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Quarterly Look Back - 4th Quarter 2024 /  by Todd Henson

Looking back at the fourth quarter of 2024

And here we are at the end of the 4th quarter of 2024 and thus the end of the year, as well. My first thought is to say I hope you’re ready and in the mood for a brief look back at the quarter, but let’s be honest, these quarterly look backs are rarely brief. Regardless, I do hope you enjoy taking a look back at some of what’s happened this quarter, from photography to reading, music, movies and life, in general. If so, please keep reading.

Photography

Last quarter I tried to share a range of content, and I’ve attempted to continue that this quarter. Granted, I am photographing more buildings and less nature than in the past, but I still retain all the same interests which keep growing over time so I’m hopeful I’ll fit it all in over the course of the quarter and of the year.

Below are the blog posts I published this quarter so please check them out if you missed any or just want to take another look.

Architecture

Winston Memorial Chapel, Culpepper, Virginia

Todd’s Tavern Market

Fleetwood Chapel, Brandy Station

Schoolhouse Number 18 - Marshall, Virginia

Grace Memorial Church, Port Republic, Virginia

Field Notes Updates

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Cooling Off

Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Holidays

Merry Christmas - 2024

Inverted Worlds

Obscura

Random Thoughts

What Still Lies Ahead

Trip Report

Green Hill Cemetery - Martinsburg, WV

Route 11 Potato Chip Factory

Reading

This was another great quarter for reading, full of stories I enjoyed, and non-fiction that taught me something new or useful. I read a mix of older books as well as brand new ones, with my re-read of A Christmas Carol from 1843 being the oldest, and Water Moon being the most recent, which is due for release sometime in January of next year. They ranged in length from 120 pages (How to Relax) to 640 (Black River Orchard). The majority of them were consumed in audiobook form, though I did also read several as ebooks and some on paper. I find audiobooks the most convenient, and yet my favorite format is still paper.

The books I consumed this quarter (paper, ebook, and audio).

Here’s the full list of books: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa (2017), Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie (1939), Saga Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (2014), Mirrored Heavens (Between Earth & Sky 3) by Rebecca Roanhorse (2024), Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig (2023), 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke (1968), The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams (2023), Dracula’s Guest & Other Weird Tales by Bram Stoker (1914), Flying in the Shadows by Thomas N. Hauser (2023), How to Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh (2015), Needle (Inverted Frontier 3) by Linda Nagata (2022), A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843), Water Moon by Samantha Soto Yambao (2025).

And of those, my favorites were:

Water Moon by Samantha Soto Yambao

I received an advanced copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway. This was a wonderful story, whimsical, beautiful, lively, lyrical, romantic. When I was younger I would write scenes that I thought were part of longer stories, though I rarely finished them. The feelings I felt when reading this book reminded me of some of those I felt when writing my scenes. I think this is the sort of story I was trying to tell.

2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

I watched the movie long ago so it was good to finally try reading the book. Though they tell the same story they do it in different ways and it was fascinating comparing them. It was also interesting to learn it wasn’t a movie based on a book but was originally conceived as a movie under the collaboration of Clarke and Kubrick, and Clarke wasn’t good with scripts so decided to write the book as his way of conveying his ideas. So we ended up with two creative works born of that collaboration.

Needle (Inverted Frontier 3) by Linda Nagata

I loved the first two books in this science fiction series and it was so easy to get back into that universe with this one. The story continues, with a group of advanced humans heading to a specific destination in search of what happened to the humans who lived there. And along the way they try to solve the puzzle of the needle, a mysterious object obtained from an even more advanced entity at the end of the previous book.

Movies, Shows & Anime

Favorite, or notable, films I watched this quarter.

As with last quarter, the selection of video content I watched was a mixed bag. My least favorite of the batch was Darkness Falls (2003), which wasn’t bad, per se, it just wasn’t all that great, either. A very typical horror movie that just didn’t resonate with me.

I loved finishing the anime series Planetes (2003) about the near future (approaching faster and faster) where there’s so much debris in orbit that it begins posing a far too significant risk to the people working or at leisure in orbit. And so there are groups whose job it is to clean up the debris. I loved the real world topics handled in reasonably realistic ways while still mixing in some great storylines.

I had an even better time watching the first two seasons of Stranger Things (2016), which for some reason I couldn’t find listed on letterboxd, the site I made the graphical list in. This series felt similar to Ready Player One (book and movie) in that it seemed written specifically for me, that I was squarely in their target audience: younger kids growing up in the ‘80s playing Dungeons & Dragons, riding around on their bikes, imagining themselves doing great things (of course, in the show they really do). Such a fantastic series.

And naturally enough, my favorite movie was part two of Dune (2024). This was such a fantastic interpretation of the book. It had that moodiness, it captured the conflict and discomfort of the political and religious maneuverings, the curiosity and distrust of differing cultures, and I thought they did a great job casting the characters. Of course, the special effects were absolutely tremendous, such that they didn’t seem to be special effects, but instead took me straight into that world, letting me experience the harshness of the planet. The two movies increased my desire to read further into the book series.

The rest of the movies were good, mostly enjoyable, just not overly memorable.

Music

This quarter I discovered some older music that was completely new to me, as well as hearing new music by artists I’ve been a fan of for some time. And as always, there were so many other songs I thoroughly enjoyed but I’m trying to keep this quarterly list manageably small, so I’ve narrowed in on just three.

The Stranglers - Golden Brown

I don’t know how this group or song came to my attention. I don’t believe I’d ever heard of them before. But this song from 1981 has a very intriguing sound perhaps largely due to the interesting time signature(s).

Patty Gurdy - Peg Leg Silly-Billy (featuring Christopher Bowes)

This song is just plain fun. I’ve listened to Patty Gurdy and her hurdy gurdy before but Christopher Bowes is new to me, as is Peg Leg Silly-Billy.

Avantasia - Creepshow

I always look forward to new work by Avantasia, the albums, the stories they share within them, and the music videos that take us one step deeper into those stories. As is often the case, this one has a catchy chorus. 

 

Life

So last quarter I mentioned wanting to get back into some kind of regular practice with my acoustic guitar. I’m not quite there yet in that my practice isn’t exactly regular, but I did restring it to freshen the sound and I have pulled it out more often than I did last quarter, so I’m moving in the right direction. Still can’t play an actual song, though. One step at a time. 😀

Overall it feels like a good quarter and one worthy of capping off the year. There were things I had planned to get done this year but didn’t manage to (such as a refresh of my website) and so I’ll carry those on into the new year. But life, for me, is more than just a list of accomplishments. At some point a more ephemeral but general sense of well-being factors in, and I’m feeling ok right now on that front. Still room for improvement all around, but isn’t that always the case? It gives us something to keep striving for. And strive, I shall.

Thanks so much for sharing your time with me, reading through some of my words, viewing a few of my photographs. I hope you get something of value from it all, and I will work to continue to be worthy of your time.

I wish you a Happy New Year!

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Quarterly Look Back - 3rd Quarter 2024 /  by Todd Henson

Looking back at the third quarter of 2024

I try to think of something new or interesting to say in these intros each quarter, and every so often I think I manage to find something. But most times it does end up sounding very similar to previous intros. And I think that’s where we are this quarter. But I hope that doesn’t dissuade you from checking out the various sections below, to see a sampling of the photography I’ve shared, the books I’ve read, the movies I’ve watched, the music I’ve listened to, and any other little ramblings about life. I’m hoping something will catch your eye.

And now on to the look back.

Photography

For a while now I’ve felt that I haven’t created quite the range of blog content I once did, that the posts I wrote were primarily Mostly Photos and Field Notes Updates. So this quarter I made a concerted effort to expand it, and I think I was successful, even adding a new category of post on Architecture. I will try to keep creating a range of content, but let me know if you enjoy the range or if you prefer a more narrow focus.

Architecture

Saint James’ Episcopal Church, Warrenton, Virginia

Before & After

Before & After: Overcast Blues on Aquia Creek

Mostly Photos

Mockingbird in C8

White and Blue Balloon Flowers on a Hot Summer Day

Polypore and Feather Moss Galore

Random Thoughts

The Beauty of a Gravel Road

Reviews

Book Finds – July 2024

Backroads Buildings: In Search of the Vernacular by Steve Gross & Susan Daley

Techniques

Color Fringing Fungus: An Example of Chromatic Aberration

Trip Report

A Rainy Spring Drive Over the Blue Ridge Mountains

The Burial Ground at George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Lakota Ranch in Remington, Virginia

Reading

I’ve had a good quarter of reading. I read more books this quarter than the previous two, and more overall pages, as well. Thankfully, the average rating I’ve given the books has hovered just over 4 out of 5 throughout the year. I love when I enjoy the majority of what I read. I feel like I had a decent mix of older books with more recent releases. I also mixed in non-fiction and photography with my more common genres of science fiction, fantasy and mystery/thriller.

Below are the books I read, and further below you’ll find a short description of some of my favorites of the quarter. Have you read any of these? Are you curious about any of them?

The books I consumed this quarter (paper, ebook, and audio).

Here’s the full list of books: The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants by Karen Bakker, All This and More by Peng Shepherd, The Perfumist of Paris (The Jaipur Trilogy 3) by Alka Joshi, Season of Storms (The Witcher) by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia (Hainish Cycle) by Ursula K. Le Guin, A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor by John Howe, Murder in Mesopotamia (Hercule Poirot) by Agatha Christie, The Most Secret War: Army Signals Intelligence in Vietnam by James L. Gilbert, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien, White Mountain Trails by Winthrop Packard, Backroads Buildings - In Search of the Vernacular by Steve Gross & Susan Daley, The Rule: How I Beat the Odds in the Markets and in Life - and How You Can Too by Larry Hite, The Veiled Throne (Dandelion Dynasty 3) by Ken Liu, The Maid by Nita Prose, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries 7) by Martha Wells, Dr No (James Bond) by Ian Fleming, The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir.

And of those, my favorites were:

The Maid by Nita Prose

This was a perfectly timed feel good read for me, so it’s possible some of my enjoyment stemmed from it being the right book at the right time. It tells of Molly, a maid who may be a little different from some of us, and how she gets caught up in some nefarious goings-on at the hotel she works at. Some great characters in this story. Can’t wait to read the next book.

A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor by John Howe

A fantastic book for any hardcore fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work and of John Howe’s artwork. It features lots of artwork, both from printed materials and that used during the making of the movies. A wonderful way to look back at that world in all its various forms.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien

I first read this book when very young and in school. It is one of the few that really stuck with me, so when I saw it published as an audiobook I decided to do a reread, and what a wonderful read it was. It felt fresh, it had been so long since I first read it. And I felt similar feelings as I did the first time, a sense of loss, happiness, hope and mystery.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

One of those many books that folks often read in school but I somehow missed. What a wild ride between sanity and insanity, between caring treatment and tyrannical malice. A fascinating study of multiple characters, sad at times, funny at others. I’m very glad I finally read this one.

Movies & Anime

Films I watched this quarter.

It’s been a mixed bag of movies this quarter. On a low note and to start the quarter off, Breach, starring Bruce Willis, wasn’t worth the time. It felt like a low-budget made-for-TV movie with poor writing and poor acting.

Leave No Trace, on the other hand, though perhaps also a lower budget film, had a powerful story showing the love between a father and daughter trying to survive on their own terms and the difficulties of life catching up to them. I really enjoyed this one.

Meg 2: The Trench, The Darkest Minds, and Space Milkshake were all fairly average and what you might expect. Meg 2 was a Jason Statham followup to The Meg. Pretty much enough said. The Darkest Minds was a dystopian YA film about youths with special powers trying to find their way in the world. Mostly enjoyable, if fairly predictable. And Space Milkshake was just ridiculous, as the name would imply, and as they appeared to try to make it. I do think this may have been a made-for-TV film and stars several folks known for their TV roles. Ridiculous, but I do enjoy this sort of ridiculous.

Fallen, starring Denzel Washington back in 1998, was a rewatch, and one I very much enjoyed all over again, even though this time around I knew the premise. This is one where if you’re curious to see it you may be better off not reading anything about it, just give it a try, see if it works for you.

Marvelous and the Black Hole was a touching story of a young girl trying to deal with the death of her mother and the changes that happened afterwards with her family and life. She becomes angry, very angry, and lashes out at everyone, until she meets someone who slowly over time begins to change everything for her.

And I’ve continued watching episodes of the 2003 anime series, Planetes, about future space crews whose job it is to clean up all the accumulating debris in orbit to avoid collisions and damage to functioning satellites and stations. I’m really enjoying this series and I’m almost finished with it.

Music

This quarter two of the songs I’m sharing are more folksy than rock and are from German Bands. But there’s also a song from an American songwriter/guitarist and a Japanese vocalist. I hope you enjoy the selection.

Versengold - The Devil is a Barmaid

What a fun folksy song, this time sung in English instead of German (their first in English). Apparently the band lost a bet with their friends from Kissin’ Dynamite and now they’ve written a cover for their song, The Devil is a Woman.

Dämmerland x Saltatio Mortis - Verlorene Träume

And here’s a second song with German songwriters and performers, this time singing in German. I’ve been on a bit of a Saltatio Mortis kick lately, so I was drawn to this melodic collaboration.

Marty Friedman - The Perfect World (featuring +α/あるふぁきゅん。)

And to close things out here’s a rock song from a few years back. I’ve been meaning to showcase this song since it first came out and now it’s finally popped to the top of my list. I love Marty Friedman’s guitar work and song writing and I think the singer adds a lot to this one. This is my kind of rock song. Also check out a live collaboration between Ichika Nito & Marty Friedman from my 2023 4th Quarter Look Back. 

And if you’re curious to see if I’ve purchased any music lately you can check out my collection in bandcamp.

 

Life

Last quarter I mentioned how my interests can be a bit scattershot and there are so many I sometimes struggle to keep up with them. It’s not unusual for some to wither away as I just don’t manage to make enough time for them. But they’re always still there in the background just waiting for their chance.

I’d begun learning guitar during the pandemic lockdowns, and though I never really learned to play through an entire song I did learn a number of chords and enjoyed just strumming and feeling those vibrations on my chest. But it’s been a while since I’ve picked up my guitar.

Recently my father and I visited a good friend who plays a number of different instruments, and he let me try out his Taylor GS Mini, a beautiful little guitar with a lot of personality. Sitting with the guitar in my lap I realized I’d forgotten how to play many of the chords I once knew. But as I randomly strummed strings they slowly came back to me and between strumming random noise I’d occasionally make a semi-pleasing set of tones. And this surfaced two feelings within me. The first was: I’d love to get myself one of these GS Mini’s! And of course the second was: Why don’t I start pulling out my own guitar and get back on track learning new skills and maybe learn how to carry a tune one of these days? So that’s what I hope to do this next quarter, start back up a regular practice of pulling out the guitar and practicing. Time will tell how well I follow through.

What about you? Do you have any goals for the remainder of the year, things you’ve maybe been consistently working towards already, or that you’ve been meaning to? Maybe there’s still time to get started if you haven’t already. Let’s give it a try and see.

Thanks much for reading, and have a great final quarter of 2024!

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Quarterly Look Back - 2nd Quarter 2024 /  by Todd Henson

Looking back at the second quarter of 2024

We’re now halfway through 2024. How do you feel about that? I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. I’ve not made quite the progress I’d hoped on several fronts. But taking a positive perspective that means I have lots of opportunities to improve, right? 😊

Anyway, on to the 2nd quarterly look back of 2024. Below you’ll find a sampling of my interests and things I’ve done related to those interests. I’m hoping something in the mix will appeal to you, either as something you might enjoy, or perhaps as something you’ve already enjoyed. Please take a look and let me know in the comments what you think. 

Photography

Most of my new photography this quarter was created on a small number of outings. I suspect I may say the same come next quarter given the heat and humidity of summer have arrived. But who knows, perhaps I’ll manage to get out more.

On a positive note, June 8th was the 10 year anniversary of this blog. I published my first blog post, Infrared Experiments During National Cherry Blossom Festival, on June 8, 2014. My posts were less frequent back then and not on a schedule. It wasn’t until February 2016 that I began posting every two weeks, and not until August 2016 that I began my current schedule of posting weekly. I remember when I first started posting on a schedule doubting I’d have enough ideas to continue for more than a year or so, and now over 500 posts later I’m still trudging on.

Seriously, though, I’ve been very fortunate to have this blog, and to have you who read it, who look through my photos, who share your thoughts in the comments, who purchase or license my photographs. It’s helped me through some tough times, and always given me something to look forward to, to work towards, a reason not to give up (granted, there are many reasons, but it is one among many). So I want to thank you, a very deep and heart felt thank you, for all your time and support over the years.

Field Notes Update

Red-winged Blackbird - Late March, 2024

Hooded Merganser Competition for a Nest Box

Stages of Growth of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Blushing Young Trillium

Ghost Pipes of Caledon

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle at Caledon

Is Spiderwort in Virginia “Virginia Spiderwort”?

Mostly Photos

Early Spring Virginia Bluebells

Whispy Dreams of Wild Geranium

Memories From the Outskirts of Denver

White Trillium From Bud to Bloom in 2024

Making Friends

Reading

It’s been an interesting quarter for reading. I’ve not read as much as in previous quarters, both fewer books and fewer total pages, though on average the books I read this quarter were a bit longer (with some exceptions). But I read a couple very impactful books, the sort I’d consider life changing, which doesn’t happen all that often. I’ve been slowly collecting books written by people who survived the Nazi concentration camps, and they really can help with gaining a bit more perspective, realizing some of the little things we get so worked up about maybe aren’t such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

The books I consumed this quarter (paper, ebook, and audio).

Here’s the full list of books: Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman, From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming, The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie, The Happiest Man on Earth - The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku, Cascade Failure by L. M. Sagas, The Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski, Night by Elie Wiesel, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett, The Gathering by C.J. Tudor, Lake of Souls: The Collected Short Fiction by Ann Leckie, Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert.

And of those, my favorites were:

The Happiest Man on Earth - The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was that, despite all the atrocities Eddie Jaku lived through, all the horrors he witnessed and experienced, all the reasons there were to just give up and die, he managed to keep and come out of it all with a positive attitude and positive messages for the world. He shares messages of hope, of appreciating one’s family and friendships, and of choosing to be happy and to make others happy. It’s these positive messages I think many people could benefit from today, especially given how negative and hopeless many messages are in today’s societies.

Night by Elie Wiesel

I received this book through a giveaway at Roars and Echoes. Thanks very much, Lashaan, this was a book well worth reading. It tells of Elie Wiesel’s experiences, how while a teenager he and his family were put in the trains to Auschwitz, and later to Buchenwald. In its few pages the book conveys so very much, immersing the reader in the horrors of that time and place, showing just how terrible humanity can become, how good people can do horrific things when they become a mob and get caught up in hatred and blame. It’s a very difficult read but I think an important one. I don’t believe we need to feel guilty for having what we have, for not having to live through such difficult times. But I do think it’s important to always remember that such times did and do happen, that people cause them to happen, and that we are people. It’s up to us to learn from the past so we can create a better future.

Cascade Failure by L. M. Sagas

After the previous two books it feels strange to talk about a book read for pure entertainment, but I think it’s important to have these simple entertaining reads and moments, too. And I did find this one entertaining. It’s a recent publication, one I received an advanced copy of from a goodreads giveaway, and I’m so glad I did. This is a found family science fiction story about folks who spend a lot of their time on the outskirts of civilization, and how they make a discovery they can’t let rest, one that could alter all their lives. I often hate comparisons to other books or media, but I can’t help but think of the great tv show Firefly, or the Wayfarers book series by Becky Chambers, or Cat Rambo’s Disco Space Opera book series. Cascade Failure, for me at least, falls nicely into this group of stories. I’d love to return to this universe and these characters, so I hope the author writes more.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

I love vampire stories but sometimes I get down thinking the genre has stagnated. And then I run into a book like this one that has that classic vampire feel while still introducing something new and entertaining (to me, anyway). This is more a mystery / thriller / police procedural than a horror story though it certainly has its darker moments, as well. There’s been a murder in a small Alaskan town, one that appears to have been committed by a vampire, leaving many townsfolk calling for a cull of the local vampire colony. So a detective is called in to undercover the truth and bring the killer to justice. A great story, one that made for a fantastic audiobook.

Movies & Anime

Films I watched this quarter.

As is common, many of the movies I watched were of a speculative nature, mostly science fiction but also some that veered toward magical, mystical or fantasy. I watched several Godzilla movies, all Hollywood takes on the mythos, and I mostly enjoyed them all. I watched the final installment in the Maze Runner trilogy, Death Cure, and it was a decent ending. Jupiter Ascending and Contagion were also decent.

I had a better time rewatching Beverly Hills Cop with my father. I hadn’t seen it since much younger so it almost felt like a first watch. Though not nearly as good as the original Japanese material I did enjoy the Hollywood version of Ghost in the Shell. I had a good time watching Top Gun: Maverick with my father. I enjoyed the anime movie Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, a somewhat depressing film but well done. I thoroughly enjoyed The Creator, a 2023 movie about advanced AI robotics and lots of conflict.

But there was one absolute stand out movie for me, a Japanese anime film by one of my three favorite creators, Makoto Shinkai. And that movie was Suzume. I absolutely loved Suzume, which I watched with my brother. I’ve never seen anything by Makoto Shinkai that I didn’t enjoy, and each piece he works on, though similar in some ways, is also very different from those before. This one is about special doors in Japan, and about what might happen if any of those doors are left open. And it’s about a special teenager, Suzume, who somehow is able to see what’s beyond the doors and who ends up going on a wild journey of self discovery all over Japan. As soon as I finished watching I wanted to begin it all again.

Music

So I owe some of you an apology. I (usually) try to showcase a mix of genres to appeal to a wide range of tastes. But this quarter, despite listening to a wide range of music, I’ve ended up narrowing in on three rock songs, though of three different styles of rock. Interestingly there’s also a country-based theme going on.

BAND-MAID - Endless Story (Live)

A song by one of my favorite Japanese groups whose songs can feel like anything from pop to funk to rock and metal, this is one of Band-Maid’s softer songs and feels like a thank you letter to the audience. Very well chosen as the last song of the concert (or at least it appears to be their closing act).

Saltatio Mortis x Blind Guardian - Finsterwacht

This one is more than a song, it’s an entire short movie with the song acting as the score. I love these epic fantasy-inspired pieces. And what a powerful idea: “Be the shield wall at the end of the world.” Written and performed by Saltatio Mortis and Blind Guardian, two fantastic German metal groups, this is apparently inspired by a fantasy roleplaying game in Germany.

BABYMETAL x Electric Callboy - RATATATA

Ok, so the first band above was from Japan. And the second collaboration was from Germany. And now we have a collaboration from both Japan AND Germany. And what a strange, catchy, addictive collaboration it is. Electric Callboy (from Germany) is always about having fun, just making folks laugh with their lyrics and crazy videos. Babymetal (from Japan) is usually more serious and meticulous but in this case they mix perfectly well with Electric Callboy in a very unexpected way. I can’t stop listening to this one.

And if you’re curious to see which music I’ve actually purchased lately you can check out my collection in bandcamp.

 

Life

I am very good at procrastinating. And I often struggle with prioritizing things that need done over those that really don’t. And I’ve found all that to be the case more so this year than many in the past. I can think back to years when I was far more organized, far more productive and inspired, when I felt as if I accomplished far more. And I’m sure I’ll find my way back there eventually, at least for a time. Life does often have ebbs and flows in its current and though we may steer one way or another we are still in that river and destined to go wherever it does.

Sometimes I think I’m a bit scatterbrained with my interests and that can affect how far I get with each one, as one competes for time with another. You know of my interest in photography, and of writing. And if you glanced over this post you also know I love reading, watching movies and listening to music. During the pandemic, as I think many people did, I purchased an acoustic guitar and began trying to teach myself to play. I still really can’t play anything other than some chords or notes strung together and I don’t practice very often anymore but I still have the desire and I do pull the guitar out and try every so often.

I used to love drawing, often superheroes or fantasy scenes with dragons and warriors, though these days my tremors makes that more of a challenge. I tried my hand at painting, watercolor and oils (inspired by Bob Ross). I loved building plastic/wooden/resin models of cars, planes, figures, etc.

Lately I’ve begun something I know can take a lot of time but I’ve wanted to begin for many years now. I’ve started learning Japanese (in the past I tried German and French). One day it’d be nice to watch a movie without subtitles or read an untranslated manga. Not sure I’ll ever get that far or whether some other interest will take over down the road.

I suspect I’m not alone with all this. What about you? Do you move from one interest to another? And if you do, do you lose interest in what you’d done before, or is it simply that a stronger or new interest surfaces, but given enough time you’d still pursue them all? And if you don’t do this, how do you stay focused on what you do choose to do? 😅

Well, I think this post has gotten long enough, so I won’t keep you any longer. I hope you’ve had a great 2nd quarter of 2024, and I wish you all the best in the 3rd quarter. May you find a comfortable balance between all your competing obligations and interests. And thank you very much for all your continued support.

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