Keep Weaving Words!

The Gold Tooth

didi — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:02:19 +0000

In certain regions of the world (including Easter Europe!?! I hear) gold teeth are a status symbol, a symbol of wealth. Quite a few of the bedouins, both men and women, had gold teeth. I knew from ‘Married to a Bedouin’ that most couldn’t afford them, so they got thin caps they often treated as pieces of jewelry.

The People of Petra

didi — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:49:11 +0000

One of the most common greetings in Arabic and one that definitely says a lot about Jordanians translates loosely as ‘be as one of the family / at your ease’. People say welcome to foreigners in many countries, but in Jordan it didn’t feel like yet another stock phrase, but a genuine invitation.

Ad-Deir, The Monastery – Petra

didi — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:12:33 +0000

Beautiful example of example of the Nabatean Classical style, Ad-Deir – The Monastery, is Petra’s largest monument. Undoubtedly linked to a funerary cult, possibly that of the deified King Obodas I (that would actually date it 1st century BC, and not 3rd c BC as speculated).

I know, I’m wasting my time with web search, should’ve been an archeologist as the little 6 years old me said.

Petra, the Siq

didi — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:02:00 +0000

I initially thought the Siq is a canyon, a gorge carved out by water, but reading a bit more on it I realised it is actually a single block that has been rent apart by tectonic forces. I should’ve known, as at various points you can easily see where the grain of the rock on one side matches the other – it’s easiest to spot when the Siq narrows to 2 m wide.

The Interpretation of dreams

didi — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:21:09 +0000

You see, our dreams are (maybe) attempts by the unconscious to resolve a conflict of some sort.

Ok, fine, but now the unconscious must distort dreams’ meaning to make it through the censorship. So often dreams are not what they appear to be.

Last night’s dreams definitely didn’t make it through the censorship. There might’ve been a conflict, but NOT one I am aware of.

The Fringe

didi — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:26:56 +0000

When you start feeling bitter

didi — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:56:17 +0000

You see, when you start feeling bitter it’s because -it seems at least- that there is an ironic injustice in what has happened. —-

Whenever something frightens us, it fascinates us at the same time. You end up going too far simply to prove yourself that you are capable of it. When F met P, she knew that there was something to match herself against. The prospect seemed sometimes overpowering, but fear itself can be a sweet sensation. And so, even though she had the feeling that there was a struggle between them and that she ran the risk of failure, it was a challenge she couldn’t turn down.

I’ve finished Francoise Gilot’s “Life with Picasso” today, will start “Loving Picasso” the private journal of Fernande Olivier tomorrow. Feel a bit guilty, as I did sympathise with FG

Lomo

didi — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:30:10 +0000

I think doing lomo is like reading, say Camus’ L’Etranger (not a random example, as I saw a girl on the train reading it the other day) in a crowd of the girl with the dragon tattoo/pearl/nests and waterstones’ 3 for 2. I love nicely eccentric people, as I like to call them, those who stop, think, say NO to passively taking the mainstream medicine and make their own choices. Was so tempted to chat the girl with L’etranger up, but ended up staring like an idiot.

Definitely one of the best places in the world for lomo – Saint Petersburg. Why? Because it all started with the optics manufacturer LOMO PLC of Saint Petersburg (Leningrad Optical Mechanical Amalgamation).

It was in the early 1990s when two students in Vienna, stumbled upon the Lomo Kompakt Automat – a small Russian camera. Fascinated by the vibrant colours, deep saturation and vignettes that framed the shots – they returned home and (as friends wanted their own Lomo LC-A) started a new style of analogue photography that some of us know as Lomography!

More LOMO shots on Google+ (ha ha yes, click) whose cross-processing button I find EXTREMELY annoying. Do we want to click a button / use digital software to create the analogue look? If we do, we’re missing the point.

For those interested (yes, for myself) the above photo is colour negative.

Karl Bulla’s shiny nose

didi — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:00:18 +0000

Very happy to have discovered Karl Bulla. Taking photos during the October Revolution, WW1 or the Russian Civil War was a dangerous mission (no telephoto lenses at that time!).

Near Bulla’s former studio in Saint Petersburg, stands a bronze sculpture of him photographing a bulldog. Passers-by stop and rub his nose (!); I did ask, couldn’t find out why they do it, but I guess it must be because they believe it brings luck, or makes them healthier or happier. Not sure about any of these, but am certain it does make his nose shiny.

Peterhof

didi — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:41:45 +0000

Peterhof is beautiful, but following Saint Petersburg’s example, such a fine example of IF LOUIS XV HAS ONE, I WANT ONE TOO!!!!!!Also, as almost everything built at that time – it has to be ready by ‘tomorrow’ and I don’t care how many lives we’re going to sacrifice.

A beautiful place, and still this Russian Versailles left me thinking that Russians absolutely love to show off!