Saturday, July 27, 2013

Another definition of time

And here you thought the purpose of screens on windows was to keep flies and other pesky bugs outside. I guess that might be true at lower elevations, but in a lighthouse screens might also serve to keep dogs, cats, children and lighthouse keepers who have a tendency of enjoying too much brandy from falling head-long to the rocky shoreline a few hundred feet below. Of course, I am only speculating since I, personally, never have been a dog, a cat, a child or a lighthouse keeper. The photograph, for those of you who might keep track of such things, was taken inside Split Rock Lighthouse on the North Shore of Gichigami or Gitche Gumee or Le Lac Superieur or Lake Superior -- the exact name, of course, depending upon your frame of reference and spiritual affiliation. I really do not have anything to say tonight, but since time is always waiting in the wings and speaking senseless things -- to borrow a thought from David Bowie -- I decided to make another statement about it. About time, that is to say. To do this, here are two renditions of, "The Final Countdown," by Europe, in 1986 and in 2011, as an illustration of how to measure a quarter-century in real time.




14 comments:

Anita said...

That was a special photo!very nice!i love the view through it!
Yes one can speculate of the purpose..but anyway its good:))

Sometimes we dont have anything to say.And thats ok too.For me I am into old classic movies again.Yesteday i saw Rosmaries baby.Well.Hope you have a good weekend Fram.Greetings from Norway:))

Anonymous said...

Hi Anita, hi Frammy :-)

You never know, who you were in your past lives, so don't be so suure about cats :-) I'm just kidding.

I watched a movie with David Bowie not so long time ago, "The Hunger", and except for some brutal scenes it is such a beautifully made motion picture, a very dramatic one, but a piece of art for sure.

Have a nice weekend, Frammy, pa :-)

Fram Actual said...

I think a serious photographer could have an interesting time with that window, Anita. I also think it would be more suited for photography without the screen, and trying to frame it from varying angles and distances.

My mind is empty often these days -- and wanders, and cannot focus, and cannot be decisive, and wants nothing while wanting everything. Well, I suppose that comes about from watching too many old movies. You had best be careful. All right, I am teasing you now, Anita. I love classic films, too.

Thank you, for the weekend wish. I hope your weekend is good to you.

Fram Actual said...

I would not be at all surprised if you had been a cat in a past life, Mag, and I would not be surprised at all if you would be a cat again in a future existence. I think the color of your hair might match that of Jack perfectly.

I recall seeing the film, "The Hunger," several years ago, and before that, I had read the book, written by Whitley Strieber. He also wrote a novel entitled, "The Wolfen." It, too, was made into a movie, and is one of my favorites. Watch that film sometime, Mag, and you will understand why I love it.

And, thank you, for the weekend wish. I hope your weekend is good to you.

A Cuban In London said...

Beautiful photo and interesting comments. Although an atheist, I believe (did I honestly just write "believe"? :-D) that there must be more to life than what we're given at birth. I look at that window in your photo and my first question is: what has this mute witness of time seen in its time here? I am attracted to inanimate objects for the stories they could potentially reveal. Your photo reminded me that I have only been to a couple of lighthouses in my life. One of them, in this country, in Dorset, southern England, on the coast. Beautiful place. Many thanks. Have a great week. I'm still on holidays but come out of hibernation once in a while to watch clips of Europe's Final Countdown. A throwback to my teenage years! :-)

Greetings from London.

Fram Actual said...

Some random thoughts after reading your comment, CiL:

The concept of the window is marvelous to speculate about, I think. There are windows to the inside, windows to the outside, windows to the soul, windows to nowhere. What would a lighthouse be without windows along the way with which to measure the ever-changing outside world?

There are lighthouses and there are lighthouses. My favorite is on Stannard Rock, about twenty-five miles out into Lake Superior. I was there once. I often have wondered what it would have been like to live there back when it actually was a manned station, especially on dark nights when the gales of November were wreaking havoc and fifty-foot waves sent ships like the Edmund Fitzgerald down to a watery grave.

Yes, I agree. It is absolutely fascinating to hold an object in your hand and wonder about the stories it could tell and think about the people who have held it before it came to you. Old watches, old guns, old coins are among my favorites. And, places, too, as you point out. When I was living in The Apartment overlooking Castle Square in Warsaw, I often wished I could make a "leap in time" to another decade -- another era -- and witness the view back then from the same window I was looking out of onto the square below.

The song, "The Final Countdown," coming from a band with the name of Europe, may be seen as prophetic by some. But, I will not dwell on that possibility.

Thank you, for coming out of hibernation for the visit and the comment, CiL. Summer flies, so make the most of your holiday.

Smareis said...

Tava eu pensando no mistério, no enigma dessa janela. Ao fundo uma bela praia, parece uma bela visão mesmo com a telinha. Uma janela bela.
Aqui no Brasil a tela na janela é mais usada pra manter os mosquitos longe, mas servem também para janela e varanda de apartamento onde tem criança e animais. Aqui o carro fumacê passa uma vez por semana pra tentar acalmar os mosquitos, eles são devastador e não deixa ninguém em paz. Verão é ainda pior, eles se multiplica, e a dengue vira epidemia.

Aqui sempre tem casos de criança cair de janela, é muito perigoso mesmo, e a tela na janela é uma ótima proteção.

Imagine você, deve ter sido uma criança arteira kkkk.
Gosto da forma que faz suas postagens, e ainda diz que não tem nada pra dizer essa noite, ja disse quando fez sua postagem.
Tem dia que me sinto sem nada pra dizer, ou talvez muito pra falar e pouco pra escrever, talvez nada pra dizer e muito pora escrever, e assim sucessivamente, foi o que aconteceu essa semana.
O tempo sempre nos guiando.Amanhã é outro dia...

Gostei do vídeo, essa música é maravilhosa.
Gosto da letra...
"Estamos saindo juntos
Mas ainda assim é um adeus
E talvez a gente vai voltar
para a Terra, quem pode dizer?
É a contagem regressiva final (contagem regressiva final), oh
É a contagem regressiva final."

Não se faz mais rock como esses passados.
Deixo um abraço e desejo de uma ótima semana!

Feliz quando passa pra me visitar!
Até a próxima Fram!

Fram Actual said...

Smareis, I always have been naughty and I always will be, but I think I prefer the word "mischievous."

Yes, windows are utilitarian in purpose and intent -- they keep mosquitoes out and they keep children in -- but, more often to me, they open a tunnel -- a passageway -- to a place which might be real or might be a dream; which might be solid or might be a mirage; which might be truth and actuality or might be lies and illusion. Windows can be like paintings or photographs; they create an art; they can be art, more so than much of what is passed off as art in the world today.

The musicians in Europe are fine musicians, and "Joey Tempest" has/had a marvelous voice and a tremendous stage presence. What the band did not have is great talent at composing music. "The Final Countdown" is an excellent song, but it is alone, I think, as a lasting one in the band's repertoire. The strength of the really great rock bands lies in having a member or two who were brilliant song writers.

I am just home after two long days (long for me), and my mind is scattered a bit. That is my excuse if my response seems to be wandering here and there. Thank you, for your visit and your words, Smareis. It is always nice to see you.

Anita said...

Hello Fram:))

I just want to thank you for the nice comment on my blog:)Your such a gentleman!finds good things in even boring photoes(most of the norwegians think ducks are very boring heh)
I dont have so much to say!Here it is raining hard and thundering and lightning!Typical Westcoast Norway!Wish you a nice weekend Fram))

Fram Actual said...

Well, I do not find either your photographs or ducks boring, Anita. I enjoy water and woodlands more than anything made by mankind, and I think ducks are works of art in themselves.

It is like September for me -- sunny and mild -- and I like that just fine. You, too -- I wish you a pleasant, calm weekend.

Anita said...

hi Fram.Thank you.Here its not sunny autumm.Here its shaking with thunder &Lightning.I woke up thought a war was coming!

Jesuzz what a bad weather!

I just say..when I look at your blog list its kind of vibrating..I almost cant look at it..-did you do that on purpose or its something wrong:?Still i want you a good lazy summertime!

Fram Actual said...

No, Anita, I have not done anything to or with my blog. Maybe it simply emanates "good vibrations ...."

Actually, I am beginning to move from summertime to autumn in my mind and mood.

Anita said...

thank you!its good now..at your blog..however it started on my blog!!hahahaha!

Well.Here it cant stop raining!Typical!
I wanted to go to Gudbrandsdalen to visit the farm..However its really bad weather there too so i hibernate a few days.
Looking at old movies again.This time My war about the korean Japanese Russian and Germans in the world war-Hell wht some bastards those japanese was during that war.I could not belive it.Everybody has told me they was so.Even worse than Mao ect ect..And they were ver y specualtive and changed their uniforms and minds after the one country that waas winning..Ohh boy!

Interesting facts.So that what I do.In the rain:))Passing the time.

Hope you have a good week Fram and thank you very much for being a gentleman:))

Fram Actual said...

I spent more than an hour today talking with an "Old Timer" who was a crewman aboard a B-29 bomber based in England during the last months of World War II, Anita. You probably would have enjoyed hearing some of his stories.

I wish you a good week, as well. I hope you enjoy your holiday time even if you must contend with rain.

Something special ....