sincere thanks

some appreciations, intentions, and invitations

Crossing. Fort Myers, FL (2021).

Thank You

Before I do much else here, I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone has subscribed to “Too Much at Once” after I put out an invitation on social media. I’m overwhelmed by the number of you who chose to sign up, and I’m honored that you care enough about what I may have to share.

With that being said, I’d like to explain a little about my intentions, hoping that you’ll stick around.

I know that many of you, like me, are disillusioned by social media. While I love the chaos and energy that I can find on Facebook, Instagram, and elsewhere, I often find myself frustrated by a lack of meaningful connections. Most interactions we experience there are way too shallow and much too brief. We’re quick to anger, quick to outrage, and way too quick in laughing things off.

In my mind, it would be great to build something that feels more like a community on this site where it feels like we can slow down, sharing thoughtful ideas and comments when moved to do so. More than likes, memes, and emojis, you know what I mean? Who knows…maybe you’ll even find the place to develop a blog of your own.

Or, if you’d rather just read what I post without making comments or sharing reactions, that’s cool too. Be who you wanna be.

If you’ve looked around on my blog, you’ve seen that I already have several posts featuring my photography. So far, it’s been older photos that have some sort of story or meaning. I’ve also been writing about some of the things that have been on my mind. Those efforts have been preparation for this cross-continent trip to British Columbia coming up soon, and it feels good to get those things out there.

I hope to share photos and thoughts when I travel next month. I don’t know exactly what will surface, but I expect I’ll be thinking about some pretty heady things. Things such as: our relationship with wildlife and the Earth, our isolation and connection in our digital age, and the myths of empire, colonialism, and the western frontier that have shaped our thinking on this continent. Maybe books and music I find meaningful. I’m sure there’s much more that will come up, but what that is I don’t know yet.

Many people who write blogs these days will ask you to pay for the content. Some of you have already offered financial pledges in support of this one. I appreciate it, but I’m not expecting you to do that. Your attention, and perhaps some occasional comments, will be rewarding enough.

So, once again, I’ll say thanks for being here. Let me hear from you. Be well.