The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

So cool.  I go away for a few days and when I come back I see all these notes and comments!  AWESOME!
Thank you TimberClipse and Anoya!!!!!



And thank you to all of you who favorited!!!  And thank you to all who've decided to watch what I do.  You're awesome!

Gregory

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

...and I'm now one year older.  Uff da!

I figured that maybe I'd show off some of my own deviations this time around.  After all, it's my birthday.  

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

  
Just browsing to see what some of the nature photography deviants have done recently.
I've found lots of lovelies.  
Please enjoy their work.  Visit their pages.  Fave.  Comment.  
Then go and create something beautiful.  



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The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings

I LOST MY CHURCH  by Gregory Synstelien

I lost my church the other day.  Craziest thing.  It just up and left.

Or so it seems.

One thing I know for certain, this is not my church.  The walls, carpet, tables, chairs, pews, pulpit all appear to be the same.  The coffee and the goodies appear to be the same.  The hymns are mostly the same.  The Bible is the exact same Bible.  God is ever present in the scripture and Jesus has never been more real to me.

But not in this building.  Not in these walls.  Not lately.  Or at least it doesn’t seem to be so.  Not to me, anyway.

This past summer when the ELCA passed the resolutions for my church, one of which welcomed people in life-long, monogamous, same-gendered relationships as rostered clergy, I was never prouder.  I was so excited.  Thrilled.  Giddy with the Holy Spirit.  Yes, this was my church!  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  This is the church my dad preached in every Sunday.  This was the church I joined with my mom and the choir, filling it with song.  This was true fellowship.  This was love.  Loving your neighbor as you love yourself.  This is God’s Love.  This is why Jesus died on the cross.  He died for me.  So that I could be part of this wonderful family.

However, the church family I grew up with transformed.  The people and the pastor.   They’re different.  Mostly.  What’s left of them appears to be only shells.  Fearful.  Angry.  Self-righteous, chest thumping shells..  What’s with the paranoid pod people?  So many of them.

The ELCA has gone and done the most loving thing and that very loving thing appears to have knocked the love right out of our pastor and most of the people.  Like an alien invasion.

I hear talk of false prophets and their eyes turn toward me.  Me.

Me?!

Wow.  This is not right.  This is not right at all.  I must have gotten off at the wrong stop.  Made a wrong turn.  Crossed the wrong road.  Maybe I’m lost in a dream that went south.  Way south.  The eyes on me hurt.  The judgment hurts my very soul.  This is not my church.  In my church I used to be able to breathe.  In my church my pastor would smile at me and ask about my day.  In my church every single person would light up my heart with welcome.

Wow.  Not anymore.  I’m stunned.  And I’m so incredibly sad.

The most loving thing happened this past summer and it snatched the love right out of my church.  Right before my eyes.

My heart is aching, but my soul says no.  No.  No.  NO!  No, I didn’t take a wrong turn.  My Dad is still my Dad.  Wise and with God.  My Mom still loves her choir and her bells and her Bible.  The Bible is the very same one I read growing up.  And I know I’m not that false prophet people talk about.  God knows I'm not that false prophet.  I know the ELCA was right with God when the resolutions passed this past August.  They did it with prayer.  They did it with care.  The Holy Spirit was with them as it was with me… then and now.

I know Jesus died for me.  I know he rises again and is in my heart and soul.

As for my church?   Fear can be a deadly work.  Thick and messy.  But I’m on a mission.

God’s mission.

I will find my church.  I know where it is.  My church is in Hawley, Minnesota.  Right where it’s been for well over a hundred years.  The foundation is as strong as it ever was…

…with God.  Working with God’s people.

In the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.)

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

FAVORITES -- SOME OLD, SOME NEW.

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But the wild things cried, "Oh please don't go-- we'll eat you up-- we love you so!"  And Max said, "No!"  by Maurice Sendak from WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

SOME FAVORITES

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

SOME FAVORITES

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The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

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Fight the homophobic Rickroll! [link]

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

Fight the homophobic Rickroll! [link]

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

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Fight the homophobic Rickroll! [link]

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

Thank you for giving me voice and letting me share a bit of myself with deviantArt and your watchers.  

The INTERVIEW
[link]



APRIL SNOW



Bit of trivia:  I used to wait on Charlton Heston and his wife approximately once a week back when I lived in Los Angeles.  He was a great tipper.

Fight the homophobic Rickroll! [link]

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

:butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo::butterflytwo:
Tomorrow's April 1st and I'm feeling the urge for life!  New life!  Springtime life!  Flowers.  FLOWERS.  And more flowers.

If any of you deviants out there have any favorite flowers you'd like me to feature... leave me a link in the comments.  Thanks.



Featured Flowers

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**********************************************************

TRIVIA ABOUT ME

I was born the year Marilyn Monroe died.  She died in July.  
I was born in June.

I was born the same year Spider-man was first published.  Same month, too.  He's gonna be 46 in June.  Same as me.

I was born on Flag Day.  June 14th.

I nearly drowned twice in my life.  Once when I was a baby in diapers.  Evidently they filled up with water and I fell over, face down in a puddle and was unable to right myself.  Second time was when I was twelve and I wanted to swim out to the raft like all the cool kids.  I could only swim face down... periodically looking up to see where I was going.  I was always way off.  I got so tired I started struggling.  I tried to get the other kids swimming near me to know that I was in trouble.  Nobody seemed to pay any attention to me.  I sunk to the bottom of the lake.  I remember the mud being soft and not caring that I was breathing in water.  The next thing I remember is the pain and having my chest pumped on the raft with all the kids staring at me.  Life guard said she saw me one minute.  Turned around to settle a fight happening on the raft.  And the next minute she couldn't find me anywhere... so she dove in and pulled me out of the mud where she guessed I might have gone down.  When I got home my mom was in tears.  She asked me if I was okay... when I said I was, she slapped my face.  Told me to NEVER do that again.

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My Flowers








Create your own visitor map!

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

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I had to feature this fella.  Mainly because he's beautiful AND because he's in the news, right now.  Evidently, a well known golfer hated one of his birdy kin that was making noise, so the golfer took aim and killed the bird... with his golf ball at some 75 feet away.  There's a special place in hell for that particularly "skilled" golfer.


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I just love this picture.  I want to rename it, THEY'RE HERE... after Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist.  Remember the silhouette of the girl in front of the TV... only here it's dolphins.  



I've always loved Matt's Sentries, busy keeping tabs on everything going on outside.  Their attention and focus is very similar to the kids and the dolphins.  Entranced.



My Favorite Emoticon
by



This is a questionnaire I borrowed from someone.  Enjoy.</u>

Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?
No.  I've got boring eyes.  Invisible eyelashes have a bit to do with it, I guess.  When I've been on stage or on camera in Hollywood, I've used mascara and 'voila' my eyes were stunning.  If I were a rock star, I'd be wearing mascara every day.  But since I'm not, I'll have to be satisfied with boring eyes.

What kind of computer do have?
I have a 2003 e-machine PC.  I'm desperate for something much better.  ANYTHING!

What have you learned today?
Governor Spitzer resigned.  His replacement is legally blind... not legally blond.  There's a white killer whale off the coast of Alaska but it's not an albino.  It doesn't have pink eyes.  I learned I don't have time to audition for a one-act musical called "Guys On Ice."  I also learned "Guys On Ice" is a musical about ice fishing and not men twirling around on skates.

How many different people of the opposite sex have you cried over?
Not too many.  I'm gay and have cried buckets over lots of guys throughout my life.  I did cry over a female friend who died.  I cried when my mother got real sick.

Do You Like to Smile?
I used to.  But then I lost one of my eye teeth and haven't been able to get a bridge or a permanent tooth put in.  My insurance calls it cosmetic.  I hate all insurance companies.  Heavy sigh.  

How Tall Are You?
5' 9 3/4 "  but I tell everyone I'm 5'10"

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
Well, I used to want to be President of the United States.  Then I spent years trying to be a famous actor.  Then I spent years just trying to pay the rent with my acting.  Now, I'm a wedding photographer who LOVES nature photography and plans on putting my pictures to good use in a children's book.  Also, I don't plan on growing up.

What Time Do You Usually Wake Up On the Weekends?
Weekends are weddings and church.  Saturdays I'm up at 8 a.m.  Sundays I'm up at 6 a.m.  It used to be that I never got up until 12 noon... I worked as a bartender and never got home until dawn on weekends.

Do You Like Peanut Butter?
I love peanut butter.  I always figured I should cast on Big Brother simply because I LOVE peanut butter and jelly.  Especially nutty peanut butter.  I especially LOVE Reeces Peanut Butter Cups.

How much did you weigh when you were born?
I weighed about 8 pounds.  I think it was all my head, too.  I have a big fat head.  Charlie Brown was one of my nicknames growing up.

What brand of body lotion do you use?
Lubriderm.  However, I'm trying to ween myself off petroleum products.

Should country music die?
Of course not.  It should be mandatory listening.  Especially the sad 'lost my man to a whore in D.C.' songs.

If you could live in any other country, which one would you pick?
Texas.  They're a weird breed of folk down there and I think I'd LOVE to shoot a documentary on what keeps them from killing themselves.  However, if it turns out that Texas is actually a honest-to-goodness state and the folk aren't any different from me... then I'll enjoy visiting Australia.

Where were you when you heard about the World Trade Towers?
I was at my computer in California writing a screenplay about the gay son of an Islamic terrorist.  The terrorist's wife converted to Judaism and fled with her gay son from Iran to Colorado.  I called my screenplay, "Rocky Mountain Oysters."

Are camera phones worth it?
I'm not sure.  I haven't been able to catch any nefarious activity, yet.

Are there too many commercials on tv?
Of course, unless it's my show that needs funding... then, no.

How many times have you moved?
I moved from Aurora to Minneapolis to Moorhead to Richmond to New York City to Los Angeles... back to Minnesota.  In Richmond, I moved about 7 times to different apartments with different roommates.  Same in NYC and only three times in Los Angeles.

What color are your bed sheets?
Olive Green flannel.

What would you look for in choosing a roommate?
Currently I'm looking for somebody til death do us part.  Someone who loves to cuddle and smooch.  Someone who loves watching caterpillars metamorphosis into moths or butterflies.  Someone who wouldn't mind lots and lots of pets.  Someone who loves watching the Oscars and going to movies.  Someone who loves to hike and camp and canoe.

Do you ever keep arguing even when you know you’re wrong?
I used to.  Now (with medication) I don't.

What are the top traits you look for in a male/female?
Common decency.  Common sense.  Good hygiene.  Self-respect.

Do long distance relationships work?
Eventually you'll have to move closer.  Depends on how lengthy the separation.

Scubadiving or Skydiving?
Skydiving.  I get too claustrophobic underwater.

Is there anyone you'd die for?
Of course.  I'm sure it would be split second decision... but I'd have your back.

Spell your name without an E,R,S,H,K,I,M,A:
GGOY WN YNTLN

What are you listening to?
CNN... Wolf Blitzer.

Is any part of your body sore?
My toe.  My shoulder.  My eye duct.  My nose. (pimple inside)

Are you happy with your life right now?
I was.  Now I'm miserable.  I want a boyfriend and money to spare.

Are you missing anyone?
Yes.  My friends, Naia and Dan, who moved to Hawaii.  Naia had her baby and I can't afford to see them.  Drives me bonkers.

How do you earn money?
I'm a wedding photographer.  I also shoot high school seniors and babies.

Are you outgoing?
I used to be extremely outgoing, especially when I drank.  Now, after years and years of embarrassing moments, I'm a bit more discerning in my behavior.  I'm still outgoing, just not in a slobbering intoxicated way.

Where do you wish you were right now?
Hawaii.

Are you slowly drifting away from someone close?
Yes, it happens, though.  You move to a different place and time goes by where you haven't seen or heard from them.  It takes effort to stay in touch.  I always have good intentions to do just that.  But, out of sight, out of mind... and life moves on.

When was the last time you felt unbearably guilty?
A few years ago when my dad walked in on me while I was watching a video and massaging myself.  It was the height of embarrassment and the guilt he played on me was unbearable.  What if your mother was to have seen you?  Don't you have anything better to do with your time?  Get a job!  All that coming from my Lutheran Minister father.  Even though I don't believe I was doing anything wrong, I would have died if my mother had walked in and I did end up going out to mow the lawn and even eventually got a job.

When was the last time you held someone’s hand?
This is depressing.  I think I'm gonna cry.  Well, I did get all spiritual in church and everyone held hands at that time.. quite awhile ago.

Who can you tell everything to?
Everything?  God.  My therapist.  Otherwise, it's not wise to reveal 'everything' to any one given person.  That would be like vomiting on someone's feet and expecting them to be happy about it.

Last words you spoke?
"Tell Dylan I hope he gets better, soon.  Talk to you later.  Bye."

What is your natural hair color?
Blond.  The older I get the mousier it seems.  I do have reddish hues in my hair... it's the Irish parts of me.

What is the next concert you're going to?
Concert?  I haven't been to a concert since Cheap Trick in 1979.  I probably won't be going to one anytime, soon.  I'm a fuddy duddy, now.  Amplified noise bothers me.

Can you play guitar hero?
I don't know what this means.  I can't play guitar.  However, I could play a hero.  Twenty years of acting classes have conditioned me to better play the villain, but I'm positive I could also play the hero.

Do you like someone?
Are you kidding?  I like all kinds of people.  But, do I 'like' like someone?  Hmm.  Yes.  No.  Maybe.  Depends.  Too many broken hearts... gotta keep my 'liking' under wraps until I'm absolutely positive.  It's why I'm still single.  That and I won't get into another abusive loveless relationship.

Do you prefer warm or cold weather?
Warm, I hate the cold.  And yet, I live in the great white north.  I have tons of snow in the yard that I shoveled out of the driveway.  I did build a snowman, yesterday.  Used fishing bobbers for the eyes, nose and mouth.  It was a warm 45 degrees out.  I even got up on the roof and chipped the ice so that it'd stop dripping inside the living room.

Who is your last text from?
I don't text.  I don't know how to text.  My 16-yr-old niece texts.  She can text behind her back.  She speaks text.  It's a generational thing, I think.  A generation that's not mine.

Who did you last share a bed with?
My ex of twelve years.

Do fish have feelings?
They have nerve endings so they can feel touch and I can only imagine they could also feel pain.  Do they have feelings?  I kinda doubt it... but then, I don't speak fish.

How old do you think you will be when you finally have kids?
This questionnaire wasn't meant for me or anyone my age.  But... I'm not having kids.  I've got over a dozen nieces and nephews... some who're already in college.  They're awesome kids.  Love, love, love every last one of them.  And what's even better, they love me, too.

Would you rather watch football or baseball?
On tv?  Neither.  Live?  Football with my boyfriend.  My future boyfriend, that is.

What's the strangest fact about you?
I learned to drive at the age of thirty... then drove cross country to Los Angeles, crying nearly the whole way.  It was a phobia I forced myself to overcome.

Is there someone on your mind that shouldn't be?
Of course.  Always some straight guy, too.  Tragic.

What made you happy today?
Chocolate chip cookies in the refrigerator.

Where did your last hug take place?
At church.  Marsha who's fighting breast cancer got a hug from me.  She's miserable with chemo and her low white blood cell count.  I told her I loved her pink hat.  She said she was lazy and didn't feel like putting on her wig.  I said that's okay, I love you no matter what.

Do people tell you that you're pretty a lot?
When I was in high school and they weren't giving me a compliment.  Now, I yearn for the pretty days of my youth.  Stupid, huh?

If you had to wait for a person or move on to something better, which one?
I hate waiting.  If it gets to be a half-hour, I make a call and plan on doing something else.

What is one thing people say to you a lot?
Shush.

Have you ever regretted letting someone go?
Yes.  He was in love with me.  I was into sowing my oats.  Dumb, dumb, dumb.  But, I was young and very foolish.

When is the next time you will kiss someone?
Well, I don't smoke, anymore.  Hopefully, it won't be too long into the future.  However, I do live in the middle of the country and there aren't all that many gay guys within kissing distance.  Could be tough.

Were you smiling when you woke up this morning?
Actually, I think I was.  I think it was gas, though.

Which is more romantic: sunrise or sunset.
Sunsets at the moment.  Mainly because the western sky is favorable to a great sitting area in my back yard.

Quick, say a verse from any movie?
We're gonna need a bigger boat.

If someone did like you, how should they let you know?
Any and every way their heart desires.

How was your day?
So far so good.  However, this questionnaire is getting a bit tiresome.

Are you scared of spiders?
Are you kidding?  I LOVE spiders.  Awesome creatures.

Do you believe in love?
Love is all there is.  If there was no love, there would be no worth in life.  Nothing worth living for.  God is love.  Love is God.

Are you pregnant?
I had a dream that I was, one time.  Weird dream.  I think it was after I watched Knocked Up.

When do you want to get married?
As soon as possible.  As soon as love permits.

Do you curse a lot?
Boy, did I ever.  But not anymore.  Why?  Self-discipline.  Cursing can be such lazy talk and as a writer, I set out to not be so lazy.  Also, it would bother my parents and I have loads of respect for them.  Do I oppose it?  Not really.  Am I bothered by it?  Only if it's completely unnecessary and completely out of place and it's done to shock or be shocking.  But if it's in a venue where it's expected and prevalent... I couldn't care less.

What are your favorite books?
JRR Tolkien, Stephen King, Anne Rice.  Haven't been doing a whole heck of a lot of reading, lately.

Do you wish you were with someone right now?
Of course.  What's with these stupid questions?

Are you happier single or in a relationship?
In a relationship... when I'm not having the crap beaten out of me.  Otherwise, being single has mega advantages.

Do you believe that people deserve a second chance?
That's a tough one.  Depends.  What's the crime?

What is bugging you right now?
This questionnaire.  So I'm going to end it, soon.

What is your opinion about George Bush?
He's a criminal and needs to be out of office.

How's your heart lately?
I eat Cheerios every single day.  It should be quite healthy.

What are your outlooks on gay/bisexual relationships?
Hmm.  Bisexual relationships mean they're having relations with both at the same time.  Not good.  Choose.  One or the other.

Where are you going on vacation next?
I can't afford a vacation just, yet.  But, Wyoming seems like it would be awesome.  I'd love to photograph wolves.

Do you have any siblings?
Yes.  One brother and three sisters.

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
e. e. cummings</B>

:thumb78851709:
I had to feature this fella.  Mainly because he's beautiful AND because he's in the news, right now.  Evidently, a well known golfer hated one of his birdy kin that was making noise, so the golfer took aim and killed the bird... with his golf ball at some 75 feet away.  There's a special place in hell for that particularly "skilled" golfer.


:thumb78905175:
I just love this picture.  I want to rename it, THEY'RE HERE... after Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist.  Remember the silhouette of the girl in front of the TV... only here it's dolphins.  



I've always loved Matt's Sentries, busy keeping tabs on everything going on outside.  Their attention and focus is very similar to the kids and the dolphins.  Entranced.