Tuesday, March 31, 2015

I do not have ADD. I have a low boredom threshold. I like to work on several projects; when I get tired of one, I move on to the next.

One of my current projects is a memoir I am ghost writing for a man who had an 80 year career as a game warden on both state and federal levels. A fascinating life, with a lot of adventure, from saving endangered animals in Hawaii to arresting Dick Gregory. I thought at first that it would be a small booklet for his kids and grandkids. Now I'm not so sure; we're at 40,000 words and counting.

Gene has an eidetic memory. If he can picture the event in his mind, even if it's 60 or 70 years ago, he can relate it in detail. Names, vehicles (and the size and reliability of their engines, hulls, etc.), conversations, how the device worked that someone was using to kill dolphins. It's all there, and I think it's going to be quite a book.

I wish more people would create this kind of book. Too many of us aren't interested in history, even that of our own family. As a photographer I have sometimes been called upon to copy and archivally preserve old family photographs. It's always rewarding, because it's more than copying snapshots; it's giving people their history.

Friday, March 27, 2015

I had a show of photographs a while back in which I illustrated chapters from Lao-Tzu. Not wanting to pay royalties, I decided to do a paraphrase, but I discovered how different the many translations are. Long story short, I did my own translation. Only 26 chapters so far, because the gallery only had room for 26 prints. Maybe some day I'll do all 81 chapters. Interested? Here's the Amazon link. Only 16 bucks. Such a deal.