Category: Thoughts

I’m Steve Atkinson and I’m ShoreToBeFun. That’s how I often introduce myself when I attend Networking Events. I’m an Internet Publisher and Photographer, ShoreToBeFun Photography.

I have begun this site for my journaling. Something I should have done long ago. My interests vary. But usually it’s related to Art and Entertainment. That’s part of the reason I began ChesaDel Crier, to share information on the Arts on the Delmarva Peninsula.

What will you find in my journaling. Could be anything. My thoughts, a republished post from a blog I did from 2006-10, 6 Things to Consider, or a Photo Essay.

For 2021 I am doing a couple of daily themes. Marker Monday’s I’ll be posting a photo of a Historical Marker. On Tuesday will be a photo, often one that has been revisited. Wednesday’s Quote is just a inspirational quote. Friday I’ll be posting one of my old 6 things to Consider Post.

Thursday, I am terming Thursday’s Though and may not appear every week, but will be just random thoughts I am having.

Thank You for taking a look. If you like what you see, please share with your friends.

When I began this I really had no idea of what I wanted to do with it. And here on the 3rd of July in the year 2020, I still really don’t.

Since March 13th my view of the shore has been from my office chair. Looking at my computer or watching TV for many hours of each day. So much different than what I had envisioned the last 122 days to be.

I had a couple of events I was scheduled to photograph including an event scheduled for the evening of March 13th and two productions at Church Hill Theatre. One that was scheduled to begin ‘Tech’ week on March 16th and another that was to start rehearsals on the same day.

Was I depressed those first couple of weeks. You Know it!!

Then near the end of March, one of the networking groups that I attended a couple of times a month went Virtual. And in a way my life returned. I was able to interact with a bunch of people, first twice a week and then when I decided to host one myself.

Even though one facet of my life, I am a photojournalist, was considered essential. I didn’t think of myself as essential. And since a lot of my photography was ‘walk in the park’ and landscapes I still decided to stay inside as spring sprung up around us.

I had even thought that would would use this blog to post my thoughts and such a few days a week, maybe even everyday. Obviously that hasn’t happen either.

For the past couple of week, I have gradually begun venturing away from my desk. Although I have taken a few photographs, I haven’t really gotten back to going out. Not just going out to shoot. Or going out with a plan.

This week I have gone some. But as I sit here typing this I realize that I had scheduled today to be one of those days I’d go out to shoot. Why aren’t I? I guess I have become pretty good at making excuses. And today it’s mainly due to the heat. Am I proud to say this. No not at all.

As the news talks about increasing in cases of Covid-19, I am concerned. I am doing more than I was a month ago, but we’ll just have to see if I do more in July than I did in June.

I think of March 13th as the my first day of Stay-at-home of the pandemic for me. It was the day after Maryland’s Governor Hogan announced that schools will close for two weeks beginning on March 16th. I had been scheduled to photograph an event on the evening of March 13th, which was cancelled. I was informed that the two local theatre productions I was involved with had been put on hold. One was to begin ‘tech week’ with opening being the following Friday and the other was to begin rehearsals on Monday.

As I am writing this it’s nearly two months later. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and the Dawn brought in one of the coldest mornings ever in May.

In small ways life is moving toward getting back what will become a new normal. Some restrictions have been lifted. The numbers associated with Covid-19 are leveling off. The way we have lived will be forever changed. How much is still to be seen.

Looking back on these past two months, I am thinking about what I am missing. I am missing the chance to just walk into a store and see what they have on the shelves. Sure there are those essential stores that are open, but you can’t just casually shop. It’s more of a get what you need and go back home.

Even though I may not have gone very often the two things that I really miss is going to a theater to watch a show. Whether that’s a local community theater or a Movie Theater. The other is to go to a restaurant, sit down with friends, and have a nice funfilled meal.

And that would be the first thing I would do once restaurants are allowed to open. Go in, sit down and enjoy a meal. It wouldn’t even bother me if I was eating by myself.

The calendar says that it is Saturday, but most people think of Monday as the beginning of the week which would make Sunday being the end.

I can go either way.

But thinking about it my end of the week is Monday, since most weeks Tuesday is the beginning of my week.

We all have heard of Nostradamus. Michel de Nostradame was an astrologer who lived in France in the 1500s. He is known today for the poetic quatrains he wrote for his book, “Les Prophéties,” which many claim foretold various significant historical events.

There is a meme that he predicted the Coronavirus.

“There will be a twin year (2020) from which will arise a queen (corona) who will come from the east (China) and who will spread a plague (virus) in the darkness of night, on a country with 7 hills (Italy) and will transform the twilight of men into dust (death), to destroy and ruin the world. It will be the end of the world economy as you know it.”

Various people who have studied the 942 poetic quatrains have said that this isn’t one of them. So no he didn’t predict the world as it is today.

But I found a few points in this false claim interesting. I’ll start with the “twin year” and “spread a plague”. The interesting part of this is that in both 1919, and now 2020, twin year, there was a deadly virus.

The spanish flu pandemic may have begun in 1918, it lasted through output the twin year of 1919 and wasn’t declared to be fully over until 1920.

The other is the phrase, “end of the world economy as we know it.” To what degree the economy changed after the Spanish Flu I do not know, but it would seem to me that there had to be some, if fo no other reason that the workforce changed.

During these past weeks when we are all being asked to work, as much as possible, at home and limiting human contact, I have been attending a few online business meetings. Some of those meeting have had business consultants/coaches as speakers. Words that I’ve heard is that business should pivot, just like in basketball when the player with the ball keeps one foot in place and pivots, looking in various directions, to see what is their best next move. Follow John Boyd’s OOPA Loop (observe–orient–decide–act). Another is to RE-, which includes Revise, Resolve and Reset.

I’ve also been hearing, when we will get back to normal? Or when things get back to normal.

I’m afraid that the normal that we had will never return. Just as it didn’t after the Influenza breakout, the end of WWI, Kennedy’s Assassination, the Iranian Hostage crisis, and 9-11, the United States and the world is going to be different.

Aren’t we really in a time where we are evolving!

Evolution is defined as the process of growth and development. There have been many examples of how things have evolved since 2001. Two of the biggest are the Internet and our phones. Actually in a way these two have evolved together, even to some as one singular.

With Covid-19 and orders to self-isolation we are using the Internet and devices that we connect to it, phone, tablets, computers and TVs in new ways. Not that we couldn’t do business like this before, we were just comfortable or in some cases to work in the old standard ways.

Even though it’s only been a few weeks, we are already seeing ways businesses are doing things differently. Some because they have been forced, others so that they can survive.

What will we see in the future?

Will we be seeing a change in the Restaurant Industry?

Will it now be a time for chefs to create an out-dining experience, now that people have become more accustomed to take-out dining?

Will education move more towards online?

Will business offer more Work from Home Opportunities?

Will the US create more manufacturing jobs here at home, instead of overseas to stimulate the economy.

Will the handshake or hug remain a greeting?

These and many other questions will be answered in the New World after Covid-19.

Here we are. Day one of the latest Order by Governor Larry Hogan that “states that no Maryland resident should leave their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason, such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention, or for other necessary purposes.”

Funny thing, I don’t feel like it is affecting me any different. Not yesterday, not last week, in fact for around 2 weeks. I have been staying at home, and only leaving for those listed purposes.

Even though I could go out to parks, and other nature locations to take photographs, I have been staying home. Taking a few photos of my front and back yard is all that I have been photographing.

The only human contact has been my wife, son and one brief trip to visit my brother just to be certain he is doing ok, since he lives alone.

The only other human contact I have had has been via tele-conferencing. I have a bunch of Networking Associates and we have been having virtual meeting these past two weeks. So I have been having my human contact.

What I am missing though are my community theatre friends. This weekend was to be the closing weekend of a show that I had been working on as a photographer and planning to help back stage. Of course that show has been put on hold, and may not ever be seen by an audience. And there the next show, which was to begin rehearsals a couple of weeks ago and scheduled for opening in June. Whether we will do that one is WAY up in the air. I hope we do!

For me when the year began I was recovering from a minor health issue, a couple of costly repairs needed on the house, and a delay on a new project that I had planned on launching during the first couple of weeks of January.

March began with the launching of that project, all the repairs had been made, and I was feeling that I had fully recovered from the health issue. I was looking forward to spring beginning and getting out.

Even though there was some mention of the coronavirus not many, including myself, was thinking that in just a few days our lives would be changing.

Now as March is coming to an end, there is no clear signs on when the dangers of the coronavirus will be behind us. Events that I would normally be looking forward to attending and photographing have been cancelled. A few have been postponed, but will they be postponed again. I’m starting to think so, even those that have been postponed to mid-may. I’m not thinking that any events will be held before the end of May and even then, they will be much different.

So far we have missed the NCAA basketball championship, the NBA and NHL may not return. Baseball is on hold for who knows how long. Movie and TV productions are at a standstill. New movie releases that had been scheduled to this time have been postpone to later dates. Broadway is dark. Will we have any more sport championships in 2020, or even award shows. When all is said and done and we look back on the year 2020, we may remember it as the year that wasn’t.

Basically I have self-isolated myself at home and only getting out virtually. My financial situation is such that the economy is not hurting as bad for me as it has for others. I am feeling sorry of those who don’t have that and are worrying about what’s going to happen to them.

Beginning today, March 26, 2020, I have been self-isolated for a week. The last time I went out of my house for anything other than a trip to the grocery store was last Wednesday.

Since that day there has been plenty of things to fear. But if we follow the simple guidelines of only going out for essential trips, such as going to the grocery store and work, if your job fall under the essential category, I think that the only real fear is fear itself. And listen over listening to the news, for me is one way that I see fear arising.

When you look outside the window, spring is fast approaching. Changes are happening every day.

Beginning on St Patrick’s day I have been posting a “Photo a Day” of the scenery seen on the Delmarva Peninsula on my facebook page “ShoreToBeFun Photographs”. Most of these photos have been ones I’ve captured over these past few years. One or two, like “Spring Arrivals” posted here is a recent one. It would be great if you follow me there. Or on my Instagram at SGAtkinson_Photographer.

While it’s true that many people will be hurt by what’s going on, the one thing we all know is that things will change. Some for the worst and others for the best. I hope that I’m not one that comes out hurting.

As for me, I am going to venture out today for the first time in a week and enjoy the scenery. I will maintain social distancing and maybe capture some beautiful scenes.

It seems as if it’s only been a short period since my last post, and it’s been almost two month. Where did those two months go?

I’ve been busy on a couple of other projects and have let this one just sitting idle. Even though I have been thinking about journalling and in a way that’s exactly what “View From the Shore” can be. Also it could be a part of those projects.

I have done a couple of Photo Posts on my Photography Web site, SGAtkinson.com, on what I have been calling, Drives With Steve. A pretty simple concept, either while on my dives to business functions, or take one with a purpose to take photos along the way. I’m now thinking that I may move that part of that Web site here.

But speaking about time, this past Sunday we spring forward to Daylight Saving Time (DST). I am on board with those who hate the change and would like to see the time change to stop. In Maryland there is a movement to keep DST all year. But as I have learned the Federal Law relating to DST allows state to not go to DST, it doesn’t allow them to stay at DST.

This year, unlike other years, I have had a hard time adjusting to the change. All day on Sunday the clock said one thing, but my mind and body kept saying it was an hour earlier. Then on Monday morning I woke up an hour, by the clock, then usual. I guess I was acclimated to the sun than I thought.

Time has me thinking about the song first recorded by the band Chicago in 1969 for their first album. Does Anyone Really Know What Time it is? The answer is can be either seen as we don’t or that we do. To really know all we need to do is understand the Sun, Moon and Stars.

Note:
The Daylight Saving Time post was pre-dated and put up after I wrote this one