The Contest - The Entrants

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You can send your friends to the poll located HERE to vote. Remember, each person is permitted to vote once per day (every 24 hours from the time you voted before) . The contest will end at midnight on Sunday the 30th, Mountain Time. They can also click the handy bar located at the top of the posts.

Good luck to all who entered.

Tapestries

Pin It Moments pass in our lives like the playing of a favorite song on the radio. For a brief instant it is there, weaving itself into the fabric of now, becoming part of the tapestry of living. Then it is gone, leaving behind the memory which, like that weaving, can become faded with the onslaught of time.

Today I found myself slipping into yesterday.

I had a visit after school from a boy I had mentored for two years; he’d showed up without warning. It wasn’t long before he was telling me about his recent experiences of life, about his upcoming graduation from high school, and his countless memories of yesterday.

As I listened to him talk of the past, I found myself slipping into the days back when he was shorter than I was; I was his mentor so long ago. It seemed another lifetime, really; back before facial hair and critical life decisions.

As we talked about the moments he’d—or I’d—forgotten, we both laughed. It was a moment where I found myself, just for just a minute, stepping into yesterday. After nearly an hour, this young man left. Yet I found myself still milling over the words of our conversation.

When I came home I did a little digging; it wasn’t long before I unearthed a DVD I’d put together of a camping trip I’d recorded of this young man and two other boys I had been mentor to. As I slipped the disk into the player, and the room ignited with the light of the screen, as also it did with the remembrance of times past.

I laughed out loud. I found myself inundated with memories of a trip with these three boys which was a lot of fun. I missed them. I started to miss all of the kids I’ve been a mentor to over the past decade of my time on this earth.

As the video came to and end, I sat in the dark room; I began to wonder about them all. What were they up to now? How were their lives going? What type of people had they grown up to be?

I could only hope that they had all turned out…good.

“Over the course of the average lifetime you meet a lot of people. Some of them stick with you through thick and thin. Some weave their way through your life and disappear forever. But once in a while someone comes along who earns a permanent place in your heart”

—Kevin Arnold, The Wonder Years

By all means, this collage does not show every child I’ve mentored, but it is a sampling of those who’ve weaved their way into my life throughout this past decade.

I hope to have others who will do the same.

Goodnight.

I need a hero

Pin It There are times in my life when I’m ready to give up.

I look at the obstacles before me, and I think that they are too much for me to handle.

There’s simply no way I could do it all on my own.

Then, along comes someone who is an inspiration. A person who’s either already overcome the odds, or is currently doing it.

It’s people like this which inspire me. Their example encourages me to pick myself up off the ground. Though I know I will probably fall again, it is these examples which keep me believing that I can overcome and succeed.

Some of these people are around me; I see them day to day. I count on them, yet they have no idea of the impact they make on my life; little life-saving moments in time. And there are others…those who do not know me. They’ve never heard of my little blog, and chances are—never will they do so. Some of them inspire me to be my best, to get up when I fall, and to believe in that power we all have inside.

May Nick Santonastasso’s story inspire you, like he does for me.

Monday Photoshoot

Pin It Yesterday I took on a photoshoot of two adorable little boys at the park. Admittedly, it was much more complicated in attempts of getting shots of the older brother; mostly because he was so anxious to try this, that, and everything else; he was hardly standing still for even a moment. Meanwhile, his younger brother was a much easier subject from the simple fact that is mobility was limited to shorter legs and thick snow.

The shoot only took about twenty minutes in all; because of the weather they were both soon ready to head indoors to warmth and undoubtedly episodes of Blue’s Clues and Sesame Street; however, I was able to catch a few first-rate snapshots before they did so.

My next shoot is tomorrow…after that, I have nothing else booked for this week’s photo adventure. Well, maybe a trip to southern Utah if nothing else comes up. To be honest, I really haven’t quite decided as of yet.

Being nice

Pin It I had a few students today who had some problems on the playground. It was strange for me to be having this little talk with them about kindness, because those involved were all good friends.

It had started out with something very small between two students, and slowly escalated into something more with a few others thrown into the mix.

When I was talking to the students in question, they admitted they were in the wrong, and that they were not as kind as they should have been.

When the student they’d been teasing—I’ll call him ‘Joey’—came out to join in our little conversation in the hallway, each of the other kids apologized for what they’d done. I watched on in amazement as Joey looked at each of these other kids in turn and spoke the words, “You’re forgiven.”

I found myself thinking about Joey long after the kids had returned to the classroom and I was in the midst of reading groups, and everyone was busy summarizing about planets and reading their picture books with voices and expression.

The way that this student had turned to the others—without any guile or resentment—and simply said, in his own way, “Hey, don’t worry about it.” This made me so proud of the way he was being raised—and the maturity he was showing toward his peers.

How much different of a world would this be if each of us, when we’re hurt or wronged by someone else, could simply say, “You’re forgiven” and mean it? Not harboring secret grudges or thinking of it for days and weeks on end?

You know, sometimes my students amaze me.

The 5-minute photo shoot

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While on my Washington visit, I stopped in to visit my longtime friend, Missy. I couldn’t believe just how big she and Dave’s boys had gotten over the past year. I wanted to do a photo shoot for them, however, with the extra time I spent with my family, it only allotted about five minutes out in the drizzling rain.

The boys were ready in the space of a few minutes and we were outside in the cold, horrid weather; the whole while avoiding piles of ‘doggy treasures’ scattered around the backyard. I was determined to make the best of it and get a few shots which were worthy.

These are a few of my favorites.

Thanks, Missy.

I’ll do it again for real next year when I come back.

Unless, of course, I’ve died. In the event of this, don’t ask.

October Photoshoot #1

Pin It I went out on a photo shoot about a month ago and then got really busy. I thought I’d post a few of the images I took that day…and yes, Jaq-a-lantern, I will get them to you.








A 'little action' between sessions...





One of the kids was excited to watch the skateboarder coming down the hill, but didn't want to get very close. I was there strictly for protection.

The Photographer...

Den Storytelling

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This past week I was invited to be the ‘featured storyteller’ at a cub scout pack meeting by a friend of mine who’s a den mom. To be honest, I didn’t expect it to be more than perhaps half-a-dozen boys jammed into a small room…several of which who attend my old school.

I was assured that I would know many of them, so I agreed to this little venture.

Well, it turned out to be a pack or two, some Webelos, and their families as well.

I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t nervous, because I was.

When it came my turn to stand before these people, I decided to treat them just as if they were a class of fifth graders.

As I started the story the room became silent instantly, and remained that way for the entire fifteen minutes I’d been given. As I looked out on the faces in the crowd, I saw three past students from years gone by. They all were smiling…they had known what a story from ‘Mr. Z’ was really going to be like.

I am so glad that somewhere along the line, I learned to do voices for the books I read and the stories I tell. It makes the biggest difference in the world.

Image from: http://www.packsonline.com

Mentor slideshow

Pin It I posted this slideshow I made a few years ago for the SafetyNet Mentor Program on YouTube tonight while I was working on my photography.

Many of the kids in the video are boys I've mentored over the past 9 years of my life, as well as kids my friends have mentored as well.



I haven't been a mentor for about a year now outside of my regular school day.

I miss it.

Before long I'll probably have a story I would like to share, but for tonight my pillow is calling and I am going to listen to it's beckoning plea...

...for once.

Saturday Photoshoot Continued

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I finally had some time with the onset of the weekend so I went through the remaining photos from the shoot with my cousins. There are a few other shots I liked as well, however, I don’t want to overwhelm anyone or have them think that I only talk about photography…

…I only do that most of the time.

Kenyan Night

Pin It Two weekends ago, I was up at my uncle and aunt’s house. While I was there on a photoshoot, they invited me to attend a “Kenyan Children’s Night.” This was a group of kids from Kenya who’d come to the United States and were performing at various events - several of whom are orphans.








(To hear a song the students performed and see photos taken by the Salt Lake Tribune, click HERE).

I had the opportunity to spend many hours with these children (mostly the boys as they wanted to hang at my uncle’s house because of my two older cousins whom they all thought were ‘beautiful.’).

I really enjoyed my time listening to these kids talk with their thick, rich accents and their friendly nature. One boy, Washington, would walk up to someone, put his arm around them, and steer them wherever he wanted. I watched him do this with my 17 year-old cousin who did not want to be at the event in the first place. Washington simply put his arm around my cousin, and led him off to a group which was playing a drum. Then, a few minutes later, he was getting my cousin to show him how to ride his skateboard. My cousin had no reservations about taking part in these activities and was soon having a great time, all from the gentle lead of a 13 year-old boy.

Washington also did this with me. When the singing was done and the kids had changed back into their regular clothes, he walked up to me, gently slid his arm around my shoulder and began to lead me away from the group. I had no idea what this boy was doing, but to be honest—I felt powerless. When we were a good distance from everyone else he said only two words with his rich, soothing voice.

“LaFona…Chalupa.” (by the way, those aren't their real names).

These were my two cousins. Still I had no idea what he wanted, so I asked him.

In response he pointed to the camera which hung around my neck. Again he repeated his request, “LaFona…Chalupa.”

“You want a picture of them?”

Washington smiled as broadly as Christmas morning. He then pointed at himself.

“You want a picture of them with you?”

He nodded and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze, steering me back to the group.

“Just you and my cousins, or do you want someone else in the photo with you? Maybe one of your friends?” I indicated the other boys nearby.

Washington patted his chest with the palm of his hand. “Just me.” He said.

This kid was sure persuasive. If he’d have led me to a store and pointed out an mp3 player, I probably would have bought it for him.

We had a great night with these kids back at my uncle’s house. I’ll tell you all about the chicken incident later though…that is a story in itself.

Saturday’s Photoshoot

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A few weeks ago, I headed for the land northward to do a photoshoot for my aunt and uncle. Here are a few of the shots I took. Granted, these are only a small sampling; just know that I do plan to post a few others when I get the chance...perhaps this weekend.

Goodnight, my fellow bloggers.