Samuel is 16!

Today is Samuel's 16th birthday! He did it!

The conversation with the curator and artist was very nice. She thought I should have a show, I have something to say. She liked the second idea I had for an installation. She doesn't have a location for the next show yet. I explained to one of my friends why she should be in it, what the symbolism is, everyone agreed. She'll come back from Mississippi to do it. If there isn't a room for an installation we'll do a shot of her. If there is room for an installation then we can take instant pictures of people looking cosmic. 

Today I wondered what I have to say. I do photography to make me happy. I like that I can make others happy. The only time I've had something to say with the photography (as opposed to my attempts with video) was when I was photographing protests or photographing the bronzed shoes on playground equipment to draw attention to the kidnapping of children on the border. 

Then I thought of something to say. We've had such extraordinary hatred directed by cowards at the most vulnerable, trans children. Children have been made into villains and they are responding by contemplating and attempting suicide. 

I want to have a show filled with positive images of trans adults and children with families, friends, pets, and hobbies. I reached out to nearly every trans person I know and every mother of a trans child to get their thoughts and, while there is warning about backlash, there was massive enthusiasm. We can open it up to other photographers. We can have a panel of trans kids pick the photos. I think we can get donated space. 

About 15 years ago there was a weird allergy to meat in Texas. People who were bit by a tick with this disease developed the allergy. It was like a science fiction story. It is in Maryland now. 

A lot of Wagner fighters are back in Russia but, instead of going home, they are getting drunk in train stations. 

There is a video of HIMARS blowing up Russian rocket launchers. 

The US expects to begin delivering Abrams tanks to Ukraine in September. 

There is a man who just returned from a humanitarian aid trip to Ukraine. He came under heavy artillery fire. For his birthday he went tuna fishing off Cape Cod. While there he saw .... three humpback whales leaping from the water in unison. No one has seen that. No one sees that. He got it on film