Weekly Photo Challenge: Mine

Posted on October 2, 2012 by rfljenksy

This weeks weekly photo challenge at the Daily Post is: Mine. What is mine? I have to ask this question because as I look around me, almost everything in this house is NOT mine.

Over the past 20 years I have moved over 15 times. I have lost many things to breakage, misplacement, stuff left behind, stuff gave away due to lack of room in my packing and once even to complete water damage loss. I have had my home robbed 2 times in a 6 month period with a total loss each time.

Ok.. so it’s not the physical things. Family? Yeah my daughters will in fact always be mine.. but as in past posts I have also stated that your children are NOT your children. They grow up and go away. They are always in your heart but they are never truly yours.. really just a gift. Same with sisters, parents, grandparents, cousins.. etc.

2012 Haute Pink Family foto in Seattle

Early family photo with cousins

: Old photos of my family. Mom/dad sisters

Really it’s the same with friends. Especially for people of a transient nature such as I. Always in my heart but a gift that is meant to be enjoyed when possible.

Sunrises and sunsets. I see them both and enjoy them beyond measure. How could you not?

sun rise venezuela

: sunset in Venezuela

So if it’s not the people, places and things around me.. what is completely mine? The only thing I could really think of and the only thing that is with me all the time.. always in my head or in my ears or out of my mouth is my music.

The following is a song my youngest daughter and I changed the words to while in Korea.

Music is mine.. True others sing it and play it but I possess it. Love all kinds of music and it’s the one thing that has lasted through happiness, sadness, joy and tears. The following is a random sampling of cover music I really love. Enjoy.

Other entries

Cuzco

Posted on September 25, 2012 by rfljenksy

Cuzco, which has been called the ancient capital of Lima is situated about 11,000 feet above sea level in the Andes mountains. When you travel here it is recommended that you drink coca tea or chew on coca leaves to alleviate altitude sickness. I did this and didn’t personally experience any problems with the elevation but several people I know became ill with headaches, stomach upset and fever.

The city was beautiful and was filled with palaces, stone roads and side-walks and gardens and fountains. There were 2 huge public squares that I saw and the towns people were always walking through them selling everything from pastries and chocolates to clothes and handcrafted toys.

Considering the era that this city was built, it is amazing to see how the stonework and aqueducts were so excellently handcrafted and are for the most part still functioning today.

An interesting Inca belief I learned about was how the Inca’s believed in an afterlife and so for each new emperor a new palace had to be built because the servants of former Incas had to continue to live in their master’s palaces to wait on them in the after-life. For this, the city is covered with magnificent buildings and masterfully made. I would call that job security but whatever.

The famous Temple of the Sun sits in the middle of the city and has 6 chapels built around the central courtyard. The stones that constructed the chapels were covered with sheets of gold which now causes them to nearly glisten in the setting sun. While I was there I saw at least 2 religious “parades” where hundreds of townspeople followed a raised cart holding Jesus on a cross as well as other banners.

In the past, Cuzco was the seat of government as well as a city so it was constantly filled with all forms of armies, priests, messengers and on and on. Every month there was a religious celebration that caused the square to become even more crowded. Today the crowds persist, but are more often than not people such as myself only interested in viewing what remains of the entire area.

A massive fortress that once guarded the city which you had to pass through and pay a toll still exists in structure but not in function. All in all it was a city very beautifully situated in an area rich in history and ripe for exploration. Like most historical areas I have visited, I feel if you are planning a trip here you should do it soon before regulation and destructive tourism reigns havoc on the beauty it currently contains.

Pan0ramaPalooza Peru (rfljenksy.wordpress.com)
Cuzco and Macchu Picchu (anightinwithnelly.wordpress.com)
Peru or Bust (talesfromthemotherland.me)
The Churches of Cuzco (bellaremyphotography.wordpress.com)
10 Travel Destinations In Peru Besides Cuzco And Lima (gadling.com)
Inca Capital – Cuzco, Peru (travelpod.com)

Unfocused

Posted on August 26, 2012 by rfljenksy

Dad’s Co-pilot – Truck driver 41 years found and carried this character with him for over 20 years.

The unfocused photo challenge was presented back in May by the Daily Press. I think that reviewing old posts has just recently become my new favorite hobby. I sort of feel sad I missed out on some of the earlier rounds of challenges, they are pretty cool.

I think I love this challenge most of all because it reminds me of gutter pool. You know the kind of pool really good pool players will play with you when they know that you can’t actually play but they sort of want you to participate.. maybe just to mock you or maybe because they just like you. Here are my favorite unfocused shots. Most were unintentional, but some were actually planned.. well not the unfocused part but the clear part in the unfocused photo. Those pictures are my favorite as they seem to show action. I hope you enjoy.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Unfocused (passion2read.wordpress.com)
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Weekly Photo Challenge – Wrong – So, So Wrong

Posted on August 11, 2012 by rfljenksy

It’s plump, juicy, three inches thick. Look at this sorry, miserable, squashed thing. Can anybody tell me what’s wrong with this picture? – Memorable quotes from “Falling Down”(1993)

On this weeks daily post “Weekly Photo Challenge: Wrong” I was going to be a little philosophical and try to do a sensitive photo challenge, dealing with poverty, abuse, pollution or some such thing that would inspire or motivate other’s into action. However, after reading several of the blogs from this theme it seemed obvious that idea was sort of taken.. other just plain wrong photos popped up that got me to laughing. Also got me to thinking about my time in Korea where even though so many things were not necessarily wrong.. some were just not quite right. Enjoy.

Korean baseball game.. garbage bag on head while eating top ramen with chopsticks.. not quite right.

Korean subway, met Elvis’s doppleganger.. though not wrong.. didn’t feel right..

Obviously there was something very unsettling with the small, Korean bananas in my daughter’s left hand. Now I knew there was nothing wrong. but even to me it did not seem right.

Now.. I’m not sure what type of place this was.. hair replacement, wigs, hair styles.. but you can definitely tell there was something just plain wrong going on here.