Tokyo is largely regarded for being the safest major city in the world. While that could very possibly be true, it is still not without it's more grimy sides. Who knows what lurks in the dark in a place where little to no one would suspect wrongdoing?

This was taken at Omoide Yokocho (and as a matter of fact, it's just a few steps back from my "Saitama" shot, that red lantern on the left is the same one). Once again, there was no discernable way to get rid of the people in the shot because as expected the corridors of this tightly compact place are never unoccupied, I don't have anything to mask or clone to go over them.

I actually had a more broad and grand vision for this image, I initially intended to make the sky black, converting a day image to a night image, but none of the borders took to the new sky incredibly well after hours of experimentation, so I just used a gradient instead

This is an urban photographer's paradise, every corner has a suitable composition for a seedy dystopian looking shot (without the added danger of getting jumped). But it's also far from a "secret" place, so prepare accordingly.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing

and rightdoing there is a field.

I'll meet you there.

~Rumi

Posted for Fence Friday

There are few old farmers left who remember the days when windmills like this one silhouetted against a glorious sunset were actively pumping water. If I recall correctly, we did not get electricity on our farm until 1949 when I was a tyke. It wasn't long before the reliability of electricity to run a motor on a pump left the job of the windmill in peril but it remains standing to this day.

When I was six years old, I had already learned to discern vulnerabilities in my mother when it came time for her to discipline me. I found she could not run as fast as I could which always gave me an escape, albeit normally a temporary one. But one of her greatest fears was heights and one time when she was determined to kill me for wrongdoing, she chased me and I headed for the windmill and promptly proceeded to climb up 40 feet on the rungs and from that elevation she no longer looked very formidable.

Her intent to discipline me melted away and in her fear she pleaded with me to come down but I was too wise for that trick. She scampered into the house and came out with a small white bag in her hand and yelled up she would give me some candy corn if I came down. After a plea bargain that my coming down would not turn into a spanking, I came down much to her relief and I have had a special fondness for candy corn ever since.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.

As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

(Bible, 1 Corinthians 13)

Happy Valentine's Day...

51 Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt

And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my wrongdoings,

And my sin is constantly before me.

4 Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You are justified when You speak

And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in guilt,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,

And in secret You will make wisdom known to me.

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

Cleanse me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness,

Let the bones You have broken rejoice.

9 Hide Your face from my sins

And wipe out all my guilty deeds.

10 Create in me a clean heart, God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways,

And sinners will be converted to You.

14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation;

Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

15 Lord, open my lips,

So that my mouth may declare Your praise.

16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.

18 By Your favor do good to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,

In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Job 1

Prologue

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.

Job's First Test

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"

Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I will depart.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;

may the name of the LORD be praised."

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

(Toronto, ON; summer 2010.)

brings out all the wrongdoings

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field... I'll meet you there ...

~ Rumi

Date: February 2020

Medium: Digital Photographs

Location: Santa Cruz CA.

Dimensions: 12" x 12"

© 2020 Tony DeVarco

Hello everyone! Haven't posted here in a while. :-)

I finally found time and inspiration to finish this piece.

It’s inspired by an event that happened to me last year when I did something wrong. My wrongdoing led to a chain reaction which resulted in a few people getting hurt.

A while after it happened, when the guilt started to disappear, I came to conclusion that although I was accountable for starting the mess, everybody else involved contributed to the outcome of it.

That’s when I realized it - in human relationships, the outcome of conflicts is influenced by joined acts of everyone involved.

markonadj.com

www.instagram.com/kidofozz

The flood that hit the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia somehow affected me especially my working hours - I have to be ready 24/7 for anything. Somehow, the flood is getting better today. I managed to spend some time alone observing this disaster in a prettier way.

May Allah forgive all of our wrongdoings - Ameen

1 “I love You, Lord, my strength.”

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my savior,

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies.

4 The ropes of death encompassed me,

And the torrents of destruction terrified me.

5 The ropes of Sheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord,

And cried to my God for help;

He heard my voice from His temple,

And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

7 Then the earth shook and quaked;

And the foundations of the mountains were trembling

And were shaken, because He was angry.

8 Smoke went up out of His nostrils,

And fire from His mouth was devouring;

Coals burned from it.

9 He also bowed the heavens down low, and came down

With thick darkness under His feet.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew;

And He sped on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,

Darkness of waters, thick clouds.

12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,

And the Most High uttered His voice,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

14 He sent out His arrows, and scattered them,

And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.

15 Then the channels of water appeared,

And the foundations of the world were exposed

By Your rebuke, Lord,

At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, He took me;

He drew me out of many waters.

17 He saved me from my strong enemy,

And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,

But the Lord was my support.

19 He also brought me out into an open place;

He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

20 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,

And have not acted wickedly against my God.

22 For all His judgments were before me,

And I did not put away His statutes from me.

23 I was also blameless with Him,

And I kept myself from my wrongdoing.

24 Therefore the Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness,

According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.

25 With the faithful You show Yourself faithful;

With the blameless You prove Yourself blameless;

26 With the pure You show Yourself pure,

And with the crooked You show Yourself astute.

27 For You save an afflicted people,

But You humiliate haughty eyes.

28 For You light my lamp;

The Lord my God illumines my darkness.

29 For by You I can run at a troop of warriors;

And by my God I can leap over a wall.

30 As for God, His way is blameless;

The word of the Lord is refined;

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

31 For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God,

32 The God who encircles me with strength,

And makes my way blameless?

33 He makes my feet like deer’s feet,

And sets me up on my high places.

34 He trains my hands for battle,

So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,

And Your right hand upholds me;

And Your gentleness makes me great.

36 You enlarge my steps under me,

And my feet have not slipped.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,

And I did not turn back until they were consumed.

38 I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise;

They fell under my feet.

39 For You have encircled me with strength for battle;

You have forced those who rose up against me to bow down under me.

40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

And I destroyed those who hated me.

41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save,

They cried to the Lord, but He did not answer them.

42 Then I beat them fine like the dust before the wind;

I emptied them out like the mud of the streets.

43 You have rescued me from the contentions of the people;

You have placed me as head of the nations;

A people whom I have not known serve me.

44 As soon as they hear, they obey me;

Foreigners pretend to obey me.

45 Foreigners lose heart,

And come trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock;

And exalted be the God of my salvation,

47 The God who executes vengeance for me,

And subdues peoples under me.

48 He rescues me from my enemies;

You indeed lift me above those who rise up against me;

You rescue me from a violent man.

49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, Lord,

And I will sing praises to Your name.

50 He gives great salvation to His king,

And shows faithfulness to His anointed,

To David and his descendants forever."

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FAVES

ON THE REACTIONS I WILL TRY TO RESPOND BACK

Veenhuizen wordt strafkolonie

In Veenhuizen (ook wel Hollands Siberië genaamd) en Ommerschans kwamen strafkolonies. Deze vormden een plek voor landlopers, weduwen, wezen en bedelaars, maar ook voor inwoners van de kolonie die gestraft werden omdat ze iets hadden misdaan. Veenhuizen kreeg drie gestichten. In 1859 nam de Rijksoverheid de gestichten van de Maatschappij over en werden de gestichten alleen nog gebruikt voor gevangenen en verpleegden. In 1970 verdwenen de verpleegden en maakten de gestichten plaats voor gevangenissen. Tot 1984 was Veenhuizen een gesloten gemeenschap, het dorp was alleen toegankelijk voor gedetineerden en personeel. Het Tweede Gesticht bleef bewaard: hierin is nu het Gevangenismuseum gevestigd

------------------------------------------------

.Veenhuizen becomes a penal colony

Penal colonies were established in Veenhuizen (also called Hollands Siberië) and Ommerschans. These were a place for vagrants, widows, orphans and beggars, as well as for residents of the colony who were punished for wrongdoing. Veenhuizen had three asylums. In 1859, the national government took over the Company's asylums and the asylums were only used for prisoners and nurses. In 1970 the nurses disappeared and the asylums gave way to prisons. Until 1984 Veenhuizen was a closed community, the village was only accessible to prisoners and staff. The Second Institute was preserved: it now houses the Prison Museum.

Eva: Bru, what do you think of these new mugs?

Bruno: I thought they were for the humans.

Eva: I'm not so sure about that. The text seems to fit us both perfectly.

Bruno: Nothing is fitting about mine.

Eva: Seriously? Do you even know what namaste means?

Bruno: Of course I do. Do you think that I'm a troglodyte?

Eva: Honestly... yes, I kind of do. But how can that mug not fit you? You love to sleep in and chill?

Bruno: Well, that's not the true meaning of namaste. But even allowing for that, the cultural misappropriation of the term and the fake contraction, it still doesn't fit. That's why I assumed it was for the humans.

Eva: Well, I never took you for that much of a scholar of languages. I guess I underestimated you.

Bruno: I accept your apology.

Eva: Oh, I never apologized. I make that a principle of mine to never admit wrongdoing. But, I would appreciate it if you could enlighten as to why the text doesn't fit.

Bruno: It truly has nothing to do with the text. I can't even read. I simply meant that it doesn't fit because I can't get my snout all of the way in to eat the food in the bottom two thirds of the mug.

----------

A couple of weeks ago I saw these mugs at a Chapters Indigo bookstore and thought they were great, both for the humans and as a prop for a dog photo. But, I restrained and didn't buy them. When I told my wife about the mugs she went back that afternoon to pick them up. They are now our breakfast mugs, but today they were filled with breakfast kibble for Bruno's photo project. I never knew his snout was so flexible to produce that many wrinkles.

Norwich Cathedral is an English cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. It is the cathedral church for the Church of England Diocese of Norwich and is one of the Norwich 12 heritage sites.

The cathedral was begun in 1096 and constructed out of flint and mortar and faced with a cream-coloured Caen limestone. An Anglo-Saxon settlement and two churches were demolished to make room for the buildings. The cathedral was completed in 1145 with the Norman tower still seen today topped with a wooden spire covered with lead. Several episodes of damage necessitated rebuilding of the east end and spire but since the final erection of the stone spire in 1480 there have been few fundamental alterations to the fabric.

The large cloister has over 1,000 bosses including several hundred which are carved and ornately painted.

Norwich Cathedral has the second largest cloisters in England, only exceeded by those at Salisbury Cathedral. The cathedral close is one of the largest in England and one of the largest in Europe and has more people living within it than any other close. The cathedral spire, measuring at 315 ft (96 m), is the second-tallest in England despite being partly rebuilt after being struck by lightning in 1169, just 23 months after its completion, which led to the building being set on fire. Measuring 461 ft (141 m) long and, with the transepts, 177 ft (54 m) wide at completion, Norwich Cathedral was the largest building in East Anglia.

A large two-storey cloister, the only such in England, with nearly 400 carved stone ceiling bosses was begun in 1297 and finally finished in 1430 after the Black Death had plagued the city. The system of building remained the same over this long period, though the details, in particular the tracery of the openings facing the cloister garth, did change.

On the ground is the Jubilee Labyrinth which was laid in the Cloister Garth to commemorate in Norfolk the celebration in 2002 of the Golden Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen has travelled very widely during the years of her reign. A labyrinth speaks of journeying, and also has at its heart the Christian idea of a spiritual journey. There is only one path with all its twists and turns, which speaks of the journey of our days. It is possible to walk the Labyrinth as a spiritual journey. On the way to the centre the pilgrim walks the way of the world, asking God's forgiveness for wrongdoing and seeking to make amends.

On reaching the centre, there comes a moment for the pilgrim of opening up to the grace and love of God before returning along the path, seeking to follow in the way of Jesus Christ. This seem most appropriate for the Queen who in her Christmas Message at the Millennium, used these words:

"For me, the teachings of Christ and my personal accountability before God provide a frame work in which I try to live my life".

In addition to this idea of the journey, the labyrinth can be a place of interest and pleasure for children and adults alike. The cost was raised by donations from the people of Norfolk.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Cathedral

sllorinovo.blogspot.ca/2014/12/o-night-devine.html

Hello my beautiful people ❤❤❤

What a beautiful world we live in and what a wonderful life!!!

There are so many glorious blessings throughout the year to be thankful for.

I am very touched by all the love that you all have given me this year, for all your support and for those beautiful memories that together we have shared, either by meeting here in Flickr, my blog or in-world.

I am so thankful for the friends that I have been blessed with,

they are truly the angels in my life.

And most of all I am so thankful for my son and daughter. They are my pride and joy and mean the world to me.

My Christmas wishes for you are...

COMPASSION to give to those that you feel are alone and are in need of a friend.

UNDERSTANDING with those that are different from you.

FORGIVENESS to those that in some way have hurt you.

PEACE, that all hate and wrongdoings come to a stop and only allow the beauty of love to surround you.

PATIENCE when you find yourself in desperate moments. Keep in mind that God never abandons you.

HAPPINESS in everything you do and encounter in life.

BEAUTY in everything you see, feel and listen to.

But most of all, I wish for you a heart full of LOVE, love to spread abundantly where ever you may go. That you may give it to others in handfuls and receive it back it in the same matter.

Have the most wonderful Christmas and may God bless you all and your families and the whole world!!!

With Love

~ Lori Novo ~

“Oh! lovely voices of the sky

Which hymned the Saviour's birth,

Are ye not singing still on high,

Ye that sang, "Peace on earth"? ”

― Felicia Dorothea Browne Hemans

This is my favorite Christmas song... Enjoy<3

O Holy Night - Josh Groban

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zh-yR0pbmU

I went down to the beach the other night with some friends, camera in hand and there were 3 weddings going on, so I decided to have some fun clicking away : ). It was a "Love"ly evening ; ). They wanted to look at the shots that I took and asked for my email to perhaps purchase some...now wouldn't that be fun! : ) Hope they do : )

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

~I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making me.I love you for the part of me that you bring out - R. Croft

~The closer I look, the more I find to love - Anonymous

~Love is a promise between hearts that care, love is a dream for two lives to share, love is a feeling that deepens & endures - Anonymous

~In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities- Anonymous

~When you have found the one who touches your soul, Lifts your heart and makes you whole,Then you've found TRUE LOVE - Anonymous

~Don’t marry the person you can live with, marry the person you can’t live without- Anonymous

Ah so nice to have the weekend ahead of us : ).

Mine is full! Surprise B'day party for a dear friend, 30 mile bike ride and brunch, Gala at the Colosseum and an all day photo shoot....I sure packed it in didn't I : ) LOL! So much to look forward to...you know how the saying goes...all work and no play....... : )

Enjoy your weekend whatever you do my awesome and very talented friends! ; )

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,

there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,

the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other”

doesn’t make any sense.

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don’t go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill

where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.

Don’t go back to sleep.

"A Great Wagon" - Rumi

landmark

"God is Love.

Whoever loves is of God."

- 1 John 3

1 Corinthians 13:

"Love is patient."

Trump is not.

"Love is kind."

Trump is not.

"Love envies not."

Trump does. And lives to be envied.

"Love boasts not."

That’s all Trump does.

"Love is not arrogant or rude."

Trump is arrogance & rudeness personified.

"Love allows for diverse options."

Trump does not. Only HE can ‘fix’ things.

"Love isn’t easily angered."

If he doesn’t get his way, he whines….

"Love isn’t resentful."

Talk about gripes!

"Love keeps no records of wrongs."

Trump is all about resentments & revenge.

"Love delights not in wrongdoing."

Trump rejoices in assaulting women (e.g.).

"Love rejoices in the truth."

Trump gets off on lying bigly, all the time!

Trump is all about stoking hatred & fear.

"Love casts out fear."

"Love never ends. ...

Faith, Hope, Love live on,

and the greatest of these is Love."

Choose Love 2024

**If you ask for my permission to use this photo or blog it, I will most likely let you. So PLEASE ask me! Because I would love to know and see those who share the same belief!**

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." -Matthew 12:30

In this photo, the arrow does not represent Christ and His ways - it represents the ways of the world. This photo illustrates that bible verse because she is going against the "flow" of sin and wrongdoings.

View On Black

Inspired by the amazing fosteraddington.

I wanted her to be more blurry but this happened to be the best out of the bunch. I told her to keep walking back and forth fast. It looked funny. ;)

January 26, 2016

Connive:

[kuh-nahyv]

verb (used without object), connived, conniving.

1. to cooperate secretly; conspire

2. to avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or condemn; give aid to wrongdoing by forbearing to act or speak

3. to be indulgent toward something others oppose or criticize (usually followed by at):

to connive at childlike exaggerations.

------

I didn't see anything exceptional over my lunch hour today so while I was cooking dinner tonight I grabbed one of the origami pieces that Scott brought me over this past weekend as a prop.

I'd found a dictionary not too long ago that was falling apart and well headed towards a recycle bin somewhere, so I saved it and passed it to Scott for all his folding needs and this is the result of one of those pages.

I don't have the origami details for this model, but watch for Scott's comment if you're interested. I'm sure he'll fill us in on the details.

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

~ Muhammad Rumi.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing

and rightdoing there is a field.

I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass

the world is too full to talk about.

~Jalal ad-Din Rumi

I've been experimenting with pinhole self portraits. Daytime self portraits are difficult with this camera, because oftentimes I've only got two seconds of exposure time to slide the shutter open and then back closed, as smoothly as possibly, while maintaining a certain distance from the camera.

This particular self portrait was long in coming. There is a beautiful field near my workplace full of tall weeks, grasses, and a tree with a swing hung from its branch. I often run on a mowed path through this field to reach my regular running route, and I always marvel at the beauty of this landscape. One early evening, after my run, I changed into a skirt and dressy shirt and wandered with my cameras into the field. I ended up with two pinhole images that I really liked (the other I will post soon).

I think the one thing I strive for in my photography (and perhaps seldom succeed at, but it's good to strive) is to generate, in others, a sense of emotive connection through my images. I tend to like the images that, while being far from technically perfect, convey a distinct sense of place, time and mood. I'd like to create images that move people for reasons they can't quite put words too. For reasons that stir something deep in one's soul or psyche.

This image, for me, comes close to accomplishing that goal. It is a bit dreamy, a bit hazy, a bit nostalgic and a bit mysterious. It's a flash of light, a memory of summer, a reminder of a dream that flits around the periphery of my mind. At least, that's what it is to me. You may have different notions. ;-)

Taken with my Zero Image 2000.

Aidilfitri or "Eid Mubarak" marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan for muslims. I take this opportunity to wish all, the very best of Aidilfitri and beg for forgiveness should there be any wrongdoings or offensive remark I make - as in the spirit of Aidilfitri.

A capture at the Suria Mall Petronas Twin Towers. In the foreground Aidilfitri lights on the traditional pelita (improvised kerosene lamp) mounted on bamboo poles.

Olympus Om2, Zuiko 50mm f1.4, Kodak Portra 160NC. Shot wide open 1/60th.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.”

Rumi

texture by lenabemanna

Artist: www.instagram.com/fitore_alisdottir

Haunted tries to depict the effects and consequences of femicide, the pain and sorrow it causes, and how the wrongdoings of the past still haunt us, without letting go, It also shows a need to detach from it and move forward to a better and more compassionate future..

Fitore Alísdóttir Berisha is a Kosovar activist artist, feminist, who fights against the patriarchal society of Kosovo. She has a very recognizable style, colorful, and tinged with her activism.Fitore also believes in the healing power of art and uses it as therapy. As she says: “The sweetest revolution comes from art, from that bitterness that accumulates inside you”.

SW Coastal Walk Torbay.

rumi wrote these beautiful words: "out beyond wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. i'll meet you there." to better match my image, i modify his lines: in the realm between dreams and reality, there is a bokeh tree. i'll meet you there.

ps: come as you are, in this moment.

"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing

and rightdoing there is a field.

I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass

the world is too full to talk about."

Rumi

Introducing my new little friend in my flock; beautiful Miss Hilla :) She is a female about an year old, a lively and happy peach faced lovebird. She is not tame, but after a few weeks with me she is already used to my presence and does not fly away every time I approach her. Someone else also arrived with Hilla, more about them later. :)

With birds, the lifestyle needs to be changed to suit, not the other way around. Even today, in many homes, it is often assumed that they are immediately tame and can be petted. If this is not the case, their wings are clipped so that they cannot escape and/or "for their own safety". Or they are taken away from their parents as young chicks to be hand-fed so that they get used to human hands better. Both methods have great disadvantages for the birds, and many studies have been conducted on them.

However, no one should be accused of wrongdoing, the bird owners have acted in a way that they considered best based on previous knowledge. Even veterinarians have recommended clipping the wing feathers. In my own country, Finland, and as far as I know, in a few other European countries, feather clipping is prohibited by law. Fortunately, there is already a growing consensus on these issues around the world, knowledge is increasing, and understanding that intelligent creatures need intelligent, comprehensive care. Of course, taming then requires more time and patience, but it is also more rewarding. A bird's trust must be earned, not taken, without freedom of choice.

michellerobinson.photography

facebook.com/michmutters

~ Lobethal ~

Procamera, Snapseed, Stackables App

It's certainly a scary ol' world out there these days. On an almost daily basis, one is assailed with stories of wrongdoing the world over. People everywhere seem to have taken leave of their senses. It almost feels like you're either *sleeping* or swimming with sharks. I say sleeping, but what I'm really talking about is moral complacency. Most of us here in the United States are extremely fortunate in that we live in a largely risk free area of the world - a luxury many have never known. In that respect we are so very fortuitous and it's incredibly easy for many to live in a bubble. The truth is that there are countless moments in our lives when we are faced with the choice to either stand up and speak for the greater good, to protect those who cannot protect themselves or embolden them to use their own strength - and while it may sometimes be the scariest thing we've ever done, we owe it to those less fortunate to use that voice and step up for what is right.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing

and rightdoing there is a field.

I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass

the world is too full to talk about.”

― Rumi

Facebook: facebook.com/Millita.Photography

"out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. i will meet you there.”

~ rumi

who wants to come? ;-)

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I will meet you there.

Rumi.

Wrongdoings with Odin's Raven, Shando and D-Kay2009

i suppose it's better viewed on black!

The Metal Dog in Chinese Astrology

At the basic level, the Dog is an idealist. He/she is deeply righteous in nature and is a stickler for certain values like honesty and truthfulness. Dogs strongly denounce injustice and wrongdoing, generously giving useful and effective advice to those around them. They value honor and truth and are usually among the first to speak out against injustice and champion the cause of the downtrodden. When forged in Metal, the Dog turns out to be even more staunch in his/her adherence to the code of values and there is rarely an occasion when he/she sees fit to bend the rules for anybody, least of all to pursue his/her own interest. However this kind of rigidity on values can also make the Metal Dog quite opinionated and fixed in their ideals. Frequently this character becomes stubborn in the extreme since they know what is right and what they want and will not be convinced otherwise. This not only makes for a certain impracticality but also leaves a dent in the Dog’s overall social popularity.

Artwork by Jeff Thomson

Authoring Your Narrative, Crafting a Life Worth Telling.

☑️ Reflecting on the past, paving the way for a brighter future.

☑️ Embrace introspection, unravel clarity, and stride towards a better tomorrow for both Alphas and Betas.

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. . . D/s Tale . . .

Chapter #1 Beliefs

She often ponders why people struggle to let go of toxic and harmful relationships, even when the truth about these connections is crystal clear.

In simple terms, there are three main reasons why some people continue to tolerate these unhealthy dynamics, regardless of how much they deteriorate and cause them pain.

Firstly, it's their beliefs, which can be deeply ingrained ideas about love, loyalty, doing good or self-worth.

Secondly, it's the difficulty of facing the truth, as it can become blurred or distorted by their bias and weakness, making it harder to recognize the reality and toxicity.

Lastly, it's the daunting task of making the decision to move on, which is accompanied by fear to fail and uncertainty.

These factors intertwine, keeping people trapped in destructive relationships.

The only solution to this problem is wisdom and a strong spirit, both of which stem from diligently training oneself in self-awareness of the truth.

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These problems often affect betas more than alphas. Since most alpha people tend to view and prefer accepting things based on reality and unpleasant truths, while betas prefer to view things based on their comfortable feelings and attitudes that support their weaknesses. The way they think often leads many of them to become victims of their own weaknesses and makes them experience real pain in relationships.

1. Beliefs

☑️ Most Alphas believe in proofs and filtered evidence. They place their trust in science, nature, and truth. On the other hand, most Betas believe in what they feel, their ideal thoughts based on illusions such as love, feelings, morals, attitude, behavior, manners, faith, and destiny.

☑️ In the beta's world, there are many factors that make their beliefs distant from the reality perceived by alphas. Betas, on the other hand, prefer to perceive the reality as it should be, the nature as it should be, the ideal human, and the ideal feelings.

☑️ So when an alpha and a beta decide to build a relationship, it is not difficult to imagine how severe the toxicity and pain in the relationship between these two different kinds of people can be, and it is often the beta who is hurt and unsatisfied in their relationships.

☑️ There are two beliefs that are often found in BDSM relationships, and they are the main reasons that make most betas tolerate unhealthy relationships and refuse to let go of their alphas, regardless of how much they suffer and are hurt.

First Belief - The power of goodness and dedication prevail over all.

The belief is that their goodness and dedication over time will eventually win the heart of their Alphas. They believe that one day the Alpha will recognize the beta's goodness and change their behavior accordingly, aligning with the ideal and proper ways it should be.

" Someday, you will treat me the way it should be. Someday, you will listen to me the way it should be. Someday, you will care about me the way it should be. Someday, you will love me the way it should be. "

But for alphas, the way 'betas think' they deserve is not the way things should really be. That's why their demands are never met.

Second Belief - Pretending to be stupid is a smart move.

Pretending to be ignorant, pretending not to know, and pretending not to see the wrongdoings that the Alpha engages in is a clever strategy to sustain a long-lasting relationship. This approach enables the betas to extend the duration of their relationship, as they hope to have more time to make positive contributions to win alpha's hearts. They anticipate that, eventually, their Alphas will develop empathy, appreciate their efforts, and modify their behavior to align with the desires and aspirations of the betas.

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Alpha is always one step ahead because they are aware of Beta's beliefs right from the start. Beta is like an open book, easy to read, control, and persuade.

What most Alphas always do is:

Support and affirm Beta's beliefs.

" I can change, but it takes time. Everything can change for the better, but changing a person requires significant effort. Goodness will ultimately prevail, but perhaps not today or tomorrow." (not today, tomorrow, next year, or even in the next 3, 5, or 10 years.)

" Smart people don't have to pretend to know everything. Silence is a clever expression too. "

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The truth is...

☑️ Goodness doesn't win everything.

☑️ To pretend to be stupid is to show that you are really stupid.

" Pretending to be ignorant for years, wasting time hoping that someone who treats you poorly will eventually treat you well, and investing 3-5 years of expectations into just a single day when your alpha will value you the way you desire, is a clear demonstration of foolishness. Don't continue pretending to be ignorant for an extended period, as it can ultimately transform you into a genuinely unintelligent person. "

_________ Scarlett Saphira

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How can a foolish man be truly admired?

No matter how long one pretends to be foolish to sustain a relationship, it is crucial to cease this behavior and strive for personal growth. Only by doing so can one enable others to recognize their true value.

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Chapter #2

www.flickr.com/photos/161478161@N05/52968145176

The phrase "speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil" represents a moral principle encouraging people to avoid engaging in or with wrongdoing.

1 "Bless the Lord, my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, my soul,

And do not forget any of His benefits;

3 Who pardons all your guilt,

Who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with favor and compassion;

5 Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord performs righteous deeds

And judgments for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known His ways to Moses,

His deeds to the sons of Israel.

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in mercy.

9 He will not always contend with us,

Nor will He keep His anger forever.

10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.

12 As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.

13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

14 For He Himself knows our form;

He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;

Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,

And its place no longer knows about it.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him,

And His justice to the children’s children,

18 To those who keep His covenant

And remember His precepts, so as to do them.

19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,

And His sovereignty rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,

Mighty in strength, who perform His word,

Obeying the voice of His word!

21 Bless the Lord, all you His angels,

You who serve Him, doing His will.

22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His,

In all places of His dominion;

Bless the Lord, my soul!"

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice wrongdoings but with the truth... Love always wins.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing

and rightdoing there is a field.

I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass

the world is too full to talk about.”

― Rumi

"Long ago, a dark wizard of incredible power breached the veil between worlds to retrieve a single crystal of pure ice from a parallel universe. Under the physical conditions of our world, it heated rather than cooled and lacked the means of melting that had been present in its own environment. The wizard intended to amplify this infinite power source and use it to power a doomsday machine he had constructed, but fortunately was cast down before his plans could reach fruition. Our ancestors could not devise a means of destroying the crystal without releasing a devastatingly vast amount of energy, and thus hid it in the remotest corner of the world..."

The young sorceress recalled her magic history tutor's words of so long ago in a quick flash as she surveyed the scene that confronted her. After months of travel, here she was viewing the legendary ice shard...and the yeti-wyrm its warmth had attracted.

The wyrm eyed her, rancor mixed with curiosity in its eyes. She moved a little closer and the rancor edged out the curiosity. It curled its powerful body tighter around the pool of melted ice the crystal's plinth was suspended over, disrupting the mounds of snow that had previously covered its muscular coils. The intruder regretted noticing the various skeletal remains that were unearthed during this action. She dealt with bones regularly for her own purposes, but at this moment they were a sordid distraction and birthed nagging fears that suggested she might soon join them in their icy slumbers.

Reasserting her own competence to herself, she channeled power into her staff, preparing it for a variety of offensive spells to take on the formidable creature and its icy breath.

"You're the last living thing that will ever stand against me!" she yelled at the wyrm, not, of course, because it could understand and be intimidated, but because she wanted to refocus on her plans of world domination. Such motivation had empowered her against similar dangers in past, and she hoped it would again, but doubt still remained. Would her extensive knowledge of the arcane arts and fabulous clip-on pony tail be enough to propel her to triumph where myriad others had perished?

______________________

Where do I even start?

For this is no ordinary build!

It's...some kind of elaborate metaphor mixed with an inside joke that's also supposed to serve as a visual apology for secret wrongdoings on my part?!

[...] Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there [...]

-- Quote by Jalal ad-Din Rumi (Persian Poet and Mystic, 1207-1273)

Nikon D200, Tokina 28-70 f/2.8, 28mm - f/11 - 1/8s

Celleno, Italy (November, 2016)

www.riccardocuppini.com

www.facebook.com/RiccardoCuppini.photography

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy.

Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;

It is not self-seeking, nor easily angered.

It keeps no record of wrongdoing.

It does not delight in evil,

But rejoices in the truth.

It always protects, trusts, hopes, and preserves.

There is nothing love cannot face;

There is no limit to its faith, hope, and endurance.

In a word, there are three things that last forever:

Faith, hope, and love;

But the greatest of them all is love.

Corinthians 13:4-7

I am completely uninspired, down and out today ... I struggled for about an hour with a picture only for my photoshop to crash.

Anthony convinced me to put up this pic because he liked it - so this one is for you.

♥ Barbara to Anthony ♥