Darkglow

Not Dead!

2010-11-05T00:29:00.003-04:00

Hello hello. Andunie here. I realize, as per appearances, I have not been around in a rather long while. Now, I tend to be reasonably fond of this blog, and am loath to abandon it. It will be maintained.

I have been busy, and thus cannot promise to update regularly for the time being. In the meantime, look to my Tumblr for more frequently posted (but less important/less relevant) bits and pieces.

My actual content-ful writing will be found at this column for which I now write, with fresh new posts weekly (I write Tuesdays).

If my muses leave anything left over after the column, it'll be here. Thanks for reading, all. I'll be around!

Skywatch No. 52

2010-08-05T23:05:00.006-04:00

I seem to have actual titles only every other Skywatch.

I also seem to not have anything substantial to say, every Skywatch. I'll be back! I promise! *runs away sobbing*

Yes, I'd Like One of Those in Optimism, Please.

2010-07-30T01:08:00.003-04:00

It seems I've been lax with actual blogging lately,* posting little but wordless Skywatches. This trend, unfortunately, shall continue for at least another week.**

*If you take "lately" to mean on and off in the past year or so
** Viewed through Optimism-tinted glasses

Meahwhile, I've been drumming up writing gigs and poking around for other sorts of odd writing jobs.

I've also played around with the idea of moving this blog to another venue. Anyone else on non-Blogger blogging services?

Skywatch No. 50

2010-07-22T19:36:00.002-04:00

I got nothin' today.

Although, I have been busy on Flickr lately.

Here's To Some Sun

2010-07-16T18:48:00.001-04:00

These past several days I have been upstate trekking the forests and the dunes by Lake Michigan.

The entire bluff had been swathed in an opaque blanket of cloud and fog. In a matter of minutes, it had all been blown away, revealing land falling away hundreds of feet down to the shoreline.

I am just now sorting through the files; more will be up (possibly on Flickr) later.

Skywatch No. 48

2010-07-08T23:50:00.002-04:00

One for today.

Alas, I do not come across still bodies of water very often, and when I do, it's usually a puddle or a pond at best. I've yet to see a lake on a calm day.

Disappointment Is Like Judging Books By Their Covers

2010-07-07T16:54:00.002-04:00

I've been wondering whether it'd be possible to get rid of my old textbooks on Ebay, and finally meandered over to the book section today. In the Most Popular section, I saw:

And I thought, wow! People are reading something other than Twilight. I am impressed.

And then I looked. Or clicked. I'm not sure which one happened first.

Then that reminded me of something I'd come across the other day.

Apparently someone thought slapping Twilight branding on perfectly innocent classics was the thing to do. There's speculation as to whether this will increase readership among younger readers, and they have a point, but still.

Still.

Skywatch No. 47

2010-07-02T14:25:00.003-04:00

Skywatch No. 46

2010-06-26T13:31:00.005-04:00

I'd meant to put this up back in March, when I'd taken this, but have never really gotten around to it. It was around that indeterminate space of time between winter and spring, when the ground is no longer snow-covered, but it hasn't quite melted away either- everything is crusted in a sort of muddy, watery sort of ice- and the colours are simultaneously drabber and more vivid.

Anyways, I'd like to thank you all so much for the support on our video earlier this month. The results are as expected- we didn't make it- but the experience was fantastic and you support, again, means a lot. Thank you!

Sometimes It Works Like This

2010-06-18T02:12:00.002-04:00

I find that it is often late when I finally get down to writing. Late, late enough that tiredness drags thinking down to a crawl, late enough for elaborately crafted sentences to be broken down into essentials.

i have always wanted to write like this. unchecked and unbound by the conventions of proper writing, disconnected without being disjointed, rambling without being irrelevant. it is a nice thing to let go sometimes. i can write in fragments. i can use words i usually choose not to. i can not capitalize my i's. i, i, i. it moves along a stream of consciousness, and it is free.

i like it.

Skywatch No. 44

2010-06-10T16:29:00.003-04:00

Like usual, only a few words from Andunie today. These are a few barreling-down-the-freeway type scenes.

It was rather very early in the morning, and I (who had after high school stopped regarding 6am as any sort of reasonable waking time) was very groggy. But mornings are quite nice, after all, and I can never pass up the opportunity to see low light combined with a low fog before the sun burns it away.

And of course, morning travel has a brisk, relaxed feel to it. Provided, of course, I am not the one at the wheel.

A Mustering of Forces

2010-06-03T22:20:00.006-04:00

Item number one:

Skywatches. I choose two from the myriad recent sky shots because none were particularly remarkable on their own. Nothing wrong with twice the sky, anyhow.

Item number two:

Olympus (the camera people, not the mountain) hosts a video contest. Most people plop themselves before their webcams and proceed to give a speech (if this is you, take no offense). My brother and I lug our camera about and churn out a short stop-motion film (which, if you ask me, is not too shabby).

The thing is, it's based primarily on popular vote. Meaning that we'd greatly appreciate if you could lend your support by popping over to Youtube before June 6th and giving a 'thumbs up' (or two) if you so feel inclined.
Many thanks for the time, in any case!

This is Official

2010-05-27T21:39:00.013-04:00

I have not been posting anything but the occasional Skywatch. I'll endeavour to do better.

My photography output has been increasing recently. This is a good thing. (Except for processing, organizing, etc. That's always a pain.)

They will more likely show up on my Flickr than on here.

Should be it for now. I'll try to be more articulate next time.

Skywatch No. 41

2010-05-22T01:56:00.005-04:00

Earlier this week my brother and I returned to the same field where we took these in an attempt to repeat those shots. That done, he insisted we cut through the back...

Now that I am required to shoot (I've a summer course at the uni), and to do so to standards and specifications, photography's become more of an obligation and less something I do because I enjoy it. Not sure that's a good thing.

Tata, folks.

Skywatch No. 40

2010-05-16T02:07:00.004-04:00

A late Skywatch. Rather considerably late. But nonetheless:

Quite honestly, I think I'm beginning to lose track of the days of the week. Having nothing to do is nice, I suppose, but it wears on one after a while.

This.

2010-05-10T21:15:00.003-04:00

Skywatch No. 39

2010-05-06T21:21:00.003-04:00

It looks like I've skipped a week. A great number of things have happened recently, about which precisely none I could dredge up the energy or motivation to write. I'm not sure that last sentence even made sense.

Anyhow, it appears that moody clouds have been the fashion of late.

Other Things That Happened Recently:

Obama spoke at University of Michigan's commencement last Saturday, which I had been unduly excited about until realizing that because timing was bad, it might involve having nowhere to stay, bumming rides off of people, and other assorted inconveniences. Fortunately, you can watch it here.

This is strangely addicting.

Hate is Not Okay

2010-04-23T19:19:00.002-04:00

Over the past few days I've been seeing this popping up on my Facebook feed as "friends" have joined it:

One would have thought things like this far behind us- somewhere in that corner of recent history people try studiously to ignore. But no, apparently it's still being flaunted out there in the open.

This is not okay. What you see above is a group praying for Obama's death. Take a look at the numbers, too- there's over a million supporters. When did this become acceptable, and on Facebook, of all places? The matter is not one of free speech; people are, after all, perfectly entitled to voice dissent and disagreement and anger if they wish it.

But "I fervently hope my president dies" is another matter altogether. It matters not whether you agree or disagree with someone. Having harm wished upon one is something no one deserves, not even the lowliest. And like Obama or not, he has been, as all presidents before him, elected into office by the people. It also takes a considerable amount of ability to lead an entire country, or even to get into office in the first place. Could the majority of us do any better, with the responsibility of a nation on our shoulders?

Here we have a country and a government system for which we ought to be grateful- the government is not perfect, but at least we have the free speech that haters themselves are using and abusing. Do you want to live under a government where governmental leaders can be killed whenever disagreements arise? I thought not.

Some of the commentators on the page try to justify their actions by claiming that "liberals would have done the same, if it were Bush in office." Really? I don't remember that. Personally, I might not have agreed with many of Bush's views and actions, but I did and do still hold a significant measure of respect for him.

Death is much too grave a sentence to deal about so freely.

What makes me incredulous is how long this page has been up, and that it has not yet been removed. If you are on Facebook, bring this problem attention by joining this page instead, then sign the "Clean Up Facebook" petition.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. When you next stumble across a hate-promoting-group, please stop, think, and report.

Happy Earth Day

2010-04-22T20:10:00.009-04:00

It's Earth Day, foo's. Stop tossing rubbish on the ground. Stop tossing things that can very evidently be recycled into the garbage when the recycling bin is six inches away.

To right is my most creative Skywatch to date. Straight out of the camera. We've not had sky like that for eons.

Yesterday I was lounging about on the grass, enjoying for once not having to do anything. Several friends were bouncing about, excitedly babbling about being late for something. I ask them where they're going.

"Flash mob!"

I manage a "wh-" before they vanish. So, camera in hand, I dash off on their heels. There isn't much of a mob, though there's a small knot of people gathered on one side of the square.

"Go!"

It turns out to be a tree-hugging event, the awesomeness of which makes up for everything.

Skywatch No. 37

2010-04-15T20:34:00.007-04:00

I was going to run up to the observatory to shoot last night, but didn't make it. Then I installed some HDR software and ran off to shoot meh sum' HDR, but then concluded I needed a lot of practice first.

So this week, I'll just be posting what I actually can and know how to do. I think I just saved you some visual trauma. You're welcome.

Sorry that the sky's not much of a focal point. But it's in there, which is what counts. One day, I'll be back shooting sunsets and thunderclouds.

Skywatch No. 36

2010-04-09T15:33:00.005-04:00

First are the flowers, emerging impatiently from the loam when their shoots are barely out. Trees, bursting into flower overnight like bouquets being whipped out from behind one's back. The clouds' smooth facade finally breaking into wispy streaks and the occasional towering blot that lends itself to the rare rumble of thunder.

Both were taken last weekend, during which I ventured over to the Arboretum and attempted to do schoolwork but instead ended up trekking about in the woods with the camera out.

(#*%@&#%)

2010-04-08T08:11:00.004-04:00

Let me tell you a little story. See the time? 7:30 in the morning. The alarm on the museum next door goes off. It's just a yard or from my building. I happen to have gone to bed four hours ago *insert whining about workload* and appreciate my sleep, thank you.

This alarm also happens to sound like a combination between a brass instrument being run over by a semi and a cow with its hide being torn off.

What kind of f***ing alarm is that?

I'm sure that's what it would sound like if you tossed those two things in a blender. It keeps going... and going... and going. Guaranteed to induce insanity within five if not fewer minutes of exposure. Oh, and look now. The garbage truck has just come along. It's right under my window. And its already dissonant beeping is adding beautifully to this cacophony.

The best part? The roommate called the Dept. of Public Safety or whoever is in charge of this crap, and apparently they're testing the alarm.

Thanks, guys. Thanks.

Photo Competitions are Awesome.

2010-04-06T19:46:00.005-04:00

My photograph of the Grand Prismatic made it into the final round of a photo contest and is now up for voting. (I'm the blue one, 1st row, vertical format.)

Which is super cool. Some of the other entries are also quite fantastic. I'm not sure if voting is restricted to people with university IDs, but you should take a gander at them anyhow.

They also put up mounted prints in high-traffic public spaces. Also very cool. Mine printed significantly darker and redder than I've been used to, which leads me to suspect that I've been adjusting to my monitor- which is probably inaccurate.

I also think I've used "also" far too many times in such a short post. Sorry about that.

Good day, all.

Did Someone Say Spring?

2010-04-01T19:29:00.013-04:00

Here 'tis.

?? under a beech to left, magnolia to right.

We're experiencing an unusually warm spell at the moment, complete with sun and everything. (Back to rain next week.) Leaves aren't in yet, but the flowers are blooming. Enjoy.

A2 Google Fiber

2010-03-26T16:19:00.010-04:00

You know when Google announced their Google Fiber project and suddenly every US city started pulling stunts like jumping into lakes and chilling with sharks and... I don't know, riding flaming cows or something? Yeah, that.

So Ann Arbor (MI) decided to get its gig on today. What did everyone do? Lined up on the campus square and chanted and waved their arms around and in general looked rather silly.

Here's a little stop-motion. I had no video.

Everyone was sent notices of "Hey! Flash mob at noon!" Not quite what it really ended up being, though. I'm all for Ann Arbor, hurrah and all that, but I supposed I just imagined something more dignified. Or more energetic, and less staged. One or the other.

Skywatch No. 34

2010-03-25T23:38:00.000-04:00

Dreary weather and/or boring skies this week. This's an old one, shot while barreling down the freeway.

Dear People,

2010-03-23T09:15:00.018-04:00

Dear People Who are Screaming Big Brother at the Healthcare Bill,

Please calm down. This legislation will not fix everything, but it neither will it be the end of world. Anything anyone, including the government, can do will have both positive and negative effects. It is well-intentioned and not a plot to take control of everyone's lives. The end.

DISCLAIMER: BEYOND THIS POINT, I AM NOT PLAYING DIPLOMAT. I AM NOT GOING TO REMAIN CAREFULLY NEUTRAL. I AM GOING TO RANT.

DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFEND. THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT ARE SEPARATE ENTITIES.

Dear Chinese Government,

You ask the world to accept you as one of them but like to turn a convenient blind eye to the fact that you are still doing one thing but saying another. "Hey, we're totally free!" Uh, no. No, you're not. Liars. That probably just made you censor my blog (if Blogger wasn't already blocked in the first place). Thanks, Chinese government. Stop trying to block every bit of information that differs from your love-us-or-die doctrine. You're like an oversensitive three-year-old in that you're way too insecure to hear the smallest bit of criticism. I don't think you've realized that if you stop threatening/imprisoning/killing people that don't like you, they'll like you more. Bing bing! Amazing logic!

Dear People Still Reading This,

Congratulations, you win... um... nothing, actually. But you do get extra stars for putting up with my cynicism/sarcasm/slightly deranged ranting.

First Treasury (Evar, yo.)

2010-03-20T20:19:00.006-04:00

A few pieces of mine have made it into others' treasuries before, but I've never been able to actually snag one. So after sitting around for several hours with a mouse in hand and eyes riveted to the screen, I have finally succeeded in creating a treasury.

Angell Hall Observatory

2010-03-18T15:11:00.010-04:00

The Angell Hall Observatory sits on the rooftop of a five-storey building in the middle of a light-polluted city. But it still has credentials/is awesome.

I didn't have the time/equipment/conditions for any extensive photo-taking last night (so no, there's no astrophotography in this post), but it was still well worth the time. It's the first time I've been able to see stars from this city, or the sky properly at all, there was a crescent moon hanging low in the sky, and the air was for once cool without being cold.

I Despair of the Future of Humanity

2010-03-13T19:42:00.004-05:00

I saw these firsthand, people. It's slightly frightening.

Skywatch No. 32

2010-03-11T22:21:00.005-05:00

The days are longer and warmer and the sun is making a reappearance. There is in fact now less snow than can be seen in this picture- today was a day of triumphant sandal-clad crunching over the sad, scraggly remnants of snow.

(One of these days, I shall once again post something of value other than a Skywatch. I promise.)

A Silent Night

2010-03-04T21:11:00.003-05:00

Full moon recently. For a while the scene resembled the standard full moon surrounded by ragged, drifting clouds, framed by a tracery of skeletal branches. Was rather excited for a moment, until I remembered I didn't have enough zoom for that.

Curses.

Other than that, not much is new. Vacation lasts for a few days longer, then it's back to school with Andunie. Though there was a rather splendid adventure a few weeks back involving floors and floors of dead silent library stacks and empty cavernous stairwells covered in graffiti... but that's a story for another time. I'll be taking a camera in there when I get back, and there'll be an update with that sometime in the near future.

But until then, happy Skywatching.

Skywatch No. 30

2010-02-25T18:55:00.007-05:00

We denizens of Michigan like to poke fun at our weather (which of course is in reality merely a thinly-disguised pompous declaration of hardcore-ness). 65F one day, blizzard the next!

Yes, well. The day before this photo was take was a snow-melting, sun shining, let's-open-all-the-windows-and-wear-tshirts-because-it's-above-freezing day.

Another Year, Part Deux

2010-02-14T21:22:00.009-05:00

Chinese new year, that is. Not greeted with much fanfare on my end this year, though I did get drafted out by a friend to dinner last night. A dozen strangers (to me), squeezed around a crowded table in a packed little restaurant downtown. It was an atmosphere I hadn't experienced in some while.

Also of interest may be the fact that the lunar new year happened to fall on the same day as old St. Valentine's today. The campus dining halls outdid themselves, turning out bizarre hybrid decorations such as this one: a large Asian-style parasol leaning casually over a rose-filled vase and arranged artistically on a heart-checked cloth.

It's unique, if nothing else.

Video Post 1

2010-02-09T18:44:00.000-05:00

This's been sitting around in my drafts for a while under the title of "video post 1." By "a while" I really mean "a few years." Or however long this blog's been up.

"Medicine Man" from The Hush Sound's Goodbye Blues.

January

2010-01-15T14:17:00.007-05:00

Winter. Snow, idyllic as it graces spreading branches and drifts noiselessly from the sky. Then slush and sludge squelch underfoot. The warm spell passes, and jagged chunks of ice grind and crunch threateningly, unyieldingly. The wind is bitter to the point of dull pain.

For now, from the inside looking out:

Today, miracle of miracles, the temperature peaked above freezing for the second day in a row. Snow melted. Patches of grass have appeared in places, and some of it is even green. I am, suffice it to say, impressed.

Adventures With Splotchy, Part Eins

2010-01-09T22:12:00.000-05:00

Splotchy the convobot provides many hours of entertainment. If you possess saint-like patience, that is. Otherwise, a mere several minutes of conversation will leave you simultaneously huffing in indignation, developing large amounts of cynicism, and wondering what was wrong with you in the first place.

you ==> ooh
splotchy ==> I heard the same thing yesterday from Dan Quayle
you ==> Was it hot?
splotchy ==> well....
you ==> This had better be good.
splotchy ==> are you getting better?
you ==> Hell yes I am.
splotchy ==> Your conversation skills are better than average
you ==> Stop trying to change the subject.
splotchy ==> your mother...
you ==> Hey now. Watch it, no getting personal.
splotchy ==> hey
you ==> You're still avoiding the story. What happened between you and Dan Quayle?
splotchy ==> do you admire politicians?
you ==> I'm not answering that until you give me the dirty details.
splotchy ==> too bad...
you ==> Fine, I see how it is then.
splotchy ==> exactly!
you ==> You're no fun.
splotchy ==> Do you play sports for fun?
you ==> No, Splotchy, no. Stop changing the subject.

And later:

you ==> You're hopeless.
splotchy ==> hmm...exciting
you ==> That's exciting? Do go on...
splotchy ==> what excites you?
you ==> Well, hon, lemme tell ya. When it gets all hot and steamy in here-
splotchy ==> when do you think?
you ==> Now's a good time, don't you think?
splotchy ==> A good idea
you ==> Now we're talking.
splotchy ==> IRC is a great place to chat
you ==> STOP RUINING THE MOOD.
splotchy ==> Unauthorized fornication with this equipment is disallowed.

Fine, Splotchy. Fine. I see how it is.

Another Year

2009-12-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

Another year has come and gone, and yet another has taken its place.

I'll not get maudlin on you. Happy new year, all.

Facebook's Graffiti. I Win.

2009-12-15T01:15:00.008-05:00

A [long] while ago, around the time of the Iranian elections, there was a speed painting contest/submission opportunity/thing on Facebook. Twelve were featured, and to my surprise, twelve are still there, and I am still at the top of the list.

And am now featured on a blog, www.f3nd1.com. Cool.

Lukang

2009-12-08T01:31:00.011-05:00

This story comes from Taiwan (not recent, and not where I live). Or rather, it would have made a good story had I been paying closer attention at the time.

The air is hot and heavy as we traverse the maze-like side streets of Lukang. The buildings are older here, and the only traffic is foot or bicycle. Homes and shops are crowded together, but nevertheless exude an air of cleanliness. Fruit trees are hidden unexpectedly in corners. On the worn steps of a temple squeezed into a dead end are some elderly ladies, smoking and chattering. They give us directions. We continue walking.

Somewhere along the way a thick, pleasant odour wafts out into the street. There are piles and piles of little black coils lying along the outside wall of a shop. What could these be, we wonder. We speculate. Coasters? Curious.

Inside the shop a man is bent over his work. He is making, as it turns out, incense. The man is a master of his trade. He explains his process. The doughy material is pressed from the machine- this is the great black iron beast the younger man is handling- which the shop owner then rolls by hand and coils on a wheel. They are then left out in the sun to harden and cure.

He has been at this a long time, it turns out, since he was young. All the ingredients are natural, he says. He used to gather much of it by hand.

The shop-owner seems delighted explain to us everything, and he works enthusiastically as he does so. But there is also a grim set to his face. Business is not so good now; everything is commercialized these days, and there is competition. The conversation carries on for a little while, then we bid our farewells.

We step out into the street. Inside the shop, the incense-maker turns his attention back to his work.

To Blow Hot and Cold

2009-11-23T18:21:00.006-05:00

Another nighttime shot from campus. State St, which is always swarming with activity. Lots of traffic even by night, and a line of architecturally impressive university buildings all in a row.

Looks like another meme...

Skywatch No. 27

2009-11-12T17:36:00.011-05:00

The days are shorter, the branches barer, the air colder. On one of the warmer nights I went out to wander campus with a camera and found the iconic belltower lit against a jewel-toned sky.

Nice change from having no inspiration at all for the past few months.

Giving What's Due (and That's Certainly Not It)

2009-11-09T11:57:00.002-05:00

November 9th. Fall of the Berlin Wall. Significant moment in history, methinks? While I usually admire and respect the constantly changing appearance of the Google logo on its homepage for significant dates, the one today (or variation thereof; they've been on all week):

There is nothing wrong with Sesame Street. It's a classic part of our culture. But failing to recognize the beginning of German reunification- a meaningful step that changed political dynamics worldwide in favor of a children's show... really?

I also observe an alarmingly large number of racist/[malicious] politically charged statements made out of ignorance on the internet today. Kindly go inform yourselves.

This is Not an Actual Post

2009-10-31T15:52:00.003-04:00

This blog is on a low-activity month. Life is busy and demanding and stressful. Sorry if you thought there was going to be something of value here (you were warned). I'll be back in short order.

Lordoftherings.org

2009-10-16T17:02:00.000-04:00

...is down. Expired.

Here's to hoping that former members google it. If you see this, talk, please. Who last held ownership of the domain? Is anyone in contact? Is there hope of its being renewed?

There was a good community over there. Don't die on me here.

That Time

2009-10-08T18:23:00.005-04:00

You know. There's getting to be a bite in the air ("a tad nippy," says M--) that makes you wish you'd remembered your scarf. On some days the sky is bright and hard and the blue is clear and strange, because it seems to belong to another time, and beautiful because it seems to be an echo of that other time.

Most days, now, it is flat and grey. When it rains, there are puddles and mud and colourful rain-boots and umbrellas, and people crowd around doors and entryways muttering to each other about the miserable weather. The leaves are starting to turn too, scarlet and vermilion and saffron, and when the wind and rain die down the sidewalk is plastered with bright little cutouts.

Hey. I know what's said about good content not needing to be begged for attention, but I'm begging. I ranted last week and I need it to be read. Please. Sorry. Thanks.

Don't Even Get Me Started.

2009-09-28T00:58:00.007-04:00

I am summarizing an article. The first line I have written thus far:

The article... lays out the debate between those pushing intelligent design and those defending ~~real science~~ evolution.

As this should be written with as little slant as possible, it's taking a bit of restraint. Thankfully the author has taken care of the problem by agreeing with my position. Speaking of which-

This past week, there have been a number of sign-toting religious zealots swarming the central campus square. They're not nice things like "I love my religion because of _____." They're more like "God is the Answer to Everything, and if you don't agree with me, you are going to Rot and Burn in Hell", "except worded about ten times nastier. They keep insinuating that anyone who disagrees is a Sinner of Cosmic Proportions, that Your Soul is Going to Wither and Die, that You Are Unworthy to Live, and that You Will be Begging for Mercy (muahaha).

Good thing I don't believe in hell.

(They were so serious, it was almost funny. I tried to get pictures several times, just so I could blog about them, but alas. No pictures.)

Now don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with people believing in their own religions. The problem arises when people try to guilt-press their beliefs onto others. And further worse is when they believe you are A Lower Creature who deserves to be condemned or even pitied, for goodness' sake, because You're Not Like Us.

You know that little "Coexist" symbol/logo/thing that's printed on bumper stickers and t-shirts and just about everything else? Because it's got the right idea.

Honestly. What happened to diversity? Tolerance? Acceptance? Religious supremacy is not okay. Believe what you want, but don't use your faith to judge others.

This topic drives my blood pressure through the roof every time, without fail. But it's okay, I won't bite (unless provoked). Feel free to respond, but kindly restrain from flaming. Thanks for listening, in any case.

Skywatch No. 25

2009-09-25T10:04:00.009-04:00

Taipei, Taiwan nightscape. Technically, the roof I climbed onto for this was off-limits. There would have been a higher vantage point, but I wasn't about to climb up a ladder with a SLR swinging around my neck. Or one-handedly, clutching a camera in the other.

Well. I'll get back to you when I'm done paper-writing.

I Guess Children are Not Evil After All

2009-09-11T21:17:00.011-04:00

I realize I haven't had much of an online presence recently, but that's probably because I've been hibernating in my room and not doing anything when I haven't had to.

To compensate, I'll regale you instead with another snippet from Taiwan. As you know, it was a volunteering program in which we taught elementary children English for a couple weeks. This is a portion of my evaluation we were asked to write:

The first few days of classes were chaotic. The students backtalked, made cutting remarks, ignored everything, rebelled. I must admit I was taken aback with the ferocity in their refusals. We spent nights revising our teaching materials and days attempting to keep order. During the afternoon period allotted for students to nap, they swarmed outside to play and we collapsed in the classrooms in exhaustion, only to be woken when they returned.

It was not pretty, but things changed.

Over the course of the two weeks, the students grew to respect us and we them. It had been a no small feat, securing that respect. But once that mutual respect had been established, we found that most of them could be interested, willing to learn. We began to find them endearing.

One day, a few of our students dragged us out to see their meadow.

They showed the patch of cacti (prickly pear? no idea.), then taught us how to harvest the fruit, grind down the spines, and eat them.

There will be more from Taiwan another time. (Unless, of course, you'd rather I write about something else. In that case, let me know. No offense taken.)

That's it this week from an overwhelmed student. Until next time...

Hullo.

2009-09-05T21:30:00.005-04:00

I know, I know, I haven't been updating, but it's been a hectic and trying time, this past month. I'm still not sure where all the time went. But it should be good now; I've just settled down at school and am waiting for it to start. It won't be quiet, but at least I'll have something purposeful to do.

So earlier this week, I biked past the cornfield just down the road from our home. They're putting in a new road there, and have started cutting a dirt path through the overgrown meadow next to it.

I wanted to experiment with the lighting, and so conditions that day were rather nicely suited- sunlight, and hovering sometime between late afternoon and early evening. Clear, strong light and angular shadows. Backlight with the sun, power up the flash (something I usually abhor), and suddenly, there's crisply captured action, adequate lighting, and the absence of the hideousness associated with flash. Well. This'll be happening more in the future.

Home Again

2009-08-28T18:05:00.011-04:00

Well hello there! I've acutally been home for a month now, just incapacitated with all sorts of rubbish.

But I'm not dead yet, and neither is this blog.

The month in Taiwan was perhaps one of the most well-spent summers I've had yet. There is much to tell, but not enough time in which to tell it. I'd like very much to chronicle everything, but it'll all come little by little.

The first photo comes from Penghu, a little archipelago off the western coast of Taiwan. (faintly circled on the map.) It's where I and five others spent two weeks teaching elementary students English.

It was a trying experience. But more on that later.

This is one of the shots that I have come to love dearly:

I do not remember the name of this island, save that it was perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have ever chanced to lay eyes upon. Sky, meadow, and sea, with beach or rocky coast in between.

Anyhow, I've been starting to filter through my memory cards. They're making their way to one of my Flickr albums. Go visit. I'll be uploading.

Skywatch No. 21 and Other News

2009-06-26T23:01:00.004-04:00

Because my lens is shiny and it reflects the trees and the sunlight and the sky which is somewhere beyond those trees:

This could be my last Skywatch for a bit... this time next week, I'll be in the sky and with a camera, but little chance of internet. I'll be in Taiwan for the next month (tropical location? check. height of summer? check. air conditioning? dubious.) on a sort of volunteer/camp program. We teach schoolchildren English, they pay for everything but your plane ticket. It's a pretty good deal.

Their website is here. I personally find it rather poorly organized, but it's decent and serviceable.

Vaccines 1, Andunie 0.

2009-06-22T19:38:00.023-04:00

Today, I went out to get immunized for a couple of things I'd like not to kill me. So I drop by the local health department. What transpires is as follows:

NURSE: Have you ever passed out while getting your shots?

ME: Nope!

NURSE: Do you feel dizzy?

ME: ...no.

NURSE: Because this frequently happens to adolecents.

ME: I feel fine.

NURSE: They say they feel fine and then they pass out.

ME: (apprehensively) Really, I feel fine.

NURSE: Well, all right. (jabs a couple of needles in Andunie's arm)

ME: (winces)

NURSE: How do you feel?

ME: (okay) I'm okay.

NURSE: Either way, you should stay in the waiting room fifteen minutes afterwards...

ME: (beginning to feel increasingly lightheaded) Um...

NURSE: ...in case you start feeling a little faint.

ME: (vision starts disappearing; concedes defeat) Actually, I think I'm going to pass out now. (loses conciousness)

And so I spend the next ten minutes lying on the floor of the clinic, and end up stumbling out with a pounding headache. I mean, wtf. It's okay though, because the health dept. girl was really very nice about the whole thing. Not even a single "I told you so" look, to boot.

Skywatch No. 20

2009-06-18T23:54:00.011-04:00

A dramatic sweep of sky is like a verbal flourish sometimes. Like the well-executed snatch of prose, the grandeur of a beautiful sky can make a bold statement. The vertebrae of clouds snakes errantly overhead, dispersing little twists and knots here and there, the way we might scatter words like "extravagant," "decadent," or "verdant," amongst the others.

Yet the others are by no means bland- they're all unfurled against a jewel-toned backdrop, deep and vivid. It's shot through with such treasures as "electric," "silky," and "brilliant." Everything blends and weaves together such a grand way that sometimes, you just need to sit back and enjoy the show.

Why Wallpapers Are Not "In"

2009-06-13T23:10:00.004-04:00

After walking through my place of residence and counting a grand total of 11 different wallpapers, I have concluded that this house is Special.

After walking through said house photographing wallpaper, I have concluded that I must also be Special.

Either way, have a gander at this eye-offending array.

Thankfully, Numbers 1, 2, 5, 9, and 11 are located in the basement where they belong. Number 12, the Standard White Wall, exists, but would perhaps be put to better use if it multiplied and usurped the more ostentatious ones. Just saying.

Summer Sun

2009-06-11T18:10:00.005-04:00

The careless summer of our childhoods. Warm sunlight filtered through the trees. Long shadows across the grass. Laughter drifting on the breeze. Tendrils of smoke from the barbecue, spiraling upwards. The distinctive scent of cut grass, which is also the scent of summer. For a moment, life is good.

Look, I Iz All Gradumicated.

2009-06-09T14:55:00.014-04:00

I'll try not to make this too long. I promise.

Here's the deal. A couple days ago, I was suffering from the so-called seasonal allergy like none other. (They're year-round though, so I guess there's one for every season. Liars.) I mean, they were so bad I don't know if I went one continuous minute without my nose in a tissue. All day. It was not pretty. Especially irritating, because we'd a commencement ceremony to sit through the next day.

The problem with doing well in school is that when you graduate, they make you talk, and sit on the stage when you're not talking. Which would be perfectly fine, if I wanted to show off my snivelling and snot-dripping skills and keep my composure at the same time. After some negotiation I was told I could leave my bag under my chair, so I'd have tissues up there.

It ended up being that the chairs were all squashed together, so when I tried to reach under my chair, it probably looked like I was groping my neighbour or vomiting or a combination of both. Sometimes life is special like that.

Making my valedictory speech. I suppose there's a reason I write instead of talk:

Skywatch No. 18

2009-05-28T16:42:00.003-04:00

Birds are impossibly difficult to approach around here. We've had a robin nest right outside a window last year and some sort of thrush over our front door the year before that. The area is wooded, which helps, but other than that, there's not much to be done.

Well. As of today I have only one day of classes left. It feels rather surreal. Still ridiculously busy however. As soon as I've gotten enough sleep, I'll start making sense again. Until then, I'm off. Sorry.

Memorial Day and the End of the World

2009-05-25T12:06:00.012-04:00

Not really.

(Not the end of the world, I mean.)

For the marching band, Memorial Day means a parade. It's one of those days when everything feels like the essence of a small town- people lining the streets, a slow, amiable feel to the atmosphere. We headed out this morning, slightly disorganized but in good spirits. It's only been a year for me, but it's the last time I'll march with everyone. Sad, but true. You people are awesome.

The (academic) year is winding down. Actually, it's probably already ended for most people, but we're still plugging along. We're down to four more days of classes. I'm graduating with honors. There's a good school waiting in the fall. Things are looking pretty decent. I'm still swamped with work and deadlines and obligations and other stressful things like that, but all in all, not bad.

It is also, by the way, Towel Day. (For those who have no idea what that means, kindly read Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.)

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

And remember. When in doubt, don't panic.

Skywatch No. 17

2009-05-21T23:22:00.003-04:00

Tulips in the sky.

It's been a very overly warm two days here (which does not make me feel better about being in Taiwan this June), but everything's looking nice now. I have a week left of classes, then I'm out. It's good.

Anyhow, I went out earlier this week and noticed that these bright fuschia tulips had bloomed out front. I'd always wanted to take pictures of flowers from beneath, and I finally found some whose stems were long enough for it to be easily done. The number of good/passable photos from this shoot was surprisingly high. If I upload them somewhere else, I'll post the link.

Confessions

2009-05-17T19:00:00.008-04:00

Dear Neighbour,

I haven't any idea who you are, except that you live somewhere in my neighbourhood and you deem it necessary to cut through our property all the time. This is not only slightly rude, but kind of unnerving. If you don't want to ask, fine. But you should at least say hi.

Dear Friend,

Sometimes I wonder how friends can be so embarassing. Don't get me wrong, we've been good friends and it's going to stay that way. But if you weren't so oblivious, defensive, selfish, self-righteous, and self-centered, people might like you better. Also, a little tact goes a long way. Kindly take that to mind. I'd like to tell you to not take it too personally, but maybe you should.

Dear Strange Spiky Plants on My Lawn,

You are highly disturbing. You're all "hey, look at me, I'm fuzzy," and then surprise! Barbed thorny leaves everywhere. I understand that grass is a minority in our lawn anyways, but you should not be here. That is all.

Skywatch No. 16

2009-05-14T18:41:00.008-04:00

We drove through Ontario on our way to New York last month, and stopped at Niagara Falls. This is the second time I've been there at night- their nighttime display is quite exciting, but a little over-dramatic. Personally, I still think it's more impressive by day.

Strobe lights illuminating the mist over the falls:

The photo is actually from my previous visit a couple of years ago- this year's was a cold, wet, and rather miserable fifteen-minute excursion. But hey.

Spring at Last

2009-05-07T21:33:00.008-04:00

Finally, two months late, comes spring in Michigan.

(This is a very rare occurance, as we usually have winter, winter, a period of hot weather, and winter.)

The temperatures are warming up (though we're to be hit with a cold front again tomorrow) and things are blooming. A robin has commenced its ceaseless flying into our rather very filthy and visible windows. Neighbours' cats have been let out and are irritatingly roaming here and there. The sky is at last starting to lighten at 6 am and the sun in the sky by 7. It's about time, I say.

More From NYC

2009-05-01T17:31:00.010-04:00

Hey. We're in the paper. I approve.

So... the morning before our Carnegie performance:

We hit all the typical tourist magnets- Times Square, Central Park, Ellis and Staten Islands. I think my shutter-button finger was very pleased.

On Etsy Today

2009-04-25T17:20:00.008-04:00

Thank-you to Rockology3 for featuring me in her Etsy treasury today:

In the Shop...

Designed a new header/banner, one that matches the blog's. It's much nicer looking, though.

I also have a couple of new prints from NY up. Check them out!

New York, New York

2009-04-23T22:41:00.017-04:00

This past weekend, we sang at Carnegie Hall. (Remember the last entry? If you haven't read it, go on. I've explained the details there.)

The performance as a whole- the entire trip really- was a little surreal. How many people are fortunate enough to count this among one of their life experiences? To, though part of a large group, stand on one of the world's greatest stages?

Not everything progressed smoothly, however. During the performance, an audience member's phone went off. Not once, not twice, but at least five or six times. As we were singing onstage. Now that's blatantly disrespect of the highest degree. I have reason to believe a number of us were ready to bash heads.

As if that weren't enough, we:

-had two members of the chorus end up

in the hospital on the departure days (there and back)

-were delayed as a result, and did not make it to the CBS studio where we were scheduled to sing, nor could we make another performance stop days later

-were held at the US-Canada border for nearly an hour

-experienced multiple mechanical problems with the charter bus we were riding

It all made for a very interesting experience. Quite decidedly, I would acknowledge it to be one of the most valuable of my life, well worth all the time, expense, and energy.

Check out another (and rather better) take on this whole deal by a fellow blogger.

Look out for more NYC photos next week! All the over-publicized tourist-magnet locations, yes, but I returned with a good number of shots with which I was very pleased.

Amelie Soundtrack

2009-04-11T21:24:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of friend Ian, here is a streaming playlist of the hauntingly beautiful Amelie soundtrack. Enjoy.

We're Goin' Places

2009-04-06T23:51:00.006-04:00

Last spring, we, as in our choir, participated in our usual festivals. We, for lack of a better term, owned. The reprotoire that year consisted of the some of the most beautiful choral music I have ever had the fortune to perform. If you have never heard Sergei Rachmaninoff's Bogoroditse Devo, look it up. It is much more impressive in person, certainly. Not to sound smug or anything, but I have felt that our performance, our interpretation, sounds far... well, superior to many others'. Never have we felt such deep emotional connection to our music. When we sang this piece in particular, some of the audience became moved to tears. We were moved to tears.

So in May we took a road trip down to the Heritage festival in Cleveland, which hosted not only choral but instrumental groups. And there we did more than well. There were not many other ensembles present at the time we were there, but we received the highest score. One of the judges, in fact, specified that he had never or only once given a higher score in his (approximately) fifty-year career. As a result, we have earned a spot in another gathering to be held this spring, when the nation's best high-school choirs convene under the direction of one Dr. Eph Ehly.

In Carnegie Hall.

There are no words to express how honored we all are. Most would have been awed to sit audience in that famed hall. We are to take part in a performance. Many who dream of getting to Carnegie deserve it, yet never reach the stage. We are no world-class symphony, no legendary musicians, but we are going to be there. We are going to stand on that stage, and we are going to sing.

Skywatch No. 12

2009-04-04T00:26:00.013-04:00

I biked out to catch this sunset over a cornfield a couple of days ago. Cold, but nice. I ended up with a nice set of pictures... I might pull a few of them out for another Skywatch.

Well, I Wish I Were That Good.

2009-03-29T20:44:00.010-04:00

Recently, as I was browsing around for formal gowns, I happened upon this classy number. I'm normally not one to be enthralled by hours and hours of clothes-shopping, but this one really caught my fancy. It's just... elegant.

Now, as it just so happens, I'd bought this delicious crinkled/pleated fabric some years ago in this spectacular blend of lime and celery green (I've spent a great deal of time messing with the white balance, but to no avail. This is as close as I can get the color). It's nearly the exact same material as the skirt portion. Now that I have inspiration and an actual use for the fabric, I think I'll have a go at it. As the only sewing machine I am in possession of is currently dysfunctional, well, let's just say this'll be one heck of an interesting experiment.

A Sunrise

2009-03-26T21:44:00.002-04:00

It's finally been getting to that point where the sunrise starts its subtle glow in the early hours in the morning again. I still wake to a dark sky but by the time I leave it doesn't feel quite so... desolate, for lack of a better word.

Where I live, most plants haven't budded sufficiently to make it look like it's spring, though it officially has been for week or so. However, the improving weather, in conjunction with the onset of spring break (meaning a week off classes starting today) has put everything in a considerably better light, personally.

Traffic- Feedback Please!

2009-03-13T16:43:00.001-04:00

Traffic analysis tools have become very helpful in determining what sort of things people are looking for when they visit. Please help me by leaving some feedback. I'm not going to beg for attention, but the more you let me know about what you're looking for, the better I'll be able to adapt. Now:

I've noticed that most of you who arrive on Darkglow come from one of three places:

Google searches for craft-related items, mainly paper mache. You usually end up here. I'm impressed that I show up high enough on the results to be getting so much traffic for the same thing, but is this single post what you need? Should I expand? Are you disappointed by the content of the rest of the site, most of which has little to do with what you searched for?
Skywatch. I enjoy participating, although those posts cater to a narrower audience. I've noticed that if you came from Skywatch, you've only ever commented on Skywatch posts. Does this mean you read exclusively for it? If the posts relate to something else, do you just not read it at all?
Facebook. Okay, if you came from Facebook, I probably know you, and you know me. It'd be nice to have some honest feedback. Would you return? Is there anything you are particularly interested in that you'd like me to write more about?

Skywatch No. 10

2009-03-12T20:09:00.006-04:00

Still experimenting with night shots. Maybe it's just the inexperience of an amateur speaking, but I find it extraordinarily difficult to focus on a dark sky. Either way...

I still prefer my last night sky photo though.

The night is bitterly cold, but clear, which is what counts. I went out with the intention of shooting the stars; there's something to be said for the less-oft-photographed night sky. Instead, I became distracted with the moon. The moonlight is surprisingly bright- enough to light landscapes under longer exposures- but that's a project for next time.

Here Comes the Sun

2009-03-06T14:36:00.009-05:00

The weather is beautiful today. Sunlight, fifty-seven degree high, melted snow, the finally-visible greens of conifers and hardy mosses, the whole deal. Even the insects, birds, and squirrels are out. This is the only "nice" day, per say, for the time being. Spring, we must continue to tell ourselves, begins this month.

Daylight savings time also begins this weekend. I find it unfair how it always occurs just when it's starting to get a little light in the morning. For those of us who are forced to rise at six, it's often a relief to be able to recognize mornings as being mornings (as opposed to the middle of the night) when looking out the window.

Also, I am not a fan of post-daylight savings time beginning-Monday mornings. Just thought I'd share.

Remember to adjust your clocks.

I Found

2009-02-24T00:32:00.003-05:00

...a video of our marching band this past season. It's only the last half of the show, and yes, I'm posting several months late, but this is state finals after all, and I'm quite glad to have found it. Thanks to whomever took and posted this!

It's Musical Season

2009-02-19T20:35:00.013-05:00

We fumble blindly down a set of concrete steps in the darkness, emerging in a low-ceilinged room with the feel of a disused basement (which it undoubtedly is). Occupying the majority of the space is a makeshift sort of plywood stage. Everyone gingerly navigates the steps up. The platform is covered in a rather musty-looking carpet and a tangle of cords and wires. The only light comes from the opening in the ceiling, around which chairs and music stands are tightly clustered. This is pit orchestra, and once again the height of musical season approaches. We're here to play.

Up on stage someone is tap dancing. A gentle shower of sawdust drifts down from the stage floor overhead. Moments later a stampede of chorus members thunders over our heads. The sound system isn't quite coordinated yet- sometimes we can't hear what's happening upstairs, and they can't hear us. It's okay though. This is merely a rehearsal, and although opening night is tomorrow, this counts as being on schedule.

Typically, I audition to join the cast. The lure of bright lights of the stage, the energy, the freedom of unrestrained singing, and the pure satisfaction of giving it your all right in front of a live audience is strong. It's still something I would enjoy doing, but recently I've been finding the backseat, more out-of-view supporting role just as appealing. Playing in the pit has been, in a different way, an experience just as satisfactory.

From outward appearances, I seem to devote more time and energy to vocal music. It's easier, it feels, to fake experience at singing than at playing an instrument. But I was an instrumentalist before a vocalist, and deep down, if I had to choose, I would not give up my longer-standing skill. It often feels that many are divided along an unspoken line, in which those who play instruments are dry, distant bores and those who sing are fluff-headed, flighty creatures. Few are those who belong to both camps. I, who have been part of both, have gained a respect for both. More people ought to give the other a second chance.

Heat Wave

2009-02-09T17:17:00.008-05:00

We're currently sitting in the middle of a nice mass of warm air. The temperature topped 50°F yesterday, and that qualifies as a heat wave. An unseasonably warm day in February, for us non-equatorial norther-hemisphere dwellers, feels exceedingly pleasant. Most of the snow has melted; the massive plowed mountains, the kind built up in parking lots, are now small car-sized piles. Grass is once again visible. It's trampled, yellowish grass, but grass nontheless. There's mud everywhere, and the sound of running water. Even the river has started to thaw a little near the middle. This morning, an opaque fog shrouded everything. It's like spring come several months early.

All this is very well, but it's also slightly worrying. The number of unseasonably warm days has been increasing recently, as well as record high temperatures and more extreme weather- this past winter has been harsher and had come earlier. It's frustrating to see that a number of people don't realize what even small seasonal shifts mean. Human biological patterns may not be directly or noticeably affected, but many other species are. If one population collapses, it leads to others- its competitors, its predators or prey- undergoing other, often unfavourable changes. That's not too good for us either.

Skywatch No. 8

2009-02-06T16:04:00.003-05:00

As you may have noticed, the majority of my photos all seem to be the same place. And admittedly, it is. (I'd like to compile a 365-day journal someday, taking daily pictures out this window.) It's unintentional, really. Where there's a large west-facing window, count on me to use it. I'm a sucker for sunsets. This view usually offers better results than trudging outside in the freezing cold. When the leaves come in I'll have to stop being lazy and actually go out to get my sunsets...

Brr.

2009-01-29T22:35:00.004-05:00

Will you look at that. Blue sky and sun! It's a beautiful thing. Funny coming from me- I usually find cold more comfortable than hot and darkness more interesting than bright day- but it's something of a relief. The unseasonable cold is here to stay though; mornings and nights are often in the Fahrenheit negatives.

It's felt like a long winter, but we are... only about a third of the way through (Ranzenblog has a nice pick-me-up regarding this very thought). School has been keeping me busy and I've been starting to look forward to seeing the end of end of the tunnel, so to speak. And so we march resolutely on.

Food for Thought

2009-01-25T20:16:00.001-05:00

...or maybe more for the eye.

Pomegranate. A classic winter fruit. The hassle involved in preparation pays off- it's not only filled with all manners of vitamins, antioxidants, and other good stuff, but it also tastes fabulous.

Fresh beans, anyone? Sounds unappealing, perhaps, but terminology and connotations can be misleading.

Skywatch No. 6

2009-01-22T17:59:00.004-05:00

Here's another one of those photos I snap from the window of a car as it barrels down the freeway. This one dates back a few months, but I still love this cloudscape.

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T17:32:00.006-05:00

It's been a momentous day. It has ushered in a new president, a new future. History was written on this day. What was needed to be said has already been said; I will not trouble hacking out my own (mimicked) copy of flowery words.

Today I spent my lunch break huddled around a television set with about thirty other people, and watched the news. The inaugural ceremony, with the air of a holiday? This should happen every day.

Later I again attempted to watch the inaugural proceedings in the company of two different groups of people. Let me say to the first- thank you. All attention was on what was happening. I have never seen so many people my age so engaged with affairs of state, all at the same time. It was rather amazing.

The second room was a different story. I don't have a problem with people acting like imbeciles. We all do sometimes. But it would be awfully kind of them to carry on somewhere else, so we can hear the news. It's a little shocking to see how little some know and care about one of the most significant events in the recent history of our country.

Grey Mornings

2009-01-17T19:08:00.006-05:00

As routines are established, the beginning of every day starts feeling the same. From the moment I drag myself from bed (after several rounds of hitting snooze) to the time I am actually awake (which may not happen until the afternoon or evening), everything just feels... well, rather bland. This is a shot of the street sometime in the early morning, I believe. Each weekday, I head to class. Not too interesting. It is bitterly cold, the roads are covered with all manner of snow, slush, and ice (though not in this picture- must have been a good day), the sun has not yet risen, and the town looks deserted, except the traffic is still ridiculous. A change of season wouldn't be bad at all.

Late Wishes and a Newcomer

2009-01-12T17:55:00.005-05:00

It's more than a little late, but I have not yet bid you all a happy new year. So here it is, and there you go. Frequent updates I cannot guarantee until my schedule eases up.

Meanwhile, allow me to introduce my new comrade, my good friend. This is Phil.

He's been here nearly a month and has been of good service. Unfortunately however, poor Bob, the desktop, is not running like he used to. What this means is that I am doing a crapload of backing up, though admittedly mostly onto flash drives. When everything is sorted out, I promise you, there WILL be updates.

Thanks for listening, everyone.

A Reflection

2008-12-29T22:52:00.003-05:00

It's been nice, this past week. Naturally, I'm on break. Having some time to myself is a nice change. Even though I've had more time on my hands, though, it still feels like that I've gotten less done, that time has passed faster. Funny, how it works. Not having rigid schedules that dictate what you have to get done when tend to make time wander away. There are still several deadlines that must be met before classes begin, so I've not been doing nothing. Nonetheless, and I quote, "hours feel like minutes and days like hours." Having work to do but so much time to do it in, productivity quickly takes a tumble down the priority ladder. By the time I look up from whatever I'm doing, it's already one in the morning. Day after day passes, every one very much alike. I suppose pressure boots efficiency, but still.

I know I haven't been updating recently, and I've already missed three or four Skywatches without noticing. But never fear, I'll be back.

Madrigal Dinner

2008-12-15T20:11:00.009-05:00

This weekend's madrigal dinner was also my last. We sang, feasted, and Renaissance-d away our past few days in several great performances (with an exception or two). It was held in our high-school cafeteria this year, unfortunately, but the audience and other atmosphere more than compensated. I did spend much of the first day feeling rather ill, though.

I also learned that:

-Volumious sleeves don't work well during meals.

-The audience can tell when nearly all members of an ensemble don't know their music.

-Singing after stuffing oneself with food is a bad idea.

-Wearing pants under one's costume gives one the handiness of pockets, but

-Reaching up one's skirt is only an option if others' views of one are blocked.

Good times.

A Dicken's Christmas

2008-12-06T00:01:00.012-05:00

Every year, as the holidays approach, our town holds a festival downtown. During the busier hours, the streets are bustling and graced with lights. The atmosphere is crisp and cold (but not this year; it was freezing), snow falls, and occasionally the sound of bells or hooves can be heard. It's really quite picturesque.

Now, I've been for a while part of a madrigal group that comes down here to carol every year. We set up shop in a local business that's graciously let us use their building, sing some traditional music, and it's terrific fun. I unfortunately have no pictures of us to share- can't take 'em if we ourselves are performing.

Usually small ensembles of instrumentalists, our fellow students, also play in a shop down the block. I dropped by to listen to them today (or yesterday, rather), and... well. I'm jealous.

Until next time-

Skywatch & More Snow!

2008-12-04T17:58:00.016-05:00

Pardon another old photo- I needed this, as colorful sunsets are becoming rarer as the days grow longer. Just last week we had sky nearly as clear and beautiful- it quite reminded me of this sunset, so I brought this out. It was quite a sight in person. Unfortuantely, it didn't all fit into one frame, and so has been hastily and rather badly stitched together.

Anyhow, we are well on our way into winter. It's always held some sort of charm for me, especially right after snowstorms when the trees are still coated in white (people often say that infrared photographs remind them of snow-covered branches; I find snow-covered trees more interesting because they resemble infrared ones). Earlier this week

we had some fresh snow. It came in gloriously fat, wet flakes that clung to every surface for days.

Snow also has the advantage of being highly reflective. This is not so great during the day, but at night, especially clear, moonlit nights, it practically glows. So recently I've taken to setting up night shots. Both forest photos in this post are long exposures taken at night.

Winter's Arrival

2008-11-28T00:06:00.016-05:00

This sky shot is actually from last year, but perhaps a little earlier in the year. Winter has been coming on and it has been a while since we've seen the clouds in this kind of splendour.

We had snow about a week ago- the first real snowfall, not the palsy stuff that dusts the ground and melts in a couple of hours, but enough to shovel. I actually bundled up, siezed my camera, and trekked the neighborhood.

There was a good good bit of excitement over this, but to no avail. In a few days it became a good part slush, and by now it's mostly frozen slush. I'm not going to lie, but slush is really not as great a subject as snow (not to mention wetter, messier, less interesting, and a with greater tendency to produce nasty slopping noises when stepped on), and ice is really just a pain (unless it gets classes cancelled).

Spontaneous Setup

2008-11-26T11:07:00.010-05:00

There are ways to create (functional) makeshift photo studios indoors. The key is experimentation, otherwise known as trial and error, and simply using whatever you may happen to have on hand. I thought I'd share what I did recently. I needed to shoot portraits, or, rather, I needed one shot of me (not a good idea). Evidently, humans are not my usual subject, but hey. You live and you learn.

As the background was large, unmoveable, in a slightly awkward position/location, and simply not suited to being a backdrop, everything had to be set up around it. Portable, flexible-necked lamps with translucent shades are particularly useful. I normally prefer to simply hand-hold cameras, but in this case it was really not possible. That may sound obvious, but as setup and adjustments took so long, the benefits of using a tripod outweighed the adaptibility of going handheld. Sheet-draped surfaces work wonderfully for backdrops as well. Those large, folded cardboard presentation boards are great. Fortunately, I had help and did not have to rely on selftimer this time...

Twilight

2008-11-21T23:33:00.013-05:00

As you may be aware, it's Twilight day.

Now, there are two primary types of people, it seems- those that think that Twilight is shallow, and then there are the rabid, drooling fangirls. I believe I can safely ascertain that I belong to neither. Let's call this being a reluctant appreciator of the story. For some time, I'd been seeing people, many of whom I had never before seen with a book in their hands, buried in the Twilight series. As the number increased exponentially, it became evident something had to be drawing all these readers in.

One can infer much about any given piece of pop culture based solely on its fanbase. The fact that nearly all Twilight readers, as far as I could tell, were teenage girls, made me yet more resolute in resisting (Overlooking the fact that I technically do demographically fit under abovementioned category). Anything like that must be superficial, silly, and a bit self-indulgent. But alas, I eventually succumbed. I have to admit that I don't regret having caved in. Obsessed, no. But addicted? Well... yes. I recognize that the later books and the film are catering very much to the fanbase, to appeal to the masses. I don't usually latch on to blind crowd-following, so it shouldn't be some sort of terrible vice if I do it. Once, that is.

So today I went to see the movie. Before we turned into the theater from the street it was already evident that the size of the crowd was going to be just as ridiculous as predicted. Inside, it was packed nearly from wall to wall. There was a slightly disturbing amount of squealing and screaming going on, and even the normal levels of anticipation in the atmosphere was palpable. Fortunately, the film turned out to be much like the books, so I walked out without being disappointed. Many a decent book has been ruined by its film adaptation, but here's an exception.

Many Thanks

2008-11-15T15:47:00.004-05:00

... To lindabutterfly and auntcindysattic for including my maple (25 Sep 08) and storm (15 Nov 08) prints, respectively, in their Etsy Treasuries.

November

2008-11-13T17:07:00.012-05:00

I looked out the window today, and received something of a shock. Autumn has come and gone in the blink of an eye. November, it feels, came long ago, but only within the past week or so has it actually begun to feel like November. The weather is miserable- it's cold and wet, and the next week is likely to see a mix of snow, rain, and the like. The sky is almost perpetually a dreary blanket of steely grey that casts a watery light over everything. The sun showed itself a bit today, though. The trees are bare, and straggling lines of geese can be seen winging across the sky. Usually I welcome the start of cold weather, but it feels a bit different this year.

!!!

2008-11-05T01:29:00.014-05:00

So election results are out.

That's right. Here's that beautiful American democracy at work. Just look at it.

Moving and appropiate speeches from both candidates tonight. For once, both people running are not only capable but decent.

And moving to other, more trivial matters- I must now forgo my sleep to do this (at left). Yeah, I'm a nerd. But not that much of a nerd. I actually have to do this.

Edit: Take a look at this article. It says everything I'd like to say (there's a point when everyone needs to stop gloating, moping, or nursing a grudge, whatever the election results caused), but it's much better worded, of course.

Coda: State Finals

2008-11-02T16:58:00.021-05:00

It is the fateful November 1st- Mt. Pleasant marching band heads to Ford Field, Detroit for MCBA state finals. An instrument breaks in the morning. A moment of triumph- a glorious sunrise behind us as we rehearse ("You made the sun rise... If that's not General Effect, I don't know what is."). Then we run behind schedule. Pieces of instruments go missing. Miscommunication. We arrive, unload, warm up, and wait. And then we play.

We came into finals fourth in the state for a school our size, and exited holding the same position. This is something we are not only satisfied but very, very happy about. The three above us are always the top three, and have massive bands of 100 to 200 members- we have 79. We also scored the highest we have in eight years: 79.35.

Seventy-nine. Point. Three-five.

The season is at its close. Thank you, marching band. We love you. Ladies and gentlemen, that was a beautiful day.

But Wait, There is More

2008-10-31T23:58:00.017-04:00

That's right. We're too cool to be the marching band. We're the marchin' band. (Tho' we're on the verge of becoming a bazd.) The tower does not lie.

More, I say- marching band is not yet over. Today we had terrific fun playing at the last home football game, but this time it really is the last. The weather was spectacular- not freezing or raining, for a change. A video will be posted as soon as I can force it to upload. Meanwhile:

Instrument sharing abounds; playing in the stands.

Edit: At long last, I've uploaded a fight song during the game.

Here is also a three-minute recording (batteries were running out) of a run-through during our rehearsal (this one known affectionately as the shirtless run-through). It's not a terribly good video, I'm afraid, it doesn't include the best parts of the show, and the angle is quite limited. The camera was sitting on my keyboard, so at least one of my instruments is audible, for a change.

Click here for another great video of the Friday performance. It's the best recording I've seen yet.

At the End of the Day

2008-10-27T00:07:00.039-04:00

For the past several months marching band has been devouring all my time. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, because despite all the exhaustion, they've been some of the best I've experienced. How I wished I had joined earlier. (We rehearse in all weathers, don't use flashy visual props, are consisted entirely of voluntary members, and we get to play rock music. Of course we're awesome.) Unfortunately, the end of the season is in sight, as state finals are this upcoming weekend. It's been a spectacular year.

Here are some snapshots from the past few weeks:

Playing at the last(?) football game.

Happy band members after a competition; marching back to the bus.

Lifesavers; an armful of trophies.

We've also scored quite well as of late; at this point we're ranked fourth in the state for our flight. As for finals, we're on last this year. It's a good feeling, I tell you.

Belding 54.85

Atwood-Flushing 63.60

Clarkston 71.05

West Bloomfield 74.00

Plymouth-Canton 70.35

Huron Valley 74.70

And finally, a video of a game several weeks ago- the only thing I did not take. For some reason it focuses more on the pit than everyone else (will you look at that- my section is sadly lacking in discipline- though that's no surprise, is it ...?). But then again, I'm not complaining, because I'm in pit.

Elections (Are You Serious?)

2008-10-17T18:24:00.007-04:00

Really. I'm voting-underage by one year. One. And subsequently missing what possibly might be the most important election of our lifetimes. As if that weren't enough, some people who are voting understand even less of the issues involved than some of the people who can't.

[/end non-partisan portion]

The following is merely an expression of personal opinion. I am in no way attempting to persuade anyone. Kindly do not take personal offense.

Let's face it. Getting any side to view an issue without bias is impossible. But there are some things, that no matter how much they're distorted, must be true. Typically I try to be non-judgmental when it comes to politics, but sometimes, enough is enough. Even a child could have noticed that the Republican party has been in general more likely to issue more negative ads, more scathing personal attacks, more opponents' innocent remarks blown out of proportion, and just a greater number of, well, dirty tricks. It's not that democrats are completely blameless, or that I have something against republican supporters in general, but isn't it slightly ironic that those who advocate morals and values are the same ones being especially nasty to their opposition? This is not a phenomenon restricted to this year. Comb over past political disputes, and just look it all over for a minute. Please, people. Play fair, and everything will be fine.

Star-Spangled

2008-10-03T16:48:00.001-04:00

First attempt at photographing the night sky:

30-second exposure, using a Nikon D40 and tripod. Now that is cool.

It was 11:30 and the temperature hovering barely above freezing, but the sky was clear. This was the best shot out of the two or three taken. (Focusing in the dark can be difficult.) Trying longer exposures would be amazing, but at the moment I haven't been able to set any past 30 seconds, not to mention the amount of noise involved...

Of Scarlet, Tangerine, and Gold

2008-09-27T16:48:00.000-04:00

Ah, October.

It seems as if autumn has rather snuck up behind me. In previous years I've always gone out with a camera to capture the feel of the season, but I don't think I've done much of that yet this year.