Cloning and having a soul

I just finished reading the book Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro.  I've never been one of those who reads all of the most popular books that are out currently.  Sometimes it takes me years to get to some of those books if at all. I found this by chance while looking for something to watch on YouTube. I watched a snippet and decided that this would be interesting to watch.  Then I went to my local resale shop and found both the book and the DVD. 

When the first sheep was cloned back in 1996 and Dolly arrived on the world's platform, I was amazed. Somehow, I felt that maybe we trying to fill God's shoes in the creating department or on the verge of it anyway.  Then I began to wonder if the sheep had a soul or if any being that was created in the lab had a soul. Does it or doesn't it? Isn't there something magical that happens at conception? 

The story centers around three characters, Kathy, the story teller, Tommy, and Ruth. Kathy narrates this sordid tale about their secluded existence in a place called Hailsham. The children were treated very well at this home for clones, unlike some of the other centers around the country we hear about in the story. All of the children are the same age, which piqued my interest more deeply as I read. It is hinted to them what their short lives will consist of but it is never out in plain sight. They are lied to, tricked, and manipulated so that they will be resigned to the fate for which they were created. 

They were encouraged to be creative and if they became good enough their "art" was taken to Madam's gallery.  Everyone aspired to have their work at the gallery even though they would never get to see it on display. If a student doesn't do well creatively they are made fun of by the other students. Why did they have such an intense focus on being creative?  Hint: It has to do with the soul. 

If you never read another book then this one should be your last. I was enthralled by this novel and how it played out.  Throughout the story I kept asking myself what I would do if I were in that situation.  The author kept my mind twisting and turning the whole time, not wanting to look at the horror of their lives, but peeking nonetheless. 

Create your own luck

Reflection in a puddle

This is Your Life. Claim it. Find your Passion and live it. Corporate life is not an end all to the work experience. Life is more than paycheck to paycheck.  Seek success by your own definition. If you love art, music, or writing, then go for it. Don’t wait until you are near retirement to fulfill your dreams. Explore this planet on which we live.  You will be surprised by the many wonders that are out there. Make a list of what you want to do, see, or feel and plan to accomplish as many as possible before your journey in this life is over.  Love deep.  Cry sometimes. Get up and start again. Stretch your mind beyond the boundaries of culture and religion.  Someone’s opinion of you is just that, don’t let it define or defeat you. Dream big. Create. Everything you do begets something else. Inspire others to do the same. Create your own luck.

Jeannie Smith

10/23/2016

Look to the Sky

Sometimes we have to look beyond ourselves for answers.  Besides, if we knew everything then why would we search to know the mystery that is called life?

Don't be afraid to live and to do it passionately. Love deep. Cry sometimes. Be thankful. Don't get upset over small things. Sometimes God is in the strangest places.

Sensitive

Has anyone ever told you that "You worry too much", "You shouldn't feel that way" or "You cannot save the world?" I have struggled with it all of my life. Sensitivity. It is also labelled hyper sensitive or HSP (highly sensitive people).  It is not something that I really thought about until just recently as I was having a conversation with my nephew.  He mentioned that he thinks about things a long after an incident, especially when he feels that he said something that he thinks was wrong. The words roll over and over in his mind wishing that they were never spoken.  I, too, am that way.  It can be torture and you feel trapped by your emotions. If you are not a highly sensitive person you will not understand where I am coming from.

I had a bout with one of my siblings recently and I cried for days afterwards, feeling it intensely. People have told me that I worry too much. I know that I do. But I haven't been able to get a handle on it. Or am I supposed to? Perhaps I am wired to be this way. Being sensitive is not that bad really; When things get to be a bit too much for me, that is when I tend to be emotional.

Here are some indications that you are HSP:

1. When you are expected to do a lot of things in a short amount of time it becomes overwhelming and you shut down. 

2. Crowds or places that have a lot of noise is uncomfortable and you have a hard time thinking. (Try eating in a place with metal walls, oh joy!) 

3.  Alone time is essential for recharging.  

4.  Are you in a bad mood because someone else is?

5. Do you try to avoid upsetting situations at all cost?

6. Constant change makes you rattled. 

7. Do bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics or sirens bother you?

8. Does music, poetry, or art move you deeply?

9. Do you notice details that others may miss?

10. Do you notice when someone is uncomfortable and try to make them feel at ease?

The list goes on and on. Did you know that about 15- 20% of the population is HSP?  I didn't know that either.  They are generally introverted, like the quiet, and tend to notice things that others seem to overlook. The really great thing is that a lot of the highly sensitive people are creative.  Van Gough and Michael Jackson, are just a couple of examples of highly sensitive people. Click here to take a test to see if you are highly sensitive. 

Girl Gone

I haven't really disappeared but it seems like it.  The summer has been busy with photographing a wedding, part two is this Saturday. And the pressure of trying to get enough models to pose for my photography class assignments that is coming up in a few weeks has been stressful, besides working my full time job that I about worn out. I am no quitter. Trust me, I have thought about it a time or two though.  So, tonight I went out to photograph flowers.  I wish that I could say that they were all brilliant but that would be lying.  The cone flower is the best one out of the bunch and the last one that I took.  

The thing about being a photographer is that I see wonderful pictures of things as I drive by and sadly my camera is not always with me.  The other day, I saw two monks chatting while sitting in front of a church.  I looked over and thought what a great picture it was. I could have run home and got the camera but the moment was lost.  That is exactly what photography is. Capturing moments.  

Please bear with me while I work on some fine art photography over the next few weeks and will be posting more regular then. 

Humble and Kind

Kindness...it is really a virtue. Humility too. Both are recognized in many cultures and religions as a value. Kindness is not a weakness by no means. And yet, those folks who are kind are exploited for that very thing. I have seen animals show kindness in rescuing one of their own from harm. It is not just a human thing either. The video below is wonderful and it made me think about how important it is to be kind.

Kindness is everything in life.

Footprints in the Sand

I don't want to be like footprints in the sand.
I want to leave my mark, like the stars shine in the dark. 
I don't want to be, something that will fade away.  
A distant memory, washed out by the sea.
Like footprints in the sand. 

Rueban Studdard

Lighthouse

Lighthouses don't run all  over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining. 

Anne Lamott

My Heart is Something

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My gathering was small but still appreciated.  Two women, an aunt and her niece, put together a fine meal.  But more than anything else I was able to spend time with family.  For this alone, I am thankful.  

Someone posted the video below of a little girl trying to explain what was in her heart to her mother. The little girl wanted desperately for her parents to get along. When she said that she wanted things to be in the middle where her heart was I nearly burst into tears.  Take a couple of minutes and listen to an eloquent child.  

We all have a lot to learn from this beautiful little girl.
Posted by MiNDFOOD on Sunday, November 8, 2015

What it is to be Human

"You can't buy life." He said.  That tiny sentence touched me.  We spend our lives working, sleeping, eating, loving, etc... I just watched a  program Called Human by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. He spent three years travelling the world collecting personal stories from over 2000 people and compiled a 3-part documentary on being human.  Each of us has a battle. Most of the time we think that we are in it alone, but we are not.  It is beautifully done and for me it was emotional to watch. I cried as I listened to the stories of poverty, hardship, wanting love, and never knowing it. I thought about my struggles and realize that mine pale in comparison to those that told their story.  Part 2 & 3 are on Youtube. 

"Life is like carrying a message from the child you were

 to the old man that you will be."

Getting back up is living...

"There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy.  Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living." 

Quote by 
Jose N. Harris

Wolfpack: A Review

They were secluded in a six room apartment for as long as they could remember.  No one was allowed to go out until one day one of the children bravely turned the knob on the door to enter freedom.  Last night I saw the documentary "Wolfpack." I came away speechless.  I kept trying to imagine how I would be if I were shut up in an apartment for the majority of my life with no way out.

Picture by Larry Busacca\Getty

The Angulo family lived in a housing apartment building in New York City. They were poor. They survived on Welfare and the little bit of money the mother made homeschooling the children. A controlling father kept his family at bay with strict rules and kept the only key to get out. The children's only salvation was their imagination, which I found compelling. Below is an episode from 20\20 reviewing the movie and most of all their lives after the documentary.

Authentically You!

We are surrounded by people, six billion to be exact and counting. And with those people come challenges.  Each one thinks that his way is right and most everyone else is wrong.  Which can lead to frustration. As humans we tend to lead lives that are copies.  Instead of trying to take our own path we seem to follow the same road as everyone else.  Religion is passed down from each generation without thought and to question, well, it is considered sacrilegious or worse. Whatever the next fashion fad is most want that new look.  And yet, we're afraid to wander from the path to individuality. What if a 54 year old woman wanted to wear flowers in her hair?  And I do. People would point at her and say that she is foolish. Or whatever it is that we want to do so that we can speak out our uniqueness to the world. We were not created on an assembly line. So, why then should we live like we were made in a factory? 

I recently came across a poem that Rumi wrote which touched my soul:  

For years, copying other people, I tried to know myself. 
From within, I couldn't decide what to do.
Unable to see, I heard my name being called.
Then I walked outside.


The Rumi Collection by Helminski

Where are you heading?

Where are you going? Has your life turned out the way that you wanted?  I know that my has taken a turn that I didn't want or expect.  But sometimes it is what is best.  Someone once said that in the end everything will be alright. If it is not alright, then it is not the end. 

Keep dreaming, keep hoping, keep trying new things...you may happen upon something that will change your life. 

There's always something deeper

There's always something deeper. We are just a mere speck on this planet, but have the ability to move mountains if we want to.  Keep looking up for inspiration, guidance, and hope.  

Plants, Nails, and missing God

Today, I was at a photo shoot with a client.  We went to the Botanical Gardens on this cold, cloudy day. The wind is blowing steady while the last remnants of lifeless brown leaves hang on till their strength gives way.The days seem short, dark, lifeless. After the session was nearly over my eyes focused on a tree made with nails. In the midst of the nails was a plant of some sort. Blooming, green, and full of life. Among the rust and impenetrable metal a plant was determined to live. Sometimes life is this way. We find ourselves in places so confining that it may seem fruitless to dare to hope for survival. Any yet, we somehow find the strength. 

I had to cross the street to get to my car. The Cathedral was only a few steps away.  It has been a long time since I have gone to worship and I miss it. Maybe it is more the quiet place that I miss. Being still and knowing that I am not alone.  I desperately wanted to sit down and listen to that still quiet voice that speaks to us in times of solitude. The door was locked. Tomorrow I may not have the strength to go... 

Batch Blues Photography

I have finally done it. The Facebook page for Batch Blues Photography is up and running finally.  Things will be slow until the beginning of the year with me because I am working 50 hours a week and still try to maintain some kind of normalcy to my life.  Most days I come home and get ready for bed only to repeat the same thing again the next day.

As for cooking, well, I do most of that on the weekends along with all the other things that I enjoy the most.  I still want to post recipes as well as stories. Those times I spent in the kitchen cooking tagines and couscous were the best that I have ever experienced. It is thrilling to try new recipes along with spices that I never knew existed. I grew to love Moroccan cuisine, maybe even more so than American food.

When I started my other blog, Until Morocco, that is when the photography bug bit me. Ever since then I was hooked.  I lived and breathed photography. I have taken a few classes and a zillion pictures in the interim. There is so much to learn and so many ways to make photographic art. Wish me luck in this new phase of my life.  Trust me, I am very excited about it.  

This picture was taken in Roann, Indiana a couple of weeks ago.  I like the country feel when I travel outside of town and breathe in the fresh air. This is living at its best, quiet and simple, away from the noise of the city. What is of most interest is the old buildings, especially the barns.

When I was a child we would take our annual trip to the land of my father, Tennessee.  I love the rusty tin roofs on the run down log cabins and the old red barns with See Rock City written on the side or the roof. Those things remind me of my birthplace (Tennessee) which make my heart fill up with warm memories. So, forgive me if I become a little barn happy with my postings. I'm just thinking about Tennessee.    

Enjoying Now

Last years rough winter made spring a most welcome visitor. And now we are on the cusp of another winter. I dread the confinement of the season. Peering at the world through the window from behind closed curtains.  

The gardens are now a withering version of what they were a couple of months ago.  Yesterday, I was chatting with a stranger about being present. We always tend to project our thoughts to the future or in the past.  But we are never here, never now. 

As we were exiting the elevator to start our work day the woman said, "Maybe there isn't that much to be happy about right now to keep our minds in the present."  

Then she said, "This is such a philosophical subject for such an early hour." I laughed. We wished each other good day.  The thing is, what she said is true. When we eat a delicious meal it is gobbled instead of savored with our palate.  Instead of enjoying each morsel that is placed into our mouth.  

We miss details in the busyiness of life. Like a colorful flower, beautiful beads on a dress, an intended smile. Things that are here, now, present seem to not be worth savoring, which they should, because they are our future memories. I want to practice being here in the moment and live like it was my last day on earth having permission to do nothing if I want to.  

The Grasshopper and a needing a new camera

I was cleaning out a flower bed the other day and I noticed a grasshopper watching me.  I like insects, bugs, and especially grasshoppers.  As quickly as I could, I ran into the house to get my camera, asking the grasshopper to please stay until I returned.  He did.  I'm sure that I looked like a one-eyed monster to this tiny creature as I crept up ever so slowly to get the perfect shot.  When I was done, I told him thank you and went inside.  Isn't he lovely?  

My camera has died.  And it did so while I was in the middle of a photo shoot yesterday.  It is time to bit the bullet and get a new one. I tried to see if it could be repaired, but it is very old and the manufacturer said that the model is no longer fixable.  The thing is I didn't want to do it right now.  Things are starting to look up for me with a new job and a raise and I didn't factor a camera into my immediate plans.  But, I cannot go without being able to take pictures. It is something that I absolutely love to do.  I don't mind standing on ladders to get the perfect shot or laying on the ground either. Things look differently now.  I look at the world and all it contains and see a picture, a beautiful picture in my mind. I want to capture the essence of it. I feel driven...I want to create an infinitesimal moment of beauty so that I can leave my mark in this world, even if it is a small one.

Grasshopper
grasshopper
all day long
we hear your scraping
summer song
like
rusty
fiddles
in
the
grass
as through
the meadow
path
we pass
such funny legs
such funny feet
and how we wonder
what you eat
maybe a single blink of dew
sipped from a clover leaf would do
then high in air
once more you spring
to fall in grass again
and sing.

Conrad Potter Aiken

I should have brought you flowers...

He emerged from the car with a gift. You don't see men carrying these around much. I watched as he made his way to her with his offering of love. All women love them, even if they declare that they don't. He found a vase and put the delicate flowers gently in their new home. They are beautiful. If only she could see them. The sweet perfume of the flower wafted on the gentle breeze to my nostrils but the one they were intended for could not smell them. Did he give her flowers before this? I hope that he did. I continued watching as he stood there talking to her. He looked around to make sure that no one noticed that he was conversing with the invisible. Did she hear him? I felt like a thief observing this intimate encounter. Afterwards, the man turned and walked back to his car. We live between the two eternities, birth and death. She has gone to hers and is patiently waiting for him.