Capturing Tomi

Picture of my amazing brother-in-law, Tomi. ©2007 Bruce Anttila van Hoover

Couldn't believe I caught this moment. It was a matter of having my camera already in my hand and seeing Tia talking to Tomi on Skype. Just happened to duck my head in to say HI, and Tomi says it back - CLICK - captured the moment. Thanks Tomi!

Hope everyone is doing well. I'm struggling through a challenging balance right now at work trying to fit 40+ hours of work into a 25 hour week. I needed to reduce my work hours in order to be home to do as much research as I can on where we're going to end up. You guessed it, we STILL haven't totally decided on a place to land or a means to get there. I know, tick-tock, tick-tock. We're now beyond the point of pulling out a map and throwing a dart at it. But we're pushing on with it in our temporary quarters. The flavor of the week so far is Eugene, Oregon, sprinkled with tidbits of Boulder, Colorado. Been to either? Feel free to leave a comment!

Hope you're all doing well. Thanks.

Opportunities Through the Lens

Grazing on Tuesday Morning, All images ©2007 Bruce Anttila van Hoover

Having a camera at the ready during sprintime pays off, especially when the weather is "changeable." I caught these cows grazing serenely in a pasture on my way to work this morning. They didn't seem to mind the busy traffic racing all around them, their grazing field used to be considered out of town, but with the development boom, I'm surprised their grazing land hasn't been turned into another strip mall.

I also captured the new Sand-hill crane babies. They walk by my office every day in a seemingly endless path of grazing for grubs. They are absolutely amazing and I love to watch them as they feed. So graceful. The babies are so delicate that I think the blades of grass give them trouble as they walk.


I sat perfectly still for this shot. They were grazing in my direction. At one point they came within feet of my position. I slowly backed away as to not startle them. I'm not sure if they're just that accustomed to people or if they haven't yet developed a fear of us. If I had not moved, they would have surrounded me and, eventually walked right past me.

Cranes, according to "Animal Speak, The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small," by Ted Andrews, are said to signify longevity and creation through focus. "The crane can teach you how to celebrate your creative resources and keep them alive, regardless of the conditions in which the are manifest, both by simply having the proper focus in your life."






Feeding lesson.

Well, we're in an apartment/house now, living in temporary quarters in a house a friend of mine owns, he is sort-of between tenants. He has been gracious enough to allow flexibility to us for our upcoming, and mostly unknown schedule, to allow cats, reduced rent and all of our worldly possessions in it. We made the living room our bedroom and the bedrooms, our storage facility.

My work has been equally compassionate thankfully. I am in dire need of a break and my clients/employers have been very accommodating to my needs including allowing me to take a week off to move and another week off to go visit my family for my parents 55th wedding anniversary. I may be adjusting my schedule to go part time in the next week or so which will help free up some spare time to reflect on where we're going. Right now all I feel I do is "stuff," day in and day out, stuff just to maintain life and I don't feel like I've had any kind of a break or any rest whatsoever. I'm basically burnt out. Not in so much a bad sense. I can still function, I can still source creativity and maintain relative focus, but my weary body and spirit is telling me I need to take some time to slow down soon. I know it's coming. These are exciting times and I am thankful and very happy in our choices!

Too Many Goodbyes...

Photo: Mom and Dad painting our front door. Bruce Anttila van Hoover.
It's been an unusual time for us. Our lives are now condensed versions of what they were before last week. We closed on our house yesterday and moved one step closer to making a decision about the rest of our lives. In a market that is predicted to continue to decline, we were one of the "lucky" ones to be able to sell a house. I felt my throat tighten during the closing and a tiny ounce of something in the recesses of my heart pinged in pain as we signed away title and deed to 2832 Marlette Street. I know it was perhaps a little more than that for Tia. This IS what we wanted and we have now launched ourselves further towards a decision. My horoscope says to remain flexible to a fluid couple of weeks until the day after my birthday. Not to make any plans. So be it. I'll need that long to recover from the move.

We also said "Goodbye" to my Mom and Dad this morning as they return to the north. My parents live in Florida in the winter time and Wisconsin in the summer. If it hadn't been for them this week, we wouldn't have been able to make the closing in time. They worked and worked and never uttered a complaint, never a time of rest and I, for the most part, had to tell them to sit and take a break. They are the most wonderful people in the world and deserve more than what their hard life has given them. My dad a retired carpenter, retired not by choice but by age (and an annoying rotator cuff injury from a chiropractor) and my mom a school bus driver who will work until she dies I think.

This year we had a "bonus" year with them. Having the house on the market so long, Tia and I could enjoy an additional season with them. This year their leaving was perfectly timed with ours. It was an unusually sad goodbye today. Watching them drive off... I know we will see them again in a month for their 55th wedding anniversary, but I also know that the years of winter card playing, games, eating out and laughing till our sides hurt will never be the same again. It was all I could do to hold back tears as we said goodbye. I don't want to have that moment remembered by tears, but by smiles. I love them dearly and when they are not down here, miss them more than I could ever imagine. What a blessing to have them in my life and every moment this past season was truly stolen.

Searches and Names... Spells Trouble.

It appears that I broke a rule of blogging a few weeks ago and slipped in a few names (that have since been removed from prior posts) of businesses that have hired me or the company I work for, and as a result, words (not sure if positive or negative) got back to my employers. I wouldn't really think this to be a big deal, I mean, I did the work, it's no secret, and nothing was said that was harmful in any way about anyone. However, I stand by my comments and have always reported the truth (my truth) in my blog and always try to maintain a level of integrity in my actions. But, apparently I slipped up these names and, in a search, one of the owners of one of the companies I have mentioned here contacted the company I work for. I didn't say anything bad or remotely negative, I only spoke my opinion, I said that the place we are working with isn't the kind of place I frequent often. It's a truth about many of the clients I work to promote in many different genres. It isn't to say I wouldn't. This venue in particular is an interesting place and it's certainly very popular and there is a part of me that enjoys going there occasionally, but not really the kind of place I would go to often - NOTHING against anyone who goes there, but now the owner said something to my employers and they have requested a meeting. I'm totally embarrased.

I do not offer any change in my opinion. This is certainly not a retraction. The owners of the establishment are really nice people and I have enjoyed the times (all of two) I have spent there recreationally and also grateful for the professional work and regret any harm anyone, my employers included, who may have suffered as a result.

But word to the wise, you never know who is watching and reading. Nothing is secure in the world-wide-web, email, or web sites included. Be careful out there, don't say anything that you're not prepared to back up.