I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Month: August 2024
I wasn’t sleeping soundly the other night; I’ll blame it on the full moon.
I’ve got this thing for Luna — and have for as long as I remember — so knowing she was outside my window in her finest state, somewhere, gave me reason enough to go looking.
This month it is a Blue Supermoon — you might have noticed the increased attention in the news reports — its elliptical orbit bringing the celestial delight closer to earth than it has been for a while.
The day before I caught a glimpse of her hugging the CN tower on my way to my early morning coffee ritual a couple of blocks from home. I took out my iPhone and captured an acceptable image, but I’m still the type who considers my real camera the best option.
Very early yesterday morning, armed with my camera and longer lens, I was graced with an opportunity almost as soon as I stepped onto the sidewalk outside my condo. In all its brilliance, the lovely moon was shining out above the lofts across the street. I captured an image but wanted more, so I continued to wander through the streets of downtown Toronto looking for the best photograph I could get.
It was not an easy task. Given the landscape of the inner city with its proliferation of cranes, condominiums and office towers, my view of the sky is often blocked (night or day).
It wasn’t until I arrived at St. James Park that I glanced up through the trees and found my subject towering over the steeple of St. James Cathedral.
A beautiful sight.
I’ve taken photographs of full moons at various locations on this planet. At times the resulting pictures are nothing more than a sphere of light, occasionally tangled up in the clouds. This time the moon, and its location, was as clear as the night.
What I appreciate most about this recent photograph is that it localizes my view. It is only a few blocks from where I now call home, but I will be moving away from this city sometime soon. In this photograph I know where I am, at that moment, and I will remember for years to come. That, to me, is the essence of a good photograph. I am satisfied with my results.
08/22/2024 j.g.l.
Posted on August 21, 2024 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
Fake news, conspiracy theories, and unaccountable accounts of what is really going on, often heralded as divine truth. All lies, most of the time. Abundant now on all our screens, we struggle to know or understand what it truly means. Uninformed opinions are allowed much credence in an era where we really need to know. Politicians rant and rave, minds so flawed and so depraved you must question followers who wholeheartedly agree.
What passes for the news is nothing now, compared to what it was. Then. Perhaps it was limited access to history as it happened that required us to believe the events of the day. Daily newspapers, trusted broadcasts at the top or bottom of the hour, later revealed events at suppertime and then late-night news; we then paid attention. We had to. It had that power. Action and reaction.
Today, rare occurrences and once-in-a-lifetime happenings happen all too often in this never-ending 24-hour news cycle. Minutes and hours blur into everyday ephemera. Less is certain, more is questionable, not enough is never enough information. Misinformation/disinformation: one in the same, a deadly game.
Who, what, where, when and why. Always with the questions. There are less authentic reporters than answers. Journalism suffers: our fifth estate in a crisis state. It is not aways fair, it is not always obvious, it is not always news. Sadly. A celebrity event disguised as the truth is simply not news.
No isolation from the devastation as our world has been compacted onto tiny screens, perhaps small enough for our minds to handle. Mainstream media is easy to blame when you don’t take the time to find out for yourself. Things will really happen when the media is not around to notice.
And you won’t believe it.
© 2024 j.g. lewis
Posted on August 20, 2024 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
It is only natural to question how friendships are formed, and why.
Time has as much to do with affinity, as does presence. Empathy and understanding are among common thought. Even, without notice, we learn and live through the eyes of a kindred spirit.
Friendship needs not be complex or complicated, it is simply there.
Important is it to be as good a friend as those we are graced with.
Life provides us with worthy blessings. All things considered, there may not be an explanation, or even a reason to find one.We simply feel a gratitude, every day and year, even when we are not around to acknowledge the colour a friend brings to our landscape over time.
Whatever the reason, a solid friendship will outlast the seasons.
08/20/2024 j.g.l.
