no parking – I’m only dancing
Month: April 2020
landing and takeoff
abyss
Mustang Sally
hittin’ the G Spot on Sunday Morning
Honestly, I didn’t see the two guys in the photo until after I packed up and was driving away. I hoped I didn’t get them in the shot – well – that obviously was a vain hope. LOL
Guess What?
This goes out to all my friends. The world is so fucked up but I’m on your side.
I’ve struggled with depression on and off for years. I had been free from it for quite a while but for the past 3+ years it has been circling like a vulture and now has landed again.
I’m not a religious person and tend to see spiritual texts in the broader context of human experience. With That in mind, here are some texts that I draw strength from. May they do the same for you.
There is Hope
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…. ~ Isaiah 61:1-2(a)
This to Shall Pass
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Meaningless… and that’s okay
“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.” ~ Ecclesiastes 1:2
This to is okay… but don’t think this is what God wants for you or that God did this deliberately, willingly. Shit happens because God gave us free will.
I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.
Let him sit alone in silence,
for the Lord has laid it on him.
Let him bury his face in the dust—
there may yet be hope.
Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.
For no one is cast off
by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone. ~ Lamentations 3:18-33
Because we have free will we can do evil or good. You decide.
circuits of immobilization
mapping your dreams
Nuclear Samurai
derailed
At first glance the final work may look like it has nothing to do with the original. But it just goes to show that if you put enough time and work into it – magic happens. It took me about two hours to get this where I wanted. I did extensive layering (selective and de-selective). I did a lot of playing with color. I also created/added a few textures.
I’ve got magic to do – just for you!
Magic To Do from PIPPIN
in the unlikely event mackerel are holy
LibraryLibraryLibrary
Continuing with the posts of the past couple of days todays image has a different source. The base image (bottom) was from the outside of the elevator shaft on the top level of a car park that is used for the Akron Public Library. I also used the steam engine shot from yesterday to add some curves and texture on the final manipulation. Many Many layers were used in this process. I like the Monochrome against the orange and blue of the Library sign. I can imagine printing this on a large aluminum metal sheet.
Cage The Inferno
This severe abstraction is closer to what I normally like to create. Again the base shot (bottom image) was a detail from the same steam engine as yesterday – where the engine boiler meets the cabin where the engineer hangs out.
Flip The Script
Today I’m starting a new series of posts. This series does not have a name – it’s just the way I’m going to post. I’m going to show the final image which features heavy manipulation. And then below that I’m going to show the original image so you have some idea of what I start with and the extremes I can end up. Todays final image is mild by my standards but I really like and found that the more I “messed with it” the less I liked it. The bottom image is a detail from a steam locomotive that’s been “rotting” on display in downtown Akron. I like visiting it from time-to-time just to see if something strikes my fancy.
wilderness
Shelter (2 photos)
meadowlarking
viral penetration
can’t stay locked forever
breaking up is hard to do
black and white
FYI – for those who follow me, or maybe you’ve chanced upon my page, and you like my photo-based digital abstracts: I’ve now collected them on one gallery page titled abstract creations. So now you don’t have to scroll through all my posts to find them. If you click on ABSTRACT CREATIONS (shown under my blog header) then click on any one of the photos you can view it larger. You can also use this link.
https://onbeingbecoming.com/abstract-creations/
3 Good Friday haiku
Winter’s dying gasp
Before Easter’s rising dawn
Good Friday’s snowfall
This morning out my window #2
Snow falls on Friday
A Savior rises Sunday
Spring surprises all
This morning out my window #1
April morning snow
Quiet soft burial melting
to resurrection
It may be Friday – but Sunday’s on the way!
facing the inevitable
coupling rust and color
rust springs eternal
The Carnival Is Over
Outside the storm clouds gathering
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn reach up and kiss the skyThey’re driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone’s callingI remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play
When the circus came to town
Look over hereOutside the circus gathering
Moved silently along the rain swept boulevard
The procession moved on, the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving townThey’re driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone’s callingThe carnival is over
We sat and watched
As the moon rose
For the very first time
carnival of rust
To breathe the name
Of your savior
In your hour of need
And taste the blame
If the flavor should remind you of greed
Of implication, insinuation and you will
Till you cannot lie still
In all this turmoil, before red cave and foil
Come closing in for a killCome feed the rain
‘Cause I’m thirsty for your love
Dancing underneath the skies of lust
Yeah feed the rain
‘Cause without your love, my life
Ain’t nothing but this carnival of rustIt’s all a game
Avoiding failure
When true colors will bleed
All in the name
Of misbehavior
And the things we don’t needI lust for after no disaster can touch
Touch us anymore
And more than ever, w hope to never fall
Where enough is not the same it was beforeCome feed the rain
‘Cause I’m thirsty for your love
Dancing underneath the skies of lust
Yeah feed the rain
‘Cause without your love, my life
Ain’t nothing but this carnival of rustYeah feed the rain
‘Cause I’m thirsty for your love,
Dancing underneath the skies of lust
Yeah, feed the rain
‘Cause without your love, my life
Ain’t nothing but this carnival of rustDon’t walk away, don’t walk away
Ooh, when the world is burning
Don’t walk away, don’t walk away
Ooh, when the heart is yearning
Don’t walk away, don’t walk away
Ooh, when the world is burning
Don’t walk away, don’t walk away
Ooh, when the heart is yearning
digging in the dirt
Something in me, dark and sticky
All the time it’s getting strong
No way of dealing with this feeling
I can’t go on like this too longThis time you’ve gone too far
This time you’ve gone too far
This time you’ve gone too far,
I told you, I told you, I told you, I told youDon’t talk back, just drive the car
Shut your mouth, I know what you are
Don’t say nothing, keep your hands on the wheel
Don’t turn around, this is for realDigging in the dirt
Stay with me I need support
I’m digging in the dirt
Find the places I got hurt
Open up the places I got hurtThe more I look, the more I find
As I close on in, I get so blind
I feel it in my head, I feel it in my toes
I feel it in my sex, that’s the place it goesThis time you’ve gone too far
This time you’ve gone too far
This time you’ve gone too far,
I told you, I told you, I told you, I told youDon’t talk back, just drive the car
Shut your mouth, I know what you are
Don’t say nothing, keep your hands on the wheel
Don’t turn around, this is for realDigging in the dirt
Stay with me I need support
I’m digging in the dirt
Find the places I got hurt
Open up the places I got hurtDigging in the dirt
Stay with me I need support
I’m digging in the dirt
Find the places I got hurt
Open up the places I got hurt
I got hurtDigging in the dirt, to find the places we got hurt
Digging in the dirt, to find the places we got hurt
Digging in the dirt, to find the places we got hurt
Digging in the dirt, to find the places we got hurt
glory & consequence
I’m more afraid of living
Than I am scared to die
I’m more afraid of falling
Than I am of flying high
Every moral has a story
Every story has an end
Every battle has its glory
And its consequence
I’m more afraid of loving
Than I am of being scorned
But I will keep on trying
Though I have been forewarned
Every moral has a story
Every story has an end
Every battle has its glory
And its consequence
I would rather me be lonely
And you have someone to hold
I’m not as scared of dying
As I am of growing old.
Every moral has a story
Every story has an end
Every battle has its glory
And its consequence
lovers in a dangerous time
Don’t the hours grow shorter as the days go by
You never get to stop and open your eyes
One day you’re waiting for the sky to fall
And next you’re dazzled by the beauty of it all
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
Lovers in a dangerous time
These fragile bodies of touch and taste
This vibrant skin this hair like lace
Spirits open to the thrust of grace
Never a breath you can afford to waste
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
Lovers in a dangerous time
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
Lovers in a dangerous time
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
Sometimes you’re made to feel as if your love’s a crime
Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight
Got to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
When you’re lovers in a dangerous time
Lovers in a dangerous time
Looking far into the future…
… when COVID-19 will be a memory and better – a footnote in history.
I came across this YouTube channel by accident. It’s simply called CHOIR!CHOIR!CHOIR! and they have a whole bunch of videos where large groups of people gather and learn backups or whole songs from contemporary/popular performers. Imagine a time when people will sing and perform popular works from the 20/21st century in the same way that we still perform popular works from the 17th/18th century. There’s something incredibly inspiring about this and a GREAT tribute to the creators of popular song. When music becomes a part of the cultural lexicon and practice of the common man it truly is timeless.
I’m going to include four favorites. First is a song by Patti Smith that I have always loved and have found it inspiring and strength building. Enjoy PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER.
Next is an unexpected nice rendition of Aerosmith’s, I DON’T WANNA MISS A THING
And since we are coming up on the 4th anniversary of Prince’s death here is a 1,999 voice cover of WHEN DOVES CRY
And lastly David Bowie’s SPACE ODDITY. There is something both heartening, refreshing and enlightening about popular music in this context.
To hear/see other wonderful covers of music by Journey, Cindy Lauper, Taylor Swift, Talking Heads, R.E.M. et al – check out the CHOIR!CHOIR!CHOIR! YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Kte42xsXIT80UzG1jotiw
... on being and becoming ... 