© Brad Mangas
Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together. -John Ruskin
No I haven’t started a food blog! Just think metaphor. We are what we eat, drink, consume. When I say consume I mean any and everything. Where we go, what we do, who we hang around, what we look at. Basically we are a bundle of organized chaos. Well, at least I hope somewhat organized.
It has really been a struggle to get back in the swing of things as of late. There was the trip to The Smoky Mountains in late October then some hunting for fall colors that was somewhat of a bust this year for me in these parts, the Thanksgiving holiday and now sliding in to Christmas. For some strange reason it has got me feeling like I’m trapped in a barrel going over a cliff. Not sure why I just used that metaphor but it somewhat fits. I have had some weekends where all I feel like doing is setting around and daydream. I’m not going to knock that to much, I think it can be a good thing once in a while. Oh I have ventured out here and there but I have had 3 short jaunts out where I didn’t even take the camera out of the bag.
I have been doing a little more reading of varying subjects the last couple of months. It is actually a mixture of reading and listening to books on Audible. I love Audible it is awesome! Up until 6 months or so ago the subjects I spent most of my time on were art, creativity, personal growth, with some business subjects thrown in here and there. Then once in a great while I would stray off into the land of fiction with a novel such as “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett. That monster of a novel blew me away. I literally became mesmerized each time I listened to it. Like I forgot where I was and what I was doing! Subsequently I have purchased a couple more Ken Follett novels that I will soon consume I’m sure.
I believe the changing of the seasons plays a role in my attitude towards things. A few times a year I find myself looking at things differently. Things like photography, trying to live a creative life. I am always wondering the best way to go about it. For the most part I do what I want and how I want. That should be foremost at least for me. Then I always seem to wonder, is what I am doing and how I am doing it making any kind of difference? Is it providing me with the food that is really feeding my soul. Yeah kinda heavy stuff I know. But it is really a simple proposition. Keep trying to improve. Improve in what? That might be where I get hung up.
I put a lot of time into photography, creativity, being unique. Yet it seems to just flutter in the wind like leaves of the autumn trees. Noticed at times but mostly just driven by. It may be that way for most, repeating the processes of living, day after day. There has to be more, doesn’t there? I believe there is more.
Day by day seemingly the slowest route to where we want to be is the only route. Like it or not each day needs to be dealt with accordingly. I don’t subscribe to the checklist way of doing things. Unless maybe its flying an airplane or something. Then a checklist can save your butt! When it comes to each day there needs to be room and freedom to improvise. Take things one at a time and handle accordingly. Doing ones best should always be the goal. Failing for whatever reason is simply a reason to adjust coarse. OK maybe that needs to be enough inner psychology rhetoric.
Being it’s that time of year we spend a little more of our waking hours indoors I thought I would put together a list of favorite books. What I was going to do is make a collection in Amazon (where I have purchased 99% of my books) and share the list. I just took a quick look at doing that and it will take me a little more time that I thought. So that will be for the next post. Should make me hurry up and get it done as well. Sorry for the little tease but I promise to do it one way or another.
Update 12/11 – Hey I got a collections list started for some of the books I would recommend. You can see it here: Brad’s Recommended Reads.
Remember, eat the food that not only feeds your body but nourishes your soul as well. Put yourself in good surroundings and good things will happen. There is no better place to do that than in the great outdoors!
