Monday, May 21, 2007

Manic Monday #13: Graphic

I learned about the Mosaic Generator from fellow Pinay blogger Irene, who seems to be on extended hiatus. I couldn't include everyone here, I'm sorry. (Besides, a lot of you don't have self-portraits on your blogs while some have faux-portraits! But where I could, I took the liberty of using non-blog pictures to which I have access, hehe.)



Graphics technology can be so amazing sometimes, especially to hicks like me. Case in point, this Image Mosaic Generator. You upload a picture and it generates a mosaic for you. Hundreds or thousands of pictures placed together just so, coming together just so to form a unique, familiar whole.

But isn't that what we are in real life? Zillions of bits and pieces from the past, perhaps even the future, all coming together to mold what we are in the Here and Now? The numerous parts of our past, our thoughts and actions, the people and events that influenced us or made an impact somehow, combined with our hopes and dreams for the future, all these contribute to the big picture of our lives as we're living them now.

There are some parts of the picture that make us squirm, elements of ourselves that we'd rather do without. But these things are parts of what make each life mosaic so interesting, so unique. I think each of us regrets certain parts of our past (though many won't admit to it). Regretting doing too much or too little.

But where there's regret, there's also hope. Each life is a dynamic mosaic; as long as we breathe and live, we're always adding to it, changing it, enriching it.

Death itself is powerless against these mosaics in the general scheme of things. For even when the day comes that we cease to breathe and our flesh dissolves into ashes and dust, we still live on -- as an infinitesimal part of somebody else's mosaic.



See links to many other Manic Monday participants over at Morgen's It's a Blog Eat Blog World.

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know...I didn't think that Mosaic generator was working anymore. I saw that on Irene's site months ago, had some fun with it, and then the next time it went there, the operator said she had to shut it down because her service provider complained she was gumming up the works. I'm glad it's back in action. Thanks for including me...the symbolism behind adding mosaics of us all to your blog was especially nice.

Kiyotoe said...

that was deep lovely! Of course i'm saddened that you've never scrolled to the bottom of my page to see my hidden portrait, but it's okay.....

sniff....sniff....

i still luv you. ;)

Scott from Oregon said...

You, missy, are a photo poacher!

That was pretty cool, even on dial up...

Ian said...

Hey, wow! It's me! And a whole lotta other folks too! Neat!

Thanks, Lizza!

Ian

little things said...

Wow...that is very cool, and I am honored to have been included! Rather interesting sort, aren't we all?
Thanks, Lizza!

christine said...

Very well said, as usual! :)

Lizza said...

Gale: Glad you liked both the presentation and the thoughts behind it. :-) Thanks, Gale.

Kiyotoe: A thousand apologies! I've corrected my oversight. Take a look again? :-D

Scott: Haha! I'm a poacher, now that's cool.

Ian: You're welcome. :-)

Marlayna: Crazy patchwork quilts, that's what we are.

Christine: Thanks! So good to see you here again.

Travis Cody said...

You floor me with this kind of profound comparison. The picture graphic itself is very cool. But your analysis...outstanding.

Thanks so much.

Gattina said...

No ! I have to sing "Non, rien de rien je ne regrette rien" from Edith Piaf which means I don't regret anything.Good for me, lol !

Anonymous said...

wow, that is an awesome program--I'm going to try that--have a great Monday!

iz said...

Yay! There I am! Thanks Lizza!

Anonymous said...

wow great idea of todays theme. and i love your profound post.

H said...

AhAHAHAHAHA. that's three awesome scat ladies. [one very questionable lady in there too].

HAHAHAHAHA.

But very very nice.

where's Lovely herself though?

Shaz said...

Excellent take on graphics x x

Anonymous said...

that was fun!

if I'd known you were going to do it I would have sent you a pic

Anonymous said...

Clever girl - slightly disturbed about the reference to the future though. My photo was taken several years ago, I've changed a bit. [ For heaven's sake don't let Nursemyra send a picture]

ShadowFalcon said...

"For even when the day comes that we cease to breathe and our flesh dissolves into ashes and dust, we still live on -- as an infinitesimal part of somebody else's mosaic."

What a fantastic motion. Some of us have faux pictures cos we hate photos of ourselves like me!

y.Wendy.y said...

What a labour of love! You are ab fab Lizza!

Schmoop said...

Nicely done as always Lizza. And that dude in the bobblehead pic is one handsome fellow. Cheers!!

Mimi Lenox said...

Lizza - Bud showed this to me yesterday. We are honored to be in your mosaic as a couple. It's the first time we've seen "us" like this in the blogosphere away from our own blogs.

You are awesome and I cherish your friendship.

Desert Songbird said...

Nicely done. Nice mosaic, beautiful words.

Foofa said...

That was wonderful to see and read. Thanks for that!

Frank Sirianni said...

Thanks for including lil ol me.
TTFN Lizza

Liz Hill said...

Ahhh Lizza your beautiful effort and wonderful words always amaze me. love you sugar

Smooch

Danielle said...

What a great post on the similarities between a graphic software and our lives.

Happy MM

Be well and enjoy the day.

Anonymous said...

Travis: Thank you. Much appreciated praise from a great writer like you.

Gattina: I used to sing that song, too, haha! Until I realized there were many, many times I failed to act upon certain things, or did too little.

Tegdirb92: Have fun! Thanks for dropping in.

Iz: You're welcome. :-D

Mousey: Thanks. It was fun.

H: You just piqued my curiosity there, soul sis. I couldn't NOT include you. (If you were referring to me, I'm there somewhere, haha!)

Shaz: Thanks!

Nursemyra: I'm waiting...

DaddyP: You look winsome, nevertheless. I want the Good Nurse's pic here!

Shadowfalcon: Thank you. :-) It's always a pleasure to see you here...faux picture or not.

Wendz Ab fab would be you, beauteous one.

Matt: Haha! That he is, my friend. Cheers!

Mimi: As I do yours. The two of you are adorable. I'll be working on my Peace Globe post shortly!

Desert Songbird: Thanks! And thanks for gracing this site with your presence.

Natalie: I'm happy you liked it. Thanks!

Frank: You are such an angel, and a talented one at that! You are a blog friend extraordinaire. Mimi and Gale can attest to that.

Turnbaby: Smooches and gropes to you too, darling.

Danielle: Thank you! Wishing you a great week.

Jenny said...

That is so neat! I really do need to go give it a try!

Michael C said...

That was SO well written!

Anonymous said...

oooh... names as well. now I can't pretend to be DaddyP

Lizza said...

jdoriot: You really should! Thanks for visiting.

Michael: Thank you very much.

Nursemyra: Haha! You pretending to be DaddyP would be so much fun.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

Using mosaics and digitizing pictures brings a new look to familiar images.

Reading your prose, opens the eyes and the mind.

Terrific post Ms. Lizza..and ty for including lil ole me

Kiyotoe said...

Ooooohhh....there I am.

sexxy!!

Lizza said...

Bond: It was my pleasure. :-)

Kiyotoe: Haha! Yes, indeed.

Lisa Ryan said...

excellent graphic post, and thanks for the link!

Unknown said...

Thank you, Lizza!
I so so missed ya... and your excellent posts =)

Lizza said...

Lisa: Glad you liked it. Thanks!

Sanni: You were so missed too. Glad to see you back!

Parlancheq said...

Very cool graphic thingie.

Lizza said...

Glad you think so. :-)

H said...

woman, that's a gorgeous pic of you.

I'm so fulla shit I couldn't see it.

CS said...

I loved the thoughts on our lives as mosaics, and also had to save my little mosaic avatar to me pictures. What a lot of work to get us all onto that slide show - thanks!

Lizza said...

H: But I just love it when you're full of shit. Unhealthy, perhaps, but so lovable! Hugs, hugs, hugs to you.

CS: It was fun to do. I'm so glad you liked it.