Ruminator

These past ten days or so, I have taken on a huge responsibility that has had my brain in constant stress, my anxiety almost maxed and I am losing sleep.  I know there is an end to all this but for now, I do not see it. My mom once again fell a few weeks ago or as she put it “I sat down and didn’t feel like getting back up.”  That is the mentality I am dealing with.  Fast forward from the trip to the ER, then to a rehab center at a different hospital.  We were told she would be in rehab for a few weeks to build up her strength for a return home.  During that time my mom asked my sister to stop by her home and pick up a few clothes. That is when my life changed dramatically.  Susan (my sister) found stacks of bills, blank checks, mom’s Will, bank statements, and her checkbook laying on the floor.  She also noticed that the stack of paper to go to recycling had blank checks mixed in.  Wait it gets better.  Mom had written a check to my brother-in-law.  She signed it, made it out to ...

Found on Google On July 20, 2017 Chester Bennington ended his own life at age 41.  Chester was one of the most powerful singers ever, and a voice for many people, especially Generation X.  Like, Prince, and Chris Cornell his death hit me very hard. Chester was the lead singer of Grey Daze, Dead by Sunrise, Stone Temple Pilots (for a brief stint), and his most popular career with Linkin Park.  Chester did some solo work as well. In today’s post, I want to focus on a few lyrics that have some deep meaning to me.  His powerful voice and how like Chris Cornell’s gave such feeling and passion to these songs when I first heard them, and still do.  I put video links to the videos for each song below. “ I don’t like my mind right now. Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary. I wish that I could slow things down. I wanna let go but there’s comfort in the panic. And I drive myself crazy. Thinking everything’s about me. Yeah, I drive myself crazy. ‘Cause I can’t escape the g...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Today’s post is for the photographers out there or people who want to have some insight into why I like to shot the style I do.  I have spoken in a previous post about how I got into photography and why I love monochrome (black & white) so much.  I finally found an artist who shoots in color the way I plan to emulate and shoot.  This is a part book review, part explanation, and part education. I recently received the book by Fred Herzog called Modern Color.  I bought the hardbound version containing 320 pages of photographs and text about Fred.  I have looked at it multiple times since I received it this week, and have decided this is the look I want to go for when shooting any color shots. Fred was born Ulrich Herzog in 1930 in southern Germany.  At age 14 he saw pictures of Vancouver’s industrial harbor and fell in love.  His mother died in 1941, and father in 1946.  In 1952 Fred took a ship to Montreal, then a train to Toronto where h...

Chris Cornell – pressfoto Copywrite NewsVoice On May 18, 2017, the world lost one of my all-time favorite singers. Second, only to Prince, this man embodied the soul, power, passion, and voice that I could and still relate to. Chris Cornell ended his own life, but for me, his legacy lives on in his music, recorded voice, and most importantly his lyrics. I have a deep connection with music. I think and hear life through music. A phrase, word, or memory ties me back to a song or lyric numerous times each day. Chris Cornell who wrote and sang for Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, and then his own solo work was a discovery I am so glad I had back in the late 1980s. What did Chris do for me? In the late 80’s I was in high school. I was a confused kid, who had to live up to my parents, friends, and societal standards. I had all these confusing thoughts and feelings constantly running through my head. I was bullied and thus had (and still do have) low self-esteem...

  This weekend has been a bit out of the norm but in a good way.  First I turned 52 years old, then that same day I was interviewed for my favorite podcast.  Most importantly I got a birthday card from my son. First I will start with the birthday card.  The cover states OLD PERSON BINGO, with 25 slots and included stickers to fill in what pertains to me.  Some choices are ‘Worried About the Economy’, ‘Have Considered Moving to Florida’, ‘Think Dinner at 4 Sounds Pretty Good’ ‘Still uses Facebook’ and on and on.  I gladly placed a sticker on each one that applied to me and might I say I would have gotten BINGO twice and one away from two others.  The humor of the card was one thing but the message inside from my son was special to me.  We do not have a close relationship.  He feels I am always lecturing him and that I do not listen to him.  I also feel he does not listen to me.  His message to me was “Thanks for putting up with me for 16 years and 364 days.  I love you, Gavin....

Sunday marked my second day in a row I went on a hike with Mark.  Normally I would have shut down my woods hiking at this point during the year, but he talked me into going.  It was worth it.  I also decided, because of this hike, to attempt a personal project. My wife has had two different tick diseases (one she got where I was hiking today), and I think I have had one as well, but never confirmed.  When the ticks come out, I go into hibernation mode for woods hiking.  Mark had to go out and update a few of his geocaches, so he convinced me to go along.  I sprayed my clothes with the best bug spray around, let it dry, then finished off my exposed areas (arms, neck, and under my pant legs below the knees) with regular bug spray.  I was prepared as I was going to be, and might I add I didn’t have a tick or mosquito bite on me when I returned home. I met Mark on Cold Friday Road at the Post-Oak Nature reserve parking area.  He drove by my parked car, waved, then I started my Subaru up, p...

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography It has been over a month since I have hiked.  I have been inside like the rest of the world and doing quite well, but I did need to get out in nature.  I went to Deam Lake to meet Mark. The route to Deam Lake is over paved but country roads.  It is about 30 or so minutes from my house.  I headed out at a few minutes before 7 am with hopes to be on the trail by 7:30 am.  My drive was peaceful.  I passed old barns, run-down houses (and nice ones too), and county stores.  As I am driving the clouds are being kissed by the rising sun, and their orange glow makes me wish I could stop somewhere and shoot them, but alas I do not. Soon I am reaching the entrance to Deam Lake and proceed down the road until eventually, I reach the parking lot where Mark and two other guys are standing.  I pull in and begin to unload, then walk over to see Mark.  I have missed my friend and it is good to be back with him. We performed our normal routine of grabbing our backpacks...