Mornings

The above posted photo is a JPEG. I shot this months ago, perhaps over the summer? near Washington Square Park. I'm now learning as I read more about Photoshop that shooting in JPEG format compresses photos to a point of losing information. I've been persuaded by the book to shoot Europe in RAW format, although that will eat precious memory card space and is proprietary (as they are Nikon RAW files) which poses other issues in Photoshop, but I'm still very green at this stuff. Given some time, I might better understand the jargon.*I'm sitting here at one and peace with myself quite early in the morning, while Craig still sleeps, because I have been aching for an aubade-esque moment wherein I'm separating myself from bed, sleep and Craig at daybreak to have some alone time. The week has flown past, time flies like that, and Europe is breaths away. I have such huge anticipation for this - my eyes and feet are ready for something new to see and traverse. In so many ways, I've embraced new things, sort of all at once. New neighborhood in which to reside, new neighborhood in which to work (and eat awesome lunches with co-workers!!), new emotional connectivity with myself and with surroundings. Oh, and to only further color my aubade morning, it's raining, and I can see it out of two tall living room windows, lovely rain, switching directions as it falls. I'm just in love with being alive right now. I don't have other words for it. I feel as though one part of evolving one's character is embracing something new, or many new things. There are still mountains to climb. I've got some improvement of character to confront. I am weak when it comes to some things. I am also still quite removed from my creative nature, which I'm trying to hatch anew with photography focus and my blog. My writing has slid down a slope in that I haven't written a poem in coming close to a year. I know I need to. I sort of owe it to myself. But steps, slow steps, slight movements in time and over the course of minutes and days help with all of this.*I wish I could capture this essence. The slow sheet of rain, and the neutral gray sky. A weathered and untamed brick wall that neighbors our building. Craig's slow and steady sleep breathing from the bedroom. Time, precious, and livable.