Work Environment

Often, work is what you can get and do whatever you have to do in order to make a living, to pay the bills. In some cultures work is often referred as servitude not as a creative and self-fulfilling activity. Obviously, humans have to satisfy their basic needs first--food, shelter, security--before we grapple with aesthetics.

I've been there, have done many jobs, from the most mundane--you know, when only a warm body with no brain is needed--to a very creative and elegant. I've worn many different professional caps over the years, but I want to focus on the immediate environment of the workplace.

A few years ago, I got a part-time job which now has turned into full-time, but one of its attractions was the working environment. I have no complaints about the work atmosphere [no job is ideal, but no major problems there for me], but the physical environment is a charm. I've taken a few pictures that I'd like to share here. I'll probably add a few more later.

Some Thoughts about Travelling

People travel for various reasons, but when you travel for leisure what do you like to do? Obviously, the time available determines a lot, but, say you end up in a foreign land with a week's worth of free time. What do yo do?

I'll tell you what I'd do. First, I'd get a nice, clean and safe hotel. Nothing fancy as I won't be spending much time there. Then I'd go out, from very early in the morning until very late at night. I'd want to catch a sunrise, I'd want to mingle with the people, smell & taste their food, listen to their music, have a siesta, drink their wine (or beer), watch a sunset, go out to dinner where the locals go, and peer into the night sky from that perspective in the universe. Notice that I didn't' mention shopping. I have nothing against this activity, and if I happen to see something interesting, I'd buy it. Yet, I wouldn't travel to or spend my precious time in a shoppingland.

I usually don't like travelling for leisure with more than one more person. It just gets too complicated as people have different priorities, levels of energies, interests, and whatever else. I'd rather go alone to get the experience I want. It works better for me this way. As a matter of fact, I'd prefer having a nice time in my backyard [well the park nearby] than going off to a place where I wouldn't be able to experience it my way. Selfish? Maybe. But, I don't want to say I've been to ________ [insert place here] just to impress people. I mean, I have friends who have gone to nice places but spent most of their time in a hotel, or shopping [mind you, not in ani nteresting bazaar but in a mall], and eating American food overseas.

I think that the way we travel perhaps reflects upon our personality, which is rather true for most things we do on our free volition. We are who we are and sooner or later our true self comes out. By the way, I'm not at all suggesting one way (or my way) is better than anybody else's. It is after all a personal experience. It's like drinking coffee or seasoning your food.

Speaking of food, do you make an effort to try the local cuisine? I'm adventurous and I have a wide range but I admit I couldn't normally eat certain food. On the other hand, I like octopus on the grill--something that's probably utterly disgusting to many persons.

Humans began to travel out of Africa some 50,000 to 75,000 years ago. Within a few thousands of years, they've reached the continents. Yet, if you exclude the few nomadic tribes--especially the marauding tribes that came out of middle Asia--humans didn't travel all that much until the Industrial revolution. Most were born, raised, and died (very short life spans) within a few miles radius. Isolation and no news was the norm. Change didn't take place for generations, and if it did it was rather by accident.

Anyway, what kind of memories do you bring back from your travels? Do you need pictures to reinforce those memories? May ask, what kind of pictures do you take while on vacation?

These pictures here are random, not from one place. I took them a few years ago. If you click on them, they should open bigger in a new window.

Happy trails to all. Isn't life but a journey?

:)

Strolling by the Water, while Thinking about Photography

One of the reasons I started this blog here is because I like photography. It used to be my hobby since I was very young. I didn't always have the same intensity or commitment to it. It lapsed for several years, until about 4 years ago when I got my first digital camera--an Olympus Camedia C-5060. I'm still using that camera though it's unnecessarily complicated and too slow, among other limitations. It the world of electronics, a four-year model is almost ancient. So, I estimate I've got over a thousand digital pictures since I resumed photography.

I rarely print the pictures any more. I enjoy them as a screen saver. I find it relaxing to work on them, nothing fancy mind you. I primarily use MS Office Picture Manager, and this great freebie, Paint.net.

Funny thing, I got this camera when I got a political job in 2004 (remember, it was another presidential election 4 years ago), and I thought it'd be cool to take some pictures of an actual political campaign. Well, I did manage to take a few pictures including a few of Cleveland, Ohio, but I was too busy to be carrying my camera around taking pictures.

I have to say that 98% of my picture-taking is not poses, unless the character's face is a story in itself. Actually, I tire after the 150th picture that people show me of themselves in the same location (often with the background out of focus) in slightly different poses. I mean, it's OK, life is about collecting and reinforcing memories. But, how many pictures does it take to tell the story of something or to document an event. OK, on some occasions (like weddings) it's worth taking a few extra pictures...

I think those who like photography are persons who have an eye for noticing details, for framing, for finding a story in the surroundings. Sometimes, the story varies. It can be descriptive of the locality, the buzz, the people there. Or, it can be about a particular detail, a specific experience captured through the camera's lens.

I just took a stroll by the Hudson River. I often do that. It's a huge river that originates way upstate New York (see map) and empties into the NY Harbor. Actually, around Newburgh, NY [60 milies/100 km north of NYC], the river blends with salt water coming up from the Atlantic Sea.

Once, I found a little stream, just inches deep and a few yards wide, and a sign "Hudson River"! This Hudson River. Visitors to New York wrongly think that Manhattan represents the large state. Look at the map. Manhattan is not even visible; it's to the west of that big chunk, Long Island. A trip along the hundreds of miles of the banks of this river is a worthwhile experience. The Adirondack park's many mountains supply the Hudson with lots of water. I will write about this park (the largest publicly-owned in the continental US) in the near future, because I've spent countless days, in different seasons up there. It's an amazing place for those who like the great outdoors.

Anyway, the pictures today are from my latest stroll, looking south towards the George Washington Bridge. The sun had just set (early, around 4:30 - 5 pm), its refracting rays highlighting the bridge. The air was cold, and it was a bit foggy. The first pix was taken in normal mode, the other--when the lights came on--in night mode (longer exposure).

Lucky Children, Lucky Parents! A Great Way to Start 2008

I don't have children of my own, but I get elated when friends (or people I know) become parents and they're so happy. Being a parent and raising kids is a part of a meaningful life. I won't pretend to know how a mother or a father feels, but I do understand the emotional & physical exertion, the fireworks of mind and body that take place when a newborn arrives.

My blog friend Doctor just got a brand new daughter on Jan. 2nd, 2008! Mother and baby are doing fine. The father is in stable condition, and will recover into good blogform soon. Reports indicate that his other daughter is happy to have a sister to boss around!

My thoughts, heartfelt & warmest wishes, and loud cheers from across the pond over to Greece and to Doc's family. I'll raise a glass (or two) to celebrate the event as well.

I feel a little more confident about the future of humanity when I see that good people having kids. Genetics do play an important role, but it is the immediate environment that's crucial in a person's makeup. The parents influence their kids tremedously. Of course, the greater community and the conditions there are vital too, but those conditions can't be controlled by the parents. Therefore, good parenting is even more imperative.

Most of us, I suspect, have had good parents. I'm not talking about an ideal situation, but about the opportunity we all had to be born, grow up, and be provided with instruction/direction and the necessities of life. Being loved is a need every child needs to experience. Security, survival, shelter, and a sense of belonging are what parents can provide--when they can. I think much of the world's problems can be traced to the experiences a human being has during childhood.

I wish more kids in the world today were as lucky as Doc's daughters!

Cheers!



Update, Jan. 4, '08:

This is a great short video that should be watched by all those parents who don't realize the responsibility they have towards their children. Lead by example, because the kids are watching, and learning....

A New Year's Resolution: Make the Aesthetics Cafe a Cozy Place to Hang out!

<--- New Year Celebrations in Perth, Australia [if you click on the picture, you'll see a comet in the center of it!] Ah, a new year just arrived. Do you make resolutions? I don't anymore. Is there a higher rate of success if you make them on the arrival of a new year? Probably not. I'm far from perfect (is there such a ..condition?), and I think I'm usually working on a general improvement, not only particular vice! Anyway, we all should be realistic about our lives, ourselves, and the world. Try, yes, but setting too high of goals may lead to disappointment and discouragement. I also believe that small improvements can lead to big changes over time.

The Magnificent Tail of Comet McNaught --->
Credit & Copyright: Robert H. McNaught

It's like when the scientists talk about diverting an asteroid bound to hit Earth [no, I don't know of any today, but it's happened in the past and will happen again]. They say the best way is to detect it early enough and try to change its course by the slightest degree--which means that the cumulative effect will be big enough to miss us altogether! Nice. Of course, we have to find the problem first....

One of the brightest comets to visit our neighborhood in 2007 was McNaught. What a brilliant display! Visible with the naked eye for many days, this comet circled the sun and now is heading "out."

<-- Comet McNaught over California in January 2007 Do you look up, peer into the night sky in clear weather? What do you feel, what are your thoughts?...

Amazing universe. What an arrogance to assume that everything and all is about us--the universe was made just for us... But, this opens up another big subject with religious overtones and this is not the conversation I want to get into right now in the first hours of 2008.

Enjoy the new year in health and happiness.