Photo/Video Journal Sept 25-Oct 3 (Kauai and Maui)

October 08, 2021 by Joe Gray in Travel, Photo Journal

With our Covid vaccination cards, Travel.Hawaii.Gov QR codes, and a detailed itinerary provided by Audley Travel my mom and I flew out of PDX around 11 am to Kauai, with a brief layover in Seattle. We had been planning this trip for 18 months and we had originally planned a trip to Nepal. But, with travel to the area opening and closing from week to week and the added stress of traveling to such a remote place we decided to make it easier and changed our destination to Hawaii. I had never been, and she had only been once before.

I had always thought of Hawaii as an over-rated place for rich tourists who didn’t want any adventure and that it was too expensive and not worth the hype. I am very glad I did not continue to have this bias as we planned our trip and made our way to the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii was very expensive and I am lucky to have someone that was willing to bring me along on a trip that would have had to go into debt to afford. It was a beautiful place and there were plenty of adventures to be had. It was an amazing place to photograph and document visually with video.

Thank you to my mom, Karen, for inviting me and allowing me to experience such a beautiful place with you.

The following is an account of our trip via photos, video, and written exposition.

On Ego and Roles (Thoughts)

May 17, 2021 by Joe Gray in Psychology, Rants, Thoughts, Relationships

When I am working and ask if I can help and the customer responds automatically with "No, I'm fine." When really what they want is for someone to help them find the thing they are looking for but they don't want anyone to think that they are helpless, weak, or can't find it on their own. Inevitably, within a few seconds, they raise my attention with, "Actually, where is the so and so?"

Re-Post: More than Justice

November 30, 2019 by Joe Gray in Cultural Musings, Ethics, Philosophy, Psychology, Rants, Thoughts

Why are we not satisfied with the prosecution of a mass shooter or terrorist?

Maybe it is due to the mysterious nature of these crimes that we crave additional action. They come out of nowhere and strike the innocent with violence that shocks and infuriates. These acts remind us that we are not in total control over the environment and that the barbarism of our past has not been lost to modernity. While violence in the world is going down we still find ourselves subject to nature's wrath but when it is by human hands we seek explanation and prevention.