THINGS MAY APPEAR

Today was a very troubling and difficult day. Sitting in the passenger seat of a friend's car reflecting on the day's challenges, I saw the "objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" warning. Sometimes they are larger than they appear too. As Yul Brenner said in The King and I, "Is a puzzlement".

A SNEAK PEAK

I had a lot of mixed feelings today as I walked into the new Yankee Stadium for the first time. Of course I was curious about the new stadium but I felt guilty as I walked past the "original" Yankee Stadium en route to its replacement. I almost felt I was doing something wrong. I watched as the sod was installed on the Yankees' new field of dreams---about 90% is done and you can see where the rest will go, along the third baseline and left field. I walked around trying to take it all in as I imagined what it will be like to go to a game there, what kind of history will be made there. I decided since I documented my last visit to the original stadium, I had to document my first visit to the new stadium. My friend and colleague Charles took the photo!

A SAD GOODBYE

I was up at Yankee Stadium today. I know it will probably be the last time I am in the stadium that has been so much a part of my life and the team that my family has embraced for longer then I can remember. As I got ready to leave, I had to go out to the field and take it in for one last time. I took my camera with a super wide lens and tried to take a picture of myself on the field. A tv cameraman I know was on the field taping. All of a sudden he yelled to me and said let me take the picture. He was kind enough to come over and take the picture. I will miss this stadium. My parents courted here and even saw a 1943 World Series game, it was here my Dad took my brother to his first Yankees game (Mantle hit a homerun but my brother was inside getting a hot dog) and I saw my first game here too. The Yankees made history here, but lots of ordinary people made their own kind of history.

ACUPUNCTURE

The pain in my leg persists, it radiates down the outside of my left leg into the top of my foot. Any kind of prolonged walking is extremely painful. Physical therapy has strengthened my leg, but doesn't seem to address the pain at all. Desperate to find a way to end my pain and reclaim mobility I decided to try acupuncture. Acupuncture has helped many of my friends and it has helped me in the past. The needles are placed in trigger points to release muscle constriction. Today I could actually feel and SEE my muscles jump as a needle was placed in my shin and in the top of my foot. Acupuncture isn't covered by my insurance and it isn't cheap, but hey I am willing to do whatever I have to do so that I can walk without pain.

COOLING MY HEELS

I thought a lot today about why I do this. At first it was the challenge... to make a different image daily. I thought it was a good exercise to keep me fresh, as well as an outlet for homeless images. A reason to take pictures that I would otherwise not take. I promised myself I would do this for a year. But that was before the flurry of people downloading my pictures without even asking. Because of that I have become disenchanted with blogging. Today I have gone back and forth about whether to continue Looking for Light. I haven't arrived at a verdict yet, so I am posting this picture that I shot months ago in Florida of me cooling my heels. I don't know if I will post again but I will always be looking for light in my life.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

The next step in my recovery from surgery is physical therapy which I began today. I had several months of therapy almost two years ago at the same place and believe that postponed my surgery. I am grateful that some of my same therapists are still here. I know the drill and I am prepared to do the work. I know it is a long road ahead. Patience.

THE ICE MACHINE COMETH

The good news is I came home without Red Socks and so far I am not in terrible pain. My knee is wrapped up from mid thigh to my ankle and I can't see what it looks like, but I do remember my surgeon signing my leg before going into the operating room (I guess his way of identifying which leg was to be operated on). The best device for keeping the pain and swelling down is not the percoset, but the magical ice machine that my friends Nancy and Sammy rushed over to my house ten minutes after I got home from the hospital. Sammy had a similar procedure and had me hooked up to the machine in no time. This miracle machine has a cuff that velcros around my knee, the interior of the cuff has plastic channels connected to hoses that attach to a small playmate style cooler (blue cooler that my foot rests on in the photo). The cooler is filled with water and ice and has a pump that circulates the cool water around my knee. I guess the real pain test will be in the morning! Now I just have to figure out how to get up the stairs to bed!

THE EYES HAVE IT

What did I see while shopping for eyeglasses? Out of the corner of my eye my own reflection in this perfectly round mirror. I liked the geometry of it and I really liked the image of the man in the screen (far left) behind me. It gives the image more interest and depth. The pipes, superstructure and lights in the ceiling (also reflected in the mirror) create an otherworldly feeling.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

No, I didn't take this photo, but because it is Mother's Day I thought it was a good photo to post. My Mom was a single parent long before it was fashionable. She was widowed at 48. At the time my brother was a college freshman and I was eleven. To support her children, my Mom started teaching elementary school. But her most valuable lessons were taught at home to me about life and death, right and wrong, loyalty and determination and rising above adversity. As a child I was in awe of her. Mom is ninety now. I am still in awe of her. She continues to do things that amaze me. Her thirst for knowledge cannot be satiated and her curiosity and interest in the world around her is keen. But most importantly, school is still in session---she is still teaching me things every day. I am a very willing student.