To Your New Year!!

The Bridge - and a poem
Originally uploaded by creativity+.

This day is a bridge
To the next year.
Each night is a bridge
To the next day.
As we travel, there is no future.
Just the present - with
A roadmap of possibilities.
The past no longer exists
Except in our memories.
Looking with regret
in the rear view mirror
Only keeps our attention away
From the JOY of watching the
Scenery go by.
Looking back keeps us from going
Forward, safely, and with focus.
Let us cross each bridge with
Fortitude, awareness, and gratitude.
That we have bridges yet to cross,
And a path still ahead.

Timothy K. Hamilton
copyright 2005

This is the day, see it shine

This is the day, see it shine
Originally uploaded by neloqua.

Neloqua quotes the Moody Blues:
"This is the day,
Just see it shine
When all that I have lived for
Becomes mine
This is the moment
This is the hour
When I can open up,
Tomorrow
like a flower
And put my hand to
Everything I plan to
Fulfill my grand desire
See all my stars align
This is the moment
So double the odds
This day or never
I'll sit forever
with the gods
When I look back
I will recall
Moment for moment
This was the moment
The greatest moment of them all..."

"This is the Moment"
Moody Blues

One of the truly best photographers at flickr. . keep an eye on her and her career!

Try Jon Fobes. . . you won't regret it!

ORCHID SPOTS
Originally uploaded by jon fobes.

Jon is a very active member of Flicker, and has started at least SIX groups. He also is incredibly active at leaving detailed, helpful and encouraging comments. I hope he's semi-retired, otherwise he's gonna loose his job!!
=^D
Start with his "visitors start here" set, and you will find he's a mater of flower and wildlife photography. Just click on his name or the flower!

on fire

on fire
Originally uploaded by Franco Matteelli.

With a name like Franco Matteelli, I'll only give you ONE guess as to nationality. Franco doesn't upload as many photos as most at flickr, but those he uploads are wonderful!!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanukah!

Real Tree, Real Snow
Originally uploaded by creativity+.

This is a real tree with real snow photographed by me (creativity+) at the Botanical Garden. I wish you all the happiest of holidays, and especially the gifs of Joy, Peace, and Happiness!

Warmly,
Tim

Simplify my life - One car instead of Two

We just found out that our 11-year-old 1995 Saturn needs about $1700 worth of work on the clutch. So we checked the “Blue Book” value: $200 trade in, $500 to sell it ourselves, $1000 if it was being sold by a dealer. It is costing us $600 per year for liability insurance, as well. Obviously, it makes no sense to have it fixed. Here are the possibilities:

1. Give the car to a charity soon
2. Keep it, only do oil changes, and when it dies, it dies.
3. Drive it down to New Orleans and give it to a family there, and take the train back.

Anyway you look at it, by NOT having a car, We would save at least $2000 in three years. I would have to bicycle and walk more (which would benefit my fitness goal) or take the bus. On days when I need a car, I can drive my wife to work (50 minutes round trip twice), and have a car for Doctor visits, etc.
Simplify, Save Money (Financial Independence), and Fitness, all in ONE simple stroke!!! Amazing!

triple icicle

triple icicle
Originally uploaded by SophieMuc.

Sophie is an elegant artist. Plain and simple. Like this photo. A simple, direct design, combined with two colors and white.
click on her name to see more of her photos!

Konica Minolta 5d

Konica Minolta 5d
Originally uploaded by creativity+.

I'm sooooo excited!!!! In a few days I will receive in the mail my FIRST digital SLR!!
I really did some digging around to keep it near $900.
OK, so it's the very cheapest SLR on the market, but I'm still going from 4megapixels to 6megapixels. It has anti-shake. I won'd be able to do much good macro photography for awhile, but later I should be able to get a 1:1 ratio macro lens of good quality.
So now I have:
Auto-focus,
Anti shake, and I only need
Auto-compose to be a great photographer!!

hot pink zinnia

hot pink zinnia
Originally uploaded by mimbrava.

Mim does some amazing things with her Canon PowerShot S2 IS. It has a 12x optical zoom so it has the range from 36mm to 432mm as well as excellent macro capability. Here's a sample of her exquisite flower macros. To see more, click on her name, for a real treasure-trove of great photos!

Macro Latte

Macro Latte
Originally uploaded by ~Kenny.

Cat photos are a dime a dozen. Once in a while, though one comes a long that stands out from the rest in composition, character, and quality. This is one of those. . .

Sperm whale diving

Sperm whale diving
Originally uploaded by Emma Devine.

I couldn't resist showing you this fabulous photo. Sometimes we amateurs can do amazing captures!! Emma caught the action and excitement as well as the lovelyness of the rich blues in this great photo. . . Visit more of her whale photos by clicking on this one.

sawtell

sawtell
Originally uploaded by omnia.

Omnia has FIFTEEN testimonials on flickr.com, all well-deserved. I always want to see her photos much larger, but I understand her wanting to protect them from "internet robbery".
It's well worth checking out her collection!

Chicken Lover takes time off...

Chicken Lover takes time off...
Originally uploaded by ahmedzahid.

What a joyful face! A moment captured and shared. . and when it's done well, as it is here, that's what photography is all about!

Las Lanzas - The Boats

Las Lanzas
Originally uploaded by Poldavo (Alex).

Alex lives in Madrid, Spain. One of the wonderful things about sharing photos on flickr is getting to travel through another photographer's eyes.

To My Mom & My Husband

To My Mom & My Husband
Originally uploaded by !efatima.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has blocked flickr.com from the country once again. They consider some of the "art" on flickr to be pornography. Actually, almost all the nude photography that is pornographic gets "censored" right a flickr. Efatima, and many other friends have a difficult time uploading beautiful photos like this.
It seems like a perfect case of "straining out the gnat, and swallowing the camel". Or even better, blocking the camel because he has a gnat on him.

Open Wide

Open Wide
Originally uploaded by hazey_.

An exceptionally strong image, very simple, to the point, and focused. The colors are analogous (closely related), and lips have a powerful emotional appeal. Great job!!

Transformation -- Three good things to report on Volunteering!!!

1) I’ve started a PROCOVERY circle for people who have a mental disorder at the Applegate Residential Care Facility. We’ve had 3 weekly meetings so far, and people seem to be getting a lot out of it.

2) The Craft Alliance (and organization that has a gallery and teaches art courses) is using me as a photographer for their gallery shows and for student artwork.

3) I’ve done a photoshoot for my Episcopal Cathedral with 8 “models” posing in an elegant banquet room around a fancy dinner table. My first time managing so many people. I probably will put up some photos on my flickr.com account (Creativity+ is my name on flickr).

See more progress on: Volunteer

Reflections - Kananaskis

Reflections - Kananaskis
Originally uploaded by Jeannot7.

For more information about this lovely photo and location, simply click on the photo. Jean has been one of my most consitent visitors at flickr. We have a mutual admiration club.

Individuality

Individuality
Originally uploaded by MikeParker.

The poster speaks for itself.

Wonderful creativity. . . diversity and acceptance are the only way we can survive (and learn to laugh and dance together) on this planet.

CoNTraST

CoNTraST
Originally uploaded by ~%<CrAzY(",)GliTteR(",)BuG>%~.

The photographer says: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever; Its loveliness increases. It will never pass into nothingness . . ."

Oh what a view..Torres del Paine Hike January2005

Oh what a view..Torres del Paine Hike January2005
Originally uploaded by Cane Sugar.

Just an amazing photo! Sorry no larger size is available - but you might ask the photographer. . .