Often, it happens that setting out items for upload in photograph support of a blog, is a ‘faff about’ activity. Juggling the visuals. These are from yesterday (book spines) and early hours this morning (pens, ink, filofax and briefcase). I photographed and thought. Why not make the process of this therapeutic photographing activity an actual blog subject? Why are the photographs important?

Important for the blog inclusions. But also. Taking prolific photographs is my way of looking at them as subjects of reference as I write. Having no ability to visualise and ‘mind picture tap in’ (due to my Aphantasia) taking photographs can support my words. Look at a photo, or a particular image within the photo and a train of thoughts ensue. It’s how I write. If I wanted to write about yesterday’s number 11 in the series ‘The Sandman’ on Netflix? Watched it avidly, but…I’d be hard pressed to put words down about the experience and content of the episode. Watched and now gone visually. Images in front of my eyes give the ability to write down words to stories, provide clues and are essentially visual prodders.

When I look at the ‘Reader’ sections on the App links or my actual Blog Site Internet page link, the bloggers’ photos can make one stop in one’s tracks. However, it is not only the photograph that pulls in to read. Favourite familiar bloggers I hit ‘read’ straight away. But titles/first lines from other bloggers I haven’t read before are also ‘pull me ins’. To repeat then. A collective of photograph, fave familiar bloggers and title/first lines are all winners for my interest in looking deeper. Need to remember that for my own way of presenting ‘drag them in’ blog expression. I would love to read all the ‘Reader’ following and discovery blogs proffered. But that would be the equivalent of a ‘Netflix’ indulgent back to back watching of box set day. The whole time simply spent reading. 

I often wonder if people who tap into one of my blogs just glance. Then back straight out. Wouldn’t blame them because they can be very long winded at times. That’s because they are simply my own cathartic therapy. This year alone 3,150 Worldwide visitors have dropped in to my site. Hence my curious enquiry of readership. No naïve nature on my part to actually believe that they read the material. I begin to read others’ posts and need to be really grabbed by the stories and themes to fully read. The shorter ones can leave you yearning for more. The longer, sometimes, for less. I read my familiar favourite bloggers always. Longer or shorter blogs. No intentional ignore. If I miss one of their posts it’s because I haven’t actually seen it on Reader. Also, I sometimes delve a little into backlog histories. But backlog blogs can be so numerous that, again, it would be like a Netflix equivalent session. So prolific in their uploads. Yet I often wonder what I may of missed! 

Back to the photographs. Today I photographed a collective ‘pack all this stuff in the iconic briefcase and pop to a local spot for a cup of coffee and some doodling nonsense of word salad’ theme. Possible experience of ‘Briefcase inclusions’ for a write up today? Or maybe simply to relax today and mend my mind set after Covid impact. Symptoms persist 8 weeks after the bug vanished. Yet leaving me it’s ongoing nightmarish stories. Health? Long gone are the days of writing down thematic Nurse theoretics for learning equivalents. No analyses. Thematic Nurse theoretics for learning!! Did that make sense? You see? Analyses. Can’t escape it. That is what my continuous phrase would be when I wrote essays and the like. ‘Did that make sense?’ alongside ‘Hope this isn’t considered plagiarism!’ You can only describe how a heart beats in so many ways. Or describing the psychological impact of loss to short term memory. 

Back to the photographs! Collective themes? Photographing them I muck about a bit with the framing of subjects to be honest. Open up a book, close the book, show the book cover, close/open the journal, show different pages of writing, turn around or take the cap off a pen, back and front of briefcase or similar, rearranging items, different inclusions, against a blue wall or a table top, etc., etc.. It could get endless. 

Please tap on individual photographs to enlarge.

Same with the Health Theme books. No one choice. The whole caboodle. Took a load of photos yesterday. Why? Reference. I may look at the photo, spot ‘The Healing Power of Mudras’ (symbolic/ritual gestures and hand shapes) and think that it would make an interesting subject. Also these book photographs made me think about writing a blog regarding permanence, current relevance and academic acceptance of information sources. Journal papers on the internet were always the go to for essays. But books pleased me most aesthetically. But useless for many essay inclusions at certain levels for evidence in health matters.

Also. Books on my shelf got out of date quickly. They didn’t cost much, because they were early editions. Only bought really important new editions because a new edition quote and date reference is seemingly what is paramount for lecturers to appropriately mark higher. Thing is. That quote was probably in four earlier editions anyway. The subject of academia may be for another future blog inclusion. But I would develop health practitioner work related butterfly nerves and tremors again if I actually reminisce and write about the whole experience to nursing. So I probably will never write about that specific subject ever again.

The rows of books photographs can never be considered redundant. If I see a collective photograph on a blog, I thumb and index finger spread enlarge or hit thumbnails and peruse what is inherent. ‘What do they read?’ ‘What pens do they have?’ Also. Sitting outside the VeeDub, wondering what to write about? The view or activities in front of my eyes would be ideal. But also to bring up some collective photographs on the iPad would allow trains of thoughts to begin. Visually, photographs, views and activities are all important to motivate. 

Afterthought.
Sometimes you look at collective photographs and find little gems too. It’s how I won a beautiful Swan Mabie Todd 1930’s fountain pen seen amongst a job lot on an eBay ‘sold as seen’ auction for 14 pens. Got all 14 for about £15. I also use 3 of the others included regularly too. So photographs can be very useful.

Here to spot above? I would see and focus on and enlarge to find the lovely little poetic extract from the ‘Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam’. Because I would want to know what is inside a beautiful little pocket book.

“And, strange to tell, among the Earthen Lot

Some could articulate, while others not:

And suddenly one more impatient cried –

“Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?”

Please tap on individual photographs to enlarge.