Get Back on That Horse...

"Highline Sunset" © 2013

That is what I have decided it is high-time to do... figuratively speaking of course. I am guilty of lacking creative inspiration as well as not taking the time to try and nurture the creative process. My recent trip to New York City helped with this problem.

While in NYC, I had the opportunity to explore many areas of interest, as well as areas I have studied extensively while pursuing my degree in Sociology. This is when I realized my re-discovered inspiration... It is the world around me I needed to be drawing inspiration from. It really is that simple. You see, people and their environments are inspiring to me, and what better places to re-connect with that than in Greenwich Village, the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Five Points, Brooklyn, and more?

It is time I get back to chronicling the people, places and things that interest me, and I see this as being a forum for me to do that. I won't always write a lengthy blog, but I plan to share my experiences with those that care to take note. The imagery will be the focus, perhaps with an accompanying story, or maybe I will leave the story up to you, the reader. Whatever the case, I hope to, at the very least, share a bit of myself, and maybe even inspire you.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy what is to come.

Image of the Day

Image © Beau Stiles Creative 2012

With all the political discussion around our national finances, it took me back to what I felt when I visited Wall St. about a month ago. Regardless of where you stand on all the issues, when you stand in front of the NYSE, you get a sense of the power of finance. Everything in the financial district is bigger and more impactful than you might expect, and truly expresses itself as the center of the financial world.

To me, this image represents not only that power, but also the history and symbolism of the NYSE for America, as well as these dark financial times. There is a heaviness that most of us share, and the mood that heaviness creates is a somber one.

No matter what your stance, or who you might blame for the financial crisis, remember to get out and vote during the upcoming election. The only chance we as citizens have to make a difference is to be involved. Write letters, call their offices, and especially VOTE for your all your elected officials, as the choices and decisions they make affect us all.

Where Did It Go?

No, I didn't misplace my camera, nor my cocktail. I am referencing TIME! Where has it gone? Seems like it was just a couple days ago I was looking forward to school starting back up, lounging at the pool, and an awesome trip planned to NYC. Well, that was over a month ago!

School is back in full swing, as I enter what will be my final year, my wife enters her second year of her PhD program, and our daughter enters the BIG 8th grade! Aside from a significant issue with college textbooks getting shipped to the wrong address, everything is going smashingly!

The pool on the other hand, well, it closed a couple weeks ago for the season. It made me a little sad when I walked by the clubhouse and saw all the great pool furniture stacked up for the winter, and the pool completely covered. I really need to make use of it more.

And the trip to NYC? EPIC! We stayed in Manhattan, took in Wicked, took a bus tour, rented bikes to ride through Central Park, took Staten Island Ferry, saw Ground Zero, went to the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center) for the best views of the city, and... well you get the point. Having never been, it was a very exciting, positive experience for us to share. I was able to get some great shots, consumed a lot of amazing food, and created memories to last a lifetime.

Since returning, I visited an art fair in Alexandria, which may have been just the jolt of inspiration I needed to start creating again. And then, just last weekend, we visited Lancaster County, PA. Amish food rocks, as does their craftsmanship. Nothing but respect for some of the hardest working, most dedicated people in America.

That brings me to tonight. My hand hurts from writing so many notes earlier (yes, I still actually write, as I have become a bit of a pen snob) for school, so I'm enjoying a cocktail and bringing this blog up to speed. Now if I can only find my...

So Many Things...

I have a new problem. It's a serious one. Much worse than ever before.

In the past, it was always a struggle in Idaho to find something to do, that I wanted to do, and felt worth doing. It seemed like after just a short while, I had pretty much made the rounds, leaving little else to explore. Frequently this resulted in my staying home, rather than heading out to do something I had already done countless times.

Here in the DC area, the problem is a bit different. There are always new things to try or to do. The problem comes from not being able to decide which new thing to do, new place to visit, new experience to partake in. There are quite literally so many things to do and experience, there have been times I couldn't decide, so I stayed home! I know, lame, right?

Over the course of the past month, I have taken in several of the Smithsonian's fine museums, explored nearby Alexandria, VA, Washington, DC, as well as Annapolis, MD. I have toured the old stomping grounds of George Washington at Mount Vernon, and endured countless miles of wonderful DC area traffic. I have even ventured to the Franconia DMV to get my new driver's license and license plates (talk about an adventure!). This is just an overview!

This weekend, we are venturing out of the area for the holiday, and taking on a new adventure! New York City. We've never been, but we are excited to visit the city that never sleeps. We will enjoy all the sights, sounds and flavors Manhattan might offer, as well as taking in our first Broadway show... Wicked. We hear it is a must-see.

Of course, my camera will never be out of reach, and I will try and capture this adventure with all the wonderment and joy of a 3 year old on Christmas morning... or at least capture the essence of a new city. I just hope we can decide what to do, what to see, and where to be before we get there... I'd hate to find ourselves in the same situation we have here. You know, too many choices... It's the cross I bear.

New Horizons

The past few weeks have been full of nearly 5,000 miles of driving, hundreds of new sights, fantastic experiences, and many goodbyes. 

It started off the weekend before the 4th of July, as two of my kids and I drove North from our home in Kuna, ID to visit the eldest at the University of Idaho. From there, we headed to Spokane, WA for five days to visit with family over the holiday. We had a great time visiting, experiencing Hoop Fest, a concert in the park, and of course a fantastic fireworks display that we watched from the grounds of Gonzaga. The round trip was just about 1,000 miles, and well worth it. 

As soon as we got home, we had to pack our shipping container with all our remaining possessions. My daughter and I were about to embark on a roughly 3,800 mile road trip over the course of 10 days, through 14 states, to our new home in the Washington, DC area, where my wife has been since January. 

Some of the highlights of our road trip included Arches National Park in Utah, the UFO museum in Roswell, The Alamo in San Antonio, Family and friends in Austin, eating crocodile in Baton Rouge, ghost tour in Savannah, the boardwalk and Putt-Putt with friends in Myrtle Beach, and of course our arrival at our new home.

So, here we are, beginning a new chapter in our lives, looking forward to the future and the adventures life will bring. Here's to new horizons! (oh, and my daughter's first trip to the White House tomorrow)...

I will add some of the imagery from this adventure to the website soon!