During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.

My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.

Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.

Another view of the wonderful Romanesque period metal gate I showed face-on yesterday.

The steps that go down lead to the main stairway into the cathedral. The passage is blocked by a locked metal gate that you cannot see from where this photograph was taken.

second coming of Jesus | Christianmovie "The City Will Be Overthrown" | Warnings of the Last Days

www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/city-will-be-overthrown-m...

Cheng Huize is a co-worker at a house church in China. She has believed in the Lord for many years, and has worked for the Lord with unwavering enthusiasm. She takes on a lot of responsibilities for the church, and she has compassion for her brothers and sisters. As her church grew more and more desolate with each passing day, the wickedness in her church were more and more frequent. The pastor energetically proposed that the church should start a factory, and led the followers down the path to wealth, and also enticed them to join the Three-Self Church so they could rely on help from the Chinese Communist government. This caused a fierce debate to unfold. The pastor stubbornly acted in his own individual interests and did not hesitate to divide the church, leading the believers down the wrong path. Cheng Huize and a few others held fast to the way of the Lord, and fiercely opposed the church becoming a factory and joining the Three-Self Church. Although the elders at the church expressed that they were opposed to this, they only did so to protect their own status and livelihood. Even though the pastor and elders were all harboring secrets in their hearts, locked in constant strife for their own fame and profit, fighting out of envy, when they saw that most of the good sheep and leading sheep in the church had investigated the Eastern Lightning and turned to Almighty God one by one, they joined together with the Chinese Communist government and fought to repress the Eastern Lightning, blocking the believers from coming to study the Eastern Lightning, urging the followers to report them to the police. They set an example by reporting and arresting the brothers and sisters preaching the kingdom gospel. Cheng Huize and others saw that the pastor and the elders had deviated from the Lord's way a long time ago, and the church had already lost the work of the Holy Spirit and had degenerated into a religious place like Babylon the Great, cursed and reviled by the Lord. Because of this, they decided to investigate the Eastern Lightning to search for the manifestation and work of God. After intense debates with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God, Cheng Huize and the others finally began to see clearly that the leaders of the religious world opposed God in substance, and the reason why the religious world declined, day by day drawing nearer to its destruction: The pastors and elders of the religious world, although they could explain the Bible and hold the Bible in high esteem, they only do so for status and livelihood. They are confusing and ensnaring people. They don't hold God in high regard or bear witness for Him, they don't understand God at all. In the last days, when the incarnate Almighty God appears and does His work, they oppose Him without the slightest scruple, they condemn God's Work, even to the point where they unite with the Chinese Communist government to arrest believers. This is enough to prove that they possess a satanic nature that hates the truth and hates God. They are modern-day Pharisees, impersonating virtuous people, antichrists who deny that God becomes flesh. The religious world has already completely become a stronghold for antichrists who are enemies of God. They will absolutely meet with God's curses and punishments. Cheng Huize and others were eventually able to differentiate the antichrist nature essence of the leaders of the religious world, and guided the believers to break away from the confusion and control of the Pharisees, to escape without hesitation from Babylon, the city that will be overthrown …

Image Source: The Church of Almighty God

Terms of Use: en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html

I was rather touched by this inscription on the reverse of a gravestone in the parish churchyard of Fordwich in Kent (which, incidentally, claims to be the smallest town in England – population 381).

The gravestone marks the resting places of Margot Van Loo (1912-92), to whom the inscription refers; her husband Gerald Van Loo (1914-2006, Major, Indian Army); and their son John Van Loo (1947-2013, ‘He was a most lovely man’).

"I am She - Lilith

Mistress of the dark, Of Sheba.

First offender

And succour to demons

Whose sweet seductions and wicked rites

Lead all those too enslaved by the flesh

To trespass against God's holy law.

And tonight I come for you.

I am darkness, I am sin

The Queen of lust invited in

Reborn at last to cast my

Fecund shadow on this world,

You shall worship me, enslaved

For many lovers shall I crave

And in return, I'll gladly pave

Your psycho path with pearls

Fall for the love of me

Crawl for the love of me

Drool for the love of my virulent sway

I grow more master the faster the days"

(I am) Lilith Immaculate"

Dani Filth - Cult Of Venus Adversa/Lilith Immaculate

I know I should more but, I normally do not write explanations for many of the pieces I present. So this will be a little bit unusual for me to share. So here is a little background, information and some of my thought process for interpretation of the piece.

I have a great aversion to using stock images of others for a wide variety of reasons. I don't care if other employ them but it is not for me. Thus, every image used in construction was shot by myself with the exception of the horns and stitches (from shutterfly.com).

For the piece I took a combination of the lyrics above for inspiration.

For those who do not know, in Abrahamic traditions, Lilith was the first wife of Adam and was not made from his flesh. Many myths about her tell of a woman who was strong willed and sexually liberated; akin to a more modern view of feminism. For these reasons, God caste her out of the garden in to the barren world. Because of her crimes she is considered to be the first offender of God and from her evil was born into the world through her blood line.

There is a tradition in religious art that dates back at least to the middle ages through the Renaissance in western European culture to personify her in paintings as half snake/half woman. In some suppressed christian teachings it is said that after she was caste from Eden, Lilith returned to the Garden in the form of a snake to tempt Eve to eat from the Tree as her revenge against God for her banishment.

Over the recent months I have been steadily working on building stronger characters as well as liminal places in which the characters can dwell. For this piece, I really wanted to push myself as far as I felt my skills could take me; and maybe further.

This is varient1.

I constructed the background from about five images to give the appearance of a royal tomb of sorts. The background columns are from a mourning chapel dedicated to St. Mary (the immaculate and virtuous.) The mausoleum doors are from a crypt of a family who had a spouse kill another over an affair.

The center piece is constructed from about 12 images. he feminine form was an image I shot of a tribute headstone of an angel for a group of nuns of a local convent.

Here I broke from symbolic tradition. Instead of serpentine qualities, I chose to alter the metaphor to ram horns because the Ram has more of a masculine association with it as well as also being link to virility and war. Thus, making the image bolder and linking slender feminine figure to masculine qualities visual. Plus I like the contradiction of a feminine form and masculine symbols without loosing feminine quality. (I employ visual contradiction quite often in my pieces so I can create a disquiet image.)

The atmosphere is actually made of three images of wispy cloud images and I constructed the light burn texture by hand.

All together, the piece took about 10-15 hours to construct and perfect.

YES - JESUS SAVES

In the Chroverse, Faltan was an ancient Toa of Earth, who was nearly obliterated in the Metru Nui Civil War. Rebuilt to be a robotic upholder of justice, he mercilessly destroyed hundreds of combatants in an effort to ensure peace. Eventually he was able to rediscover his past and break free of his reprogramming, becoming the virtuous keeper of justice he was intended to have been all along.

LE TRADIZIONI ED IL FOLKLORE

“San Gimignano delle belle torri” si trova in Toscana, 56 kmn a sud di Firernze, ed è una una testimonianza eccezionale della civiltà medievale poiché racchiude, all’interno di un’area limitata, tutte le strutture tipiche della vita urbana: piazze e strade, case e palazzi, pozzi e fonti.

Le 14 torri gentilizie ancora intatte (erano 72) contribuiscono alla conservazione dell’atmosfera e dell’aspetto feudale della città, che intrattiene un virtuoso dialogo con il paesaggio circostante e rappresenta un gioiello dell’urbanistica medievale e scrigno di capolavori dell’arte italiana tra il XIV e il XV secolo.

Note tratte dal sito:

www.unesco.it/it/unesco-vicino-a-te/siti-patrimonio-mondi...

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

TRADITIONS AND FOLKLORE

“San Gimignano delle belle torri” is located in Tuscany, 56 km south of Florence, and is an exceptional testimony of medieval civilization because it contains, within a limited area, all the typical structures of urban life: squares and streets, houses and palaces, wells and fountains.

The 14 noble towers still intact (there were 72) contribute to the preservation of the atmosphere and feudal aspect of the city, which maintains a virtuous dialogue with the surrounding landscape and represents a jewel of medieval urban planning and a treasure chest of masterpieces of Italian art between the 14th and 15th centuries.

PANASONIC LUMIX DMC FX-35

VIRTUOUS CHRISTIAN LADY OF YESTERYEAR

Sofonisba Anguissola (Cremona, February 2, 1531 - Palermo, November 16, 1625) - Self portrait (1558) oil on canvas 63.5 x 54.5 cm. - Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Milan

Questo dipinto tradizionalmente era ritenuto l'autoritratto della pittrice cremonese, ma negli ultimi tempi sono state avanzate altre teorie, non solo sul soggetto, ma anche sull'autrice: l’opera è stata attribuita alla sorella Lucia e la giovane donna raffigurata sarebbe Minerva, un'altra delle cinque figlie di Amilcare Anguissola. Sofonisba fu l’unica a diventare famosa, tanto da lavorare alla corte spagnola come ritrattista, ma non fu la sola ad essere avviata alla pittura; anche le altre sorelle erano pittrici, come narrava il Vasari che, in un viaggio a Cremona, era stato a casa Anguissola e vi aveva ammirato le opere delle “virtuose” fanciulle. La giovane è raffigurata a mezzo busto in una tela ovale (un formato all’epoca diffuso soprattutto nelle miniature), indossa un abito nero ravvivato dal bianco della camicia, di cui si vedono solo il collo e il nastro che scende sul petto, una treccia le circonda il capo. Il volto è leggermente girato a destra, ma lo sguardo è diretto verso lo spettatore. L’atmosfera del dipinto è a prima vista molto semplice, ma osservando meglio è evidente la cura con cui è stato realizzato. Si noti la precisione dei dettagli, con effetti che richiamano l’arte fiamminga, ad esempio negli occhi, nei capelli, nel pizzo del colletto e accorgimenti come lo sfondo chiaro, che evidenzia la figura suggerendo lo spazio che la circonda.

This painting was traditionally considered the self-portrait of the Cremonese painter, but in recent times other theories have been put forward, not only on the subject, but also on the author: the work has been attributed to her sister Lucia and the young woman depicted would be Minerva, another of the five daughters of Amilcare Anguissola. Sofonisba was the only one to become famous, so as to work at the Spanish court as a portrait painter, but she was not the only one to be initiated to painting, the other sisters were also painters, as Vasari said that, in a trip to Cremona, had been to the Anguissola house and had admired the works of "virtuous" girls. The young girl is depicted half-length in an oval canvas (a format that was widespread at the time, especially in miniatures), wearing a black dress enlivened by the white of the shirt, of which we can only see the neck and the ribbon that goes down on the chest, a braid surrounds her head. Her face is slightly turned to the right, but her gaze is directed towards the viewer. The atmosphere of the painting is at first glance very simple, but looking closer it is evident the care with which it was made. Note the precision of the details, with effects reminiscent of Flemish art, for example in the eyes, the hair, the lace of the collar and devices such as the light background, which highlights the figure suggesting the space that surrounds it.

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I'll introduce you to two historical characters today, and then tomorrow we'll wrap up the story of the bridge carvings with a discussion about the opening ceremony for the Ross Bridge.

In this shot we can see Mary Witherington, the convict wife of Daniel Herbert, and then a strange figure indeed. One that Norman Laird calls a "Celtic horned-god". (I've tagged them both).

We know even less about Mary than we do of Daniel Herbert. Her convict record tells us that she was transported to Van Diemen's Land with 100 other convicts on the ship "Harmony" (there's an irony). Mary had been sentenced to 14 years for larceny at the Old Bailey. Her crime is actually listed in the records as:

"MARY WITHERINGTON was indicted for stealing, on the 4th of June, 3 spoons, value 8s.; 4 blankets, value 8s.; 2 table-cloths, value 5s.; 5 sheets, value 14s.; 1 counterpane, value 4s.; 1 bolster, value 2s.; 3 pillows, value 3s., and 1 table-cover, value 1s., the goods of Ann Stanley, widow, her mistress."

So Mary had been a simple servant, but now she was off to the other side of the world, never to see her homeland or family again. The ship arrived in Hobart on January 14, 1829.

convictrecords.com.au/convicts/witherington/mary/89650

The next we learn about Mary is of her marriage to Daniel Herbert (convict) in 1835. It is quite possible that Daniel first met Mary when building the Female Factory (prison) in Cascades. But we really don't have any facts to go on.

Norman Laird (Greener and Laird, 1971) describes her in sympathetic fashion:

"A photograph taken somewhat later in life - in her middle thirties I should think - strikingly resembles the mask...It shows a strong face with high cheek bones, large luminous eyes, firm full lips and a decisive jaw-line. It is not the face of a conventional beauty, but rather handsome, vital and attractive. There is still one more reason for believing that this icon cannot be anyone other than Herbert's wife. It is the only personification on the bridge which is perfectly serene and untouched by pain or mockery." (p.140).

Mary lived a long life. 90 years in the 19th century was an amazing milestone, especially given the hardship of her early years. Her marriage to Daniel Herbert produced three children, and she would appear to have fitted right in with the people of Ross. At some point she moved to Launceston, perhaps owing to her age and the need for care, and is buried in an unmarked gave there.

Now it would be easy to assume that Daniel Herbert made this tribute to his new bride in the first flush of marital bliss. But we know that all the figures on the bridge are playing some allegorical role in a kind of medieval mystery play. So Mary is here for a distinct purpose. And in the next two photographs I hope to make that purpose more clear to you.

But first, take a close look at the stone on which Mary's face is carved. Directly beneath her is a butterfly. Now a butterfly is a universal symbol of rebirth, a beautiful creature emerging from the cocoon of darkness towards the light. Daniel Herbert believed in the possibility of redemption, not just in some world to come, but that one might be remade in this life and thus fulfil one's destiny with dignity and honour. He would seem to have believed that this was Mary's story. From the dying seed of her previous life, a new flower was emerging (and you can see that flower in this stone as well).

But Herbert also worked with opposite types too, and we'll see that shortly. Virtue is an inner state of being, rather than some social status or notoriety. Hold that thought over the next two photographs I will present to you.

But we must address the other figure in this shot, the "Celtic horned-god with serpent attributes" (Laird). Now in the third photograph I will post today ("Iconography of Renewal") all this will become much clearer when I present all the four main symbolic figures of this arch together in the one shot. Just recall that Mary is on the seventh stone from the base of the arch (seven is a number that represents godliness and virtue - but equally this can be reversed in some "satanic" order, and on the other side of this very arch, that is exactly what I think Herbert is implying).

On the stone two along from Mary we have this horned figure. Laird goes into a lot of detail about its possible mythological meaning, but I just wonder whether it mightn't be simpler to see him standing in as a type of the devil. The Tempter, the one who led Mary astray in her early life. Now when we see in the next photograph who occupies the same place on the other side of the arch, and we learn something about this man's character, then I think this point becomes much clearer.

To strengthen my argument, look at what Herbert places on the stone between Mary and the "devil". There are three four petaled roses (the third one is implied) with a cross linking the petals. Laird describes this as a Teutonic symbol, and in fact it does remind us of the "Rosy Cross". This is indeed an ancient alchemical symbol and inspired an entire "secret society" the Order of Rosicrucians.

Now let's not get hung up on Dan Brown type scenarios here, because although Herbert may have come across these symbols and used them (Blake certainly knew them). I suggest he is trying to illustrate the process of Mary's transformation from sinner to virtuous soul.

"The mysterious doctrine of the Rosicrucian order is 'built on esoteric truths of the ancient past', which 'concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe, and the spiritual realm.'...The Rosicrucian manifestos heralded a 'universal reformation of mankind', through a science allegedly kept secret for decades until the intellectual climate might receive it." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosicrucianism

But in a nutshell, what I argue Herbert is showing (for those who have "ears to hear") is that there is a path from death (the convict life) to resurrection (virtue). And while Herbert might have made this more explicit in a Christian society with a simple cross, his whole "secretive" symbolism of the bridge requires a more subtle presentation.

And on to the next photographs, because these three need to be looked at together....

The bells call forth from mighty tower keeps

To herald passing souls from here to there

The orange sun upon the hilltop creeps

It crucifies night's cold and blind despair

And light of day itself may also bluff

The flower blooms and will too soon dissolve

There is no virtue virtuous enough

To ban the steady tide of death's resolve

If permanence is just a fleeting dream,

Why burden every man and child fair?

To ask is chasing shadows down a stream

Fall not into the well of when or where

These words are written clear for all to see:

What I am now you too shall one day be

Remember, Thow art Mortal

mucri.univ-paris1.fr/le-tableau-soumis-a-la-parole-biblique/

Les Femmes vertueuses, série de 8 tableaux.

Lambert Lombard, né à Liège en 1505 ou en 1506 et mort dans la même ville en août 1566, est un artiste de la Renaissance, à la fois peintre, architecte, graveur, archéologue, collectionneur, numismate, mythographe, homme de lettres, historien de l'art et maître d'une académie de grande réputation.

Virtuous Women, series of 8 paintings.

Lambert Lombard, born in Liège in 1505 or in 1506 and died in the same city in August 1566, is a Renaissance artist, at the same time painter, architect, engraver, archaeologist, collector, numismatist, mythographer, man of letters, historian of art and master of an academy of high reputation.

Virtue is accepting blogger applications.

Blogger Requirements:

♥ Has an active blog and/or Flickr Pro account.

♥ Mesh bodies ~~ mesh bodies worn in post (the mesh body used must be same as product size promoting)

♥ Mesh Head to be used in post

♥ Minimum of 2 posts per month is required.

♥ New Releases and Events take priority event post should be within 3 days of opening and posted in event flickr group

♥ Post Presentations should represent our mission and values that women can dress modest and be fashionable

♥ Proper tagging and credits

♥ Blogs will be added to Virtue Flickr Group

Is this for you? Submit your application via Blogotex or at our inworld location Blogotex Access Point

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or you can complete this app

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Thank you

Abi ♥

Feeling holy

In the Wachau region of Austria on the Danube River. Also in the back is - Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192 when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard the Lionheart had offended Leopold the Virtuous by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave the custody of the king to Emperor Henry VI, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle.

Dürnstein Castle was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Swedish Empire under Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson in 1645.

Dürnstein Abbey (Stift Dürnstein) was established in 1410 by Canons Regular from Třeboň and from 1710 rebuilt in a Baroque style according to plans by Joseph Munggenast, Jakob Prandtauer and Matthias Steinl. The monastery was dissolved by order of Emperor Joseph II in 1788 and fell to the Herzogenburg Priory.

During the War of the Third Coalition the Battle of Dürenstein was fought nearby on November 11, 1805.

Deoksugung is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" of Seoul, built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. It has a long history of being renamed and gaining/losing the title of main palace, depending on the availability of the rest of the palaces, which were burned in 1592 during the Japanese invasions and rebuilt in 1618. After a hiatus of 270 years it became again the central palace of the empire in 1897, after Emperor Gojong established the Great Han Empire and moved here, renaming the palace back to Gyeongungung. His successor, Emperor Sunjong, renamed it Deoksugung, “Palace of Virtuous Longevity”, as a reference to a wish for longevity to emperor Gojong. Gojong lived here until here until his death in 1919 at Hamnyeongjeon Hall. In 1933, all buildings except for a few central and western style buildings were removed and the grounds were turned into a park and opened to the public. Work to restore Deoksugung Palace to its original form is ongoing since 2007.

The Junghwajeon Hall seen here is the main throne hall at Deoksugung Palace. Jeukjodang Hall originally served as the throne hall until Junghwajeon was built to the south. Originally the hall featured a two tiered roof, which was however damaged in a fire in 1904 and it was rebuilt two years later with a single level roof, as seen today. The hall sits on a woldae, a two tiered stone terrace, a feature common of traditional royal residence architecture.

Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime,

Nothing true or beautiful makes complete sense in any immediate context of history,

Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone,

Therefore, we must be saved by hope. We are saved by Love.

Reinhold Niebuhr quotes (American theologian, 1892-1971)

Or something like that.

If you know me or Choco for quite a while now you miiight know that Choco once had a Naked Snake/Big Boss doll.

He isn't with us anymore, but I kept the outfit for Schwarz since they have similar jobs (Schwarz is like some weird mash-up of Bond, Archer and Naked) and why not. The outfit is not complete and not as accurate as I'd like it to be, but enough for a quick picture :D

And before someone asks: nope, Schwarz did not get his eyepatch because of Big Boss. There are lotsa MGS hints among my group, because I am a sucker for this godforsaken game series that means so much to me, but the eyepatch funny enough is not one.

Taking the picture was a lot more complicated then I thought due the pose, and you can't even see his gun from his angle nor that I made him a little earpiece for codec calls :'C

Since he pretty much fell over every few seconds I only got a few pictures, but considering I am in a deep hate hole with my stuff right now anyway that's okay.

I didn't really nail the "muddy, hazy green in-game" aesthetic as much as I wanted, but I made so many different color versions already I just called it a day for now.

Ara

Herr Schwarz - Iplehouse EID Arvid

(on Tumblr here:

fuckinghardhat.tumblr.com/post/163144988610/commencing-vi...)

muse: franziska dorst

styling: sarge & zora

shooting: sarge grafx

“Just as a flash of lightning at night,

When the sun is absent,

During pitch black darkness,

When there is no moon,

Amidst cloudbanks,

When there are no stars,

For just an instant reveals brightly illuminated shapes;

In the same way,

At night when the wisdom sun is not shining,

During the pitch black darkness

In which one does not know what to do and what to avoid,

And amidst cloudbanks of obscurations

That cover the mind with ignorance, attachment, aversion, pride and jealousy,

Occasionally, the wish or the thought of accomplishing what is meritorious or virtuous arises in the minds of ordinary worldly people.”

shantideva

Please view LARGE!

We currently live in Elysium — the heaven on earth.

## 1. We are privileged

Think about it. If you are a Westerner, from Europe, from America, or much of the developed world, you are living in heaven.

You have no more Bubonic Plague to kill you as a child. Most diseases are cured, besides AIDS, and things like cancer.

You have enough to feed yourself. You will not starve to death.

You won’t freeze to death. You have no fear of being killed by the neighboring tribe. You won’t die of thirst in the desert.

## 2. We have all the tools

We have wifi. We have smartphones. We have cars. We have digital technology, and the internet.

We have access to infinite petabytes of data. We can learn anything we want to, with the touch of our fingers.

We have good public schools, that teach us the fundamentals of language.

We live in society with our fellow human beings. We have brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts, and other people we can give our love to— and be loved back in return.

## 3. Gatekeepers don’t exist anymore

There are no more gatekeepers. If your dream is to pursue your passion for a living, with the internet you can make it possible. Upload your film on YouTube. Share your writing on a blog. Share your ideas on social media. Share your photos on Instagram.

You have coffee, and access to spices that even kings from 100 years ago didn’t have access to.

## 4. We are dying of thirst

Yet, we kind of live in a hell.

A hell of materialism, consumerism, and dissatisfaction. Wanting more.

It is like Sisyphus— forced by Zeus to roll the heavy stone uphill for the rest of eternity — only to have the stone roll back on us.

Or we are dying of thirst, yet whenever we try to drink the water, it recedes from us. We are hungry, yet whenever we try to take a bite of the fruit— the apple tree draws away from us.

We try to fill our bank accounts with more dollars, more zeroes, and more commas. Yet, it is never enough. It is like trying to fill our jugs with milk, yet our jug has holes in it.

## 5. Why don’t we believe in ourselves?

We are trying to find wisdom in a bottle of Vodka. We are trying to find love through a digital screen. We are trying to find meaning in life through the end of a blunt.

We have great dreams, great passions, and ideas in life. Yet, we are scared. We are beaten down to submission by our parents, our teachers, our bosses, and the entire society. Nobody believes in us.

We want to start our own companies, yet everyone tells us why it will fail.

We want to do something ridiculous and awesome, yet everyone tells us that we aren’t being practical.

We are afraid of being judged, of failing, and of disappointing others— and of ourselves.

## 6. Take the first step

But I say, disregard all of that. No more negativity. No more living in the past. No more excuses.

Let us just do it.

Just fucking do it.

Whatever we want that doesn’t hurt anybody else— let us do something virtuous, wholesome, and helpful to others.

Let us pour our hearts and souls into the words that we write. Let us capture emotions, souls, and beautiful fleeting moments in our viewfinders. Let us dance with our bodies, like we were writing cursive with a pen.

Let us disregard what the rest of the world thinks of us. Let us dance, love, and be merry.

Let us seek to be more creative, more artistic, and child-like everyday.

Let us take a forward step to fulfilling our dreams.

## 7. How to make your dreams come true

Do we want to be a full-time photographer? Let us text a friend who is getting married, and offer to shoot their wedding for free. To make our portfolio. Make your own website via bluehost.com and use wordpress.org. Pay for the ‘genesis’ theme, and announce that you are accepting new clients.

If you want to be a novelist, write your chapter, and publish it to your blog or social media page. Build up a following, that will become hungry for the next chapter.

If you want to become a full-time ‘YouTuber’ — just make a YouTube page, and start recording on your smartphone or your webcam, and start uploading videos. Just publish one video a day, for a year. See where it takes you.

Your dream to be a full-time blogger? Start blogging. Everyday. Several times a day. A lot of bloggers fail trying to blog everyday. I say fuck that, take it to the next level. Try to publish 3 blog posts a day. They don’t need to be great. But just get in the practice of publishing, and not having feared of being negatively judged. And turn off your statistics, your success cannot be measured in page views.

## 8. If you care, share

Keep sharing your beautiful ideas. With others. Don’t be afraid of being judged. It is better to be judged than to be ignored (Seth Godin).

If you were camping, and you had a flashlight, and your friend was wandering around in darkness, wouldn’t you share your light with your friend?

That flashlight is your gift. Your passion. The reason you were put on earth.

Don’t delay. Share your light today.

Be strong,

Eric

Stoicism (Greek Στοά) was a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC. The Stoics considered destructive emotions to be the result of errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions. Stoics were concerned with the active relationship between cosmic determinism and human freedom, and the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is in accord with nature. Because of this, the Stoics presented their philosophy as a way of life, and they thought that the best indication of an individual's philosophy was not what a person said but how he behaved. Later Stoics, such as Seneca and Epictetus, emphasized that because "virtue is sufficient for happiness," a sage was immune to misfortune. This belief is similar to the meaning of the phrase 'stoic calm', though the phrase does not include the "radical ethical" Stoic views that only a sage can be considered truly free, and that all moral corruptions are equally vicious.

Stoic doctrine was a popular and durable philosophy, with a following throughout Greece and the Roman Empire, from its founding until the closing of all philosophy schools in 529 AD by order of the Emperor Justinian I, who perceived their pagan character to be at odds with the Christian faith.

The Stoics provided a unified account of the world, consisting of formal logic, non-dualistic physics and naturalistic ethics. Of these, they emphasized ethics as the main focus of human knowledge, though their logical theories were to be of more interest for many later philosophers.

Stoicism teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions; the philosophy holds that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker allows one to understand the universal reason (logos). A primary aspect of Stoicism involves improving the individual’s ethical and moral well-being: "Virtue consists in a will which is in agreement with Nature."[This principle also applies to the realm of interpersonal relationships; "to be free from anger, envy, and jealousy," and to accept even slaves as "equals of other men, because all alike are sons of God."

The Stoic ethic espouses a deterministic perspective; in regards to those who lack Stoic virtue, Cleanthes once opined that the wicked man is "like a dog tied to a cart, and compelled to go wherever it goes." A Stoic of virtue, by contrast, would amend his will to suit the world and remain, in the words of Epictetus, "sick and yet happy, in peril and yet happy, dying and yet happy, in exile and happy, in disgrace and happy," thus positing a "completely autonomous" individual will, and at the same time a universe that is "a rigidly deterministic single whole."

Stoicism became the foremost popular philosophy among the educated elite in the Hellenistic world and the Roman Empire, to the point where, in the words of Gilbert Murray "nearly all the successors of Alexander [...] professed themselves Stoics."

5 cl Virtuous Ginger Vodka

8 cl Homemade rhubarb syrup

2-3 cl lime juice

6-7 cl Rhubarb Nordic Tonic from Ekobryggeriet

The Goat dance- A very old Romanian fertility ritual

The goat dance appears in the rural area of Romania as a symbol of fertility and fecundity, connecting the Romanian territory to the Greek antiquity and to the Oriental civilizations.

Watching today the play of the Goat mask, in every area of the country, you'll recognize in the virtuous pantomime of the mask bearer, in the vitality of his movements but also in the death and rebirth of the Goat, the ancient symbol of vegetation. The goat dance is a frantic dance, which is executed for hundred of years in every carolled house.

Everything is extremely glittering and fascinating, reflecting the light and the relegation of the dark and the cold, which destroyed the vegetation. The body of the Goat is made of textile (carpets, red sail) on which other decorative elements are sewed.

A noisy children group accompanies the mask together with the country singers who accompany the goat dance. The goat jumps, jerks, turns round, and bends, clattering regularly the wooden jaws offering a remarkable authentic show.

The goat dance:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnza2iL2yQQ

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fyG1rJYCww

www.flickr.com/photos/ioan_bacivarov/32784438736/in/datep...

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Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192, King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard the Lionheart had offended Leopold the Virtuous by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre.

Unfortunately, poor quality - 48x zoom plus cropped - but we were happy to see this majestic Bald Eagle pretty much out in the open in a distant tree. Taken yesterday, 11 October 2015, during a morning walk in very high winds, at Lafarge Meadows, Fish Creek Park, with friends. The hope that the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron might still be at a small pond or perched high up in a nearby tree was enough to make me get up early and push me out the front door. Also, I wondered if the rare (in Alberta) Hooded Warbler might still be around in that area. No sign of the Night Heron, but we did see the little Warbler again. It is such a difficult bird to spot and photograph, though I did end up with a single shot - I think even worse than the photo I posted the other day, lol! I'm supposed to be doing a lot more walking, so I felt virtuous by the time I got back home.

I will add our leader, Howard Heffler's report of the outing:

Even though it was Thanksgiving, six people showed up for a walk from the boat ramp to Lafarge Meadows. Of course the Hooded Warbler that had been reported by several observers all week was a good reason to be a bit late to get the turkey in the oven. And good fortune prevailed as we had excellent, albeit fleeting, views of this little cutie! Other highlights included a Northern Shrike perched near the top of snag beside the trail and a Rough-legged Hawk riding the riding the wind on the other side of the Bow River. We recorded 26 species:

Canada Goose 9

Gadwall 4

American Wigeon 207

Mallard 40

Lesser Scaup 65

Bufflehead 12

Common Goldeneye 3

Common Merganser 1

Pied-billed Grebe 2

Great Blue Heron 1

Bald Eagle 2

Rough-legged Hawk 1

American Coot 400

Greater Yellowlegs 5

Ring-billed Gull 50

Rock Pigeon 3

Downy Woodpecker 2

Northern Flicker 2

Northern Shrike 1

Black-billed Magpie 6

American Crow 30

Common Raven 4

Black-capped Chickadee 4

White-breasted Nuthatch 2

European Starling 40

Hooded Warbler 1

Howard Heffler

الله أكبر، الله أكبر، لا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر، الله أكبر، ولله الحمد

الله أكبر، الله أكبر، الله أكبر كبيرا

By the Grace of Allāh we have approached the month of Dhul-Ḥijjah (the month of Hajj or Pilgrimage), in which Allāh has marked out, for both the pilgrims and the non-pilgrims, some very blessed days.

The first ten days of Dhul-Ḥijjah are the best and most virtuous days of the year. They are the days in which Allāh the Mighty and Majestic - most loves the doing of good deeds. About this the Prophet (ṣallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) said, “The best days in the world are the ten days.”

This is why it is recommended to increase in making takbīr (saying Allāhu akbar), tahlīl (saying Lā ilāha illallāh) and tamḥīd (saying Alḥamdulillāh) during these days ...”

The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ’alayhi wa-sallam) said, “There are no days that are greater with Allāh, and in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days. So increase in making tasbīḥ (saying Subḥānallāh), tamḥīd, tahlīl and takbīr, during them.”

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

Islamic Art : 15

A virtuous Christian lady who takes great pride in spanking a naughty boy on his bare bottom.

(ES) Los Campos Elíseos (en francés Les Champs-Élysées) es la principal avenida de París. Mide 1910 metros de longitud, y va desde el Arco del Triunfo hasta la plaza de la Concordia.

El nombre Campos Elíseos viene de la mitología griega, donde designaba la morada de los muertos reservada a las almas virtuosas, el equivalente del paraíso cristiano. Para acceder a él debían beber en el río Lete, que les haría olvidar su paso por el infierno.

(EN) Champs Elysees (in French, Les Champs-Élysées) is the main avenue in Paris. It measures 1910 meters long and runs from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.

"Champs Elysees" comes from Greek mythology, where the abode of the dead reserved for virtuous souls, the equivalent of the Christian paradise. To access it, had to drink in the river Lethe, which would forget them passing through hell.

Excerpt from www.ctc.org.hk (Chinese Temples Committee): Hung Shing Temple in Ap Lei Chau is a Declared Monument, probably built in 1773 for the worship of Hung Shing (Deity for protecting fishermen and sea traders), other deities include Kwan Tai (God of War), Tai Sui (Sixty Gods of Time), Man Cheung (God of Literature and Bureaucracy) and Kwun Yum (Goddess of Mercy), etc. The Temple is the one of the very few traditional temples in Hong Kong still keeps its original fungshui setting (sea-oriented). Ap Lei Chau is a fishing community, villagers made their living by shipbuilding, fishing and marine trading. Worshippers believe Hung Shing(also named God of South Sea) would assure their safety and bring them good harvest. Hung Shing is a famous deity in Southern China, also named the "God of South Sea". The earliest temple of "God of South Sea" found in Canton Province was believed to be built in the year of 594. Worshippers believe Hung Shing could save them from danger. In Tong Dynasty, Hung Shing upraised by the Emperor as the "King of Kwan Li"which represented goodfortune. In Sung Dynasty, "King of Kwan Li"renamed to "King of Hung Shing Kwan Li". According to legend, Hung Shing was a virtuous official in the Tong Dynasty (618-907) named Hung Hei, who had established an observatory which enabled accurate weather prediction. It was said that his spirit had saved many lives from typhoons and local disasters thus the Emperor crowned Hung Hei the "King of Hung Shing Kwan Li". The Temple adopted a "Two-hall and Three-bay" layout with skylight located between two halls. The temple structure supported by five pairs of pillars is not commonly found in Hong Kong. The ceiling of the passageway was decorated with Shiwan ceramic figurines featured civil ministers and generals, while the "God of Sun" and "Goddess of Moon" can be found at each side of the roof ridge. The eave board at the entrance of the Temple engraved with traditional auspicious symbols, such as peony and chayote.

©WhiteANGEL Photography

light design, long exposure, no retouching

Image © Susan Candelario / SDC Photography, All Rights Reserved. The image is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws, and is not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without written permission.

If you would like to license this image for any purpose, please visit my site and contact me with any questions you may have. Please visit Susan Candelario artists website to purchase Prints Thank You.

reflect the light in a wonderful way for the present moment has an advantage over all the others: it belongs to us and provides new horizons and this band of luminous presences marches forward as they say in virtuous cycle of gratefulness and generousness.

"those who resign are more numerous than those who fail." seneca

※ to not resign into stressful and gray days but allowing ourselves to be aware of those colourful rhythms - of - ebb and flow, light and dark, sowing and reaping; pivoting the personality of the moment through hidden and luminous correspondences that matches the richness of unfolding present. the soul effortlessly refreshed in correspondence - of being devotedly immersed in respect to the timeless fullness; of honouring the Heart through tender friendship of caring with the timely presence. ※

"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Ignore any evil that you come in contact with; be virtuous even though there is evil around you."

We as humans are influenced by things we come into contact with. Like the media for example. We shouldn't give into those things just because someone wants us to. Words become catchy because that's what we're told, wearing certain clothes will make you cool, etc. Our senses are open to many temptations in life, it's your choice on what you choose to digest. We know evil is always there, but we aren't forced to watch or listen to it.

lisawheels89.wixsite.com/keystophotography

A lovely town we visited on our Danube River cruise...

From Wikipedia:

Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192, when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard the Lionheart had personally offended Leopold the Virtuous by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave the custody of the king to Emperor Henry VI, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle. Dürnstein Castle was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Swedish Empire under Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson in 1645.

Dürnstein Abbey (Stift Dürnstein) was established in 1410 by Canons Regular from Třeboň and from 1710 rebuilt in a Baroque style according to plans by Joseph Munggenast, Jakob Prandtauer and Matthias Steinl. The monastery was dissolved by order of Emperor Joseph II in 1788 and fell to the Herzogenburg Priory.

During the War of the Third Coalition the Battle of Dürenstein was fought nearby on November 11, 1805."

“It is the nature of ebony, people say, as it grows wild in the forest or bush, to hear signals about what is going on in the human world, and it is these secrets which are revealed in consultation. The ebony knows the grumblings and suffering of people… (People) offer the ebony their problems, attend its signal in silence, and seek their salvation through it. The ebony can aid the people because it has listened to their voices.”

The Listening Ebony: Moral Knowledge, Religion, and Power among the Uduk of Sudan.

-Wendy James

Belief in the extraordinary, especially in their healing abilities, is inherent to human nature. The reason for such predisposition of the human mind could be many but at its roots, I suspect, the reliance on supernatural is an acknowledgement of and reconciliation with our limited self-healing abilities. Whatever the reason, such conceptualization reveals a marvelous feature of our brain… its ability to sew together unrelated concepts and ideas into a coherent strong narrative which is easy to believe. Uduk speaking Sudanese, over centuries, have believed that ebony trees (Dalbergia melanoxylon) can recall conversations held in their vicinity. This memory can be ‘retrieved’ by burning the black core of a branch and interpreting ashes and smudges formed when the burned stick is dipped in water. So strong is their belief that ailing Sudanese prefer interpretations of ebony diviner over modern medicine. While rational scientific thinking will strongly disapprove of the entire exercise, yet, thousands of Uduk-speakers believe in the listening ebony. Ask them and they will swamp you with their ‘rational’ about how a tree can indeed listen, remember, recall and heal.

The human psyche is deeply encoded to juxtapose human elements (hearing, memory) and the supernatural (to heal) together and assign it to nonhuman everyday objects to ‘make it’ believable. It is perhaps our latent innocence from ages ago that remains subconsciously active today and sculpts these seamless hard-to-dismiss narratives of supernatural healers. Healing, I admit, is an innocent process and there is no reason why a tree cannot heal, whether it can listen or not. Perhaps, counterintuitively, trees can listen and speak too?

On a recent nature walk with my two and half year old son on a somewhat melancholic morning, I suggested that he should try and talk to trees, for they listen very patiently. Amazed at my suggestion, he stared for few seconds at the big tree we stood under and then said calmly, “Daddy, listen to tree. Do you listen to tree?” These were his exact words.

Dismissing his comment would have been easy, but I could not. Perhaps, like the Uduk-speakers of a faraway continent, his unburdened mind has retained the innocence to hear whispers and hushes of trees. Perhaps, in trying to understand myself at an exaggerated level, I have exhausted my virtuousness and the sermons of trees and every other healer around me has become inaudible.

I should listen to my son. I should listen to the tree, the whispering tree.

Brooklyn Museum

Death Cart

Unknown artist of the Los Hermanos Penitentes Society, 1890-1910

Taos, New Mexico

wood, hide, hair, pigment

This sculpture is a smaller version of the death carts that were pulled by penitent brothers during Holy Week processions of the Los Hermanos Penitentes Society. Public processions reenacted the sorrow and suffering of Christ's final days, with some penitent brothers participating self-flagellation with whips and dragging large, heavy crosses and death carts. Here the female Angel of Death, Dona Sebastiana, serves as a reminder of human mortality and the importance of preparing for a good death through prayer and virtuous deeds.

El lago Llanquihue (lugar sumergido en mapudungun) es un lago ubicado en la Región de Los Lagos, Chile. Tiene una extensión de 860 km² que lo convierten en el segundo lago más grande de Chile tras el lago General Carrera. Su profundidad no se conoce con certeza, pero algunas sondas de cordel han arrojado cifras superiores a 350 m. Está a una altitud de 70 m sobre el nivel del mar.

La Leyenda de Licarayén es parte de la mitologia Huilliche y cuenta la historia de la doncella Licarayén y la formacion del Lago LLanquihue.

Licarayén era la hija menor de uno de los "cacique", jefe de la comunidad, de una de las tribus que vivan en los alrededores del volcan Osorno. Ella estaba enamorada de un joven y valiente "toqui", el lider guerrero Quitralpique. Ambos se amaban con pasion y felicidad. El "pillán" un espiritu que habitaba el interior de los volcanes Osorno y Calbuco envidioso no pudo resistir tanto amor desatando enormes temblores. Con su enorme poder hizo que los volcanes comenzaran a botar humo y azufre con grandes llamaradas anunciando la tragedia. Entonces los Huilliches se reunieron en un Parlamento para decirdir como aplacar la furia del Pillán. Un misterioso "machi" apareció y dijo "debeis sacrificar a la virgen mas hermosa de la tirbu, arrancarle el corazon y colocarlo en la punta del cerro bajo una rama de canelo, entonces vendra un gran pajaro que se comera el corazon y dejara caer la rama en el crater del volcan, el hogar del Pillán", luego desaparecio sin dejar rastro.

El cacique entre lagrimas para salvar a su pueblo decidio sacrificar a la virgen mas virtuosa, que era su hija. Entonces Licarayen pidio que su amado preparara su lecho de muerte y que fuese el unico que tocara su corazon ya que él era el unico dueño desde que lo conocio. El toqui destrozado beso a la doncella y conteniendo las lagrimas extrajo el corazon y lo entrego para ser llevado al cerro. Entonces aparecio un enorme Condor que se lo llevo para engullirlo junto con la rama de Canelo, mientras volaba la dejo caer sobre el crater del volcan. En el mismo momento comenzo a caer blanquisima nieve como si el alma de la doncella volviese a la tierra. Nevo durante años, a medida que caia fue fundiendose en lucha contra el fuego que bajaba del volcan, formando torrentes de agua que inundaron las tierras mas bajas dando origen a un gigantesco lago entre los volcanes Osorno y Calbuco. La leyenda dice ademas que en el lugar del sacrificio Licarayén echo raices formando un hermoso palacio de helechos y flores, ubicado el fondo de la "Quebrada del Diablo" cerca de Puerto Varas, pero que solo algunos pueden ver, visible solo para aquellos que esten en intimo contacto con la naturaleza.

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

Lake Llanquihue (place immersed in Mapudungun) is a lake located in the region of Los Lagos, Chile. It has an area of ​​860 km ², making it the second largest lake in Chile after the Lake General Carrera. Its depth is not known with certainty, but some twine probes have yielded figures above 350 m. It is at an altitude of 70 m above sea level.

The Legend of Licarayen is part of the mythology Huilliche and tells the story of the maiden Licarayen and the formation of Lake Llanquihue.

Licarayen was the youngest daughter of the "Cacique", head of the community one of the tribes living near the volcano Osorno. She was in love with a young and brave "Toqui" Quitralpique a warrior leader. They loved each other with passion and happiness. The "Pillán" a spirit that lived inside the volcanoes Osorno and Calbuco envious much love could not resist unleashing big earthquakes. With its enormous power made volcanoes began to throw smoke and sulfur with large flares announcing the tragedy. Then Huilliches met in Parliament to appease the the Pillán fury. A mysterious "machi" appeared and said "You must sacrifice the most beautiful virgin, cut out his heart and place it on top of the hill under a branch of cinnamon, then will come a large bird that will eat the heart and dropped the branch in the crater of the volcano, the home of Pillán and then disappeared without trace.

The cacique in tears to save her people decided to sacrifice the most virtuous virgin her daughter. Then Licarayen asked that only his beloved Quitralpique can prepare his deathbed being the only man that will touch your heart the unique owner since they was met. The shattered toqui kiss the maid and holding back tears the heart extracted and delivered it to be taken to the hill. Then a huge Condor took the heart to swallow along with the branch of Canelo, dropped it while flying over the crater. At the same time whitest snow began to fall as if the soul of the maiden returned to earth. Snow falling for years, as it fell was melting into firefighting coming down the volcano, forming torrents of water that flooded to the lowlands forming a huge lake between Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes. The legend also says that in the place of sacrifice took root Licarayen forming a beautiful palace of ferns and flowers, located on the bottom of the "Quebrada del Diablo" near Puerto Varas but only some can see, visible only to those who are in intimate contact with nature.

A virtuous Christian lady in pleats.

During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.

My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.

Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.

The Mediæval bestiary, particularly during the Romanesque age, is an amazing thing to behold. As sculptors were supposed to represent creatures that did not actually exist but were likely to be spewed out by Hell, they were given a free rein to call upon their creativity and create the wildest and scariest beings they could imagine.

Associating various “natural” creatures within the same being was believed to be a telltale sign of diabolic activity, as such altered and deformed representations could only have been created by Satan. Likewise, men and women were said to debase themselves through sinning, which would bring them down towards animality, hence the progressive transformation of a human being into an animal or a beast. This was shown extensively in Romanesque sculpture as a way to remind the faithful of what was in store for them if they went astray...

Another view of my wife's favorite shoes. This shot tries to depict all of their design elements, including the graphic interior and soles.

The title of this photo is a wink at the idiomatic expression, which according to Wikipedia "is a descriptor for an excessively virtuous person or do-gooder". The expression is actually the title of a Cinderella-like story written by John Newbery in 1765. In the end, 'Goody' is rewarded for her virtue by marrying a rich widower.

Strobist: Alien Bees 800 camera left into a reflecting umbrella. Alien Bees 800 camera right through a handheld diffuser. Triggered with a sync chord.

Libra

I chose Libra to honor my beloved departed sister.

The main attribute of a Libra is balance. Balance is not only reflected in their personalities, but also reflected in their fashion choices.

Libras are such great judges of character that I chose to represent them as a literal scale of justice in the afterlife. In some mythological tales, a scale and feather are symbols of truth and justice that helped determine whether a soul had been virtuous. After peering into their souls with my captivating eyes, they are sent to the blue crystals representing the good path or to the red crystals representing the bad path.

To enhance this Futuristic Avant-Garde look, I took balance literally. Instead of holding the justice scales in my hands, I choose to balance them on my head while wearing the tallest boots possible to show the poise and grace of a Libra’s fashion sense.

Wearing

Head

Anigma Eulenberg: Libra crown mixed metals v2

Mura Beauty - Fatma Hair

Studio Exposure METAL QUEEN hairbase

^^Swallow^^ : Gauged S Ears

Eyes

-Birth- 'Glimmer' Eyes

Clover - MegaLashes

Makeup

.:.Bloom.:. Glowing Zodiac Signs_Libra_

.:.Bloom.:.BOM_Neon Eyeliner BLUE_EvoX

Shiny Stuffs EvoX Blade Liner 1 Silver Light

Shiny Stuffs EvoX Blade Shadow 29

Shiny Stuffs Screen Kiss Light 15

Clothes

AtaMe - Anna Shorts

cinphul // grace ii [scifi boots]

Rowne: Damir Sheer Dress

VonFyrsten: 405 Baby Imma Star

Location: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Helcaraxe%20Isle/134/194/31

a human being

with a beating heart

and a virtuous soul

who most probably

has been mutilated

his initiation

into the profession

of begging

to survive

A FACT THE WESTERN WORLD

CANNOT UNDERSTAND

NOR FATHOM

AND

FIND SHOCKING

HOWEVER TRUE IT IS

AND

OMNIPRESENT IN THE 4TH WORLD

“An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.”

— Plutarch, Greek historian

“If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones.”

― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

“The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is enough.”

— Dr. Wess Stafford, President Emeritus of Compassion International

during IJTEMA

in

TONGI

Photography’s new conscience

linktr.ee/GlennLosack

linktr.ee/GlennLosack

glosack.wixsite.com/tbws

Visit my museum exhibit Empire and Empathy to view all of my great-grandfather’s 1909 photographs and for more information about the trip.Murray is one of 5 photographers featured in the book Twilight of the Romanovs: A Photographic Odyssey Across Imperial Russia the book is being printed in both German and English.

Original description

A prize snap shot on a sunday morning in the famous Thieves Market, Moscow. I was mobbed by this crowd after taking this picture and had to be rescued by the Soldier-Police

Murray Howe, 1909

Copyrighted visit EmpireAndEmpathy.org

For information about the trip or to inquire about use of the images, contact Murray's great-grandson:

Andrew Murray Howe V

ahowe@cranewoods.com

[This Khitrov market was then #1 among the most crime-prone areas of Moscow. The open-work canopy seen in background of the square was initially used as a market for a variety of goods including foodstuffs. Later on it became a sort of labor market where lumpenproles gathered from everywhere outside Moscow and offered themselves as general workers. All the dwelling houses in the adjacent lanes turned into a skid row. When Konstantin Stanislavski, the founder of the Moscow Art Theater, planned to stage The Lower Depths play by Maxim Gorky (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lower_Depths), a group of actors, directors and designers made an excursion to one of the bunkhouse in the Khitrov market to see with their own eyes the environment and people to be imitated on the Moscow Art Theater stage. They hardly survived there. Their saver was their guide Vladimir Guilyarovsky, nicknamed the King of Moscow newspaper reporters, who often had visited the Khitrov market, and was familiar with both the policemen and gangsters of the area (he was highly reputed among them for his unique physical strength and dauntless courage) He managed to stop the beginning of the robbery and possible slaughter of the theater people by outrageous burst of obscenities which overwhelmed the mob, made them slack-jawed out of surprise on hearing the fantastically virtuous word combinations, and the final result of mob’s stupefaction was a storm of applause. Happy ending!]

Note by great-grandson: There was a return trip in 1912 that Murray could not attend because he had become head of the advertising department for Union Carbide (founded by the owner of the horses). Here is what was said about Murray in an article by the journalist that replaced him on the 1912 trip:

“In closing I must add that there is mourning in the land of the Czar at Murray’s non-appearance. When the natives learned that the Billings stable was to return, it was supposed, of course, that he was to return with it, and the fact that he was not would undoubtedly cause the city to be draped in crepe, were it not for the fact that the Imperial Majesty himself is due for a visit in about two weeks, in consequence which the entire population is engaged in a perfect orgie of activity with paint, calsomine, gold leaf and upholstery, streets are being repaved, windows polished, droshkies refurbished and harnesses besilivered, regardless of expense. The Czar however, will depart May 21st (May 8 Russian style) and thereafter nothing will dispel the pall of gloom – for Murray is recorded in local history as the greatest Russian-American that has ever appeared in the shadow of the Kremlin. Innumerable legends exist regarding his prowess in the consumption of vodki and sakouski, of the famine in caviar and sterlite that followed his departure, and the drought in the wine cellars at the Metropole, the National Continental, the Imperial Club, and at “The Yards”. There is a Murray Howe Memorial Society, composed exclusively of chefs, butlers, matres-de-hotel, waiters and bell boys who are still living in luxury from the shower of rubbles and kopeks that made his trail luminous. There is a similar society composed of droshky and troika drivers and owners; that portion of the citizens that habitually depends upon largess for their sustenance hold periodical mass meetings upon the plaza in front of the Grand Opera House and petition the Czar to issue a ukase demanding his return: while night before last, at the performance by the Imperial Ballet of “La Belle au Bois Dormant” when the premier danseuse, the beauteous and sprightly Mlle Balaschova , learned that the American trotting legation was present and that Murray Andreyvitch was not among them, she was so overcome with grief that she was obliged to omit her grand climactic “pas-seul” in the last act, n had to be hurried to her dressing room.

and a physicia

But the biggest gloom prevails in the Thieves Market, where the most affectionate remembrances exists of the tall Americanski’s fraternal visits. The king of pickpockets has been inconsolable ever since he was told that his comrade from across the seas would probably never return to his old haunts, where, three years ago, they used to foregather with much mutual enjoyment.

From all which it will be understood that such an ineffectual understudy as myself is laboring under disadvantages impossible to overcome”