Progression of Light

Februrary 8 , 2007

In thinking of a title for this entry I almost used Perspective, but then went and searched back through the diary and found that I'd already used it a couple of times.

I've got a bunch of thoughts rambling around in my head and before they evaporate I figured it was time to get them down on paper.

Yes I've been especially busy, went through an entire weekend of school last weekend, and am facing another 20 hours of the same this. But at the end, I'll be certified as a "mediator" and will knock off 2 more credits against the required pile.

It's almost over, this school thing, and I'm actually thinking (even though I'm officially a 2L, that I'm on the home stretch.

Nine credits in the summer, and then all I've got to do is 9 or 10 in the fall. From start to finish, including the fall finals it will be just 2 years and 4 months.

Blink and life changes.

Speaking of changes, I posted a photo the other day in the on a web site that challenges people to take photos based on a weekly theme.

The entry that I entered focused on one specific point of time but I figured that I would create an entry that shows the photo in its context and show the same spot highlited over a 24 hour period of time.

The theme for the week was "Never fear shadows. They simply mean there is a light shining somewhere nearby."

For several days it had been overcast and snowing or threatening to snow. I wanted to go take an image as opposed to pulling one out of the archive but last Thursday dawned overcast again.

The camera shooting data tells me that I took the shot below at 8:17am. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really thinking about the image of the week, all I knew was that the mountain was covered in white and I also knew from experience that if the sun came out, it would soon be all gone.

Perhaps that's a bit like life, when you have an opportunity, perhaps it's best to go for it, otherwise it too may melt, like the late night snow.

I only have one class on Thursday at 2:00 and I remember my first view of the mountains in the clear afternoon sun. I thought they were spectacular, and I even pulled my car over on the freeway thinking I'd try and get a shot with the camera I always have with me.

The problem is that as of yet, I don't have any access to a high spot that has an unobstructed view of the mountain, and shooting from the side of the freeway just didn't create the atmosphere I was looking for.

So I decided to skip the "full frontal" view and stick to the images that I could shoot from my balcony.

To tell you the truth, I've no idea why I didn't grab my tripod and head on off to get closer to the mountain, especially when I saw that the sky was clear to the west and that the mountain should be bathed in sunlight for the rest of the evening.

I guess I'll just have to wait for another opportunity when the frost and the snow cover just about every inch of the mountain.

Although its been three years now since I buried one of my best friends I frequently remember his advice to me when I look at the view. He said that if possible, try and find a house with a view of a mountain, because the view is always changing, it's always a new mountain.

I miss Steve, I'll bet he would think that I had a great view.

And yes, the mountain is always changing. From 8:17 on Thursday to 7:51am on Friday, sure there are shadows, but only because there is still light.

As a side note, I thought that it was very interesting that just after I composed this entry that I saw a news story on Yahoo about how Albuquerque had been named the fittest city in the United States by Fitness Magazine. It's also interesting to note that the place I moved from, Detroit, is in the top 10 list for the fattest cities in the country.

Our mayor pointed out, among other things, that one of the great recreational things that we have in the city is that mountain, right there above.

"Albuquerque is beginning to tout its recreation as well, particularly 10,678-foot Sandia Mountain on the city's eastern flank and the cottonwood forest, or bosque, that runs along the Rio Grande through the heart of the city."

How annoying that with 60 degree temps for Sat, I've got to be in class when I could be climbing to the top again.