Mr. Besilly's Blog

I Used To Be A Modern Digital Painter

In 1999 when I first moved to Seattle, I started experimenting with creating computer art. I called myself a modern digital painter back then. The job I came to Seattle for was bogging me down with administrative duties I never planned on.

After I arrived home at night, I would start creating computer art. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I was armed with an iMac, a printer and all the creative passion of Picasso. The first character I completed was an abstract named William, he reminded me of Shakespeare for some reason. Then came Andre, a pudgy Spanish looking gentleman wearing a fabulous hat.

My wife Terri was convinced my work needed to be shown in public, so she went out and got me placed in a coffee shop for about six weeks. I hung ten pieces there. In just a few months I was selling in a small gallery and retail shop in downtown Seattle, then another shop out in the burbs where I live.

My artwork sold more often than I could keep up with. After all, I was the only guy doing computer art that looked like it was hand drawn. Even though it was really created with random clicks from my mouse. That was my style. I sold dozens of framed pieces at that time.

Three years into my digital art adventure I became totally bored. I felt like I had hit a wall and reached the end of myself. So I gathered up my work from all of the shops, boxed 'em up and called it done.

Shortly after, I dove into photography, then moved onto writing which I began in 2007. The goal was to eventually write a book from my blog posts. The end result has turned out the same as when I was doing digital art. Now what?

I work on three websites, Best Kisses which has over 21,000 visits a month, iPhone Savior that has over 4,500 visits per day and the one you’re currently reading. iPhone Savior recently surpassed 3 million views in just two and a half years. I'm still eyeballing that book idea, but what's holding me back is that I'm not convinced it will make a difference in this world we all call home.

You see, my digital art was for me, photography for me and penning a hugely successful blog also for me. I truly expected the end result to be more fulfilling than it has been, but that’s just not the case. Success is like that when it's focused on self gratification, even if you don't ever reach the highest pinnacles of worldly success. The end result is still the same, it's only the view that changes.

I never cared about making money, I just wanted to make a difference in someone's life through my work. Believing all along that just doing was enough, my aim did not need to be deliberate. I was wrong.

I’m considering re-purposing my art now or maybe I'll start teaching people how to use their creative gifts to leave the world a better place than how they found it. This time I'm going to be deliberate about making a difference. I want to make this life for someone else a tad better than it was before by giving away my creative talents. That journey for me is just beginning. I'll let you know how it turns out.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

[Art by Ray Basile]

Scott Is Not Only A Good Friend, He's A Great One!

I wanted to call my friend Scott this morning and tell him what an amazing time I had last night with his family at dinner. I met Scott, his wife Liz, and two daughters Emily and Hilary when they lived across the street as our neighbors for way too short a time. They've since moved a few blocks away which means our visits can't be random sidewalk talks anymore, they have to be scheduled.

If you placed Scott in a line-up with a bunch of other guys and asked me to pick out a new friend, it would be difficult for me to identify him as one of great ones. I've always been totally blind that way. But being neighbors for several years made my pick much easier. In fact, our friendship seemed inevitable, because we're both loud and love to talk. Did I mention that we also laugh really loud too?

Every time I leave Scott's house these days, I can't help thinking how long I could last listening to me waxing on about my writing and reciting grand tales about my latest creative exploits that could easily bore a small city to death. But Scott always asks me; "So what's new Ray?" Of course he knows I'm going to tell him, still he patiently listens and offers up encouragement every chance he gets. Which usually means when I take a breath between sentences.

Scott is well aware of the fact that I'm a terminal idea man that could burst out at any moment with some random comment that requires his kid's ears to be rescued. But he engages me just the same.

You see, that's what makes Scott one of the great ones. He knows exactly what he's getting when Ray Basile comes knocking and yet he still invites our family to dinner, opening the door for me to over stay my welcome one more time. I know I can call on Scotty for anything and he'll be there, he's just that kind of friend. I get it. I would do the same for him any day of the week.

I am going to call him and thank him for another unforgettable time, allowing me to just "be", without requiring  that I "do" anything. But I wanted to write about him first, because Scotty deserves to be immortalized. He truly is one of the great ones. Those guys don't come along very often. Thank you for being my friend Scott Martin. You matter.

Take A Picture of Your Life...

I came across this photo on Post Secret today and it immediately captured my heart. It left a small dent in my soul when I realized how true it is. I shoot photos often, but rarely do I point the lens at my own life, at the things that are meaningful to me.

I shoot mostly striking sunsets, lake reflections or light bursting through a wall of trees. I'm really glad now that I took so many pictures of my family this summer while on vacation in California and with my wife Terri on our trip to Spain. Life does change way too fast and it's easy to forget what truly matters.

The idea in this photo is beautiful, it's simple and for me it affirms the power of our lives when we rub up against each other. Sometimes for only a passing moment, but the impact can linger for a lifetime.

Thank you for this gift anonymous person living on planet earth. You made my day. You matter.

The Footprints We Leave Behind

It's difficult to truly measure how much of a difference I'm making in the lives of those around me. At home, at work, with close friends or extended family. I'm a famous self doubter. We all want to know that we'll be missed if for some reason we should fly away. The only way to find out is to simply disappear and then I'd never know anyhow.

I've realized the best way to understand how much of a difference I'm making in the world of those that orbit around my gravity, is to ask. If you're perceptive enough you can probably guess at the footprints you'll leave behind, but it's not wrong to ask. So I did.

It was a little awkward at first, but the conversation that followed quickly became a meaningful dialog that felt like it granted me the courage to stick around a whole lot longer than I intended to (I don't mean that literally). The answers became like the free prize inside a box of cereal when I was a kid.

My wife Terri said; "Without you in my life, I would never laugh as much as I do." On my scale of personal measurement that's a fantastic start. I never knew she felt that way until she said it. I'm so glad I asked.

photo by Imagem Compartilhada [link]

 

Carried In The Arms of A Giant

My Aunt Josephine was a giant. She was a tall woman. That's not what made her a giant. Aunt Jo was my Dad's favorite sister and from my earliest memories she called me and my two brothers her boys. Aunt Jo had two beautiful girls of her own but never any boys, so fortunately we were it.

My Aunt was always like a second Mom to me growing up. She constantly worried about me from long distances, making sure I always had cash in pocket. Aunt Jo was the greatest cook when it came to Italian food. I've never recovered from her amazing raviolis. Need I say more? No matter how hard things were in my turbulent home, she was like a giant always there to pick me up. I took great comfort knowing that I was one of Aunt Jo's boys.

The Price of Free At Starbucks

Starbucks gave me a free grande latte today for the right reason. It was free but it still cost me. Since Howard Schultz has recaptured the helm at Starbucks a lot of sweeping changes have been put into effect. Here's the deal. If you use a registered Starbucks card like I do, you gain a few extra privileges. One privilege that I benefit from is free soy milk that typically costs me forty cents extra per cup. That's a great deal since everyone seems to charge extra when choosing soy milk.

Saying The Right Things To Depressed People

I must admit, it's very difficult to know exactly the right things to say when you're talking to people who are depressed. Especially if they're your close friends living in the Northwest. Non-psychologist Steven Blum, a Seattle blogger in residence compiled an insightful list of tips on "How To Talk To Depressed People" lumping them into a kind of subculture. I instantly recognized that I could not have written a better list myself. One of my favorites is;

"Don't tell them to write on a blog. Depression blogs are depressing and cause more people to suffer from depression blogging." - Steven Blum

I realize that depression is not a subject to joke about. A few friends of my own recently contacted me and asked if I've been depressed, citing that they found many of my recent posts totally depressing. Nice! They're now off my friends list for at least two weeks until I fully recover from depression caused by their honest and refreshingly candid banter. Read Steven's entire post and prepare to laugh out loud. He's good! 

Who On Earth Is Phil Tramdack?

A photographer named Joey Kennedy immortalized Philip Tramdack in the striking portrait seen above describing Phil as; "A great man with unique vision". I have no clue who mister Tramdack is. Joey's caption said that Phil loves his couch and fought hard to preserve it, which appears to be inspiration for the portrait. There's a whole lot of couch and very little Phil.

The Message In A Bottle

Today I found your left over bottle of sparkling water on the floor of my 1979 VW convertible. This was the first beautiful day we've had in Seattle since I dropped you off at the airport last Saturday. After we said goodbye for the one hundred and tenth time, I wondered what happened to that bottle of Pellegrino as I drove home. I guessed that you had to surrender it at airport security. I had no clue that it remained with me all week, hiding in plain sight.

I sat on the dock by the lake at Enetai Beach today and I drank the remainder of your Pellegrino while taking in the sun. With every sip I reflected on the amazing time we shared together. My day was perfection. Thirty years later that sparkling water of yours triggered incredible memories for me. The message of our committed friendship after all these years flooded my mind like a familiar song.

That's exactly how a good friendship is, the smallest things we leave behind often mean the most. Some of the greatest gifts we give each other are never planned. I'm not someone who typically chooses sparkling water. Though I plan to drink it often until we have the chance to reconnect again.

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

Photo by Ray Basile

Choosing A Different Path

Last January we experienced a huge snowfall overnight that shut down my small community for about 24 hours. I live in a part of the county, where the snow plows and salt trucks show up last. Snow and thick ice on the roads made driving impossible.

That morning my wife Terri and I choose a different path. She knew of a short walk through the woods that would lead us to Starbucks for a latte on that perfect winters day. Taking that path last winter forever changed us. It was one of the most beautiful walks I had ever been on. We have continued with our walk to Starbucks every weekend morning since then. It has evolved into amazing quality time with each other. I have learned to cherish our walks together.

When we are willing to adapt to change and open ourselves to choosing a different path, therein lies the opportunity for a fresh vision. The hope of something brand new, revealing itself in the ordinary.   

See Our Path Through The Woods (here)