Facebook and that Infamous "Like" button

The picture came from here

I am a very sensitive person.  Maybe hypersensitive is more like it. My family thinks that I am a drama queen, and yes, I can wear that crown quite proudly. People like to share their thoughts and feelings with friends and family on Facebook. However, there is something that happens frequently that really gets to me; No, it gets in my craw (American slang, sorry). We've all seen it and maybe you have done it more frequently than you know.  You see a post on the website and you hit that infamous "like" button.  Oh look my friend posted a pretty picture or a lovely quote and your mouse heads toward the button without your mind being engaged. However,there are some people who hit the like button whenever someone puts a death notice on line. Really? This is something that I never understood. You honestly "like" the fact that Aunt Bessie died or you cannot muster the strength to type a little comforting statement such as: I am sorry for your loss? I can hear it now. "I don't know what to say" is your excuse, so, you instinctively hit the "like" button. 

If we could just think about the pain that the other person is experiencing on the other side of that post maybe we could say something comforting instead rather than just pushing a button.  What are your thoughts?

Raising the Ceiling

Some days it seems to pour down with all that the worst that the world can dish out.  Today, I want to start out with the positive.  There are possibilities in every situation, even the ones that don't seem so uplifting. While listening to NPR (National Public Radio) on my way to work, I heard one of the guests quote the saying below.  I felt uplifted all day. Personal things are going on with my family that I wish would never happen.  It is scary. I don't know the outcome, but I know that I am going to help fight the battle even if it takes every ounce of strength that I have. I must, it is the least that I can do...

Falkirk Wheel in Scotland: The Canal Connector

The picture came from here

There is an amazing rotating boat lift in Scotland which is the only one of its kind in the world.  It is called The Falkirk Wheel. It was designed to reconnect the Fourth and Clyde (both canals built in 1777) canals with the Union canal (complete in 1822).  When they were completely done there was a difference of 79 feet in elevation between them.  Something needed to be done to correct the problem. The planners wanted to design a unique boat lift that would connect the canals going east and west so that they could reach Glasgow with greater ease.  

It has two arms that has a tub which fills with water. The tubs are filled accorcding to the Archimedes' Law. That means the tubs are balanced.  Boats enter the tub and then the rotation begins. The rotation takes about 15 minutes to complete. Imagine all the planning that it took to put this kind of wheel together.  I found a video on Youtube that I thought would help give a visual for it. 

What a great way to see Scotland! Anyone up to a boat ride?

Working Man's Hands

A couple of weeks ago I researched photographing hands on the internet.  I came up with a few ideas and thought about a friend who would be able to help me.  I made some notes and waited for my friend to come over. 

My friend has working man hands. This man repairs machines all day for a living and when the day is over his hands are, well, gross.  Dirt and grime is stuck underneath the nails and cuticles.  When he came over, I asked him if I could photograph his hands. 

Afterwards, when we were looking at the photographs and he said that he didn't realize how dirty they were. I assured him that was the look I was going for in the photographs. 

Real men sometimes have dirt underneath their fingernails and it is OK. 

A Mosaic covered House

The Journal Gazette did a write up about a house in Los Angeles that is truly one of a kind.  I have always liked mosaics and eventually I will try to do one. Aziz and Louise Farnam from Iran began gluing tiles to the outside of their bungalow 13 years ago.  They were inspired by the tiles and lavishly decorated mosques from their native country.  I have to admit when I went to Morocco the tiles there were awesome. I would love to see what the inside of this house looks like.  

Hmmm this gives me an idea...What I would like to do is put some decorative tiles around the front door of my house. This is something that they do in Morocco and I really liked the idea, especially if you live in a place where all of the houses resemble each other. 

What started out as a hobby exploded into this unique beauty. 

Once the first mosaic was put in place the couple began scrounging around for more tiles, plates, and figurines.

                       The pictures came from experiencingla.com