circles of influence

I truly believe that in every one's life there are circles of influence, or layers of understanding.  That each persons reality or world view, their political leanings, their attitude in life is bent by these different circles.  The closer they are to a person's core, the greater the bending of the world around them.  It also dictates how we spend our day, the kind of media we consume, and how we act on a daily basis.

Just as a rough example I will use food and printed word.

1. gammies meat loaf, your mother's diary
2. round rock donuts, your church bulletin
3. hamburgers, USA Today

The things in the inner layer are all personal.  They are only shared by a handful of people over the course of your whole life.

The things in the next layer are all unique to your community or town.  A few hundred to ten's of thousands of people get to share these with you.

The outer layer are things that you share with everyone.  There isn't really anything special about these until you are out of the country (ever wanted that hamburger when you are in Europe? its the best McDonalds you ever tasted).

Of course there are many more layers than three.  But it makes it much easier to understand by simplifying it.  I believe it works kind of like a whirlpool, the closer you get to the center the higher the magnitude of the pull and the greater the influenced on your world.  Which explains why you can feel closer with some people over others even when it seams like they should be the same.

That's why you are closer to some of your friends than others.  Even if to outsiders it seems like they have flaws (don't we all), it doesn't matter to you.  They understand the moments that shape your life.

cool, no worries, it is what it is.

-G-

Small cardboard people

Just passing this along, enjoy.

Via This Blog Rules | Why go elsewhere? by Marko

Anton Tang, a talented artist and blogger from Singapore, has taken to the habit of photographing plastic “cardboard people” in typical, everyday settings and environments.

The special thing about these photos is that they add life to the tiny characters, and that gives you the impression that they all have a story to tell. The photos themselves are absolutely stunning. The right combination of lighting and angles makes the “cardboard people” look average-sized and not small.
Another artist has done a similar thing by using small cement figures and placing them on the streets of several European cities.