REMINDER: This is the last week you can suggest themes for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. The one and only way to do that is to leave your suggestions in the COMMENTS section of this post. Do not email them to me or text them to me. The suggestions have to be left in the COMMENTS section of this post! So far only Andy has made any suggestions, but he also tried to question the definitive Candy Bar Power Rankings, so we’ll see what happen to his suggestions.

So was DECORATION a popular theme? Did Kio Dettman adhere to the Kio Dettman Rule? Did everybody adhere to the Kio Dettman Rule? Did Tamara Peterson make a comeback after having her 40 week streak snapped? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 31, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 2 weeks (3)
2-Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks
3-Sabas Hernandez – 3 weeks
4-Jesse Howard – 4 weeks
5-Sara Lockner – 6 weeks
6-Suzie Brannen – 10 weeks
7-Brandon Kahler – 11 weeks
8-Linda Bennett – 14 weeks (2)
9-Sarah Toot – 15 weeks (3)
10-Monica Jennings – 16 weeks (2)
11-Angie DeWaard – 19 weeks
12-Dawn Krause – 23 weeks (2)
13-Kim Barker – 29 weeks
14-Joe Duff – 31 weeks
15-Logan Kahler – 32 weeks (2)
16-Teresa Kahler – 41 weeks (2)
17-Carla Stensland – 41 weeks (3)
18-Michelle Haupt – 42 weeks
19-Micky Augustin – 43 weeks
20-Andy Sharp – 44 weeks
21-Bill Wentworth – 45 weeks
22-Cathie Morton – 49 weeks (2)
23-Elizabeth Nordeen – 50 weeks
24-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 52 weeks
25-Kio Dettman – 54 weeks (4)

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:

Evie Gorshe

Will McAlpine – 1 week

Tamara Peterson – 1 week

Mike Vest – 1 week

Mary Green – 3 weeks

Mary Green

Mary Green

Mary Green

Mary Green

Mary Green

Mary Green

Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 4 weeks

Jesse Howard – 5 weeks

Sara Lockner – 7 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 11 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 12 weeks

Linda Bennett – 15 weeks

Linda Bennett

Sarah Toot – 16 weeks

Sarah Toot

Monica Jennings – 17 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 20 weeks

Angie DeWaard

Dawn Krause – 24 weeks

Dawn Krause

Kim Barker – 30 weeks

Joe Duff – 32 weeks

Logan Kahler – 33 weeks

Logan Kahler

Logan Kahler

Teresa Kahler – 42 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Teresa Kahler

Teresa Kahler

Carla Stensland – 42 weeks

Carla Stensland

Carla Stensland

Michelle Haupt – 43 weeks

Micky Augustin – 44 weeks

Andy Sharp – 45 weeks

Andy Sharp

Bill Wentworth – 46 weeks

Cathie Morton – 50 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 51 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 53 weeks

Kio Dettman – 55 weeks

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett – 477 weeks

30 participants! That is a great week! So close to getting that 30 participant average!

Had submissions from (assumptions here): Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa.

I took my picture about 15 miles from my front door.

There weren’t any milestones reached this week, but there also weren’t any streaks snapped. So it is all good.

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:

STRONG

STRONG! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a STRONG picture? It is simply a picture of something that is STRONG. This one might be a bit more of an abstract theme than many. But remember there are all types of strength. Something or somebody can be physically STRONG. Things can smell STRONG. Food can have a STRONG taste. Many people are STRONG in their FAITH.

For example, the theme reveal image is a picture of the Zodiac in the north entry way of the Memorial Union at Iowa State University. This picture is of something STRONG in a few ways. It is a picture of a bull. Bulls are STRONG. The bull is the zodiac symbol for Taurus. If you know a Taurus, they are very STRONG headed*. This zodiac symbol at Iowa State is of STRONG construction. It also represents a STRONG superstition held by the Iowa State community.

You don’t know about this superstition? Read a little bit about the history of Iowa State’s zodiac:

Architect/designer William T. Proudfoot chose to incorporate the ancient symbols of the zodiac into the north entry floor — classic Greek/Roman mythology for a classic-Greek/Roman-style building. In the 20’s, the zodiac was not as well known as it is now. Proudfoot planned for intentional wearing away of the bronze forms by placing them above the surface of the floor – to be sculpted further by building users until, eventually, they would be the same level as the floor. We know that by 1929, students had decided that if you stepped on the zodiac, it was unlucky – that you’d flunk your next test. Rumor has it that the students created this “curse” because they liked the raised effect of the zodiac and they wanted to preserve the zodiac signs even though it went against what the architect originally intended. Now most students, hedging their bets, walk around. If you accidentally invoke the curse, you can throw a coin in the fountain to take it away!

Information is from Iowa State’s Memorial Union website.

If you are wondering, I’m not a superstitious person. But I am a littlestitious. I’ve been graduated from Iowa State University for 20 years. I don’t take tests these days, but I still walk around the zodiac when I’m at the Union.

While thinking about possible subjects for your STRONG photo, meditate on the following quote:

I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.
-Maya Angelou

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of STRONG in this place that is filled with my every day strength next Monday.

*This is not to be seen as any kind of endorsement of astrology, which is complete and utter nonsense.