Author: Paul In The Buff

Chief mischief maker at Living In The Buff Studio. A project turned, movement, turned cause to find fulfillment within and without.

The Sixteenth of October

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When I was a child the big thing was a party at McDonalds. They had the playground area, and tables with benches that looked like their mascot characters, or so from what I recall. When I was turning 7 I think, I wanted to have friends over for a party and have my mom record it on the old 8mm video camera so I could see what it looked like from outside of my own perspective. No audio – home technology for the lacking of financial resources wasn’t that good back then. I got to watch that silent, monochrome reel once. I’m sure that reel still exists somewhere although I doubt I have the means to view it again today. Who knows? For me, like so many others of my generation, memories are mostly stored in our brains, and very little physical, or digital memories exist to remind us of how it truly was.

But three years ago my partner blindfolded me, put me in the car, led me into a bowling alley where friends and family awaited. I was surprised. I was a bit overwhelmed. No, I was very overwhelmed, by a lot of it. Mostly because my partner did this for me out of love, and joy. Yes, it was 50. That’s a big milestone. I never truly expect anyone to make a big deal about my birthday, and it’s ok that they don’t. But she did, and that means a lot to me.

In Conclusion

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Individually you only matter to a couple of generations before and after your life. Your grandparents might love and adore you. Your parents might love and care for you. Your peers might love and respect you. You might give rise to children whom you will love and guide to maturity. They might have children, and if you’re lucky enough, you might be around long enough to see them grow and be a meaningful part of their lives. And that’s about it. Rarely do we know or have significant relations with our great grandparents, and likewise, our great grandchildren. There’s an outside chance those generations might know you as a person. Outside of that, you’re a name. Maybe. You’re someone else’s memories to be relayed, maybe. You’re a grave marker.

Maybe.

Maybe you’re fortunate enough to be a grave marker people visit on purpose. But that too is rare.

The Blog Bog – Stuff I Shouldn’t Say In Public

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I haven’t published anything to my blog in over two years at this point. There are reasons why.

Blogging is slogging at times. No one reads it, so sometimes there’s very little point in crafting anything resembling content for a blog, especially when you’re busy often creating content for others. Or photographing an event, or making a movie, or working a full time job that doesn’t allow much room for your own creative endeavors. That’s just kind of how life is.

We can add on top of it, right around the publishing of my last blog article, my health took a relatively serious turn toward the…. not good.

A New Social Restriction

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If you’re getting on a flight, and you don’t understand that basic fact – YOU ARE SUBJECT TO FAA REGULATIONS THE MINUTE YOU WALK INTO AN AIRPORT AND/OR BOARD A FLIGHT – you absolutely should not be traveling by air. The second you start acting like you are above those regulations or your personal views should be held above FAA regulations, you’re not only being as asshole, but you’re most likely breaking laws, and in the larger picture making it more difficult, and more restrictive for people to fly in the future.

You asshole.

Living In The “Buffa” Art Media

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I guess WGRZ doesn’t think much about local professionals, even if they are requesting a favor from them.

Unfortunately, they’re not alone. I’ve been asked by other media groups from the Buffalo News, to the BEE Newspapers for permission to use media, and rarely do they manage to credit it properly, or at all. Hell, it’s often an impressive step if they even bother to ask to use it. Larger media organizations simply don’t care about the work of others apparently. As long as they get what they need in the moment.

The Job

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What is the cliché? Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Something else might be beyond that, but unlike the pop-culture Rom-Coms of our day, not much ever transpires after the loss. Usually after the loss, you move on. She’s not coming back. Once someone has decided they don’t want to be with you, or prefers to be with someone else, honestly, moving on is the best thing you can do for yourself.

But once in a while, it’s tough to let go. And once in a while you convince yourself that fighting for her will fix it. In those moments, it is essential that you have a friend that will slap you back to reality, and even more essential that you listen to that friend.

Before there was Hailey, there were many others. For Billy it didn’t begin with a lot of self-reflection, and exploration. No, it began with shedding who he thought he once was, and taking on a relationship that he wanted to be all about him.

Today We Vote

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I’ll vote for Biden – somewhat begrudgingly, but at least I know he has the experience, intelligence, and courage to surround himself with good people, good legislators, good policy writers, and people who will tell him where he might be going wrong. I trust his VP pick, Harris, and look forward to her stepping in when the time comes that she needs to. Honestly, I’d prefer her for President. I don’t think Biden will be in the seat for long.