Pearl of the Quarter

On the edge.

It seems that all the president’s men are clamoring to open up the country.  They are hoping for business as usual. I’m not. I think we can be better in just about every way. I believe that even before CoVid-19 most of our systems are broken. The virus just provided clarity.

I could go on and on about the broken issues. I’ll just discuss one. Infrastructure. I can’t speak for your city, but mine is in horrible shape. We still don’t have full capacity pumping stations. Our streets are mostly a mess. Potholes are everywhere.The city and the contractors still haven’t demoed the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel. Two bodies are still trapped in the debris.  A building collapsed yesterday. It just fell down. There are some 30,000 buildings in dire condition. And, so on. And, so on.

I’m not ranting. We can get this stuff done. We can fix the national infrastructure too. Those folks who lost their jobs, jobs which may never return, could be put back to work. In this case, history really does repeat itself.

More importantly, we can change ourselves. We can change personal stuff that might make our lives better. We can also be honest about how we feel. An artist that I follow on Instagram realized that she didn’t have to work right now. She now bakes and cooks and has a drink while she’s doing those things. She allowed herself to be sad. She passed through her dark moments.

Where does the leave me?

There is a photographer I like called Todd Hido. He’s a couple of years younger than me. He makes books. He does major shows. His work is hanging in the Smithsonian. He’s a true photographic artist. He discussed his projects in a piece that I read. He said that even if his project lasts for ten years (He photographs multiple projects at once), when it is done, it’s done.

Ah ha.

My own over arcing project is done. I can’t seem to make myself go out to photograph second lines, Indians, Zulus and all things of that nature on the street. It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with that. Reading Mr. Hido’s comments gave me permission to say I’m done.

I’ve been pursuing my art-like the pictures I’ve been posting on Storyteller. That’s where I’m headed. That’s where I want to go.

This lockdown time has given me time to think, to let stuff roll around in my brain. Sometimes to get clarity you have to let your thoughts or pictures marinate.

Oddly, just as I arrived at that conclusion, WordPress sent me an email about blog site renewal. I’m using a business plan. I can roll my prorated funds into the top plan. If I do that. I have to sell art from here to make it worth doing. I’m doing it.

There’s a lot to learn. I understand and have fairly good business practices. I understand SEO to a point. The point being like dipping a toe into a giant swimming pool.

There you have it. You’re stuck with me.

The picture. Make that two pictures. The foreground silhouette is something I saw two days ago. You’ve seen the background image. I layered them, making sure that the bright background colors did not overwhelm the foreground. I tinkered some more and it was complete.

Stay Safe, Look after each other. Take your time reopening your lives. Wear your masks. Wear your gloves. Keep your distance. Don’t congregate. Enjoy every left over Easter egg.