Mid-Summer Renaissance Faire

Ren Faire- Gypsy Horse Show

Some Assembly Required

Launched

If you don't think this is a cool image I hate you. No, really. Although I am thinking of turning the rest of the background white to enhance the graphic effect. Edit 8/27: Actually, now that I look at it I don't think this is a very strong image. It's not bad, but I think what excited me about it originally, was that this was a photo of a man in a cherry picker washing the windows of a church. So the tsuanmi looking wave to the left is actually a church that's been put through the distort/ twirl filter. Church of the Twirly Jesus? Now we're talking.

I Do Live There- When I Can

Sometimes I work on stuff in Photoshop late at night, save the images, and forget about them (thanks Ambien!) I found the green one recently in my 'Neighborhood' folder. "I will live here" in the context of this photo simultaneously makes no sense at all and distills me to my essence. How very darling.

Koi Vey

Alter Ego

Today at the Wright Park Arboretum, surrounded by plants, I was drawn to the koi pond. I was gracious enough to move out of the way for passersby, but I was doing some serious shooting. I think my settings worked well: 1/2000, macro, and flash. I love this photo.

Abstract

I could play with Photoshop filters all day. Come to think of it, day time would be a great idea. I tend to do this kind of thing after midnight. I love abstract art. I once had a boyfriend who hated it. The walls of his home were hung with portraits. Paintings of strangers! Why would anyone want that? He thought my abstract prints were cold and impersonal. I didn't like the creepy people on his walls staring at me. We broke up because we were art incompatible. Yeah, that's it.

In Store

Goodwill store, to be specific.

Eye in the Sky

Toward the end of my afternoon shoot (I go for a walk with my Nikon almost every Sunday) there was a mighty flash in the sky. In less fantastical terms, the sun peeked through the clouds. I pointed my camera upwards and this is what I got. I can't decide if it's pretty or creepy. I'll settle for pretty creepy.

Luminous

Much Better

What's the Rush?

I want to write about my March Las Vegas trip. I want to write about my new-found fascination with the band Rush (52 year old woman discovers band beloved decades ago by 15 year old boys!). I'd also like to write about the book I'm writing but I'm tired and bored with myself.

Pink Nose

I think that's a smile

Bellagio Fountains

Also known as one of my favorite things on earth.

Girl Scout Cookies

I was apprehended outside of the grocery store last week by three happy, laughing and dancing Girl Scouts. They shone their adorable faces upon me and asked with gleeful hope if I'd like to buy some Girl Scout cookies. What was I supposed to say? "No, fuck off"?

True story: I opened the box of Tagalogs when I got home and ate one. Just one. It helped that I picked a flavor I don't like. I took the box into work the next morning. Amazing.

Wouldn't have been possible with Thin Mints.

Hiding

If in Finland

I would try

TurkishPepperWhirl

Of course I had to look this up. Turkish Pepper is actually a flavor of licorice candy- but I'm not sure that makes it less disgusting. A description I read said it tastes somewhat like Fisherman's Friend cough drops. I was offered a Fisherman's Friend drop in Sweden and promptly expressed my appreciation by saying "Aargh! Ewwww! Yuck!" then spitting it into a tissue. It tasted like black licorice to the tenth power. I don't think the Turkish Pepper Whirl is going to be coming to Dairy Queen anytime soon. But if in Finland- actually it's not if, it's when- I will try it.

Cosmic Nonsense

A long time ago- I'm not going to say how long ago because I saw a Family Guy episode recently where a 50 year old woman referred to a piece of furniture as a Davenport. I wasn't quite sure what a Davenport was (See! See!)and had to look it up, which I'm happy about. What I'm not happy about is referring back to things that happened a long, long time ago. I almost started this post with "Decades ago..." but I'm aware that to younger readers (I think I have two) I may as well be referring to FDR.

Earlier this week I sold a comforter set I'm no longer using to a nice couple. I had listed my number on Craigslist, and called back a woman who'd left a message. Her husband answered and said she was busy with something. Later in the conversation, feeling comfortable with me I suppose, he laughed (and laughed- he seemed to find it quite funny) that his wife had just gotten dentures and was putting them in. Umm, ok. We set up a time for them to come by.

I was expecting a nice, elderly couple. I pictured her in Koret, maybe purple polyester pants and a matching top with flower appliques. I answered the door to a slim, long-haired, attractive woman (wearing Chico's) and her tall, aging, but still had it going on retired cop husband. They'd been married 48 years. They were a sexy couple. Later I realized she was the denture lady. Strange this age thing.

Anyway, I was about to tell you about something that happened, yes, DECADES AGO. Way, way, before Photoshop. When we used somethings called darkrooms, and I spent hours in them sandwiching negatives in the enlarger, burning, dodging, using Marshall's Photo Oils, everything I could to make my visions come to life. Back then, way back then (early '80s), I put together a series of photos called Cosmic Nonsense. Now I'm starting a Photoshop version of Cosmic Nonsense, photos that are simply something to look at and to which ascribing meaning would be silly. Visual impact and mindless surrealism. Images that confuse the brain a little (it's good for you!)

Here's my first Photoshop one. I think it has some visual punch to it.