Out with the old, in with the new.

I have had many thoughts bouncing (some violently), around in my head these last few days, and I have been thinking about whether to share them here, and also how to do so. I think the title of this post pretty well sums up a lot of my thoughts-new attitudes, thoughts, and books replacing old ones. First of all, I am done reading Nicholas Nickleby, and am now reading Our Mutual Friend by Dickens. It suits the season well. Old ideas about rules (again, those of photography), are now replaced by my own rules, which are to take pictures, not so much of things or places, but of moments. This I do so that I can remember the time when I went kayaking with my parents, and the moment I realized how beautiful a picture of a cow can be, how lovely it was to feel the sun on my back as I watched that cow graze in a field of golden wheat as the sun was lowering in the clear blue sky. Mark Nohl, in his collection of photographs of New Mexico said in the preface to his book that our photos are a true and real expression of our values. I flipped through my photo albums after reading this, and I realized the reason I will probably never take the perfect picture-I do not wait for the perfect time of day when the sun is just so; I take my picture at the time I was there-not at the time when things will look their best. Old ideas about friendships are out, new ideas are in. Gone is the idea that I should have a great quantity of friends. I have come to see it is far more important to have great quality in friendships. My attitude has changed, whether from more mature thought, the realities of this world, getting older, apathy, cynicism, or sanctification and patience, I can't say. However, I have found I have less and less desire to involve myself in conflict of any kind.

To sum this up en español, Tengo una vaca que hace pipi en el piso.
In Italiano, Le capre mangiano molte cose.
In Francais, Le petit chien se trouve un ami.

Goodbye, adios, arrivaderci, y bonjour, mon amis. ¡Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël!