Seattle, WA
21 March 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/2.2 1/567s :: ISO-40
Dear Stranger;
The daffodils are back, and with their appearance comes the hope that good things are to come. We could all use some of that, for sure.
Having said that, Lewis Hamilton just won the first sprint race of the season...his first victory of any sort for Ferrari. Pinch me.
Still a long season to go, but we shall celebrate the small victories!
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
1 March 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/1.8 1/40s :: ISO-500
Dear Stranger;
This year I missed out on shooting Orion, but the nice part about March is that sunsets are almost past 6:00 PM. I can see daylight and we're enjoying it more and more over here; I feel like it's helping us all come alive. Maybe I'll shoot the North American Nebula this spring and summer. Maybe add more to the Veil Nebula data I have going...but for the time being, bring on the sunsets.
Please.
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
15 February 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/2.2 1/30s :: ISO-1000
Dear Stranger;
Admittedly, this day is getting easier each year and that's a triumph in itself.
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
2 February 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/1.78 1/121s :: ISO-64
Dear Stranger;
Here we go; sometimes, we just have to power through this month and make it to the other side. I'm still working on it, though. I'm just not there yet.
The planets, however, have been wonderful to watch in the sky, and you better believe I'm going to have an eye open for all the beauty I can see this month.
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
25 January 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/2.2 1/4s :: ISO-2000
Dear Stranger;
Sometimes I'll revisit an idea, or a part of myself, and view it with a different perspective and yes, things look different, but sometimes it comes with a feeling that others seem to have you trapped inside their perception of who you are. My current observation is that this comes from people that claim to be really good at "reading people," and when you start to grow and change, it seems to register as a departure from their idealised version of who you are where the conflict of the image creates some form of tension or even dislike in who you have become.
It's hard to accept that there are things out of your control, and this is one of those things. However, the nice balance is that friends you consistently see as genuinely kind throughout their growth will also see you for who youck over the year are. Looking bas, I've noticed an invisible string that they've been weaving for you, tying you to your past and present not to hold you to some previous version of yourself but to show you how far you've come.
Those are the people in your life that, I've come to find, are the ones to keep. I'm seeing, in these years, that I might not have many friends from others' definitions, but the ones I have are of such high quality and it has made all the difference.
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
10 January 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/2.2 1/39s :: ISO-1250
Dear Stranger;
I went for a run this weekend as I usually do, and in the relative cold weather here (and I say relative because growing up in Minnesota, this is still a heat wave) the biggest challenge isn't starting the run but getting past those first few minutes where you're building up body heat so that you start to feel warm and get that sweat going. So, if you're out there running where you're optimising the warmth of your gear, give yourself a pat on the back for getting out there.
Running has so many metaphors for life. So many.
Magically,
-j
P.S.: Don't forget to look up every once in a while because the planets are parading this next week or two.
P.P.S.: Do I miss the Eras Tour or what.
Seattle, WA
2 January 2025 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/2.2 1/60s :: ISO-1000
Dear Stranger;
After all of 2024, I'm enjoying the quiet pace. Honestly, it's nice to look forward to spending time recharging, and that's how I'm starting 2025: recharging. It's going to take a while, and I'm okay with that.
It's time to cook stuff and make stuff.
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
1 January 2025 :: Canon EOS M6 Mk1 :: f/14 2s :: ISO-100
Dear Stranger;
A happy and joyful New Year to you and yours. I'm hoping for more videos, more photos, and more miles running, flying, and more growth.
What are you hoping for this year?
Magically,
-j
Seattle, WA
31 December 2024 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/1.78 1/120s :: ISO-200
Dear Stranger;
Maybe I'll keep this short, and every time I say that, I don't, so perhaps that's my solution to writer's block. Actually, no, I'll keep it short for now: 2024 had a lot of things to forget, but had even more to remember and that's what I'm going to keep with me heading into 2025.
Hold on to the memories; they will hold on to you.
I hope your 2025 is full of wonder, joy, and that maybe you're also ready for it–but also that you have a few pleasant surprises mixed in every so often.
Magically,
-j
Solna, Sweden
18 May 2024 :: Canon G7 X Mark III :: f/1.8 1/100s :: ISO-800
Dear Stranger;
Nineteen years ago I walked into the place where I had dreamed to work since childhood, fairly fresh from a major change happening on the inside that really shifted who I was. At the same time, a young woman was working on their debut release album. On the other side of the globe, a young man was making their way to one of the top motorsport series in the world (Formula 1).
Today, while I quietly celebrate 19 years at my current job, these other two close their current chapters in preparation for starting new ones and for me it's been a really memorable way to mark this milestone. I'm excited for what's coming ahead...
Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you.
Magically,
-j
Solna, Sweden
19 May 2024 :: iPhone 14 Pro Max :: f/2.8 1/25s :: ISO-1000
