This past weekend was my 30th Class Reunion. Yes, that make me officially thirty years older than I was when I graduated from High School. That doesn't make me old. I feel good, I stay active - probably even more active than I was in high school. I have a few aches here and there; a nagging sports injury, a back that keeps getting more stiff due to my crappy sit in a chair all day desk job. But I'd take this over my high school years any day. I attended the reunion, briefly. Spent about an hour looking over faces, some recognizable,  but mostly strangers that held no connection aside from attending, and graduating from the same school, in the same year. There's no emotional connection for me to those years. I have fond memories of our bowling team (yes, I was on the varsity bowling team). I cherish the experience I gathered being a photographer.

As I have eluded to in the past, I had always loved photography, but joining the Yearbook team as a photographer in high school really gave me to opportunity to expand my knowledge, and skills. No fancy cameras then; all 35mm film, mostly black-&-white, no preview display, and nothing automated. If I wanted to capture that great action at the football game, I had to know my settings, focus fast, and I got one click before I had to advance the film myself. But mostly, my experiences there helped me get out of the house, when I otherwise wouldn't have been able to. It helped me socialize among other groups, even though it rarely led to any new relationships.

Thirty years later, and many adventures within those years, I still have a camera in my hand. And since then, I have matured. I have learned a lot about myself, and my world. I have experiences that have allowed me those life lessons. I have focused on self-improvement, self-reflection, self-honesty, and growing into the person I need to become. Maybe surprisingly to some of you, but my camera has done so much to help further those goals. In the last thirty years, it has led to new relationships. It has guided me on adventures in nature, in cities, and within myself. It has allowed me to explore my creative side, and the creative sides of so many other people. It has helped me jump through hoops, pass through gate-keepers, and has been my ticket into joining new communities.

This post isn't meant to denigrate any of my former classmates, or their lives, or their happiness, or their want to share a night to reunite with their other classmates thirty years later. It's all good, and I wish you all well. But for me, I tend to focus on appreciating my present, and looking toward my future. If you want to be part of my future, I'm here, and pretty open to anyone joining my path. However, some of that effort needs to be on you. Out of a class of 431 from thirty years ago, there's only about a dozen that have stayed in touch, and some of them, not for quite a long time. I've moved on. I gather you all have, too. My brief visit reminded me fully of that, so until the 40th, I'll be here doing what I've been doing for the last thirty years.

The Universe Gives but not Universally

To love and be loved. A simple wish, granted probably not so much by the Universe giving what we ask for, but by finding the right person, having some patience for them, accepting them flaws-and-all, and giving of yourself to your fullest extent. 

Just putting that out there, not so much to the Universe, but to anyone who needs to hear it.

The People Who Complain The Most

By far, the people who complain the most, and about the most trivial, nonsensical things are Conservatives/Republicans/The Religious Right.

While they sit back, and call others "snowflakes" for things like, not wanting to be shot while in school, or not wanting the police to kill you during a routine arrest (often a BS arrest), or things like justice, and civil rights, those on the other side worry about coffee cups not being Christmassy enough, religious symbols not being allowed on public (tax funded) buildings, and scream about their faux persecution in the face of others demanding equal rights. They live on socialist ideals, and taxes, yet complain the policies they don't want are all socialist, and therefore evil. They stump over free-market ideals, but when the free-market puts them in their place they complain they're being discriminated against.

It's a shopping list covering every aisle of hypocrisy, and irony when you think about it.

Feel free to ask them directly how their ideologies, and policies benefit larger populations, and make the nation a better place, then call them out for their bullshit answers.

Everyday Heroes 

A shout out to everyday heroes - people who help others, just because.

Like the guy who pulled up along side my car at the corner of Ridge Rd. and Abbott Rd. last night to tell me that BOTH of my brake lights were out. 

How the fuq did that happen?!

Anyway, got home, got bulbs - it was only bulbs. Both bulbs. Just the brake light filament though. Weird. It's all fixed, and that random everyday hero probably saved me a ticket, or at least a whole lot of hassle with getting pulled over.

Thanks, bro!

New Routines 

Trying to get into some new routines. One is riding my bike to work. I've been able to do that a few time, but then needed to take a break due to my work schedule being an extra in A Quiet Place 2. Not time conscious to ride from Amherst to Akron, especially when you're trying to maximize time at the day job before going to a movie set for 8-10 hours in a day. Back to a normal work day, I haven't been able to yet this week because, well, I've enjoyed sleeping a bit longer, and haven't had time. That, and post-work activities have also required some time consciousness that you don't always get pedaling. 

So now my goal is to get to the gym midday on "lunch." It's worked out the last couple of days. I'll pass on this if I do ride, which I plan on later this week, but for the days I drive, I'm going to make every effort to get in more than just a midday walk around the campus.

I know the "weigh-in" part of Weigh-in Wednesday is kind of the crux of Weigh-in Wednesday but I haven't stepped on a scale in weeks. I've stopped concerning myself so much with the number, and more the feelings. I feel good. I feel young. I'm moving, I fit in my clothes, I'm eating healthy, and I'm allowing my emotions to flow easily. 

Much more important than a gravity based number.