Photography

“The Outlier”

Athena Stairs, August 8, 2022

She happened upon it one hot day while walking on foot, noticing its parched leaves curled as it struggled to survive with no nearby source of water. Since that day, by chance again passing while continuing moving, she’s given it bottles of water – determined that it would have a chance to endure like the clustered others.

Stream of Thought

Shelter

Yes, I needed to be able to depend on her. Like it or not, this is a service landlords are charged to provide by default of their position in our economy.

However, they look at their properties as money makers for their own ends – and ignore the responsibility for other people’s lives having stability in exchange that’s held within their hands.

As an adult attempting to provide for my family, it is difficult to repeatedly experience what we should have gained being dropped.

Poetic Musings

Inner Sanctum

When I dream of college, it can often be calming:
A brief respite before workmen return pounding.

There, I have met outstanding professors who
Encourage life’s investigation of its measures.

The mysteries within questions formed are
No longer ignored as curiosity is cultivated.

Its environment is geared to expand minds –
To confront fears and overcome limitations.

I thrive in this type of collective consciousness.

Stream of Thought

2:02pm Sunday

She had just finished the first wave of taking apart the dog’s yard and releveling to make it nice and happened to be relocking the slider door when she noticed the landlord walking across her backyard area with a clipboard, scrutinizing her progress and items ready for packing while noting and/or checking off on paper.

The landlord had not given 24 hours notice, nor announced she and her workers would be all over their unit’s property nearly every day working on the upstairs unit for the last four weeks.

They had not been notified of post repairs for the base of the balcony above them just outside their window – with the old post now just left there hanging. And a desk had been left on their front porch the entire time, while dust and noise pollution infiltrated their unit through their side door.

Stream of Thought

Creative Deconstructionism

When I first heard “Seas Of Cheese” in early 1990’s, that was when we lived on the upper story of tbe Biddle House, where the tiny fluff, perfectly designed flame-shaped owl feather floated into my open-to-palm-tree-window, and I was sewing our union’s first Ren clothing and patchwork, finely innerlined capes.

Fascinated by the album’s auditory and cover concept art, I wondered how Primus had developed to that point, and how and in what ways I could follow after in expressing my own prospective creative ingenuities.

Compositions

A New Norm

She got her car back after asking a friend to come with her so she could think straight and not get further intimidated.

The mechanic immediately launched into a loud tirade, of which she was able to counter each outrageous statement as she listened carefully, observing her voice volume rising to match and counter while keeping clarity.

When he at last stated what he wanted and she saw it was reasonable – in fact, that it never would have been a problem, had he just asked her for it from tbe beginning – she cut through his tirade and reached out to take his hand in agreement.

“I like you. I have no problem with this. Let’s do it. Let’s write up the new contract. YES.”

And the conversation deescalated as they came back out as amicable collaborators returned to the road of building trust and friendship.

What was the purpose of such prior mistrust and emotional charging? Why the incurred stress and need to gear up for battle – the sword waving and poundimg on shields to prove their mettle?

Shakey on tbe otherside, she was confused by remnant fight-flight struggle and realized this was a rare time when someone had pushed at her this hard and then the situation ended up well.