085-Revenge

085-Revenge, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

I am not really into revenge, life is generally far too short for such grief. Mind you, if one were going to do it, one ought to take it very seriously, and I think this is a cold enough method. Yes, nothing like a little cold steel. And the head comes free.

I like the idea of mixing text and hand-drawn images with photographs, just as I like assembling one picture from a number. I really have do not see 'doing everything in the camera' as anything more than a pleasant option - just on option. Creating this image 'in-camera' would have been a little tricky seeing that I lack a whopping great axe and lacked enough time and resources to mock one up - assuming that I would want to do such a thing. The contrast between the photographed part and the hand-drawn part and the text is interesting in itself.

084-Resolved for more than a year

084-Resolved for more than a year, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

To me, one day follows another, if I do not have the resolve to make changes during the year, why should it make any difference at the beginning of a new one?

I am resolved to keep on loving my wife, and to continue to search for new ways of doing things, to give society a better chance for a greater future by empowering those who could make a difference if only they knew how - and to break the power of the callous and the selfish.

083-New year, new band

083-New year, new band, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

Having had no success in locating a copy of any version of Guitar Hero for the PC, we decided to create our own band.

Where would we be without the aluminium-vase-and-Hoover-tube guitar or, come to that, the chrome brush handle. Seriously, though, when the weather warms up we plan on taking this band on tour, photographing it in many different situations!

Anyway, here's to the New Year, and me kissing my microphone with those raucous tones.

Another festive death in Poland

Another festive death in Poland
Originally uploaded by gingerpig2000

This is the hill side Catholic cemetery in the samll town of Wawelnice, in eastern Poland. These grave lamps appear in bulk at most major religious festivals, particulalry Christmas, Easter and All Saints/Souls. They get bigger every year, especially with the increasing use of plastic in the lamp construction.

To see a hill side cemetery lit up at night is remarkable, and there are many such cemeteries here as hills are otherwise unusable for agricultural purposes.

082-Last Cold Farewell

082-Last Cold Farewell, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

A farewell at an important junction of life.

This is a barely used narrow gauge railway line here in Eastern Poland, in the small, delightful, poor and untouched town of Wawelnica. There is a significant sanctuary in the town, but the significant money it generates goes safely into the pockets of the Church, leaving the town to molder.

081-Ode to Bread

081-Ode to Bread, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

Tonight we are having bruschetta - with prosecco!

Oh joy!

Oh joy!

Oh joy!

And it is still in the middle of winter

080-Seeing Red

080-Seeing Red, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

080-Seeing Red

Would you believe that I took this through the door of a washing machine, the camera in the machine, with a crumpled piece of red plastic sheet stuck across the front. Why did I do it? Can't really remember, but it was an experience I probably will not be repeating on the floor of my bathroom in the near future.

I had to make a special layer for the vignetting thing, and I will keep it in case it comes in useful another time in case I forget how to do it.

079-Childhood Dream

079-Childhood Dream, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

This is one of many model cars left to me by my grandparents, who bought them in the late 1960s and, to my delight, had them on display behind glass in their living room.

I used to have one just like this too, but it never survived me growing up. These days I take better care of my toys, and this and several others are on display behind glass in my DVD/satelite cabinet - thanks to a very loving wife ;)

078-Up Against the Wall

078-Up Against the Wall, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

Today the task was to show 'legs up against a wall', which most people seemed to be interpreting as meaning lying with one's bum near one's wall, with legs leaning up against the wall. I felt that the wording allowed a much wider scope, and here is the result.

There always seems to be a lot to do in the kitchen at this time of the year, and then there is all that preparation needed for all those parties one just has to go to. Anyway, here we are, pressed 'up against the wall' trying to get everything done on time.

Note that we actually bought the stockings especially, and they are too small for Ania as here in Lublin people with Ania's shape are not supposed to be interested in such wear, apparently, just as you are not supposed to have breasts larger than C-cup or possibly D-cup, according to what the shops stock.

077-No Ghetto

077-No Ghetto, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

Today's group was set up by an English couple who emigrated to Australia, and then decided they did not want to lose their 'Englishness' - and decided to take pictures of themselves drinking tea in different places.

This desire to retain one's nationality-ness is the worst thing imagineable to me - it reduces you to an icon, you are no longer a real person. As an icon you are prime target material for those people who create stereotypes, making life hell for anyone who just wants to get on with their life in a country different from the one they were born in. I mean, if you want to retain your nationality-ness, why bother moving elsewhere?

Having lived in my present country for eleven years, people still cannot accept me as being a valid member of the community - any discussion about anything important and you notice that people start associating you with your 'nationality', and the real 'you' no longer exists. So, everyone around you can complain about the state of the nation, you cannot - wot the fuck? I am married to a national of this country, so either I get treated as an icon here, or she gets treated as an icon of this nation there.

So, our view is - drink your tea because you enjoy it, but don't do it to maintain your nationality-ness because you are just reinforcing the difficulties of other, innocent people.

076-All I have for Christmas

076-All I have for Christmas, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

Back, for one week only, taking advantage of the time I have off for Christmas. Actually, I thought it would be interesting to try out some of the ideas I have been developing in my other main blog, Life by Design, to see if it would make any difference to the pictures i took.

I did take more pictures with me partly clad than I have recently, but for each challenge I did make more effort to show problems or issues related with the subject, resulting in some interesting pictures. I also aimed for contrast between the apparent images and the text that went with them.

Right, and now about today's picture.

Living in a different country from where I was born, I am tired of being told I should either follow the local tradition or abide by my 'native' tradition? Why on earth would I want to make an icon of myself for one or the other of the societies I live in? Can I not simply represent myself, my family or my community before my God?

Today, Christmas day, I can escape from national and religious so-called 'tradition', and instead get on with continuing and creating our own traditions, surrounded by people who see me as a person and not a representative.