Gaia Community: Craig Photography's Blog

Workshop - NOW BOOKING

http://Photography.gaia.com — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:19:04 GMT

I will be teaching a 2-night workshop called Purposeful Blogging for your Photography Business at the Silver Eye Center for Photography located in the South Side of Pittsburgh PA.

Tuesdays July 14 and 21, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

"Purposeful Blogging is a marketing tool for photographers who want to grow their business by building an audience through the use of new communication models. Blogging for your business is a demonstration of your skill and representation of who you are. This two-evening workshop with Photographer John Craig will introduce you to techniques that can help you launch your business into the blogosphere."

This is two nights of must-have information on how to build your audience thru blogging and how to sustain you business.

Reservations required

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Purposeful Blogging for Your Photography Business

http://Photography.gaia.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:47:40 GMT

Tuesdays July 14 and 21, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Purposeful Blogging is a marketing tool for photographers who want to grow their business by building an audience through the use of new communication models. Blogging for your business is a demonstration of your skill and representation of who you are. This two-evening workshop will introduce you to techniques that can help you launch your business into the blogosphere.

Members, $55.00; Non-members, $65.00. Reservations required.

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Halloween Wedding Giveaway Contest!!

http://Photography.gaia.com — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:40:52 GMT

The following vendors would like to announce that we are holding a contest to give away a FREE wedding! Read below for all of the exciting details!

PITTSBURGH HALLOWEEN WEDDING GIVEAWAY CONTEST

Craig Photography$2500 Value
Lavish Events $3000 Value
Wenning Entertainment$1500 Value
Alex's Flowers $500 Value
Jody's Pantry$5300 Value
Dress My Chair$2500 Value
Eye Magnet Jewelry$300 Value
All Star Limousines$250 Value
Toast Letterpress$750
Betsy's Barn

The vendors have come together to give away free Halloween Costume-themed Wedding to one lucky couple!

All you have to do to enter is upload a video on our "Pittsburgh Halloween Wedding Giveaway" Facebook page with you and your fiance and tell us why you think you should win. If you don't already have a Facebook account, sign up and then enter the search terms "Pittsburgh Halloween Wedding Giveaway" in the "search" tool and our page will come up. Become a "fan" of the site and then scroll down to the "video upload" section of the Facebook page and upload the video you made with your fiance.

-Wedding will be held on 10/31/09 at Betsy's Barn.
-Must be a costume-themed wedding, ie
-all guests and entire wedding party (including bride and groom) must dress up in a costume to attend.
-Limited to 125 guests (including entire wedding party).
-Must be willing to do on camera and written interviews.
-Winner will be decided by public voting. Anyone can vote and voters can vote any time during the contest by sending an email to the provided email address (pittsburghgiveaway@me.com). One vote per email address. The couple with the most votes wins.-Voting ends begins April 13 and ends August 10. Winner announced on the Pittsburgh Halloween Wedding Giveaway Facebook page August 14.

INCLUDES:
-free day of photography including all edited photos with reprinting rights for printing, and upload to private website.
-free wedding planning services.-free DJ services for reception.
-$500 worth of wedding day flowers.-free catering for 125 guests plus Halloween themed wedding cake.
-free limo service for wedding couple.
-free Halloween decoration service for wedding ceremony and reception
-free venue-free tux rental
-free makeup and hair service for the bride
-free invitations-free fashion jewelry for the bride

Video entries will be received from April 13, 2009 until August 10, 2009. The winner will be announced on August 14, 2009 at 3pm on the Wall of the Pittsburgh Halloween Wedding Giveaway Facebook page.

Good Luck!

Tags: Craig Photography, Pittsburgh Wedding Photographers

On Being a Prius Owner "so-far"

http://Photography.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:52:56 GMT

Things that have disappointed me "so-far" about being a Prius owner:

-People do not applaud when I enter a building.
-Starkbucks does not give me free soy lattés.
-Being an elitist is lonely
-Savings of only 19 cents a month on car insurance.
-I cannot find my car in an Ikea parking lot.
-Al Gore still will not accept my phone calls.
-Nobody cares that I'm an eco-snob.
-No key??? It comes with a smart key which is actually called a fob. I fear all things called "fob".
-Not sure if the Prius is Scientology approved (read this).
-As of yet to have my name added to the celebrity hybrid drivers list.
-Bumper sticker confusion? Do I place an Apple logo, Vegans are Cool, Enlighten-Up, Coexist on my Prius's backside?

Things that I love about being a Prius owner "so-far":

-It's the coolest iPod accessory ever.
-You don't have to plug your Prius into to your computer to recharge the batteries.
-I feel closer to Barak Obama.
-Oprah hugged me.
-My Moleskin notebook looks extra cool sitting on the passenger seat.
-Jesus loves me more - this I know is true....

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The Knot Best of Weddings 2009 Pick

http://Photography.gaia.com — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:09:52 GMT

WE DID IT AGAIN!

How excited are we?? We are proud to announce that CRAIG PHOTOGRAPHY has been rated by local brides and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2008/2009 Pick. Please pick up a copy of The Knot Best of Weddings 2009 magazine and check out our listing.

Tags: http://www.craig-photography.com/

Is it more important to understand the art or the artist?

http://Photography.gaia.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:12:37 GMT

Is it more important to understand the art or the artist?
~Comments needed for project~

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Updates

http://Photography.gaia.com — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:50:52 GMT

City Night Gallery - See updates here
My blog was down on Thursday - Read yesterday post here (p.s. it's a good one)

Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 7.1
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 22 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash

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Published

http://Photography.gaia.com — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:50:47 GMT

Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette - published a short story of mine, you can read it (here).

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The Shepherd & Alpaca - Flash Fiction

http://Photography.gaia.com — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:18:11 GMT

I am in the mist of my first writing workshop. Here is a draft of my homework.

I am a shepherd of Alpacas, an animal that is stuck between creation and evolution not knowing if it was meant to be a large dog or a small llama. Misfits of the animal kingdom, abandoned by God and not worthy of being served for dinner.

As for me I have the easiest job in the world. I stand atop a Peru mountain at 16,404 ft. watching this slow mammal graze and grow hair.

In replace of a shepherd staff I carry a wooden spool with alpaca's thread for making blankets. Alpaca are tribally one of the most boring fur covered beasts you will ever come a cross. No need for organizing them because they feel no need for chaos or even an outwardly sense of movement. Air, soil and water is all you need to keep an alpaca herd alive. It's akin to being a shepherd of trees, hence, why the pay is so bad.

I get rewarded in fur, which magically becomes a fiber when your shave it off the alpacas' backs. Fiber is what we call it when Alpaca hair converts into a sellable product. This magical fiber, not as valuable as wool, is a lot less scratchy when knit into blankets.

Spinning and knitting alpaca blankets, being the shepherd of trees at 16,4040 ft. atop this mountain I work. I am lonely...would you want one of these blankets? You, yes you reading these words; please take my photograph. Show the photograph to your people, and tell my story of the shepherd and alpaca blankets.

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WIN A FREE PHOTO SHOOT

http://Photography.gaia.com — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:57:27 GMT

All my GAIA friends help spread the word -

CRAIG PHOTOGRAPHY CREATIVE PHOTO SHOOT CONTEST 2009

http://craig-photography.blogspot.com/2009/02/win-free-photo-shoot.html

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Wedding Wire Bride's Choice Award 2009 Recipient

http://Photography.gaia.com — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:36:16 GMT

•February 4, 2009 • No Comments

I am thrilled to announce that WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding technology company, just announced that Craig Photography has won the 2009 Bride's Choice Awards^TM!

In its inaugural year, the Bride's Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year's recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire's vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Craig Photography is one of the very best photographers.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride's Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

"We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community," according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire's Chief Executive Officer. "This year's recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry."

Craig Photography would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride's Choice Award!

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No Demons - Short Story

http://Photography.gaia.com — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:08:36 GMT

Sander Yari was found dead in his apartment on the South Side of Pittsburgh, PA yesterday morning, approximately 30 minutes after sunrise. Yari's body was discovered by his girlfriend, Emily, of the past 2yrs.

I told the paramedics that I was picking him up that morning to go jogging down by the waterfront. I let myself in the apartment with the key that he gave me and noticed Sander sitting on his meditation cushion. This was nothing new for me to see, Sander has been a practicing meditator since high school. The next ten minutes I sat in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea and I didn't become concerned until I saw that his head had fallen forward onto his chest. When he didn't move I walked over to him calling his name and when I placed my hand on his shoulder I felt nothing. No movement, no breath, no warmth, no blood flow, no life. I panicked. I called 911. I screamed. I froze. I waited for the paramedics to arrive. There he sat in the lotus pose dead, with the slightest smile on his face and a note paper-clipped to his dog tags.

The paramedic told me that it seemed he suffered no pain; his body had no sign of trauma. His heart just stopped...it's a damn mystery. Then the paramedic zipped up the black bag that now held Sander's body. He handed me the letter and Sander's dog tags, gave me a bereaved smile, said he was sorry for my loss and pushed the gurney out the front door of the apartment.

I placed Sander's dog tags around my neck and read his letter.

The note read:
This is not a suicide letter. This is my letter of samsara; my cycle of death to re-birth has begun. It is my intention to transmigrate from the organic to the ethereal, back to the organic world. I sit...breathe in and breathe out, staring at the sunrise asking my soul to leave this subtle body.

With love, Sander
P.S. I found God and s/he wears shoes

"What...what...what!? Sander!" I screamed...death, samsara, God, shoes...F-you. Why? What do I do now? Who do I call first? I am cold, I am alone...Sander...why?

Not knowing what to do next I sat down in the lotus pose on Sander's meditation cushion staring out the same window as he did, seeing the view which would have been his last. City skyline, tree tops, white clouds, gray-blue sky and the smell of clean morning air. This is what Sander would have seen. I cried...I pressed his dog tags to my chest and felt the cold steel that he wore around his neck since before we met. For all the time that I laid in his arms I never took notice of what the dog tags had inscribed on them.

Surname, First name, Second Initial: Yari, Sander A.
Army serial number: 3733756 T42 430
Blood Type: Negative A
Religion: No demons

Three days later I was in front of a crowd of 300 people. A gathering of his ex-army buddies, college friends and relatives, all of whom I had never met. I stood in a church that Sander would have never attended and gave his eulogy.

"No demons...that is what Sander had on his dog tags for his religion preference. That is Sander Yari, he no longer cared for organized religion and felt no need to pick any one house of worship over the other. In his simplistic way... no demons...was a perfect fit for his statement of faith.

"I met Sander in November ‘06, waiting in line for coffee. Actually I met Sander when I accidentally spilled my coffee on his hands at the cream and sugar bar. I was so apologetic, he was calm and smiled. We introduced ourselves, we talked, shared a scone and fell in love over the next couple of months. We would go jogging in the morning and at night would cook dinner together. He called it our "cooking therapy". No television, no music, just us talking about our day while we prepared our meal.

"Every Sunday afternoon we would have dinner with my family. Sunday evening would be spent in my father's woodshop, building ornate picture frames. It was great time spent. We would turn on football games or a hockey games or if there were no games we would turn on the iPod shuffle and listen to our jukebox of music. He would build frames, I would watch, we would both drink beer and sometimes we would dance in the dust.

"Sander held a job that he was impartial to. He was good at his job, or at least the company he worked for liked him. Sander did not like to spend the money that he earned from his job, if he could help it. He did spend it, but he preferred sweat equity. That's what he called it...sweat equity....hard work in trade for service. That's what he did with all those picture frames that he built in my father's woodshop. Trade for service; sometimes he would get a haircut or vegetables from a local produce shop. One time he even got his taxes done. It seems to make people happy....sweat equity.

"I called Sander my twenty-something-disco-monk; energetic on the outside and fully devoted on the inside. He was urban chic, artistic and cultural. He enjoyed experiences of the city life, good conversation and long dinners at home. He took pleasure in meditation, yoga and reading spiritual texts of all types.

"The spring of 2002 he was in the army station between the ice cube tray of Alaska and the sandbox of Iraq. Fire and ice, that's how he described traveling between the two of them. Sander never had to shoot a gun in combat nor was a gun ever shot at him. He was very happy about that. He was a Chaplin assistant in the Army, which gave him a lot of free time and a large library to read through.

"After reading the Gospel of Thomas he proclaimed an apostasy, a formal disaffiliation with organized religion. Sander interpreted a passage from the Gospel of Thomas in which Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there." I believe these are the words that have brought us here today. Sander did not believe that there was separation between Jesus and himself. I think he needed to prove it to himself."

At this time I read Sander's letter to the funeral congregation.

"This is not a suicide letter. This is my letter of samsara, my cycle of death to re-birth has begun. It is my intention to transmigrate from the organic to the ethereal, back to the organic world. I sit...breathe in and breathe out, staring at the sunrise asking my soul to leave this subtle body.

With love, Sander
p.s. I found God and s/he wears shoes."

I touched the neckline of my dress and pulled out his dog tags that I had hanging around my neck. Holding them tightly in my head I repeated the last sentence - P.S. I found God and s/he wears shoes.

Crying, I look down at my shoes... Breathe Emily, I say to myself, breathe.

Looking up from my shoes I see Sander standing in the back of the church...

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Craig-Photography 4.0 is launch

http://Photography.gaia.com — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:42:13 GMT

Craig-Photography 4.0 has officially been launched. Our new site is about active play, transparency and storytelling.

The newest addition to the site is Elizabeth's wedding blog. The wedding blog's function is about relationship building and storytelling. Elizabeth brings her love for composition, timing, perseverance and unquestionably her passion for photographing people to the site. Her blog went into beta mode on October 20, 2008 and has developed into a resource and a conversation starter for newly engaged couples. We are pleased to see it dwell on our new website.

Additionally, we added a new Investment page. This is where we try very hard to be 100% transparent to our clientele. We understand how hard and confusing it can be for customers to make informed decisions about wedding vendors. Simplicity with direct information is our answer to the confusion that many couples run into. We live by "please feel free to ask", if at any time there is any puzzlement just ask, we'll answer.

Lastly we would like to thank Direct-Axis for helping to develop our idea and then bring it to fruition. The team at Direct Axis has been kind, professional and fun to work with.

With deep bows of gratitude, we would like to thank you for spending time with us over the years. We are looking forward to seeing where this journey takes us.

Peace ~ John & Elizabeth

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5 Question Interview Series with David Burke

http://Photography.gaia.com — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:37:54 GMT

Elizabeth interviewed David Burke, (click her to read the interview).

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My Wife

http://Photography.gaia.com — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:02:22 GMT

I am so proud of my wife, see this

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Ambient Art - Updated

http://Photography.gaia.com — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:18:10 GMT

~ See slide show (here) Posted by Craig Photography at 10:32 AM 2 comments Labels: Ambient Art, Craig Photography

Photo of the Week - Ambient Art

Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 3 sec (3)
Aperture: f/36
Focal Length: 135 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

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Update

http://Photography.gaia.com — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:48:36 GMT

Two weeks of life without the computer screen in front of my face. What did I do? First, I miss you...a lot...seriously, hugs all around. Second, I read John Lennon: The life by Philip Norman. Excellent read: 800 plus pages on the life of Lennon and I couldn't put it down. Filled up my iPod with the entire collection of the Beatles' albums and I listened to them as I turned the pages on Lennon's life. Pleasurable time spent.

Watched my daughter enjoy Christmas. She is 3 this year and what she enjoyed the most about the holidays was spending time with her family. She's still a little too young to enjoy presents. Nonetheless, she takes pleasure in an empty broken down cardboard box and a pink crayon in her hand. That keeps her busy for days, or at least the next 30mins.

I was given a bottle Hennessy Cognac as a gift this year. I can for see this becoming my addiction of choice throughout this year. I feel like I am cheating on Chivas scotch but I've been faithful long enough. I call this year's addiction to cognac my lost weekend of choice.

Next week I will be installing (with my Father) a hardwood floor in my mudroom, which will then turn into my yoga/meditation/guitar/photography/practicing room. It's nice to have a space of your own. If your wife permits it, and mine does. J Love you E.

Went to the movies this past Sunday to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It's good, very good; this movie has rhythm and tempo. It will move you.

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Year 4

http://Photography.gaia.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:03:11 GMT

Year four in the blogoshpere. What to expect? The continuation of rants, compositions, moments, photos-of-the-week, 5-question-interview-series and the occasional humorous whatnots of me making fun of everyday life will be the groundwork of this blog.

New things for this blog and my life will be short story writing, diary entries and a focus on real life networking. 2009 is the year that I shake hands, make new friends and get involved in the Pittsburgh art scene. I will be attending a writing class this February titled "Point of View - a new way of looking at and responding to photography." Lectures, art openings and seminars will make up my social calendar this year. I need to see more people and less computer screens; we have become people of the screen.

Pittsburgh has been good to us. This city, our clientele and the social networking scene that has developed with the birth of web 2.0 has pushed Craig Photography to greater heights than either of us could have hoped for. With deep bows of gratitude I thank you for joining us on this journey.

P.S.
~ For an update on the Wedding side of our business see my wife's, Elizabeth, blog (here).

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Craig Photography @ Twitter

http://Photography.gaia.com — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:46:20 GMT

I been twittering around, if you want to follow me (click here)

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Rainbow in a Ghost Town - Short Story

http://Photography.gaia.com — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:40:28 GMT

Do you know what it feels like to be a rainbow in a ghost town? I hear this in my head. Again, "Do you know what it feels like to be a rainbow in a ghost town?" Where is this audible thought coming from? It speaks from behind me keeping pace with me as I walk. I stroll into the coffee shop and order a medium holiday blend coffee with room for milk. The voice says, You're stuck between creation and evolution, no longer a monkey nor yet to become an angel. You're only a metaphor stuck inside a shell. Shell in which you're preserved and housed and someday will have to return back to the soil. "That will be $1.87 sir. Would you like to donate a dollar to our children's holiday fund." The barista startles me back into consciousness. I smile at her and say yes.

I pick up a copy of yesterday's New York Times that someone left on the table. It is opened to an article in the Health section about how Hong Kong finds more tainted eggs. I drink my coffee and watch people come and go and think about this strange narrative experience I am having. Eggs tainted with the chemical melamine that drops out of the butts of chickens and an audible thought standing behind me and within me.

I am not you. I am separate from you. I have my own thoughts, feelings and emotions. I am what I am becoming. I embrace loneliness. I am fluid motion and complete stillness. I need the light to live yet I am in utter darkness. I am not human. I am your shadow.

Darting up from my table I go to the men's room. Splashing water on my face I think about all the times I jokingly wrote about the onset of schizophrenia. I stare at myself in the mirror questioning the validity of this occurrence. I laugh out loud, my heart beats heavily. Splash more cold water on my face, wash my hands with that pink soap that never gets soapy and dry myself with brown rough paper that has no absorbent worth to it. I stand looking at my face. Same stubble on my chin, same haircut, these are my clothes. Never could recognize my own face, nevertheless this is me.

Do you know what it feels like to be a rainbow in a ghost town? "No", I reply quietly in my head. "Why do you ask?" Not sure. It seems symbolic. A perfect image. "Image for what?" I ask. You; your existence. "How much do you weigh?" I ask. That is the dumbest question; I am the absence of light. I am neither matter nor anti-matter. I do not exist in time, only in flow of motion can I have presence in this world. Why would you ask suggest a question? "Because you have been feeling heavy to me and I can feel myself dragging you around. My own shadow aches.

Rub my hands over my face, straighten my jacket and adjust my scarf around my neck. Three deep breaths and I exit the men's room. Walk back to my table, finished the article on tainted eggs. The article states: "Illegal levels of melamine, the industrial chemical blamed for sickening hundreds of thousands of young Chinese children, six fatalities." Why?

Rainbow in a ghost town, that's why. Perfecting that art of doing something so beautifully or something that is completely wicked. That's what you humans do with your shells. But you, my master, you take things in. You are a rainbow in a ghost town.

This is eerie. I get up and leave the coffeehouse. Walking down the street I think this is a different reality from normal life and it is standing next to me. My new reality is inescapable; I wish I would have seen a UFO, a ghost meeting Jesus or Buddha or something like that. The street traffic is crowded, the sun is bright, the wind is cold and I just had a conversation with my shadow. The shadow calls me "my master". Hair raises on the back of my neck as I repeat the phrase to myself, "my master.

I knock into a pizza deliveryman on the sidewalk, stumble off the curb into traffic. Car horn blows; blue Pontiac. The driver gives me the finger. I wave apoplectically, he doesn't seem to care. Think I'll take the subway. No tokens in my pocket, buy a seven day trip ticket. I sit across from a high school-aged couple on the train. She is polished; a mature look reminding me of Gwyneth Paltrow. Long blond hair, large black bag, turtleneck sweater, short, plaid skirt with a getting-back-at-daddy look on her face. The boy has that look of growing up in a cul-de-sac community but wishes he was raised in "the hood". He is too clean looking to pull off the style but I am sure the girl's father hates him. They look like they're in love.

No voice in my head. I sit alone on the train unnoticeable to anyone else around me. I think that I could probably die in this seat and nobody would notice until the train stopped running for the day. My body would most likely be found by a cleaning crew. Train stops, the light flickers twice and I get off at Jameson St. and 9th.

Walk two blocks down the street to my apartment. Six flights of stairs to my front door. Every time I walk up the steps I tell myself this is the cheapest gym membership. It's a small, clean apartment. I don't have much stuff. Some books, CD's, one small closet of clothes, toiletries, an exercise mat and a small collection of cooking utensils. You don't need much in the kitchen to cook a good meal. One sharp knife for chopping vegetables, a large cutting board, a deep frying pan and a small arsenal of oils; with all of this you can pretty much cook anything.

Still no voice. Maybe it is the onset of schizophrenia. Go to the fridge and get a bottle of beer. Drink that down and get a second one. Realized that I haven't eaten since yesterday. Twelve hours without food is too long for a man to go without eating. Bag of carrots, red peppers some onions. Mix that up with rice and chicken and that's dinner. Feeling odd and not knowing what to do next, I flip through my mail while eating dinner. Junk mail, bills and a single Christmas card. Who remembered me? It's from the real estate agent that I leased this apartment from. This can make you feel alone in the world; a single Christmas card from a real estate agent that you only met once. I am a walking ghost.

That's why you can hear me. You can feel me. You sense your own shadow. Shadows are given no thought from the human mind, no connection to the soul. This is essential for our survival. If you become me, I will no longer exist. That leaves me with no purpose. This is killing me; literally killing me and I want to live, my master.

"Sorry" I say out loud, definitely the onset of schizophrenia, I think to myself. "Shadow voice in my head or whatever crazy thing that you are!" I scream out loud. "Where have you been? Why do you come and go?" I've been out in the ether doing good deeds. "Really?" No. You are killing me and in doing so are slowly dieing yourself. I will not be able to speak to you many more times. A life of hopeful longing to be noticed is your hell, my master. No longer a monkey nor yet to become an angel. You're a rainbow in a ghost town. The voice stops abruptly. Not getting the last sounds of the word "town" out. Am I alive? Did the voice die? My heart beats...

Next, I go into the bathroom. The lights are too bright. Squinting, I brush my teeth. I am alive, I am not schizophrenic. I repeat this to myself as I brush. Music. I need music. I need the music to fill my head, no longer do I want to think. Finishing up in the bathroom I enter the bed room. Clean, empty room, gray bedspread, two books, a bible and a travel log on Paris sits on the nightstand. One lamp and an Ipod connected to stereo speakers. Scroll through the Ipod and decide on Herbie Hancock; the Joni Letters. I lie in bed, listen and breathe. This music is an ideal blend of instrumentation and words, both equally strong, supporting each other. Piano mixes with vocals with horns laced through them. It is a poetic landscape of sounds, perfection, and neither one a shadow to the other.

Shadow...shadow...sha...my heart stops...

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