Child's Drawing on a Playground Slide

Not sure why this reminded me of a presidential cartoon that had a catchy jingle  "I like Ike" - There is music and innocence in his image and I can't say that for the current presidential 'events'.  

Ominous with the vignetting and the shadow of the streetlight.

Thanks for your comment on this one and the dolls' heads photo. What's with the whining "I'm so uninspired. I keep coming up empty." Put another worm on the damn hook and go catch some fish. It's gotten very lonely around here now that you and so many others of the old company of creative iconoclasts have either slipped away entirely or post only sporadically. There's nothing like the sense of comradeship we used to enjoy. I think one of the few reasons I have remained a dues paying member of photonet is that' it's the only way to preserve some of the wonderful comments and exchanges that I've shared with fellow photographers the past ten or so years. It all seems to have gone to hell so quickly. Maybe that's merely a reflection of the times. I'm sure the growing number of choices and competitive sites we can choose from have led us in disparate directions away from one another; they tend to separate us into tributaries rather than binding us together into a mighty, creative river from which we might draw strength and inspiration. Add to this the seemingly never-ending demands on our time and it's no wonder there's little or no space for reflection or time to gather our powers together to gain insight, a new perspective or artistic breakthrough.

Technology has swept over us in continuous waves with no time to catch our breath. In a way it has uprooted and dispossessed us almost as forcefully as the trunami devastated the people of Tohoku, Japan five years ago. We bought into the promise that the computer, information technology and the attendant virtual reality that has now been created would transform the world - and it has - just not in the ways we imagined. It hasn't freed us or created more time, but bound us tightly to itself and dug its claws into us. The wonders that once amazed us have over time deadened our sensibilities and, I believe, injured our human spirit. In searching for the easier path and ever greater convenience we seem to have lost the stickum that binds us together, that forms neighborhoods and communities of common interest and purpose. That which was going to give us near god-like dominion over our lives has paradoxically made us duller, stupider and lazier. It seems to have stifled our spirit rather than

firing it and whetting our creative appetite. We long for human correspondence yet, with all the tools at our disposal, we seem to have lost our ability to use words. In the end we settle for "like" buttons, insipid comments and the weak tea that stands in for real connection and conversation today.

There is no question in my mind that photonet does not have the power to revive itself no matter what the moderators/owners do. The infection has gone too deep, the power is rapidly diminishing. One by one the people with ideas, imagination and the most vivid and creative vision are falling away. It's not hard to understand. All you have to do is look at the political sideshow nowadays and you're hit by the feeling that we as a people have lost the capability for reasonable and productive (let alone inspiring) discourse.

OK, I know I went on a rant again, Jeff, as I'm increasingly likely to do as I grow long of fang and short of patience. I always enjoy your visits as brief as they sometimes are. Take care and dust off the camera. Always my best regards, Jack

I agree with you that the digital age has increased communication, but decreased true connection.  Thoughtful conversation has been exchanged for drive-by sound bytes.  I have to admit that my own attention span has diminished dramatically as I've become increasingly more attached to my computer and phone.  As silly as it sounds, I'm trying to set a personal goal to actually read ENTIRE articles before clicking onto something else and to minimize open tabs that serve as distractions in order to recapture my ability to focus.

As I said, I respect your commitment to photography.  My typical usually starts at 5:30 and last until 10:30 without a break, so my ability to wander around with a camera has been put on hold.  As far as PN goes, I think the site still has the potential to encourage conversation and reflection, but the embers are dying down.  There are certain photographers like yourself whom I find continuously interesting.  I wish I had the time to peruse and comment more than I do.  I find it meditative, but I don't have much to say at the end of the day so I don't always leave a comment.  As fellow artists, I think it's important to self-edit both what we display and what we say, which is why I quit posting so many pictures and leaving vacuous, sugary comments.

I know that you have a following of folks who deeply respect your vision and your overall outlook.  I think it's well-earned.  I'm glad you choose to stick around and keep plodding on, even though so many of our cherished comrades have fallen away.