For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society, from last Wednesday, early morning. (Video + photo)
(Thanks @manton for sorting out the video posting issue. Winter wave season is almost here.)
Two photos, three years sober
It’s the 3rd anniversary of the day I quit drinking. I have been posting photos as part of a series in my sober community in which I take a photo of the coast where I live (readers of my blog know this is my focus) and relate the photos metaphorically to the experiences of the sober journey.
For today, I had a cool idea: find a photo from November 1, 2021, my Day 1 and post it. It will surely be meaningful and amazing, I thought.
Nope. It was not. Apparently on Day 1, I was focused on taking photos of small pieces of trash I found on my apartment’s balcony so I could send a complaint to the building management. It was a cold rainy day. I was going to participate in National Novel Writing Month as a distraction, but discovered immediately that every scene I wanted to write had alcohol in it. Plane trip? Conference? Romantic dinner? I couldn’t write without including alcohol–how would I ever live without it?
One thing I did on Day 1 turned out to be crucial: I signed up for a sober community. I didn’t think of taking a photo of that! I didn’t even use my real name or photo. I posted:
Feeling OK, better than I was expecting. I decided to check out this community, because I know having support is important, but I’m not that good at asking for support in real life.
I got an answer right away:
Well you have come to a great place for support. I find that sometimes coming here is easier than talking to people in my close circle. They just don’t get things about alcohol addiction. :/ But we do. Wishing you lots of positive energy friend. You got this!
This person is still one of my sober sisters, three years later. The community we were on doesn’t exist anymore, but the connections endure.
The sunny photo above? That was taken on November 1, 2020 aka Day Minus 365. The height of pandemic. I sat in this little nook of my backyard and drank and smoked my way through most days. The photo looks so bright and hopeful, but the reality behind it was dark. I sold my house in the spring, thinking apartment living would be better for me.
Below is my actual Day 1, a year later, as a photo. Weird little bits of trash on the balcony at my new place.
Photos never tell the whole story. The photo below is gives me such a warm feeling, because I know I was embarking on something amazing that day, even if Past Me was just trying to get through one day without drinking.
I always miss Ada and Grace, my guinea pigs, around Halloween. I did have a lot of fun creating costumes that they hated wearing.
Inexpensive upgrade for any hotel room. I figured this out in Lisbon last year during Release Notes conf.: I enjoy my tea and coffee much more if I buy a mug to use instead of paper.
I look for something kitschy—but not too. The sparkly pink stars on the Hollywood mug are tastefully done. 😄🌟🎬
Another test, after trying @Burk’s suggestion to change the capture setting to Most Compatible. 🤔
Another test. I suspect videos from my iPhone 16 Pro are not working on my Micro.blog. The previous video was taken with the 15. Has anyone else experienced this? @help
Before and after photos of a wave that sloshed up to my knees this morning. It was not high, but it was fast!
(During I was focused on moving out of the way, though it was futile. Health App shows my heart rate jumped from 73 to 100. 😧)
It was a magical realm of purple pink skies at dawn, reflected all around by the water. I wasn’t sure it could be captured at all, but I like how this turned out. First photos with the new iPhone 16 Pro. 🌅🌊
Looking south just after sunrise. The wave crests are just starting to pick up the light. I love the blue and orange together. Plus seagulls!
I was on a podcast, first time in a while, and hatched an idea for an ersatz recording studio: two kitchen stools on the dining table, covered with a wool throw.
Last time, I used a tiny end table for the laptop and mic. Carpet was a plus, but the setup was too cramped. I miss my walk-in closet!
(In case you are curious what it looks like when a wave crashes into my boots, here’s a clip from yesterday.)
For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society. Lots of mist, big waves, tide coming in over Starfish Rock. (video + photo)
(It’s short because I could tell that wave was going to splash me above the boots if I didn’t move. And I’ve been soaked already two days in a row.)
A few days ago, I posted a photo of this scene with the sunrise clouds over the ocean with the moon setting.
Today I noticed that one of my shots captured a seagull in flight.
For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society: tide coming in this morning around Starfish Rock. Waves and wavelets in all directions. Physics FTW! (video + photo)
(Yes, I’m wearing the big boots. )
I always find metaphors for living when I’m walking on the beach. Here are two contrasting messages in this photo of Starfish Rock.
Orange starfish: “Stand out and be yourself.”
Small crab below: “Blend in and survive.”
If you’ve followed my seagull photos, you understand why the crab would hide. 😬