Ruminator

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Recently I received a gift from a friend.  It was unexpected but it meant so much.  A simple gesture, an act of kindness, a show of love and friendship. I met Miranda via Instagram based on a recommendation from my buddy Mark.  Like most things, he recommends I seriously consider and highly respect his suggestions.  This was true to form.  I began following Miranda on Instagram, Facebook and even viewing her website.  I stuck up a few online conversations and got the nerve to ask her for an interview.  I wrote about that here . Eventually, text and online correspondence led to a few phone calls.  I admired her work and even discussed creating a book of my own and she admitted wanting to do one as well.  Specifically, I saw two pictures that I loved.  My passion for nature, especially trees is well known.  When I saw this photo (single tree) I was floored.  I even asked her if I could buy a copy.  Nothing really came of that.  I then saw another photo ...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Yesterday I hit the trail after work for the first time in exactly 3 weeks.  This is yet another, likely boring post about that trek, but if you stay you may learn some things, or at least enjoy a little bit of something. As mentioned I headed out after work to get a ‘quick’ hike in before the sunsets.  This time of year the sun sets early and it is a race, as the hike takes me through fields, and up and down ravens.  Within the depths of the raven, the sun is almost always hidden during this time of day.  Like victims running for shelter from vampires, I race to get this hike done before the inevitable sun sets on this day. Leaving the parking lot I quickly realized that leaving my gloves was a mistake.  It was in the mid-’30s, but thankfully no wind.  The cold does not bother me, the wind does.  Ironically in autumn and spring, the wind is what I love the most.  In winter and summer not so much. As I reached the gravel the thud of my...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography This past weekend my wife and I went on a date.  We saw a great movie and spent some quality time together. We saw the new movie called 1917 .  Wow!  This movie is based on an old story/tale/fable that may have elements of truth but none has been proven.  I am a huge fan of the military, and specifically military movies (Saving Private Ryan, Blackhawk Down, Platoon, Band of Brothers, Saving Chance, etc.). 1917 is based in World War 1 and the story is quite simple, the mission is not.  A soldier is asked to pick someone and carry a message from the General across enemy lines, within a short timeframe to stop an assault on the Germans.  If they do not make it on time, 1600 soldiers will die including his brother.  Think about that when you have to meet a deadline at work.  Seems kind of petty doesn’t it? First, as the movie evolves with the simple choice of a soldier asked to pick a friend to go with him.  Imagine choosing someone to potentially die on a...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography (https://www.instagram.com/timothybme/) Today I had another powerful and insightful visit with my therapist Dr. Erin.  I discovered something I have been doing for all my life yet never knew it, and the visit ended with a wonderful surprise. In the session, Erin and I discussed how the holidays went, what I did and who I spent time with.  I spoke of my mom’s unexpected visit to the hospital which resulted in her getting a stent put in her heart.  I talked about spending time with Marcie’s family, and eventually my own as is customary around the holidays. Our conversation naturally delved into my relationship with my mother and how even as recently as last week she is still telling me what to do at age 51+.  For Christmas, I gave her a photo album and within it, I had printed over sixty pictures I took.  She was very appreciative of the gift, told me how wonderful and beautiful the pictures are (remember I don...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Self-Reflection is something I am still exploring every day of my life. I am trying to get better at it, but after 51+ years it is difficult. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks, or can you? My decisiveness or an all or nothing ( Dogmatic view ) way of thinking is irrational thinking. I (and you) are bombarded via social media, news, and even with the conversations with friends and family to think and in many cases react/think this way. I think I am right with my thinking and rational decisions. It is part of my defense mechanism. It is natural and promoted in our culture. The problem is not this way of thinking, but the fact that I tend to shut out or not listen to other points of view. I hear a topic or subject and immediately form or have formed an opinion about it, without listening. This is how my brain works. So how am I going to change? I am going to rely on my wife and a very select few people to not just tell me what I want to hear, but when I t...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography The norm this time of year is to set New Year’s resolutions and consequentially break them in a few days or weeks. I do not set these, but I do know 2020 will be different for me. I am doing something a bit from the norm and I am excited and scared. Later this year I am taking two vacation trips. The first I am excited about and the second I am at a minimum anxious if not a bit scared. The first involves my favorite place and the second my least favorite place. Let’s start with my nervousness. In July my wife, son and I will be joining her sister, sister’s husband, his two kids, and my in-laws (possibly others from the family) on a cruise. I have mentioned my fear of the open water in a previous post, but I am going to try this. Our trip will be fairly close to shore, which is the main reason I agreed to go. It also is not going somewhere tropical (another bonus for me), and finally I gave the ultimatum that at stops I am doing my own thing (photo...