THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley

Tag Archives: time


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And we’re off

Is a week a week?

A new week, so says the calendar. I’m not really on a schedule, but so many others I interface with are on that work schedule which begins today. Mine has no beginning and end. It’s just when I decide to take a break.

It’s somewhat different not having that weekly reset. The weekly staff meeting reviewing last week’s work and the coming weeks ahead hasn’t been part of my life for a few years now.

Those short- and long-term goals list that the manager wanted is long gone and I just add and subtract as I want now. Nobody but myself reviews my performance.

I’ll always be wishing my children a good week ahead on Monday. Asking my better half what we have this week is still pretty much my routine. And wishing my best friends a good week at the job is a Monday habit even before I retired.

The shows on tv sometimes remind me of the day of the week. Doing the daily blog always keeps me aware of the date and day. But the further removed I get from that weekly cycle, the more relaxed and freer I feel.

So, while I wish you all a great week ahead, I’m taking it more day by day and seeing what life brings me.

I haven’t missed the commute back and forth to work at all. But I have become too much of a homebody and need to get out more.

In the background I hear the local news talking about possible snow. I’m going to keep a brighter outlook and ignore that nonsense. I can hibernate for a few more days if needed.

Photo by Mike Hartley

Photography Thoughts of the Day

  • Uploading prints to my photo site is pleasing. Making prints makes me happy.
  • One of today’s assignments is to finish shooting all the family cameras I have collected. I’ll post them here when finished editing.
  • An old camera can take a fine picture. At least that is what I’m hoping, most of mine are old.
  • Textures have been appealing to me lately. I ran a few shots of wood this past week. I’m photographing some more.
  • I’m going to try to finish reading the book – The Photographers Playbook in the next day or two.


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Gifted Time

Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received. – I believe I’ll answer this question from the daily prompt a bit differently than previous attempts.

The gift of time is one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. The times I’ve survived car accidents. The times I’ve survived cancer. Those were wake up calls to the special gift of time each day. The time to hold my better half’s hand. The time to do this blog or take a photograph. The time and warmth of a shower.

Time is the gift you can never get enough of. Unless you’re in jail, I guess.

Time is something I took for granted at one point. I still slip now and then but for the most part I’m appreciating and using the gift of time to spread other gifts. We are only what we do with our time here with each other.

Time is a gift not to be wasted. I’m off to a great start this week in making good use of time. And right now, I’m going to get up and spend some time exercising and give my body a gift.

Have a great morning all.

Time is a gift. Photo by Mike Hartley


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Sands

The daily prompt wants to know – How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life?

Sounds like more of a question for a book instead of a blog post. Both time and events greatly influence my perspective.

For instance, getting married gave me an entirely different life than if I had stayed single. Staying married for almost a half century has shown me things and presented many gifts I didn’t dream of as a youth and has been a wonderful way to experience time.

Sometimes it stands still, but mostly it flies by. I can still see her walking up the aisle with her father. Now with a bunch of grandchildren. I blinked my eyes and wow, here I am. All those things in between have given me a true sense of what is important in life.

My father, passing at a young age has affected me all my life. But the passage of time has made it possible for me to deal with it better.

Retirement changed my perspective about work and careers.

I’ve been around and worked for some very strong women. My mom being the first one of course as a single mother.

When I think of the passage of time, I relate that to all the decisions I’ve made along the way. Some good, some not so. I learned a lot by watching the results of other people’s decisions, so I don’t have to make those mistakes.

The sands of time. That piece was about a foot tall. Photo by Mike Hartley


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Need Time?

The daily writing prompt asks – Do you need time?

A bizarre question. I assume everyone needs time. Well maybe those who are doing time don’t want more but speaking personally, I want as much time as possible.

What I want more though is to be productive in lots of things in the time I do have. I saw a movie recently and it had the line – “Time is luck” -and the response was “Luck run out” when two had to part at the end. Sort of like a statement on life.

Some are very unfortunate and have very little time. I’ve been blessed and have had lots of time. I’d love to have lots more because I’m so happy with what I’m doing with time now.

I put some of that in last year’s post called The Sands of Time.

I need to spend some time visiting my parents. Photo by Mike Hartley

See if others want time here


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Gatekeeper

Working on being a better gatekeeper of my time and realizing how important that is. The better I am at it, the happier I seem to be. I allow myself to get sidetracked too often, but I’m working hard on being a finisher.

I was proud of myself when I saw my screen time on the phone to 1 hour a day last week. That is my goal to stay under that each day. And I’d like to get it down to 30 minutes a day max in the future.

Making my gate stronger than this one. Photo by Mike Hartley

I’m reducing my TV time and spending some time on the treadmill while watching.

Focusing and concentrating on important things is the key, even when you get tired or distracted. Returning to the mission, not getting discouraged and finishing what is started.

So let the good things pass the gate, proceed past the small pond and continue the path along the wood line. Success is out there someplace.

Fall colors are starting. Photo by Mike Hartley

Random Thoughts of the Day

  • Yesterday was very relaxing.
  • Weather forecasters are really good about telling you what it’s going to do in the next hour. See you can find something nice to say about someone if you try.
  • A good day is when you speak to all your grown children.
  • I wonder if a movement to support a federal worker is needed. The people that are responsible for managing them certainly are failing.
  • I didn’t do much shooting yesterday, but I did a ton of editing and uploading. I need to reverse that today and take advantage of the color outside.


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All of them

The daily writing prompt asks – What’s your favorite time of day?

That is a tough one because I really like all parts of the day. And the reason for that is because my schedule has always been all over the place so the time for enjoyment has moved all around the clock.

I once had a shift where I got off at 2 or 3am. Talk about having the roads and highways to yourself. I worked in DC at the time and that town is another thing at night. Both beautiful and dangerous. Looking down streets that are usually clogged with traffic and seeing no cars. Intersections filled with people only a few hours later empty except for the flashing walk/don’t walk lights.

Sometimes I’d just sit outside when I got home and listen to nothing but the sounds of nature. And maybe a cow mooing in the distance. And the times it snowed the quiet was incredible. Sometimes the only sound was the snow falling.

I guess my next favorite time of day is early morning like 6am – 9am. The last 10 years of my career before I retired, I got off work at 6am. And after an 11-12 hour shift, I was just so relieved to be able to relax.

At times I’d just take back roads home from work to unwind and at times stopping to watch the sunrise. Or just get home and sit and decompress. Being retired I still rise early so this is now exercising time and creative time. I feel fresh in the early morning and love to accomplish things and get the day’s plan outlined.

Not having to report to work any longer, my days are free so that is now becoming time with my better half who is also retired. And what’s not to like about that.

Evenings are great. The occasional happy hour with friends, great meals with my better half and sunsets.

Nights are great also. I love the evening skies and a full moon. Listening to the wind blow through the trees at night and the lightning bugs flashing randomly in front of you in every direction.

It’s usually time for a little rest but occasionally, there is the all-nighter.

Photo by Mike Hartley

See others favorites times of day here


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Time thoughts

Which activities make you lose track of time? – Not a bad question from the daily writing prompt.

There have been so many over my lifetime that it’s hard to recall. They say time flies when you’re having fun and I’ve guess I’ve had my share because time certainly has gotten away from me.

In some ways it’s okay to lose track of time if you’re doing it for the right reasons. But time is a precious gift and one not to be wasted.

  • The endless games played as a youth. From whole days spent on the basketball courts to even the early days of tag, time would always seem irrelevant. Riding bikes, playing in the snow or a stream would pass hours that seemed like a second.
  • As I grew up, working hard would always make me lose track of time. But before you knew it the workday was over.
  • Sitting on a beach always seems to melt away any sense of time. Only the sun changing positions in the sky late in the day shakes me to the time.
  • Being with my family is an easy one to lose track of time with. Most of the time it seems they are leaving just after getting here, but it’s usually been hours.
  • When I’m photographing or writing sometimes time will get away from me.
  • My best friends and I have a weekly vigil. Just to blow off steam and share some stories. We always lose track of time on those nights.
  • Laying in the hammock looking at the clouds slowly moving across the sky.
  • Watching YouTube videos and listening to music.
  • When we travel, time seems to disappear.
Time is a gift. Photo by Mike Hartley

See other replies to today’s question here


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Sands of time

How do you waste the most time every day? – A very good question from the daily writing prompt to remind me to get away from these faults.

I would say watching TV or Videos are the worst.

I also waste time thinking about what I should be doing instead of doing it. I waste time worrying about if what I’m doing is good enough. I waste time after I’ve completed something worrying about if I should have been doing something else.

Wasting time is something I’ve done too much of. It is one of my regrets. I could have accomplished so much more. That is why I’m trying to take advantage of each day now and make the most of it. The adage – better late than never – is what I work with now.

Not that I haven’t worked very hard in my careers, I did and continue to. But if I was smarter with my time, I’d have a lot more to show for it.

Time is a gift not to be wasted.

Photo by Mike Hartley

View other responses here


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How much

I think peoples first thought when hearing “how much,” they think of monetary meanings. I think of it in time. There is nothing more valuable than time. It’s usually non-negotiable. Being a little older now I think of time a lot. Well, I don’t think about it as much, as I do try to use it wisely and as much of it as I can.

I finding myself getting more selective about who I spend it with and where. I’m making choices more about what I’m doing with that time. I’m not manically going from one thing to the next, in fact I do take more time now to appreciate moments that I would just move too quickly from in the past.

While I’m anxious to get more work created, I still take time to listen to a song or a little humor from a comedian so I can laugh and smile. After watching the grandkids for the day I’m walking around picking up toys with a painful back, but a smile on my face for having the time with them.

Taking the time to watch the sunrise and sunsets is one of my favorites.

Each wave is like a life event. They just keep coming, till they don’t. Photo by Mike Hartley

I spent a lot of time in my life working. A lot. Probably more than I should have. And it’s too late to change that mistake. I don’t sleep well so I probably am awake more than the average person so that gives me a few more hours a day. Of course I may pay for that down the road.

The time it took my children to grow up went way too fast in looking back. And now the years seem to be passing quickly again watching grandchildren grow.

So what do I do with the wonderful gift of time I have today?

Random Thoughts of the Morning

  • I think the thing I liked about the band The Who, was that they all wanted to play lead and each one the loudest.
  • There are a tremendous amount of good people. I just wished they would speak out more often.
  • That morning shower felt extra good today.
  • This is one of the rare occasions I get to use Mother Nature against herself. I’d guess there is about 4 inches of snow on the ground. Some rain is predicted later and tomorrow it will be near 50. Melting is preferable to shoveling.


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Wonder

I see I’m not the only one wondering how life went by so fast.

Photo by Mike Hartley

I wonder where the day goes.

A blink of an eye, and so many opportunities lost.

Each interaction missed.

We are each alone in our own time.


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The sands of Time

Do you need time? – The Daily writing prompt asks the obvious.

You bet I need time. I’ve got lots of love to share. I’ve got tons of creative ideas to put to screen and paper. I’ve got a desire to put many more miles on the car. I’ve got boatloads of energy to play with my grandchildren.

I need time to improve my cooking skills. I need time to walk and explore many more places. I need time to learn how to properly relax. I need time to learn many new things. I need time to put my toes in the sand and listen to the waves hitting the shore again.

I’ve got books to write that require lots of time. I’ve got people to help and we all know that is time-consuming. I’ve got to get the basement cleaned because if time runs out on me, my better half is not going to be happy.

I’ve never had the time, in life, to do many things I love. I finally have that and I’d like some more. So maybe a better answer would have just been YES, I NEED TIME.

Time to VOTE. Photo by Mike Hartley

Other responses to this daily writing prompt question.


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It varies

What’s your favorite time of day? – The Daily writing prompt inquires.

My first thought was early mornings. I usually wake around 4 am, sometimes earlier. That time just before sunrise and that first light of day is wonderful. So quiet and peaceful. Wildlife is still out and about. The air smells fresh.

After a quick stretch, my body probably feels the best it will all day. My mind is clear and I have some alone time for my thoughts and hobbies. It is also the only time of day I allow myself a bottle of Coke. So I savor and enjoy it.

Then I thought my favorite was anytime I spent quality time with my better half.

Friday mornings were pretty special for years when my granddaughter would run to me at the front door to spend the day with us.

About once a week I gather with my two best friends one evening and that is a favorite time of day.

On Sundays it’s dinnertime.

Sometimes favorite times of days sneak up on you. Like when your children call unexpectedly just to chat and tell us they love us.

The more I think about this though there isn’t a point in the day that I don’t love. And I’ve done extensive research on all 24 hours of the day after many many years of night shifts. There is something special about every hour of the day if you’re willing to look for it.

Early mornings are cool. At Bethany Beach Delaware. Photo by Mike Hartley

Other responses found here


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Of Course

Was today typical? – The Daily Writing prompt throws a softball to start the week.

Let’s see, it’s 3:40 am so the day is young but it started pretty normal. Typically I’m up before the sun, start to stretch, and exercise a bit. And of course at the computer. I’ve downloaded some shooting from last week for editing and of course blogging here.

As is typical there are yard and home chores on the agenda, a haircut, and turning the tires on the Miata. I will talk to friends and family and hopefully see some. I’ve turned on the lights in the workroom so the Dremel tool will probably spring to life today which isn’t typical.

And just like any typical day, there is the possibility of great joy or sorrow or both. Regardless I’m getting a start at a positive attitude for the morning. And that usually begins with some music. Today’s first video was a song called Simple Man by Bad Company from Wembley Stadium.

It will be a typical day in that it will fly by like a blink of an eye. Seems like a few sentences ago I was saying welcome to July. Well so much for time.

I hope it’s filled with love and laughter.

The sun will be out and there is also a chance of rain so that is typical weather for this time of year in the mid-Atlantic. If I’m slick I’ll get in a good ride and the cover on the car before the rain.

Sorry, got lost watching a few Olympic events. I love sports.

Whatever it brings, I’m a Big Fan of each day so I try to make each unique.

Photo by Mike Hartley


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Where did the time go?

Which activities make you lose track of time? – Another question from the Daily Writing prompt that needs another TOP 10 List.

  1. Listening to music.
  2. Rolling around with my better half.
  3. Pleasure cruising in my Miata with the top down.
  4. Watching comedy clips
  5. The weekly vigil with my two best friends. Always seems like we are just getting started after 4-5 hours and it’s time to call it a night. Keep in mind these are weeknights and they still work.
  6. Doing home/yard chores. Sometimes a whole day gets away from me.
  7. Writing
  8. Editing photos
  9. Laying on the beach on Crusin weekend listening to hot rods on Ocean Highway.
  10. When I was on vacation from work I would lose track of time. Now that I’m retired I lose track of time all the time.
  11. Oh, a bonus one – when I get time with my grandchildren.
Before you know it another day has gone around. Photo by Mike Hartley

Again, smarter replies can be found here: https://wordpress.com/tag/dailyprompt-2001


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Mid-week blues

It’s funny that I still look at the week as a measurement of work, even a few months into retirement. Here I am sitting, thinking I’m behind on several things I wanted to do this week like I’m working for someone or on an hourly budget or there is a deadline from someone else.

For a second this morning, I was going to beat myself up for sleeping in and walking into my office well after sunrise which is not the norm. Then I smiled and said, slow down, you’re doing fine, look around at the work you have done in a couple of months.

I wonder if that will change in time. After being on a schedule for so many decades it’s ingrained I guess? Just like my sleep patterns, which remain screwed up after the last decade of overnight shifts. I know, that I’m still a little giddy that I’m retired and reveling in the possibilities while working hard on the ones I set out on.

Sheltered paths are safe but you see more walking on the roof. Photo by Mike Hartley

Random Thoughts of the Day

  • Is a writer both a lead singer and lyricist?
  • Somedays I get the urge to throw my leg over a big V-Twin and go for a ride. Those days I have to avoid driving past the local bike shop.
  • The hard part about doing art for me is knowing when I’m finished.
  • That Jersey Mike’s sub was good this evening.