The One Thing

Reflecting*
London, ON
September 2008
[See here for more Thematic]

On a quiet downtown London street a year ago September, a few parents waited for a birthday party to finish at the adjacent laser tag facility. Not everyone knew each other, so the familiar ones gravitated into separate groups of two or three and chatted idly in the late summer sun.

I pulled out my camera and trained it on the biggest thing I could see. Our friend wandered over and asked what I was up to. He wanted to know what I was looking for and what I did with it once I found it. I showed him the results on the camera's screen and he told me to keep shooting the ordinary from a not-so-ordinary perspective. It wasn't anything more than a friendly conversation between friends, something he and I had done so often as we crossed paths in our typical suburban existence. And as I fetched my daughter and loaded her into the van, I didn't give it much more thought.

Fast forward a few months and our lives changed forever with news that our friend had suddenly passed away. I thought immediately of that moment on the downtown sidewalk, of how what had once seemed ordinary would forevermore be anything but. This building, the very epicentre of our town, is now a beacon for that fleeting shared moment. Every picture I take of it instantly reminds me of him, and why I need to fight just a little harder to hold on to the ordinary, the mundane, the routine, the forgettable.

Because on reflection, nothing is ordinary, mundane, routine or forgettable. Life, which can - and does - end in a blink, compels us to treat such moments with more respect and awe than we already do. You can't thank those who have passed away for the lessons they've taught you. All you can do is apply those lessons forward. And so I am...

--
* One London Place

Thematic Photographic 77 - Buildings

Facade. Reflected.
New York, NY, November 2009

I returned from our quick trip to New York* earlier this month with a newfound respect for architecture. While most of us are too busy moving through the day-to-day challenges of life to stop and appreciate the impact of an unseen architect on our not-so-routine journeys, it doesn't hurt to slow things down and look around every once in a while.

Which is what I did when we were in New York. For a few minutes, anyway. And what I saw inspired me to select buildings as this week's Thematic Photographic theme.

This particular photo, taken on 5th Avenue in the shadows of the Empire State Building, has a neat backstory: I noticed an immaculately clean Cadillac Escalade parked illegally on the corner. So clean was its hood that the building above it reflected almost hypnotically in the pristine black paint. So I lined up and grabbed the shot. Only after I had the lens cap back on did I realize the driver was sitting inside, watching my every move. Oops.

Your turn: If it's got a foundation and takes up a slice of the sky, we want to see it. Over the next week, feel free to share as many building-themed photos as you wish on your blog, then leave a link to them here in a comment. For more on how Thematic Photographic works, please click here. And thank you for making it as much fun as it is.

*For more photos from this journey, please see my Facebook album here.

Animated thirst

Pop goes the world
London, ON, July 2009

Every time I look at this photo, I think back to the episode of The Simpsons where Principal Skinner implores Groundskeeper Willie to keep watering down the orange drink as a means of maximizing profits. The quote that comes back, in his inimitable Scottish accent, will probably resonate in my head forever:

I have watered her down as far as she'll go. I cannot water no more
(Sound bite here. Others here.)

Note: Yes, I quote Simpsons. Prolifically. Hope this doesn't disappoint you. Next...

So as we continue our exploration of all things orange (see here for more) I offer this rather neon-ish take on the color that can make even the curmudgeonly among us happy, if only for a moment.

Your turn: Color as a catalyst for happiness. Please discuss.

Talking on the radio about Facebook

The story of a Quebec woman, Natalie Blanchard, whose insurance company cut off her disability payments after seeing pictures of her on Facebook, is getting a lot of headlines this week. That's likely because it illustrates, rather starkly, the perils of social media, and our seeming inability to understand them.

I've gotten a few phone calls from journalists about this. The Canadian Press published this piece by Sidhartha Banerjee, Quebec woman's Facebook insurance battle highlights need for online prudence. Precis published here as well.

I'm busy on the radio front, too, with an interview scheduled with 4fm, an Irish (!) radio station at about 1:15 p.m. EST today (Update: bumped to tomorrow...more details as I know 'em. Update 2: Interview airs WEDNESDAY at 1:15 p.m.) I'll be speaking with Tom McGurk, host of McGurk on 4. The station doesn't live stream over the Internet, but its shows are archived here. (Update 3: The producer has confirmed that they do, in fact have a live stream...I seem to have lost my vaunted ability to find resources like this online! To listen live, click here.)

In other news, I'll also be on-air with 570 News Kitchener's Jeff Allan at 11:05 a.m. EST to talk about new Canadian legislation that could require Internet service providers to spy on customers and snitch to police if they detect activity related to child porn. The Canadian Press also quoted me in a piece by David Friend and Diana Mehta, Ciena wins bid for Nortel's optical unit, offers jobs to 2,000 employees.

Facebook, porn and optical networking...should be a fascinating day indeed!

Your turn: Do you worry about Facebook, Twitter, blog and other social media postings coming back to bite you?

We didn't start the fire

Dance
London, ON
October 2009
[Click photo to embiggen]

About this photo: It's all orange, all the time. Well, at least until this Wednesday, when I toss a new theme at ya. Suggestions welcome if you've got 'em. Orange-themed sharing welcome here otherwise. Captioning going on here, too.

First things first: I'm not a pyromaniac, an arsonist, or someone who is otherwise obsessed with fire. Still, as a photographer, it's a subject I've explored off and on (see here, here and here for previous examples) and it's one of the few subjects that eludes me insofar as bringing home The Ideal Photo.

But I keep trying, as evidenced by today's pic. Our son, Zach, inspired it, as we had all gone to a local restaurant to celebrate his birthday. As we waited for the server to arrive, he noticed the fireplace beside our table and we immediately began discussing whether it was wood, natural gas or electric. We concluded it was gas, because the thought of servers taking time out from running between guests and the kitchen to throw another log on the fire just didn't seem to fit.

It was a quiet night - Mondays are off-peak in the food services biz...who knew? - so before we headed home, we went over to the fireplace and took a bunch of pictures. It's the kind of thing where you don't compose as much as you meter, shoot a bunch, meter again, shoot a bunch, and repeat the process until you think you've got a reasonable chance of bringing one salvageable picture home. Even if the pictures were meh, the moment of curiosity and insight from a relentlessly growing almost-man was anything but.

Your turn: What does this picture remind you of? (To my high school English teacher, yes, I ended the sentence with a preposition. I know...I'm so busted.)

Caption This 138

Please caption this image
[Click here for Caption This instructions]
Montreal, QC
October 2009

About this photo: It's orange. Well, at least part of it is. If you're feeling in a particularly orange mood, Thematic Photographic hopes to hear from you. Right this way...

Montreal isn't known for being pedestrian-friendly. Its drivers, legendary across the continent for their often misplaced aggressiveness, tend to see the average biped as an annoyance, something standing between them and the cold beer waiting at home.

Like many cities, Montreal's been installing timers and pedestrian lights at major intersections. They won't stop a two-ton missile from plowing through the crosswalk, but they're better than nothing. And they can be entertaining when you're waiting for the munchkins to get back to the car so you can get on your way.

Your turn: It's been a while since we captioned. Sometimes, life gets in the way. It's still in the way, of course, but I figured now would be as proper a time as any to restart Caption This. If you've got a witty title for this pic, click the comment link and have at it. Head over here for background on how Caption This works.

About our last Caption This photo: I posted it September 20th - a lifetime ago - so I'm under no illusions that anyone even remembers this sad scene of a building in the midst of demolition. But in the hope that folks are ready to tune back in, here are our honorable menschens:

• Jean: "Door to nowhere."
• Emme Rogers: "Urban genocide."
• Thom: Destruction for progress."

Steve Gallow takes it for "My door is always open for you." I like how you can read that in any number of ways. Steve is in the midst of a year-long personal challenge to not only post a photo per day, but to explore the lessons learned each time out. His photos are wonderful, and the stories behind each one will keep you coming back for more. Please drop by and congratulate him.

Taking a moment

Transitional sky
London, ON
September 2009

The interview (with CTV, on Twitter) was done. It had gone well, and after chatting with the producer I wandered into the parking lot. The studio sits at the top of a hill, so I had a perfect view of a post-sunset sky that while I was inside had been painted with colors that seemed to be new to me.

Instead of just driving home, though, I lingered. There's something to be said for taking your time when transitioning out of one thing and into another. Skipping a beat along the way gives the old brain a chance to reflect on what just happened, to file away the feeling and meaning of the experience before calling it a day. It's how I remember life.

This was one of those "before" days - my father died less than a week after this was taken - and as I reflect back on this serene moment alone on the top of a hill, I'm thankful that I slowed things down just long enough to remember what life was like before it changed for good.

Your turn: Do you take time-out moments? Why?

Please see here for more orange...

Paying homage to OJ

Take a bite
Montreal, QC, October 2009 [Click all images to enlarge]

About these photos: We're sharing orange-themed pictures all week long as part of Thematic Photographic. And it doesn't get bigger than Montreal's OJ! Please click here to share your own orange vision.

On a busy street corner beside the trench of a highway known as the Decarie Expressway sits a giant building that's shaped like an orange. Officially, it's Gibeau Orange Julep. But no one calls it that. It's embedded itself into Montreal's culture simply as "OJ". Long ago, you'd drive in and hostesses on roller skates served you in your car. Those days are but distant memories now, but pulling in here for a quick bite on the way home is still something special.

The food - mostly hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches and fries - isn't really worth writing home about. And I'm sure your cardiologist wouldn't approve of your being here in the first place. But there's something about sipping the flagship drink - best known as "OJ", I think it's orange juice mixed with a bit of egg, then mixed continuously into a frothy mess - while sitting in the car that reminds me of what life must have been like for my parents when they were young. Indeed, it's one of those rare cultural icons that ties my generation to theirs: It was as important a milestone of my teens and early twenties as it was of theirs.

So even though we don't live here anymore, we bring the kids because we want them to know what a truly unique experience this is - and we want them to experience it before the inevitable march of time claims this special place, too. More importantly, every time we drive by here, we find ourselves in need of some happy. That's because this place is barely three kilometers away from the hospital, and we always pass it on our way back home. This has become our comforting antidote to the often jarring visits to a place no child should have to witness except to be born.

In the silence in the car after we first come down from the hospital, I often wonder what they're thinking, how the just-completed experience has changed them. They've been here so many times already that they're old pros - they know when to wear masks, when to clean their hands, when to stay back from the patient's bed, how to behave, etc. Yet still I wonder if being so familiar with illness and endings has aged them somehow, has taken away their grasp of childhood innocence.

As OJ looms in the windshield, I like to suggest stopping there. Even if I'm not hungry, just immersing ourselves - and most notably, them - in the experience of this place helps escape the sadness for just a little while. Over the somewhat greasy fare, we recount the stories of mommy's and daddy's earliest dates here, we speculate over what might be inside the orange, and we muse about the person who concocted this place all those years ago. Their faces light up, if only briefly, as we all manage to forget reality for a few minutes.

I guess we find our balm wherever we can, even if it comes in the shape of a tattered old, iconic orange building. I wish I could take this place with us when we head back to London.

Your turn: Odd, memorable, iconic places. And why they mean as much as they mean. Please discuss.

Oprah quits. World stops spinning.

So the big news of the day is that Oprah will end her long-lived talk show, the Oprah Winfrey Show, in 2011. I know this because my BlackBerry lit up with all sorts of "Breaking News" alerts yesterday afternoon.

Breaking news? Give me a serious break. A fire that injures or kills people would certainly qualify. So would a military coup somewhere, as well as a mudslide that buries the world's last remaining significant eucalyptus tree reserve and threatens a rare community of pygmy koala bears. You know, important stuff that permanently changes our lives could all logically be thought of as breaking news

But this? I risk the wrath of Oprah superfans by saying this isn't news, much less breaking news. And it doesn't rank up there with koala extinction.

She isn't retiring. She isn't disappearing. She's simply taking her brand off of broadcast television and moving it over to cable. There are enough media channels in the universe that anyone who needs an Oprah fix will easily be able to get it after September 9, 2011, when her current show fades to black.

Remember when we all held our collective breath before Jay Leno signed off of the Tonight Show earlier this year? Well, now that he's essentially rubber-stamping the same show at 10 p.m. every night, we've all gone back to ignoring him. Life went on after Jay. It'll go on after Oprah, too.

I've always respected Oprah for trying to improve our world. In a media landscape marked by self centredness and pettiness, she's consistently kept her focus on helping those in need and inspiring the rest of us to follow along. But turning what is essentially a career strategy decision into a cultural milestone smacks of overkill. Can we please get a grip?

Besides, we still have Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz to fill our keep-it-simple, feel-good pipeline of middle-America pablum. Whether we like it or not, her legacy will outlive her show by a long shot.

Your turn: When we take TV too seriously. Please discuss.

Pieces of orange

ET would be proud
London, ON, November 2009 [Click photo to enlarge]

About this photo: We're celebrating all things orange all week long. With any luck, you'll be celebrating, too. Head here for more.

My wife knows "the look" almost before I finish making it. When something catches my eye, I furrow my brow and begin looking at it from all angles, often involving my hands to help the composition along. Before long, the camera comes out. She's used to it by now, and thank goodness accepts me for the flawed individual that I am.

So while chatting with my mom on the phone in the kitchen one bright afternoon, she barely batted an eyelash when I started removing the yellow and brown Reese's Pieces from the pile. With a slightly exasperated smile in her voice, she told my mom I was at it again, and then continued with their conversation.

Another moment in another day. And somehow she helped make it more memorable to me than just another closeup picture of junk food. How does she do that?

Your turn: My next foodie pic should be...?

Thematic Photographic 76 - Orange

When the game ends
London, ON, June 2009

About this photo: This entry launches our new Thematic Photographic theme, orange. To be a part of the fun, simply post an orange-themed pic on your site, then leave a comment here so everyone can find it. Repeat as often as you wish. Click here if you'd like to learn more about Thematic Photographic.

I'm not sure why I stuck around the playground at our kids' school after the bell rang and everyone headed inside. I had a camera and a few extra minutes before I needed to get on my way. I guess some days we all need a little quiet time before diving into the day.

The basketball, sitting alone in the middle of the court, seemed lost in the asphalt, suddenly forgotten by the boisterous kids who mere minutes ago were fighting each other to get it through the net. They'd be back at recess, but for now it was just me, a ball, and a whole lot of sunshine-drenched silence. I'm glad I hung back.

Your turn: Got something orange in your archives? If so, I hope you'll share it here. If not, you've got the perfect excuse to head out with your camera and bring home something orange. We're at it all week, so have fun with it!

Stars & Stripes Forever

Flag day
New York, NY, November 2009

I wanted to share one last travel-themed moment before we go orange (check back at 7 p.m. for that.) Why? Because I came home from our lightning-quick visit to New York with hundreds of pictures and no idea how to efficiently share them all. Ideas welcome, btw.

Just before I took this shot, I was walking down Broadway doing my best to drink in what made this place such a global magnet of attention. I don't think I was ever able to really figure it out. On the surface, the buildings, stores and people look much like they do in any other major North American city. But look a little deeper and the combination of factors sets this place apart. The buildings are just a little bigger, just a little more architecturally fascinating and imposing on the streetscape. The people are just a bit harder edged and a bit more big-hearted - all at the same time. It's subtle, but enough to imprint itself on your soul.

The sum of the parts can't be found anywhere else. And even on a relatively quiet morning, you can close your eyes and feel the energy of this place. As I caught this total stranger sitting alone in a spot where everyone is typically on the move, I wondered what he was thinking. The moment-in-time quality of the scene almost compelled me to take the picture. So I did.

Your turn: So, what was this guy thinking?

Striking stupidity

The transit strike that's gripped our city this week has forced a mad scramble for alternative means of getting to work and school. The University of Western Ontario and its student council combined forces and launched a "community van" program where volunteers drive rented vans between seven points throughout the city. Sounds simple enough, right?

Not so much, apparently. Since no transit strike would be complete without a healthy dose of stupid behavior, the Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents the transit workers, has called for an end to this shuttle service. They've predictably called it "union busting".

Somewhat more surprising is the response from unions representing university workers. The president of the UWO staff association says the volunteers represent scab labour becuse they're replacing regular workers. Even better, if the bus drivers start picketing the campus, they'll refuse to cross the picket lines. I guess solidarity to students doesn't rate in the average UWO prof's world view.

So, from where I sit, a volunteer-based, alternative means of getting around town that has absolutely no connection to regular bus service is at risk of being shut down because unionistas call it "scab labour". I suppose, then, that my own volunteer-based, alternative means of getting around town would also qualify:

• I rode my bike to and from a couple of appointments this week. Since my legs did the work normally done by a bus driver, I guess they now qualify as scabs.
• I drove the kids to school, and later to their gymnastics class. I think I passed a bus stop along the way...call me a scab.
• I walked the dog along part of a bus route last night. I suppose that, too, makes me a union-busting scab.

At the end of the day, transit workers have decided that the only way for them to score a better deal is to walk off the job. Whether we agree or disagree with them, that's their choice.

But they're not the only one with choices - or needs. As citizens, how we move around the city in their absence is entirely our choice. I'll be damned if some union leader decides for me how I can and cannot get myself and my family from place to place. Call me a scab if you wish, but please don't call me a transit rider when this thing is over: By then, I may just decide to stick with my hastily-arranged choices in union-busting, self-provided transportation.

Filling up. Looking back.

Oasis
Locust Grove, GA, January 2009

About this photo: Thematic Photographic's travel theme continues. Please click here to share your own travel vision. I'll launch a new theme tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. I'm thinking it should be orange. Does that sound like a decent choice?

I know it's a forgettable piece of architecture in the middle of a forgettable town late on an otherwise forgettable night. But I have an annoying habit of retaining the forgettable.

We were on our way home from vacation, and were finishing up our first long day in the car. Debbie and the kids had gone inside to fetch snacks and stretch muscles, while I stayed outside and filled the tank. When I was done, I found myself alone with the wondervan in a darkened parking lot, so out came the camera.

Some background: I tend to get reflective when we're in the middle of a long journey. I feel responsible for shepherding my brood safely to our destination. Before we set off, I often spend a quiet moment during which I'll touch the car, close my eyes and wish for an easy, predictable trip. Along the way, I look for fleeting alone moments, and I look for ways to remember that feeling of responsibility, of being the dad of a family, of simply being somewhere new and exciting. Or, as the case may be, not-so-exciting.

I know these trips won't last forever. I know the kids will grow beyond the point at which they want to sit in a car or spend hours on end with mom and dad. I won't always be responsible for them from the beginning to the end of their journey. And I'll miss what it feels like to wait for them to return to the car so we can get back on the road, together.

Your turn: What do you think about in the middle of a long journey?

High school not-so-confidential

So I missed my high school reunion. While it would have been lovely to catch up with folks who in many respects defined an important period of my life, I realized that now is just too soon. I don't know how long is considered "long enough" after someone close to you dies before you feel right attending larger events, being among people and generally being your usual smiley-happy self. But I do know that I'm not quite there yet.

We attended a family wedding in New York last week. It was probably too soon, as well, but it was my cousin's wedding, and being there was incredibly important for us all. Her mom, my aunt, is my late dad's sister, and in an extended family where not everyone seems to appreciate the fact that we are, indeed, family, my aunt and uncle were - and still are - always there and always a central part of our and our kids' lives. It was tough to be part of a celebration so soon after losing my father, but I'm so glad we went.

As we wrestled with whether or not to also attend the reunion, we realized it just didn't rate on the same plane as my cousin's wedding. At the risk of offending the organizers - and I'm sure we did, but whatever - we simply didn't see ourselves pretending to be happy shiny people at this thing. Had the timing been different, we would have been there in a heartbeat, and I would have come back with a memory card filled with photos and a head full of fond memories to boot.

But the timing wasn't different. Life sucks that way, sometimes. And as I endure the torrent of "gee, you should have been there" e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets and IMs over the next week or so, I'll have to keep in mind that not everyone gets that being among the crowd is the last thing I want or need at this early stage. Some folks get that some days I still need to be alone, and some folks don't. And some folks don't bother to take the time to read.

I'm learning, slowly, that I don't necessarily need to waste cycles trying to make everyone aware. It just doesn't matter.

Going postal

When light does its dance
Toronto, ON, January 2009

About this photo: Thematic Photographic is all travel, all the time - until next Wednesday, anyway. Head over here to share your own distant vision.

When you're early for a meeting in a faraway city and you've got a bit of extra time on your hands, it's only natural to want to pull out your camera and grab a few frames. Never mind that the temperature's cold enough to turn your fingers white: There's a certain appeal to shooting in the crisp, clear air that results.

Two things that I remember about this rather frigid moment:

• Architecture was a lot nicer way back when. I'm sorry more examples like this haven't survived through time.
• Surprises - especially pleasant ones like this delightfully reflected light - can happen any time. We need to keep our eyes open as a result.

Your turn: Something you didn't expect to see while on a trip. Please discuss.

Ocean ranger

Destination unknown
Deerfield Beach, FL, December 2008

It's as long as a skyscraper is tall, yet on the horizon it slips by, barely noticed by the folks frolicking on the beach. Except my daughter, who sees it first and tells me to get my camera out.

As we sit on the sand and watch it slowly make its way across the seeming edge of the planet, she muses aloud about where it might be going. She rattles off a list of potential destinations, all touristy places more likely to be visited by a cruise ship than one carrying cargo containers. I correct her. She rolls her eyes, reminding me she was kidding, and she knows full well it's a cargo ship. Smart girl.

We decide we like its blocky, built-for-a-purpose form. You know full well what this thing was built for. We wish we could get a little closer to it, get some answers about what it's carrying, where it's headed, what it's called and who sails on her. But for now, we're content to watch this mysterious leviathan continue on its way. Answers may come another day, if at all. But for today, we're content to sit on the beach and just be.

Your turn: When you took a small moment to talk about big things...

About this photo: It's travel week all week long. To dive into the thematic soup, so to speak, click here.

Early morning on Market Street

Down low in Frisco
San Francisco, July 2008

About this photo: Thematic Photographic explores travel-themed scenes all week long. If you have something from your own travels, please share it here.

The scene: It's early on a grey, damp, miserable morning, and I really should be back at my hotel getting ready to fly back home. Instead, I'm zipping through the streets, power-shooting whatever I see because, well, I don't want to return home without a tangible memory of my all-too-brief time here.

I'm manic like that.

Your turn: This streetscape seems to be telling so many stories. I hope you'll pick one and share it in a comment.