Okay, so there’s a lot to unpack with this one, I know. First, remember those birthday parades during C*vid? I wasn’t a fan at first. I’d be out taking photos for a fundraiser and often found myself stuck behind them. But then we did one for my friend’s 40th, and we realized they were actually fun. So maybe my initial reaction was more about personal feelings than anything else. Feels good to admit that.

Second, I had plans to head to DC today and photograph the real parade, but…well, that seems like a complete sh*t show. The logistics? Astronomical. Clearance, tickets, checkpoints, blood oaths – it all sounded like a lot. It actually seemed easier to get into Cuba (and that place is communist, by the way).

Third, this is not a statement, just a timely observation. I thought this could make for a good photo, so I put some effort into it. But here’s something I learned: military toys aren’t as easy to find these days. I loved GI Joe as a kid. Tanks, jeeps, all that. I searched in big box stores and there are no toy stores, but I found nothing. Superheroes are everywhere, but military toys seem to have disappeared. It was kind of surprising. So, I ended up finding this small set on *mazon, made in Ch*na, that arrived in time. The action figure is one I’ve had for years, and I made the hat myself.

Fourth, this is the first dailypic to include AI. I could just use **, but you wouldn’t know what I meant—it’s an AI-generated background. I prompted it for “Rainy Capital,” and this is the result. The original photo (below) was taken on the sidewalk next to my studio. Yes, I looked a little ridiculous, lying in the rain, playing with toys.

I’m sure different people will find different things in this post, and I welcome that. I took the photo because it reflects something happening today. I wish I had seen it live, but also wish we didn’t need it at all. And I’ll own that. There are always other ways for money to be spent.

Happy Flag Day! And thank you to all who have served and are serving in the Army—today marks the Army’s Birthday, and I hope that’s the real focus of the event. Kind of annoyed I felt the need to explain this photo – welcome to 2025.

tr/trp