I think it’s because readers count on bloggers to be the same. The blogger likes variety, but the reader likes consistency and sameness (though not necessarily of the comfortable kind). So the challenge for the blogger is to evolve within this nexus. (I’m really bad at this, so I think about it a lot.)
Your website strikes a good balance, I think, between consistency and surprise. You’re lucky because you can both write and take pictures well–most bloggers can only do one.
oh i’ve given in to texting, but i resist lol for some reason. i’ll write btw, and imho (occasionally). i guess us old folks (if that term doesn’t apply to you then just ignore it) assimilate tech language slowly and as it appeals to us.
I don’t know what you mean, you always do pretty. Those old decaying sheds and barns and rusting automobiles, your haikus and little beautifully told stories, there’s a prettiness, or perhaps I should say an elegance, in all of it. Nice lily.
And as I type I am watching your homeboy at Wimbledon. Hope Andy wins, but its going to be tough for him.
Your really generous comment is really appreciated Lorna. YOU are elegant and classy and I thank you.
Poor Andy, but he gave it his all. I think he could do it next year, or some day at least, he certainly has the fight in him but Roger is an extremely tough proposition for anyone. You are charm itself, dear sir.
I knew Andy was in big trouble at the rain break, which is when I wrote that. I love that he wears his emotions so freely, but he looked beat up early on. There is something missing…..not much……stamina? strength? He has the game, and I do think his time will come. Roger is a great champion.
I think with Andy it’s a mental battle. He has the fitness, the technique and the determination to go for every shot, but he sometimes lacks belief in himself, which is apparent from his body language with his head down, etc. Mind you, he has a lot to cope with because the British press can be rather merciless in their criticism, and scathing of him not having won a major tournament yet. He doesn’t have the ease with people that Roger has, so people don’t naturally take to him. He often comes across as arrogant and miserable, which is not what you want in a champion. However, after showing emotion yesterday I think he’ll have gained a lot of support and I do believe he will win a biggie one day. Roger is amazing. Did you watch him play Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final a few years ago? Much as I love Roger, I was willing Andy Roddick to win, and he gave it everything he had. If the Andys can take any consolation from their defeats, at least they know that they’ve been beaten by one of the best tennis players who’s ever played the game.
I am a big tennis fan and played for decades. Andy Roddick is not a nice guy. Roger is. Nadal is. I will accept everything you say about Murray because you are much closer to it. I felt bad for how badly beaten he was. He looked like he got mugged, and Roger looked fresh.
I don’t know much about Andy Roddick, I just felt he worked very hard for that match. You’re so right about Roger, he did look fresh. I don’t know how he manages it but he always seems to look like that after a big win, it’s tempting to think he might be a different species from us mere mortals. Much as I was rooting for Andy Murray to win yesterday, I couldn’t help being pleased for Roger, he’s such a master of his art.
The purples and the greens are such a stunning color combination. The composition has the eye moving searching for more… A little loveliness I think is good for the soul… Thanks for the gift this morning…:-)
The photo comes up huge in my RSS feeder and threw me for a loop. But I smiled — a toothy smile — because I love surprises like this! It wakes up the senses. Keep surprising us, Mike. Keep surprising us.
Hey there … thanks for touching base at my blog (PairodoxFarm) … I’ve seen you there a couple of times. Sorry for taking so long to look at your Look at Life. Really nice images. You are lucky to have an (obviously) large number of followers. Keep it up. D
Well jeepers, thanks. Now I will be making a hasty retreat back to the dark side where the shadows and decay greet me like old friends. The dark surroundings feel like a warm blanket on a chilly day. Boohaha…….
Dark surroundings often have an enchanting side which I find very appealing.
Speaking of dark surroundings….I’m in a funk that Murray lost today, and I’m not even a fan.
I knew at the rain break he was going to lose. He is lacking something…….endurance, stamina, toughness. He has the game, but I think he needs to be in better shape and he is so emotional, which I like, but I’m not sure it serves him. Federer ate him alive and he is such a great champion. Murray is only 25 but he also has but a few years to get himself past the next level. He is close and I like him also.
On the one hand, I think how awful it must be to have to carry the hopes of an entire kingdom on your shoulders, but on the other – we should all be so lucky!
I’m not really sure about the “freaking out” comment early on… strange choice of words. Mike, you photograph a wide range of subjects, and I find them all appealing. I don’t have expectations of your work… I only wish to observe, reflect and find perspective (which of course differs from person to person). That goes for your prose and poetry as well. You bring a gift to us, no matter what form it might be.
Before looking at the first picture in the digest this week I said to myself, “what barn will be revealed today”…..but to my surprise there was l lovely Lilly. I love diversity!.
Just a breath of air. Ever asked yourself why you “don’t do pretty”? Just a thought to ponder. What you do do is life in depth but pretty is part of life, just as sadness and loss are….you did pretty so prettily. Thankyou.
A perfect lily floating. Wonderful detail, color, clarity and DOF here, Mike. Really nice.
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Well thanks George!
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I was wondering. But this kind of freaks me out.
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Why?
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I think it’s because readers count on bloggers to be the same. The blogger likes variety, but the reader likes consistency and sameness (though not necessarily of the comfortable kind). So the challenge for the blogger is to evolve within this nexus. (I’m really bad at this, so I think about it a lot.)
Your website strikes a good balance, I think, between consistency and surprise. You’re lucky because you can both write and take pictures well–most bloggers can only do one.
Cheers,
SB
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Nice comment. You have a VERY intelligent and thoughtful blog. Thank you.
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Lovely flower and photo, Mike. I like that you can do pretty. 🙂 I also like that you see the beauty in things like old buildings and cars.
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Thanks Laurie. Pumpkin says hello.
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You did pretty quite nicely. 🙂
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Thanks. If it smacks me in the face like this Lily, I will capture it.
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Variety be good. 😉
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So I have been told. By you. Just now. 🙂
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“i can do pretty” made me laugh! nice
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I made you ‘LOL’? Nice.
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exactly. you made me lol! but isn’t it so much nicer to see the word “laugh?!”
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absolutely. I don’t even text mary….very old school, so the word ‘laugh’ fits like an old t shirt.
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oh i’ve given in to texting, but i resist lol for some reason. i’ll write btw, and imho (occasionally). i guess us old folks (if that term doesn’t apply to you then just ignore it) assimilate tech language slowly and as it appeals to us.
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And I’ll do lmfao, because I do, often. And I is old folks.
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uh oh, what’s imfao?
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L.
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imfao is an upper case L?????
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*laugh* You are kidding right. ok, here is all upper case
LMFAO
Capish?
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ok, got it. my opinions are all FA
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FA?
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as in “imfao” silly fellow, unless my sources were wrong about what imfao means
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imfao means nothing Mary since the expression is
LMFAO.
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ohhhh. i see. well, according to my research team, imfao means “in my fucking awesome opinion!” what the heck does LMFAO mean?
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laughing my fucking ass off. This got complicated, huh.
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too funny! right now i am lmfao!
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There we go!!!
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You do “pretty” up quite well! Pretty, not you, Mike. 🙂
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That’s funny! Pretty I’m not. Wickedly handsome, perhaps. Thank you.
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Perhaps. 🙂 You’re welcome.
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I don’t know what you mean, you always do pretty. Those old decaying sheds and barns and rusting automobiles, your haikus and little beautifully told stories, there’s a prettiness, or perhaps I should say an elegance, in all of it. Nice lily.
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And as I type I am watching your homeboy at Wimbledon. Hope Andy wins, but its going to be tough for him.
Your really generous comment is really appreciated Lorna. YOU are elegant and classy and I thank you.
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Poor Andy, but he gave it his all. I think he could do it next year, or some day at least, he certainly has the fight in him but Roger is an extremely tough proposition for anyone. You are charm itself, dear sir.
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I knew Andy was in big trouble at the rain break, which is when I wrote that. I love that he wears his emotions so freely, but he looked beat up early on. There is something missing…..not much……stamina? strength? He has the game, and I do think his time will come. Roger is a great champion.
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I think with Andy it’s a mental battle. He has the fitness, the technique and the determination to go for every shot, but he sometimes lacks belief in himself, which is apparent from his body language with his head down, etc. Mind you, he has a lot to cope with because the British press can be rather merciless in their criticism, and scathing of him not having won a major tournament yet. He doesn’t have the ease with people that Roger has, so people don’t naturally take to him. He often comes across as arrogant and miserable, which is not what you want in a champion. However, after showing emotion yesterday I think he’ll have gained a lot of support and I do believe he will win a biggie one day. Roger is amazing. Did you watch him play Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final a few years ago? Much as I love Roger, I was willing Andy Roddick to win, and he gave it everything he had. If the Andys can take any consolation from their defeats, at least they know that they’ve been beaten by one of the best tennis players who’s ever played the game.
Sorry for such a long comment all about tennis!
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I am a big tennis fan and played for decades. Andy Roddick is not a nice guy. Roger is. Nadal is. I will accept everything you say about Murray because you are much closer to it. I felt bad for how badly beaten he was. He looked like he got mugged, and Roger looked fresh.
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I don’t know much about Andy Roddick, I just felt he worked very hard for that match. You’re so right about Roger, he did look fresh. I don’t know how he manages it but he always seems to look like that after a big win, it’s tempting to think he might be a different species from us mere mortals. Much as I was rooting for Andy Murray to win yesterday, I couldn’t help being pleased for Roger, he’s such a master of his art.
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Agreed totally. Good analysis.
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The purples and the greens are such a stunning color combination. The composition has the eye moving searching for more… A little loveliness I think is good for the soul… Thanks for the gift this morning…:-)
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You may well be a little loveliness in your own right.
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Very pretty flower indeed. 🙂
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Thank you my queen.
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Quite nice … Good composition and color.
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Thanks Derrick.
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I think all your photos are “pretty”, some of them hauntingly so. Great shot 🙂
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Very much appreciate that comment which is all I could hope for. You complete me.
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You had me at a dilapidated barn. 🙂
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How cute are you.
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I love the contrast between the brilliant pink and all the green.
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Stumbling onto good light. And given your hour I would add, good night.
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The photo comes up huge in my RSS feeder and threw me for a loop. But I smiled — a toothy smile — because I love surprises like this! It wakes up the senses. Keep surprising us, Mike. Keep surprising us.
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xx
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Indeed- you can do “Pretty”. Great shot…
Enjoying all of your photos.
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Thank you very much!
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Good shot Mike, worth the departure. I will be posting something out of the Old School M5son later.
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That is one old school. Ansel my inspiration.
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Not sure why I cannot get the “like” button to work on any one’s blog, so here is a comment instead!
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A broken ‘like’ button? But you hello button is working well. ‘ello.
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Hey there … thanks for touching base at my blog (PairodoxFarm) … I’ve seen you there a couple of times. Sorry for taking so long to look at your Look at Life. Really nice images. You are lucky to have an (obviously) large number of followers. Keep it up. D
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🙂
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Love the vibrant colors and such a nice bloom
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Well thank you young man of many talents. Hey, loved you firework show!
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hahaha, yeah we were the laughing stock of the country. I’m glad that laziness took over and I decided to stay home 🙂
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It was one of the funniest things I have seen in awhile. Someone pushed a wrong button?
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Yeah I think so. I’d hate to be that guy… nobody knows what happened to him after!
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I think too that with that many fire works going off at once it could have been an explosion and fire. I do love your city however, my friend.
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Super pretty! I love that variety of lily, purple is my favorite color in any flower because it really pops at dusk.
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Well jeepers, thanks. Now I will be making a hasty retreat back to the dark side where the shadows and decay greet me like old friends. The dark surroundings feel like a warm blanket on a chilly day. Boohaha…….
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Dark surroundings often have an enchanting side which I find very appealing.
Speaking of dark surroundings….I’m in a funk that Murray lost today, and I’m not even a fan.
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I knew at the rain break he was going to lose. He is lacking something…….endurance, stamina, toughness. He has the game, but I think he needs to be in better shape and he is so emotional, which I like, but I’m not sure it serves him. Federer ate him alive and he is such a great champion. Murray is only 25 but he also has but a few years to get himself past the next level. He is close and I like him also.
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On the one hand, I think how awful it must be to have to carry the hopes of an entire kingdom on your shoulders, but on the other – we should all be so lucky!
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Tralfamadore.
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…so it goes?
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Say goodnight Gracie…..
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Lovely photo! The lily is beautiful, and I love the lighting in the shot. Striking.
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You saw me take that or I said I was going to, yes? I like the light as well. Thank you.
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You said you were going to. It turned out even prettier than the flower is.
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It is composed in such a way as to make it look very pretty. I’m a freaking wizard.
Thanks K.
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beautiful purplicious shot 🙂
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I never saw this comment Soma. Thank you!
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I’m not really sure about the “freaking out” comment early on… strange choice of words. Mike, you photograph a wide range of subjects, and I find them all appealing. I don’t have expectations of your work… I only wish to observe, reflect and find perspective (which of course differs from person to person). That goes for your prose and poetry as well. You bring a gift to us, no matter what form it might be.
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You know I adore you Lori…..
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You sure can do pretty too. Lovely shot 🙂
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Thanks Inga. Your comment got past me somehow.
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Before looking at the first picture in the digest this week I said to myself, “what barn will be revealed today”…..but to my surprise there was l lovely Lilly. I love diversity!.
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Cool! thanks.
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Beautiful shot Mike! I like how the purple really pops off the screen!
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Thanks Glove. I am a purple popper. Who knew!
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Thank you. Orchids appreciated your visit.
GB
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Sure thing.
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Thanks for the “like” on my blog!
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|Thanks for visiting my blog. I love the doors in your photo. Beautiful and wrought with meaning. K
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Thank you.
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Just a breath of air. Ever asked yourself why you “don’t do pretty”? Just a thought to ponder. What you do do is life in depth but pretty is part of life, just as sadness and loss are….you did pretty so prettily. Thankyou.
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Thanks.
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