tomswift46's blog/

Through all the days I have worked as a teacher, social worker,librarian I have always considered myself an artist first. I have now written poetry and taken photographs(now fotos) for over 40 years and although they have never afforded me a living they have provided for a perspective on my life and its happenings in a way to make it worthwhile. It has always been play or unstructured time that has been important to me.Being at loose ends can be frightening but when the synthesis of things comes together in that creative moment it is well worth it. Certainly it's been the balance and dynamic tension between work and play that have provided the impetus for some of my art work and altho I met my wife at a poetry reading I ran it was the jobs that we have had that provided for our sustenance and that of our child,now grown. I am reflecting on this because I am coming closer to the end of my work life and when I retire I will have to forge a new life. As a teacher I have been fortunate enough to have summers off for a very long time now and I know I flourish on my own.

We're in Vermont now. Hot but less so than NJ and not crowded,claustrophobic. The cabin is fine and we walked around...only a few people in the vicinity...put in an A/C and drank some wine...relaxing... Contacted the plumber,the fellow who can deliver gravel to fill in some spots that eroded from 30 inches of Spring rain...the local newspaper has a thank you from the local highway department for peoples' patience after 80% of the roads were messed up by those torrential downpours. Seeing friends and family over the next few days...kayaking,walking,taking fotos...going to the Southern Vermont Art center to pick up an exhibited foto and see if the other one they accepted has been exhibited...