Thursday, February 14, 2008

1.1 seconds


Spreading my wings
Deerfield Beach, Florida, December 2007 [Click to embiggen]


If you click here, you'll see an entry, Avian Flight, featuring a photo (creatively named DSC_6787 by my camera) of this same bird. Above, I present DSC_6786. Time stamps are as follows:
  • 6786: 15:12:33.2
  • 6787: 15:12:34.3
  • Time difference: 1.1 seconds
What I find neat is how in 1.1 seconds, this bird moved far enough in the sky to completely change the tone and feel of the image.

Your turn: Life moves pretty fast. Please discuss.

One more thing: The commercial festival known as Valentine's Day has arrived. I view "holidays" like this with great cynicism because, frankly, nothing you buy in a store today is going to offset being a relationship weenie for the other 364 days of the year (well, 365, given that this is a leap year, but I digress.)

So I believe in small, subtle messages, spread throughout the year. I believe in being my wife's friend, someone she trusts implicitly. I want her to smile as much when she thinks of me as I do when I think of her. I want whatever gifts we share with each other to be about more than a price tag or a moment of bragging at our next get together with friends.

I don't want to wake up tomorrow and think that I've done all I need to do until next Valentine's Day. Today, then, is another gift of a day, like every other one I've been given since she first spotted me so long ago. We'll celebrate tomorrow, too. And the next day. And...

18 comments:

Andi said...

We try to be caring to each other every day, too. Our Valentine's is just talking with each other,Celebrity Apprentice,spaghetti (with garlic/mushroom sauce and turkey meat). Maybe watching a movie.
Having a slow dance...don't know what song.

Anonymous said...

for some reason, my life seems to be moving very slow. at times i feel it has stood still. only my few grey hair let me know that time is passing.

sorry for such a depressive mood.

your photo is awesome as always. michele too thinks this way..the photo part not depression bit.

b13 said...

WOW! That's some fancy shootin' there partner.

1.1 seconds can mean the difference between love and hate...

Shephard said...

Love your attitude about Valentine's Day. I'm an all-thru-year kinda guy too... who loves any opportunity to do something sneaky or fun for someone.

Love the brilliant blue in the second photo especially.

~S :)

Anna said...

I agree....we are like that too Carmi! He is home tonight...YAY...so I am choosing to celebrate this year!

Great shot!

kenju said...

Ah, but Carmi, you're one in a million, I think! MIchele says so too!

Anonymous said...

Life moves so fast that I seem to have less time to read my favorite blogs daily, weekly, monthly ... sigh.

After we closed the bookstore tonight, my partner and I lay on the floor between two bookshelves in the romance section and whispered to each other, kissed, hugged, laughed, and listened to each other's heartbeat. Primo!

Anonymous said...

Oh, every day is celebrated around here, as well, but...I still like the flowers and chocolate.

(Of course, Fuzzy brings me flowers whenever he goes to the grocery store.)

The last adam said...

Hey Carmi!

Came here from Moi's place.
This is an awesome Blog that u've got :)

Im yet to find a valetine...so I cant really imagine if i'l be a one day wonder or all-thru-the-year sorta guy...all the same, hope u have a wonderful, love filled day everyday!

I love birds..and clouds. Thats an awesome shot. May I know how you managed to get soo close? Was he flying low or you were high up enuf?

Michael K. Althouse said...

I'm with you on Valentines Day, Carmi. Never had much use for it. Unfortunately, the commercial machine has done its magic on most of my friends and associates as they have (had) big plans. Pity, really.

Mike

Anonymous said...

Michelle sent me for more than 1.1 seconds. Life does move fast, however, each moment of now is an eternity.

purplefugue said...

Love your attitude to Valentine's. It's soooo highly commercialised here in Singapore too. My friends and I were laughing at the dopey guys carrying their girlfriends' huge bouquet of flowers. Even spotted a couple carrying their handbags as well. Ahh...such is love.

Here from Michele's! *waves*

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Quite remarkable. Well taken.

Michele sent me here.

Pat said...

Carmi: as usual you have the right idea. Your wife should feel - as I do that every day is Valentine's day and I'm sure she does. Nevertheless I'm a sucker for a card, a few flowers and chocs. Oh and champagne if poss:)
BEEutiful bird photo!
Hi from Michele. As for time passing - every other day is Friday!

craziequeen said...

Belated Happy Valentine's Day to my thoughtful, kind and sweet friend :-)

MB and I swap cards annually, and they are put up in the bedroom where we can see them. They stay there all year.
After 23yrs we are in danger of taking each other for granted - seeing these cards reminds us of love, not duty...

Michele sent me to say my life this week has flown by, what with busy work during the day and going out every evening.....I'm definitely getting old!

cq

Anonymous said...

Your photos are so fabulous! Right now, I just trudge through Sun - Wed and just live for the weekends. I'm not that into Valentine's. We just chilled out at home.
michele sent me.

Thumper said...

VD is an excuse to go out to dinner, but at 4 p.m. like Old People. (hush stop thinking "but you ARE old people.") That's pretty much all it is to us...we like each other well enough the rest of the year, so other than going out, it's not a big deal.

I love those pictures. Life moves so fast it's hard to hold onto sometimes--like realizing you're now going out to dinner at 4 p.m. to beat the crowds when you used to make fun of those people, but you still FEEL like a 25 year old.

Sandy said...

I love your philosophy. It's something we live by as well. Love is a daily gift - a little piece of yourself, mixed with admiration and friendship. The once a year box of chocolate pales in comparison.