Ahh, March. The shortest of months is behind us, Saint Patrick's Day is just over two weeks away, and I can now say that I have successfully completed my challenge. On the first of February, I shared this post, Day 1/28: Light, which also outlined my self-imposed Photo and Blog a Day Challenge.
Here are the four most popular posts from last month:
#4 Day 5: On My Nightstand
With such little furniture in my apartment, taking the literal approach to this post was not an option. What became was a testimony to how important friends are, no matter how far you are, how little touch you may keep in, and the affect they have your life forever. Miss you all
#3 Day 27: In Love With
The cheesy road would have deemed a post about my wife. At least, I thought it would be the cop out plan, so I challenged myself by taking a photo I've never taken anything similar to. (I was going to say "a photo I've never taken before," but every photo I shoot is one I've never shot before.) What I mean is that I've never shot a composition like the one I did for this prompt. I not only took a naked photo of myself, but posted it on the internet (with little fear of reprisal or censorship).
#2 Day 8: Frozen
Growing up in California, having this long winter (first snow was in mid-November, and we're supposed to get more this first weekend in March) has presented me with plenty of new writing fuel--snow. You don't get to see individual snowflakes very often, and so I captured it for the day's composition...and turned it into a discussion about creationism and evolution with a direct connection to the Bill Nye/Ken Ham "debate" (term used loosely).
#1 Day 9: Under
When I enlisted in the Navy nearly fifteen years ago, I had zero piercings or tattoos, had never drank alcohol, hated country music, and thought pick up trucks were ridiculous. In the course of a 26 month period I volunteered for fourteen tats from seven different states. And then the ink stopped flowing. Until February 9th, 2014. A new man, married, living in a new state, with a new love for writing, the needle would meet me skin again.
So what did I learn in the last month? Plenty of things.
I love telling stories.
I love sharing positive messages.
I love my friends, who are my family.
Writing every day is easier than I thought it to be. (I didn't even write every day during NaNoWriMo last November, but I still won.)
Taking pictures is fun.
The versatility of the mobile phone camera is amazing.
The art is not in the camera, it's in the composition.
The story is up to me.
And so, with a new month upon me, I plan to continue to the wonderful writing workout plan with a photo and blog a day. There were plenty of times last month that I wanted to write more than one blog a day, but my structure-loving side did not want the list of Photo and Blog a Day Challenge posts to have a rogue post among them. But March, oh March...you're gonna get slammed like a frat boy on St. Patty's Day.
In the words of Barney Stinson...Challenge Accepted!
Showing posts with label night stand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label night stand. Show all posts
05 February 2014
Photo and Blog a Day Challenge- Day 5/28: On My Nightstand
Today's challenge was much more specific in a way the previous four days have not been. It demanded a certain location. Only allowing myself enough time to spring out of bed, shower, pack my lunch while inhaling my breakfast, and throw on extra layers for some light snow duty before driving to work (at a leisurely--but safe--15 mph) I would have to wait until I got home from work to take the day's photo.
Once home I was faced with a creative challenge (after, of course, changing out of work clothes into sweats because that's just part of the routine when I get home...at least during the winter months). So reminding myself of the day's prompt, I got back into bed and took a photo of where a nightstand would typically live.
True story. That's the edge of the mattress at the bottom of the picture, and there's nothing but carpet, some wall, a door frame, and the lowest few inches of the bedroom door.
(Here is where Neo wakes up from a dream where he was at the Oracle's house, and he hears the child say to him, "There is no nightstand.")
Unhappy with the photo taken, I took a more functional approach. What serves as my nightstand?
Answer: The ground. And the multi-level shelf next to it that also serves as a dresser. Pictured is my alarm clock that I've had for several years, accompanied by my cell phone charger.
And this is where the spark for the blog was lit.
I've had this alarm clock for quite a few years (I'd say at least 5) and it's obviously came with me through several moves. Unless you have the short-term memory of a pretty blue tang named Dory, you'll remember I mentioned the alarm clock's neighbor (at least in the power outlet world) the phone charger. I actually use my phone for my alarm and haven't used the alarm on the clock radio for a while. But I still keep it. Plugged in. With the current time.
And I thought, why do I still have it? If I'm using my phone for my alarm, why not toss it?
Because it still works.
So why don't I use it?
Because I use my phone.
So toss it.
But it works.
So use it...
And that's why I keep bringing it with me.
But that's a lot like life. Knowledge, stories, and memories. Whether they're useful or not, you remember a lot of them. Sometimes it's easier to recall the ones that don't really mean anything, they're just...memorable.
But then other times, you just gotta move on and let go some of the stuff you don't use anymore. It doesn't mean it wasn't important, or didn't help you, or provided some guidance or a lesson for a period of time, it just means you've outgrown it's purpose.
And that's ok.
So I've got an alarm clock that works perfectly fine, and if anybody needs one--let me know and I'll send it to you free of charge.
I just don't need it anymore, and I won't miss it, so you can have it.
Not to say old friends or memories are alarm clocks, I'm much more emotionally attached to them, but it's something that has been on my mind for a while.
I've always loved my friends, but sometimes, or rather eventually, many of them/us drift apart for whatever reasons. Many of these times it isn't malicious or for any wrong doing of either party. It's just...life.
I've moved. They've moved. Relationships. Career paths. Social circles, The reasons are endless.
But that doesn't mean I still don't love you. And it definitely doesn't mean you weren't important to me. Correction, it definitely doesn't mean you AREN'T important to me. You are. You have been before, and I still care about you now. But for whatever the reason may be, we've continued on separate paths and well, maybe you and I can be alarm clocks for other people that need that nudge every day. We're still perfectly functional and wonderful as friends, but maybe someone else needs us.
And that's ok.
Just because I use my phone as an alarm clock doesn't mean I'll forget about all the good times I had with the clock radio (read: cursing it's blaring as I drag myself out of bed), I won't. Just like I will not/have not/cannot forget you.
We'll always have those times from rehearsals, adventures, trips to Denny's, breaks between matinees and evening shows, drunken karaoke (I guess that's redundant)...well, you get the picture.
But if we get the chance to pick back up where we left off, you know I'd give you a big hug and a high five and probably toss in a thatswhatshesaid or a fart joke a few minutes in.
Well done, nightstand prompt, you've been linked to a reminiscent post about good friends that I'll never forget.
Once home I was faced with a creative challenge (after, of course, changing out of work clothes into sweats because that's just part of the routine when I get home...at least during the winter months). So reminding myself of the day's prompt, I got back into bed and took a photo of where a nightstand would typically live.
True story. That's the edge of the mattress at the bottom of the picture, and there's nothing but carpet, some wall, a door frame, and the lowest few inches of the bedroom door.
(Here is where Neo wakes up from a dream where he was at the Oracle's house, and he hears the child say to him, "There is no nightstand.")
Unhappy with the photo taken, I took a more functional approach. What serves as my nightstand?
Answer: The ground. And the multi-level shelf next to it that also serves as a dresser. Pictured is my alarm clock that I've had for several years, accompanied by my cell phone charger.
And this is where the spark for the blog was lit.
I've had this alarm clock for quite a few years (I'd say at least 5) and it's obviously came with me through several moves. Unless you have the short-term memory of a pretty blue tang named Dory, you'll remember I mentioned the alarm clock's neighbor (at least in the power outlet world) the phone charger. I actually use my phone for my alarm and haven't used the alarm on the clock radio for a while. But I still keep it. Plugged in. With the current time.
And I thought, why do I still have it? If I'm using my phone for my alarm, why not toss it?
Because it still works.
So why don't I use it?
Because I use my phone.
So toss it.
But it works.
So use it...
And that's why I keep bringing it with me.
But that's a lot like life. Knowledge, stories, and memories. Whether they're useful or not, you remember a lot of them. Sometimes it's easier to recall the ones that don't really mean anything, they're just...memorable.
But then other times, you just gotta move on and let go some of the stuff you don't use anymore. It doesn't mean it wasn't important, or didn't help you, or provided some guidance or a lesson for a period of time, it just means you've outgrown it's purpose.
And that's ok.
So I've got an alarm clock that works perfectly fine, and if anybody needs one--let me know and I'll send it to you free of charge.
I just don't need it anymore, and I won't miss it, so you can have it.
Not to say old friends or memories are alarm clocks, I'm much more emotionally attached to them, but it's something that has been on my mind for a while.
I've always loved my friends, but sometimes, or rather eventually, many of them/us drift apart for whatever reasons. Many of these times it isn't malicious or for any wrong doing of either party. It's just...life.
I've moved. They've moved. Relationships. Career paths. Social circles, The reasons are endless.
But that doesn't mean I still don't love you. And it definitely doesn't mean you weren't important to me. Correction, it definitely doesn't mean you AREN'T important to me. You are. You have been before, and I still care about you now. But for whatever the reason may be, we've continued on separate paths and well, maybe you and I can be alarm clocks for other people that need that nudge every day. We're still perfectly functional and wonderful as friends, but maybe someone else needs us.
And that's ok.
Just because I use my phone as an alarm clock doesn't mean I'll forget about all the good times I had with the clock radio (read: cursing it's blaring as I drag myself out of bed), I won't. Just like I will not/have not/cannot forget you.
We'll always have those times from rehearsals, adventures, trips to Denny's, breaks between matinees and evening shows, drunken karaoke (I guess that's redundant)...well, you get the picture.
But if we get the chance to pick back up where we left off, you know I'd give you a big hug and a high five and probably toss in a thatswhatshesaid or a fart joke a few minutes in.
Well done, nightstand prompt, you've been linked to a reminiscent post about good friends that I'll never forget.
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