Graffiti Detail

Here is a bit of graffiti detail from a local alley. This is tamed and domestic graffiti as it is placed here legally to the best of my knowledge. I think I like it better this way. I'm still not blogging much and am beginning to doubt I will ever again do much better but I'm on my holiday break so here I am! Happy Holidays.

Gray Sky and Not-So-Gray Trees

I have passed these tree sculptures on South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago for months and not figured out what they represent. I'm still not sure about their meaning but they ornament a park area by the lake. The day I took these was warm for the season but breezy and there were people playing with their kids around these trees.

For Photo Sunday: Weird

Read This

First to explain the photo. It is taken at the Chicago Cultural Center in downtown Chicago which has a gorgeous series of mosaics some of which contain quotes pertaining to reading. The building was formerly the main downtown library branch until it was replaced by a modern building a few blocks away. Now the building is used for cultural events and it is still a wonderful public space. It took a little research to translate and identify the quotation (and Google translate failed miserably) even though I read a bit of Hebrew but I found that the quote is from Isaiah.
Here it is in Hebrew: ונתן הספר על אשר לא ידע ספר לאמר קרא נא זה
This is the quote with context although I might quibble with a few details of the translation: 11 For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.” 12 Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I don’t know how to read.”

Now for the reason I chose this photo.  I was reading an Israeli novel (in English, my Hebrew's not that good!) and I couldn't resist sharing a quote.  The novel is The Liberated Bride by AB Yehoshua, an author I've read and enjoyed before.  I haven't finished this particular book but my current impression is that it is overlong and that although I like the insights into Israeli and Arab culture, I don't particularly like the main character.  He gets on my nerves to say the least. 
The writing, however, is wonderful, and this paragraph in which two academics discuss a paper about Algerian history made me chuckle. 
The young postmodernist was happy to explain.  In articulate, if rather mechanical and (Rivlin thought) smugly jesuitical language, he demystified the devious concept of national identity, which served to ghettoize the lower clases and deprive them of their rights within the rigid framework of the national state, whether----for there was no difference----this was of an openly totalitarian or an ostensibly democratic nature.
In case you are mystified, what made me laugh was how perfectly the author captures a certain type of academic-speak and why I avoid a certain type of University of Chicago gathering.  Content be damned, it seems to say, so long as you say it articulately, if mechanically!

Classy

I started a new photography class. It is only a five week class and already I wish it were longer. The theme is documentary photography which fascinates and terrifies me. I think the fascination is obvious but the fear? We have been assigned to do our own documentary project for over the next five weeks and the instructor prefers (strongly) that it involves people. I wracked my brain for a non-boring project that I thought could fly but have run into my essential shyness. To do this project I have to ask strangers to take their picture and follow them around for a month. Feeling literally shaky I sent an e-mail to the founder of the dance studio my son and I dance with but she hasn't responded. I imagine she is too busy or hasn't seen the note. I need to make some headway on this by Saturday so I now need to come up with an alternative plan. I can't tell you how stressed this is making me feel which is silly and pointless. I know this will be good for me in the long run but I want to hurry back to my pictures of empty buildings, trees and birds.



The pictures I've posted are from our first in-class assignment which was to take a series of pictures in the art center. The specifics were to take 6 pictures, of a wider perspective, a detailed perspective and a person. I even succeeded in getting a person to agree to my photographing him but my near shots came out blurred (I'm still getting used to this 50 mm lens). I do like my one intentionally blurred photo however.

Free Syria

I was downtown on Saturday and happened on this protest march. The people carried flags and posters and chanted: "Free, free Syria." Good luck to them and others in finding political freedom.

Night Shots

Well, I got a bit stuck again after a good run at posting but last night I went out and looked for some neon to shoot. I find it hard to get the right amount of color, light and contrast on these shots but came up with a few that were at least satisfactory.



The largely Hispanic neighborhood west of my house is great for finding neon signs. It also made me crave tacos as there were a lot of tasty looking restaurants in the area. Unfortunately, last week I had a similar craving for Mexican food and found a little taqueria. One burrito, many chips, and 10 hours later, I came down with a nasty bout of food poisoning. Long story short, no tacos for me last night.

Cold Seats

Bikes and snow don't mix all that well.

For Photo Sunday: Winter.

Winter is Here

Well, worries about global warming aside, winter has arrived a few weeks late, but here at last. We've had our second heavy snowfall of the month and temperatures are in the 20's (Farenheit that is, for people who live in the rest of the world). I went to the University of Chicago campus to look for a few good pictures and here is what I came up with.

After the Storm

All that snow makes for a lovely picture (and cold fingers).

Global Snowing

Well, winter was a little late in arriving but it's here! We get to participate in all those delightful activities such as making puddles on the floor of the house with melting snow, listening to the anti-lock brakes go as your car slips on ice and, of course, my personal favorite--shoveling! Fortunately fresh snow is pretty enough to almost make up for the hassles.





Of course if you don't like winter you can always make like a cat.

Out and About

January 2008

I'm trying to get back to touring Chicago looking for the perfect(?) shot. Too often I get the feeling of "been there, done that" which I think is beside the point with photography. To continue the theme of past and present, here are three pictures of a nearby Chicago small church. The church added an awning since the first photo. I am puzzled by the words on the awning under the church's name. It says: "The church where Jesus is bigger than that?" I'm at a loss.


October 2008


January 2012

Note the first and last photos were both taken in January. Where's the snow this month? 36 degrees this morning and we've had weather in the 50's this week. Everyone is talking about global warming. We're also all going for walks.

Two Old Doors

I loved this image when I took in in 2007 back when I was just starting to take pictures. I still like the look of these two doors so I went back to them a few days ago. I'll be saddened when they are repaired or the building is torn down.

Old Houses

Vermont in the summer.


Bahamas in winter.


Chicago in winter

Gotta run to work now. Stay warm wherever you are.

Airport photos

On the way to Seattle before Thanksgiving I had a few moments to take airport pictures. Airports aren't too bad for photography. Sometimes, like in parts of O'Hare they can be quite eye-catching. In addition, I always have my camera and sometimes have nothing better to do. Here are a few shots.



For those of you who have never flown United through O'Hare airport, this is looking up in the lighted moving walkway area. It is great fun to take pictures of.



Looking through a circular screen in the food court.

What's Up Doc?

Dinner in Chinatown

I can't believe how boring I've been. Hopefully, my real life is more interesting than my blog-life of late. Here are a few pictures of my recent non-adventures.


Watching the cat watching.


My son takes a trip for his 8th grade graduation. Lucky dog.


Working on it.

Foggy, Foggy

So far Spring has been painfully cold and wet. I so would like to see a day or two of 60 degrees and sunny. I feel moldy.

Boring

Yup, that's me.

Mysteries on the Shores of Lake Michigan

Too heavy to carry home, not sure what I'd do with it anyway.

For Photo Thursday: Metal

Wisconsin Solidarity Rally

I took pictures at a political rally a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed the show in spite of the snow.

For Shutterday: The Mob

Not Quite Spring Yet

The winter storms have left a lot of debris on the lake front.



The knife was a bit distressing but I decided it was too flimsy to have been used as a weapon.