I am not a big telephone fan. I have three different numbers (land, mobile and fax) and rarely use any of them. There is a message on my cell phone “Forget about leaving a message because I rarely pick up this phone”. Verizon even called me a couple of years ago to ask if I had lost my phone since I had no charges on it. Last summer I decided to get an iPhone, not for the telephone part (ATT is hopeless in Santa Fe) but for the aps! When I first got the phone I learned how to use all the stuff on it, including the camera, but then never thought about it again. I know there are a growing number of iPhone photographers who are doing great images but I have never been interested. I did get some photo aps awhile back but never bothered to learn how to use them. Basically I am either out of the country in some back-water, side-lit, off the map place, where phone coverage is a whisper of an idea or I’m at home, near my land line, staring at a computer all day. When I get down to cans of tuna fish to eat and have to go into town then I take the iPhone with me, but mostly to get my email.

So there I was last Friday being wheeled into the Denver Health ER on a stretcher with a broken neck (more on this later) and I thought, “I should record this! I was holding my phone in my hand but couldn’t remember how to use its camera. I fumbled about and managed to make a photo. (I realized later that this was only the third photo I had ever taken with this phone.) It wasn’t easy doing a self-portrait, having to turn the camera towards me and twist my fingers around so I could push a button I couldn’t see. Somehow I managed it (you can see the photo after the jump) and I thought “Wow, I’m a convert!” (Yeah, it would have easier with new iphone, I know… but I’m not getting it until Verizon comes onboard; crossing all digits for that.)

Actually this is just a convoluted way of saying that I was in a car accident last week. Now before you rush to send me an email, text, pigeon, or flowers, I beg you to resist. Please go outside and wave all kinds of white light in my direction or scream “Get well Nevada” into the universe. The kindest thing you can do for me is not to email me, otherwise I will feel badly if I don’t respond (it is just the way I’m wired).

I have always said that I’m safer traveling overseas than driving in America. I sure hate that I was proven right about this.


The following is a letter I sent out to a few friends the day after I arrived home .

I was in a car accident last Friday night, Sept 17th. I was driving from the Denver airport to Boulder this past Friday night to teach a Lightroom workshop. It was about 8pm when I got too close to the left side of the toll road and hit a rock, or a pothole, or I don’t know what but it surprised me and jerked the car to the right, I probably overcompensated and it jerked left. I was now out of control (I really need those Indy 500 driving lessons!) and it flipped 360 degrees (I think only once, but the guy in back of me said twice). I landed in the median right side up. I was conscious and did not my head or any part of my body. The seatbelt kept me in the seat very snugly. However the impact of hitting down on the ground was severe.

I have a break in my C2 vertebrae on my neck and aggravated the lower back pain that I have been dealing with chronically. Amazingly, I don’t have a bruise, cut, or any other sign of trauma. I was first taken to Platt Valley hospital for initial treatment; they x-ray me and discovered the break in the neck so I was transferred to Denver Health (used to be Denver General). Keeping a long story short…after a zillion x-rays they determined that I did not need surgery (whew!). I stayed at Denver Health for two days. I feel as if I received the best care possible. I felt strong enough to travel on Monday night accompanied by Michael Clark (who is now St. Michael II), who came to Boulder to take over the Lightroom workshop and gallantly stayed an extra day until I was ready to travel.

Now I’m at home, wearing a very fashionable neck brace for probably 2 months and am on some awesome painkillers. I am able to walk around, up and down stairs, bend down using my knees etc. A friend of mine stayed over for the first two nights to help me. (She is now Saint Jane.) And, a number of other wonderful friends have been extremely helpful (I love my friends). I am very confident that the break will heal nicely. Actually my back hurts more than the neck but I live in Santa Fe! There are more healers than lawyers!

So, after all the glass has shattered…I feel very fortunate that I did not have a serious spinal injury or other complications and extremely glad that no other car was involved. The neurosurgeons in Denver said that I was free to travel, give talks, etc. … I just had to wear the brace.

I really am doing extraordinarily well considering the accident. I have no doubt that I’ll be a 100% in a couple of months.

Yes, yes, I hear you loud and clear. I am being very kind to myself and I am not overdoing anything! Really. Truly. Honestly. Thanks, all of you for all the concern, blessings and healing wishes. All of that helps in so many ways.

I really wanted to be at the National Geographic Traveler seminar I was supposed to be presenting today with Dan Westergren…but saner minds nixed that idea. (I’m so sorry if you were expecting to see me in Tampa but.. it was for the best that I didn’t get on a plane this weekend). However, I will be back on the stage inChicagofor CREATIVITY WITH LIGHT this coming weekend, Sunday October 3rd. I am on the mend! If you are in the area, come to the seminar and see my Ferrari of a neck brace!

So please resist that temptation to email! If you just can’t bare that thought then just write a nice remark on this blog. That would be dandy!

Now I’m going to lie here and learn how to use those camera aps!

Excelsior! nevada