Project Athena - Day 122 (Fun!)

Are we having fun yet?

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
— Dr. Seuss

Watching these little kids play sports tonight at a local school play yard lightened my spirit. I was reminded of the pure fun in kicking a ball around, running aimlessly, jumping over imaginary frogs or pulling grass from the lawn and throwing it in the air to let it land in your hair. It's just fun and there is no need to explain why.

Soccer Player

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 55-200mm lens • 165mm • F5.3 • 1/500s • ISO 1800

Project Athena - Day 121 (Fun!)

A Tree House!

“A tree house, a free house,
A secret you and me house,
A high up in the leafy branches
Cozy as can be house.
A street house, a neat house,
Be sure to wipe your feet house
Is not my kind of house at all-
Let’s go live in a tree house.”
— Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

I think every kid loves a treehouse. I didn't grow up with one but always romanticized about how fun it would be to have a fully customized dwelling in the back yard that was just mine. I would have requested a rope swing, rope bridge, fire pole escape, sleeping loft, hidden rooms and compartments, rope & bucket, trap door, electricity for the small refrigerator and record player, a crow's nest, rope lights and of course a sign that read, "No boys allowed! Ever! (except for Brad)".

Recently, I have seen some posts on Facebook of the most incredible living spaces that are in fact tree houses for adults. Bucket List?

Tree House

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 55-200mm lens • 60mm • F4.2 • 1/500s • ISO 400

 

Project Athena - Day 120 (Fun!)

Cheaper than therapy....

“I’ll tell you one of the great activities is skateboarding. To learn to do a skateboard trick, how many times do you gotta get something wrong til you get it right? And you hurt yourself, and you learn to do that trick, now you got a life lesson. Every time I see those skateboard kids, I think ‘those kids’ll be alright.’”
— Jerry Seinfeld

I've watched this kid several times in the skateboard park because he seems to be there almost every time I show up to shoot. He is super talented! He has a finesse and technique to his tricks that I find captivating. Today, I watched him take a fall that sent him to the sidelines for awhile but he eventually shook it off, got back up, and came right back to the place where he crashed to try that trick again. The last time I saw him skating a few weeks ago, he didn't have the wrist cast he was sporting today so I can only surmise that he is a determined soul, bent on mastering his art. He inspires me to keep working at my own art and I don't even have to risk broken bones. Thanks kid!

Skateboarder

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 55-200mm lens • 165mm • F7.1 • 1/2000s • ISO 320