Hi to everyone!

[Lon Howard]

I'm not totally new here, having joined four months ago; but I found the site at the most inopportune of times ... my Japanese wife of 36 years was fighting inoperable cancer and sadly passed away two months ago. So now it's a matter of finding a new direction, and luckily I found photography a couple of years ago although I haven't devoted a lot of time or resources to it. Well that's about to change, although with some guilt pangs, because as one might imagine it feels at times it's for all the wrong reasons. But life is what it is and all you can do is do your best to stay headed north.

I am retired and will be 72 in June, but still photography-wise I'm very much a newbie so I may be a pest at times as I am not very intuitive and often see things that aren't there ... I know from experience that occasionally I need to be slapped around before I 'get it.' Don't worry, I'm used to it by now.

I live in Kitsap county in Washington state, USA; this is a one hour ferry ride from Seattle, going west across Puget Sound. I enjoy street photography anywhere but especially in Seattle because it has a rich variety of very old and very new buildings in addition to a very diverse culture. And of course in the Pacific Northwest there are forests, lakes, rivers and mountains almost everywhere you look, so I will be exploring all of that.

Nice to have you around, and enjoy the spring, where ever you are.

Lon

[Donald]

I'm not totally new here, having joined four months ago;

And having already hit the bullseye in the Mini Comps! So, it's nice to be able to welcome you via this thread, Lon.

Clearly you have had to experience that excruciating pain of loss and, for that, please be assured of my deep feelings of sadness for you.

I don't think it's relevant what the reasons behind your passion for photography are. What's important is what is right for you. If that provides a channel for you to engage with others and with what's around you in a way that might not have been possible over the past couple of months, then great. I hope you can feel that it is the medium that allows you to re-engage with what's happening.

As for being a pest - Great. One of the things I think I've learned is that if I have a question, then there are lots and lots of other people out there who have the same question, but might not feel brave enough to ask it. If I ask it, then I am not only meeting my own need, but also serving a purpose for all those other folk. So, please develop your pesting skills.

[MiniChris]

I know exactly where you live...Jeeperman and Popsphoto both live in WA...Jeeper lives closer to Seattle so you may want to make a closer acquaintance with him. My brother and his family live near Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

As far as slapping you around...hey, we like that... but we do promise to be gentle; no marks, no blood.

[jiro]

Most of us are newbies, Lon so you'll feel at home in here. One of the best things that I appreciate at CiC is the way we exchange subtle humor in here. Welcome!

[PopsPhotos]

Welcome from another Washingtonian.

Pops