Portraits of Americans: Tennessee

[peacetraveler22]

The mind is often engaged in trickery, particularly when it comes to human relations. We create illusions and fantasies about others, mentally molding them into the person we wish them to be rather than letting actual words and actions be the guide. In relationships, this is usually a very dangerous game. Women, as overly emotional creatures, are probably more susceptible to this phenomenon than men. In my younger years, I was a master at twisting the actions and words of others, conforming them to my particular needs at the moment. But with age comes wisdom and I think I'm now a good judge of character, though human and certainly capable of being deceived. Usually I'm only close with a few people at any given moment and these people I know extremely well, so well that I can almost read their minds and anticipate their actions and responses in most situations. People still disappoint and surprise me on occasion, but it's now much easier to weed out toxic people and conserve my time and energy for those worthy of it.

Sometimes this game of illusions can be fun, particularly in travels. In every city, I photograph people from afar and occasionally in close proximity with permission. Certain faces, smiles or behavior attract my attention and then my mind begins to wander. Who is this person? From where do they come? What's their life story? Has it been an easy or hard road for them? During a recent trip to Tennessee we encountered a lot of colorful people. A joy to photograph them and many wanted to take time to chat. Something recently where everyone on the street wants to speak with me. I have no idea why, but it's a good thing for travel stories.

I know most of my readers are intelligent, but how creative are you? Let's play a game and focus on the people in the following portraits and cover photo.

What do you think about them? What's their story, profession, or passion in life? I've already created my own visions of them, some are young children and just starting their journey through life. Pick one or more people from the portraits and tell me what you think. As an incentive for participation, I'll send a gift from America to the most creative story in the comments. I'll pick the winner on Wednesday evening.

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Happy New Year! Later in the week, I'll start a series of posts about Tennessee.

Comments

[musashi-ii.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And what about the people in the photos? You find them boring or interesting?

[rollson.livejournal.com]

on top - Good guy, loves his wife and grandchildren
1. First US president gay in 2046
2. Day time -broker, nighttime -Serial killer
3. He will steal your wallet in 15 min
7. Family man, cheated by his wife, brother and his dog
10. Nice looking girl on the right!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Great!! :))) You have set a high example for others to follow. I especially like your creation for photo 2. And thank you for nice compliment.

[tabarhsak.livejournal.com]

С новым годом!)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Спасибо, тебе тоже!

[fesma94.livejournal.com]

top- happy grandfather, may be was gov. worker in past

1) next Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy
2) writer, local politic
3) Be careful ), don't buy nothing from him , sell bad junk ))
4) next Cyndi Lauper
5) Aretha Franklin's niece ?
6) No comments ) in love )
7) Freak )
8) need doping we go to shopping )
9) Single mum ?
10)Beast and beauty )

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Very good! Next Cyndi Lauper, it's an interesting observation. I see the resemblance. :) No. 6 "no comments, in love..." You're in love with these cute girls, or they're in love with each other? :)) I think they are sisters because they have the same facial features.

[onkel-hans.livejournal.com]

A good job, please continue :)

Do you run your calendar the Russian way? ;)
Then Merry Christmas (come Tuesday)!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

No, I don't adhere to the Russian calendar. I'm American. :) Have you been to Tennessee? It's a great State but if you like big city life you will be bored out of your mind there.

[rider3099.livejournal.com]

Top - He plays the saxophone for his own pleasure. Retired. He had been a guard at the bank in the past.
1 - This little man is the youngest kid in his family. He has 3 sisters and 1 brother. He is fond of hokey.
2 - This imposing man is the owner of a small but popular bar.
3 - Cardsharper
4 - Her future - general manager of bank
5 - She is working as provider for an old people. She is fond of poetry and music.
6 - Close friends, secretly hating each other
7 - Sweet couple :)
8 - These nice girls have one lover. The same. But they don’t know about that fact.
9 - Mother of the little girl is a programming developer. Her daughter is a future Pink
10 - Children of different nations ;)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Olga, you're brilliant! I already know about your creative capabilities from reading your blog. I especially like the comment about photo 8 - "these nice girls have one lover. The same. But they don’t know about that fact." Perhaps they should start a blog on LJ and write about their lover? Stories are sure to be in TOP LJ everyday. :))

[yarowind.livejournal.com]

I don't write as many words in English:)))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You can always write me in Russian. I can read a lot of words and use online translators to understand the rest. Btw, what will you do tomorrow for Russian Christmas? Just go to church service?

[popados.livejournal.com]

Yahoooo! First time I read your post in my Top-25 of cyrillic LJ! Congratulations!))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Top 25, really? In the main TOP LJ category, or one of the sub categories? I never saw it on the main page. Usually my travel posts will be in the Top 25 in the Cyrillic travel and media categories for a few hours, but never on the main page. I saw you there this weekend, with your post about women. :)) Congrats to you also.

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

You are good photographer. This people look like regular guys from next door.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

So many blacks in your mostly Russian neighborhood? :)) In Memphis, they are the majority.

[mybathroom.livejournal.com]

1, 4. I have no idea about children!
2. This man work in a plant or something like that. He is a chief of a workshop.
3. This guy related with music or theater industry. He have to wear beads and stuff like that, although he doesn't like it. (I knew such a person in real life)
5. I think she is a doctor or a teacher. She loves her work.
6. They are roommates. They are going to a concert of classic music. The girl with flowers likes a hard music.
7. This man worked as a police officer, as a postman, as a plumber and finally bought a cart and drives tourists for free. The dog is an alien.
8. The left girl works is a office manager. She wants to quit a job. The second girl came to visit her.
9. This couple very tired and they want to go home. But they are very glad that they spent time together.
10. This is the best photo!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

"The dog is alien." :)) Thanks, Denis. Very creative stories.

[zavkafedroi.livejournal.com]

Very nice, I love portraits.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Thanks! You still read me? Good to know, as you were the first person to ever inform me about LJ. :) Btw, have you started reading your Christmas gift? The lessons learned from the book will come in handy if you visit Memphis because there are A LOT of black people there. You'll fit right in. ;))

[atlantis555.livejournal.com]

Hello, Shannon. I recently met a picture in the LJ, looked at it for 5 minutes but nevertheless didn't find anything insulting there. So, what was the reason of the scandal?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Hi! What scandal? Was it a LJ post? If so, send me the link and I'll try to figure it out. I see nothing insulting about the photo.

[a-nimaida.livejournal.com]

Each photograph assign your room!
inconveniently(

[a-nimaida.livejournal.com]

and your opinion?
What do you think about the first photo? (male nigger 1 )?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

This is the only person I spoke with in all of the photos. He was a very kind, gentle man. Retired. And the term nig*ger is extremely offensive.

[alsh4ka.livejournal.com]

1. школьник (первоклассник)
2. Адвокат?
3. Участник популярной "на районе" группы
4. классная улыбка)))
5. Не знаю.
6. Cousins. Идут в гости к родственнице.
7. Хеллоуин каждый день?
8. Подруги, идут по магазинам.
9. мама и дочка.
10. классные шапки)))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Спасибо! Интересные комментарии. :)

shapka thief in town

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Shannon,
I love your blog!
First man - just uncle, he could be like everybody's uncle in a neighborhood.
1. Hold on to that shapka, little boy! Arlingtonian hat collector hit the town))))
2. Sometimes sigar is just a sigar ... . Dreaming or regretting last night adventures?
3. Weekend in New Orleans. Don't trust a man who cannot look straight into your eyes
4. No, Shannon, no!!!! Let the little girl keep her hat! Seems like she just woke up, still little dreams leftovers on her little sweet face
5. I knew, it was a weekend, is this lady is going to church
6. Betrayal. These two are going to the ex-boyfriend's engagement party! And yes, they dated the same guy!
7. Kind, but sort of sheisty. Two extras ( man and dog) at the movie set of the Black men 3!
8. Shapkas got stolen, but party must going on, two are a party!
9. My daddy has a straight hair!
10. Soul/shapkamate!

Six hatz and one soulmate, not bad for one day in Tennessee!

Irina

Re: shapka thief in town

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Hi Irina! I didn't even notice there were so many hats in the photos. I guess I'm just drawn to people wearing them! "Shapka thief," I like it! Maybe it should be my new LJ username. :))

shapka thief

[(Anonymous)]

Ha, ha ha! My LJ name would be shoe lover, o wait purses, ubkas, shubkas lover/ collector! You probably do have an extensive hat collection )))). You are too kind and patient for the rough russki blogs, though you definitely can stand up for yourself, when pushed without resorting to insults!
Just love love your blog (again).
Irina

Re: shapka thief

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you like my blog! I like my readers also. For the most part, they always entertain me but sometimes it takes a lot of patience to deal with the trolls. What's a shubka?? I don't know this word.

shubka

[(Anonymous)]

Shubka or shuba is russian for the fur coat. It shows that you like and respect your readers. I just recently started reading your blog. As you can tell by my name, I am from Russia, actually from Siberia, but I am proud US citizen since last year.

Actually, this is the first time I ever commented on any blog! Irina

Re: shubka

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Great, congrats on U.S. citizenship! In what State do you live?

shubka

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you! I live in Maryland near Baltimore, used to live in NoVa (Falls Church and Leesburg). Came here as a postdoc at NIH in Bethesda like many russians in MD/DC area.

Re: shubka

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

We are almost neighbors! If you're ever in the Arlington area, please write. I will be happy to meet for a coffee/tea and chat. :)

ahoy from shubka clad russki teten'ka

[(Anonymous)]

That will be great! Irina

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

Strange to see a black woman dressed up at number 5.
Cognitive dissonance :))

On the other subjects - I'm not creative. I cannot imagine things out of nothing.
With my practice I more and more train myself in the opposite: not to expect anything :))

BTW we have just returned from a journey through some sacred places.
Look at 4 recent posts here:

www. facebook. com/profile.php?id=100002054175758

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You've never been to a black gospel church on Sunday? :)) The women there are very dressed up, wearing fabulous decorative church hats. I see the photos on Facebook. You got stuck on the Russian roads? Lots of snow, but I heard from others that in Moscow it's unseasonably warm. Most of the U.S. is in a deep Arctic freeze the next few days - Russian style weather! :)

С рождеством и прочими радостями

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

One of the ugly side of life in the USSR was that children were not asked whether they want to be born. My soviet parents made ​​me without my consent...
As you know, Tennessee is a Volunteer State. That's why we're seeing here situation that is impossible in Russia: children who were born voluntarily, with their consent. This is amazing. Thank you Shannon for the pictures of these children.
First picture gives us the answer why this is possible in Tennessee. He's some like Santa Claus of this state, his name is Jack Daniels. Jack is much kinder than Santa and all the children the state know that when their dad smells like Jack, the dad is much kinder and cheerful and ready to have fun by playing with them in the yard!
The man with the cigar is a living proof of the existence of homophobia in Tennessee. He wore two shirts, one on top of another. He did it in order to the contours of his bra were not visible on the back. It's sad, but times are changing for the better.
I can't participate in the competition, because i'm creative as all Tennessee and Howard Stern in addition, and the other readers will have no chance. Therefore, i stop the flow of my eloquence.

Re: С рождеством и прочими радостями

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Well today you are very amusing! It must be the Christmas cheer. :) I think you would like Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels. Really cool place. And how do you know Howard Stern?? I didn't think anyone in Russia knew about him. I listen to his morning show on satellite radio on my commute to work. He's naughty, brilliant and funny. Good combo of personal traits.

[anna-sollanna.livejournal.com]

Isn't it too late to write my comments about these cute people? If not I think number 6 is a couple. They are going to some party, maybe their friends' baby shower.
And number 9 is a mother and a daughter. And it looks like the daughter is a dreamer and now she is telling one of her stories to her mother. And the latter is worried about something, maybe about her job...
And the most interesting person for me was number 7! He is a very good guy, though he doesn't look very happy. But he is very kind and he loves children and dogs very much! (But I think he dreams about a bigger dog :))))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's too late to participate in the contest but thanks for your observations. The man in number 7 also has a nice hat. :) Btw, I will be in St. Petersburg in February. Please send me your email address as I don't have a Google+ account to contact you. Perhaps I will have time to meet.

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

Wow! Americans are such fantastic!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Not all, but in general we are friendly people. :)

RUSSIA TODAY: Портрет российской пенсионерки

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User garden145 referenced to your post from RUSSIA TODAY: Портрет российской пенсионерки (http://garden145.livejournal.com/248631.html) saying: [...] or silently? The list of questions spinning in my mind is endless. I once wrote an entire post [...]