The Times They Are A-Changin' and Historical Perspective

I have a dental checkup on Monday and yesterday they sent me an emailed form that I need to fill out for them. They need it ASAP (of course), and I was hopping with customers all day while DH was down in the warehouse dealing with rewiring the light fixtures (which took him all day, quite literally. He was putting the final plates back into position when I was locking up.) So I didn't get a chance to fill the forms out. BUT, I also probably don't have all of the information readily at hand any more. So, I'm tempted to do the best I can today and tell them to look up the previous forms for the details I'm missing. Can you tell I'm just a little crabby today? LOL

This kid looks wonderfully crabby. What 
a great expression! LOL

All of these extra hoops we have to jump through these days to get our health care is more than annoying, and it all is placed totally on the threshold of COVID. Before the epidemic we were actually able to get access to our physicians without running through the gamut of a billion questions and more people. We were able to get into our dentists (with whom, in this instance, we've been patients for more than 30 years), without having to try and remember when we had our immunization and booster shots. We were able to travel on public transportation without wearing a mask. All of that seems like a distant memory, now. 

This is a VERY young Bob Dylan. The album was 
released in 1964 and was a standard for those 
already protesting the war. (That escalated and 
crested in 1968-1972.) 

When I was a young hippie, there was a song by Bob Dylan called "The Times They Are A-Changin'". (Here's a link to the original song on You Tube as sung by Bob Dylan.) It was a protest song - an early Bob Dylan in the times of Joan Baez and others becoming the popular music. We sang it loud and proud, happy to be that generation - the one that would change everything for the better. And we tried, and then we aged and the younger generation picked up the torch, changed the path's directions, and we were off again, and again, and yet again. Now it is my generation who are "behind the times" and "standing in the way" and the younger generation who seem to be looking for conservative security, new causes and a rash of new demigods to be thrown down by their own children in another 10-20 years. 

Every generation gets an opportunity to carry the 
torch for a short time, and then must pass it on to 
the next generation waiting in the wings. Although 
each generation starts out with great intentions, 
more often than not, they fall flat and fail because of 
the weight of what needs to be changed, and the 
intransigence they butt up against. 

The times have a-changed. When historians look back at these days from the far future, what will they see? What will the tinted glass of time smooth over in their analysis, and what will stick out clearly? What will be that rock in the middle of the raging river of time that was pivotal to all except those of us living through it.? I wonder what the generations of 100 years from now will think about us. That's a massive gap of time. Think back to 1922 - the end of World War I (the war to end all wars ... the joke was on us). The flu epidemic was winding down, the economy was going great guns for another seven years and industrialization was starting to grip the nation's factories, but we were a bit less than a decade away from the Great Depression. Isn't it interesting how history can bring perspective? 

Historical perspective has always been of interest to 
me, since history is usually written by the victors of 
any battle. Those battles don't just have to be in war, 
they can also be in economy, culture, religion or 
other things that impact multitudes of people. 

On that note, I'm out of here. I guess I'd better try to fill that silly form out and send it on it's electronic way. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back on Monday. 

Engaging the Senses

Shiny things. What is it about shiny things that grab our attention. Why choose shiny instead of dull, sparkling instead of drab? I suspect it has something to do with the long history of evolution of humanity as a species. I suspect it hits the deepest part of the brain; something like: 

"Hey, Sam! I think the water's this a'way. See that little bit of shine over yonder?" 

Look at this lovely waterfall. Here we get the swishing sound of the rushing
water, the smell of the water and the moss-covered rocks, the texture of
the rocks themselves, the smell of water and greenery, and I'm sure
the taste of the water would be wonderful and cold. 

Yes, that ability to find water by the sparkle of sunlight on the shiny arcs of liquid is a very human thing. I choose sight, because our sense of smell is rather dismal. There are animals who would be able to smell the water from long distances away, but humanity evolved into sight-operated entities with sound augmentation. We see, we hear and finally we smell and we taste. Sometimes touch comes into the equation too. To be truly satisfied on all levels, we must totally engage all of these aspects of being human. Think about it. 

The more senses are engaged in a project or event, the more you'll
be involved in it and the happier you'll generally be. Think about
attending a concert. You hear the music, you often drink a beverage
while listening, You see the musicians and their stage show. You
smell the people next to you and the singed smoke from any
pyrotechnics, and you touch the person dancing next to you. It's
a total experience. 

Two of the major products I sell are beads and jewelry. They are often sparkling, with a sheen from the lights and a color that is augmented by the colors that hang nearby. Although sound doesn't often play into jewelry, there is something intensely satisfying when pouring small beads onto a beading surface so they are ready to use in a project. It's a "swish" type of sound, a small rattle at a low pitch. There's no taste, and no smell for either jewelry or beads, the materials they are made from are inert. I suppose there's a back-of-the-mouth metallic tang if I put tongue to metal, but jewelry is rarely (if ever) made for tongue and taste. Touch is big, though. A good piece of jewelry, a beading project in the making, these are items that beg to be stroked, fondled, and hefted. 

This is an item entitled a "Jade Fondling Stone". I'd probably be
calling it a "worry stone", but the concept is the same. Just look
at it. doesn't the light texturing of the larger stone invite
the hand? Isn't that indentation just asking to be caressed? Stone
and other natural materials are popular because they beg to be
fondled and stroked. 

Think about it for a moment as you go through your day today. How many of your senses are you engaging at any given time? Vision is almost always a basic, but touch and smell certainly come into play often during an average day. Try to engage your senses more fully today. Pay attention to your reactions to sight, smell, sound, taste and texture. See how many ways you can experience that cup of coffee or that book from the shelf. Deepen your appreciation of the depths of your humanity and find that water sparkling far away in the distance. Happy Friday, I'll be back tomorrow. 

Why I Think the New Project Runway Works

Tonight is the final episode of Season 17 of Project Runway. You know where I'll be - perched at my computer, watching the episode and writing tomorrow's post about the show. I fully admit I'm a Project Runway aficionado (aka addict), and it's always fun to share fashion with my readers. The show has come a long way over the years, but this year was truly groundbreaking. It featured a new host, a new set of judges and a new mentor. It also featured a new, more edgy workroom and runway. All in all, I think it's been a fun move and most of it has been for the better. 

I admit, I'm a total Christian Siriano fan girl. I've been following
his fashion for years and actually get phone notifications when
his latest Runway showing is on-line. He doesn't hit with
every outfit, but he's got some good stuff in his collections. 

I admit that I was worried when the season began. There was no more Heidi or Tim or Zac. It seemed as if the foundation had been ripped from the show and the fires of scandal had burnt the franchise to the ground. But out of those ashes rose a phoenix, and I think the show weathered the flames and came out stronger than ever. 

Karlie Kloss came to Project Runway from a highly
successful modeling career. She's got friends and
relatives in high places, so you never know who
she might be able to get into or onto the Runway. 

The host of the show sets the tone of the show and Heidi ran things with a gloved, iron fist. Karlie Kloss has a bit softer tone but she's highly respected as a model and very in-touch with today's social media and audience. I think she's settled into the host position very well and works smoothly with the judges. 

Brandon Maxwell is a character and he isn't
afraid to voice his opinion, even when an
outfit is walking the runway. He's a lot of fun. 

There are three standard judges this year, and occasional guest judges. That format hasn't changed, but the composition of the judges has. Instead of Zac Posen, we have Brandon Maxwell, a designer who has been at the forefront of recent fashion, especially with his four different outfits for Lady Gaga at the latest Met Gala. The other new face in a judges chair is Elaine Welteroth. She's young, edgy, and I always look forward to seeing how she's wearing her hair - different every week. They are joined by long time judge Nina Garcia who is now the editor-in-chief of "Elle" magazine. A definite step up from "Marie Claire".  

Elaine Welteroth was a complete unknown for me, but I'm
liking what she brings to the show. She's edgy, unafraid
to express an opinion, and pushes the designers to be
open for more possibilities and interpretations. 

The mentor may have been the most controversial move but it's the one that I think worked extremely well. Instead of Tim Gunn - a wonderful mentor and guide, we have Christian Siriano - former contestant and winner of Project Runway, and successful fashion designer. He has a more rounded look at the show and the fashion industry, having been a previous contestant who went on to success. He can advise the designers not only on their look, but also on the little touches that will make a garment marketable or walk the runway successfully. He's also not shy about pointing out previous criticisms that should be taken into account by each designer. 

I've been a Nina Garcia fan for a long time. She's to-the-point,
articulate, checks every detail, and is the judge you most
want to impress because she doesn't impress easily. I'm
delighted she moved over to Bravo along with the show. 

I declare the re-vamp of Project Runway a success. It took a little bit to jell, but the judges are working well with each other, and Siriano is "making it work". The mandate of differently sized models and even a trans model (who ended up being the most popular model), was also great. It's about time fashion catches up with its end-audience. I'm looking forward to tonight's finale, but I'm also looking forward to Season 18 whenever it airs. Project Runway isn't dead, it's survived and grown stronger and more relevant. I'm not the only one feeling positive about the changes. If you're interested, here's a link to an analysis by "E! Online". 

I'll be back tomorrow with the final episode of Season 17 and the announcement of the winner. In the meantime, have a wonderful Thursday and be fashion forward today - just for the fun of it. 

Look For The Edge Today

It's a stumbly day already, it's only 4:08 a.m., and I'm already running late. Ridiculous. But the reality is I've got 20 minutes to pull this blog together, plug in photos, and get it posted. Oy! 

The shoulder pain I have is fairly recent, but quite painful and
annoying. It cropped up about six weeks ago and I can't seem
to shake it. I'll probably have to see my doctor about it and see
if it is bone or muscle. 

It's been a 12+ hour of shoulder pain for me, so maybe that's another reason why I'm moving a bit slower today. I've been developing some arthritis or other joint pain in my right shoulder. I think I can pin it down to the angle my body is in relation to my mouse, but I actually can change that - at least at my home computer where my chair has a range of motion. Unfortunately, the chair I use at work is very old and somewhat broken, and the adjust-ability it used to have, is no longer. Come to think of it, the chair is rather reflective of me - my own adjust-ability is also minimized. 

It is hugely important to not lose mental
flexibility. Imagination is to be encouraged
and nurtured, not rounded up and placed
into a cage. 

Of course, this is physical adjust-ability or flexibility, not mental. Although I have been accused of being mental on rare occasions, it is just as important to retain flexibility on both the physical and the mental level. Too much inflexibility mentally and those vast fields from which creativity springs dry up into a small room of white walls and a cement flooring. Boring doesn't suit the human condition - it's something we fight and strain against at every opportunity. 

These red button-up boots are absolutely adorable. Apparently
they are a size 35 and have only been worn once. Available
on Poshmark for $10. I have no idea what size a 35 is, and
I wouldn't wear them, but they are so CUTE! 

So, break out those red shoes today, fling a sweater or light cape around your shoulders or grab that bad-boy motorcycle jacket for your spin to the grocer later today. Walk on the edge of the sidewalk and examine the drainage at the edge of the road for treasures undiscovered as of yet. Allow your imagination to fly wide. It's a good day to soar. 

You never know what interesting things you might
find at meeting points. Here are two sidewalk
edges and I'm totally in love with the colors against
the neutral background of the concrete. Lovely! 

Enjoy your Wednesday. I'll be doing the usual today - grocery shopping, laundry, housecleaning. But between it all, I hope to fly a little too - my imagination needs some exercise. I'll be back tomorrow unless I fly into another dimension, in which case I'll try and write a travel-log for all of you. Happy Day for all! 

Addiction - Where My Brain Led Me Today

Did you ever send in an entry for the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes? Do you remember getting those hefty envelopes in the mail where you would have what seemed like fifty different forms you could fill out, and oh - there were magazines to be ordered as well. Of course, everything is digital these days, but people still fill out their information and submit it to PCH in hopes of winning LOTS of money. 

Have you ever entered a Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes? I
know I entered several when I was quite a bit younger. I'd fill out
numerous forms, and I even subscribed to a couple of their
magazines now and again. 

People buy lottery tickets, drive over to casinos, or sit down at automatic slot machines in diners or gas stations too. All in hopes of being a winner - getting more back than they put in. I'm certainly guilty of putting the occasional quarter into a slot machine, but can also honestly say that I haven't done so for years and years. It's not of interest to me, and seems a horrid waste of money. I'm quite aware, however, that my case isn't the case for everyone. Gambling can be fun, but it can also be an addiction for some people. 

Slot machines used to be something found in other states, until
Indian gambling casinos opened here in the Frozen Northlands.
Now we can just drive over to the nearest Indian casino and
"donate" our money to the tribe of our choice. 

I wonder if a gambling addiction encompasses all forms of gambling, or if it is type-specific or location-specific. I know it can destroy people, their relationships, and their lives as surely as any other type of addiction. I have an acquaintance who is a recovering gambling addict. I suppose if I ever decide to write a character who fits that parameter, interviewing her would be a good place to start my character development. 

Addiction is a cycle. It can be for gambling, alcohol, food,
drugs, or many other substances. Things that trip your
personal trigger can become an addiction for you. 

Addiction itself leaves me wondering about our predilection, as a species, to over-indulge. Is it just some people who have a gene marker that can be clicked on or off for addiction? Or is it psychology acting in combination with the physical high of addiction that begins to pave a road that person wants to travel? Does every addict think they can stop any time they want? Or do they just not care - wanting the addiction more than anything else and any other options. 

A lot of research has gone into discovering how addiction works
in the brain and, possibly, how to alter the triggers to keep
addiction from settling in. I think, however, that human beings
will always want what makes them feel good - even when they
know it's bad for them. 

I had my times of walking a narrow line, and I suspect if events in my own life had been different, I could have fallen into an addiction of a type, but I didn't for numerous reasons. Still, I wonder. What if? How would my life be different? Where would I be now? 

Enjoy your Tuesday. We're definitely colder once again, but we're past the worst of winter and well into our early part of spring. Here's hoping you have a fabulous day and I'll be back tomorrow. And if you have any insights into my topic today, please comment below or in private message. *hugs*

Open That Closet and Don't Stumble (Much)

We're back into snow mode and that's OK, except for the fact that our snowblower seems non-functional and we're getting several inches of snow every 12 hours. This ends up requiring a lot of shoveling, so I've got less than 30 minutes to pull this together before leaving to shovel the driveway from our overnight flakes. Such is life, in a way. 

You can be multifaceted. The paints of your life always manage
to work together. I probably wouldn't paint a room with three
diverse colors like this, but I don't mind being a writer, a
shopkeeper and a metalsmith - three very different colors. 

In the nature of life, there always seems to be something waiting to be cleaned up, washed up, painted over or dusted. It's not so much housecleaning as life cleaning. It's not essential to wash the sheets and change the bedding every week, but it you don't actually open that internal linen closet, it's going to get musty and stale and when you finally pull out that clean sheet to put onto your virtual bed, it's not going to be much of an improvement. 

I can't even manage to think about how many hours I spend
practicing the cello. I certainly didn't want to practice every
day - I fought it as much as any kid who would rather be
outside playing with friends. But looking back, I'm really
happy that I stuck with it for as long as I did and that
I accomplished as much with my music as I was able. 

Maybe that's why we practice. Artists draw every day, musicians practice every day, writers write every day - motions frequently performed become habit. I like having a scheduled life with specific tasks to achieve by each day's end and many people share that comfort with me. It's when things pop up to throw off the schedule that challenge the mind. It's how those challenges are met that define the person. 

Stumbling blocks can be many things. Here, the policeman is
being tripped by the escaping criminal. Sometimes if there
are no stumbling blocks, we manufacture some. It's human
nature. 

How flexible are you to those stumbles that life throws at you? I'll be testing out personal scheduling boundaries today when I shovel early and when I have the cable TV tech invade my personal space in early afternoon (the cable box died yesterday morning - DH is aghast and it MUST be fixed or replaced ASAP). Do you open your mental linen closet often enough to keep things fresh? Do you practice your craft or do something you love every day? These are things that will keep you from going musty and old and it's never too late to begin a good habit. 

I think I'll have one day without snow today, but starting tonight we'll have another storm roll through with another 4"-6" of snow in the next 24 hours. It's OK, it's part of life. Roll with those punches and party on. Happy Wednesday - I'll return tomorrow. 

Do You Seek Fame and Fortune?

We all aspire to individuality. We don't want to be a face in the crowd, until being the one standing out from the masses becomes uncomfortable. At that point, some back up and blend with the crowd, while others step forward instead. Some people always want to be in the spotlight - politicians and performers come to mind first - while other people prefer to stand back, not in the shadows, but in the background. These are the people who just want to live their lives as well as possible, pass on their joys and fears to the next generation, and eventually pass quietly to the next phase without leaving too many ripples behind. 

Every action create ripples around us. Those ripples can
intersect with those from other people and change their
directions or perspectives. Action can be a powerful tool. 

There are times, however, when individuality raises its head despite trying to fade into the nooks and crannies. I must admit that I'm not really great at self-promotion. I've been in the spotlight a few times, and it's been nice, but there was always a squirmy feeling of being uncomfortable under such acute examination. The fact it, when you fall from a pedestal instead of a step, it's a longer distance to the ground and it hurts a lot more. 

Getting onto a pedestal isn't always comfortable or easy,
as this delightful sculpture by Marian Weisberg depicts. 

I think that ambition and personal desire for achievement often tends to burn hotter in youth. As I grow older, although I would love to achieve more accolades for this or that (writing, art, general life skills), it's unlikely I'm going to transform the ages with whatever I do in the final decades of my life. I'm no Margaret Mitchell, writing a novel that still resonates more than eighty years later. I'm no Grandma Moses, whose career as a serious artist began when she was 78 years of age. I'm just me. Although I'll write and create until I'm ashes in the wind, I doubt I'll produce anything earthshaking or with lasting ripples through time. 

There is something absolutely charming about the artwork of Grandma
Moses. Depth of field and proportion are lacking, but there is life
there - daily life that jumps off the canvas and into your heart. 

That's actually OK. When I look back in another decade or two and analyze my life, I think I'll be relatively happy with it. I won't look at my personal achievements as much as what I managed to do for others. I've fostered creativity in others, I've entertained people through tales and quips, I've loved a good man, and I've helped others whenever I could. There could be so many worse ways to live a life. 

The skills shown by Grandma Moses in this piece - "A Country
Wedding" - are undeniable. It looks primitive, but in reality, it's
finely detailed, does just what it should to showcase the event,
and the lack of 3-D is a time-honored technique that dates back
to Ancient Egypt. 

I'll wrap today up here, since this post grew legs of its own and went in unexpected directions - all good. Have a truly excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Now, to plug in photos and head off to the gym. Enjoy your day! 

Windows of Opportunity

I'm stumped today. It's cold, I'm tired, and I'm not really in a mood to talk - nothing really to share. It's a boring time of the year. January is usually the time to start anew - make resolutions, try new things, set new routines. I can't disagree with that, but my "new routines" have more to do with the fact that I'm not allowed to swim for another 1-1/2 weeks than more standard resolutions. I really didn't make any resolutions this year, I just want to get through the year intact, happy, and having accomplished something by the end. That's harder than it sounds. 

Among the most common New Year Resolutions are
those listed here. If anyone were to try all of these at
the same time, they would have a good chance of failure.
That's a LOT to strive for. Choose a single goal and
stick to it. Often others will follow along automatically. 

Chickie finally had a night to pack last night. Her mother accidentally packed the drill, so it's over at the new house instead of at the apartment where it's actually needed. Oops! Still, she finally (maybe) managed to get it through her Mom's head - she HAS to pack. The movers are scheduled to get her stuff moved out of the apartment and into the new place on Saturday, the 19th, and that gives her SEVEN DAYS to get her crap packed to move. 

Windows of opportunity don't stay open forever. Chickie's
window of opportunity for packing and getting moved into
the new house is closing firmly in eight days! 

Why has she ended up with such a short window of time to get this done? Because the past month was spent helping her Mom get the last of her stuff packed, the house cleaned, supervising the movers getting her Mom's stuff from the storage shed and other things - in other words - all of her Mom's stuff. I adore Chickie's Mom, consider her a good friend, but it's time for her to do her own thing for a couple of weeks. The clock is ticking and Chickie's window of opportunity is closing quickly. 

Isn't this a great window of opportunity? It makes you
want to climb out and explore the place beyond
the frame, doesn't it? 

Fortunately, after Chickie's stuff is all moved to the new digs, she'll still have the lease on the apartment until the end of January, so she'll have time to patch, paint and clean before she vacates completely. I feel a bit sorry for her housemate, Sabrina. It's a large Queen Anne-style house - three stories tall, and Sabrina will be the only tenant in that big house once Chickie moves away. That's a lot of empty space and she doesn't even have a dog to keep her company any more. I suspect she'll also look into moving, but who knows for sure. 

I'm really loving this open window view too. Just
look at the perfect positioning in the
top round window. Beautiful. Unfortunately,
I have no idea where this is located. There
wasn't a location given in the original photo
caption. 

So - I ended up with things to talk about after all! It's amazing what the mind can come up with when I let it roam a bit. Are you a person who moves a lot? I know most of my friends have pretty deep roots in their homes and towns. I absolutely dread the thought of ever moving out of my house - too much crap to pack and move, and nightmare wouldn't begin to describe it! Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow. Enjoy a productive and joy-filled day! 

Sweet or Savory - Which Would You Choose?

Tastes in human life tend to gather on two sides - sweet or savory. Which side would you put yourself on? I'm aware that most foods are a combination of these two extremes, but if there is a rack of food choices in front of you, or if you can choose anything you want to eat, which do you choose?

Which would you choose? Although I enjoy ice cream,
I'd probably choose the French fries. 

I admit that I almost always will choose on the side of savory. DH, on the other hand, tends to gravitate toward the sweet end of the spectrum. As a quick example, yesterday I cashed in my certificate for my birthday bagel with cream cheese.  There were many choices open to me - cinnamon-raisin, blueberry, even plain bagels, and the assortment of spreads was vast. I had no hesitation at all. 

There are a lot of different flavors for bagels. Although
plain, blueberry and everything bagels are popular,
onion, poppyseed and fruity bagels are also good. 

"An everything bagel with olive and chive spread, please," I requested. As I handed in my certificate in payment, I told the young lady at the cash register that it had been one of my best birthday gifts this year. I meant every word. It was a delightful lunch, and pushed all of my flavor buttons. 

I love sweet things too. In this sweet/savory combo, I would
be very tempted to go with the milkshake. 

If faced with a choice of salt or sweet, I'll choose the salt every time. I don't salt my food after cooking, in fact I rarely salt my food at all and my salt grinder is at the far end of the kitchen by the stove top, not at the table. DH prefers to grind pepper over his food when he wants additional flavor, so the pepper grinder is nearby at the table. But getting additional salt requires getting up from the table and walking to the far end of the kitchen. It has never seemed a handicap, and it's a journey we rarely take. 

Yes, I'd choose the mac n' cheese, but that's because I love
mac n' cheese so much more than cheesecake. 

I guess that translates into my interpersonal relationships also. I'm NOT a sweet person, although I can do sweet things. I've known people who were so sugary sweet they probably had to stay indoors when it was raining to avoid becoming a sweet gloop of watery syrup on the sidewalk. I don't have to worry about that fate. In fact, I'd survive a deluge. 

Add caption

On that note, I'm leaving this for the day. Enjoy your Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. 

The Other Side

Looking across at the other side. On the heels of the historic Brexit vote, I'm looking for pictures that will illustrate looking across at other things, places or people. I have no idea how the vote will ultimately affect Britain or the European Union, but it reminds me of the vote for secession taken by the Confederate states before the beginning of the Civil War in the United States more than 150 years ago. Of course Brexit is different in so many ways, but there is a similarity there that worries me.

People will be celebrating or will be aghast at the results
of this election. But the election is over. Now everyone
will need to learn how to work within the new mandate. 

An on-line friend posted this yesterday and I just had to pass it on. What does this have to do with looking at the other side? Well ... I'm older, and I can look back at my life from the far side now. Over my lifetime I've made 100's of friends, but those whom I label as my true friends are few and are cherished. Maybe that's my correlation with my subject today. I gazed across the valley of my life at a mass of people I've met and interacted with over the years, but just a few had moved from the milling crowd into the open center. Here they stand as people whose welfare crosses my mind often and as those with whom I would choose to share experiences any time.

Real friends are those who are with you through
thick and thin over time. I'm fortunate with
my friends - we have staying power. 

In ancient times before we had instant communication and air transport, entering an unknown valley was dangerous. What would the new valley hold? Were there people? Would they be friendly? Maybe there were fierce animals and any people living there would rather kill you than share a meal. You wouldn't know unless you took the bold step of walking away from the familiar and entering the unknown. As children we do that often - it's how kids learn. Most of us lose that sense of exploration and adventure as we grow older and more "responsible".

Looking across at the other side of the valley could be frightening.
What would we encounter as we passed through toward the
mountains ahead? Yet, as people, we have passed through these
valleys throughout our history in a quest to discover and
to understand the world around us. 

So as the world enters a new phase, the people within it will cross a new bridge and discover what lies on the other side. The days to come will be filled with new experiences and lots of rhetoric, but it's a year of change for everyone and we'll all have to cross this bridge. Britain made their feelings known with yesterday's vote and the USA Presidential election will take place in November. Both events will change the world as we know it. Here's hoping we all look back on these events in later years with a smile because we're crossing that bridge whether we want to or not.

Crossing a bridge is an act of faith in some ways. You hope
that you'll have positive experiences on the other side of
the bridge, and you cross a chasm or boundary of water to
get there. 

Here's hoping your week has gone well and will continue to do so. I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully a bit less pensively. Happy Friday!