One last flight

Saying goodbye
London, ON, March 2011

About this photo: We're closing out our March Madness theme. Our new Thematic theme launches tomorrow (Friday) at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. It's not too late to share a little madness of your own. Just go here.

Those two lines in the sky are the International Space Station (brighter) and the Space Shuttle Discovery. I grabbed this 13-second exposure a little while after the orbiter undocked for the last time. Two days later, her STS-133 mission complete, she swooped back to earth, and into retirement.

The munchkins came outside with me to say goodbye. They knew there was no way for the astronauts aboard either ship to see them, but that didn't stop them from waving skyward for almost the entire time they were visible. They were just dots, really, but I didn't want the experience to pass without the kids having had the opportunity to witness it directly.

It was a clear, cold night, and I'm thinking the last place I should have been shepherding my kids was a cold sidewalk to watch something that, visually, at least, pales in comparison even the simplest game on the family Wii. But this was real, and it was history, and it happened right over our house.

Two more flights to go. I suspect our kids will be out there for those, too. Wherever you are, I hope you'll join them.

Your turn: Do you remember a slice of history from your own childhood?

QOTD #12 - On coming home

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. "
Lin Yutang

I've been off on a work thing for a few days, and later today will get on a plane pointed for home. As much as I enjoy the newness of seeing a new slice of the planet, I always prefer the return leg because of what awaits at the end.

I guess I'm a bit of a homebody, after all. Or I just don't like being away from my family. Yes, the second one.

Your turn: The best part of travel is...?

I've got my eyes on you

Tatered
London, ON, March 2011

About this photo: It's March Madness week, and it doesn't get more mad than this. Do you have some madness to share? Click here.

I have no rational explanation for why I take pictures like this. Maybe it's because no one else seems to, so I feel sorry for the poor little potato. Perhaps it's because not everything needs to have a reason. Sometimes we need to be just a little frivolous in the day-to-day. And on this day, this spudnik happened to be in range when my head started to feel a little frivolous.

I think this irrational-frivolity thing just might work out after all.

Your turn: What do you do when you feel just a little silly?

QOTD #11 - On optimism

"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
Daniel L. Reardon

Your turn: So is your glass half-full or half-empty? How so?

Mother Nature strikes again

Resplendent in white
London, ON, March 2011

About this photo: We're continuing our exploration of the March Madness theme with this late-winter blast of snow. You can explore, too, by heading here.

I can accept that everyone complains about the weather. It's the one factor that universally touches everyone's daily life, the one thing that all of us, friend or stranger alike, can quickly discuss no matter where we may be.

But there's a limit to how often any sane person can take the same whining about how cold it is, how uncomfortable it is, how unfair it all is, how it needs to end soon, blah, blah, blah. And I think I surpassed that limit long ago. Some complainers are so emotional that you swear they're about to start crying, as if there's some sort of grand plan behind their meteorological misery.

Not quite. Weather happens. There's no grand plan behind it. We can't control it. We can't change reality.

When snow blankets the region for the umpteenth time in a difficult winter that never seems to want to end, our choice is to either let it bother us, or find the happy. On this day, I chose the latter, and am glad I did.

Your turn: How do you find the happy?

QOTD #10 - On misusing technology

"Technology's only great when you know how to use it."
Daniel Hesse, CEO of Sprint

I see way too many people spend way too much money on way too many gadgets that they'll never manage to use in a barely effective manner, let alone master. The goal for most, sadly, seems to be acquisition, and trumpeting to others of same, and not actually using the wonder-device to improve things for themselves and those around them.

It would be easy for me to say the current volume surrounding iPad 2 (should I buy it? Should I wait in line? Should I sell my eldest child?) is prompting today's choice for this QOTD. But in reality, iPad 2 is yet another in a long line. The story always remains the same.

Your turn: What happens when the shine wears off the new wonder-gadget?

QOTD #9 - On life not being a game

“In life, unlike chess, the game continues after checkmate.”
Isaac Asimov

Your turn: Does it?

When planes almost crash

Permanently stuck
London, ON, March 2010

About this photo: We're celebrating March Madness all week long. Click here if you'd like to jump into the fray.

Diamond Aircraft has been a success story on the local business landscape since its Austrian parent first started assembling its innovative private aircraft designs here.

Whereas the typical private plane was designed before humans could talk - the Cessna 172's design, for example, dates back to 1955 - Diamond's DA20 (pictured above) replaces Winnebago-esque sheetmetal and engines that make a Ford Pinto's mill look positively state-of-the-art with modern carbon fibre airframes and powerful, efficient engines.

In recent years, the company's been trying to expand beyond its private aviation roots, and its staked its future on the D-Jet, a low-cost, 5-seat jet. Various governments have already approved loans to develop the plane. The problem: A final, $35 million loan to kickstart actual production has been stalled. The federal election campaign that just got underway isn't going to accelerate matters.

My take? This isn't some pie-in-the-sky program. Governments have already committed to it, and 240 orders for the plane have already been received. The fate of 200 remaining employees and one of the shining lights of the local economy dangle in the balance while governments dither. If this continues much longer, it won't do much good to counter the belief that London's "open for business" claims are little more than wishful thinking.

Madness indeed.

Your turn: How should governments help local economies? Are they doing enough now? Too much? Do tell...

QOTD #8 - On nuclear

It was only a matter of time before I tapped into my inner Homer Simpson, whose Thanksgiving-time perspective on the industry that employs him seems particularly misguided in light of the unfolding nuclear mess in Japan:

"Lord, we are especially thankful for nuclear power, the cleanest, safest energy source there is."
Homer Simpson

Your turn: If not nuclear, then what?

Mad lungs

Little man's been out of school for the past week-and-a-half with bronchitis. We've been trying to perk him up with a steady stream of movies. They give him something else to think about when he can't sleep because of the coughing and congestion.

Good times.

So when it was time to bring the latest batch of rentals back to the local Blockbuster (news flash: we still rent DVDs...there's something about physical media that I'm not yet ready to give up) he asked if he could come with. Dad-of-the-year that I am, I told him to ask Mom. We figured he was well enough to feel fresh air, so off we went.

I took this shot just as we got into the car. The smile says it all. I know one boy's bout with bronchitis doesn't amount to a whole lot in the overall scheme of things, but we still hope this little bit of madness is over for him soon.

Your turn: What's your cure for cabin fever?

QOTD #7 - On vision

"Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."
Anton Chekhov

Every time I sit down to write something, I agonize over how I'll find the words to take an abstract thought and turn it into something that paints a picture, a scene, a mood, an emotion, a whatever for a total stranger.

Coming up with words that reflect that proverbial glint of light on broken glass? I guess that's both my challenge and my opportunity.

Your turn: How do you make your words count?

One more thing: Looking for Thematic? It's right here.

Thematic Photographic 139 - March Madness

Let them eat cake
London, ON, March 2010

This week's Thematic theme, March Madness, comes to us courtesy of Dana, better known online as Awareness. A writer, a poet, a photographer and an incredibly astute observer of the human condition, her blog has been a must-read for me for years.

As you mull over what photos to share this week, keep the following in mind:

• It must have been taken during the month of March
• It should illustrate some semblance of madness, silliness or irreverence. If it makes you smile, it's good.

That's it. Off to the races we go...

Your turn: Share a March Madness-themed pic on your site (or choose something that you already uploaded) and leave a comment here letting folks know where to find it. Visit other participants' sites to share the joy. Repeat as often as you wish through the week. Don't forget to smile. Thematic instructions, if you need 'em, are here.

About this photo: Why did I choose cake as my launch photo? Because closeups of cake are kinda silly. And it makes me smile every time I get ideas like this in my head and reach for the camera.

QOTD #6 - On perpetual childhood

"When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
C. S. Lewis

Your turn: I've never understood why children seem to lose that sense of wide-eyed curiosity and goodness when they become adults. For too many of us, life seems to beat it out of us, and I'm not entirely sure why. Do we really need to "grow up"?

Is this Wonderland?

White. For now.
London, ON, December 2010

About this photo: We're closing out Thematic's transition theme (click here for a last-minute fix), and given the weather that's been repainting much of the landscape for so many of us this week, I thought it would be appropriate to revisit the winter that was - and apparently still is. Sooner or later, the great transition known as spring is inevitable. (New theme launches tomorrow eve.)

As you can see, Frasier is not the world's largest dog. Mind you, for a Miniature Schnauzer, he's somewhat outsized for the breed, taller and broader than most others we've seen. Yet another thing that sets him apart and makes him special.

His size works against him in conditions like this. Huge snowdrifts block his view and make it hard for him to leap into the snowpack - as he'll eagerly do when the packed snow doesn't tower over him. And when he does, it's quite the joy to watch him take it all in. He bounds through the white stuff like a jackrabbit, sticking his head deep down when he finds something he likes. You know he's really enjoying himself when the snorting reaches fever pitch. I like to stand there and just drink in his energy.

Around these parts and elsewhere, it's been a winter and then some. And the Twitterverse (and blogosphere, and Facebook planet, and...) have been rife with endless complaints about the weather. But as I hold the leash and feel him pull me along, I can't help but think that whining about the weather is a pretty useless practice. It is what it is, and nothing we do will change it. So why not be like Frasier and throw ourselves into it? Good question: Looks like my dog taught me something, after all.

Your turn: What else can animals teach us?

QOTD #5 - On Liz Taylor

I'm not one to worship at the cult of celebrity. Not much and not at all. But sometimes, Hollywood seeps into my life in ways I can't even begin to explain. I present Elizabeth Taylor, who as everyone on and off the planet now knows passed away yesterday at the age of 79, as a prime example.

She was a huge star in an era when being an icon meant something. Her star had faded by the time I came along, but my parents, who also tended to view all things celeb-like with suspicion, always spoke about Ms. Taylor in reverent tones, as if she was somehow different from the other stars who came and went.

Indeed, she was different, as her later-in-life charitable work in many ways eclipsed anything she may have ever done onscreen. She led a purposeful life, and left the world better than she found it. So when I heard the news, I thought it would be strangely appropriate to share this quote of hers. It shows she wasn't simply a creation of celebrity. She understood what really mattered well beyond Lalaland:

"I hope with all of my heart that I have made a difference in the lives of people with AIDS. I want that to be my legacy."
Elizabeth Taylor

Your turn: I think she got her wish. What about you?

Gravity claims another victim

When the ref calls icing
London, ON, December 2010
[Click here to share your own transition-themed moment]

Winter can be a tough time to be a photographer if you live in Canada. Short days make it hard to get outdoors because by the time you're finished working, living and foraging for sustenance in the frozen foods aisle, it's dark outside and the last thing you really want to do is head out for a photo shoot. Besides, it's probably snowing, and the dog needs to be walked.

But being the polite Canadian that you are, you take your camera with you, anyway, and you try to make do with whatever situations you encounter. Like a skating session for the kids at a local rink. The lighting's just dim enough to dash any hopes of shutter speeds fast enough to freeze a moving snail, let alone a flailing child. And you risk life, limb and very expensive glass by stupidly venturing out onto the ice so you can see your little ones close-up. In retrospect, not smart.

So you change your approach. You won't be bringing home tack sharp today. But deliberately slow, painted images of munchkins in motion may be just enough to shake up your mid-winter mind. Maybe.

And when some unknown munchkin stumbles past you on her way to an inevitable soft landing on the ice, you know this one capture makes the entire exercise worthwhile. Sometimes, the picture you bring home is light-years removed from one one you hoped to bring home. It's just as well: Predictability is so oversold.

Your turn: What's this little one thinking?

QOTD #4 - On preparation

"If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin."
Ivan Turgenev

I remember thinking this very thought when my then-girlfriend/now-wife and I began discussing marriage, before we bought our first house, and again when we decided to have kids.

I suspect that life isn't about filling in every checkbox or being absolutely certain about everything before setting out. It's about knowing when to cast off your lines and set sail, doubts be damned.

Your turn: When do you know when it's time to get moving? How do you know?

Final approach

Dropping out of the sky
Delray Beach, FL, December 2010
Click all photos to enlarge

About this photo: Thematic. Transition. Here. Much fun. Really.

Birds are designed to fly, with bodies that, thanks to countless generations of evolution, have been remarkably optimized for flight. So when they're efficiently cruising through the sky, everything about them is precisely as it should be: Light, streamlined, agile.

But what goes up must eventually come down, and all birds will, at some point, have to land. And when they do, the nature of these incredible flying machines changes radically. Wings go from streamlined and tapered to draggy and curved. Legs go from tucked in to fully extended. Airplanes do the same thing as they prepare to land, with flaps extended, gear down and nose flared. But birds do it so much more purely. As they should. Because they invented it.

When I watch the gulls prepare to return to terra firma, I realize how tenuous this period is. A breeze, a mean-spirited neighbor-bird, a curious child...anything can throw the bird's careful balance off at this critical aerodynamic moment. Yet somehow they always manage to recover from whatever it is that hits them, and they always manage to hit the ground in one piece (seriously, have you ever seen a bird crash-land?)

We would all be so lucky to handle transitions - flying or other - so gracefully.

Your turn: How do you handle tricky transitions?

QOTD #3 - On parenthood

Little man's had a few rough days*. And any parent with a sick kid knows that even if you manage to avoid catching what he/she has, the experience weighs on you, too, in oh so many ways.

The good news? Fever and congestion can make him miserable and sad, but they can't sap his sweet spirit. Small miracles, indeed. With this in mind, I thought this one would be particularly appropriate today:

"Kiss your children goodnight, even if they are already asleep."
H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Your turn: Why is tuck-in so precious?

One more thing: Thanks again for being so enthusiastic about our new QOTD feature. I know it's hardly an innovative thing, but I'm nevertheless enjoying having it as part of the daily flow here at Written Inc. I'll try to tweak things as we go along, and am always open to suggestions. As part of this process, I'm adding links to each author's wiki page.

I'm also setting the daily posting time at 6:30 a.m. Because that's my favorite time of day, when things are at their most quiet before the house - and the world - awakens. Let me know what you think.

--
* The verdict from our doc: bronchitis, and we're still waiting for the meds to start knocking his fever and cough down to size.

Crash. Then gone.

Nature's power
Deerfield Beach, FL, December 2010

About this photo: We're exploring transitions this week as part of our latest Thematic theme. If you're got something that even remotely connects - and we're hoping you do - just click here to get the proverbial party started.

As images from Japan continue to dominate news coverage across the planet, I can't stop thinking about waves, and the power they have to change everything around them.

The tsunami that rewrote the landscape of Japan's eastern coastline and literally wiped entire cities off the map is an extreme example of the power of nature. I've spent too much time standing at the edge of the sea, staring at waves as they crash ashore, shooting them with my camera in a near-vain attempt to capture what makes them tick. I can't quite explain my fascination with this place, but it keeps drawing me back every time we're on vacation, and I'm entirely too glad to go along for the ride.

I've always been struck by how much energy these things carry with them, and how quickly that energy is turned into history. They're here, spectacularly, and then they're gone. Just like that. Most of the time, this process repeats itself routinely, essentially ignored by the rest of the world. Most of the time.

I hope I never witness anything approaching the scale of a tsunami. I hope the communities devastated by the one that followed the mega-quake can find a way to rebuild themselves. I give thanks that I have what I have.

And sometime soon, I'll return to the edge of the planet. And once again I'll point my lens at the pounding surf. And maybe in the churning waters I'll see hope for a better future.

Your turn: Why do waves fascinate us?