Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Emotions Drive The World




When I drive I like to listen to music. When I hear music that does not move me in any way, or there is too much talk on the station that does not affect my life, I will frequency jump to find something to satisfy me.

Sometimes one can get into this cold numb feeling that you are not aware of. You look for ways to feel alive perhaps without even consciously knowing it. Music does that for me . . . keeps me alive. So does scenery and friends. I photograph to capture those times, because they include emotions that keep me alive.

This morning while driving to work I was in that cold numb feeling without even knowing it. All I was doing was driving to work, status quo. Like life was turned off. Not sad, not depressing. Just a bit blank if you will. Subconsciously I believe I wanted more than just that drive to work. So I frequency jumped on the radio because the station I was on was playing music that was blah for that moment. I kept jumping and was not finding anything. That happens sometimes. There is just nothing on that you can find to grab you from your day-to-day.

I selected the push-button for my last programmed frequency, and landed on “Walk Like An Egyptian” by The Bangles. I was quickly put back into my seat from the tune, relaxed, feeling life. Basically I woke up to different feelings. It was no longer the cold or numb feeling. A pleasant smile came to my face as I tooled down the road. Life around me was good again. Then I teared up a little (joy) for what seemed to be for no reason at all.

We are connected my emotions. There are a lot of them, and they come and go differently at times, and in varying degrees. I do not see the need to soul search why I connect to an emotion. I am simply happy to have it, or them. Though today I had to wonder why “Walk Like An Egyptian” caused the stir. I decided it was not the lyrics per se, rather it was the tune itself. Very accepting, caring, uplifting, interactive. The tune felt like my life up to this point, no lyrics needed. Then the lyric “Walk Like An Egyptian” repeated, and repeated, as it seemed I only distinguished that lyric within the tune.

Let us drop back a little. Perhaps a year ago now, though I pray it has not been that long, I was at Music Comedy Live (MCL). It had to have been at “Tapped” that night because I remember there was an intermission. I was with my bride Christi and with camera in hand. I do not think I was asked to come to photograph anything. Just one of those nights you wanted to go to MCL. Between performances I slipped to the back to use the restroom. Got caught in a long line, and before I was able to get back to up front the next ensemble was up. As I turned the corner to pass in back of the curtain, I hesitated for a split second because the curtain was left wide open. I mean wide open. (Typically the ensemble closes after the last person enters.) So, automatically, without regard, I “Walk Like An Egyptian” arm movement and all past the open curtain, exposed to the audience. Seemed like the appropriate thing to do. To my surprise I heard the audience crack up in laughter. My first thought was, “the ensemble is probably wondering what did they do to create such an emotion from the audience with their entrance?”, and that I interfered with them. As I turned the next corner, now behind the curtain, I saw Keenan at the front of the theater smiling, jumping up and down, giving me the thumbs up and exclaiming “perfect”. I made my way around and back to my seat, where Christi was still laughing at me. As best as I can estimate, this link is probably to the show this took place at. Maybe Keenan can confirm if he recalls.

Not to distract from why I am writing this, however, I also like the movie Mannequin (1987), a lot. Not to say either that this was why the song on the radio set me back. I thought of the instance at MCL about 15 minutes later.

Emotions are what make us human. They help us care. They protect us. They also make us vulnerable. Music, painting, sculptures, theater, dance, poetry, yoga, photography, all stir those emotions. You can add to that roller derby, wine making, baking, movie making, and more. Emotions of love, joy, trust, pride, happiness can come out, along with sadness, anger, fear, and envy (to name a few). The point being, do not become cold and numb at any time. Find something to awaken your life. For me, this morning it was the simple tune from The Bengals, “Walk Like An Egyptian”. Tomorrow it will be something else. Maybe even some photography. Trust me.

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You can see a categorized thumbnail filmstrip of blogs I have done by going to StreetPhoto.ME.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Pearls Mahone at Pokro Brewing




I met Perls a few years ago at The Office Session, which Lou Shields and Jody Robbins invited me to. Talk about a world experience, listening to true roots music. I have some links to those blogs at the end of this one.

Pearls music is "Vintage Americana". She has a powerful stage presence backed with her own voice, and band. Tonight she played a stripped down band version of her music, acoustic, no electric. Sort of reminds me of going to Paul Henry's Art Gallery on a Thursday night. The back room of Pokro is not too large. Her voice carried very well.

Here are some photos.





























Pearls Mahone


Pokro Brewing Company, Inc.
311 N. Broad St.
Griffith, IN  46319


The Office Session blogs:




Other Roots Music Blogs:


July 2012 (2)



May 2013 (3)

May 2013 (4)







At the bottom of this blog post are five buttons to click on: E-mail this, Blog this, Share to Twitter, Share to Facebook, and Share to Pintrest.  Please take advantage of them and share this blog post with your friends.

You can see a categorized thumbnail filmstrip of blogs I have done by going to StreetPhoto.ME.

Trip to Michigan



We took a trip to Three Oaks, MI to complete a photo shoot at the Acorn Theater. Afterward, we were just going to head back down Rt 12. However, since we were close enough to St. Joseph, we chose to run up their before heading home.

I like old structures. Steel more than anything else. Probably because one of my jobs in my earlier and more educational career was providing equipment to the steel melting industry. (Hot metal ladles, transfer cars, AOD vessels.) The company I had worked for in those day, and do again today, was founded in 1886. So they had some neat structures and aged equipment that customers are still using as well. (That may be why I have grown an interest to structures.) 

Here are the photos.  Enjoy!





















Some cool kites were flying along the beach . . .







I had wanted to take Christi to the Box Factory For the Arts. We arrived about 4:05 PM. They closed at 4:00 PM. I had the honor of photographing The Bergamot band there a couple years ago. (Please them out because they are really a great pair of musicians!) The place is really cool, just like the band. Click here for a link to that blog.

We drove back home taking Rt 12 into Michigan City. On the way, we passed this old cop car alongside the road. I had to go back and photograph.








On the way back on Rt 12, we saw a pretty cool photo oportunity. We turned into the drive, and it was Galien River County Park.




From Rt. 12, Christi saw what looked to be a raised over-watch of the area. She was hoping to see a lot of birds to photograph, and perhaps frogs. There was neither that we could see. (She did hear a lot of frogs. Me, I can no longer hear frogs or birds. I think I need hearing aids now.)

To our surprise, there was a really cool upper and lower walkways over the marsh was really cool. Even Bubba liked it. Here are some photos.






A couple photos looking down a tree, from the upper walk that extended over the marsh. A real "birds eye view". I wonder now how the birds do not get dizzy.





Photo from the upper walk, looking down onto the marsh and lower walk.





The next photo is a reflection of the elevated observation point from the lower level trail over the march, followed by a photograph looking up at the elevated observation point.




The remaining photos are from the lower trail, and back to the car.













We will be planning a trip back to St. Joseph in over the next month, and back to Galien River County Park. Nature just draws you there.


At the bottom of this blog post are five buttons to click on: E-mail this, Blog this, Share to Twitter, Share to Facebook, and Share to Pintrest.  Please take advantage of them and share this blog post with your friends.

You can see a categorized thumbnail filmstrip of blogs I have done by going to StreetPhoto.ME.