Saturday, February 13, 2010

365 Photo Project - Day 44

Taken: February 13, 2010, approx. 8 p.m.
Location: Healdsburg, Ca

Long, rough day today. Woke up with a low-grade fever and ended up staying in bed most of the afternoon and into the evening. I know the world is going on outside -- hell I can hear my neighbor's damn dog barking like he's got some big announcement to tell everybody -- but days like today make me feel isolated from everything and everyone. Writing some pages always helps, even if digging in feels like being on a deserted island somewhere.

Still some days the feeling of being lost is something you just can't shake. Hangs on to you like a second layer of skin and it stays around, wafting in on that middle-of-the-night breeze that blows across your bedroom and keeps you awake until you're staring up at the ceiling wondering what it all means. Welcome into the mind of a writer.

I don't have all the answers but I think it's these moments when looking around is the most important thing you can do. Recognize the stuff that brings you comfort, that offer light in the darkness, that will lead you home. A sparkling blue sky, a summer rain or a great book, a perfect cup of coffee or a ripe orange. A loved one's voice, the company of a friend and oh yeah, my pugs. The sound of them snoring next to me, their warm furry bodies digging into my leg. Is there anything better? I think not.

I left my DSLR in the car today so all I had was my iPhone. That and some fancy Photoshop footwork and I managed to get one shot of my boys in the same frame. It's not going to go down as my photo of the year but somehow it says all you need to know about Louie and Chamuco. That's Chamuco (aka the Devil) on the left -- Mr. I Wanna Be Your Best Friend. He's always sticking his nose in everybody's business, always wanting to be under foot or in someone's lap. Life of the party.

That's Louie looking off frame. Nothing says "Louie" more than this pose. He's friendly and sweet but like a cat, it has to be on his terms. Louie's an old soul who's been around the block a ton. Someone told me that Tibetans believe pugs are descended from monks, maybe even the Buddha himself. I don't even care if it's true. I believe it anyway.

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