yet another article

espousing why Pittsburgh is such a great place to visit... PEOPLE - come see this amazing place and me too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/what-a-trip-living-it-up-in-pittsburgh-hidden-arts-and-culture-jewel/2014/08/21/ed543b1a-27bf-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html

exactly six months in...

... to forty. 40. 4-tay. 

a drop in the bucket of the first six months of each of the previous 39 years. some of which I tried to capture on instagram via a photo a day for the 39 days leading up to my 40th.

#fortytoforty the first twelve days

a good collection of pondering looks in this set

here, there, and everywhere

me and some ladies who are very dear to me

and these 39 photos are just a drop in the bucket of the photographs I have accumulated over this life, often with camera in hand (mostly now my phone/camera/radio/news//////) of myself, my family, friends, moments and memories.

I am grateful for this hobby it reminds me of all that has come before these last six months; despite life not always being easy - my life has been rich with friendship, ripe with fun, and most of all love. For me these photographs remind me I am valued, and I am valuable.

To this day Im not fully certain of what my purpose is in this life... maybe it is just to love the people who have loved me. I am pretty good at that. It's possible that in the next 30+ years I have an A-HA moment about my purpose. Regardless I will continue to be grateful for all the love I have been shown and I will do my best to pay it forward.

Technically still 39 in this first photo:

This one was taken later that day after the time at which I was officially born:

connections

Please watch... and then go make an actual connection. 

so this is going to happen....

hopefully. if I train properly....

Rachel Carson Trail Challenge

from here it looks so managable

and still I think I can do this

Little more than a month after registration was opened, the limit was reached. And there are already those on the wait list. So how many people is this limited to you might ask... 600. Some folks wait the morning of the challenge to get a spot, if at the end someone has just not shown up (because they woke up and said, "Uh uh, no way no how").

Thankfully there are awesome volunteers who run training hikes. I am doing all but one, scheduling conflicts and all; hoping doing so will contribute to my successful completion of the full challenge.

It was a real challenging winter, and I am grateful to have this event to keep me focused on brighter days (the actual challenge is on the Summer Solstice). Training requires me to eat better, exercise, and take care of myself - all things which help beat the blues (any time of year).

The other awesome benefit of doing this is developing a friendship with a woman who I admire, respect, and laughs with me. 

first steps on first training hike

first major dahn'ill

my ma's encouraging spirit is with me always

the edge

the bottom of the above edge

one of many vistas

rust bucket in the back hills

I think we interrupted some courting "love birds"

another lovely vista

sometimes you just hear the trains, and sometimes you see them

not bad, documenting where to put my band-aids next time

Destination Empty Nest

Destination Empty Nest, a set on Flickr.

The holidays barely behind us, and deep in to hockey season and nary a peep from me about my daughter's initial departure to college. I don't feel too terribly horrible about it. I'd like to think it is the result of my free time being occupied with things other than non-work screen time. Though admittedly I did probably/totally spend some time using my small screen (iPhone) to edit photos (via some great apps) I took in the second half of 2013.

I tried several times to write a post documenting my girlie's send off to higher education and her first real test as an adult succeeding in the world; but I guess for me it is best done through my favorite story telling medium.

I am very proud of my daughter. I know that she knows this is an amazing opportunity and she is taking full advantage of it. It is the biggest compliment I could ask from her. That and her new found love of hockey.

Way to go kid, WAY TO GO.