Febuary 2013

    
Hello all, time for another chat. Feel free to make a comment or two, just so I know your out there, the echo is so loud in this room.


Since we last wrote, the treatments are all done, thank God. I really didn't think I was going to make the last week. Now the recovery. It takes a lot longer than I thought it would. Following some blog sites I see that the average is 6 months to a year before things START to get back to normal, I'm just coming up on three months and wish it was here already. It will be a new normal that's for sure. I guess the biggest thing in my head is 'did they get it?', ' Is it going to come back?' 'When can I enjoy a burger again?'

My family has been so good since all of this has started, their amazing. Janet has put up with the whining and complaining so well. Right now, I'm not the guy I was 6 months ago, I find it difficult to do some of the tasks I did everyday. Not so much a physical thing, though that does have some bearing, mostly a mental barrier that has been put up, by me. Some days it hard to convince yourself that it's all going to be OK, and soon everything will be good. I worry about making long term plans for anything. I know that at any time I could be taken out by a bus, this is different, this is the body failing and you can see it coming.

You see all these cancer survivors cheering and going on with their stories and you have to wonder, where the hell they got the power to do that. I wish I had it, I don't. I've not given up, hell NO, but how these people can be cheery everyday is beyond me, at this point anyway.

I gotten away with a few things in life. An aneurysm a few years ago, walked away from that like it was hangnail. Cancer is not so cut and dry. You never know if it's really gone, that's the kicker, it sticks in your mind and it's hard to turn it off, well for me anyway.

Enough about that.

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Still working on doing a photography project with OASIS group at the Westside Community clinic, I hope to have that started by March 15ish, I still need about 5 cameras to make it work, so step up if you can. I believe it will be a really great project and I've secured on of the best photographers / videographers in town to lend a had as well. We'll post links when there available.

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Just a note: As I am going through all this shit I've notice one thing stands out. Your friends. Some make an effort, some, not so much. It seams like some are afraid to be around a sick person, weather there better or not.  What I have is not contagious, if fact, most people get a form of cancer 6 to 10 times in their life, the body can and will fight all of them, some are stronger and the body needs some help. What you can do is call that friend, and don't worry if they don't call you back, call again. I had a good friend call, and I didn't call him back for a few days, then I felt bad because it took so long, so I never called him. Just keep calling ( not every hour, but you get my point) they may not be up to talking right away, but they will.



Everyone have a great day and may all your wishes come true.

Thanks Chickadee

Bruce

Gettin' Busy

The the "Silly Season" of emotions upon us, it's getting busier. Christmas party's and charitable events are the one's taking up most of the time. I love to be at all of them, if only there were a 36 hour day!

Saskatoon Help-Portrait
Janet and I helped out this year and had a BLAST!!! It was fantastic to see some old friends and photogs, although, most we're younger than us.  We met so many new friends, it will be hard to keep track of them all.

As I understand it we gave away a little over 100 packages ( 8X10 - 4X6 ) to family's and individuals that could not afford them, but the smiles that we received back were 10 fold in comparison. There is no price tag that you can put on watching a persons face light up and the self-esteem it builds when they open that envelope and see their smiling face.

Thanks to Krystian and Aleksandra Olszanski for their hard work and organizing skills. They did their best to keep us organized no mater how disorganized we got. All the volunteers did a bang up job no matter what their assignment was.

I look forward to being a part of this for as many years as possible. The skills I learned by listening, watching and doing were fantastic and will come in handy as I progress down that path of making images.

Be sure to log on the the Help-Portrait web site to keep informed about next years event.

A little something I wrote, enjoy....


Saskatoon Help-Portrait, 2011



'Twas the night before Help-Portrait and all through the city,
photog's were buzzing, some would say gitty.

Their batteries all charging so they would be ready,
to power a day, they'd give back to their city.


With Manfrotto's & Gitzo's all cleaned and quite steady,
the family's would see that we were really quite ready.

The Spiders and Aliens were ready to beam,
the hot lights are gone, or so it would seem.


The backdrops all hung with much care and concern,
just maybe smudged out with a dodge or a burn.

On manual, on shutter, on aperture or auto,
we must get it this right, that is our motto.


These setting's are mad and are starting to blur,
will I ever get ahead of that dam learning curve.


On Nikon, on Canon, on Pentex, on Fuji,
all the new camera's, they all look so pretty.


With hard drives a drivein', and printers a printin'
the editors will make the pictures ass kickin'


The help and support ol' Krystian drummed up,
he knew all along Saskatoon would step up.


To everyone that's pumped and ready to go,
there's only one thing that you really must know.


Look to the right, and the person you see,
maybe unsure with a little unease.


Grab their right hand and shake it with care,
you just made a friend, aren't you glad you were there

- Bruce A. Johnson, 2011

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Janet & I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas & Happy New year. Be safe this festive season and remember to count your blessings, there's many, many more than you think!


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