Gimme Shelter

On my way to my Gotham office, I paused for this photo under the alcove at 500 Park Avenue. And so, 771 days after my arrival here I have finally reached 500 blips. Given my work schedule, travel and commitment to family, I am surprised to have made it at all.

I will "try" to keep this very brief but I do have something to say. And, at the rate I have been posting lately, it might be another two years until I hit my next milestone.

My journey here has been nothing short of amazing. Recipient of a new camera body for Holiday 2011, I joined Blipfoto hoping that I could rekindle a photographic ember that had been buried within me for nearly twenty years. That quest led me from curiosity to intrigue to engagement to fascination to obsession to addiction to cold turkey to reentry to indifference and, finally, to comfort. But at no point along the trail were there never unlimited amounts of inspiration and kindness.

Two-plus years later, the ember is no longer dormant. Nor is it a bonfire or a five-alarm house fire or a fire that will ever be put out. It is now a raging and uncontrollable forest fire in an area with low humidity and ninety mile per hour winds.

I am quite certain had I not joined Blipfoto, that my camera would mostly remain in a bag and that my mind would have no room for light. No longer do I worry about a space for light or new friendships. And while I now accept that I will never be the photographer I want to be, the spirited act of photography, the photographs, the friendships and the kindness in this community keep the fire burning on. This is a special place. You are special people. Thank you.

Regrettably, I cannot be here to post images or comment or participate in the community as much as I wish possible. I had to find balance. Thank you for your understanding. But if you ever catch me outside of my four-walls without a decent camera and a watchful eye, please send me back home.

Not sure what attracts me to this photo. Maybe it was just the moment in my day and likely not the image itself. Maybe better in large but still not……you know