First, my lovely Mac finally went belly up. But I managed to save my files and now have a new PC. So, it has taken some time to figure the new computer out. It is much like buying a new car, the dash is reordered and you keep reaching for the gear shifter (automatic) in the wrong spot. I have shelved the old Mac in hopes of getting a new Video Card, since it had all my licensed and very expensive software and quite frankly, still ran pretty well after 4 years of college (2007). The new laptop is fine, I have nothing against PCs, but admit not too fond of Windows 7 (yeah, I said it). Not to mention again, that expensive graphic design and photo software that I no longer qualify for the student discount for.
Shortly after the Mac broke, I received a very sad phone call. My brother died on Valentine's day from complications due to his Type I Diabetes. He was 32 and a web developer in Virginia. There was an age gap when we were kids, but as we got older, we grew closer. It is hard to explain, but it was more than a sibling dying, I held him and took care of him as a baby and as a teen, was his babysitter and nanny. Watching him graduate from high school.... Sorry for the run on sentence.
The biggest thing about my brother was his humor and strength. He was diagnosed as a young teen and had a very difficult time with it. He never married, or had children because his health was always so delicate. Even still, he touched so many people, was generous and always had a smile, or a joke for the world. His life taught me much about HOW to live and what is truly important. It really is about who we love and how we love, not about how much monetary or material success we try to achieve.
There was some good as well. I also got a new camera recently. I went from a Nikon to a Canon, and the "new car" analogy works there as well. Above is one of the first images I took. Trying out all the features and the two lenses, I did something simple.
Tulips are my favorite flower. I like that they are still "alive" in the vase. For a few days, I get to watch them open and close and seek out the light. They burst from the ground, seemingly dead, tired brown bulbs, that wake each Spring with a burst of fresh green and satin petals. They shine and smile and say Life Goes On.
