Upde Designs

Happy Hump Day.  I shot this old school-house a couple of weeks ago but only showed the front of the school.  Since I don’t have a lot of new stuff right now I was reviewing my 2013 images and came across this image, which I thought was not too bad.  I hope you enjoy it.

I normally watch the news while I eat breakfast.  I think that partially explains why I’ve been in a funk of late.  Every day I am amazed at what is going on in Washington but also the terrible violence and pain that is going on in the world.  This morning I was flipping around and came across the Cartoon Channel.  An old Bugs Bunny cartoon was playing with Yosemite Sam.  I laughed several times and when I had finished breakfast I had a smile on my face.  Perhaps I have found something for the funk.  Eliminate the news and replace it with cartoons from my childhood.  🙂

I am on a committee that is part of a larger group of community leaders working on the Vision 2020 Project for Maquoketa.  It has been a year-long process of bringing people together to help write a plan for the betterment of Maquoketa.  The old adage of “If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s hard to get there” is so true.  I really enjoy working on this project because it is time spent with caring passionate individuals who in the final analysis only want what is best for their community.

I particularly enjoy the give and take of the open discussion.  People have strong opinions that are driven by emotion, which tend to make people resistant to other opposing viewpoints.  However there is a principle I learned in my college days from my Psychology professor.  The human mind cannot contain two diametrically opposing cognitive thoughts at the same time.  In other words you can’t experience euphoria and great sadness at the same moment in time.

The point being that this principle is the foundation of conflict resolution in that if you truly listen and understand another point of view it will have a mitigating effect on your own opposing point of view.  It may be small but it is a change none the less and that is what you build on to eventually resolve the conflict.  Normally it is a lengthy process, however in some of the meetings I’ve attended in this project I’ve seen it happen at a relatively quick pace.   And that has produced some synergistic plans.  It is an enjoyable experience to be a part of.

Well not much in the way of photography today but it was what was on my tiny brain this morning so that is what gets talked about.  🙂  Betty, I hope you enjoy the school-house.

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy your Wednesday and be careful please.