Friday Inspiration - Polynoid

WARNING: THIS IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART


My suggestion is to hit the "full screen" button. It is breath taking. 



Loom from Polynoid on Vimeo.


Year:2010
Production company: Filmakademie BW
Length: 5'30"
Directors: Jan Bitzer, Ilija Brunck, Csaba Letay
Technical director: Fabian Pross
Producer: Regina Welker
Sound: Joel Corelitz / waveplant
Artists:Felix Mertikat, Jin-Ho Jeon, Roman Kälin, Tom Weber, Christian Hertwig, Silke Finger, Jacob Frey, Leszek Plichta, Georg Schneider, Anja Wacker, Andreas 'Felix' Gebhardt, Falko Paeper, Sarah Eim 
Sound Mixing: David Axelbaum / Airstream Audio

Solid Chunk Of Goodness

The first birthday I spent with you, you turned 29. We had been dating for 8 months. I can't remember the details of where we went or what we did. We probably went out for a nice dinner since that's what we loved to do. Still love to do, although things like having children and being gluten free have made it a bit more challenging.

This is the 10th birthday that I have the honor of spending with you. I get to celebrate you being here, on this crazy planet, with us, your two boys and me. It's fun to think back on all of that time. Watching you grow and change and not change. Becoming a husband and a dad. Learning to do the dance of life with me.

You're a pretty amazing man. I am truly blessed. You are loving and kind. You are funny in ways that I chuckle to think about. Ways that only I get to see which makes them even more special. You are generous with your time and with your heart. You are open to change and to growth. You are passionate about family, our marriage, about me, our boys.

You love the outdoors. Hiking, camping, snowboarding. Playing soccer, swimming in the ocean, surfing. Our boys are so lucky to have an active father like you and sitting outside under the stars with you is one of my favorite things. You are concerned with the food that we eat and have been so instrumental in taking the health of our whole family to a whole new level. You are organized, beyond belief. You have a faith in God that strengthens my faith. You. Are. Amazing.

Today is your birthday. You are a huge contribution to everyone around you and today we get to celebrate you. I love you my darling. With all of my heart and all of my soul.

Someone said, when we first met, that you were a solid chunk of goodness. Through and through. That if you were split in two, you would have two solid chunks of goodness. They were right. Completely.

Mom - Body, Mind and Spirit

I find myself amazed at how disconnected from your body you can become. I understand how it can happen. Years of abuse, things happening to your body that you aren't in control of. Needing to disconnect in order to cope and survive.

This was the early life of my mother. She needed to separate herself from her body. She needed to survive. And now, at 75 years old, she knows no other way to be. I don't think she even realizes that she's disconnected. How could you after years and years of being numb. 

Maybe my need to be connected to my body, to the food I eat, the products I use, stems from watching my mother cope through life. My sister and I have had many conversations where we say that no matter what happens in our lives, we don't want to be or react the way that our mother has been or reacted. We've seen the poison coursing through her body that is a result of stuffing all of her pain. 

I wish I could wave a magic wand over her to release all of that pain and suffering. I wish that there was an easy fix. She's been suffering throughout her entire life in one way or another. But, her suffering has taught me to release. Even if in times of trouble I just stand and breath and imagine releasing the tension, the suffering, the negative from my body, I feel like I'm making a difference. A difference that I wish she could make but one that I am deeply thankful that I have the ability to do.

There are so many people who know my mom that are praying for her. I appreciate each and every one of you. Prayers are powerful and do change things. They do help to heal. Maybe I could ask people to pray for her pain and suffering to be released. The pain of years of abuse, the pain from loss and death of loved ones, the pain from life not being the way that she hoped it would be. Maybe through those prayers, she can find a way to heal her wounds. I have hope.

My mother is probably one of the strongest people I know. She is tough. She is a fighter, but it has been at a deep expense of her health. She didn't know any other way, but somehow, she was able to teach me to let go. For that, I will be ever grateful.

Mom, I love you deeply, in all of the ways that you are and all of the ways that you aren't. I love you in the ways that I want to be different from you and in the ways that I want to be just like you. I'm praying for you. Praying for you to heal your body, your mind and your spirit.

Friday Inspiration - I AM

It was a friends birthday recently, yes Lisa, that's you! ;-) She is probably the most caring person I've ever met. Really. She offers to help when someone is sick, she brings her friends flowers on Mother's Day, she gifts little things that make her think of you. She does all of this without thinking of herself. She embodies selflessness.

One thing I've learned about her over the years, is that she loves the experience of life. Going places, talking to people, experiencing the world around her. Just buying her a gift for her birthday this year didn't seem quite right. I wanted to do something with her, I wanted us to have an experience together.

When I saw the poster outside of the Rafael Theater for "I AM", I knew that was where I wanted to take her. To a movie all about life and life experiences. I didn't know that this particular theatre was where she had held her first job. Talk about coincidence and meant to be.

The movie was amazing. It touched us both. I'm not sure if you could see the movie and not be touched though, in some way. I'm sure, as I know that everything exists in this world, there are people who may see this movie and not agree with what is said. They may discount what they see and hear and leave feeling angry or even more stuck in their habitual ways. But, for me, for Lisa, we were left with a feeling of hope. Hope that the world is changing, that we're moving back toward a way of community and understanding for one another.

I don't want to give too much away incase some of you have the chance to see this extraordinary movie. I'll post the trailer here so that you can at least get a sense for what it is about. It's only playing in small theaters and for a short time, so if you have the chance, don't miss it!

Our world is in need of change.  

Every small act of kindness and love does matter. 

Smile at someone that you don't know. 

Pick something up that someone dropped.

Open the door for the person behind you.

Give your time, your money, something,, to someone in need.

Make a difference.

On a side note, I wrote down a list of books that were either mentioned in the movie or written by the people being interviewed. Here it is, incase any of you are curious and don't want to have to take notes in a dark theater on the back of a receipt from your wallet.

Field Notes On The Compassionate Life by Marc Ian Barasch (His site shows another title as well :The Compassionate Life)

The Field by Lunne McTaggart

A Peoples History of the U.S. by Howard Zinn

The Last Hours Of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann

Planetwalker by John Francis

Jason and Andrea

Matt's co-worker Jason, proposed to his girlfriend Andrea not too long ago, and to his delight, she said yes! Well, actually after getting the story on Sunday, she said yes before he even asked the question! Don't you just love that? If you're engaged or married, can you remember what that moment was like? The moment that you knew THE question was coming? So much excitement and anticipation and emotion all bursting from inside? I can remember that moment, and when I do, I get a huge smile on my face.

Jason and Andrea talked to Matt recently about organizing an engagement photo session. The original plan was to have both Matt and I photograph them. It was going to be at a few different locations and Mason and Miles were possibly going to come along. Plans changed when we found out that Miles came down with pneumonia at the end of last week. He's doing much better now, but taking him out on a photography adventure on Sunday, wasn't going to happen. That left the job up to one of us and since the boys don't see much of Matt during the week, we figured I was the better choice this time around.

I have to be honest and say that I was nervous. Really nervous. Jason is a photographer too and whenever I photograph another photographer, I get nervous. Not only do I have to live up to my standards of taking a great image, but I have to live up to theirs as well. Not to mention that Jason and Andrea were photographed two years ago at the Discovery Workshop that was held at Cavallo Point and loved the images they came away with. They wanted to go back to Cavallo Point to bring being photographed together there full circle which was awesome, but again, a little pressure.

We spoke earlier in the day on Sunday and decided to start off in downtown Sausalito, meeting along Bridgeway and going to Lappert's Ice Cream Shop. They bought a sundae, sat down at an outdoor table and just had fun. Then, we walked down the road, photographing along the way, until we felt like we were ready to head to the next location. Sausalito was such a great place for an engagement shoot. There were cool little inlets of doorways and ivy strewn fences, plenty of places to duck into and use as a backdrop. After we felt like we were through being downtown, we headed to Cavallo Point and if you've never been, it's just beautiful. The grass that grows in front of the homes and buildings is so green and amazing. It's long and forms these swirls, one on top of another. The buildings and homes are just gorgeous and their porches make for excellent backdrops.

We casually wandered around the property, photographing along the way. I think they were reminiscing a bit about being there two years ago, just having started dating and now, here they were, engaged. We had a great time walking around and taking pictures.  We had the cutest dog join in for a bit. His name was Frank and he just ran right into the scene. Funny enough, Andrea said it was exactly the type of dog she wants to get. I think it was a sign. ;-)

I'm so happy with how the images turned out and Jason and Andrea are thrilled, (huge sigh of relief!) and I have to say, the two of them are just awesome people. I'm so looking forward to getting to know them both better. They're a couple that when you think of hanging out with them, the first thought that comes to mind is "fun". They're people who laugh and smile and enjoy themselves. Just the kind of people I love to be around.

Jason and Andrea, congratulations on your engagement. It was a complete pleasure to photograph the two of you. You both made my job easy with your fun loving attitude and warm hearts. I can't wait for the wedding!!