Category Archives: random thought

family, photography, random thought, writing

post spring-chicken fashion

my friend, Amy, works at an upscale retirement home as an event coordinator.  she loves her job.

i’ve always been fond of wiser folks than myself (which happens to include approximately 87% of the general world population), so naturally those whom have double, triple, or even quadruple as many years as i do often capture my attention.

so when Amy asked me to come shoot her “annual senior fashion show”, i saw a great opportunity.

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the faces lacked no character.  their hearts were still warm and beating.  and their dignity seemed larger than mine.  i guess it grows with age.

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they really enjoyed themselves, but they weren’t aloof to the fact that there was an element of novelty to those of us younger folks in the audience.  and i don’t think they cared.  they know what it’s like to be young and ignorant.  they’ve earned confidence and self assurance.

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surprise, surprise.  so i got a little sentimental and reflective at the old-folks home.

my last-remaining biological grandmother passed away two weeks ago, and though it was expected and in many ways a blessing, it’s sad see another sojourner leave us.  but the flip-side of that is that she made the summit.  and it makes me happy to know that she had a pretty good time doing so.

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so i left the retirement community with a full cup.  and i get the feeling that we are missing out on something that you can only learn when you’re time’s almost up.  unfortunately, and fortunately, i don’t know what that is.

i think i’ll try to hang around the elderly a little bit more, and maybe they’ll give me a heads-up.

all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2008

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photography, random thought, travel, writing

give reviving

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mexico is one of those places that is inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time.

i had the unique opportunity to visit monterrey last week to shoot for my church and mission to the world (mtw).  it certainly was not what i expected.  but then again, i’m not completely sure what i expected.

honestly, my thoughts are still pretty jumbled, and i have yet to produce a cohesive story for this trip… but people keep bugging me for pics, so here are a small fraction of the photographs taken!!  more thoughts to come…

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all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2008

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random thought, writing

these days

 

these days,

when i can’t manufacture a feeling

and i can fake it no longer

but we still go through the motions

 

these days,

when my heart is heavy like a sandbag

and it aches for something

not knowing what that something is

 

we’re searching

searching with a compass

but we’re reaching, grabbing in the dark

 

these days there is a deep sadness

that blankets the hearts of men

but there is also dignity, and madness

for the hope to which we cling tightly

 

these days there are clouds like freight trains

moving fast overhead

and with them come storms

and flowers

growing wild everywhere

 

these days i cannot hold on tight enough

to the moments that drift quickly away like butterflies

 

these days when i’m just as much to blame as anyone

 

these days,

my eyes both feed me and deceive me

and i am strangled by my own hand

 

these days when all the systems of man fail

yet we still place our hope in folly

 

these days when the wise are foolish, and foolish wise

 

these days while we wait in anguish for redemption

forgetting that we’ve already been redeemed.

 

 

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family, photography, random thought

unclehood

my brother down in austin bought his kids a trampoline a few weeks ago.  i had been hearing about how awesome this thing was, but had not yet experienced the bouncy goodness it had to offer.  well, i went to austin this past weekend.  enough said.

elise and i had a blast.  she practiced form, and shouted “girl power!”, as i jumped and tried to focus my camera simultaneously.  i really love being an uncle.  it doesn’t get much better.

sam, my nephew, and boaz (the neighborhood bruiser and best friend of sam), are all boy.  when they spot their “crazy” uncle andrew, they go into attack mode.  i learned that this game, in particular, became more fun on the trampoline.  less chance of injury.  for the boys and their aging uncle.

  

elise, sam, and little andrew have all grown up with a camera in their face, thanks to their uncle andrew.  as a result of this, they are perfect little mini-models.  smiling on cue, mixing it up like true professionals, and absolute comfort in front of the lens.

a few months ago, i had the opportunity to hang with the little dudes for a whole day.  i was commissioned to watch over and entertain sam and elise for five or six hours.  i have to admit, i was really nervous.

i’m a bachelor.  and if you’ve ever read this blog before, you’d know that i’m quite impatient as well.  patience is a true commodity for those dealing with kids.  but i love these little guys more than life itself.  so i guess now’s as good a time as any to test my “parenting” skills.

okay, so i got a little help too.  my sister allowed me to bring them over to her place to set up a pool in the front yard.  it was a big hit.

  

miles, my third and newest nephew (my sister’s), came out to watch.  he’s a pretty serious little guy.  probably going to be a brilliant physicist or jazz musician.  or both.  even he managed to laugh at the three of us playing in a tiny pool in the front yard.

what a great gift i’ve been given to experience being an uncle, before being thrust into the throws of fatherhood.  i love getting to have fun and party with my little buddies, and then quietly escape when all of the tantrums begin, or the diapers need changing.  i’m enjoying this while i can.

all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2008

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music, random thought

farewell, rick wright

my best friend, trotter, and i used to dream of a pink floyd reunion.  roger waters and david gilmour sorting out their differences of course.  back to the days of dark side and meddle.  we envisioned this interstellar re convergence of rock giants to take place at the pyramids of giza.  obviously.

however, today, that dream died with richard william wright, 65.  rick was a founding member of arguably the greatest rock-n-roll band of all time.  he succumbed to his battle with cancer, but his contribution to the world of music will continue.  for more info on rick and his phenomenal career, please visit richard wright wiki.

insert cliche condolence…  shine on, you crazy diamond, rick!  wish you were here…  we’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl.  set the controls for the heart of the sun,  etc.

you’ll be missed rick wright…

all that you touch
all that you see
all that you taste
all you feel.
all that you love
all that you hate
all you distrust
all you save.
all that you give
all that you deal
all that you buy,
beg, borrow or steal.
all you create
all you destroy
all that you do
all that you say.
all that you eat
and everyone you meet
all that you slight
and everyone you fight.
all that is now
all that is gone
all thats to come
and everything under the sun is in tune
but the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

there is no dark side of the moon really.  matter of fact its all dark…

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