President Bush told his staff he needed a drink and he was going down the street to a local bar. When he arrived he ordered a scotch and sat at the end of the bar.

A patron came in and seeing Bush asked the bartender if that was who he thought it was. The bartender said “Yes, that’s President Bush.”

The patron walked over to Bush and extended his hand and said “It’s a pleasure meeting you Mr. President, what are you doing here?”

Bush replied “I’m planning World War III.”

The patron asked “What happens in World War III?”

Bush replied “We kill 140 million Muslims and a blonde woman.”

The patron says “Why do we kill a blonde woman?”

President Bush looks at the bartender and says “See, no one cares about those Muslims.”

A friend made an interesting observation about Peppers Young and Old in black and white early this morning.

It seems like it brings a certain kind of peace in your soul to take these pictures.

Beyond having my physical needs met, and someday contributing to the continuation of the human species, I have at least one other need. I need my existence in the universe to be relevant, to have purpose. Most of us, in this part of the world, have this same need too. The simplest meaning for existence for me to explain and adopt as a spiritual ethos is to appreciate existence, to enjoy life.

When I attempt to “capture the beauty in the simplest of things” I validate my own existence. I give myself purpose.

The universe is vast beyond measure and timeless in equal proportion. Our lives are so very short. We, as living, conscious beings aware of our own existence - aware enough to question the nature of our own existence - compared to scope of eternity and the vastness of existence, are less then the blink of a speck drifting amongst clumps of matter and energy. But by placing the two side by side, the universe and us, I can’t help but feel we are that much more precious and beautiful. If only because we can recognize precious and beauty.

I do derive a sort of peace in my soul when I find beauty in the universe. And though the artist/humanist/idealist in me cries out to find some deeper meaning behind everything I do, some greater relevance then to find pretty things to take pictures of, I am satisfied, even if only for a short while. Hedonism as a way of life is even more fragile then life. Well, for me.

Pepper #3 now bears the marks of her age, which makes her only more beautiful. A younger pepper curls beside her experienced lover and a harmonious contrast enfolds. They are an expression of entropy and sensuality, of young and old cuddling together in mutual affection.

More photo shoots with peppers, more work in black and white. I’m having no trouble finding my old vision. In fact, I think it might better now then ever before. I’m still not yet warmed up completely, I’m still not getting things quite right, though I am especially pleased with my progress on this piece.

I think Syra was right when she said my brief lapse from photography may have been good.