Mount Rainier (June 21, 2014)

By Michael Anthony Moynihan a.k.a. Renaissance the Poet

 

The perfect conditions converged to create a beautiful shot.

First, the sky was clear enough to see our great Mount Rainier all the way from Seattle. Now, this is something that is not a regular occurrence and I am not sure whether this is because of the region being overcast much of the time or because of the result of the smog that is filtering into the region from all the automobiles releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Whichever is the case, it is not the case that the mountain is always visible from Seattle and it just so happened that it was on the eve of June 21, 2014.

The second factor that converged was that the sun was setting onto the mountain with all of the brilliant hues so common and familiar with sunsets, which is the perfect formula for an amazing photograph.

The last factor, was I had my camera handy and I was both willing and able to head out to snap a shot.

When I noticed this convergence, I snagged up my camera and jumped on my bicycle and headed out to find the location from which to shoot my first real shot of Mt. Rainier. I live in the White Center neighborhood of Seattle and I chased my shot all the way to Burien, which is about 5 miles or so away from where I left from. The problem was that I left just before the sun was begining to set and I still had to find a location, but I was determined beyond reason, not to give up no matter how much it hurt and to capture the shot I had my heart set on. It is good to have the maxim resting firmly in my heart that when I set a goal that I do everything in my power to accomplish it, and that is precisely what I did. I found the location and I got the short I had my heart set on.

I love being spontaneous and I love taking pictures. I hope that you all enjoy this one, I know I sure do.

Goals: They Are What Drive Us Forward

My goal in life is to write and implement an entirely new socio-economic system for the entire planet. My plan is to design a sustainable, environmentally sound system that transcends the stratification of nation-states and takes into account the fact that we all share one pool of resources. To accomplish this I have begun my journey by double majoring in history and philosophy at the University of Washington, whereby I hope to learn the strengths and weaknesses of previous civilizations and their socio-economic systems, as well as the ethical frameworks that sustained them. After earning a bachelor’s degree I plan to earn a law degree because the system I am designing will have to be negotiated, written into law and accepted internationally for it to have legitimate and binding authority. And given the delicate nature of those negotiations and the networking that will be necessary to accomplish my goal, my plan is to work for, with and through the United Nations because it is the most respected international institution in existence, which shares objectives similar to my own. There is nothing easy or contrite about my goal in life or the path that I have chosen, but because I have the capacity and the courage to make a difference, I also believe I have the duty to do so. Furthermore, it is this sense of duty which has been the impetus for my overcoming past obstacles and for my perseverance against the struggles that both I and we face.