What's on your mind?

English speakers think English is difficult.  Chinese speakers think Chinese is complicated. I believe we all have our rational. I am not a native English speaker and I originally felt that ‘What’s in your mind’ and ‘What’s on your mind’ are created to cause confusion and to play with our mind. People argued that there is a difference, in my opinion, in modern sense. Trending phrases and terms though not in literal sense make it to official dictionary these days. I like to be aware, like it or not.

“What’s in your mind?” means ‘what are you thinking?’ or ‘what is your idea or opinion?’  It is the thought that you may have possessed or is formulating inside of you. “What’s on your mind?” is more a spontaneous thought right off your mind and the audience’s expectation is meant for an immediate response. Some say, ‘what’s troubling you?’  I think it is more like “what’s taking up your mind?”.  What’s occupying our mind is not necessarily something negative, it can be just a decision to make or you are just attracted to something or someone. 

If you ask me what’s on my mind now, I would immediately talk about my weekend short and sweet gathering with my daughters and the grand children.  I of course took hundreds of shots when they were around. Among all, I am most attracted to this one.  She is my grand daughter, just turned one-year old last month.

What's on her mind?

It was a wet weekend. Immediately when the sun showed up in a short period and our deck was barely dry. Little ones came out of the house to have their active secession. She just began to explore the walking fun and enjoy the sense of independence. While she was walking from one flower pot to the other, we were all cheering and giving her our bravos.

The loudest applause seemed to come from grandpa. She turned to him and made that face.  What was on her mind at that moment? What a fresh one-year old can think these days? 

Forever Ducks Fan

Her family does not live in Oregon any more, but her loyalty for Ducks still exists. Oregon was competing with Wisconsin and see whom she pointed at? I took at least 5 shots because I did not believe what I saw and she did finger at the big O every single time.

Big brother (that’s what he calls himself now), my grandson, is going to be 4 years old in couple of months. He is an extremely happy boy, energetic and very creative. All kids are super smart in this science and technology explosion era, I think all of us tend to think our kids and grandkids are the smartest. No need to brag here :-)

Can you tell “What’s on his mind?” He approached me with a big smile on his face. Then, began to elaborate  what he had on his mind. He was telling a sound idea and asking me for permission to engage an activity that I would usually say No. But,  could I refuse? I could not. His honesty and purity have me conquered. I lost in the negotiation.

What's on His Mind?

I am growing older but am I wiser? Maybe. But what’s that mean to be wise? Wise to do things or not to. I think we (or just me), aged people, think more and more thoroughly and we reacted more carefully and therefore more slowly. I have started to perceive this change in my life, not my style, but I am learning to cope. It is not such an easy evolving process for me because I have been so used to do things fast and efficiently.

While physical condition starts to wind down, my wisdom tells me to slow down and be gentle with my body. My mind can go flying thousand miles but I have to make sure that I don’t take two steps each time coming down the stairs. Unfortunately this is just how our life works.

Honestly I did not know how would I feel to be a grand mother until I actually became one. Love for children goes down to grandchildren. This is our nature and such is life. But, how about that magical attachment to the grand children besides love? Simple to say it is love, but too simple if we use Love to explain and rationalize everything. There is something in them that we are inspired and invigorated, do you agree?

I am certain that it is not just love that I am so addicted to their pictures. It seems to be a yearning to rewind the clock and to re-launch my childhood expedition letting go the wisdom gained in decades. Now I have known how to live a better life, won't it be nice if I can try again?....While unwinding life clock is not possible, I have my back-to-the-past dream fulfilled in them.

Children's nature is so delicate, so tender, so spontaneous, so unpretentious and so original.  It is absolutely the most precise period in a lifetime. They are my energy spring and inspiration source. 

Every week when I write my blog, I am looking into the answers from the images I took. My hustle and bustle career days are behind. And I am now 'looking afar and drawing close' through my camera lens in a slower pace.

No Fear

Big brother has been engaged in many physical activities that he has no fear jumping down the large tree stump taller than his height. I know the impact was rather big when he landed on the grass, but I could not show it before I added the blur.

No beach ball in hand, we rolled out the yoga ball. I have always liked this picture taken last year. At first I thought the ball was too big for him, but by the way how he handled it, I think I just worried too much myself.

Say No to Limitation

I have passion to learn new software and I simply love technology.

Last year I came across a tutorial about how to create radial blur in photoshop. This image is what I have in mind for my experiment. After 6 months, I finally gave it a try. The ball was rolling, but I could not show the motion till now.

Grandkids are blessings. They inspire you, enrich your life and humble you with what they can do. I am happy that I can now run and jump without having to do it myself. I need only to snap my camera and I get to keep my wisdom.