Monthly Archives: June 2008
Moving Products to Consumers (An Experience)
I lost my keys in Pier One while visiting my daughter at work. They had a truck in so my daughter was busy shelving tiny china blue dishware in various patterns. I roamed and over the course of my window shopping, lost my keys. I had the whole store searching for a single car key on a pink plastic spiral key chain-the kind you can wear on your wrist.
The search was called off, keys still missing, and I set to wander the store again. Remembering where I had exclaimed at finds to my daughter who was shelving, I found the keys next to the hideous gold trays marked down from 15.00 dollars to $3.68.
Originally, I had been getting comfy on a sofa with pretty pillows and surveying the store. I spied that golden tray and imagined it holding my scrap booking items. This was my second time noticing the tray as it has been around since Christmas. I used my best announcer voice and stated the gold trays were moving fast, 3.68 at your neighborhood Pier One. My daughter chuckled.
I was drawn from my seat on the couch, also on sale for only $699.00, to the hideous gold tray. I set down my wallet, pink Motorola cell phone and spiral key chain to pick up the tray and flip it over. China. The tray was metallic gold it reminded me of summer, sand shimmering, millions of stars sparkling in a night sky on the darkest of summer nights, sand between my toes, sand spilling from my hands like the grains in a hour glass, walking beaches, stretching feet, heat, waves, floating on water in a tube. Little did I realize the tray had hypnotized.
I sit at Starbucks happy to have my key, to have air conditioning, and a double shot espresso over ice. I am not buying a hideous gold tray I laugh while writing in my journal. I shall not buy products from China. Not even the comfy couch at $699.00. I walked directly past the gold tray, lawn furniture, colorful cushions, and citronella candles. And out of the store. I shall not buy products from China. It is a mantra. Over and over, I renew my vow. I’m trying to have faith. I am not a consumer. I am a person of substance and I shall not buy a hideous gold tray.
I have three dollars cash. Do I have enough change? I will not count. I will eat my praline cookie, and sip my drink. My canvas bag and chain purse are sitting at my feet.
At least I will not drive back to Pier One. I will walk. Save gas. Discounted further, I did not even need to count out change.
Superior Sampler–Presque Isle, Marquette
A quick walk around Presque Isle in Marquette brought these opportunities, today. The first was taken on Lake Superior before the mist moved on shore–a fine couple out for a swim. The second was taken on the fence that surrounds what used to be the Shiras Pool that will now be operated by the Moosewood Nature Center–bluebird sit pretty. And the last is inland on the Moosewood Nature Trail– Duck Family. The Canon s5 has a 12x optical zoom and I wanted to see what I could do with it–fun.
Ride Share to and from Copper Country from Marquette
July– 8 Tuesday or 10 Thursday
July–15 Tuesday or 17 Thursday b4 Hiawatha
July–24 Thursday
July–29 Tuesday or 31 Thursday
More Michigamme
These photos were captured with my DXG 5.1 Megapixel Camera on Memorial Day Weekend. Mike and I went to camp at Van Riper and spent sometime in Michigamme at the Moonshine Gallery and walking through town. I still had not ordered my Canon s5–but Mike had his and I continued to be amazed by the quality and was jealous and wistful of the day I could order mine. Today, I sit waiting for lenses and a hood, my camera bag and other camera paraphernalia. From this time forward I will be sure to tag which camera is taking the shot. I love that I did a show with a camera that cost under 99.00 on sale. But I am very excited to be learning the capabilities of a better camera.
Michigamme is an artistic town full of summer homes and ruins. I was attracted to the decay. The lives of these old buildings. I will have more photos of the area to come soon. I would love to see photos from others snapping shots in the Upper Peninsula or in forgotten towns near you. Leave a comment.
Classic Marquette Shot
“Getting to know you…getting to know all about you.” I am aquainting myself with the Canon s5. Frustrated, last week, with wind while taking super macro shots I headed to the beach to take landscapes. This is a classic lighthouse shot taken from Picnic Rocks looking toward McCarty’s Cove.
Feel Me
Channeling passions and remaining centered as a creator are often difficult tasks, and this year as I headed into Summer Solstice, I found my own axis too tilted. This correlated on a physical and emotional level, manifesting pain.
The physical is the easiest to address: Sit on an exercise ball while typing and editing; Walk beaches barefoot, especially when light breezes bring summer storms; Pull weeds, plant perennials, stopping of course to run hands through thyme; Tai Chi pond-side with birds singing and bathing: Sit in wet sand as cool breezes blow off Lake Superior causing mist to arise at fingertips. Chiropractic and massage. Cry, laugh, sing and release all that has pent up over the last quarter year.
The emotional, mental, spiritual is the challenge for me. How do I know what I think until I write, or speak, express and quit hiding from my self? The only way I know to stay in balance is to do that which makes me, Kim. Sit at the keys and write. Tell stories.
Yet I push and push, the first sign was that low back pain from hips sidling out of place, the tightness of breath, the lack of power in my legs while hiking. The feeling that those around me do not love, enough. I want to scream at everyone-feel me!It is a cycle that ignored becomes serious illness and miscommunication. I get hyper and cannot settle in at the keyboard or journal I cannot even slow to read poetry. My pain spreads external to others.
There is only one cure, to share my love with me-the one person I hold it back from the most.
Backyard Play with Poppies
Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park,
I asked God who I’m supposed to be.
The stars smiled down on me,
God answered in silent reverie.
I said a prayer and fell asleep.
–from Dream, by Priscilla Ahn (song/pop)
Create With Kim 
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