Friday, December 30, 2005
Kittens and Kigali
This week's REM
I’m ordering Mexican hot chocolate from a peasant woman. She pours milk into a jar she has on a shelf and something inside the jar starts moving. I asked her what it is. She informs me that this is the way authentic Mexican hot chocolate is made, with a kitten in a jar. You simply add chocolate and milk and let the kitten get a mixing.
Being the cat lady I protested and demanded the kitten be let out of the jar. The woman told me to “relax, it's only in there 8 hours a day.”
I'm in Kigali at a UN conference then something goes very wrong and I'm running through the jungle and across coffee plantations to escape the Hutus who are trying to get me and some Tutsi guy I met at the conference.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Friday, December 16, 2005
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
The Terminator who Terminated Tookie
Tookie was took--I can't believe Schwarzenegger let it happen. Wait..... I take that back....This is America......I'm not surprised at all.
I'm ready to move to Europe.
Alex, dust off that EU Passport because European Green Party, here I come.
December 13, 2005
Europeans Outraged at Schwarzenegger
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 10:54 a.m. ET
''We know the death penalty doesn't resolve anything,'' Cardinal Renato Martino told AP Television News. ''Even a criminal is worthy of respect because he is a human being. The death penalty is a negation of human dignity.''
Williams was executed early Tuesday at California's San Quentin State Prison after Schwarzenegger denied Williams' request for clemency. Schwarzenegger suggested that Williams' supposed change of heart was not genuine because he had not shown any real remorse for the killings committed by the Crips.
''Schwarzenegger has a lot of muscles, but apparently not much heart,'' Dray said.
In Italy, the country's chapter of Amnesty International called the execution ''a cold-blooded murder.''
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Happy National Day of Mourning?
Since 1921 (the 300th year after the first Thanksgiving) the Commonwealth of Massachusetts stage a reenactment of Thanksgiving each year. They gather at a church on the site of the Pilgrims' original meeting house, in 17th century costume. After prayers and a sermon, they march to Plymouth Rock. This annual event had even become something of a tourist attraction.
The National Day of Mourning began on the 350th anniversary celebration of the Pilgrims' arrival on Wampanoag American Indian's land. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was planning to celebrate friendly relations between their forefathers and the Wampanoag. Wamsutta was invited to make a speech at the celebration. However, when the anniversary planners reviewed his speech beforehand, they decided it was not appropriate for their celebration. The reason given was, "...the theme of the anniversary celebration is brotherhood and anything inflammatory would have been out of place." (Source: UAINE) Wamsutta used as a basis for his speech one of the Pilgrim's books - a Pilgrim's account of their first year on Indian land. The book tells of the opening of his ancestor's graves, taking their wheat and bean supplies, and of the selling of his ancestors as slaves for 220 shillings each. Upon being handed a revised speech, written by a public relations person, Wamsutta decided he would not be attending the celebration. Instead, to protest the continued silencing of the American Indian people, he and his supporters went to neigbouring Coles Hill, near the statue of the Massasoit (leader of the Wampanoag when the Pilgrims landed). Overlooking the Plymouth Harbour and the Mayflower replica, he gave his speech. This was the first National Day of Mourning.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
Technicolor, Nature's Way
George Sighting
Ha! Guess who I ran into Friday night. Jason Alexander. Yes, THE Jason Alexander, aka George Costanza from Seinfeld.
I’m not one for star staring but the character George is near and dear to my heart and so I was star struck.
Later, I was thinking about other actors that would have the same impact. The list is sort of quirky and a bit strange, but hey, that’s why it's my list. ;)
From Curb your Enthusiasm:
Larry David
Wanda Sykes
Susie Essman
Seinfeld
Michael Richards aka Kramer
Six Feet Under
Rainn Wilson, aka Arthur, Seattelite by birth.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Exposure Exposure
Today, after a week of stalling and carrying around the sealed and stamped envelope, I sent in my World in Focus photography contest entry form and print.
Of course my aim is to win, but given the stiff competition, it's pretty unlikely. That said, I'm not and will not get bummed out about it because at least my exposure will get some exposure.
The one thing that has kept me awake is wondering what they’ll do with my print once the contest is over. It's been made clear that they will not send prints back and for that, I somehow feel guilty of abandonment. I worry about what they will do with my dear print--will they throw it out, burn it, shred it, maybe use it as a coaster?
Since getting my new printer, I’ve been a print-o-maniac. And all these prints take on a totally different meaning, to me at least. Freeing them from the monitor has given them life and I’m more attached to them than ever.
Monday, November 07, 2005
The Winners
Here's a contact sheet of the shots that were winners in my first ever stock submission--go figure.
Side note: Thankfully I shoot in raw religiously because jpegs are only good for contact sheets :)
Friday, November 04, 2005
Holy Super Psyched-ness Batman!
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Photo School Dropout
I dropped out of photography school and doing so will hopefully bring me out of my photography hole. Reasoning and details below:
- The photography I’ve produced while in school is technically 'on' but, to me, lacks vision and direction.
- My best work was created prior to school; I hate my current stuff, maybe 'exotic' locales have something to do with it but...........
- I need to be in an environment that is inspired by great work, not just 'work'
- The school, well....they just can’t get it together; their Ts are topless and their I’s ball-less. That's about all I can say in this public forum without creating bad karma for myself.
So.... here I am, a photo school drop out.
And with that, on to greener pastures I go. Of course these pastures are unmowed, but pastures have a lot more to reveal and are certainly more interesting than just about any lawn.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Nice People of Jodhpur
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Boy Geeks
The boy-geeks holding up the MIT Pro-Life table in the student center.
How very pompous and how very right-wing male, meddling-in-my-business of them. I wonder how they would stand if the issue of Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice were to actually become their business. Girl-geek gets knocked-up--Do they leave their education behind and get a job to care for the new family?
I was tempted to pose this question but channeled the wisdom of my favorite and best life editor, Mr. Mallet.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Monday, October 17, 2005
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Invoking The Great White One
Good luck, in the form of The Great Albino Squirrel of Jamaica Pond, presented itself yesterday.
As we drove past the pond I said to my dear husband, “I wonder if the albino squirrel is still alive”--it had been a year since we'd seen him/her last. Not more than 2 seconds later, The Great White One appeared beside the road. My excitement nearly cost Alex his eardrum.
I feel pretty dang lucky to have invoked the spirit of The Great White One. I imagine people who pray to god wish he/she would show up like that.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
The Beginning of the End
'Flora, In A New Light' is the title I've given my random creations. If I had to describe my intention I'd say "Tis a shoutout to autumn and a tribute to expiring fruits and flowers everywhere."
In case it came to mind: 1. Yes, I'm being melodramatic 2. Yes, the cucumber is a fruit.
Below are samples.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Friday, October 07, 2005
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Monday, September 19, 2005
Framed
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Saturday, September 10, 2005
In-Flight Hilarity
Besides reaching my final destination, the best part of flying is the inflight reading provided in the seat pocket. I'm a fan of the old standard, Sky Mall , which is quite possibly the best comedy magazine ever. Check out the bizarre (the evac-u-8 smoke hood) and ridiculous inventions.
Our most recent trip, to Philly, to visit Victor, we abondoned the Sky Mall for Air Tran's magazine, Go.
Go was seemingly standard airline reading, complete with way-too-easy crossword, lists of boring restaurants, and the usual "Thanks for flying with us" letter from the airline's CEO. That was until we came to page 61 where the best worst photo in the history of advertising photography was displayed. The accompanying story was titled “Taken For A Ride: Top 10 Theme Parks”--an appropriate title given the scary whale ride granny was subjected to. We almost fell out of seats, numerous times.