The road not taken

I just read Nathaniel Fick's book, "One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer," and I have to admit, this isn't exactly my usual choice of reading material. Actually, it's about as far from what I usually read as it can get. However, my choice to read this particular book was brought about from watching the new HBO miniseries "Generation Kill".

I had originally intended to read Evan Wright's book of the same name, after I read his three-part article "The Killer Elite" in Rolling Stone. Unfortunately the library didn't have it, but it did have Fick's book, so I checked that out instead (he was the lieutenant in charge of the platoon that Wright embedded with). Now, I'm a big researcher. I look everything up. I can't watch TV without my computer on my lap so I can look up anything that strikes my fancy, or that I don't understand or know much about. I've been watching "Generation Kill" and I have been very impressed with what I've seen so far, three episodes into the seven total. The fact that it's about real events with real people piqued my curiosity and spurred my research frenzy, so I've been reading everything I can find about the events. The show strikes just the right balance, going from raunchy, politically incorrect humor straight into an adrenaline-sparking firefight and back to the humor in less time than it takes for you to recover. I'm sure everyone's heard the old adage, that the devil's in the details. Well, the details in this show are spot-on. I'm not talking technically or realistically, since I have no knowledge of that and therefore can't judge it by that, but as a TV show. The details are perfect, and therefore the show as a whole is perfect.

Now, back to my original reason for this post. Reading Fick's book was an education in and of itself. Aside from little things picked up from the odd action movie here and there, I know next to nothing about the military, so the book and the author (a Classics major at Dartmouth) are eye-opening. I'm not going to get into the details, because that would take too long, but suffice it to say it was gripping. Every now and then he would say something that really resonated with me. I'm going to include a quote that has really made me stop and think, and evaluate my life.

"Throughout my life, I'd always had some sense of what was coming
next. People build continuity into their lives --- places, friends,
goals. We go to work on Monday with plans for Friday night, enroll as
freshman intending to be seniors, and save money for retirement. We
try to control what comes next and shape it to meet our will. This was
too big for me to shape. I was absolved of responsibility for my
future. It was replaced with responsibility for twenty-two other
futures. Nothing in my history seemed to matter beyond that line on
the map. I didn't know what to expect, could not even imagine what
might come next. Strangely, I tried to conjure up images of what I
might see and how I might react, but all was blank. I hoped this was
only the effect of standing at the crease. I told myself that once we
crossed the border, I would again be able to guess at my future."

That is a way I had NEVER thought about it before, but it's completely true: our lives are paths that are set out for us long before we even reach an age that allows us to begin asking questions, and few end up where Fick was at this moment, with completely no idea where he was headed, what was in store for him after this moment. I have an inherent tendency to rebel at the thought of being forced into anything, or doing something just because it's popular, so this made me think. I'm already at this point in a way, a college graduate with absolutely no idea where I'm heading. Some things are definite; I know I'm going to get a job, work 9-5 most likely for the next 30 years, and then retire. However, many parts of that are fluid. I have NO idea what I want to do with the rest of my life, and lately I've been evaluating myself a lot, trying to decide just what it is I want to do. I've made some choices, but nothing is set in stone yet, and many more things are still undecided. I don't want to get forced into any particular path by societal expectations, and my rebellious side is pushing me to do something different, to follow a different path, especially after reading this quote. I really have been doing a lot of thinking, well actually more like agonizing, about where my life is going. I've already made the decision that instead of merely putting my English Lit. degree to work at some giant anonymous corporation I want to save the world. I want to do some good, to help people. If that sounds naive, well, it probably is. But it's what I want to do. I have this burning desire to do something meaningful, to contribute to society, to feel like I'm doing some good and making a difference because, as the Goo Goo Dolls' song says, "A life you don't live is still lost".

Top of the World!

Isn't this an amazing view? This is Florence, Italy from the top of the Duomo, or Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. Florence is an absolutely beautiful city with a strong Renaissance feel to it. Sometimes, walking down the streets you feel like you're back IN the Renaissance, the sensation is so strong. Climbing through the innards of the Duomo to reach the dome was an amazing experience as well, but definitely not for the claustrophobic or acrophobic :)

Green

My cat! I love her green eyes, they're so beautiful. I didn't touch up the photo or do any computer editing, they just match the foliage in the background perfectly. Her name is Mouse. Yes, I know, I have a cat named Mouse. I've heard it all.

The Oncoming Storm

I just took these pictures a few minutes ago. I heard thunder, so I looked out the window and saw these fantastic cloud formations in a storm passing by just south of my building. I immediately grabbed my cameras and opened the window and took some shots.

Wishing Well

I took this picture at an archaeology museum I visited in Denmark with my study abroad program. When archaeologists excavated this well, they discovered a surprise; all the gold necklaces, armbands, and bracelets that are shown displayed around the well were inside it. Apparently they had been tossed in as some sort of offering or sacrifice. Who knows, maybe it did function as a sort of wishing well, just as the wishing wells we throw coins in today.

Aloha Spirit

Another shot from Hawaii. It was so beautiful, I've been to other resorts in other beautiful places, but Hawaii was different somehow. Everything about the island was lovely. Part of the reason I liked it so much wasn't just the beauty, but also the attitude. Hawaii does have its own spirit, that exists nowhere else. I know the phrase "the aloha spirit" is hokey, but it does exist. And to be honest, hokey is fun. We went to a luau, Paradise Cove, which was completely hokey and touristy, and we had a blast. The lesson I learned in Hawaii was that you have to just let go and have fun. because it's impossible to be uptight there. The island doesn't let you. We only went to Oahu on this trip, so someday I'll have to go back and visit the other islands to see if they're the same.

Silent Spectators

This is a shot I took at a friend's wedding in Oklahoma last summer. It was a beautiful location overlooking a large lake.

Lights of the Arabesque

This is another particular favorite of mine. I took it at Tivoli in Copenhagen. Tivoli is an amusement park that opened in the mid-nineteenth century and is very charming, quaint, and beautiful. Lots of flowers and colorful paint and lights. The park has an Oriental theme, as that was the fad at the time Tivoli was created. This pagoda is in front of the bumper boat pond.

Vienna Past and Present

More old/new, this time in Vienna, Austria. A horse-drawn carriage drives down a cobblestone street past a Starbucks. Hmmmm.....what's wrong with this picture?

This trip was also during my semester in Denmark. During the first week of our three week study break, my program took us on what they call study tours. I chose to go on the trip to Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria, and definitely did not regret it! I had a blast, they're both such vibrant, beautiful, fantastic cities.

Italy's hidden gem

This is the Cathedral in Orvieto, Italy. Orvieto was my favorite destination in Italy, because it's just a small town in Umbria that has a little tourism due to its unusual location and history, but not a lot. I only saw one American family there, the other few tourists were European. Orvieto has the sights and the history and the art but none of the hype. It was the most legitimately Italian. The big cities that are tourist meccas are all tourist traps, basically. It's nearly impossible to see the real Italy there, while that's exactly what Orvieto is.

Il Canal Grande

The Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal, Venice.

Ubiquitous

Here is the ever-present Bridge of Sighs. If anything is the universal image of Venice, it is the Bridge of Sighs. Riding in a gondola underneath it is considered the ultimate romantic moment. However, in what I find a highly ironic twist, most people don't know the history of the bridge and the origin of its name, which is about the fastest mood killer I can think of. The bridge links the prison and the court, both part of the Doge's palace. The bridge was so named because after being convicted and sentenced to death in the courtroom, the prisoners would sigh as they crossed the bridge toward the prison and their waiting execution. And yes, I did tour the Doge's palace and walk through the Bridge of Sighs.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

On to Italy! This one was (clearly) taken in Venice from a vaporetto. I was only in Venice for about 26 hours, which was long enough to see all the main attractions but not enough to really get a feel for the soul of the city, which I do regret. I'd like to go back someday and stay long enough to really walk the streets (such as there are) and just wander. That's the best way to explore a city. Some of my best memories are from places we stumbled upon while lost.

Old Edinburgh

These two photographs illustrate precisely why I love Edinburgh so much. I took these in April of 2006, yet they look like they might have been taken 50 years ago. Everything changes, yet so much stays the same. That kind of history fascinates me, and I can't imagine living with it like so many do. America is so new, and Europe is so old, and other places are even more ancient. It's such a contrast.

Bird's Eye View of London

More of London, this time taken from high above the city on the London Eye.

Ramparts of Scotland

This is similar to the previous shot, but from a different angle. Edinburgh was one of my favorite places of all the cities I visited. It's old and beautiful, and perfect for photography.

Descending to the city

I took this photo at Edinburgh Castle during the same trip. I didn't even remember taking this shot at the time, it was so unimportant and casual. It wasn't until later when I was looking through my pictures that I realized how well it turned out.

The Tower and the Easter Egg

Here's another from the same trip and with the same theme. Also taken at the Tower.

London Bridge is falling down, falling down

Here's another shot from my time in Europe. I took this photo of London Bridge from the Tower of London. My theme for the trip, unintentional or not, turned out to be the juxtaposition of old and new.

Beyond Words

While driving around the island of Oahu, my family stumbled across this absolutely gorgeous little cove where a bunch of people were practicing surfing on these slightly smaller waves (it was about a half an hour past the North Shore). I just couldn't get past how dark and brooding it was, and yet so beautiful. I still can't even describe what this place makes me think and feel as I sit here looking at it, trying to put the feeling into words and failing miserably. There's a sort of power there that defies definition.

Oldies but goodies

Eventually I'll get around to posting those aforementioned more recent pictures, but for now I'm digging deep into the innards of my computer and dragging to life older photos that haven't seen the light of day for ages and posting those.


I took these two in Denmark during my semester there. On this particular day my program took us to Jelling, DK where there are several enormous burial mounds. Apparently Jelling is an ancient burial place for old Norse kings, and then later, like most pagan religious sites, was taken over by Christians who built a church and a Christian cemetery around the mounds and runestones, many of which are still there. It was very atmospheric the day we went, absolutely perfect moody, foggy weather for the subject matter.

A few of my favorite things--or in this case, photos.

I'm going to put some of my favorite shots to start with, so bear with me. These won't be in any sort of order, I'm just putting my older favorites up as I come to them.

This one is a particular favorite of mine. I took it in an old cemetery (Greyfriars Kirkyard) that my friend and I fortuitously stumbled across while exploring Edinburgh. This was during my semester abroad in Denmark in the spring of 2006. My program gave us a three-week-long travel break during the semester, since it was a fairly academically rigorous program and it was difficult to travel while classes were in session. My friend and I took this opportunity to spend two weeks traveling in England, Scotland, and Italy. Needless to say, I took a lot of pictures.

This is a shot of the gate entrance to the churchyard where the other photo was taken.

Perchance to dream

I hate to be cliche with the whole completely overused sunset picture, but this one is just so beautiful I couldn't resist. Hawaii really does have the most beautiful sunsets.

Silhouette

This is a shot from my family vacation to Hawaii last September. I didn't shoot it using the black-and-white option, it just looks like that due to the sun.

Contradictions

I am a study in contradiction. Nothing about me makes sense. I love art, yet I can't create it. I love to read and hate to write. I'm shy yet bossy. I can never think of anything to say yet sometimes I can't shut up. I love languages and my dream job would be as a translator, but when it comes to actually speaking languages, I'm terrible at it and it's no fun. I'd like to be a reporter but am too shy to succeed at it. I want to travel the world, but I barely leave my apartment. I'm broke and can't stop buying things. I dream about doing things but never take a step towards actually doing them.

So I am actually going to do something. Granted, it doesn't require leaving my apartment, or even my bedroom, but it's a step.

Photography is one of my passions, but I never do anything about it. I hardly ever take pictures, I never even take my good 35 mm. camera out of its case. I've recently started to rectify that, but unfortunately, wanting alone doesn't make me a good photographer. I do, however, occasionally take decent pictures, and I want to share them. So I created this blog (actually, with several intentions, not just this one) as a way to showcase my photographs in the style of a blog I read, akinoluna. (please don't hate me for copying you, akinoluna, as someone once said, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"!) It's also going to be inspiration to push me to keep taking photographs, because sometimes I let opportunities slip by.

I'd like to try to post a new picture or two every day, but due to my every-changing work schedule, that could be difficult, so I'm going to post a lot now, and then just whenever I get a chance. So here goes.