Journal Five-Young

Part I
     I've enjoyed Holding On immensely! I love all of the profiles and what they have to say. However, if I were to choose two profiles to remember forever, they would be Louise H. Greving, from the Grotto of Redemption, and the castle builder, Jim Bishop.
     These profiles struck me, even more so than all of the others, because they both had a message that scared me. Father Greving dedicated himself to a single project for his entire life. I personally have yet to find something that has inspired that type of dedication in me, and that is the part that scares me. I fear that I will never find my calling like that, that I will never find something to dedicate my whole life to. Jim Bishop had also found something to dedicate his life to, but his message scared me in a different way. He admitted that he may never finish his project, and that terrifies me. I could not imagine putting all of my time, effort, and money into something and never seeing my vision fulfilled.
     These profiles spoke to me about dedication and sacrifice. The fact that both of these men had found their calling inspires fear and a touch of jealousy in me. I've never experienced that feeling of being completely consumed by a drive or desire to make something. And that fact that both of them knew that they might never accomplish their goals struck me as both terrifying and amazing. Even the possibility of failure did not stop them from pursuing their dreams,

Part II
     It was difficult for me to pick just one picture that I liked the most out of this book. It came close, but I chose Dixie Evans' picture. I loved the composition of it. She is dressed in a saucy gown (which, frankly, emphasized the weightiness of her breast) with a boa around her shoulders, leaning up against a wrought iron frame. Her outfit was simply wonderful, so appropriate for her line of work. The boa and the lusty look on her face hark to the old glamour of her life. I think it was a wonderful idea to have her stand slightly to the side so that the viewer could see the filigree of the iron frame--the design highlighted her femininity. I thought that the background, the barren-looking, shrubby wasteland desert, created an intriguing juxtaposition to her glamorous pose. It made me think how she is past her dancing glory days now that she is older. But, she still stands out as a sex symbol in the midst of that dusty landscape.
     I just have to mention my runner ups for favorite picture: Percy Brigham and Jim Bishop. For Brigham, I loved that they used his profile, which is so dynamic and powerful, and the majestic lighting was perfect. I was fond of the wood paneling on the ceiling too. For Bishop's picture, I loved the lines he cut against the sky as he stood on the top of his castle. If you look closely, you can see the designs on the bricks around the top of the tower, which speaks to how much love and detail he put into his work. The photographer left enough room to see a sweeping slope of a mountain on the side which really gave the picture majesty.