(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
July 3, 2023
June 2, 2023
January 25, 2022
iPhone Generation
Friends are all sitting on the boat together.
One is even getting married, a bride-to-be.
Sky is clear and water is blue.
Yet not one person is looking up from their screen.
Apparently the virtual world is so much more intriguing.
Soon everyone will be lost in the Metaverse.
The real world left to become a cesspool that perhaps no one cares much about anymore.
Is this really what we call progress?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 7, 2022
November 17, 2021
Gorgeous Fall Leaves
March 7, 2021
The Beauty of Women
Simple yet elegant.
Mysterious yet familiar.
Intense yet tender and caring.
Thoughtful yet expressive.
Dark yet full of light.
Natural yet sensual.
Fantasy yet reality.
A best friend, a partner, a lover.
Together a home. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
December 13, 2019
May 16, 2019
Longest Hair
No, not to the shoulders, not to the mid-back, not even to the tush.
This went almost all the way to the floor.
It reminded me more of a maim on a horse than of the typical hairdo of a person.
Anyway, this must be nasty to take care and keep clean.
Also, can't imagine having that much hair pulling on my head all the time.
In Judaism, we say that hair is the crown of a person and it is something that especially women keep modestly when married.
So while hair is nice and beautiful, you can definitely have too much of even a good thing. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
September 26, 2017
Cyclops Looking Eye
If the eye represents seeing and knowing then aren't we better off with two or even a dozen eyes to see with?
See more, know more, do more.
How about eyes in the back of the head?
Or all around the head in a cool circle--like a majestic crown of sight all around you.
Seeing is miraculous.
The beauty of the world--people, nature, and the stars above.
Seeing is function.
Being able to navigate, get around, and do things with relative ease.
Seeing is safety.
Sensing path from obstacle and friend from foe.
It's frightening to think of not having vision--what a challenge!
One old lady is possibly legally blind, but still serves as a notary public--how does she do that?
Eyes themselves are beautiful--brown and blue and hazel, and soft and deep and mesmerizing.
Looking into someone's eyes, have you ever seen their soul.
Show me thy ways oh L-rd and let me learn and grow in the world you've created for us--seeing the material and spiritual world we're enveloped in.
I see the beauty, necessity, and lessons you have for me.
However many eyes, seeing is believing in it all. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 25, 2016
What Is Peace + Happiness?
I loved this piece of art work with the colorful Buddhas.
It got me thinking about peace and happiness--is it the same for everyone?
To one person, career, achievement, and money seems to make happy--as one of my friends told me about one of his extremely successful bosses who heads a large corporation and has not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 mansions on the water, in the mountains, and overlooking Central Park in NYC.
To another person, it's being able to do what they want to in life--doing what makes you emotionally happy instead of what you have to do; the freedom to choose and to be passionate about what you do and how you spend you time every day--whether it's a profession, an activity or sport, or even exploration and travel.
Yet others, find peace and satisfaction in spiritual and religious pursuits--joining the clergy or learning about G-d and philosophy, doing G-d's commandments or helping his creations by doing good deeds.
Many of course, find peace and get nachas from their families, the loves of their life, their beautiful children and grandchildren, and helping the next generation to grow and prosper after us.
That can also extend to friends, community, and even colleagues--when we surround ourselves with other good people, those who we enjoy their company and have things in common, then we can find happiness with each other.
Being here in Florida for the holidays, I'm reminded of all the sun, beauty, and body-worshippers, those people who love their physique and good health, working out, looking good, being with others that look good, and even designing and making things that are beautiful.
And at the other end of the spectrum again are the intellectual nerdy nerds who get their energy from being brainiacs like one of my friend's nephews who is one of silicon valley's serial innovators.
Whatever you love, have, and do that makes you happy is something to be extremely grateful for.
Nothing is forever, and nothing is owed to us.
Use the gifts that G-d has given you with the wisdom to reach enlightenment by being good and generous to others and so that you truly merit these beautiful things and thank the creator who blessed you.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
October 17, 2016
From Cocoa Trees To Honey Pizza
Loved going in the greenhouse.
The air was fresh and the flowers beautiful.
The 2nd to last photo is a cocoa tree, which I had never seen before.
It was incredible to me that those pods hold the amazing stuff that gives us chocolate.
G-d's creations are so amazing.
Also, we went for dinner and my daughter had this amazing pizza with cheese, figs, spinach, and honey.
I couldn't have the dough because of my Paleo diet, but I just tasted the toppings, and it was literally like heaven.
I was glad that the taste didn't show up on the scale this morning.
To me the wonderment is how our senses can literally indulge in so many wonderful things almost like the Garden of Eden.
Thank you G-d for giving us life and the ability to enjoy your amazing creations. ;-)
(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)
August 18, 2016
Reflection, Summer Don't Go
Kids are getting ready to go back to school.
Weather is starting to feel a little cooler.
But got to love the beautiful nature we have this time of year.
When the flowers are in bloom and the days are long.
Appreciate every moment of every day.
It's a gift from the One Above.
Some people have a bucket list of where they want to go or what they want do, extravagantly, before they die.
For others, it's about material possessions: finding the precious gems of "things" out there, and collecting, hoarding, and showing them off.
Really though, it's not the places you visit, the outrageous things you get to do, or the possessions you accumulate, but rather what positive influence you can have--even on a single life or the more the better.
That good lasts a lot longer and has much more wide-ranging impact than the momentary high of simple and selfish--my places, events, and things.
We all need to enjoy life--it's wondrous and beautiful--but perhaps not live for the empty revelry alone.
Smell the roses and enjoy G-d's gifts of life, and then get back out there and do some good stuff, won't you. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 13, 2016
The Difference Between Art and Politics
There is a difference between art and politics.
Art is just brilliant and beautiful.
But politics can be insane and ugly.
(Well maybe some art actually can be that way too.)
Read today how Congressional Bills are being held up for something as fundamental as funding to fight the Zika virus that causes severe infant brain defects and life-altering disabilities. Moreover, if Congress did pass it as-is, the President has threatened to veto it!
Another no-brainer bill still not passed before Summer recess is the common sense one that would tighten access on gun sales to suspected terrorists and call for expanded background checks, including for private sales and at gun shows.
As amazing for the soul as art is, politics gone wrong can be damaging to the very people they are supposed to be protecting for national security and health and well-being.
This is a system that is either broken or have people leading it that are horribly flawed, but either way the nation's people are being hurt, when they should be properly taken care of and governed. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 18, 2016
The King And Queen
They remind me of royalty--a king and queen.
They stand so tall, proud, and elegant.
Together on the mantel, they make a wonderful centerpiece to the room.
I like the contrast colors--him in tan and she is white with the accent colors on their robes.
His grasp on the long beaded necklace and her open fan give them a air of motion and life.
Yet, the faces are calm and balanced.
These are awesome pieces of art work.
Don't know what they are worth, but to me they have value of beauty. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
March 9, 2016
First Cherry Blossom Of The Season
January 17, 2016
Love 'em OR Leave 'em
I heard one young man say, "I love her...but I'm not in love with her."
So what's the difference?
He's been seeing two girls, one is steady and stable, earns a good income, and is head over heels for him--when he is sick, she makes the chicken soup.
Then there is this other girl, foreign, cool accent, good-looking, intelligent, has similar interests, but no serious income--however, there is some serious hots there.
What do you do?
Girl #1 or #2.
Who's the better bet--Ms. I love her or Gal I'm in love with her?
One women said that years ago, mothers would tell their daughters, "If they bring home a paycheck and look better than a baboon, marry them!"
Back then, marriages were often arranged by the parents or the village elders ("Matchmaker matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch...").
These days, there is much more a sense of the need for compatibility, chemistry, and passion--I can't live without him/her.
Without the mutual respect and passion, it might as well be in the bedroom like, "Let's just get this over with" or something pathetic like that.
In some ultra religious circles, I've heard some women sadly simply referred to as "baby machines."
Yet on the flip side, I remember hearing this story when I was young about this famous model (it could have been about Bo Derek, but I can't remember for sure), and they interviewed her husband who was known to have married her for her unbelievable gorgeous looks, and they asked him, "What would you do, if she had a terrible car accident, and was horribly disfigured?" And his cold, hard response was, "I would leave her!"
Ok, so looks are skin deep, and passion is important but doesn't replace shared values, genuine commitment, and selfless giving to one another.
Maybe the answer is it's not 1 or 2, but 1 and 2--we need someone that will make the chicken soup when we are sick, but who we also find hot in the sack. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
December 16, 2015
DC Is Not NYC
It says, "This is not New York."
And it advertises a website called StuckInDC.com.
"Formed by a few friends who've probably lived in the capital long enough, but lack the wherewithal to move elsewhere."
Having come from NYC, I can empathize in many ways.
The DC metro area is great if you are interested in working in some very cool jobs for the Federal government, and it has a fairly nice lifestyle for families here (clean and green).
While not as exciting as NYC (it doesn't have the vibe), it's also not as dirty, congested, or generally dangerous (in DC, there are lots of gun-totting federal agents everywhere).
If you yearn for someplace nicer to live, maybe Florida for the Caribbean climate, beautiful nature, slower lifestyle, and fun atmosphere or then again, there is always the awesome Holy Land!
For now stuck in DC, after retirement who knows. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
August 31, 2015
Quickie But Goodie
The other person is obviously very busy, and so the first person trying to accommodate and be mindful of people's time says, "We can do a quickie."
At which point, the kindergarden personalities take over in the office, and the person responds cracking up, "I am begging you never to say that again!"
It funny how despite people growing up on the outside (in years), people are still always sort of just kids on the inside.
Maybe in a way that is a good thing that part of ourselves retains the carefree innocence and jovialness of our youth.
We may not be sooo gorgeous anymore, but we are still the same person on the inside--just a little more experience behind us. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 19, 2015
The Flaming Bus
This cool bus is painted with flames on the hood and has a guitar at the top.
No, it's not the bus from The Partridge Family although it has similar colors!
On this bus, the guitar has the name "Sailing Conductors Jack Mantis" on it.
When I looked this up online, I found that these are some "music loving dudes" who travel (sail and bus) the world and record musicians across dozen of countries and 5 continents.
They have music, videos, and a 4-part TV series from their global talent search--although there is only limited material at their site (so not sure where all the recordings from the "hundreds of local musicians" is available for consumption).
Anyway, this is a fascinating experiment in discovering diversity, music and the arts, and culture along their travels.
As to the specific music--beauty is in the eye of the beholder. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 16, 2015
Lady You Bring Me Up When I'm Down
I think this is a great expression of the beauty that some women possess.
The hair, eyes, lips, shape of the face...G-d is a terrific creator!
This makes me think of the song by the Commodores, Lady You Bring Me Up When I Am Down.
BTW, my wife is even more gorgeous (true)! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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