By A Photo Techie

I'm surrounded by those with a great "eye" for photography. I've been told I have that I eye, too, (the banner of this blog, in fact, was taken by me) but it's not a skill I've honed. This photographer, however, has and he's sharing his work on Inauguration Day with us on the www.

Photographer David Bergman took this 1,474-megapixel shot of the nearly two-million strong crowd in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C.as Barack Obama delivered his inaugural address. See for yourself, click here.

Rick Warren's Inaugural Prayer

Duality of a Major Scale

Bono recently began a writing gig as Op-Eds for the New York Times. I don't if it's because I have a thing for accents or because he's a rough-around-the-edges-rocker with a heart for the oppressed, but I like Bono in a I-want-to-be-his-niece kind of way. So, when he speaks I listen.

Cathleen Falsani who writes and writes the blog The Dude Abides turned me on to Bono's NYT ode to the New Year, where he discusses the duality of music in its interpretations. Put simply, how a song can take on a different meaning depending on the time and place. And, this is also the case for the song's singer.

Having done a duet with Frank Sinatra, Bono explores this concept using Sinatra's song "My Way" - the very song that played at the Irish pub he was recently at which united all in the room when it came over the speakers.

You can read Bono's op-ed HERE. And you can listen to him read it there as well, which I, of course, think is even better!

Our Addiction to Anxiety

I've recently become a follower of an online magazine called "Wrecked for the Ordinary" - a magazine written by Jesus followers who are re-imaging culture with Christ in mind. I encourage you to check it out.

In a recent article, writer C.Holland talks about her 2008 awareness of her addiction to anxiety and her 2009 "resolution" to work on "taking every thought captive" as Scripture states, and instead to heed Philippians 4:6. Ironically, I couldn't have penned a better article myself. My experience, almost down to the very "t" and very "i", has been the same, except that my adrenal system did shut down many years ago and it's been a road of recovery ever since. Yes, these things do happen!

I share this with you, because I know I'm not alone and neither is C. Holland. In fact, I think any Western or Eastern medical professional will attest to the spread of a rampant disease of anxiety addiction. Anxiety is not a newfound discovery, but as new medias emerge and we become evermore connected with each other (cell phones, emails, facebook, blogs, Twitters, LinkedIns, RSS Feeds, texting...) the anxiety, and potentials for anxiety, only grows.

I encourage you to read C. Holland's article. If it describes you... know you're not alone in the battle to slow down and trust God.

99 Random Things to Ponder in 09

I think this might be the first year I attempt (with some amount of great seriousness) a New Years resolution. It might include some kind of L.A. Fitness, but since it's such a cliche resolution I won't elaborate. Instead, my friend over at the Green Room also borrowed this list of 99 things to ponder. Play along: bold what you've done in your comment, or on your blog (but don't forget to link back to Thoughts Transposed so I can check out your list!).

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (leave it to childhood camps across the midwest).
3. Played in a band (no, but does 8 years of choir count. I think it should.)
4. Visited Hawaii and danced on a lava cliff with the roar of the Pacific below.
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (what is more than you can afford, really?)
7. Been to Disneyland/Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain (I may get to check this off with technicalities)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (the story of my life)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (preferred to ferry by it.)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (maybe. I can't remember. Feel like that would be a Dillon thing to do though.)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you weren't ill (once!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (ssshhhh!)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (mudslide in a bathing suit)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (does a commercial count?)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving - May 2010!!!
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (never will)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - Jason Mraz
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Play along!