I Wanna Walk Like You, Talk Like You...Ooo Hoo Hoo...

I'm feeling more read-ish than write-ish tonight but found myself pulling up a blank sheet of Post.  I guess that means I'm going to take a break from today's Wall Street Journal and write.  

I take an American diet's buttload of photos.  I am usually taking photos on a daily basis.  At least I was, then I paused for no good reason except maybe the influence of an evil relationship's influence to roll myself around and endorse being encrusted in doldrums for a bit.  I've decided to live more and so snap snap snap....(not THAT snap3....I meant camera snap).  There is usually an opportunity in many moments of the day to get a photo.  I *see* in photos.  As I drive, as I eat in a cafeteria, as I do anything.  I see snapshots.  Some days I can't stop and take what I want due to time constraints or a ticker tape parade line of cars behind me.  Those moments deal a half cup of regret but I take the moment with me.  Next Time I say.  Sometimes there's a rerun on Next Time.  Sometimes there isn't.  

When I was about seven I heard about a few people that I hadn't heard about before in my tiny little numbered family.  I found out that when my dad opened the familial door, there were what felt like countless aunts, uncles, cousins and a set of salt shaker grandparents to go with it.  Being seven, I was terribly excited that there were more people out there directly related to me that I hadn't met.  Now that he told me about them, would I meet them? Surely I would meet them!  Nah, not really.  My dad was the black sheep.  The one who wore the Black O for Ostracized on his varsity, I mean, jean, jacket.   However, when I heard about all these folks, one thing I heard consistently was about the baby of his group of siblings - an Aunt Nancy.  I looked so much like Nancy.  I was a lot like Nancy.  I wanted to meet this Nancy.  See who could be like me, and who I might be when I got older.  Best of all, I heard she was beautiful.  My father had one black and white photo of her in his wallet.  She was maybe in high school in this picture.  I loved her nose, which seemed more upturned than my Italian curse.  Her porcelain pale skin.  Her warm and happy eyes.  I had no idea why she seemed so happy - her world that I knew nothing about.  I just accepted that I was like Nancy but had to leave it to the adults if I was ever to meet her.

I did meet her.  When I was 25.  The circumstances were unfortunate - their mother's funeral.  I brought a disposable camera.  This was my only opportunity to take photos of all of this newfound family.  And everyone there seemed down with this protocol, thankfully.

But then I wouldn't see my Aunt Nancy again until I was 41.  She still looks wonderful.  And she lives basically down the road from me.  This is where social media rocks.  We are Facebook friends.  She comments all the time on the photos that I've taken.  She praises me to no end and pushes me to do something with my photography.  This praise coming from her is almost like being starstruck.  WOW. Really?  She thinks that much of it?  

It is to the point that now when I upload photos, I can't wait for her to see them...to see which one she may like the best.  The one above is the one that she wrote "Love it!" to today.  This is so unusual because on this one,  I do not agree.  I think this is a casual, meh picture.  But I took it because I so love book sales and this one was under a tent in the pouring rain.  Otherwise, this is basically the least favorite in the bunch for today.  Incidentally, the one at the bottom is one of my favorites for today.  When driving past the Jehovah's Witness grounds, many times they have their cows out.  I've always wanted to pull into their land and photograph these cows.  Only one time I mentioned it, maybe a year and a half ago, maybe two years ago, to Flip.  It was a dark sky and I had asked if maybe we should stop and take some photos of the cows.  He denied the request.  I don't remember where we were off to, but I know it was about to rain.  It stuck in my mind because the atmosphere and mind image was just perfect.  

No more Flip in the car to say No, we won't be stopping.  So there it is.