Week Fifty-One: Thank Goodness

Winding down on the 365 Project. Life is all about positives and negatives. And the occasional neutral. Generally, I like the neutrals, but I'm not averse to moaning and complaining about things I cannot control or change (blame it on the celtic blood). This week I'd like to at least attempt to focus on the things for which I am thankful. Firstly, progress on my charity: water campaign. Secondly, the simplicity of my life.

Day 1 (351): 24th of November
Well, it's been a while since the last time I had a Monday that was so incredibly Monday. Started the day by not noticing that I'd forgotten my boots until I'd been at work for a while. This caused a decision point: take an hour out of my morning to go home and collect said footwear (and in so doing lose the prime parking location), or spend about $80 and buy a new pair (and deal with the New Boot Effect all day). Three guesses which one I chose. Hint: it's the second option. Because as Scottish as I am about money, sometimes the laziness bloody mindedness work ethic wins out. Also forgot my tea tin, but thankfully had a backup stash. Then got loads of taskers, and one of them requires counting up "man-years" for FY14 and projecting "man-years" for FY15, FY16, and FY17. What happened to the man-hour? What exactly is a "man-year" anyhow? Apparently for a civilian it is 1880 hours. For us poor fools in the military, it is something rather larger. But why cannot we just use a calculation that requires less mathematic prowess? What am I thankful for today? Let's see. Tomorrow is Tuesday (i.e. not Monday), so I'm thankful for that.

Day 2 (352): 25th of November
My official, government-issued mobile phone was pickpocketed (along with a bunch of cash) when I was in London last, and in order to get it sorted, I have to file a police report with the local security. Seems so counter-intuitive, as the event happened in another country, and there is nothing to be done for it. But we do need our paperwork, I suppose. Today I'm thankful for books. The stories I've read in the last three decades or thereabouts have made me the person I am today (for better or for worse).

Day 3 (353): 26th of November
Haven't yet brought it up, but while I was on the boat last week, a castle was constructed around my desk in the office. It still stands and has been given the name Castle Carruth after the ancestral beginning of the Crothers line. Not that there was ever a real Castle Carruth, but it is a nice idea. The thing will have to come down eventually, as part of the structure is made of boxes of printer paper. There have been mumblings about getting a photo taken and maybe taking it down sooner. I hate to destroy something constructed out of creative inspiration, but may be overruled. Today I am thankful for great storms. Leaving early to go watch a reenlistment, I drove into a great torrent and watched through the windows of the event as the sky tried to wash away the sins of the world (quite a task). The aftermath of storms in old volcanoes is pretty neat.

Yup. Another rose. This one at Carney Park.

After the big, mad, torrential storm...

And when one takes the wrong on ramp, sometimes one has to go a really long way round. But it makes for a nice sunset view.

Day 4 (354): 27th of November
A lovely Thanksgiving day. No internet, thanks to the storm yesterday. Love the cyclical nature of my life. Thankful for excuses to eat massive amounts of food with no one judging (just comparing quantities consumed). Thankful for the idea (and memory) of watching football whilst digesting (games all start rather late here... silly time difference). Thankful for lovely chats with parental units (sorry for calling at 0730 local...). Also thankful for this scenery.

This as well.

Day 5 (355): 28th of November
What I'm not thankful for: Black Friday when I need to use the public WiFi. And when the place is crammed with people who don't speak English but feel free to take advantage of lax NEX entry policies to fill their bags with as much discounted merch as possible. Am definitely thankful for quick responses from landlords (a rarity, I must say) who bring Telecom guys to poke around and chat on phones and come to the conclusion that the problem is the ADSL line as a whole. Such a delight to come down from my shower to find such a sight. Even better is when Telecom guys say "una settimana" until it is fixed, but then landlords make faces and exasperated noises and Telecom guys say "due, tre giorni, maximo." In a strange way, am a little thankful for this little guy, except when he is high maintenance and requires assistance in refraining from eating his own leg.

Also thankful for roses.

Day 6 (356): 29th of November
Also not thankful for the phrase "that's just the cat's meow." Unless, that is, the phrase is being used to express the sending of one on a massive guilt trip. But even then, all I think of anymore as regards a cat's meow is the godawful little gutteral noises that come from a cat in pain (or just fed up and feeling needy). Guh. But this is the week for positive things, so I'm thankful for rain that holds off until after I've finished bringing the wash in from the line.

The normal fall shot (though it's winter).

Day 7 (357): 30th of November
End of the month. End of a long w/end. Gosh, how boring is my life. Spending excessive amounts of time and energy looking after the fool feline. Probably not even doing it right, but I have to do something, and he cannot be trusted to not make things worse. Ugh. Thank goodness for Twin Peaks marathons. Though I have to say, the cat has good taste, as he keeps staring fixedly at the screen at important moments. Besides fantastic old TV shows, I'm thankful for the little details in life. The mornings we wake up fully rested (rare things, indeed), the perfect cup of tea in the morning, the spider web I didn't notice until I was editing this photo.

The little flower that blooms in the sunshine and hides in the dark.

Oh, Life. I am thankful for you. In all of your goods and others. You are a colourful beast, and never cease to entertain. And exasperate, but that's why you're you.

Week Twenty-three: Roy G.

I remember an episode of what I think was Bill Nye, but for all I know it could have been Beakman's World. Either way, the episode was my first introduction to the way the rainbow works and how to remember the order of the colours. As part of photography is closely tied to colours (can't think why), I wanted to pay homage to the nice bow of rain.

Day 1 (155): 12th of May
Red. A great colour. Some of my hair is red. Sort of. Especially when I get a bit cross. Which is hardly ever, really. Losing one's temper is so, well, unnecessary. Other good things that are red...hmmm. Roses, fezzes, some kinds of curry. Mmmmm... curry... Right. Oh of course. Stop signs.

And apparently some little pickups. This one was a bit tricky to get just  right.

Day 2 (156): 13th of May
Orange. Like the fool cats. And some of the more unfortunate Gingers out there. I rather compare it to my spinal pain level after several hours of marching up and down metal stairs on a day when Beelzebub was in control of the weather, on a big flat-topped boat. I've never seen one of them before. Oh, sorry, sarcasm doesn't really show through in type. If you've met me you'll know I'm rarely not sarcastic, so if there is a question, just presume on the snarky side. Nearly missed my chance to take a photo as it got late, and there was not an orange car to be found. Though in retrospect that's a good thing. Orange is no colour for a car. But there is this. Thanks, Taco Bell.

Day 3 (157): 14th of May
Yellow. Oh good, we are starting each day with a single word. How v creative. Not at all lazy. For weeks there has been a horrid yellow Charger with an awful bumble bee on the side. But on the day I want to take its photo, it of course vanishes. Went on a great sojourn to find other yellows (as I've given up on the Colours of Cars idea I started with). Found a nice hydrant.

And a nice "don't kill pedestrians" sign. Considering I was a pedestrian as I took the shot in the middle of the street, I was glad for its existence.

Day 4 (158): 15th of May
Green. My, my. Wherever will I find something green. I miss the kind of green that abounds here. Doesn't mean I actually like it here. Nope, just the trees. Except the ones that spew cotton at me and make my allergies go mad. Fabric of our lives my foot. Though I do rather like cotton when it is processed and made into shirts. Stumbled upon a grand hunter green Mustang all kitted out to look absurd. And it was in front of trees. How nice.

Then of course there were the bushes. This one was fun.

Day 5 (159): 16th of May
Blue. Ahhh. Blue. Glorious blue. My eyes are blue. Rather a boring version of blue, but blue nonetheless. I also own rather a lot of blue things. Like TARDIS toys and assorted paraphernalia. And jeans. Lots of jeans. But I also have a windbreaker, which got simply soaked when I went out in a monsoon to take some photos of the stormy beach. Apparently windbreaker is not the same as rainbreaker.

Here is the stormy beach. Took lots of photos, but won't waste your eyes on them just now. Not a terribly blue day for the ocean.

And once it cleared up, I could tell that my rental car is indeed quite blue.

And really rather reflecty. I see now that this is rather less of a blue shot.

Day 6 (160): 17th of May
Indigo. What the devil is indigo. Once this week got along, I realised I had no idea what made indigo something other than blue. Besides of course a word that precedes Girls. Turns out I should have researched the difference earlier. Yesterday I was apparently looking at indigo as well as blue. World = shattered. So today I guess I'll be looking for more of the same. Between the two days I'll surely cover the blues. Typical. Bloody colours. Bloody EM spectrum. Got to catch a plane, too. So here is the solution. I have a keyboard protector that is well worn, but still sort of blue / indigo / whatever.

And the sky was a lovely bluey of some description. With a nice bird.

Day 7 (161): 18th of May
Violet. Also known as Purple. Like royal things and Joint things, and little old ladies. I quite like purple, but it turns out I own rather little purple. Also turns out that my landlord wanted to play one more trick on me (it has been a while, so I suppose I am due). They rejiggered the internet at the villa so I've my own ADSL line, but did not leave me the info to set up the fool thing, or how I am supposed to receive the bill / pay the bill (details, I know). So off I trundle to the NEX to borrow WiFi. And after a rather long time on planes and in airports. Boo. But there were rather pretty thistle plants to satisfy the purple for the day.

See? Pretty Purple.

Also took a shot of these poppies, because it is my blog and I'll do as I please.

Back in Naples now. Internet I cannot access and a water heater that won't quit sounding on the verge of nuclear meltdown. So nice to be home. Oh, and I like colours. And traffic lights. But only when they're green.