Tuesday 22 September 2009

Wonderful Marvelous Skype!

Last night was a little chilsome so wrapped in my new scarf (a lovely belated birthday gift from oldest friend S) and warming mug of tea in hand I was flicking through some papers waiting for N to call from Singapore. At about midnight my laptop started to trill and then instantaneously up popped N in full real time video glory. Shirted and suited and ready for work (it was about 7 in the morning there) he looked lovely. We couldn't unfortunately hear each other due to some inexplicable microphonal problem but we could see each other as we instant messaged! How amazing that he should be here:

and I should be in a little village near here, nearly 7,000 miles away:

and yet we can see and talk to each other (almost!) as if we were together. It surely must be some kind of tricksy magic...

(Yesterday I had an email from his company confirming that they have booked my flights to Singapore - so excited! )

Monday 21 September 2009

Oh my goodness!

On Friday afternoon I finished work early, gathered together some afternoon tea paraphanalia, cupcakes, mini cupcakes and cookies, jumped in my car and headed accross the bridge and accross the border to England. I was heading to Dr D's house to meet her lovely new little boy and catch up with her, Mr D and Dr G (who was heading up from London for the same purpose).

It was the worst possible journey with horrible horrible roadworks. A journey which would normally take just over 45 minutes took 2 hours and with my eye on the clock the time frame for afternoon tea was slowly passing. Slightly frazzled and a little on the stressed side I pulled into my friends village and pulled up outside her lovely mint green cottage. Dr G opened the door looking absolutely amazing and blooming (she's expecting a little girl in November) and with slightly hushed voices we gabbled our way to the lounge where Dr D was sitting on the sofa with baby F and oh my goodness! What a beautiful little boy! He's three weeks old and as gorgeous as can be! An absolute little beauty! I can honestly say I have never seen a lovelier baby! Serious matchmaking plans are already underway for baby F and Dr G's soon to be arriving little girl! A really lovely evening of baby chatter and cake nibbling ensued. On the drive home I realised that next week it will be 10 years since we three met as we unpacked our unopened text books, pulled new bedding out of its packaging and set up our first home away from home at university. We were the first people we met as our 19 year old selves ventured forth onto the corridor of our hall of residence to make friends and look at us now all grown up!

Friday 11 September 2009

The Friday Picture(s)


Berenice Abbott, pictured above, (b.1898 d. 1991) was an American avante garde photographer who focussed much of her work on photographing the changing landscape of New York. Abbott left Ohio University for the city in 1918 sharing an apartment with philosophers and writers in Greenwich Village. She pursued writing, jounalism, and the theatre before deciding to study culpture in Paris and Berlin. She became interested in photography when she was hired by Man Ray to be a dark room assitant in his Paris studio. Man Ray soon spotted her talent, alowing her to use his studio and his gallery to promote her own photography career. In 1929 Abbott visited New York and at once saw the photographic potential of the city.

Using a large format camera Abbott set out to document the ever changing landscape of New York, capturing the interaction between the diversity of the cities inhabitants, the stage upon which they existed and their daily activites upon that stage. She aimed to empower people by forcing them to realise that their environment was a product of their collective behaviour (and of course vice versa).

"Let us first say what photography is not. A photograph is not a painting, a poem, a symphony, a dance. It is not just a pretty picture, not an exercise in contortionist techniques and sheer print quality. It is or should be a significant document, a penetrating statement, which can be described in a very simple term - selectivity" (Berenice Abbott)




Tuesday 8 September 2009

Blogging Black Hole

I have been shamefully reticent in my blogging duties these last months and I appologise wholeheartedly. I've been so busy during the crazy wedding season I have neglected not only this blog but also (and shamefully) friends, N, and the great world of fun. Hooray then that we have reached (almost) mid September as things quieten down a little now until November / December when the winter wedding season starts in earnest!

Exciting things which have happened since I was last posting:
  • my business has been crazily busy which is fantastic and it has recieved some wonderful national press coverage.
  • N is being sent to Singpore for two months with work
  • His company are paying for me to fly out and visit him (yay!)
  • My good friends Dr D and Mr D have had a beautiful, gorgeous, scrumptious little boy!
  • N and I have started looking at areas to buy an abode in (v. daunting)
  • This blog has reached it's first birthday!
  • I have become obsessed with Lost (I know I'm a little behind the times!)