Gone fishing

Will be away from Dublin for upwards to a week. Got invited to go on a large fishing boat for about a week. Will be stopping in Galway, then out west into the Atlantic and back. 

An Baile Bocht

Went for a stroll today through a neighborhood known as An Baile Bocht, in Irish. The English translation is the poor town. I was politely informed of this bar by a pub patron who caught site of my camera as I passed by. A good guy who tipped me towards a seaside town, Howth. I'll head that way by train tomorrow. The plan is to wake early. For now, signs and empty parks. 

red

in flight

I opened my eyes this morning to a sunrise like never before. Irish mountains peaked in the distance. Golden clouds played below me. Looking out the window I saw my new home. 

Outside night falls on a city I do not know, but will spend time soon beating the streets. Youth clamor arm-in-arm down a narrow road, asking me for a cigarette. Painted doors. Accents. An urban bustle that is not familiar, nor is it foreign. 

I sat at the tourist central, O'Connell Sreet, surrounded by my bags, a green one, red one, camera, old guitar case. They spilled around me in ease as I stretched my legs. The anxiety left me. Ireland surrounded me. Though, the rush of past travels wasn't present. I wasn't in a hurry to drain drinks at the pub. See the sites. No pressure. That's the beauty of relocation, versus travel. 

new web site

johnpaulhenry.com is back up and running. check it out. pass it along. will be updating regularly with projects once settled in Ireland. prints, images and rights can be bought by clicking on an image, which will take you to a photoshelter page. 

Correct

Much coffee at Waffle House tonight. 

What? Why isn't this post from Ireland, you say? Well I got terribly ill and decided it would be better to catch another flight. Ha ha. Anyway, I pocketed the loss and will be flying out of  KC on Saturday. 

last days

My time in this country is now very limited. I'm completely exhausted, will be leaving for Ireland in 12 hours and haven't started packing. I don't think I'll sleep much tonight. 

The stress level has been running kind of high lately, with saying all these goodbyes. The errands are constant and preparation is ongoing. Making promotion materials is balanced with trying to memorize a Tom Petty song. Or bettering a song by the Smiths. 

I've been constantly humbled by everyones love, well wishes and talks. I love you all, appreciate the hugs. You will be missed. 

Thank you. 

Hunting with my father

Spending time back in southern Illinois and western Kentucky with my family before the move. It's hunting season and, as always, my dad is spending his weekends in the Illinois woods. I was never much for hunting, but I was happy to spend some cold afternoons with my dad this week. I would call it quality time. 

on dreaming

new beginnings

these are always times of uncertainty. fear. joy. happiness. new beginnings are happening around us all the time, some to lesser degrees and some greater. i have a new beginning in a desire to learn a bon iver song as i drink this coffee and write for the first time in a long time. this music haunts me. 

my last day at the lawrence journal-world was friday. on dec. 17 i will board a plane in kansas city and in a matter of hours will be flying over the atlantic ocean to dublin, ireland, where i will begin a journey long-anticipated. to start off i will participate in an organic farming exchange program, www.wwoof.org. this is an excellent tool for those wanting to travel or relocate and who are willing to put in manual labor. i will couchsurf with people never met, live in the irish countryside, ride horses, make stories of my own and pursue a photography i have yet to discover. or build upon the photography brewing inside of me. and when the time is right, continue. elsewhere. 

my departure from the newspaper industry comes at an interesting time. a time when paid jobs are treasured, in the face of a faltering system. but i can no longer ignore the urge to make pictures that are my own and set out into the world again.