photography | D. Brent Miller

January 4, 2023

New Year, New Me?

I never make New Year resolutions. Really. New Year goals? Well not exactly. Is that a problem? Maybe, and here is what I am going to do about it.

It has been on my mind for some time. A couple of years maybe. Since I have semi-retired … let’s face the reality … fully retired, I have not done much writing or photography except for on Facebook and photography on Instagram. Why should I post my creative material on those social medias when I have my own? That question was driven home by an article posted on The Verge, and shared on FB by a good friend, Bring Back Personal Blogging.

This year, with the weather cooperating, I managed to get in my first ride of the year. January 1, 2023, I took the Moto Guzzi V85tt Adventure for a short ride. Proof is in the second photo, a photo I always wanted to capture.

I have ridden past this sign many, many times, but it always seems to be in the afternoon when the sun is on the other side of the sign and the light is wrong. On this day, it was perfect, and my ride is documented by the date and time of the sign. “Welcome to Morrow” Ohio, a small town near my home. I suppose I can mark this item off my list of motorcycle ride photos.

So, I’m going to do a little more motorcycling this year including some long-distance travels. I’ll be writing about those.

I’m going to be writing about other things too, ideas that harken back to my earlier web site, Sojourn Chronicles. More photography, and especially Black & White photography. I love B&W. Nearly all of my documentary work was shot on B&W film, as was much of my newspaper work. Oh, those were the days. Now, it’s all digital for there is no dark room space here at the galactic headquarters.

The plan is more frequent posts right here. And, I’d like to get that frequency to weekly. Stay tuned.

See you on the highway.

Brent

October 10, 2019October 10, 2019

Revisiting: Fly Fish Brent

For some time, I have been thinking about making changes and producing content a little differently. But more often than not, what goes around, comes around. I tried writing fly fishing content on a separate blog, but that just was not working. So, more of my posts here will be dedicated to my fly fishing activities. There will always be a little travel involved in these posts, and sometimes it will involve a fly fishing adventure. Much of my fly fishing has been one of service. Service to the Veterans and Volunteers of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc.

Every now and then, I take off on the motorcycle to do a little fly fishing for myself.

See you on the highway… or maybe on the water.

Brent

April 15, 2019April 15, 2019

Retirement, what is it good for?

It seems I have been fighting this for some time. A realization. People would ask me if I am retired, and I would give them my standard answer, “I am semi-retired, but I still do a little writing and photography.” If they asked my wife, she would say, “Oh yeah. He’s retired.”

And that 1970 song by Edwin Starr keeps ringing in my head, “War! What is it good for? … Absolutely nothing.” Maybe that song sticks in my head because I was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1970 and went to Vietnam in 1971. I did my best. I served my country. But, what exactly was that war all about?

I kind of feel like that about retirement. What is retirement really all about? What is it good for? There is some reality that must be faced, and it comes with new opportunities and challenges. First, there is a lot of freedom in retirement. No schedule that you have to keep. You can sleep in, or get up every morning before 6:30 like I do with or without an alarm clock. You can do the things you want and go to places you have always wanted to see. Of course, there are financial considerations.

You can do things for others. Put others first. Serve others. There can be a lot of joy in serving others, and it’s not like work in a dreary job, where no one or few appreciate your efforts.

In retirement, I have found joy in volunteering. To serve others. To help bring someone else along or lift them up. To share skills and knowledge. Yes, there are some schedules to keep, and accountability, but there is joy. Fulfillment. Happiness.

I have concluded that I am actually not retired. I am 68 years old and a Volunteer. And, I will keep writing and photographing, but just for me. You can read along, if you want, here in these pages.

See you on the highway.

Brent

November 13, 2018

The Grinding Stone of Life

The grinding stone of life
can turn raw emotions
into love and understanding.

See you on the highway.

Brent

October 17, 2017

Morning Mist on the Pond

Mist rises from the pond as does the sun on the horizon.
There is peace in the moment, a calming scene
reminding us a place can be found that is devoid of the world’s chaos.

See you on the highway.

Brent