insularity and linked creative freedom with broader socio-political engagement.
Just Music, under Harth’s visionary leadership, remains a touchstone in the history of free music, exemplifying the radical openness and inventiveness that would become key to European improvisation.
- Virgil.
In 2016 when we planned a Fall road trip to Colorado, some spots in the state automatically made it to our list. Crystal mills near Marble, Colorado, were one such location. Along with the Maroon Bells, Rocky Mountains, and the Great Sand Dunes NP, it ranked as one of Colorado's must-see places for us. While on the trip, we slowly realized that we would not make it to many of our planned destinations. We had to drop Rocky Mountain Park, and The Great Sand Dunes became a maybe. Our logic was to prioritize fall colors over everything else, and we felt these National parks probably deserve dedicated trips.
On our way to Crystal Mills, we found this beautiful little lake in a beautiful woodland setting. What caught our attention was the massive pile of tree trunks right in the middle of the lake. India doesn’t have a native beaver population, but I sure have studied about them. In a state that overwhelmingly relies on dams for power, rodents who build dams were approached with a lot of curiosity. I took advantage of the water's stillness to compose an image that showcased the tiny little island and the woodland's reflection. I am not sure if this pile of woods was remnants of beaver activity in the area, but it looks very close to images from my old school textbooks.
Captured through an urban frame, this image showcases a quiet moment in Christiania. The freetown’s history is rooted in squatters reclaiming abandoned military barracks, evolving into a community prioritizing collective living and artistic expression. This street photography attempts to capture the layered textures of the area – from the vibrant graffiti adorning the walls to the unexpected sight of books for sale amidst this unconventional setting.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
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While driving back from our trip to Eureka, California, we stopped at one of our favorite state parks. The Humboldt redwoods SP is an incredible place to stop while on the Avenue of Giants scenic drive. We stopped at the visitor center and had a relaxed lunch and stroll by taking on one of the hiking trails nearby. On this trip, I prioritized using my film cameras over digital, and the short hikes suited the heavy gear and tripod a lot better. While walking around, I came across this scene of an offshoot path that goes through a redwood grove. I love how well the Fujifilm rendered the greens and reds present in the redwood forests, very pleasing to the eye.
With a Paducah Rebuild GP10 in tow, BNSF Train J ABIAUM1 30A swings down Main Track 5 on the BNSF Emporia Sub. near CP 72 as Conductor Bryce Bryce Haake gives us a wave and Engineer Steven Sirois Jr. blows a few friendly toots.
Though the "high-wide" symbol might be somewhat misleading, railroads commonly use this prefix type on expedited or high value moves to differentiate from other less prioritized trains, or ones that require less special handling. The hopper car is along for the ride to satisfy minimum axle requirements for properly shunting signal systems.
The GP10 was built for Illinois Central as GP9 IC 9120 in 12-1955 with a builder number of 20758 frame number 5409-3. In March 1973 it emerged from shop as a graduate of the ICG's Paducah Rebuild program as ICG 8329 as a GP10. It was later sold to the US Army, and renumbered USAX 1873. Later retired and sold to S&S Leasing and renumbered SSRX 1873, it soon found a new home on the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad and renumbered MRSR 9120, regaining its original number, while owned by American Heritage Railways in 2016.
It was painted in the Milwaukee Road-inspired livery as seen here and pulled trains in Washington until COVID-19 shut the railroad down, and eventually forced AHR to seek a new owner.
The locomotive was then moved into storage on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad in Abilene, KS; the ASVR being a fairly recently affiliated partner with AHR. The Branson Scenic Railway was purchased by AHR in 2024, and the movement of the locomotive was expedited to that property in this special move in order to restore service for their busy Independence Day holiday week of excursions due to their GP30, BSRX 99 experiencing a sudden prime mover failure.
The engine was interchanged to the MNA Railroad at Aurora, MO, quickly wyed, and raced to Branson to be placed in service. By July 3rd it had been turned, serviced, tested, and re-lettered to pull the train out of Branson, facing south.
Locomotives: BNSF 6578, HRMX 9120
6-30-25
Kansas City, KS
In my frustration I decided to consult the Oracle at ChatGPT concering our problem with fascistic billionaires. Here is their response:
Addressing concerns related to the environmental impact of the actions of the wealthy requires a combination of policy measures, public awareness, and international cooperation. Here are some potential strategies:
1. **Environmental Regulations:**
- Strengthen and enforce environmental regulations to limit pollution, resource depletion, and unsustainable practices.
- Implement and improve emissions standards, waste disposal regulations, and sustainable resource management policies.
2. **Carbon Pricing:**
- Advocate for carbon pricing mechanisms, such as carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems, to internalize the environmental costs of business activities.
3. **Renewable Energy Transition:**
- Encourage and invest in renewable energy sources to shift away from fossil fuels. This might involve subsidies, tax incentives, and research funding for clean energy technologies.
4. **Corporate Responsibility:**
- Promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable business practices. Encourage transparency in reporting environmental impacts and adherence to ethical standards.
5. **Wealth Redistribution:**
- Address wealth inequality through progressive taxation and social policies. This can help prevent a concentration of power and resources in the hands of a few.
6. **Political Advocacy:**
- Support political candidates and policies that prioritize environmental sustainability and address the influence of money in politics.
7. **Consumer Awareness:**
- Educate consumers about the environmental impact of their choices and encourage sustainable consumption. A conscious consumer base can drive market demand for eco-friendly products and services.
8. **International Cooperation:**
- Promote international agreements and cooperation to address global environmental challenges. Climate change and resource depletion are global issues that require coordinated efforts.
9. **Philanthropy:**
- Encourage billionaires to use their wealth for philanthropic efforts that focus on environmental conservation, sustainable development, and addressing climate change.
10. **Innovation and Technology:**
- Invest in and support research and development of technologies that promote environmental sustainability and mitigate the impact of human activities on the planet.
It's important to note that systemic change often requires a combination of policy, economic, and cultural shifts. Collaboration between governments, businesses, and individuals is crucial for creating a sustainable and equitable future. Public pressure and awareness play a significant role in holding both businesses and governments accountable for their environmental impact.
SS Maasdam (1952–1968): Known as one of the "Economy Twins" alongside its sister ship, the Rijndam, it was designed to prioritize tourist-class passengers over luxury first-class travel. In 1962, it notably transported Lee Harvey Oswald and his wife from Europe to the United States. It was sold to Polish Ocean Lines in 1968 and renamed the Stefan Batory, serving until 1988.
Prompt: Use Image 1 as the Base reference of the TSS Maasdam ocean liner. Create a digital fine art, ultra-realistic depiction of the same ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean in rough seas at sunset. Preserve the ship’s exact structure, proportions, hull lines, superstructure layout, funnels, masts, and historical details from Image 1 with no redesign or modernization. The camera is an ultra-wide lens, low and forward-facing, showing the full length of the vessel from a slight bow-quarter angle as it cuts through powerful waves; white spray and foam crash against the hull. On the bow, clearly render the ship’s name “MAASDAM” in period-accurate lettering, sharp and readable. Lighting is dramatic sunset: breaking through heavy clouds, with cool blue shadows in the sea, realistic reflections on painted steel, and physically correct highlights. The ocean appears dark, textured, and turbulent, with large rolling swells. Style is photographic realism blended with museum-quality digital fine art. Output a single image, horizontal aspect ratio, ultra-wide composition, true 4K resolution. No noise, no grain, no artifacts, no watermarks, no text overlays. Ensure clean edges, consistent perspective, accurate scale, natural motion, and realism at 200% zoom.
This digital fine art was created using Nano Banana AI and Photoshop
Ponte de betão armado sobre o rio Olo, no Parque Natural do Alvão, esta estrutura integra a estrada rural que assegura o acesso à aldeia de Varzigueto e a vários núcleos de povoamento disperso na encosta. O tabuleiro, assente em pilares de secção simples e dotado de guardas metálicas, corresponde a soluções correntes da segunda metade do século XX para atravessamentos de curto vão em meios rurais, privilegiando baixos custos de construção e manutenção. O rio Olo, afluente do Tâmega, caracteriza-se por um regime de caudal muito variável, com cheias rápidas no inverno que alagam os lameiros ribeirinhos e podem acelerar processos de erosão junto aos apoios da ponte. A vegetação ripícola de amieiros e salgueiros contribui para a estabilização das margens e para a filtragem de sedimentos, desempenhando um papel relevante na conservação deste ecossistema fluvial integrado em área protegida. A ponte funciona, assim, como elemento essencial da conectividade rural, garantindo a circulação de moradores, veículos agrícolas e visitantes ao longo dos caminhos do Alvão.
A reinforced concrete bridge over the Olo River in the Alvão Natural Park, this structure forms part of the rural road that provides access to the village of Varzigueto and to several scattered settlements on the hillside. The deck, supported by single-section piers and equipped with metal guardrails, reflects common solutions from the second half of the 20th century for short-span crossings in rural areas, prioritizing low construction and maintenance costs. The Olo River, a tributary of the Tâmega, is characterized by a highly variable flow regime, with rapid winter floods that inundate the riparian marshes and can accelerate erosion processes near the bridge’s supports. The riparian vegetation of alders and willows contributes to the stabilization of the banks and the filtration of sediments, playing a significant role in the conservation of this river ecosystem within a protected area. The bridge thus functions as an essential element of rural connectivity, ensuring the movement of residents, agricultural vehicles, and visitors along the paths of the Alvão.
In June 2020, after experiencing a devastating spring due to COVID, New York State announced that certain businesses could begin partially opening again. New York City’s response included a program called Open Restaurants, which allowed restaurants to use sidewalks and parking spaces for outdoor, socially distant dining. Owners quickly built temporary enclosures in the streets in front of their businesses to try and recover from months of shutdown. Small stretches of Brooklyn in early 2021 display the variety and feel of these enclosures. Hopefully, the Open Restaurants initiative will help these businesses to survive and may even lead to a more permanent reorienting of streets to prioritize people over cars.
Alias: Hammer
Real Name: Olga Rasputinovich
Gender: Female
Allegiance: Villain
Powers: Can absorb metal, which she uses to make her hammer, along with being able to leap (20ft vertical, and 40ft horizontally). The metal she absorbs can also be used as a way to enhance her own armour, making her extremely durable to oncoming attacks.
Alias: Sickle
Real Name: Dmitri Rasputinovich
Gender: Male
Allegiance: Villain
Powers: Enhanced Speed, and Leaping
Backstory: Brother and sister, Dmitri and Olga, came from Russia to Sunrise City, looking for the "american dream". They would find themselves on the streets for many years, as they couldn't maintain jobs. Dmitri especially was given a hard time because of his monstrous appearance. Eventually, they would turn to crime, where they would meet Katyusha for the first time. They decided to team up, and now they are trio to be reckoned with. Ivan (Katyusha's real name) has started to develop feelings for Olga, which leads to conflict when on the job, as he'll prioritize her over the mission.
I've been playing around a lot lately with my 70-200 mm lens, since you can both pick thing out in the landscape and exclude others using limited depth of field.
Shooting this desert sunflower close at 200 mm, there's a high risk of losing one or more of the flowers to softness due to depth of field, so I went to f/22. There was a lot of focus a few years back on losing some resolution to diffraction. While true, it's not a huge or noticeable difference, not on the same scale of losing a flower to DOF, and the rest of the photo is soft anyway, so it's better to prioritize depth of field over resolution and get the shot.
Rules and technical knowledge are great, but they're just guidelines, factors to consider, but we can't get caught blindly serving them, because sometimes other considerations should have a higher priority.
Accelerating over alien terrain against air resistance at a approximately 1,264.8 feet/second squared Northeast.
Just a little something I made a while ago.
>:(
A note to Flickr's administration: Why? Seriously, why?
I'm not stupid, I've noticed over the past couple months before logging in how non-members view the beta version of Flickr while members use the sweet, wonderful original once logged in. Now that EVERYONE sees and has to use the impractical beta version, it begs the question: Is Flickr prioritizing nonmembers over the people who actually use it? I haven't seen any Flickr users who profess to prefer this version over the other. Most hate it, and are being driven away.
We can leave, if that's what you want...
This 1963 Chevrolet C10 pickup was a patina paradise. I spoke with the owner and he said it took a long time to achieve the look he wanted. I personally like the outcome and it has a matte finish verse glossy. As seen at the 2026 Appleton City car show in Appleton City Missouri.
The 1963 Chevrolet C10 represented a pivotal year for the first-generation C/K truck series, featuring significant mechanical improvements that set it apart from its predecessors. This half-ton pickup, designated by its "C" for two-wheel drive and "10" for payload capacity, benefited from a modernized chassis and suspension configuration designed to offer a smoother, more car-like experience on the road.
Feature SpecificationDetail Model Year1963 C/K series redesign introduced coil springs to the front end.
Drive Type Two-Wheel Drive C designation signifies rear-wheel drive configuration for this model
Suspension Coil-SpringShort/long-arm design replaced the earlier torsion-bar setup.
Body Styles: Fleetside or Stepside. Two-door regular cab offered in both bed configurations
Mechanical Evolution
The 1963 model year marked a fundamental shift in how the truck handled, moving away from the complex torsion-bar setup used in the initial 1960–1962 production years. By transitioning to a coil-spring short/long-arm independent front suspension, Chevrolet provided better durability and simplified maintenance for the owner.
Drop-center ladder frame construction allowed the cab to sit lower to the ground for easier access and a lower center of gravity.
Long trailing arms paired with coil springs at the rear helped ensure a more composed ride, even when the truck was unladen.
New engine options including the 230-cubic-inch and 292-cubic-inch inline-sixes enhanced both the performance and long-term durability of the powertrain lineup.
These engineering choices were part of a broader strategy to reposition the light-duty truck as a versatile tool that was comfortable enough for family use.
Design and Styling
Visual consistency across the 1960–1963 model years was maintained through the use of signature design cues that characterized the early first-generation trucks. Owners of this specific year were treated to a unique exterior aesthetic that blended utility with the popular automotive styling trends of the early 1960s.
Wraparound windshield glass remained a distinct feature for 1963 before the major facelift that arrived with the 1964 model year.
Sculpted hood forms and prominent design lines helped define the truck's Jet-Age aesthetic compared to the later, cleaner Action
Line models.
Base interior trim prioritized a functional work environment with painted steel surfaces and rubber flooring as standard equipment.
While the exterior design was soon replaced by a flatter windshield and updated grille in 1964, the 1963 truck remains a highly collectible piece of Chevrolet history today.