This new year comes with specific operating instructions, because obviously the way you handled 2016, shows you need them.

1. If you care about something, FIGHT for it. Don’t trust others to do it for you. Maybe they are not as strong or committed as you, or maybe they need your voice, your body, your action to make it happen, or to stop it from happening.
2. LIVE your life as if you you were going to die on 12/31/17.  That doesn’t mean quit your job necessarily.  But at the  beginning of each day you should ask yourself the following questions?
   • How can I tell or show those I love, that I love them?
   • How can I have fun today?
   • How can I treat life like an adventure?
   • How can I experience nature, if even for a few minutes?
   • Can I see a sunrise or sunset today?
3. If you can call someone instead of texting them, do that, if you can meet with them instead do that?  Get together with other people, regularly, communally, habitually.
4. Do something to improve the planet and fight climate change, every day.
5. Travel regularly get out of your box,  even if it is just a day trip to a nearby town.
6. Read daily, write daily.  The first takes you out of your world into another, the second makes you focus on your thoughts and ideas.
7. Get some form of exercise daily.  Do it with a friend, and it will be more fun.
8. Set a goal and work to achieve it. It is exceptionally satisfying to accomplish short or long term goals. A series of short term goals leads to long term accomplishments.
9. Remember every day this message.  Being here on earth, ISN’T ABOUT YOU.   If you believe in a god or GOD realize you were put here for some reason, you have a purpose.  If you do not believe in a god or a GOD, realize that people are at their best, when they stop thinking and acting for themselves, and start thinking and acting for those around them or for the world around them.

© words by Daniel DeMarle 2016

11/24/16

©Words and pictures Dan DeMarle 2016

New Years is a chance to press restart.  In 2016, I set some goals, and have enjoyed accomplishing them and in some cases exceeding them.  As the saying goes the first step is the way to begin a 1000 mile journey.  So starting January 1st where will your first steps take you? Remember if your destination is nowhere, you will get there.  If your destination is to stay the same, you don’t even have to start with the first step.  If, however, you want to make a change in your life, in your  environment, or in the world, those first steps can set you off on that 1000 mile adventure. So where are you headed, and what do you want to accomplish? You will be somewhere on 12/31/17, you will have accomplished something,  where and what will it be?

The world in full of naturally occurring patterns.

11/19/16

© words and pictures Daniel DeMarle 2016

11/19/16

© words and pictures Daniel DeMarle 2016

Living right next to the Genesee River, and commuting along it and over it every work day, its amazing to me how little it is used. That does not mean that it is not used. It is, so I am looking to document in part how it is used in and around the City.  This then is part of my River series. Yesterday in Rochester on 11/18 it was 72 degrees. This morning was beautiful, although it may snow by late tonight. So while all the other boats were locked up and put away. This young lady, who obviously gave permission to be photographed, said she had borrowed a friends boat and was getting read to head out on this gorgeous preThanksgiving morning.

11/19/16

© words and pictures Daniel DeMarle 2016

The civil war soldiers defend our right to religion by safeguarding the menorah.

12/27/16

© words and pictures by Dan DeMarle 2016

Don’t read this, as it may apply to you and make you upset or mad. For everyone who posted Christmas Day pictures of your children in PJ’s opening presents. What were you thinking? You do no know that privacy is a huge issue on the internet?  You  just told, the Russian hackers, the Chinese hackers,  the NSA, that 300 pound guy Trump says is hacking the internet from his bedroom, and anybody else with data mining tools, all kinds of very useful information, about you, your spouse, your kids, and grandma if she was there.  You also gave data miners, and big business all kinds of information that they can use as well.  You told them in that picture what Santa bought for those kids, and if the picture was clear enough, or could be made clear enough what models you spent money on.  With facial recognition software they can tell who you were with.  Of course maybe you tagged them, so they don’t have to bother.  You also told any neighborhood burglars about your child’s neat toys, and or about your new expensive toys. All the better to target you.  If someone asked you in a survey to provide all that information you would say “F… You!” but you just gave it all away.

For parents of teenagers, you told the mean girls and school, and those jerk boys, what your son or daughter got for the Holiday.  You also posted for those bullies pictures of your teenagers in their pajamas.   Now those mean girls and jerk boys aren’t the only problem.  Now again, what were you thinking, posting pictures of your kids in their pajamas.  I don’t think so, but maybe some perverted internet pedophile troll thinks your preteen or teenage son or daughter looks good in those pjs.  You do know that people buy and sell those pictures and then hunt down particularly “cute” kids.   Really?  Really, they are sick and disgusting people, but they are out there.

Lastly, pictures on the internet live forever.  I know my parents took embarrassing pictures of me as a child opening presents.  They live, however,  in actual photo albums not on the internet. Plus at this point in my adult life, if one of my siblings posts those pictures, I don’t need to worry about a future employer wanting to see those pictures.  However, when your child applies for jobs in the future, or college, then a good data miner will be able to pull them up.

Now maybe you think, hey facial recognition software isn’t that good.  It’s getting there, but even if it isn’t right now, it will be 5 years from now, and those pictures will still be on Facebook, popping up in your year in review. So your an adult, you can give away any information you want about yourself.  Your a parent, you can post pictures of your kids.  However, in the future, they may totally wish you had not posted that picture.  That may even be next week when they are back in school.

Manhattan Square Park at night.

12/27/16

© words and pictures by Dan DeMarle 2016

Eglise Sainte-Madeleine. This white tower can be seen from many neighboring streets.

11-26-16

© words and pictures by Dan DeMarle 2016