Good News x 4.5

Another collage I did for my taiko group back in Japan. This baby took me almost 3 months.

Yes!

I got my second photo lesson back from my professor in the states. Haven't listened to her yet, but she jotted down on my folder that, "...love kitten photo...could be published!"

(insert red-cheeked Bugs Bunny expression...haha!)

I need to get on the ball! There are so many photos I have that could potentially be published. Here in Singapore I've learned that people are actually animals. Yes, it's true. Some are beavers, others are golden retrievers, others are otters, and still others are lions. These 4 animals make up the entire human race. Never knew this until I came here, these interesting ways of classifying people. (silly me thinking that people were of a higher order of consciousness) While I'm not one who readily buys into "classifying people" (cause I believe in self-fulfilling prophecy...you say or believe you are something...then you naturally start to fulfill that role), I suppose it does help one in becoming one with who they are. Anyhoo, I took this animal test and found out that I am all animals at about the same level. So, I guess you'd call me a "begoreotton." (sounds like something out of a Harry Potter movie...haha) Not being a strong beaver, I think my lax attitude of getting some of my work published (both photos and music) comes from the otter part of me while the frustration of not doing it hails from my beaver-ness. Then the golden retriever kicks in and has compassion on both these two, while the lion says, "Get a grip...to work you weaklings!" It's a hard-knock life being everything at once. Actually, I don't really believe in only 4 animals...there should be a fifth! Lion, Golden Retriever, Otter, Beaver, and maybe a cow. Cows always have this funny expression on their faces that seem to say, "Dude, whatever..." while chewing some hay for an inexplorably long amount of time. So while the four animals fight inside, the cow can sit there and be like, "dude, whatever..."

(insert sound of low level chewing of cud)

She also said that I need to "slow down to see what the camera sees." Interesting...I'll have to listen to the tape to see exactly what she meant. I also just completed my first photography lesson with some of the greatest kids this side of equator at church (tanks a bunch me faithful assistant!) One of my points was that your eye is the most important tool you have in photography because the camera has no brains. Now my professor is telling me to see what the camera sees. I'm confused...have I unalterably warped the young impressionable minds of future TJPEG members forever? Will they grow up thinking that cameras are dumb pieces of metal and plastic whereas my professor is saying they have a mind (and eyes) of their own? *sigh*...what have I done!??

(insert highly dramatic orchestrated music of Star Wars caliber...)

Naw, they'll be ok.

More good news!... my roomate and I stayed up crazy late last night talking, watching TV, and playing some XBOX. Talking is always good, especially when you're so tired that words start to become slurred and the conversation becomes funny...not so much because of the content, but because of the slurred words. TV was great because we watched an episode of "Friends". Haven't seen that in a long while. Suffice it to say it was quite refreshing to be able to laugh and watch something that I could relate to. I used to watch American movies when I lived in Japan for 2 years just to stay sane every now and then... haha. I'd watch movies and see cars drive on the right side of the road and be like, "Hey...that's weird. Oh wait, no it isn't. Dude..." Playing XBOX was very cool because I'm teaching my roommate the fine art of receiving multiple smackdowns. He has much to learn... ;-)

(insert sound effect of roommate's character getting knocked down...)

So, what's the 0.5 other good news? --> "The other day I saw...."

(Yup, that's 5 words which is exactly half of the rest of the sentence which is exactly 10 words which yields the 0.5 good part of the news.)

It reminded me of my mountain that I used to climb up every now and then back in America. I'd talk to God up there for quite sometime...just Him and me. Talking to God with nothing but pure nature around is a matchless experience. Think Eden...

Someone said I look like I'm 23 and act the same too. So, what do I believe? My birth certificate, people's perspectives? haha...when I was 15 people said I acted too serious for my age, like I was 25 or something. That's cool...at least now I'm younger....

People are generally funny...generally. :-)

(insert sound effect of Looney Tunes "That's All Folks" ending music)