Cell Phones of Friday Harbor

I have to admit, I don't care for cell phones. I do own one for emergencies, but it's seldom turned on. When I'm away from my desk, I prefer to be away from my desk. When I'm walking around town, I prefer to be walking around town. When I'm with a friend or loved one, I prefer to be with a friend or loved one.

My feelings are different, though, as a photographer. Cell phones, being the great distracter, give me the chance to photograph people up close without them ever noticing. And there's something about the cell phone that makes people reveal the most private and personal feelings, right there on their faces, right in public. With any luck, I'm there to capture those unguarded moments with a click.

Washington State Ferries #2 -- M/V Evergreen State

Before its recent decommissioning, the Evergreen State was Washington State's oldest running ferry, operating between 1954 and the end of 2015. For most of that career, up to mid-2014, it was stationed right here in the San Juan Islands.

As I write this, the state is trying to auction it off, but no one's bidding! I have to admit, I was tempted. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live aboard a ferry? Well, maybe that's an outlandish dream for a single family to pull off. On the other hand, why doesn't Friday Harbor or San Juan County or the San Juan Community Home Trust buy it and convert it to apartments or dormitories to ease the current housing shortage?

Save the Evergreen State!