Week Forty-Five: Curry Favours

Do you know what is delicious? Thai Green Curry. Do you know when it is even better? When I don't have to make it. Do you know what makes it better still? When it is not out of a cardboard box. These are the things that keep a person sane. Good food made with love by someone else. Which in my case is always a good thing. I've heard they are thinking of outlawing the phenomenon of me cooking. Because while I beg to differ, I've been informed that nuking things is not cooking.

Day 1 (309): 13th of October
Somehow this being a short week (again) makes things more stressful. For example, finding oneself at work on a day off, attempting to do something useful to get ahead of things, is enough to make one wonder how Life went so wrong. Probably just me - after all, I was that girl as a kid. You know, the one who did all her homework, read lots of non-assigned books for fun, and lived for extra credit. Being the grown-up (sic) who feels compelled to go in on a free Monday for several hours to help people sort out something she knew would confuse them, is just the way these Things end up. Damn them. The Things. Can't I just spend the day on the sofa re-watching Gilmore Girls or The Blacklist? Or get someone else to do Things? Oh, wait. I'm much too stubborn to not do Things myself.

Looking down from the roof where I took the above photo.

Day 2 (310): 14th of October
Another Tuesday pretending to be a Monday. Oh, and Naples didn't get the message that it is OCTOBER. We had nice and cool(ish) all summer. Last year I broke down and turned on the A/C one night when it was just too painfully hot to sleep. This year hasn't come close. But now that we are in what ought to be the cool down (and too soggy) start to fall and winter, the heat has to turn on. Way to be late to the party. First, this happened.

Then, this happened. Whatever might happen next?

Looks like we won't find out. Here is a flower.

Day 3 (311): 15th of October
You know what is nice? Hot tea with milk in the morning. Even better if it comes with Hobnobs (or the generic equivalent, they are really almost as good, flavour-wise). Better still if I don't forget it by the kettle so it steeps for half an hour and then gets cold. Smoky hazy day today. Every word in that ended in "y." Hmmm. Webby yellow flower weed. Those words all had "w" in them.

My focus on this one was all over the place. But the light was neat.

Day 4 (312): 16th of October
Have I mentioned I hate Thursdays? If not, I hate Thursdays. This one had dental evil, earthquake drills, increased force protection measures, multiple meetings, homework, and late night airplane travel. Actually, that last bit was rather nice. Mostly because it took me First Class British Airways the hell out of Naples. Buh Bye.

And hello to my cheap and cheerful (but not dodgy) little hotel "room." Vague resemblances to Depression-era lodger spaces are totally accurate. But it's nice enough and close to where I need to be.

Day 5 (313): 17th of October
Traipsing about London is grand. Busy, as it is rather a large city (in case that comes as a surprise). Talking to artists is usually grand, except when they are snobby, or the not-listeny kind of people. Then it is rather less grand. But Chinatown is fun. Bad place to go when one is hungry and has eaten nothing but a sausage roll all day.

OK. That one was silly. This is better. So is finishing the day with lovely family who are splendidly kind and fun to be around (and feed me beer and curry). Really don't know how my cousin does it. She really is Super Mum. Anyone who can raise three young humans and keep all their myriad lives in order truly is a hero. Why do you think I don't do it?

Day 6 (314): 18th of October
So many walks of shame. But not really, I guess, as there seemed no shame in any of it. I felt bad at making my poor cousin-in-law (is that a thing?) get up at ungodly hours to take me back to the train station after I drank all the family beer, ate all their food, crashed in the guest room, and probably filled the children's' heads with horribly corrupt American cheeky inappropriate something. They are so nice. Wish I could see them more often. But my walk / train / tube of shame yielded a great morning shot over the Thames. Wait, did I just say tube of shame? That sounds rather scandalous...

This one came out a bit nicer (the light worked a bit too hard in the first shot).

And a day spent amongst other shame(less) walkers, many of whom were dressed as any number of things, characters, and allsorts (not the gross licorice sweets), yielded a lovely time. Got to meet and chat with the chap who played Boba Fett, and had another nice chat with the guy who was inside Darth Vader. Oh, and to complete the Star Wars w/end, got my photo with Carrie Fisher, and met her brilliant dog. And then I---Look! Pretty! I want one!

This place was so civilised they even had a full bar with relatively not insanely expensive drinks prices (all relative to the level of need, you see). So the day started with tea and sausage rolls, middled with pints of Carlsberg (only one of which I bought myself), and ended with some insane curry lentil bacon soup thing I wanted to marry and live in forever. Here is a spider. It is the size of my horse thumb and on the biggest web I've ever seen, just outside my hotel room door. So cool.

Day 7 (315): 19th of October
Another day, another round at the NerdFest. Met another fellow who played the Doctor (Colin Baker this time). Such a kind gent. We chatted about all sorts of things. He's another person fascinated with Idaho (only as he's not ever been, but who has, really). So nice to just have a nice chat with a genuinely nice person. Also a treat is the gal who played the sister in Jurassic Park. She's an artist now (check her out here) and does really, really great portraits.

Same thing in Black & White. Leave off. I have homework to do.

What else has this to do with curry? Or with favours? Not sure. Two days involved curry. All days should involve curry. On the fence about favours. Sometimes they are good, and sometimes not. Favourite things are good, though. As are party favours. And being in someone's favour. What do I know. I'm just here. 

Week Thirty: Rhymes with Smilight

Realised I completely missed the fact that I hit day 200 last week. One of those moments that seems momentous and deserving of celebratory social media. But really not. A quiet "good job, old girl" to myself I think is more fitting. In tune with realising that I am fully on the downslope of this madcap project (yes I'm giving it more credit than it's due), I did all my photo-taking in the waning hours of daylight. Not just sunsets, mind you (not yet ready to re-resort to that tired old trope). Just worked on getting the light right for some rather domestic outdoor-y shots. hip hip.

Day 1 (204): 30th of June
Sometimes necessity truly is the mother of things. Like invention. And ingenuity. And photo themes. Brain death led to nearly not taking photos, so I figured on keeping things dusky. Not using the other word for the end of the day because unintentionally seeing the film by that name scarred me for life. And almost ruined my region of choice (the PNW). Sparkly vampires my arse. Stroppy metal fence design agrees.

Certain Felines. V needy, this one is. I go outside and have an instant shadow.

Flowers have it too easy. They just look nice all the time.

But even weeds can look nice in the right light... no?

Day 2 (205): 1st of July
New month (again... how do these things keep happening?). No new thoughts on matters. Not yet, any rate. Life seems to require Decisions. Big Decisions (thus the big D). Decisions that seem simple in concept but terrifying in possible execution. Curse being a Grown Up.

Check out these purple things. Notice the subtle subject change.

Seriously. Badass purple things (probably weeds).

Day 3 (206): 2nd of July
This day is a turd. I've not been sleeping much this week and as such have been ignoring my string of alarms and forcing mad dashing in the first thing. At least that worked in my favour today as I knew I'd be at the Work until rather late (thanks, meeting set around the schedule of People in the States). At least that did fit with planned late evening shots. This time focused on neighbour property (they weren't there, so I was a bit less dodgy).

Vineyards everywhere.

Really everywhere.

Day 4 (207): 3rd of July
Murphy's Law still ruleth the land. Get stuck with a 12 hour watch on the day before a four-day w/end (wherein it follows everyone leaves early). And it was another of those days that lead a body to think she has become Doreen the switchboard operator. You'd think people would be wise enough to leave their silly questions until after the long w/end. Spare those of us stuck answering them. Ah well. Block checked for another month or so. Here are photos of palm trees.

Alright, really just palm tree trunks. But ooh light.

Day 5 (208): 4th of July
Feels like a Saturday. About as productive. But only if you then subtract any productivity at all. I really ought go back to carrying a notebook for all my deep and/or brilliant and/or amazing thoughts. I know I have them, but somehow when it comes time to prove it to you, Dear Internet, I come up short. All I can tell you for certain on this my home nation's birthday, is that there is officially no sexy way to get out of a hammock. If one wants to use loafing in a hammock to seduce someone, that someone best not see one get in or get out. Witnesses should only see the portion where one is doing the loafing. If a cat is capable of laughter or ironic thought, I was quite the show for one today.

Happy American Independence Day.

Or Happy July 4th, if that is more your speed.

Day 6 (209): 5th of July
Really too unmotivated to provide excess commentary on this set. My lawn is in rather desperate need of a mow (reference yesterday's photos).

Plant part. Please note cat hair from cat that walked by just before I pressed the pickle button.

Day 7 (210): 6th of July
Painted my self in a bit of a corner with this theme. Means I have to wait till late to take the last photo. Thus a late publishing of blog. Mostly because it takes so bloody long for my fool internet to upload huge photos. But I'm having a gas playing country music at great volume all day; some while I was being lazy, some while working on my Great Shit Purge of 2014 (minimal progress so far). Finally, as the sun sinks lower, the only self portrait I will risk.

Do I mean Skylight? Highlight? Lo-fi-light? Bauxite? Lite-Brite?

Week Nineteen: The Shape of Things to Come

Semi-thematic this week. But really just some more photos. A bit weak this week, I'll be honest, but my muse seems to have taken a holiday without asking my permission. Really uncalled for, there, Muse. At least take me with you next time. I could use some time off...

Day 1 (127): 14th of April
Naples is rather notorious for mildly insane traffic conditions. In my time here, I've seen embarrassed trucks on their lids, small Renaults gone flying over guard rails, horrid backups caused by rubberneckers, etc. Today was a new one. There was a little red Fiat going maybe 35 km/h in the right lane of the motorway with his four ways flashing. All the cars were slowing as they passed this poor fellow, causing a bit of a snarl, but as I came to pass him myself, I saw the cause for interest. The whole windshield looked as though some angry ex-wife had had a go at it with a bat. The thing was literally caved in and hanging in the face of the driver. I've no idea how he stayed on the road at all. Smashing, really. Felt like being a bit slanty today, so I played with the diagonal split idea that was a failure last time. Better results this week. 

Evening shadows on the stone floor were intriguing. Didn't get quite the split I'd wanted, but not too bad.

Day 2 (128): 15th of April
This evening, I lived a real-life horror movie scene. Someone let Mothra into my house, and he proceeded to terrorise me for nearly an hour before I outsmarted him. It was no small task, mind you. The beast was all flappy wings and thwoppy bouncing on the walls and ceiling and doors... But I was victorious. Now, however, there is a giant moth trapped in a glass votive holder on the floor of my hallway. Chances are it will stay there for a long while. Guuuuh. I shudder thinking about it. Partly because it is still flitting about inside the glass making sickening noises. Mlergh. On to the photos. More slanty lines. This time not shadows, just the fence and the stormy sky.

It was pissing with rain outside and I tried many times to get a good shot of the fence reflected in the puddles but all were crap. The light was all gooey and too dark to get anything good. At least with my skill level. But this worked rather nicely. The gate reflected off the shiny soggy mosaic tiles.

Day 3 (129): 16th of April
Wednesdays really have it all. Sit in the middle of the week and make people's lives feel meaningless. My job is conducted almost entirely on the internet, or at the very least relies on connectivity to get done. This afternoon all of our connectivity dropped, thanks to some fool parking on the cable in Germany or on Mars, stopping the flow of internet juice. Thus, the last few hours of the day were spent sitting on our collective thumbs and shooting nerf darts at one another. And there was NO MUSIC!!! Because the MUSIC COMES FROM THE INTERNET!!! On such days, I've no issue crying uncle and going home early. Staying at work just to stay at work is preposterous. Speaking of things preposterous, the below shot is still a bit of a mystery to me. Through a hole, sharply. 

This is a cool rose whose shape was fascinating. It is two flowers coming from the same bud. I made it black and white partly for effect, and partly because the rose is really intensely, downright offensively pink. 

Day 4 (130): 17th of April
Busy day. We've had out of towners in of town this week to do an "assist visit," which basically means hang out, see how we do business, and make sure we are doing things the way the higher HQ likes to see. Goes without saying (but I'm saying anyway) we've done wonderfully, flying colours and that. Goes to show that when given a deadline and a set amount of work desired, we get things done. Take that, haters who think our unorthodox work environment gets in the way of getting things done and looking good doing it. You don't like the music playing all the time? You don't like the d-bag jar? Good thing you don't have to work for me. So long as the bosses're happy, I'm happy. Merry it happy, too, though this face would suggest otherwise. I think we've all made that face a time or two...

Another check in with the intrepid clone trooper... I think he's gotten in a bit over his head here...

 
Day 5 (131): 18th of April
Helluva Friday. Made plans for a whirlwind trip to NYC whilst I am back in the States. Never been there, so it ought to be interesting. Whole point is for the premiere of a film I helped produce (via Indiegogo), but the fool thing is on a Sunday evening and I've got to be back in for training in Va Beach on Monday morning. Keeping fingers and toes crossed the travel gods smile upon me, rather than smirk. Any rate, played about with photos of blowy grass in a nearby field, but the blowy nature of the blowy grass made for many awful shots. This one came out OK.

Day 6 (132): 19th of April
Rubbish weather. Had plans for outdoor fun at a park in a volcano, but had to adjust fire. Thank goodness for adaptability and indoor fun. Brief jaunt into the out produced these photos. More flowers, yes, but this first one had me quite pleased. You can just see the raindrops on the petals. 

The raindrops on this guys are far more obvious. Gosh these roses really are annoyingly pink...

 
Day 7 (133): 20th of April
Didn't realise it was Easter until this morning, when was reminded that there was brunch to be had. Do love a good brunch. Don't really love it when silly bright sun keeps foiling my attempts to suck less at outdoor photography. Here I really like the little closed blooms more than the open one with its silly overly bright middle part.  

April almost gone. How does this keep happening? I keep thinking that I've got forever left here, and then I notice I've lost another week, month, etc. Have been phoning in the photos a bit of late. I think it's because I'm in need of inspiration. Hopefully my upcoming trip back to the U.S. will be the kick in the proverbial trousers I need. Not sure which proverb I am referencing there, but you get the idea.