A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
0
This story starts back last winter. It was a cold Wednesday morning at the Pickens Flea Market and we really wanted to get a fire going in Ralph Perry’s ancient 1902 vintage stove. The problem was that there was nary a match, lighter, nor flint amongst us. This being the flea market we were eventually … Read More “Looking for a Match” »
My, how time flies. On May 14, 2004, RandomConnections first came online. 20 years and nearly 3000 posts later, and the site is still going strong. I know I’ve said this before on other anniversaries for the site, but here’s a brief history… In 2003 I started experimenting with blogging. The first iteration was at … Read More “Twenty Years of Random Connections!” »
You never really realize how much ambient noise is in your house until you try to record a podcast. Here’s just a partial list of what I’ve had to deal with over the last several days… • Radiator pings• Furnace pumps for radiators• Computer fans• Neighborhood leaf blowers• Traffic noise• Sirens• Jets flying overhead• Creaking … Read More “Ambient Noise” »
I have to confess. I really like journaling. Otherwise I wouldn’t have kept this blog for nearly 20 years. But this blog isn’t my only outlet. I’ve kept written journals for specific purposes over the years, but haven’t had much success with a daily journal. The one thing I’ve learned over the years is that … Read More “Reconsidering Journaling and New Options” »
For me, autumn evokes more strong emotions than any other season. Most of my life has been tied to the academic calendar, first as a student then later as an educator. Some see fall as a sign of endings, but it seems like a time of beginnings. Not just for school, but for other groups … Read More “Forever Autumn” »
A long, long time ago, in a world before X, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, or even MySpace, this blog came into being. It started as a travel journal to document a trip across country to Samish Island, Washington, then evolved into a personal journal. The blog entries were short and were just my personal observations of … Read More “Catching Up and Rethinking My Purpose” »
This morning I was emptying the dishwasher, putting away the cutlery, when a bunch of memories came flooding back. That sent me digging through our silverware drawers, looking for a cheap old steak knife with a plastic brown handle, now slightly melted due to an encounter with a hot stove. Sadly, I think we tossed … Read More “An Obsession with Steak Knives” »
Yesterday, January 6, is celebrated as Epiphany on the Christian calendar. It’s also Houston’s birthday. I gave him a call and briefly thought about driving down to have lunch with him. That was going to be a stretch to fit in with the rest of the day’s activities, so we just chatted for awhile. Sadly, … Read More “An Epiphany on Patriotism” »
Wednesday’s Child Wednesday was my birthday. Coincidentally, I was born on a Wednesday. Contrary to the poem, I haven’t been full of woe. Quite the opposite. I feel that I have lived an exceedingly charmed life so far, and I try to stay mindful of just how lucky I’ve been. My birthday week started with … Read More “One Step Closer” »
At the flea market this morning I was told a rather fascinating tale. Ivan had written a new song about a preacher who made moonshine on the side. When he died his coffin burst into flame, incinerating the hearse. Turns out that it was based, in part, on a true story. Ivan made up the … Read More “The Case of the Blazing Hearse” »