A "heads up" about posts here ....

I've been having a computer slow-down problem for a few weeks. Although I managed to make a post today (see immediately below), it was touch and go. The problem appears to get better, then gets even worse. I've done all sorts of testing and am at my wits end, and may force myself to take a "time out" from things computer for a while. (It may be my service provider but for reasons I won't go into, I doubt that. I will be calling them however.) This is all simply to say if there are no posts for a while, this is why. I will get this straightened out eventually. In the meantime, you might enjoy browsing through the archives (listed in sidebar).

FIRE WALL & RISE OF THE FIRE BRANDS

“Fire Wall” is another in that series of old photos I’m re-editing, almost all of them very heavily. Photos I would consider ready for the scrap heap except for some interesting shapes or contrasts.

I must admit, though, I’m at a stage with photos that I sometimes reach with my poetry, too. I work and work at them, but the results are not all that satisfactory. Of course, with both poems and photos I can always revert to the original and start over. But in the instance of this particular photo I’ve reverted to the original several times. So I think I’ll just let this fire wall stave off any further fussing (at least for now :-D) However, I will first post the second version I made of this picture, called "Rise of the Fire Brands":



I just can't decide which version I like better. At first I leaned toward "Rise of the Fire Brands" (immediately above) as it has a slightly more personal feel to it. But after they both "cooled" overnight I can't say which I prefer, if either.

P.S. I just noticed that my visitor counter has reached 1,000 since I started this blog in July of 2011. That's hopeful. Especially as it's getting more and more complicated, requiring more time and effort and upkeep to get heard above the roar of activity on the internet these days. Effort I'm less and less willing to go through just to see that counter number rise. Back in the days -- you'd think it was ages ago, it was only from 1996 to 2002 -- of my website I was able to do really good promo relying mostly on reciprocal links and word-of-mouth (so to speak). That would get me almost nowhere these days, even if I were willing to spend a lot of time at it. And I'm decidely not willing to get into the social media craze, e.g. I've tried Facebook twice and it gives me hives.

Just when am I supposed to be writing poems, taking and editing pictures, or doing mundane things like laundry, in the midst of all this "social" and tech frenzy? (Lest you think I'm just being grumpy, please note that I have a total of four blogs for which I not only enter but create all the content.) So technology and time march on, faster and faster. And this old lady is slowly choosing to be left behind.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

MEDUSA RISING (two versions)

"Medusa Rising" is another brand new editing of an old photo. I have some hesitation about posting it today, but what's life without taking chances? And it's not like anyone who might see and agree with what causes me to hesitate, will be turned to stone by the sight. (Sorry. Couldn't resist it. :-D)

P.S. Three hours later: Here's another version I just made from this same original photo. I think I like this one a whole lot more. (It's almost as if my hesitation about the above version was saying "you're only at the draft stage ...")



This second version has been cropped down to a very small size. Making it larger messes with the focus I intend it to have (vaguely like a water color painting). I've come across this issue before. It makes me wonder how a photo such as this second version of "Medusa Rising" looks on other browers; i.e. does it get enlarged and therefore not look as I see it here. This issue of consistency across browsers and print mediums is a sticky one, I think. Or maybe just for me, given how low-tech I truly am. LOL, I barely even have the language to express these various concerns ... what do you call this wallymumpus, and how's that who-flunky-dunky process accessed and why does it do that? Hm, in my defense, I seem to recall occasionally seeing online graphics with a note indicating what resolution (is that the word) they are best viewed at. I think that may be the particular issue I'm poking at today.

And, sigh, after saying all that I find I'm still not settled on a version of "Medusa Rising." This is a good example of what can happen when I don't let a photo settle for a couple days. I've had this same experience with poems and collages. So there may be another version of this photo in few days or I may give up on it all together. But the journey will have been worth it to me, either way. Seriously. These sorts of efforts themselves, whether they yield anything worthwile or not, help me maintain what little sanity I have left. And that's only partly a joke.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

* * * *

‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****