A rainy day in Winnipeg

Talkin' to myself and feelin' old
Sometimes I'd like to quit
Nothing ever seems to fit
Hangin' around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.

What I've got they used to call the blues
Nothin' is really wrong
Feelin' like I don't belong
Walkin' around
Some kind of lonely clown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.
        -- Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, 1970

I don’t have an umbrella, poncho, raincoat or even a decent hat with me on this trip. Preparing for inclement weather, in my opinion, empowers it. The weather isn’t taking charge of MY trip of a lifetime.

As anyone who has explored this web site knows, I’m not a great photographer. But I do know a few things about the art form; and rule number one for shooting events is to grab an image as early as possible.

A news photographer who gets out of his car and sees towering flames a few hundred yards away may race toward the inferno only to find that, in the seconds taken to get closer, firefighters had knocked the fire down and only wet, smoldering ashes fill the viewfinder.

“Grab a snapshot,” new Photogs are cautioned. “Sometimes you only get one chance; so don’t wait to find the perfect angle. Film is cheap.”

Of course, we use digital imagery today and, with rechargeable batteries, it’s hard assess any costs at all – beyond equipment. My camera’s memory card holds hundreds of photos; I have an itchy trigger finger.

The best thing about stormy weather is the wonderful contrast one enjoys when looking out the window. Sitting in a warm, dry room; nestled in a soft, comfortable couch or easy chair; ideally, perching near a blazing fire with a steaming cup of hot chocolate; listening to the beat of raindrops on the roof; and watching trees dance in strong wind. Ah! Life just doesn’t get much better than this.