I think I have finally found my favorite – it’s the images with clouds. To my mind both of them are great! But we’ll see if anything can beat these…
Easter Break and a bit of a re-set
2 days ago
Saturday 21 February 2009
Dyptichs - Part 3 (another 4)
I’m falling behind with my photos… Still have lots to take, but here are another 4 from my and Michael’s February diptychs project.
I think I have finally found my favorite – it’s the images with clouds. To my mind both of them are great! But we’ll see if anything can beat these…
I think I have finally found my favorite – it’s the images with clouds. To my mind both of them are great! But we’ll see if anything can beat these…
Tuesday 17 February 2009
The United Kingdom
(Virtual Tour 2009 - Around Europe without Leaving Your House)
From Sweden I’m hopping to… England! That beautiful island inhabited by people who have a very distinct sense of humor and tend to stick to their old traditions no matter what the rest of the world thinks.
At first I was going to choose a book written by a contemporary writer whose work would reflect the latest British style of living. In most likelihood this would have been something by Alexander McCall Smith – a very productive author, who is capable of telling his endless stories in a very attractive manner. But in the end I decided that it wouldn’t be fair – Alexander McCall Smith was born in Zimbabwe and at the moment lives in Scotland - from what I’ve heard Scottish people would like to be independent, so probably they haven’t got anything to do with the rest of the UK?
Anyway, in one of the local bookshops I found a book that was written in 1900 and to my mind it was ideal. It is called ‘Three Men on the Bummel’ (aka Three Men on Wheels) and actually is the sequel to the famous Jerome K. Jerome's book called ‘Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)’. I’ve never read the latter, but after enjoying the humor I’ll certainly give it a go.
It’s really amazing how following three Englishmen on bikes in the German Black Forest you can find out so many interesting facts or opinions about both nations. For example I never knew why English people don’t speak any other languages (well, if you ask them if they do, they’ll say they speak a bit of French, but from my own experience it’s just some ‘catchy’ phrase that they can remember from school times – one can say ‘can you check my tires please’, another ‘what’s the time’). Jerome K. Jerome seems to agree with me – in his opinion a young Englishmen, who has just left school, could talk to a Frenchmen slowly and hardly, about gardeners or aunts. A brighter child might even be able to say something about the time or the weather; of course they could repeat several numbers or irregular verbs that they’ve learnt by heart, but we must admit that not many people would like to listen to their own irregular verbs repeated by a young Englishmen. I never thought I’d find so much support for my own theory in a 1900s book! I won’t tell you why the situation with languages is like that – if you’re really interested, read the book.
One more thing that slightly shocked me – this book was used for a long time as a school book in Germany. Why would they want to? Jerome K. Jerome’s story is full of commentary on German culture from the point of view of a British tourist – as you might imagine it’s not flattering! Here’s a short abstract that should give you an idea:
'In Germany one breathes in love of order with the air, in Germany the babies beat time with their rattles, and the German bird has come to prefer the box, and to regard with contempt the few uncivilised outcasts who continue to build their nests in trees and hedges. In course of time every German bird, one is confident, will have his proper place in a full chorus. This promiscuous and desultory warbling of his must, one feels, be irritating to the precise German mind; there is no method in it. The music-loving German will organise him.'
I laughed out loud. Trust me this book can help you overcome your winter depression!
From Sweden I’m hopping to… England! That beautiful island inhabited by people who have a very distinct sense of humor and tend to stick to their old traditions no matter what the rest of the world thinks.
At first I was going to choose a book written by a contemporary writer whose work would reflect the latest British style of living. In most likelihood this would have been something by Alexander McCall Smith – a very productive author, who is capable of telling his endless stories in a very attractive manner. But in the end I decided that it wouldn’t be fair – Alexander McCall Smith was born in Zimbabwe and at the moment lives in Scotland - from what I’ve heard Scottish people would like to be independent, so probably they haven’t got anything to do with the rest of the UK?
Anyway, in one of the local bookshops I found a book that was written in 1900 and to my mind it was ideal. It is called ‘Three Men on the Bummel’ (aka Three Men on Wheels) and actually is the sequel to the famous Jerome K. Jerome's book called ‘Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)’. I’ve never read the latter, but after enjoying the humor I’ll certainly give it a go.
It’s really amazing how following three Englishmen on bikes in the German Black Forest you can find out so many interesting facts or opinions about both nations. For example I never knew why English people don’t speak any other languages (well, if you ask them if they do, they’ll say they speak a bit of French, but from my own experience it’s just some ‘catchy’ phrase that they can remember from school times – one can say ‘can you check my tires please’, another ‘what’s the time’). Jerome K. Jerome seems to agree with me – in his opinion a young Englishmen, who has just left school, could talk to a Frenchmen slowly and hardly, about gardeners or aunts. A brighter child might even be able to say something about the time or the weather; of course they could repeat several numbers or irregular verbs that they’ve learnt by heart, but we must admit that not many people would like to listen to their own irregular verbs repeated by a young Englishmen. I never thought I’d find so much support for my own theory in a 1900s book! I won’t tell you why the situation with languages is like that – if you’re really interested, read the book.
One more thing that slightly shocked me – this book was used for a long time as a school book in Germany. Why would they want to? Jerome K. Jerome’s story is full of commentary on German culture from the point of view of a British tourist – as you might imagine it’s not flattering! Here’s a short abstract that should give you an idea:
'In Germany one breathes in love of order with the air, in Germany the babies beat time with their rattles, and the German bird has come to prefer the box, and to regard with contempt the few uncivilised outcasts who continue to build their nests in trees and hedges. In course of time every German bird, one is confident, will have his proper place in a full chorus. This promiscuous and desultory warbling of his must, one feels, be irritating to the precise German mind; there is no method in it. The music-loving German will organise him.'
I laughed out loud. Trust me this book can help you overcome your winter depression!
Thursday 12 February 2009
Monday 9 February 2009
Good Ideas that Get Noticed
From time to time I have a look at all sorts of blogs that are about traveling, photography, handmade things, cooking, reading… etc. Most of them are really great and full of inspiration and I’m happy that some of the ideas, portrayed there, stick in my head as worth trying out and later on evolve into something different.
This time it’s diptychs! This idea has been first noticed on iHanna’s blog*, but can also be traced to Art Slam*. In short – it’s a ‘game’ for two players who are fond of photography. The aim is for each of you to take a photo that would represent a certain word.
I’ve chosen a partner – my old friend who lives in Sheffield and suggested 28 words, as we’ve decided to do daily diptychs for a month (this February). At first I thought it would be hard for him to keep up as after I sent him an e-mail on the 2nd or 3rd of February asking where his photos were I got a reply that he was drrrrrunk (probably was) and that they would reach me later. But at the moment I’m the one who’s behind! Hopefully I will manage to catch up…
Meanwhile here are the first 4 diptychs:
This time it’s diptychs! This idea has been first noticed on iHanna’s blog*, but can also be traced to Art Slam*. In short – it’s a ‘game’ for two players who are fond of photography. The aim is for each of you to take a photo that would represent a certain word.
I’ve chosen a partner – my old friend who lives in Sheffield and suggested 28 words, as we’ve decided to do daily diptychs for a month (this February). At first I thought it would be hard for him to keep up as after I sent him an e-mail on the 2nd or 3rd of February asking where his photos were I got a reply that he was drrrrrunk (probably was) and that they would reach me later. But at the moment I’m the one who’s behind! Hopefully I will manage to catch up…
Meanwhile here are the first 4 diptychs:
The idea that evolved – I think it would be great to do this with someone who lives in the same city as me (Mr. Kel if you’re reading this and think you’d be interested, drop me a line), but instead of the words to have addresses. We’d have to get a map out and mark some buildings that we’d be taking photos off (could be random). That way this architectural diptychs project would show how differently two people see the same buildings, what details attract their attention.
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iHanna's blog - http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/?p=951
Art Slam -http://www.art-slam.com/
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