(self-portrait)
I need a photographic theme. There is only so much poking fun of Star Wars and Selavy I can stomach. I walk around taking snapshots but very little emerges. I shoot the same parts of New York endlessly on my way to work and back again. Ground Dog Day. I get duplicate pictures over and over with only occasional differences. I need to find a theme and then go out shooting with that in mind. But where am I going to find black and white springtime nudes frolicking in the fountains of NYC in slow motion? Women, that is. I know if I didn't qualify I'd have Selavy posting about the male proboscis again. I wonder how his bonerville series is developing...
No. I trust that everybody sees the good-natured jesting in yesterday's post. I see all things as harmless and funny. But I have learned that my judgement is not always to be trusted in that regard. I've had to be pulled back from the edge and reminded many times that cancer is not funny, nor is polio, AIDS, the holocaust, JonBenet Ramsey, and jungle fever.
I think I might be autistic.
Symptoms:
1. Difficulty in mixing with other children
2. Inappropriate laughing or giggling
3. Little or no eye contact
4. Apparent insensitivity to pain
5. Prefers to be alone; aloof manner
6. Spins objects
7. Inappropriate attachment to objects
8. Noticeable physical overactivity or extreme under activity
9. Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
10. Insistence on sameness; resists changes in routine
11. No real fear of dangers
12. Sustained odd play
13. Echolalia (repeating words or phrases in place of normal language)
14. May not want cuddling or act cuddly
15. Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf
16. Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words.
17. Tantrums - displays extreme distress for no apparent reason
18. Uneven gross/fine motor skills (may not want to kick ball but stack blocks)
Sounds like most dj's I know.
I stopped writing for a minute and went and read my buddy's post from today. It is for this reason, among others, that I read his site. His insight into the world and his knowledge of photography. That is part of what I lack, historical perspective, knowledge of photography and photographers.
I need to start reading again. I have slowed even on the biography I was reading, which is appropriately Keith Richards'. It is a sometimes fun read but it starts to come off as just another old millionaire rock star grinding his axe. Yes, it is amusing to hear him take down Mick Jagger but it takes some of the pleasure out of listening to The Stones. I had promised that I would stop reading rock-and-roll bio's but then a friend gave me Bill Graham's and another gave me Paul McCartney's and another lent me Keith Richards', a friend suggested and so I bought, Art Pepper's...
Yes, this last one is jazz. But he lived his life in a very rock and roll way.
As I said before, you must be very careful with what you read. It will make you want to live life that way. That's why I've stayed away from The Gospel.
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