Choices

I've realized in the past couple months that blogging is somewhat therapeutic. I've realized this because 1. I haven't done any and 2. I've been a bit overwhelmed and overcome. Life is full of decisions that are made each day. The decisions I make today will impact tomorrow and the decisions I make tomorrow will impact the day after tomorrow. You get the picture.

"You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice." ~Steven D. Woodhull

I have spent many mornings in the past couple years struggling to get out of bed. The smiling thing is a bit different because I've become incredibly adept at smiling despite not really wanting to or in the midst of ignoring many things that are plaguing me. I thought, in general, that I was a happy person. However, I'm learning that the mind has a tremendous power to convince itself of things that may not be true, especially if these things are unpleasant.

So, I'm exploring the advice of Steven Woodhull and have realized that I have no clue whatsoever what choice has gotten me to this point and what "another choice" actually is. My best guess is that it's a combination of choices that have lead to the present.

My life has turned in this way or that (and at times I think I was a bit out of alignment). I'm still not sure that I want to chart my course now or just wait to see what life has in store.

Unexpected places, unexpected faces...

"The goal is not to change your subjects, but for the subject to change the photographer." -Author Unknown

I had the opportunity a little over a week ago to do my first real photo shoot. I photographed the band, Knuckles Deep.

If you want to check them out:

http://www.myspace.com/knucklesdeepband

I have never had so much fun taking pictures before. These guys were fun and it's the first step to a goal I've had since I was a high school student, to take pictures for a living. I must admit, I surprised myself, as I was very pleased with the turnout. This experience made me come alive. I have recently decided that I need a creative outlet, which was the reason behind purchasing the camera. I have given my photography adventure a name, "Digital Soul Photography." The world is my studio and I hope to capture individuals in words and pictures.

Here is a few of my favorite photos from the Knuckles Deep Shoot:

The soul reflects the mind and heart.

Music gives the soul a voice to balance heart and mind.

Erica Rosenberger is a fan of

Digital Soul Photography

Create your Fan Badge

I have officially named my collection of photography and am looking to create more!

Peg and Whole

Does a square peg ever feel whole?

Grab a drill.

Never seen a drill that makes squares.

May need a saw.

Rough around the edges.

How do you make it fit?

Change the peg?

Not a chance...

Summing things up...

"Life Less Ordinary"

Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me
Live a life less sedentary
Live a life evolutionary with me
Well I hate to be a bother,
But it's you and there's no other, I do believe
You can call me naive but...
I know me very well (at least as far as I can tell)
And I know what I need

The night you came into my life
Well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me
By the way, I do know why you stayed away...
I will keep tongue-tied next time

Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me
My face had said too much
Before our hands could even touch
To greet a 'hello'
(So much for going slow...)
A little later on that year
I told you that I loved you dear
What do you know?
This you weren't prepared to hear
I'm a saddened man, I'm a broken boy
I'm a toddler with a complex toy
I've fallen apart, since the ambush of your heart

The night you came into my life
Well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me.
By the way, I do know why you stayed away
I will keep tongue-tied but...

Honey understand, honey understand
I won't make demands
Honey understand, honey understand
We could walk without a plan.
Honey understand (honey), honey understand
I won't rest in stone all alone
Honey understand, honey understand
I'm all ready to go
But you already know...

Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me.
If I could name you in this song
Would it make you smile and sing along?
This is the goal: to get into your soul
If I could make you dance for joy
Could that be the second-chance decoy?
The bird-in-hand I would need
To help you understand?

The night you came into my life
well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me
By the way, I do know why you stayed away
I will keep tongue-tied next time

The collective conscience or lack thereof

As I sit, I ponder where it all went wrong. I'm certain it wasn't a specific point of turning, but rather a progression towards destruction. The ease with which humans interact on a troglodytic level is evidence of the "safety in numbers" mentality.

It can be likened to a gang. An individual would never act in such a violent manner as is customary in a gang initiation. The gang mentality is also what drives young kids to act out in public. A lone, 14-year-old boy would not disrespect an elderly person were he walking along the street alone. However, when 5 14-year-old boys are walking the street together, they willingly disrespect their elders. The blame is distributed evenly amongst the group members, rather than falling solely on an individual. And, so it is with the morality of humanity.

It is often and regularly apparent to me that the boundaries of human relationships have been crossed, torn down and trampled on like the crumbling of the Berlin Wall. While the end of communism in Germany marked a movement forward for humanity, the breakdown of the social boundaries we are experiencing is certainly more than a step or two backwards. In fact, I'm not sure the manner in which we treat others, including those we supposedly care about, has ever been a part of society - primitive or otherwise.

The collective conscience - or lack thereof - that has developed is appalling. Sex is casual, adultery is acceptable, nudity is commonplace, relationships are disposable and honesty means nothing. If my neighbors, coworkers, friends, family or the celebrities I see on TV are doing it, then it must be ok.

I've got news. There is really nowhere to go from here.

I'm not a religious person. However, religion does not seem to be the answer. I don't have hard data to support this, but it seems to me that this problem isn't selective.

I can't offer a solution because I don't have one. This is merely an observation and a statement that I refuse to become part of a collective lack of conscience.

Everybody...

I cannot wait for this new song to be available for download on iTunes...



Sometimes in the morning
When I wake up I see your face
But you are in a new life
In a new love
In a new place
Oh the heart holds many hands
My dear it's time I let yours go
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
I'm fine now
It just took time now
You can see how much I've grown
Made room love, for a new love
Now my feet won't walk alone
Oh the heart holds many hands
My love it's time I let yours go
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
I am ready to love
I am ready for love
I am ready to love
I am ready for love
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
Everybody wants to love
Everybody needs to love
Everybody wants to love
Everybody needs to love
Everybody wants to love
Everybody needs to love
Everybody wants to love
Everybody needs to love
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
Everybody Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh
Everybody
Everybody wants to love
Everybody Everybody wants to be loved
Oh-oh oh
Oh-oh oh