Summer Project

Every year during our "winter time" here in the desert -- yes, to the rest of the world that means summer.  But here, today, at 108 degrees, being outside doesn't happen if I don't have to.  So every year, I fiddle around with a project.  Last year it was home improvement DIY projects with Brian's room.  This year .... I need something that doesn't cost money now that I'm making car payments again.  ugh.

So I decided that I'm going to try and chronicle my growing up years.  I'll select a few photos and write about what was going on at the time.  I've been doing the same in my photo albums, 2 or 3 pages a day.  Because what good is a photo if you don't know anything else about it ??  

I'll admit, sometimes it's difficult to write something about a photo -- your child age 2 wearing someone's sunglasses ... not much needs to be said, I'm thinking!   It's just cute :)  But ... I do make sure there's a name and date on the photo ... because future generations might want to know!   And because my daughter and my granddaughter look like twins born 20 years apart!   :)

I'll be posting these stories in a different blog..  Not sure why I started it elsewhere, but at one point .... well,  that's water under the bridge.

It's danipape.blogspot.com - Where Family Memories Live On  if you want to follow along

My parents moved to California in 1962, Mom's pregnant with my sister, and they decided to make a move, follow a dream if you will.  My life sure would have been different if they hadn't!  

Here's our first apartment.  We lived downstairs, my mom's sister and her family lived upstairs.

And the adventure begins!

Are Blogs Dead?

With the popularity of Facebook and the rest of the social media outlets that captures everyone's attention, it's easy to overlook a blog.  But I keep writing here because my long though processes aren't for Facebook posts.  For me, Facebook seems to be a "look at me" type page.  I can get a glimpse into the lives of everyone in my family in just a few scrolls on my phone.  But it's just that - a brief glimpse.  Oh look, she had dinner in a restaurant!   Ahhh, how big my nephew is getting!  It's simplistic, and updated enough for most people.

But I think most people who love to write, enjoy sharing more than the latest "look at me" post, still write on some kind of journaling or blogging site.  I tried Tweeting -- but found condensing a topic into 140 characters was difficult.  Plus, most of the ppl I follow on Twitter were just as busy posting pix as they were sharing thoughts.

Have we lost the art of communication?

Sure, a picture is worth a thousand words, they say.  And to a point, I would agree.  But learning someone's thoughts, their reasons behind a photo ..... now there's something else that sets me on edge.  Someone will post a fabulous picture, or something creative, and all I can think is "well, it's good, but tell me the reason behind the photo!"   I share on Instagram, but always write some kind of blurb as to the reason for the picture.  If it's a picture of a cactus bloom, I might include the name of the cactus, just so folks will have something to learn rather than stating the obvious.

But the bottom line for all of my writing in a blog is geared toward future generations.  Right now my kids are in their 30s (O. M. G. are they really that old already????)  and there will come a time when they may wonder about having something explained.  For me, it was discovering that my long beautiful curls were chopped off into a short boyish haircut in the 2nd or 3rd grade.  I asked my Mom why it got cut off?   And she can't remember why.  Some of our old family photos are like that as well:  Mom, Who's that??   Hmmm, I can't remember.  Or she may remember a detail like "they drove a green Cadillac for the longest time..."  and still can't remember their names, or where they met.  lol

I'm sure my grandparents on either side didn't think people would be interested in what life was like for them, or the reasons that things happened the way they did, but yeah, we all like to look back and be "in the know".  

I think future generations are going to lose some of the continuity that my generation grew up with.  My parents are still in the house they bought in 1966.  Talk about continuity!  But these days, with career moves and strategic moves out of necessity, there's less and less continuity.  Maybe a few extra words written here will help my children, grandchildren or even great grandchildren some day :)

Write it, you'll like it !!

“Use your blog to connect. Use it as you.
Don't ‘network’ or ‘promote.’ Just talk.”
Neil Gaiman

I've recently begun following a few folks on Twitter. Quotes4Writers is one. Neil Gaiman is another. He's a favorite author of mine. I admire his writing, have read his wonderful books, and enjoy the whimsy of many of them. But above is a good piece of advice when it comes to blogging. It isn't about trying to *do* as much as it is to practice your craft.

So many folks are hesitant to sit down and blog. With the folks I've spoken to, I am continually amazed how many say they "have nothing to say". Everyone has something to speak about! It's learning to focus on something, to have something to share.

As most of you know, photography is a huge hobby of mine. And every day, there's a daily challenge with instructions on what to look for when taking the daily picture. Take the other day: "Make a photograph from a high point of view. Get on top of a building, use a ladder, or just look down at a small object." OK, that's specific instructions. But in fact, what do you see when you get on a building or a ladder? My backyard or front yard isn't interesting enough to take a photo of to share. Or is it? Its about learning to think outside the normal way we see things and use a different 'eye' when taking a photo. And I think it's the same with writing.

It takes time to re-learn something we had to do in school. Remember those "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" papers we had to write? It was an exercise in getting our thoughts, our memories, committed to paper in a logical, well written, perhaps even a funny manner.

So if you're thinking you can't write, or have nothing to say, I challenge you to take a moment to think of something to write about. And maybe you'll give it a try!!

HUGS to everyone!