Still working off the WordPress Photo Challenge this week: CREEPY.
“Grab a shot of something you find disturbing.”
First, welcome to creepy San Francisco. It’s little wonder the city served as the setting for the Donald Sutherland movie, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” The pods arrive from outer space and take root in Golden Gate Park.
Next, in Miami’s South Beach, the most gut-wrenching (more…)
Must confess self finds the theme of this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge a tad — shall we say — vague: FRAY.
She decided to think of the challenge as “fray” as in frayed material or frayed thread. Hence, the Christmas angel, whose skirt is made out of thin, frayed hemp.
Below is a detail of the Miami Holocaust Memorial in Miami’s South Beach, one of the most powerful holocaust memorials she’s ever seen. Self realizes it’s quite a contrast: Christmas decorations and concentration camps. But, this whole blog is about contrasts, isn’t it?
The WordPress Photo Challenge this week is MONUMENT.
Self took a whole lot of pictures when she dropped by the Cantor Arts Center, a couple of weeks ago, on the Stanford University campus.
Rodin’s sculpture of Adam is standing to one side of probably his most favorite work, the Gates of Hell. But self didn’t have a good picture of the Gates, so she turned to perusing her photo archives.
And she found these from the Miami Holocaust Memorial, which she and The Man visited last November.
LAST-PLACE SPEED SKATER WINS GOLD MEDAL AFTER EVERYONE ELSE FALLS DOWN
Self happened to catch figure skater Michael Christian Martinez, 17, the lone athlete from the Philippines, in the men’s free skate. It was early, not even 8 a.m.
He had a fabulous costume, sort of “Disney Prince,” and very thick hair. He did well. According to commentator Tara Lipinski, he learned figure skating by watching TV. Only recently was he able to get himself some professional training.
He closed his eyes briefly as he was waiting for the signal to start. Oh man, self could hardly watch, she was so tense.
But he completed! And did well enough! YAY!!! (more…)
The first thing you see as you approach the Holocaust Memorial in Miami’s South Beach is the gigantic hand, fingers extended to the sky. As you get close, you pass through a covered walkway, one side of which has names etched into stone. Then you come out to a sort of circular space, and see a column made up entirely of writhing bodies. Around the column are human figures. The one self found most moving was this small one, set off to one side, all by istelf. Mute horror, that’s about all self can say to describe her emotions at the sight.
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This is a table that has been in self’s possession for almost as many years as she’s been married. It is an extremely heavy object; it was shipped to California from Manila, via container.
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Bacolod City in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines was Dear Departed Dad’s hometown. From him, self inherited so many things: her love of John Updike. Her love of movies, all kinds of movies. And his idealism.
Self has really enjoyed this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge: Juxtaposition. Who knew that theme would resonate so much with her. Below is an excerpt from The Daily Post site:
Juxtapositions are all around us. Maybe there’s one bright yellow flower in your vase of pink daisies, or you have a shot of your kids, one smiling, one making a face. Maybe you spied a vintage car parked outside a sleek, modern building, or a new car in front of a run-down house — or one of a thousand other things you wouldn’t think of until you see it.
Self is exceedingly fond of this particular set of juxtapositions: a jeepney in front of books; a friend from grade school days in Manila; skyscraper and sky in Miami.