LinkedIn and muscle engine photos

A parking lot sprawls behind my building. A yellow Mustang is parked there with two motorcycles in front of it. Presumably all these muscle engines belong to a couple of people in the building who share a suite. I've often walked by these parked vehicles and thought they'd make a good photo. What do you think? I'd like to find a magazine interested in these pictures.

I know my photos are those of an amateur but I love to take photos and find neat opportunities to shoot subjects that interest me. I made prints of these and gave them to the fellow who owns the yellow Mustang. Later the motorcycles disappeared for the winter and there's only the Mustang left.

Interestingly, when I first took the picture of the car there was only one bike (see first photo). Sometime between while I was adjusting my camera and the angle for a better composition the fellow or young woman must have parked the second bike closer to the Mustang and left. They must have been bemused/amused by the old gal taking a snap of their motor vehicle beauties.

Something else--there was a better photo of the two bikes and the front of the car, but you could clearly read the license plate number of the second bike, so I didn't publish it. Isn't this a neat collection of toys for someone?

An unlikely combination while I'm talking about bikes and muscle cars, but have you seen the social media site LinkedIn? It's an excellent vehicle (pun intended) for entrepreneurs, freelancers and those job seeking. You can choose a group from hundreds or start your own. I belong to a freelance writer's group and have found it extremely interesting and helpful. Too many discussions to follow but valuable. I found some newsletters for writers I otherwise wouldn't have known about, and also suggestions and links to sites especially for writers. Of course, if you're not a writer, you'd be looking for sites specializing in your field. 

Just a hint; there's a fellow writer on there by the name of Rick Lauber who's a Canadian and Edmontonian, and has written a book called Caregiver's Guide for Canadians. He starts excellent discussions on this particular LinkedIn group. I don't have a lot of contacts but I value the ones I have.

I'm sure there are plenty of good photo groups, too, and I may find some suggestions for selling my photos or pitching them to an appropriate journal.

Re: pitching an article or book--reporters and editors are very busy people. I read advice on LinkedIn how to pitch an idea to a busy journalist. I think with any business communication and especially marketing, one has to think about the other person and their needs. Indeed, any communication must involve good listening skills and empathy. It's not all about us. 

R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rrrrrr

A great man but no idol

Jack Layton and wife Olivia Chow in happier times

Jack Layton is dead. I always admired the man although I never voted for him. He was a rare breed in politicians, honest, humble with vision and compassion. Almost alone he brought his party into an enviable position as the Official Opposition. With death staring him in the face, Jack left his memorable letter to all Canadians, thinking above and beyond himself to the future and the good of all Canadians, especially those who are marginalized. He was true to himself to the end. He will be greatly missed. He probably didn't actually write the letter which has touched so many Canadians. And he was far from the "little man on the street" he attempted to represent. Let's be careful we don't make an idol of Jack Layton or allow his party to capitalize on his death. That would be a dishonor to him and to all Canadians.

One of the real heroes I see here is Jack's wife, Olivia Chow, whose presence at his memorial helped to calm and comfort thousands of mourners. It's probable she helped draft the letter he left, and was certainly a source of comfort and support to Jack during these last few months of his life. There are going to be naysayers and there's going to be cruelty. A life is precious and it's hard to weigh on a scale the value of one life for another. As a leader Jack Layton was exemplary and he is exemplary in death. May he Rest in Peace.

My Vacation to Southern Alberta

I took off with a friend in her van for three or four days last week to visit my eldest son in southern Alberta. A long overdue vacation.

And last night a baseball game. Our team, Edmonton Capitals won 8-7 against the Yuma Scorpions. With an almost full moon "watching" the game.

Action shot of Yuma Scorpions pitcher winding up

A Poem

Alberta

Alberta white and blue

juxtaposed with dry land navies

while their ships reflected in the sky

thundering with engines.

Many soldiers have we shared

to kill or help or coming home

with flags draped on their coffins

Because of war.

Oil is obvious

the cowboy roughneck

flying home and

this is where he finds his love.

His wife? The love of land?

The love of oil and money

Or else in cattle droves and horses

Where now post-modern buildings thrust.

Smart lawyers with their Blackberries

And doctors; entrepreneurs

Many entrepreneurs

Because we were mavericks first.

The politician coming home

to her family or

great colleges and churches

But still the soil.

And there beyond the prairies

To the west with mountain parks

Lakes hard with winter

Follow the wild rose and the crocus.

Conservative Alberta

Rich and haughty; poor too

First Nations pocked with native pride

The old the children of the young.

The oilman and his wife

Drinking just a bit too much

And combine flotillas swathing

No more family farms.

Still the buildings glass enclosed

Intrigued with boardrooms

Scratch the businessman or woman,

Find a cowboy.

Here in Alberta

Beautiful the laden prairies

You weren’t my first love, dear Alberta

You are my last.

My stone is here though foreign skies may call

Lands of greater legends beckon

Still they will return my bones

To dear Alberta.

Old buildings near Smoky Lake--negative image

Someone lived here once--Smoky Lake district

This old truck NE Alberta farm

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My Hometown Edmonton

I consider Edmonton my hometown although I was born in Toronto, ON and raised in the Peace River country of northeastern British Columbia. My first child, who was adopted and raised by another family, was born in Calgary in 1963.  I lived in Calgary, Alberta and Oklahoma City, USA as a new bride with my Canadian husband in the mid-1960s. He died in 1971. An 8-year marriage, rocky and wonderful. Moving back to Edmonton from Oklahoma, we lived here for most of our brief marriage. Our two children were born in this city at the University of Alberta Hospitals. Both my husband and I attended the University of Alberta at different times in our lives, he before I met him and myself after his death. I presently live in the Oliver district of west downtown Edmonton. I took these photographs at dusk on a lovely spring Saturday evening this year, near my home.