photos

My, What a Wide Tie You Have On

mikemjensen Life's Truths Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I hate looking at old pictures. Actually, I hate looking at me in old pictures. I wonder what I was thinking, and what was I wearing?pastphoto

At the time of the picture taking, I’m sure I thought I looked great with that haircut. My clothes, of course, would never be consciously thought of as embarrassing. The bell bottoms, the mullets, or the wide flared collars were, in their time, cool.

Yet if I took a picture of me today, I would assume I have moved past all those “childish” fashions. I now look as good as I have and ever could be. The thought that today’s photo would ever look out of style is not possible. And yet it will be. It always ends up that way. It could be a simple as the photo’s quality when compared to what it might be in 5 years from now. Or 10. Or 20.

And there lies the fallacy of every generation: the idea that the present is permanent.

It’s not.

The styles are changing. The materials are changing. The technology is changing. The style of things we use is changing. The phones, the media, the foods, the fuels, the attitudes, the beliefs, the understandings, the climate, the earth, and our language; are all changing.

It’s ok. It’s how we progress.

The problems comes when we hang onto the present as if it’s the only way. Or when we decide that the new generation will never survive itself. Or when we long for the past so much, we can ignore the future.

The only thing that doesn’t change is the past and the resurfacing of those damn embarrassing photos.

 

Post 3-096

Old West Lesson

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

As much as we think we know something, there’s always more to learn.

I love the old West. I don’t consider myself an expert but I know some stuff.

In fact, one of the fun thoughts I have of being on my motorcycle is thinking like I’m like one of the cowboys from back then. Open road, crossing the desert with nothing but the weather, the sound of the wind, and my own thoughts. Is it really much different?

Except of course if you take in consideration travel time being counted in hours instead of days or weeks. Then there’s the ability to stop whenever I want, get a motel, stop in a restaurant, or get a large drink for $1 at the local Mickey D’s.

OK, so it’s not exactly the same, but it’s our version of the open range today.

From the days when I was a kid, I’ve heard the names of the great western characters. And of those names, no name resonated in a young child’s imagination like the name Billy the Kid. I knew he was a bad guy but with a name like that, how could anyone not want to pretend to be him?

The truth of it all is that there is little information about, and even less pictures of, this Western Icon. In fact, until recently there was only one authenticated, original picture of Billy the Kid.

One.

In a weird twist, that one picture proved to be worth more money than this infamous, ruthless outlaw ever stole. It sold in 1985 for $2.3 million.829

Now another picture has been found and authenticated.

The photo, before authentication, was found in a pile of old photos in a junk store. It sold for $2.

No one knows how much this photo will be auctioned for, if and when it does. But it’s expected to meet if not exceed the original photo’s selling price.

The photo shows the famous outlaw playing croquette.

Apparently it was a thing then.

Who knew?

I didn’t.

 

Day 232

Delicate Arch

mikemjensen Vanity Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

The images that display at the top of my blog page are my own images.

I’ve been hampered lately in taking new ones due to camera issues but I’ll get some more up.

The one that makes me smile the most and the one of which I’m the most proud, is the image of Delicate Arch.cropped-img_20150131_122630_456.jpg

It was a cold, rainy spring morning when we hiked up. The feeling it draws to recall form such a striking contrast to what most people experience: hot, dry, arid, did I mention hot, days that usually make up days outside of Moab, Utah. It makes it fill that much more special.

I love living in Utah and the Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Zion’s, Bryce Canyon, and the other great natural places that reside within Utah’s borders have enriched my life in such a way that I cannot imagine not having them within driving distances.

I hope you enjoy the images as you visit my blog. And if you want to know anything more about any of them, please, please, please just ask. I’d love to tell you about them!

 

Day 159

Photos in Time

mikemjensen Vanity Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

847ad190f743b0dd94ac14eabec9059e

Arapaho Boys 1882

It’s funny. I look at this picture and I see little boys. I just assume they’re still little boys. When in reality, these kids grew up a long ago, got older, had kids of their own, and died. Their kids have done the same. And then again. Some of that third generation might still be alive today, but their great grandchildren would most likely be the same age of the boys pictured.

It’s easy to believe that pictures freezes time and to forget that time and life continues on. Time changes everything. I know this isn’t genius level thinking, but the subjects of pictures are always older than their picture.

Don’t hold on to the photographs of your life and think that’s how it will always be. Don’t believe that time doesn’t matter. Love the ones around you today, and every day. Tomorrow, they may not be there and/or they may want to be loved differently. Never believe the past or present is an assurance for the same in the future.

That being said, pictures are all some of us have for the future. And I suggest clinging to them like your last struggled breath of oxygen.

 

Day 64