Change begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Roy T. Bennett

by Skip Cohen

Sunday Morning Reflections is always about me running amuck. I rarely write about anything related to marketing and business, although today touches on a challenge we all face from time to time - making changes. I've used that title before, but I had this great shot of a Tiger Swallowtail from our trip to Ohio a few weeks ago, and the quote is so relevant.

In terms of the shot itself, there's nothing unique, except it's harder to find a relatively young butterfly that's complete in all its glory and color. The top image is a female, while to the right, is a mature battered male. The location is along a little trail in Painesville, OH, right off the main drag. I shot it with a LUMIX G9 with the 14-140mm lens, and that's clean, right out of the camera. With the exception of cropping - there's no manipulation.

I made a decision this week regarding a big part of my career for the last eight-plus years, and one of the hats I wear. I decided it was time to do something different, and my co-host, Chamira Young, and I recorded my last Mind Your Own Business podcast, scheduled to run this week. At this point, I estimate Chamira and I have done 130+ podcasts, including Mind Your Own Business, Beyond Technique, and Tamron Recipes.

And here's my point - I have no idea what I'm going to do next; just like leaving Rangefinder/WPPI in 2009. I have no idea where the next butterfly will appear. I'm not tired of podcasting; just considering a new direction. How many times have you kicked back and said, "I need to mix things up a little?" 

Change is scary for all of us. Like a favorite pair of shoes or slippers, we get comfortable and don't want to break in a new pair. I know it sounds trite, but it's no different with our lives - most of us are creatures of habit and resist change. But there's that old line about when one door closes, another opens.

Wishing you an incredible day ahead and Labor Day if you're here in the U.S. Make it a weekend to appreciate everything and everyone in your life, but don't be afraid to walk through some new doors - you might just find your butterfly.

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, and if you're new to following me, I always jump the rail on Sunday mornings. For me, it's therapeutic to step away from marketing and business, and for you, at the very least, I hope it's entertaining and, here and there, thought-provoking.

We've got two pups, each three years old, Belle and Lucy. Unfortunately, it's also the rainy season in Florida, and Belle is totally schizo when it comes to thunder. So, the minute the thunder starts to roll, it's time for her "Thunder Shirt." I laugh every time it goes on. Like a little kid with a superhero cape, she suddenly becomes invincible. The shakes and hiding under the coffee table in my office disappear.

Well, here's my point - What if somebody made a Thunder Shirt for adults? We don't need it for protection from thunderstorms, but the media, politicians, telemarketing calls, bad neighbors, over-opinionated friends, hold times with Dr's offices, Comcast, and vendors who don't care...and the list goes on and on. Think about it for a second - instead of getting aggravated and wondering if you took your blood pressure medication, you'd put on your Thunder Shirt, and nothing would bother you - it would all roll off your back!
  
I can't help but wonder if we really could take a lesson from the pet community. Then again, maybe the pet industry got it from us - when the shirt doesn't work, and Belle is too upset over really loud thunder, we've got CBD edibles that mellow her right out. Willie Nelson might have even been on the development team! 

Hey, it's just an idea, and it's my blog.  At the very least, I can dream!

Wishing everybody a day ahead when you don't need a Thunder Shirt! When nothing gets on your nerves, and you have time to simply love the people closest to you and realize that even when you feel like whining about the world, you're still so blessed. Go for those eleven-second hugs I always write about - they really work almost as good as a Thunder Shirt.

Happy Sunday - or Monday if you're following me from the other side of the world!

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, and I always jump the rail and go off topic from marketing and business. And just as a warning, today is one of those days when I get a little more personal than you're supposed to be in a blog post.

Last week, no matter what I did, I felt like I was spinning my wheels - simply stuck on what to do on so many different fronts/projects, including blogging. And the more frustrated I got, the more I dug myself in - just like getting my grandfather's car stuck in the mud when I was a teen. 

Well, Melody Beattie came along, and her timing couldn't have been better:

When our car gets stuck in the mud or snow, we immediately try to get out. Sometimes we have to spin our wheels to a get a rocking motion going. Sometimes we have to try harder, then try again before we can get out. Sometimes, spinning our wheels digs us in more deeply. Then in frustration, we let go, relax. Soon we find ourselves doing what we need to get unstuck. We ask for help or figure out another approach.

That's how it is on our journey. We may find ourselves in a situation we don't know how to handle. So we start spinning our wheels in frustration, confusion, or fear. What we know is we want out. Sometimes we need to get through that time of spinning our wheels in order to get to the next place, the place where we slow down, figure out what to do next. Sometimes our frustration helps generate energy to get momentum going in the general direction of solving the problem. Putting forth that energy gets steam built up, tells us and the universe we're ready to free ourselves.

If you find yourself spinning your wheels, be gentle with yourself. Slow down, get a nice rocking motion going that's rhythmic yet powerful enough to free you, then put the car in gear, step on the gas and gently drive out of the muck.

Sometimes we need to spin our wheels. It helps us get unstuck.

So my point this morning is in two parts - with a bit of help from Sheila, I was able to get out of the rut - it just took talking about the things that weren't coming together. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

And the second part is about feeding your brain and soul regularly - Sheila got me into reading something inspirational every day. We each pick a favorite book/writer at the start of each new year. Then, right after breakfast, we share a little outside inspiration, which always helps. It's not always earth-shaking - just a reminder that whatever we're feeling together or individually is perfectly normal - just like spinning your wheels!

Wishing everybody a spin-free week ahead. Time with family, friends, and the people you love the most, will always get you out of the muck! And those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about are the same as easing off the gas when you're stuck in the snow!

Happy Sunday or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen

​It's Sunday, and as usual, I'm miles away from writing about marketing. Actually, I'm literally miles away from Florida and my home office too. We came back to Ohio for a milestone high school reunion, which once you get past thirty years, they all become a walk down memory lane...and the older you get, the slower the walk. 

But being back where I grew up has profoundly impacted me - all as a result of the nostalgia brought about by simply being here. It's a beautiful but bitter-sweet feeling to look back and realize how much things have changed.

• We got here three days ago, and driving around town every turn brings back a memory - all of them good. My old neighborhood brought out memories of baseball games in the street, playing army in the woods, sleep-outs in the summertime, and my Dad tying a rope on the car's bumper and towing us on sleds in the winter. He'd be arrested today for child endangerment.
• Driving by my grandmother's house, I could taste the raspberries she'd send me to pick in her backyard. The roses I planted last year at our home in Florida are a spinoff of watching my grandmother care for her rose garden when I was a kid.
• Being at the reunion last night, which sadly was small (250+ in the class and under fifty showing up), made me feel surprisingly proud in a "still standing" sort of way. Seeing a few old friends was fantastic, but it was more about who we are today than who we were yesterday. Although, I had to laugh over one classmate reminding me how hot my wife was and asking me how I got the cheerleader! Seriously, at this point, the playing field has been leveled, and everything we thought was important back then just doesn't matter today.
• All around us have been turn-back-the-clock kind of events this weekend. For example, the Friday night car show in the town square was a kick. It was loaded with muscle cars from the 60s, owned mainly by guys in their 70s. It was simply a trip to take in. At night when we turned on the TV in the hotel to watch something for a few minutes before going to sleep we were sucked into those Time/Life infomercials, again turning back the clock. Our two favorites were 150 classic rock songs from the 60s followed by the Ed Sullivan classics in rock - introducing every group from Elvis to the Beatles to the Stones. All supported with the video recordings of each group - it again took us down Memory Lane.

​But the best moments came from being with our friends, "Hoss" and Melissa. Before the pandemic, we'd be here at least once a year and stay at their home. Each night there's an almost sacred routine of sitting on their back porch and sharing the backstories of our lives - both current and past. The laughter is often pushed to the max as tears roll down my cheeks. It got me thinking about how my Dad would lose control when something hit him that was beyond funny.

Life is too short, but if you don't learn to cherish the past, you can never appreciate your ability to savor the present. And here's my point - today's smiles are tomorrow's most valuable memories. You can't slow down the clock, but you can make sure you don't miss a minute of being in the present. And those long, poignant views in your rearview mirror help you to appreciate the journey yet to come.

Wishing everybody a day to kick back and spend time with the ones most special in your life; make a few new memories and start writing the next chapter of backstories for your own walk down Memory Lane years from now. As always, go for those long eleven-second hugs, and don't waste a minute worrying about what you have to do tomorrow.

​Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world!

by Skip Cohen

Sunday's are ALWAYS off-track from marketing/business but I hope always relatable. 

This week, Sheila and I are headed back to our hometown for our high school reunion. It's a milestone, and we're looking forward to catching up with old friends and hanging out at our roots. But there's a level of poignant sadness in going back. Because of the pandemic, it's been three years since we returned.  

Here's a fun aspect to a trip like this - it's like the opening act for a great concert. Sheila went digging for old photographs of family and friends - memories to share with people we know we'll see. The stories each photograph brings back confirm the power of the career path we all chose so long ago - photography.

Before starting this post, I was wandering through notifications in my Facebook feed, and it was all about photographs of friends all over the country. In one scroll, I caught up to Bobbi Lane teaching in NYC, Tom Lardiere and his son were on the water in Ft. Lauderdale, Deb Sandidge was in Naples, William Innes was picking on Ohio State fans, Paul Neal was recovering from food-poisoning and biking in Michigan, Tom and Kristen are hanging out at home in CT, and the list goes on and on.

While so many of us have a love-hate relationship with social media, especially Facebook, it's made the world a tiny place. We've shared each other's best moments and sometimes the worst - and each time, it's through photographs and video. Social media has become the mortar that holds us all together.
 
I know it's not exclusive to me, but combine aging with limited contact through the pandemic, and I have an incredible appreciation for the friendships I've made over the years. They're reinforced daily with one scroll through Facebook. Throw in photographs and their backstories, and there's no other career path I could have chosen that would bring me this kind of joy every day. 

Look, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, but that doesn't change my gratitude for this moment...right now, and all of you who have touched my life. As you get older you learn to take nothing for granted. And here's my point:

Those who died yesterday had plans for this morning.
And those who died this morning had plans for tonight.
Don't take life for granted.
In the blink of an eye, everything can change.
So forgive often and love with all your heart.
You may never know when you may not have that chance again.
 Author Unknown

Wishing everybody an incredible day ahead, and time to be with at least a few of those people who own most of your heart. Take nothing for granted and go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about. No matter what any of us are going through, life is pretty remarkable and it's sure better than the alternative!

Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen

​It's Sunday, and for those of you "regulars," you already know there's no chance today's post is about marketing and business. As I sat here this morning, I was having a hard time thinking through the last week and what I wanted to share. So, I procrastinated by scrolling through Facebook and even catching up to my buddy Erik Cooper on an IM. Then, an hour later, it hit me...

Yesterday was a perfect day - nothing but smiles all day long. It was relaxed, nothing unique, just a full heart all day. Time with Sheila, the pups, a little work done in the morning, chili dogs off the grill for Lupper (Late lunch, early supper), and finishing off with a favorite new series we found on Hulu, "Harrow."

But previously, Thursday was tough, and Friday started pretty bad as well. Both bad days kicked off with aggravation from a battle with Amazon. "Alexa" hasn't been playing in group mode. We love filling the house with music, and the group feature went down on Wednesday. When I called Amazon on Thursday morning, the Alexa team couldn't verify my account. They told me I wasn't in the system at the same time their retail side was delivering a recent purchase to my front door! After forty-five minutes and six calls, three of them disconnected while on hold, I finally got a supervisor in Atlanta.

But it wasn't Amazon that screwed up my day; it was me letting them get to me. When they told me my account wasn't active and I wasn't in the system, I saw red! I allowed them to steal my peace and tranquility. As a result, it set the tone for a big part of the day.  

From demanding customers to Internet trolls, we all deal with daily challenges that are simply outside our control. Hindsight is always 20/20 - but yesterday was perfect because I pulled up the drawbridge and refused to let anything into my head that was going to take away one second of smile time.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying I avoided the challenges of the day - just that I was able to get myself to a great place and shut off the negators! You know, those people or situations that seem to exist just to beat us up. There's a great Zig Ziglar quote I've loved for a lot of years:

​And there's my point - we all have the power to set the tone daily. We don't have to give up one second of our life to things that just don't matter. Remember that line about don't sweat the small stuff...it's all small stuff? While I know this is pretty trite, it's a basis for everything we do, and if you're a work in progress like I am, it's one of the hardest lessons to learn.

Wishing everybody a day that's simply peaceful, loving, and fulfilling. You don't have to climb Mt Everest to feel a sense of accomplishment - sometimes it's just the fun of going to bed at night and saying to yourself, "Wow, what a great day!" Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with everyone in your life that's important, and don't let anything or anyone hold you back from gaining maximum altitude!

​Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen

I'm off the topic of business as always on a Sunday morning, but it's a subject everyone can relate to, regardless of your age! Sheila and I talk a lot about our folks when they were our age, which is where that opening line came from. We're definitely younger, living a very different lifestyle from our parents. But we are the same ages they were when we used to think they were so old!
​
Bill Burbank, a buddy from the old Kodak days back in the 90s, sent me the piece below. It really hit home. I get that I'm not getting any younger. I wake up in the morning and creak for ten minutes until everything falls in place, but as far as the pure joy of another day ahead - it never changes. Not every day is a joy ride, but life is good, even with the challenges.

I asked an elderly man once what it was like to be old and to know the majority of his life was behind him. He told me that he has been the same age his entire life. He said the voice inside of his head had never aged. He has always just been the same boy. His mother's son.

He had always wondered when he would grow up and be an old man. He said he watched his body age and his faculties dull but the person he is inside never got tired. Never aged. Never changed.

Our spirits are eternal. Our souls are forever. The next time you encounter an elderly person, look at them and know they are still a child, just as you are still a child and children will always need love, attention and purpose.

​Author Unknown

​And there's my point - stop wasting time on things that don't matter. These days everyone is wound so tight, often wrapped up in something they can't change. Or, if they can influence change, their emotionalism is clouding the process. As a result, they're lost and can't find a starting point. 

Life is too short not to be happy - and if you're not happy, you owe it to yourself to find the path that takes you to more smiles than frowns and tears.

Wishing everyone a memory-making day loaded with time to love and be loved. I've noticed that word coming out a lot lately - usually with good friends who I haven't seen in a long time due to restricted travel, limited conventions, and conferences. It's not unusual to wrap up a conversation telling somebody I love them. It's a great word - stop being afraid to use it!

As always, go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with the people you love the most. Make the most of every minute today. And if you're at that age where your train of thought too often leaves the station without you...don't panic - another train will be along in a minute!

​Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

Don't let weeds grow around your dreams!
Author Unknown

by Skip Cohen

For me, the fun of Sunday Morning Reflections is sitting down at the computer and rarely having any idea what I want to write about. So while occasionally I have something specific in mind, this morning was a blank canvas. 

With today being the Sunday of a holiday weekend, I'm more relaxed and spent a long time reading before deciding to share what's on my mind. Reading a couple of different quote books, I found the quote above, and it hit me how often there's been something I wanted to do, but I procrastinated too long, pondered too much, and the weeds took over.

And that takes me right to my point...

At the risk of trying to sound like aging has made me wiser, I'm only going to share one thought. As you get older, the clock seems to be ticking faster. Time flies like a clock in an old movie, and suddenly you remember those dreams you put on the back-burner.

It's a holiday weekend, and most of you have a little extra time on your hands. Take that time and listen to your heart a little more than usual. Do an inventory of those misplaced dreams. You'll find a few that weren't worth saving, but I'm betting you've all got a bunch buried over the stress of life, especially during these last few years.

There's nothing any of us can't do if we want something bad enough! It takes focus - funny to use that word. There is no auto-focus button in your head. It's all manual focus. But there is focus confirmation - that accelerated heartbeat when you know you're on the right path. It's the smile on your face that feels so good.

Wishing everybody a holiday weekend to appreciate your dreams. Everyone has a few of them in storage. Make this weekend the time to bring a few of them back. Do a little gardening - get rid of the weeds, refocus on whatever you wanted to do, and don't let life get in the way. Most importantly - Remember, you're not alone - go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with the people you love the most. And if you need a little help to make a dream a reality, don't hesitate to ask for it.

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

​by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday morning, and as usual, I'm about to jump the rails and go completely off track from the business and marketing of photography. I've done my best all these years to stay out of the insanity that seems to be happening around me. Sheila and I even stopped watching the news since we never know what to believe anyway!

I have been left speechless by one event after another over the last few months...and if I honestly comment about how I feel about so many different issues, I'm going to sound like Archie Bunker! However, Sheila's got a great line that's so appropriate, I'm glad we're older - we won't have to put up with this crap for too much longer!  At first, I hated that line, but she's right.

Here's my point - there's no tolerance for anybody's opinion these days. America is polarized on multiple levels over dozens of issues...and the range is amazing. I can find people who will argue over their right to wear a Cleveland Indians baseball hat to a game with the same emotion and anger as somebody who believes in Pro-Choice. And at the gas pump the other day, the guy one car over mumbled, Biden sure screwed on this one! Just earlier that day, I read where Exxon Mobil reported more than double its profits for the first quarter, compared with the same period last year!

And Sheila and I are gun owners but have no issue with background checks and tighter gun control. And when Covid was at its peak, we simply wore our masks like the supermarket asked - no argument and no challenge of my constitutional rights!

Jane Conner-ziser posted the piece below by George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four on her Facebook two years ago yesterday. She shared it again and added "Interesting times!"

by Skip Cohen

As I wrote on Mother's Day - when your folks are gone, the holiday has a different meaning. It's bittersweet. It's Father's Day, and the bitter side is simply missing my Dad...but the sweet side is all the memories. And considering the business we are all in - it's the photographs that bring back the memories of so many great moments in the past.  

Except for the baby shot of me, there's a story that goes with every image above and hundreds more. Each photograph reinforces great memories and plenty of smiles thanks to imaging. I chose a few of my favorites, but the memories hardly end with just five photos.

My Dad was my best buddy for my entire life. He was always there for me, and I learned so much from him. There was never a minute I wasn't proud of him. I remember somebody saying something negative once about dealing with elderly parents. I was sixty then, and all I could think about was how lucky I was. Most people my age didn't have their parents alive, let alone able to spend time with them. 

Wishing all you Dads out there a terrific Father's Day! I wasn't going to post today and just take the day off, but the more the day went on, the more I knew I was going to write something. So make it a day filled with more memories because today's memories will be worth gold tomorrow!

​Happy Father's Day...and to quote Jodi Picoult, easily for the fiftieth time...​

...and damn near perfect they were!

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, and as always, I'm about to run amuck and a long way from the business and marketing of photography. But I hope you'll stick with me and that what I'm about to share will hit you like it did us the other night.

Sheila and I are big fans of American Ninja Warrior and have been following the show for years. This past week a new warrior just about to run the course told his story. His name was Christopher Jones. He was wearing a t-shirt that said "Living Wide." Dedicating his debut on Ninja Warrior to his father, Gregory Todd Jones, he talked about his father's fight against lung cancer.  

While the doctors told Gregory he only had a few months to live, Gregory decided to "live wide," and the next four years were incredible, as described by Christopher. His father never slowed down and never stopped bringing hope and meaning to his life. The philosophy of the organization he founded is described best on its website:

​While the concept of quality versus quantity isn't new, I've never thought about it as it applied to the days of my life. In all honesty, when I was a lot younger, I'm not sure it would even have occurred to me. After all, the younger you are, the more you're convinced you'll live forever. Then one day, you realize you've become your parents. LOL

That brings me right to my point - it's time, no matter how old you are, that you lived wide. Imagine what our life would be like if you stayed focused on each day and filled it with meaning, hope, and purpose. The concept helps to build a better world with or without a critical illness. The point is further enforced by the losses we all experienced through the pandemic and the awareness that none of us know what the future holds.

We've all heard the line: "Don't sweat the small stuff...it's ALL small stuff." Well, Sheila and I are embarking on a journey to live wide. We're a work in progress, so I suspect we'll hit a few speed bumps along the way, but this is about appreciating every minute of our lives right now! It's about not wasting time stressing over things that just don't matter and making the most out of every day.

Wishing all of you a day filled with a deep appreciation for everything in your life. Go for those eleven-second hugs with those people most special in your life. Live wide and focus on creating joy in your life. Zig Ziglar said it best:

Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen

I apologize for feeling a little philosophical this morning; it is Sunday, and my Reflections posts are never about marketing and business.

Sheila and I walk every morning, and as we went out today, on milkweed that's grown on the side of the house, we spotted caterpillars everywhere. In all sizes, from newborns to the mature - there they were, munching away like a group of truckers at a highway diner with a buffet! 

When I was a kid, I had no appreciation for caterpillars and even less fascination for the cycle of life they represented. Yet, as an adult, I am considering handing out cigars for our newborns. These are Monarchs, and within the next few weeks, they'll form a chrysalis, and a few weeks after that, a new Monarch will emerge. 

Sadly, they only live two to six weeks, except for the last generation, which can live for months. I'm trying to figure out what God had in mind for these guys - Monarchs are amazing and live for such a short time, but a palmetto bug (Florida's fancy name for what the rest of us call cockroaches) lives for two years.

And here's my point...Monarchs never slow down. We've watched the process repeatedly over the last six years since planting our butterfly garden. Watching a male and female dance in the air through their courtship makes us smile. Then, a few weeks later, she's laid eggs on the milkweed, and another generation is about to be born.

Think about some of the events in your life. You had an idea, a dream, a goal. The idea hatched was put in motion and grew into something, or maybe it didn't. But another thought popped into your head and hatched again. While you might have been frustrated that it didn't go as planned, you're still here and continue trying. That cycle of life continues with our ideas. 

Are there moments when we want to give up? Of course, but like the Monarch, we stay with it as long as we can fly. Then, we kick back, do our best to figure out what we missed, and go into high gear and start again.

Years ago, I learned that everything always works out for the better. Whether it really does, or it's the way our mind helps us cope and rationalize, doesn't make any difference. So when I look at the disappointments in my past, they've always led to something better. One door might have closed, but another opened.

I feel like SNL's Jack Handy this morning, but I never said these were deep and heavy concepts. LOL

Wishing everybody a wonderful day ahead. Make it a day where like the Monarch, you just float and enjoy everything around you. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs with those people who mean the most to you, and take the time to appreciate how much you've grown, even with those bumps in the road along the way.

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

by Skip Cohen

As the world runs amuck, Sheila's got a new favorite expression. It comes up just about every time we break down and watch the news, react to what either of us has read, or had a conversation with friends: "I'm glad we're getting older, so we won't have to deal with this crap!"

There's always the same response, as one of us laughs painfully over the reality of what's happening in the world. But it's all so true.

I love "The Week," which I've been getting since my Dad got me a subscription many years ago. This week's cover story was about the shooting in Texas, but it was William Falk's editor letter that said it all.

...The reason Australia had a per capita Covid death rate one-tenth of ours, The New York Times recently reported, is that Australians trusted their scientists, their government, and each other, while Americans emphatically did not. In a very real sense, 900,000 Americans died of mistrust.

Americans cannot trust that our kids will go to school without being shot. we can't trust people to wear masks in a pandemic, because so many insist they have a right to infect others. We can't pass sensible gun-safety laws because some people passionately believe they need weapons of war to defend themselves against government tyranny. Many Americans no longer trust organized religion, corporations, capitalism, their employers, or the media. We do not share a common set of fact and values. We have self-sorted and retreated into our own worlds, our own websites, social media feeds, cable networks, and communities. Separated by impenetrable walls of tribal loyalty, we cannot come together to solve our problems even when they are killing us. Thoughts and prayers.*

I just don't get it. I remember in the heaviest pain of the pandemic talking with the manager of our local supermarket. He was plagued with idiots coming in and refusing to wear a mask, and there was nothing corporate would do to support any kind of mask mandate. Yet we all know, "No shirts, No shoes, No service." 

And when it comes to better gun laws, I don't get that either. Sheila and I are gun owners, and we love it when we can find time to get to the range. But we're also completely in favor of background checks. As Golden State Warriors' coach, Steve Kerr commented the day of the Texas shooting, "We're being held hostage by fifty congressmen, who refuse to put in tighter laws for gun control."

I know it's hard to find my point this morning. The problem with a rant is that it doesn't offer a solution, just wind as I let off a little steam. Then again, it's therapeutic to a point. I don't have any answers, but as I watch the politicians battle out their own agendas instead of the people they represent, I know that's part of the problem. 

So, Sheila and I do whatever we can to try and make a difference, but it's only in our backyard. For example, Sheila recently volunteered for a local organization that helps victims of life-changing bouts with mental illness go food shopping. And maybe that takes me to my point.

None of us can change the world, but slowly, it would make a difference if we all did something more in our own communities. Change doesn't happen in leaps and bounds - it's baby steps one at a time.

Wishing everybody a great weekend and time to find something you can do to make a difference. Then get the recipients of your eleven-second therapeutic hugs to get on the bandwagon with you. Together, we can all make a difference.

Have a safe and healthy Memorial Day weekend, and if you're outside the US, have a great weekend or Monday and the start of a new week.

*Check out The Week - here's the link.

There are only two days of the year that nothing can be done.
One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow,
so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.
Dalai Lama

by Skip Cohen

I had absolutely nothing on my mind for today's Sunday Morning Reflections except to rant about gas prices and laugh as I thought back to the gas shortage in the 70s. The lines were so long at the pumps that a guy I worked with stopped to gas up one morning, and after waiting for twenty minutes in line, somebody came by and put a flag on his car - he was in line for a funeral procession, not the gas station down the street!

So, thinking about that, I went off in search of quotes about deja-vu and stumbled on the Dalai Lama quote above. It says it all and perfectly fits my wish for all of you today.

Don't waste time worrying about tomorrow morning, and there's nothing you can do about whatever mistakes you made yesterday. Instead, take the time to love and just live today. Go for those eleven-second hugs with the people you love the most, believe in yourself, and don't let anybody trample on your dreams.

Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world, and thanks for hanging out with me this morning.

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world,
​doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar.
Edward R. Murrow

by Skip Cohen
 
Typical of Sunday mornings, I'm off the topics of business and marketing but not stepping away entirely from imaging. Today's Reflections, like the description of a good bourbon with "hints of toasted wood," there are hints of a rant as I think about the power of the Internet and how many people we all know who abuse their ability to communicate.

The Russians perpetually spread misinformation across the Internet, but what about your neighbor down the street? I'm so tired of seeing inaccurate statements that become gospel because somebody heard it through the grapevine.

The rumor mill was bad enough long before the Internet, but technology has given a whole bunch of really stupid people the ability to become authorities on virtually every topic. Moreover, true to Edward R. Murrow's quote above, they reach all around the world!

In the old days, the grapevine was the vehicle for spreading rumors and misinformation. But the Internet gives even the dumbest kid on the block a level of reach that twenty years ago was reserved for small newspapers and magazines.

So, how about this for a suggestion - let's start neutralizing the world's know-it-alls. Let's challenge their sources, and when we hear something that doesn't make sense, how about questioning its validity. Then, the next time you want to share something on social media, make sure you're being accurate - the best way to shut off rumors is not to start them!

It's not just the Internet - we're plagued with politicians and the media who have made careers out of sharing lousy information. This is why Sheila and I rarely watch the news - we have a few resources we've grown to trust, but that's it. Furthermore, before going to bed at night, we always try and watch something upbeat, funny, and light. It sure helps to go to sleep with a non-threatening foundation for dreaming.

Just to keep it light - since you can find anything on YouTube - how about this flashback to the 80s...at least the humor here, with raisins singing about the grapevine, makes sense!

Wishing everybody a day ahead when whatever you hear on the Internet is true and hopefully enriches your life. Take the time to appreciate everything in your life and especially those people closest to you who you trust the most. As always, go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and remember, if you're having a tough day, it's only a bad day, not a bad life!

Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

​by Skip Cohen

*Apologies for using Jodi Picoult's quote again in a post - but there really isn't one better when it comes to looking at old photographs.

It's a not-so-typical Sunday morning, only because it's Mother's Day, and to put it quite simply, I miss my Mom. The shot above is from a series Bambi Cantrell captured after spending a day with my folks in 2008. It's one of my favorites, taken a couple of years before Alzheimer's came full force into our lives. 

But my point isn't to talk about missing Mom, but all the times she and my dad come into my thought stream virtually every day, not just on Mother's Day. There isn't a day that something doesn't remind me of my folks. Most of these moments are stellar memories that bring a smile to my face, even a quiet whispered, "Miss ya!" 

My Mom and I weren't always close, but moving to Florida was one of the best things I ever did. It gave me quality time with my parents, and even with Alzheimer's, Mom's core personality never changed. Plus, Sheila got a chance to know my mother. My mother loved her, even though her timing was off just a little - she was convinced that she and Sheila did a lot of volunteer work when they were younger. It didn't matter; the room would light up when she and Sheila were together.

Alzheimer's is a horrible disease. An emotional burglar sneaks into your house and robs you of a loved one right before your eyes. But even broken-hearted, we made the best of it. We'd learn to look for those isolated lucid moments where the "sun came out from behind the clouds." As Dad used to say, "I'm going to squeeze every drop of joy I can get out of every minute we're together." And he did just that!

Here's my point - I miss my mother every day. She passed away just weeks before she wouldn't have known who we were. It's bitter-sweet, bitter obviously in losing her, but sweet in that I know she's at peace and hanging out with Dad now.

Minutes before Mom passed away; Dad whispered in her ear, "What an incredible run we had!" They were married just short of 63 years!

So, to all of you who are moms, Happy Mother's Day. And to everyone who still has their mother around, don't waste a second. Cherish your time together, and as photographers, set up a camera and shoot a little video. Plop Mom down in front of the camera and ask her to tell you a few backstories: how she met your father, places she grew up, favorite memories - anything you can watch and smile about years from now. 

Learn from my mistakes - One of my very few regrets is not doing that with Mom and Dad myself. I'd love to be listening to those stories right now.

Wishing everybody a terrific day ahead and time to appreciate your mothers. Make it a day where you create new memories - the kind that will make you smile years from now. And this is definitely a day for those long eleven-second hugs.

Happy Sunday, Mother's Day, or Monday, if you're on the other side of the world!

It's not about forcing happiness. It's about not letting the sadness win.
Anonymous

by Skip Cohen

Over the years, we've all heard a few of blog posts' fundamental "rules." At the top of the list is always, don't get too personal. If I'm truly going with the consistency I've tried to stay with when writing Sunday Morning Reflections, then it's a morning of getting personal.

Ever wake up sad? You can't pinpoint why there's a knot in your stomach, but things just don't seem right. This morning I woke up feeling sad. If I was still a kid and my Grandma Sarah was still alive, she'd tell me I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. She'd then hug me and let me babble for a minute. She'd listen, then, at some point, there'd be a smile back on my face.  

I sat down at my computer to write two hours ago and couldn't get it together. The harder I tried, the less progress I made. Sheila filled in for my grandmother, listening to me try and find the source of my sadness. Finally, I gave up, and we decided to have breakfast.

In the process of making French toast, it all came to me. The sadness was a combination of a sugar low, not enough sleep, and a small list of challenges, of which the big one was missing my Dad. My Dad was my best buddy, and I miss him regularly, but more important than missing Dad was not counting my blessings for everything in my life.

I got so caught up with feeling something was wrong that I missed appreciating what was right. That led to a great conversation with Sheila about Dad, aging, the pups, and as usual, over breakfast, the topic of what to do for dinner tonight.

You can complain because roses have thorns,
or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.
Zig Ziglar

And there's my point, hardly earth-shaking, but feeling down sometimes isn't a liability. For me, it's the way my heart likes to let me know it's time to refocus on all the good things in my life instead of the dents and bruises!

Wishing everybody an incredible day ahead and time to appreciate everything and everyone who's a part of your life. And unlike my initial attitude this morning of feeling the need to identify what had me feeling down, take the time to look around you and simply count your blessings!
​
Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

A certain darkness is needed to see the stars!
Unknown Author

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday and if you've followed me for even the shortest time, then you know today is when I step entirely away from business and marketing. Writing is therapeutic, and many years ago, Sunday mornings became my day to just go with whatever was in my heart.

I'm not sure why this morning, but I'm thinking a lot about how much we've all gone through over the last couple of years - before words like hunkered down, mandatory masks, and pandemic became a part of our regular vocabulary. Then, while looking for quotes that might help me express myself, I ran across the one above. And that took me right to one of my most favorite photographs, by my good buddy Bob Coates.

It's a remarkable shot, but then so is Bob. We've been good friends for many years, and if you know him, then you know he never does anything halfway! But this isn't about the shot, but the fact that without darkness, the image wouldn't exist.

Going back to that simple quote I started this with, I've learned that everything always works out for the better. I'm not suggesting you should just accept everything that goes wrong in life; just look at it differently. For example, the pandemic has been horrible, and we've all had to adapt to changes in lifestyle, the heartbreak of losing friends, etc. But out of the chaos and pain came a renewed sense of family, the likes of which haven't been seen since the 50s.

Now, take a step back and think about some of the most brutal storms you've had to get through in your life. I know it's trite and even hokey - but think about it - you're stronger now because of them. They helped you grow. 

There are a thousand quotes we've all heard over the years...It's darkest before the dawn...Without change, there'd be no butterflies...Every cloud has a silver lining...Calm waters don't make skilled sailors...and the list goes on and on. They're all saying the same thing.

It's funny how I started writing this and thinking what I was about to share was so earth-shaking, but reading it over, it's hardly brilliant. But maybe that's what more of us need these days - the simplicity of just accepting the paths we've chosen. It's okay to look back now and then, but not with regrets, only pride at moving forward.

Sheila's got a great line I grew to love years ago. Whenever I'd say, "You know what I should have done?" Her response was always the same, "Don't should on yourself!"

Wishing everybody a day ahead where you just keep looking forward. Make it a day when you appreciate the incredible world you've created - not the big one, just the one that's yours and includes the people who have touched your life the most and whose lives you're a part of. Go for those eleven-second hugs with those people most important to you.

And to my good buddy Bob, who right about now is just waking up to the sunrise in Sedona...thanks, buddy. I sure do appreciate our friendship.
 
Happy Sunday, everybody...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world!

Image copyright Bob Coates. All rights reserved.