Anne over at Ample Sanity is a pretty cool soul. Besides being a friend of this site, she’s also got a perspective on things that you don’t find everyday. And did I mention her impeccable taste?
When I started this blog, I had no idea who would come. I have been very lucky to form some friendships with other photographers, and through mutual appreciation of work, I’ve been given the chance to see some great imagery and share some of mine.
I am in no way qualifying the contributions of others, as I deeply appreciate everyone’s kind thoughts when they are so moved to speak about my pictures. I’m just pointing out that it has been Anne’s words that have taught me the most about my own photography.
And what I mean by that, is I had thought the series of pictures I made at Bowdoin College, while pretty cool if I don’t say so myself, were just images of some goal posts on an athletic field, it was Anne who opened my mind to the possibility that they were much more.
A friend of mine in college wanted frogs in her backyard. She built a pond. I asked her how she knew frogs would come. She told me they always do, just build a pond. Sure enough, a few months later, she had frogs. Much in the same way the 1919 Chicago White Sox materialized out of an Iowa cornfield.
So, it’s come to this. I have a goal. I am building it. The voices in my head have yet to make their presence known, but I have a feeling they’re just biding their time, and I want to avoid them at all costs. Unless they sound like Jerry Garcia and play a mean Dire Wolf.
My goal, is to write and direct for film.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I wish I had something profound to say to this. As it is, I’m not that smart. But as the years have gained on me I’ve found that writing things down, dreaming a bit and just generally wondering about “what ifs” seems to work. No doubt there are a lot of failures on the road but I wonder if most of those aren’t the result of not sticking with something. I wish you a lot of luck. But I mostly wish that you have the ability to stick with your dream and just go and do it.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Whenever someone mentions me kindly, i’m unsure how to respond. Never been good at receiving compliments, but you must realize i’m touched. And pleased, though not for myself.
R. Buckminster Fuller once said, “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” Indeed, i expect that is true. But while the rest of the world may not see the promise that lies within caterpillar, might not the butterfly smile secretly with the retained memory of metamorphosis?
There are those, and i quote myself here, “with one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow, wanting desperately to bring the two together and live in the place of now and knowing. The place of Deeper Magic that lies, sometimes dormant, in all of us. A place where spirituality, connection, self, curiosity, and knowledge come into alignment.”
My friend, a most curious caterpillar of the human variety, has shown himself to be talented, kind, thoughtful, generous, introspective, and devoted. I suspect this baggage will serve him well on his trip to becoming.
Writer Arnold Bennett noted, “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” Thoreau felt it important to one’s nature to “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” Wise men, both. Be mindful of each as you move forward. When you reach your place of deeper magic the results will be spectacular (she said, smiling secretly).
January 25th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Wise and touching words above Garrison…none which I can improve on. I guess goals are a bit like dreams…perhaps goals more considered but the dream has to live in there somewhere..perhaps that’s the one foot in today and the other in tomorrow…you need both to make it happen. Often telling someone is the most difficult thing….to utter the words are to make it live.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
watch you go!