Week Thirty-Four: Murphy's Back for More

All my life I've had a love-hate relationship with Murphy of Legend. His Law has long been woven into the fabric of my life, much like Monty Python, ISIRTA, and large equine quadrupeds. How it chooses to manifest is always a surprise, and when it works out in the end I am the first to offer thanks. Other times it is just hateful and obstreperous. Yes, I just used the word obstreperous in a photo blog. Deal with it.

Day 1 (232): 28th of July
Such a drag when the day starts earlier than is legal when one has gotten no sleep and has a seemingly unending journey on the itinerary. Not to mention rending one away from the delightful clutches of home and hearth. One would think these things get easier with practice (and I've had some practice, let me tell you). Truth is (apparently) that it never gets easier, and in a way gets more tiresome. In my silly youthiest years, I rebelled against a great deal of things (most of them illogical or not in need of a rebel), and one of those things was homesickness. I was far too cool to be tied to anything (or anyone) and wanted the life of transit and first class lounges. Was quite good at it, if I'm honest. It all seemed so sexy and easy.

Not that I hate travel - far from it. I still love gadding about and seeing all the things, but those fool blood ties and such are not so distasteful any longer. May be able to live any old place, but going home will never be a bad thing. Even traveling the posh way doesn't make the outbound journey more joyous. Just softens the blow a bit.

Day 2 (233): 29th of July
Best part of two days eaten by travel. And lots of free booze (not going to lie, it was nice). But now I've a headache to wake the dead and have to go to work tomorrow. And my power went out whilst I was gone. Thus my fridge and freezer were stinking soggy moldy heaps of vile malodorous death full of meat, veg, and cheese that had gone off beyond what can possibly be natural. Much bleach and profanity later I have a fridge with rather little in it as far as food. So this is all I will be giving you for the day. Munich, everyone.

Day 3 (234): 30th of July
Praise be I only have three days of work. FITREPs due this week, several new taskers accumulated in my absence, and apparently I will be embarking on the Good Ship Whitney (lord knows why) for a week. Just wait till the jet lag hits... Oh, and to add to the tiring litany of whinging, the power blow killed my wireless router. So I have no connection until I get a new one. But the sky is pretty, to there's that.

And there are clouds.

I may have been missed, but really, I think the Return of the Grub is more the cause for attention.

Day 4 (235): 31st of July
Found an old wireless router, but managed to blow it out, even with a transformer. Will just have to suck it up and go purchase a new one. Ugh. Buying things is annoying. So is moaning about every little thing. Isn't it? I agree. Photos are better. Here is a lighter.

And pretty trees.

And this guy again.

Day 5 (236): 1st of August
I'll not lie; the odd mood continueth. Got good news that I'll be teaching another class in September, and this one's in Madrid. Also learned that the reason I'll be embarking is simply because I am an officer and there were not enough of us going. Don't really have an issue with the trip; the commute from bed to work is about three minutes, someone else cooks all my meals, and we'll be getting some port time in France. I only rankle at the logic train. Really should know better after a decade of doing this. Logic has no place in the military. Which is why I put my TIE Interceptor in a tree.

Merry was rather bored by the notion.

But the Empire flies on.

Day 6 (237): 2nd of August
Despite the delayed-onset jet lag, have gottten crap sleep all week. But slept until v late in the morning, and then proceeded to do little more than my PT and read. And drink tea, because one just does. My alarm went all screwy again, so I await the gracious landlord's assistance. But now I have a new wifi thing, so am no longer disconnected (to the internet... life is another kettle of onions). And I may have to go in to work at midnight for about six hours. Waiting for that sort of call is really lame. Not lame is the 12ft Tom Baker scarf knitted for me by my darling Grannie. Now my TB hat has a mate.

Day 7 (238): 3rd of August
Praise the sweetness the call came to take me off the proverbial hook (not sure I know that proverb). Good news, as I've still not gotten back to a sane sleep schedule. Getting older is lame. So is having a poor vocabulary. Getting older is rubbish. That's a bit better. What is not rubbish is the display of amazing that is dance on my only reality show (SYTYCD). At least once an episode I can be brought to a complete halt by a routine. Usually those choreographed by one Travis Wall or one Sonya Tayeh. Honestly - their work can stop me mid sentence (not easy to do) or even mid chew (even harder). Check it out some time. In the meanwhilst, here is the random moment of zen for the day.

Murphy never rains, but he pours, no? But I suppose it keeps life a bit more interesting. 

Week Five: Five O'Clock Right Here

Maybe it is all the time travel-themed things I've watched / read / listened to lately, or maybe it is just the feeling that I live and die by a bleeding clock, but the v well-defined theme for this week will be Time. Not like Hootie's Time. Not Closing Time, either. Not even Time after Time. But Time is On My Side (yes it is) and while my forays into fotos this week were not spectacular, I think there've been worse. Have been Thematically Challenged much of my adult life, so it is just a struggle I shall continue in silence (except for the sound the keys make as I type).

Day 1 (29): 6th of January
Fitting that a blog themed of time starts with a day during which that infernal clock makes me want to commit atrocities of an indiscriminate nature. I've officially reached the point at which I am no longer happy with so much down time. Have nearly exhausted my "housework" list at work, and busywork for the sake of busywork is just not in my nature. Holiday periods are all well and good, but really. Enough is enough. Give me some boring tasker or short-turn requirement, PLEASE! Being at work for practically just the sake of being there gets old. I asked my boss if I could leave half an hour early the other day. He said, "Only if you make up the time." I said, "OK. It's 35 past 50."
Any rate, in keeping with that, here is a gimmicky clock I bought a while back that looks all melty / Dali-y. I've tried photographing it before, but had minimal success. Outside seems like an interesting place to find a novelty clock...

Plus sunset. Even more of a novelty? Bah. Forget the clock... Pretty clouds...

Day 2 (30): 7th of January
I guess that a truly Grown Up Person knows their own schedule. Not this GUP.  It is far more fun to arrive at work at 0530 blissfully unawares that one needn't be there till 0800, because one has to be there until 2000. Why have a 10 or 12 hour day when there are 14.5 hour days out there in the world, unloved and unappreciated? The late hour of my return home is the reason the below shot looks the way it does. That, and it is I suppose fitting that a blog focused on time has (at least) one shot that falls short due to a lack of the stuff. At least that is my excuse. My version of a GUP occasionally makes poor excuses. Just not in the presence of the D-Bag jar (at least not always, or intentionally). Observe, if you will, the time upon the face. It is incorrect. I did not roll back this clock when that was the thing to do. And I will not. Because then I'd have to roll it back forward in a couple of months. It is a boring clock.

Even with a non-boring angle. It cannot help itself. Jiggly second hand shows I used a single second exposure... interesting.

Day 3 (31): 8th of January
Was reading today about the ways in which the Victorians had it right when it comes to dating. The things referenced included were a) the grooming ritual; b) dancing; c) walks; d) chaperoned dates; and e) romantic gestures. Am a rather old fashioned person when it comes to romance and courtship, so I can get on board with most of that, but I'm a bit of a nincompoop about some of the details (fancying up, mostly). Do like the idea of an old-style courtship, but not necessarily chaperoned dates, though it might stave off some poor choices... The notion of two people falling wildly and madly in love and running away into the night, regardless of family disapproval was not so common for the upper and middle class. Which is a bit of a shame, but I suppose courting and marriage were more career moves, or socio-political arrangements, for the wealthy to stay wealthy. The poor of the world had more freedom to be rakish and wantonly non-snooty about things. Despite that rather random thought train, in keeping with the fact that this is as always a photo blog, I took piccies of a new 2014 calendar, and none really came out, so I gave up on that. Really the best I got was of an old fridge magnet 2013 calendar I only had because I opened a letter from a realtor, only to realise it was not for me, but there was a handy calendar in it so I wasted not. For to want not, you see?.

Day 4 (32): 9th of January
Spent a considerable amount of time today discussing and demonstrating accents. By considerable, I suppose I just mean more than one might expect for such a thing and curiously in more than one setting. Regardless, odd how such things end up linked. Still kind of wish I'd gotten a degree in linguistics; would make my discussions and explanations about accent differences more legitimate and technical. Not that there is anything wrong with my statements of "it's more singsongy" or "it's more spongy" or the ever-popular "it has a bit less stuff in it." Who knows. Everyone has to have their party trick / super power. And while I cannot fly or open champagne bottles with a knife, I can mimic accents. Not voices, mind you. Still my funny voice, just with varied accent and diction. Hmm. What does that have to do with time? Nothing really. But this photo does, and that is the point, isn't it?

Do love this fob watch. I wish I wore garments more regularly that facilitated the wearing of same.

Day 5 (33): 10th of January
Another Friday. There do seem to be rather a lot of them. I am looking back wishing I'd thought at the start of this week of adding a colour element to the time theme, i.e. Monday=Blue, Tuesday=Grey (Wednesday, too). Thursday, well, I really don't care about you (does that have a colour?). But Friday, I'm in... well you know the rest. There are those weeks wherein one lives simply for the last of the workdays. This is one of them. Due not to excess amounts of stress, nor to Big W/end Plans. Nope. This week just has a feel to it - one that says "things are not as they ought be." The best response to such a sense is to simply get over it and get it over with. Must say, though, I hadn't realised how out of sorts not having my things in order had put me. But having a full tank in the bike and a car that is safe to drive (i.e. have full escape options available) has me feeling more at ease than I'd noticed I'd not been. Does that make sense? I imagine so. Enough, any rate. This is another clock. It looks neat. Proves it is five o'clock somewhere...just not here anymore.
A nose walks into a bar and asks for a drink.
The bartender says, "Sorry, I can't serve you. You're already off your face."

Day 6 (34): 11th of January
Wait. They're going to put a clock on the leaning tower of Pisa. That way it'll have both the time and the inclination... No? Nothing? Oh all right. One of these days I may even see the dreaded tower. Problem is that there's not much else in the area, and while it is a short hop from Florence, I generally would rather stay in Florence. Decisions, decisions. Not much else to say. Just going to show the photo. Another clock. This one less boring than the one from Tuesday. And this one is showing the correct time. But only because I bought it after the time change.

Day 7 (35): 12th of January
Figures. Always comes too late (for what, I'm not sure). If I had a time machine or tame time traveler, Sunday would never come too late. Time Travel does exist, I just discovered it next week. Sorry for that. The light this morning was really interesting. All foggy and smoky as it so often is. Got some interesting pics of it, but as I type I'm debating posting one of them as they don't fit the theme. May change my mind by the time I publish the blog, in which case, one will be below. If not, I've teased you and for that I'm (sort of) sorry. What did the butcher say when he backed into the meat-grinder? Looks like I'm getting a little behind in my work! Not sorry for that, however. Nope. Not even a little. Decided to wave the nerd flag in keeping with my tastes and the theme this week. For that reason I put all my sundry TARDIS things together and had a studio-y go with them (the TARDIS is a time machine, for those of you out of the nerd-loop). While the overall shoot looked a bit too "I'm selling things on ebay" (which I most certainly am not) for this blog, suffice it to say it was a pretty impressive assortment. Lunch boxes, USB ports, safes, coasters, toys, a wooly hat with strings, a mug... the list goes on. What I will make you see is just one that I think worked well. Was using a borrowed contraption that puts a series of filters on the end of the lens to futz with the light. Will be something I need to play with more to really understand. Any rate... my time machine.

And the pesky finish. I know that the whole point of this blog thing is to get better at photography, but it certainly seems that I've gotten a bit worse. Especially in the joke department. Not sure if that is because I've stepped away from pre-sets on the camera and focused more on playing with the settings, or if I genuinely have gotten less capable. The jokes are... well there's really no excuse for them. They must be late to the Christmas Cracker auditions. Hopefully (for your sake as well as mine) over the next forty-some-odd weeks, that trend will swing back the proper direction - both trends, really. I've a feeling that themes I choose will rather often start out as good ideas and sometimes not quite hit the mark in execution. But sometimes, the stars will align and the gods will take pity.

Week Four: Requiem for Oldies

To celebrate the passing of another year in which I did not get arrested, maimed, sued, murdered, or fired, I thought I'd have a bit of fun this week, by taking perfectly nice pictures and putting them through the oldification engine. Not through Instagram (though that certainly is fun, and may be a topic of a later post), but rather with some prune wombat software I have. OK. Maybe not that PW, but Pruner Wombat than my camera. We'll just see what you think.

Day 1 (22): 30th of December
Stuff happens. There was a wee earthquake last night. At first I thought the ruddy great tractor the farmer nearby had been doing godknowswhat with all day had run into my house. That or I was going mad. Then I saw my TV wobbling and the stringy things on the ceiling fan dancing about. Not a whopper by any means - I think the Scientists said a five-point-something 60 miles away. Mostly I sat hoping that this was not a "Surprise, Vesuvius woke up" thing. Then I resigned myself to possible death and went back to my business. Only so much a girl can do on a Sunday evening. Days like today are interesting. Both a Monday and a Friday, people don't seem to know what exactly to do. In depth projects can hardly be to focus of effort, but new tasking is likewise not the best idea, due to the mental sloughing that will inevitably occur round about 1500. There are certainly things need done. Cars need serviced. Papers need filed. Food needs bought. Probably more things as well. For now, there is this. Played with both the greyscale and sepia settings, and this is what I ended up with. Looks all scratchy and old...

 Less exciting with just the trunk in the shot... will remember that next time.

Was just going to leave it at that, but then I went out to check on the boys and saw one orange fluffball making horrible noises at a muddy bloody ball of wet that had the relative shape of the orange one's previously orange brother. Got him a bit towelled off, but the poor thing is clearly banged up and hurt, and while he was tolerant (and somewhat appreciative) of my cuddles and conciliatory gestures, he kept making horrible "owww, that hurts" noises. Gosh, has me in a horrible state. Totally neurotic about a bloody stray cat. Good grief.

Day 2 (23): 31st of December
Ugh. Still a bit neurotic about Daft Merry. Looks more like a cat but still not a happy camper. Am such a sop I just get gutted by four leggedys in pain. Ugh indeed. If only I could convince a feline of the benefits of the Mighty Cuppa. Must refocus efforts on Rest of Day. Though Rest of Day entails v little, as Plan A is to be mildly energetic with a quick workout, but spend the rest of the day as a Listless Layabout. Yesterday was an indoor thing made old, so today's experiment is to do an outdoor thing. Tried bits of the house, bits of the wall/fence, bits of flowers, and bits of trees, all with my warming filter on, to see what that does for the Oldification Process. Results?

 Turns out that while I like going true greyscale, sometimes futsing with the saturation and intensity of the greyness makes is cooler (to me), as it keeps a little bit of the colour.

Day 3 (24): 1st of January (2014! gosh)
Really Gosh. Mad cliche to be amazed at the passing of time into another year, but I guess things are a cliche for a reason. If following good Life Plan, should have Life sorted by now. Don't have Life sorted. Make resolution to get Life sorted? Nah. Resolutions are supposed to be reasonable. Today for example is "clean house, you slob." The dust bunnies will kill you in your sleep like feral dogs. And enjoy Nice Day for taking piccies. Filter free work, but a little inside and out, since my mind is all ideas and usually little action, and when the action happens things get a little spacey. This time went all sepia, all the time. V old timey waterspout...sure it is. A bit better with the composition, though (maybe??)

This was a little fun I had with a fabric shower curtain I bought to use as a privacy screen, but turns out is nearly totally sheer. Who wants a sheer fabric shower curtain? Honestly, that is just madness. So now it is a cloth backdrop for candles. And a fob watch. That might look familiar to certain people in the audience... you know who you are.

Day 4 (25): 2nd of January
Still 2014. Will get over this eventually. Will not, however, get the date right on gas coupons and work papers for a while yet. Be reasonable. Even second guessed myself a few times to the point that I was putting 2012 on things.... Have waxed a bit poetic about the significance of a new year, and sadly came to a highly pessimistic conclusion. I want to see golden opportunities to start afresh and anew and again and asuch. Humans make that hard. To avoid being too terribly Deborah Downer about things, it'll suffice to say that for this Weary Traveler, a new year will simply mean a new date, and hoping to keep on the current path. My, how uplifting. Not my fault. Got rear-ended on the way to work, and after darting off, the twat who hit me had the gall to go to the authorities and want to press charges. After Breaking My Car. Gee, sir. So sorry my car's ass damaged your hood when you plowed into me at great speed. Let me do what I can to help you out. Any rate, felt not brilliant when Gertie and I limped home, so I used the same silly cloth backdrop but changed the subject. Had been thinking about doing something with my cowboy boots, so today was that day. Did one in BW, but went all funny, so the Sepia-y one wins. Not the best, but was not at my best.

Day 5 (26): 3rd of January
Life carries on. Got to stretch Indy's legs today, which was really v therapeutic for us both. Nothing quite like a nice 0500 bike ride to zen out the brain. Bad Things Be Gone! Why can't all problems be so easy to solve? They really are, when it comes right down to it. If only Italian weather and roads were more conducive to frequent rides... Or really, if only I were less of a wuss and had proper rain gear. Meh, as they say. Got lucky both ways today. The Gods may be Crazy, but sometimes, they're rather kind. Days slowly getting longer, so there was more light (ish) when I was home, but Mr. Tri Pod still got some play, as the longer exposure was rather necessary. Bloody wind was not helping in that regard. It couldn't even play nice and give a nice arty blur in the background. No. Had to be splodgy. Many poor lemon (lime?) tree shots later, finally settled on a pair of stone garden things that seemed to me entertained by my misfortune. After treatment, is a bit too bright in the middle, but I think it looks kinda cool.

Day 6 (27): 4th of January
Things happen. Woke this morning with but one thought: "Why are you awake? It is 0525 on a SATURDAY! And you've nowhere to be! And that was a nice dream this time. And wow... your neck rather still smarts a bit, no?" Fine. That was several thoughts. Not even sorry. Well, maybe a little. All rainy and drudgey today, which means Little Hermit Annie has her day. Non-worky Car and non-rain-ridey Me means no-leavey house. But there are things. Things to do. Like... continue re-binge on Copper, or read new book (!!). Maybe dust a shelf or two... Bah. TO THE COUCH! Oh, all right. VIA THE GYM! Took two sort of similar shots today, but the second one started out as a good idea and in the end failed to make me happy (hmmm... metaphor, anyone?). I'll show it any rate. First one seems simple and boring, but for some reason, I really like it. So v non-Americany but non-specific-placey. And the light really felt good. Why? How should I know? Not like I'm a professional. Just a Bloody-Minded Nerd with a Camera.

And Number Two... mleh (splotchiness was my doing in post)

Day 7 (28): 5th of January
Cursed weather. Splendid thunder boomer, but it is just enabling my slothful nature. Spent the morning blasting country music (neighbours be damned) and fighting with my Photo Plan. Reason for the country music was that I woke with "Hungry Eyes" in my head, after my dream got it stuck there. Was like some odd avant garde play, where myself and three friends were sitting around a table drinking tea, whilst mass riots and violence and explosions and etc were happening all about behind us. The ruckus made only muted noise; most of the sound came from pouring tea and the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. OK dreamologists - what the bloody eff does that mean? Back to the pic. Tried umpteen zillion different set ups and poses and things to add or subtract (when dealing in RAW, starts to take up space on the card...) and finally got something I kinda like. The original colours were pretty cool, but that is not the point this week. So there. The books are boxes and the little necklace is a christmas pressie from Home. The backdrop this time is a pair of wraparound "Djibouti Pants" in shiny blue that I got for some amount of local currency in - you guessed it - Djibouti. They are flowy and pretty and comfy.

Thing at the End. Damn. Seems I've forced myself to write something summatory at the end of these things. Does remarking on that fact count? Probably not. Wisdom or Commentary is better. Relevance is Optional. Ok. End of Week Four. Seems like a monumental thing for someone like me. But a month is just a month. And really is not a proper month till the 9th of January. New year opened with a bang, though, eh? Wish it had been a bit less literal about it, though. Ah well. Little Harm, Little Foul. Well, OK. Bigish Foul on the part of the soandso that hit me. But serves me right, I suppose, for being In the Way.