Collecting Your Words

I’ll be uploading entries from the notebook as soon as I get access to a scanner.

Also, a special thanks to DJ for the great chat, the food, and the book.

I'll be reading this next

I’ve had a chance to talk to about 24 people so far throughout this project. It might be too early to say, but one of the most connecting bits of humanity I’ve noticed in everyone’s story is that we’re all trying to get somewhere else, whether it’s physically, financially or emotionally.

I would think that at the root of it, most of what we do is an attempt to be happier than we were the day before. So then, what is happiness? Can it be pursued? Should it be? It’s not contentment. Contentment can lead to stagnation which leads to dissatisfaction. It’s not the absence of negative feelings.

 I’m thinking it may be tied to the feeling that you have meaning in your life. Meaning that has nothing to do with the values of others. That is to say, meaning in others, not of others. So perhaps meaning should be pursued, not happiness.

Children are happy, sometimes. They experience joy, weather permitting. Before they start thinking too much. Before the thoughts get too complicated. But thinking is important and rewarding too. I remain, at this time, undecided on the matter. I’m moving too, but I’m not sure towards what. Right now it’s towards people and their stories.

So, then, friends, what are you moving towards?

New Office

I dropped the apartment, the desk, the chair and everything else for my new office: green grass, warm sun, and the ambient chatter of the outside world. Other than laptop screens not being the best in sunlight, I couldn’t ask for more. Power seems to be a bit of an issue, but I can get a few hours of work outside, then charge up in near by coffee shops. The system is great so far.

Hungry Co-Worker

One of the most enjoyable parts of getting work done right now is being able to work on my most recent project (yet to be named). I set up this sign to help encourage passerbys to stop and share their story with me.

Ehdom Talks to Strangers

So far so good–If only the coffee were a bit cheaper…

I’m in Ann Arbor for a few days collecting your stories. You can usually find me somewhere around State Street and Liberty. Look for a bandana and a sign.

I started a new notebook yesterday that is to be filled with journal entries from strangers. I met about 9 wonderful people yesterday and got three new journal entries. Thanks for all that stopped by. I’ll post the notebooks up once I have them filled up a bit more.

Some early entries

Your entry next?

I’ll update again soon, first I need to find somewhere to sleep tonight.

Until then!

We need contributions. Read more about the project here: http://www.ehdom.com/after-the-beep/

Took this with a point and shoot that I found. I’m still missing my DSLR terribly, but I guess it’s not the tools that matter. At least not entirely.

I find myself feeling a bit empty without a camera around my neck. I’ve got one in my pocket, but it’s not quite the same. I miss the leel of manual control. Soon enough, I hope.

Sometimes anywhere is good enough to sleep.

Oh hai, lil guy.

That’s quite the drop.