I love photography and I do believe it can say things that can’t ever be captured in words. So while this is obviously a text heavy blog, I wanted to share the photos which said the most to me this year and a few of the reasons why.
These first five come from sources worldwide. The next five are more personal:
The English language fascinates me. Unlike French or Italian, English lacks a lyrical or sensual structure, even when coming out of Kiera Knightly. Yet, whenever I think I should really learn another language I’m reminded how much I really don’t know my first one.
I don’t remember learning English. I’m sure I was full of questions about it, but I truly have no memories of asking about a word or learning a new phrase. For me, vocabulary exercises are linked to those specially hellish memories of classes which couldn’t end fast enough. Yet, now that we’re spending time parroting things for my son I’ve gained a new perspective on the enormous mountain of learning associated with English. In fact, maybe I need to learn something else because the scale can’t be larger than the jumbled mess of rules and exceptions which make up my native tongue.
I’ve had this thing nagging at me for a while, an issue in the back of my mind which I keep bumping into and then turning away from. But since moving to Utah, I’ve come face to face with it a few times and now I’m really thinking.
Celebrity is one of the things I find fascinating and infuriating about our society. People who are our entertainment have now become our idols. It’s as if the court Jester ( a slave-like role in its day) has now become the champion of the kingdom.
And the phenomenon has turned the corner from people famous for doing something we love, to people who are famous for just being famous.
Which leads me to my recent irksome line of questioning:
What is Ashton Kutcher known for? Why is this guy famous?
The minute I saw this news story I knew I’d found a blog entry. A strange mix of irony, tragedy, and sheer stupidity converging to create fantastic commentary on the strangeness of our society.
Here’s the short version: A 20 year old girl in Detroit has been put on probation at her job. Why? Well, she’s a waitress at Hooter’s and she’s getting a bit fat for her shiny orange shorts.
And this made the news. Redefining the “fluff piece”. Ah-hem.
I’ve resisted writing about Haiti because, while incredibly tragic, it irks me to see our nation running to the aid of some other country when there’s so many terrible problems at home. I don’t think we should be policing the world or trying to save it, especially now. I guess the older I get, the more isolationist I become, but I can’t help thinking “why don’t celebraties have telethons to fix problems in America?”.
But I digress.
From the rubble of one of the world’s poorest countries came a story which seemed to perfectly highlight the haves and have-nots of the tragedy. And both the absurdity, and wonder, of our national obsession with technology.
An iPhone saved a man’s life in Haiti.
I’ve been thinking about two news events which happened within 24hrs of each other on Christmas day 2009:
Two men with deeply held religious beliefs illegally traveled into other countries to spread their messages. Neither succeeded, but both made news. And though the news coverage has been very different, I can’t shake the feeling that their stories are almost exactly the same.
Forty years ago today a man first set foot on the surface of the moon. Neil Armstrong left a boot print and uttered his immortal “One small step for man, one giant leap for Mankind.” And here I am, suddenly struck by how much this anniversary celebration spotlights where America is and isn’t in 2009. Click to continue »
GM used to be the biggest company in the US, and one of the most successful in the world. Now they’ve filed for bankruptcy protection, becoming “Government Motors” with 60% owned by Uncle Sam. Hopefully they will emerge soon and stronger. And since much has already been written about this fall, both supportive and damning, I find myself a bit nostalgic about my first love affair with the American car. Click to continue »
Unless you live in a bunker with no internet or television, you know that Swine Flu is the hot topic and disease of the moment. And in this constant barrage of updates and headlines touting “pandemic” I’m struck again by America’s #1 creation. We used to lead the world cars, computers, electronics, and freedom, but now we lead in one area: Panic and Fear.
