Thursday, August 26, 2010

"I'm late, I'm late...

...for a very important date. No time to say 'hello'. Goodbye. I'm late. I'm late. I'm late."
White Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland

These last two weeks have been a blur. I have lots of unfinished business, which i promise to tackle after this whirlwind in Ireland. I'm really behind on my trip to Seattle, Oklahoma, packing for Europe and now I'm here. Here, in the most wonderful place I have yet been...Ireland. I adore it! Germany was grand and I didn't see enough to do it justice but even off the plane I could smell the deep green of the lush Irish land and knew...this is where I belong. Jennifer is going to have a hard time pulling my mind to the allures of Paris with this place already occupying it. Funny thing is, Jen and I keep saying "this is just like...in seattle." Or "this reminds me of Portland." We aren't too far off in the northwest, just put some good-looking redheads with accents there and I'm set.
Photos coming soon. For the time being I leave you with this...
The irishman at the front desk of the Avalon House, the hostel we are staying in, was calling the passport office. He needed to get a passport for the next day as his was MIA and he had a very important stag weekend to get to in England. The call went as follows...
Passport operator: "Passport office."
Mr. Irish: "I need to know about an emergency passport."
Passport operator: "Can't be done."
Mr. Irish: "I thought you do it for family emergencies?"
Passport operator: "Are you dying?"
Mr. Irish: "We are all dying, mate. What's your point?"

We are all dying...so live it up. Get out. The world is a big place. Go say hello.
Kiss kiss hug hug BIG KISS little kiss BIG HUG
V

Friday, August 13, 2010

Friday, August 13th

Am I superstitious? Not in the slightest, however, I don't snub those that are because I truly believe that the world is an unexplainable place. I am acutely aware of creepy places especially at night when I'm alone like any other sensible warm-blooded human being. And I believe in the possibility of hauntings which is why when the clock struck twelve on this Friday the 13th you would have found me a little freaked out working alone in the basement of an old VFW on Vashon Island in Washington, the only other person was upstairs. We were working late, I was printing my books and Phil was building bookcases for the new facility. Planning on taking the last ferry off the island at 1:20am, we got there early and they were late. While we sat in the car listening to NPR World News, the broadcaster announces a new rabies outbreak in South America caused by the bites of vampire bats. Four children from a local village had already died "from the bites of the blood sucking animals." Phil said, "well now I'm going to sleep well tonight." I chuckled but little did I know that was only the beginning of my paranormalish night. In and out of sleep in the car and then on the ferry, I finally get back to Genevieve's at 2:43 am nearly witching hour and walk up to the door. It's locked. Locked, and Vievo has to be up for work early. I poke around in the flowerpots, yet she had said she would leave the door open so I didn't know where to look for a key. I give up and decide to call her. Facing the door, I dial her number, denied instantly with no signal. I turn to get reception out in the alley and a black cat is staring up at me from my feet. I squeal a bit and he darted a bit but when I started to walk out he followed me. He was between my feet and legs as I called Vievo, telling her voicemail the predicament I found myself in as I stood in the alley. On the second call she answered, let me in and I took this farewell photo, checking his collar for his name.
This is Ozzie, my Mr. Friday the Thirteenth.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Dashing David Harms



Wet plates. On display through the month of August. If you are even on the west half of the country you should make a journey to Seattle. Two incredibly talented photographers have work up in local venues. The ever talented David Harms has completed a wet plate series. Currently showing at the Boom Noodle, located in Capital Hill, 1121 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA‎





These images shot by David, not showing at the Boom Noodle, are of Genevieve Pierson , another exceptionally talented photographer currently showing work in Seattle. I'll get the details on that and post them right away.
XO V