Words. Reality.

I haven’t been feeling this ‘want,’ persay, to post up any images. It’s been a time to just reevaluate, and rethink the philosophies of which one works. Being a believer of Christ or not, we all believe in something. We all live by some philosophy. Many of which I’ve found are created by the social context which we live in or the media we’ve been spoon fed since we’ve been in this world. Those philosophies, which many live by, are actually paper thin. Think about it. If you were to ask yourself a bunch of why questions to why you act a certain way under a certain circumstance, or think a certain way about a certain subject, and the answer you find at the very end regarding the philosophy which you live life by is simply something you’ve acquired through media or been told, then your life will being to fall apart as the philosophy which you lived by was paper thin. So then you begin to ask more questions and seek for answers. Whether or not you get to the point of seriously realizing your philosophy is paper thin and admitting it to yourself and deciding to further ask questions and seek further answers depends on if you’re willing to step outside of your comfort zone, because you admit that you no longer have a comfort zone. So with nothing to stand on, you then carefully and more thoughtfully seek something which to stand on, making sure that it’s something worth standing on to being with. Took me 22 years to fall through my paper thin philosophy to find something worth standing on and living by.

Regardless, I haven’t had this want to post images not because I don’t have anything “successful” to put up, but rather, i’ve found myself recently more fond of reading text and words and interacting with them more than images or videos. I think it’s cause i’ve found it really difficult to read sometimes. I’ve found it frustrating at times to open a book, read a page approximately 10 times only to understand that the first sentence of the first paragraph started with “The” and ended with “.” At the same time, frustration is a good thing, because it shows that something is happening… Some sort of interaction is occurring, and you’re trying to make it out. When that frustration passes, you’ve found a new sense of… something. a resolution.

I don’t even think i’m making sense right now because I’m simply typing off the top of my head thoughts and ideas that have been laying around that have surfaced. Maybe because my Documentary Photography class yesterday turned into a philosophy class regarding photography, which I found most beneficial on so many levels. Props to Terry Evans, my professor, for curating it so well and being so real with us in a teacher/student environment, where she no longer placed herself as a teacher, but as a student, asking questions as we were, jotting down notes and thoughts, and simply sharing in the confusing mess that we were ALL in. A very humbling experience nonetheless. Guess my tuition is actually paying for something useful… a very expensive counseling session.. hah

Why photograph? What makes a photograph “beautiful”? What makes a photograph “successful”?

We go on through life living by a bunch of phrases and sayings, but not often to we even being to define the words of the phrases and sayings.. not once do we question what we believe to make sure we’re stand on something solid. I guess i type this because i’ve been blessed with a community of friends, brothers, and sisters, that have helped push me to ask questions about EVERYTHING, leading to a point where I hit rock bottom to build myself back up on a foundation worth calling a foundation. This same concept falls on top of many things from the broad “thing” we call life, to something specific such as photography (for me).

I type this being “outside of the Matrix,” only to offer you the Red or Blue pill. You have the final decision, but at least now you know the choices.

**i guess selfishly, it hurts me to see friends live a certain way, and when asked “why?” would only lead to that lifestyle being one conjured up through social media… i’m in no way saying my lifestyle is better, because it isn’t. However, deep down, the underlying focal point of the life i have chosen to ATTEMPT to live by isn’t one written by the masterminds of warner brothers or viacom, or any of the other 4 media companies running everything seen on television, and I don’t think yours should be either. be free.

PS:

QUOTE OF THE CENTURY: “…it’s crazy, the library [harold washington], has books, sculptures, newspaper clippings, photos… it has everything! it’s like the internet, but real.”

I laughed so hard… only then did i stop and realize… “ahhhhh crap…”