Oh...How Things Have Changed

 I've only been away from working daily in downtown Salt Lake City six years.

A lot can happen in six years.

Just look around.

I had a meeting in a building where I worked for fourteen years. When you work in one building for almost a decade and a half, you get to know not only the building, but the surrounding buildings, streets, even people. It's hard not to. We would take walks around the neighborhood on breaks, I would see the progress made as I took public transportation to and from work almost every work day.

Man, have things changed. 

I knew of many of the changes. There's a building where previously the was a small patch of grass next to the new Harmons Grocery Store. There's a new building going up where the Hardees/Carls Jr restaurant once stood. I didn't know there's an entire block of small bohemian second-hand stores that are gone...completely gone, being replaced by apartment buildings. There were other new things as well.

And perhaps the most iconic change is what's happening to the city's most recognizable structure...the Salt Lake LDS Temple. It's going through major renovations to make it earthquake-proof. If you didn't know it was the temple, you might not recognize it at all. 

As I drove home, traffic patterns remained the same (I guess some things never change...), though the cars/trucks/suvs/motorcycles were newer. I thought about all those differences as I left. The world--is in a constant stage of change, not just downtown. And time and change is relative. A bug may only live a day, or a building may survive centuries. I suppose if you lived forever, change would be on an entirely different level of amazing.

I don't know the next time I'll be downtown. Even if it's only a year, in some places it'll be a completely different place.

The Manipulation Of Light On A Foggy Morn...

Last Thursday I got off the bus and was welcomed into different world, a world of fog that muted all light. I loved it! Then again, I've always loved fog.

I snapped one picture with my iPhone hoping it captured the mood of the morning and if it did, it would be my Pic Of The Day. Anyone reading my blog post last Thursday night or saw my blog on Friday realized the picture did turn out.

But I didn't get out my good camera. That remained in my backpack (I was needing to get to work, after all...). But as I sat at my desk looking out at the streets below, I realized I just had to get out there. I had to see what my camera could capture.

I've thought it many times that when you break down photography is its most basic form, all it is is the manipulation of light. It goes without saying that when you have no light, you cannot have any photography. It sounds simple (and it is simple...), but it's true. And when every light source--even that coming from an ambulance on a morning call--is affected by a natural phenomena, you've got to see it and be in it and have it envelope you. And, if you can, try and capture the way it makes you feel with a two dimensional photograph...or several photographs.

These aren't all the ones I took, and had I more time (I was on a very short break, after all...) I might have been able to get some better pictures, but I was happy with what I did get. It was a beautiful morning and I'm glad I could experience it.

My Trip Downtown

Each Thursday for the past few months I've been putting in a 10-hour shift, then I get in my little car (no more deer incidents--fingers crossed...) and drive to SLC. If I drive just over the posted speed limit and am fortunate enough to find one of about 10 parking spots on the street, I arrive on time. Today was not only another Thursday when this ritual took place, it was my final Thursday to complete the drive.

My writing assignment is basically over.

A few years ago some friends of mine approached me and asked if I would be interested in writing a screenplay. They have been making movies for years, but have always wanted to make a feature film. I was honored they asked me to help.

Draft after draft we toiled, we planned, we discussed, we made changes and finally came up with a story we think is good. Of course, it's a long way until I blog about attending an opening, but I'll be sure to keep you up to date on the project's progress--of that you can be sure.

I snapped a couple of pictures of downtown. If you have been in SLC lately, it's a lot different and there are even more changes coming. I'll miss the sessions with "the Brotheren" (my nickname for my friends...) but hopefully we'll have a chance to work on another project in the future. We'll see...