It is one thing to come up with an idea. It is another to make it a part of your day. With a tripod and a digital camera, I began this little pass time of panoramic photography. I started three weeks ago, in the attempts to capture the fall leaves, while at a truck stop, in Mahwah, New Jersey. Two weeks later, I explored the idea of attempting a 360° panoramic view, in Barry, Illinois. Both was done in four minutes time, and before my start of my work day. The first was in the morning, and the second, as the sun began to set.  I wouldn’t be able to continue with any software to “stitch” the programs, until after I had time to sit, but the effort of taking a four minute exercise was not in the activity itself, but telling myself to “just do it”.

      For the most part, time down means relaxing or “blowing off steam”. Rarely does anyone envision the purpose of passing the time by creating something. In fact, many rather enjoy knowing their part is being entertained by seeing the results a creator has done. But a picture makes a statement. It is art. And, it is a means of productively passing the time, and sharing the results. It is always fun to share a picture, the human means of freezing a place in time for all to see. Well, why not make it a challenge or goal? Software is available to help you pass the time and experiment with changing shades, themes, making watermarks, or writing a story to go with the picture. The writing allows you to express what you were feeling at the time a picture was made. Making a collogue, or even building activities in the form of letters and greeting cards are ways of self expression. The concept is to develop the imagination, that may spark other ideas. Over time and experimentation, those past activities may hold a purpose or solution to later activities that may be related to work or a social event. Instead of waiting for a needed result, by experimenting and learning to pass the time helps develop a skill or knack that may be useful when an activity is important. Of course, someone else may be hired or called upon to help you find a result. But, why not try it on your own. The reward is evident. By making something yourself and sharing it, you become noticed, for good, and sometime bad or ridicule. No matter. You get to enjoy passing the time creating something, instead of being amongst the millions of spectators waiting to be entertained.

       Finding a project or idea typically comes from inspiration or curiosity. Pictures and presentation is one of the most enjoyable, playful, and rewarding past times that are cost effective, since everyone has a computer and a camera. There are many free picture software to experiment with. They even come with ideas, suggestions, and help, to try out new ideas, and develop something you have never tried before. Even experimenting with a camcorder can challenge one to alter a typical picture and create a new and pleasing, and sometimes purposely capture a “troubled” result, that intrigues the viewer to take a second look. Thus, it is art. To get started, you can check out Microsoft or Apples webpage’s to seek a totally different pass time project. They give you plenty of practice downloads to experiment with. Once you find a style you wish to share, you can now invest in a software product, and a company known as ArcSoft has some good and inexpensive software of all kinds, relating to visual art, such as photography. If your more of a doodler, well the simple Paint or Draw programs are already part of you operating software. Other who find this a challenging pleasure might invest in products from Corel. If your a writer, there is a Centex webpage that will have a free software expressly for every type of writing theme, to include plays and manuscripts for screen writing. As you get better, they have a more professional version to invest into.

      Its all about self expression. Being productive with your personal time, and sharing. Who knows, even in these economical times, it may lead to a career, and it may spark a business. It all starts with an individual, and idea, practice and experimenting, and leads to visions and purpose. All this can take time. But time is something that passes whether it is utilized or not. Make art projects, turn it into a blog. Use what is available, or download a free software. Research what is available, and then, simply pass your time…and create.