Music was on a cd in a case on a shelf, alphabetized easily accessible. When a new addition came along, I simply found its appropriate spot and slid it in. Images were on negative and slides. Said negatives and slides were sleeved, labeled and placed in a brown manila envelope and filed in a cabinet. If I wanted a print, I made it or sent it out to be printed. Then upon receiving the print, I placed it in the appropriate photo album. Those albums lived as a keepsake on a self with easy access.

Then one day we all decided to digitize that media. Cool, everything will be right there on my computer. That task was beyond tedious! It took years to complete. Yet it’s a task that remains incomplete. My problem with digitizing my life is that I am a visual person. If I don’t see something, I don’t consider it or think about it or whatever. The extra space I have gained in my living quarters has become brain matter lost.

The struggle becomes recalling the image or song that you have taken off the shelf and filed away in the abyss that is a computer. As we age we lose that ability gradually to recall that information. Having visual clues surrounding us, such as photo albums and artwork and music in CD or record form, I think keeps our minds sharp!

Who of us has said in any real serious way… “I am gonna get on my computer and look at pictures to reminisce while I listen to my ipod.” Ok, sure, maybe I’ve done it. But it still seems to be a foreign practice and not at all a healthy one, for my mind anyway. Living through such a drastic change in my life has a had  more of an impact on me than I thought.

When I was younger, I loved flipping through family albums, while listening to my favorite music. It was a mini event to help remind me of good times, that now makes me feel silly when I flip through old photos on my phone that I have digitized. It doesn’t at all have the same soothing, medicinal feeling.

Now…in what folder on my computer did I put those 200 images that I took at the Zoo this summer? Ugh!

Oh! Below is photo I found of Jack, while reminiscing/organizing with my computer…

I love the look on Jack's face when he sees his new cowboy sheriff Pajamas © 2010 Todd Stringer

• News nugget numero uno is…Yenny is my new model. We met last year at a networking luncheon and I recently found out that we are neighbors…bumped in to her at the pool This image is from our first photo shoot! and…..

• B – Yenny is a photographer! and my new business partner. More details to come later, but we are launching a new business that involves art and photography in many facets. Please stayed tuned for more updates!

Yenny Zarama Walker © Todd Stringer photographer

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

~ Oren Arnold

There’s More to Christmas…

There’s more, much more to Christmas
Than candle-light and cheer;
It’s the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all the year;
It’s thoughtfulness and kindness,
It’s hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding
And for goodwill to men!

Christmas Past

© 2011 Todd Stringer, from the "Neighborhood" series

© 2011 Todd Stringer

I look outside and say to myself…man, I hate the rain. But I realize it’s natures cleansing. Only one thing to do…Jack and I hop in the blue car and chug on over the public library. See ya later!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fast forward and hour and a half…I wake the boy up with kisses and tell him how much fun lies ahead with trick or treating and that we have to get ready to pick up his little friend. He seemed fine with it. He bounced out of bed. But when I tried to dress him in his Super Man digs, toddler evil reard its ugly head. Kicking and screaming began when I started to force his legs in the costume. He is a strong little bugger, so I decided to wait until his mom got home from work.

Minutes later Stacy came home to a 34 month old toddler in his room, face down crying into his foam alphabet floor puzzle. Even his mother, in her sweet  soothing voice could change his mind about trick or treating. After minutes of pleading her case to Jack, to no avail, I decided to power through the kicking and screaming.

Stacy and I then played tag team dresser and forced the boy into his red, blue and yellow get up. Winded and sweating we muscled him into his car seat. Once buckled in he realized he could fight no more and that Halloween for Super Jack was actually going to happen.

No regrets…Halloween and trick or treating 2011 was a big success. I don’t expect for next year’s celebration to be as mentally taxing. Famous last words, huh

A not so happy super hero © 2011 Todd Stringer

© 2011 Todd Stringer

He certainly doesn’t look like a toddler….