From the category archives:

C’est POEM

Exactly a week ago, my youngest brother turned 24. As Joel nears that quarter-century mark, I’m struck by how much my brothers & I have in common despite how very different we each are. This all too familiar dichotomy may seem a given yet all three of our mum’s children are articulate, artistic & geeky. That’s quite a trifecta; the articulation & artistry we each got in different forms from Momma. I like to imagine I imparted the geeky nerdiness my brothers share with me.

Joel shares his art form with his & Jordan’s dad whereas Jordan is a traditional — though not traditional — artist like mum. I’ve always honored, amidst my aim to live poetically, the complementary roll of art appreciator. What has proven consistent for all three of us is the use of computers in whatever form of artistry we pursue. HDR Rendering, as shown below, is one of the ways Joel combines his two passions; the other being computer science, in which he has a degree.

Our mum’s birthday inspired a poem, Jordan’s birthday inspired a post & then another so I knew I’d commemorate Joel’s birthday on my blog too. He, convincingly no less, expressed appreciation for the more timely if brief well wishes offered in the previous Found Friday post. Last Saturday was not only Joel’s birthday but Momma’s 33rd Anniversary as well thus this post is meant as a gift to her also. Upon going into labor during an anniversary lunch with her husband, Momma tried to give Joel his own day but, generous from the start, he clearly didn’t mind sharing & was born six minutes til midnight.

beauty found in all
whether captured or enhanced
then offered anew

nature always sought
by foot or via the lens
explored and exposed

his kindness of heart
touches those surrounding him
informs all he does

laughter ever near
his wicked sense of humor
readily brought out

once a kissing bug
always a loving spirit
now he’s a hugger

born as if a gift
anniversary surprise
still giving each day

(|_|*cheers*|_|)
“Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to man.”
~ Edward Steichen ~

PS: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MOMMA & DAVID!!

mountain adventures;
hiking, camping, barbeque,
through moments of love

your thirty-three years
provided a family
brothers I’d not have

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Foundling post, looking withOUT

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in C'est POEM,Friday FINDS

Following the signs found this week led me to an unrelated pair of graphics generators that both encourage unique delivery of a personal message. I found myself pondering more than what to say with these fun discoveries. A previous Found Friday pointed out that visuals speak to us too so what am I saying visually? This seems a particularly pertinent consideration online. No matter what we have to offer, & content is certainly king, first impressions are lasting thus design is clearly queen. My blog currently has a very dark theme which may have kept some passers-by from stopping to read a post or ten. I thank you for staying; did you ignore, like or not pay any attention to the theme?

Found via OMYWORD! [GO see hers, I so agree..]

Made by Andrea Micheloni [Each letter is a NEW pic w/every page refresh!]

Given my choice of a theme I particularly like, any conclusions you drew from it about me are likely accurate. How accurate is another issue.. The importance of design is being discussed at ProBlogger & the consensus seems to be that it needs to be true to the content it holds without getting in the way. In an [over] effort to maintain that balance, I see many people online & in person keeping their flava at bay. I’m always looking for both flair & words that speak to me but I’m also aware of the disconnect that can occur. A pit stop my hunny & I once took during a motorcycle ride left me leaning against our bike in black leather (boots & all) near the entrance of a restaurant. I found the wide berth the older patrons were giving me ironic considering how much they’d likely appreciate the Dean Martin CD I was listening to.

There’s no denying my headphones are just as likely to contain punk which gives credence to the presumptions but leaves their fears unfounded. If we were to look for similarities in others rather than get sidetracked by differences, we’d not only appreciate each other more but could more readily appreciate the differences. In context, those differences prove our uniqueness instead of our separateness. One advantage of connecting online is that context is provided & the content we share can be discovered on its own merits. Are people more willing to interact with a black blog than the black-clad person behind it? Over the years, I’ve taken to punctuating the black with my favorite colors & vice versa; yes, the same colors found on the blog. Does that make me consistent or unimaginative?!

I made this!

Make your own with the Parody Motivator Generator

We are looking & that’s where connection begins. How actively, open-mindedly or interactively we approach the digital & physical worlds influences the shape of our own realm. As explored last Friday, we all adopt additions to our worlds at differing paces. Living in the information age, we have more to choose from but can also make more informed choices. I’m hoping that not only increases the size of each realm but its diversity too. Engaging in sights & clicking on sites that intrigue, surprise or challenge us always leads to worthwhile content along the way. The impact of a first impression can’t be bypassed but a little curiosity mixed with a willingness to explore can give second impressions a second chance.

In the end, what’s not visible – at least not immediately – may prove just as important:

visible at last
this post did indeed exist

tho’ slow to appear

illness interfered
sleep has had its healing way
life has since resumed

one thing matters now
more important than all else
the birthday of Joel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRO!!!

“Design is in everything we make, but it’s also between those things. It’s a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, and philosophy.” ~ Erik Adigard

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Finding artistry, computing AS art

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in C'est POEM,Friday FINDS

Paulo Coelho found me on Twitter & I’m already better off for the connection. I was thrilled to discover his Twitter updates include ‘Quotes of the Day’ which have inspired me to follow suit so my first tweeted quote was this morning. I discovered Paulo offers inspiration across the internet in multiple ways. Upon ‘friending’ him on MySpace, I received this e-card as a comment on MYspace. Blessed & humbled by its artistry, I found its message struck a chord as well:

“Once again, she was putting her belief in love,
trusting her feelings, but she’d been disappointed
so often before that she was no longer sure of
anything. Nevertheless, this was the
great gamble of her life.”

Speaking of artistry as expression, with more personalized quoting, a perusal of my sidebar reveals The Quote Garden as my favorite quote repository. Reasons abound but Quotable Tattoo would be reason enough. Although I love all these tattooed quotes, especially given their contexts, this is a favorite, given my context. In that photo, you may have noticed Sarah has another quote across her collarbone. Because I’ve been collecting quotations my whole life (feel free to ask my mum ), I’ve always wanted one as a tattoo but, because I’ve been collecting quotations my whole life, I’ve never been able to choose one. Now that I’ve seen where I’d like to put it though, the decision process has begun.

Mixing yet more personalization with artistry, I found a fantastic display of individual takes on one “Silly Cat” at Worth1000. Pictures can be worth 1,000 words & those on this site are; there are also well over 1,000 pictures offering up what could be a googolplex worth of words so it’s a site to bookmark & revisit from time to time. To get started, be sure to explore the “View Related Contests” drop/pop-down menu. Amidst the finding of artful connections this past week, I plum forgot – yeah, that’s it – to vote on the “Bracket Blogs” contest I found myself competing in a week ago. I’m sure you forgot too which is why I LOST. Alas, my hunny lost also & it wasn’t til we saw that we both lost by two votes that we reconsidered our decision to abstain – there being two of us (math’s a special skill).

Putting my skills to work, what better to count than my blessings. The previous “Found Fridays” were found reveling in the ultimate tool, with which to enhance those blessings, finding its way to me. Rhodester doesn’t seem to mind this digital affair as the other computer is now true to him. Captivated as I am with the whole affair, it’s time for another set of haiku. The following lines are dedicated to Mark for his generosity, my hunny for his patience & the little electronic guy himself:

once my customer

smile always at the ready

kindness unending

friendship as action
ultimate encouragement
unworthy but blessed

fulfillment restored
expression now invited
follow-thru as thanx

communication
consistently possible
disconnect ended

so much yet to do
far more behind than I knew
slowly catching up

connectivity
a far-reaching existence
extension of self

acting on my terms
pain dictating no more
interaction mine

(|_|*cheers*|_|)

“Much more happiness is to be found in the world than gloomy eyes discover.”
~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~

PS: One final find is the opportunity to donate to nothing. The site is misnamed “Donate For Nothing” which is probably meant to be ironic since donating costs something. Or does it? There are still a few days to take advantage of the e-cards mentioned a week ago. They each provide meals without costing the sender a cent.. Another e-card, available through The Rainforest Site, will help save an ancient ecosystem if its recipient views it by 30 April. I’m admittedly tempted to donate a few cents to nothing - watch for my name – but am always thrilled to donate for nothing.