Sightlines

Why Blog?

May 29, 2006. I sometimes wonder why I blog. It's not like I get hundreds, or even dozens of hits. Probably only a handful, actually. When I post, it's like I'm just throwing out a note in a bottle. And that's OK. I suspect one of the reasons I keep blogging is simply to keep nudging myself creatively.

My brother, Dave, the classical music critic for the "Oregonian," sent me these comments from Terry Teachout, the WSJ drama critic. His blog is enormously popular. He can be annoying, impossibly self-absorbed, but he makes some points that resonated with me.

"O.K., so why have I spent the past three years pouring so much time and energy into a medium for which I don’t get paid a cent? I can’t even begin to list the reasons, but these are the big ones:

(1) Total control. I can blog about anything I want, whenever I want, at whatever length I want. All this is in and of itself pleasurable.(2) Self-fertilization. It’s also creatively stimulating. The act of blogging gives me ideas that sooner or later find their way into my print-media work.

(3) Self-promotion. If you read my blog, you know about whatever I happen to be up to at any given moment: speeches, radio appearances, my latest print-media pieces, whatever. You can also use it to read my bio, buy my books, and send me e-mail.

(4) Dialogue. Not only does blogging put me in touch with readers who have interesting things to say, but it’s introduced me to countless new writers whose blogs I now read daily, some of whom have become good friends.

(5) Rejuvenation. Most of them are younger than I am. Some are much younger. The older you get, the more inclined you are to start looking inward—which isn’t a bad thing. But blogging has had the unintended consequence of putting me in closer touch with new points of view at the precise moment in my life cycle when I might have been more naturally inclined to pay less attention to them."

Seattle Times photo

May 25, 2006. I was delighted to see one of my photographs on page three of the Weekend section of today's Seattle Times. The Times is launching a new series, "Pix from my Weekend," and they selected this photograph as a starter.

The accompanying text says, "My wife surprised me with a birthday present of a scenic ride in a float plane. We were onthe west coast of Vancouver Island for a long weekend getaway. We were looking down on a group of sea lions. I'd never been in a float plane before. It was way cool!"

Notes from a photographer

May 23, 2006. In last Sunday's New York Times, in the Arts and Leisure section, there was a review of Henry Wessel's photographs. The article began:

"Most musicians I know don't just play music on Saturday night, Henry Wessel explained, "They play music every day. They are always fiddling around, letting the notes lead them from one place to another. Taking still photographs is like that. It is a generative process. It pulls you along."

He went on to talk about how he works:

"Part of it has to do with the discipline of being actively receptive. At the core of this receptivity is a process that might be called soft eyes. It's a physical sensation. You are not looking for something. You are open, receptive. At some point you are in front of something that you cannot ignore."

I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not familiar with Wessel's work, but I sure liked what he had to say.

Connections

Friday, May 19, 2006. A Zen Garden, the photographs of an 86 year old Korean, an art exhibition at SAM--I connected them in the shower this morning. I love stumbling onto connections; the more disparate the better. But this morning's revelation should have been obvious.

The Zen Garden? Yesterday (and today) I took as vacation. Connie had never seen the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. It's a 150 acre private estate turned public. It features a moss garden, a bird refuge, and a Japanese Garden that includes a sand and rock Zen Garden. It is a beautiful and tranquil place.

The 86 year old Korean? That would be the photographer, Joshel Namkung, who gave a talk last night at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. An exhibit of photographs opened earlier this month. Interestingly, and perhaps intentionally, the exhibit is next to another show: "Discovering Buddhist Art--Seeking the Sublime."

Namkung's first show at SAM was in 1978, and still have the catalog from that show. Some of the images in the current show were part of the '78 exhibit, but it looks like they have been re-printed. I find his work engaging, with a calmness about them. But I confess that with several of them, I lost interest quickly.

In a brochure called a "Short Autobiography," Namkung says, "Let them (viewers) find beauty in the most mundane things, like roadside flowers, tumbled weeds. Observe the essence of things. That's Zen."

Rhody Season

Sunday, May 14, 2006. What a gorgeous weekend! Yesterday Connie and I headed across Lake Washington to our favorite nursery--Wells-Medina. Been going there for 20 years. Our agenda: pick up a  couple of rhodies, and get some pictures.

Connie said I was like a kid in a candy store. Click here, there, oh, over there is good one... Shot about 60 pics in no time flat.

Loaded three "Nancy Evans" rhodies ("Reddish buds open to golden yellow flowers" says the tag), and by early afternoon they were in their new home.

After a day of gardening I was stiff, sore and needy for Ibuprophen this morning. But I went for a 20-minute run anyway. It was lovely to cruise through the neighborhood listening to Springsteen and Hiatt on my Nano.

To see a selection of photos from Wells-Medina, check out my SightSeeing page. Cheers.

Heron and Tugs

Sunday, May 7, 2006. Note to self: Next time I stalk herons, take a monopod. Herons have the patience of Job, and my arms ached as I tried to hold up the heavy 70-200mm lens, waiting for a great blue to dive for breakfast.

Just after 6a I'd gone done to the Montlake Cut hoping for good rower or boat photos. After all, it was Opening Day,  and I figured recreational rowers would be out early. But rowers were scarce, and the light was flat, so I turned my attention to stalking herons.

Parked at the Museum of History and Industry for easy access to Foster Island and the south shore of the Cut. Sure enough a heron was in the marsh looking for breakfast. I tiptoed closer, then closer still. Maybe 25 yards away. He didn't move. and he kept on not moving. At all. I was so hoping he'd spear that long beak down into the water and come up with a little wriggling fish, and I'd get a great photo. I clicked a few pics, but my arms gave out before he got breakfast.

From the tranquility of early morning in the marsh, to the roar of tugs and the smell of diesel, yesterday was full of contrasts. In the early afternoon I went down to Bell Street Pier on Elliott Bay to catch tugboat races. I've never seen tugs racing, but I thought it would be fun, and provide lots of photo opps. I was not disappointed.

The races were part of Seattle's Maritime Festival. I learned there are three classes of tugboats--small, medium and large (Class A). The large ones are ocean-going, and have a enough horsepower to move mountains.  Each class had it's own race, and in between one of the races, the 79  year old fireboat, the Alki, put on a water display.

And there was a demo by the Coast Guard of a helicopter rescue. Yes indeed, there were photo opps galore. To see more photos, click here.