JEN, this is for you.

Do you know about freecycle?
If not, I suggest you check it out. Basically, it's a worldwide network which people use to get rid of stuff which would otherwise be sent to landfill. They offer it up on the local site, and someone else (eg. Me) emails a request to them.

Anyways.
So I was off to pick up some glass bottles from a freecycle guy this evening. He'd told me to come between 6 and 8pm, number 33 C** Road, the one with no letterbox and a bus stop outside.
No problem. I got there, it was a bit hard to find, seeing as C** Road turns into B** Road (these are not actual road names, people, I'm attempting to preserve the identity of some weirdos. You'll soon see why I say that.) and the numbering of both is a little messed up due to a river crossing or two.
I digress. Yes, so I finally found 33 C** Road. Sure enough, no letterbox, bus stop out the front, and the door to the house was open, all as he'd explained.  I went up, was invited in, and the first thing he says is "I was expecting a guy actually!". Nothing too strange about that, my name isn't exactly a common one.
He directed me to follow him through to the kitchen, where he opened up a bar fridge and asked me which I was after... pointing out an array of small bottles with rather suspicious looking labels. Think cheap garish party pill type stuff.
At that point I wondered briefly whether he'd dialed an escort... the "I was expecting a guy" comment did match the copious amounts of gay porn on the walls of his house. Thinking rather swiftly, I came to the conclusion that I may in fact be at the wrong address. But here he was, expecting a guy called Stuart to turn up for the bottles, and I came to the door asking for the bottles... no wonder there was confusion. And the letterbox thing. And the bus stop thing. And the open front door! Very very weird coincidence.
I beat a hasty retreat, turned my car around and went and found the right street.
(I won't even tell you about how the guy at the RIGHT house actually knew about the goings on at the other house. It's just too fuckin' weird)


xe

Doll Chiaroscuro.

Doll Chiaroscuro., a photo by eroica.lurks on Flickr.

tetris for big kids

the old sales yards

sunday session (yes, posted late)

Saturday beach outing

Broccoflower

Foggy morning along the river.
This morning I've been playing with a couple of lenses I've been leant by a friend. I think I need to get a really wide one! New tripod is still in the box, I'm a bit scared of it.

Catch ups

Oh, I have been remiss!
I so intended to post a picture each day, then I got sidetracked with work and wedding (not mine) and more work! So I shall post 7 tonight, one for each day that I've missed.

Here we are at the Palmerston North holiday park, with a lovely example of perspective lines created by these shadows. It's so green up there!

 Cups! I do like a bit of repetition. Got some really good feedback when I submitted this for course last week, I recall my tutor even used the word Love in his feedback. Yippee!

 I like the lighting here. Though now looking at it I think I need to crop away the frames above her.

Who can resist such a beautiful sparkling thing as this?  The shadows are so pretty. I am brought to mind of an underwater creature of some sort.

Why have these not sold yet??? I'd buy them, if I liked parsnips. The lengths I got to at work to sell off a few old-ish veges... and not a bite!

 Piko, sweet Piko. A new incarnation, complete with fabulous coffee out the front (thanks Greg).

Um, you what?!? This has got to be the ugliest contraption I've laid eyes on in quite some time. He is a strange man, and one who thankfully doesn't come into work too often these days!


Right, there you have it... I am caught up on my photos. I shall do better from now on!
Tell me something about your lives now.
xx ero

Jeff m'love, this one is for you. Thanks for the sharing in many times of awesomeness in that lovely old mansion! I do miss it, almost as much as I miss having you living in the same place as me!
x

Hurrah, Piko got stickered! Thank you, phantom stickerer. You made my day.

Michelle, I am jumping on your bandwagon. One photo for each day of August, starting now. Admittedly I took this one yesterday but I think you'll let me away with it. :-)

In other news... photography course is challenging and I am determined to give it everything. This week's lesson is on composition, I have 4 photos to submit, and three days in which to do it. Yessss!

A weekend in Melbourne turned into a week due to a pesky snow storm that closed Christchurch airport, it was nice to have extra time there, and lovely to finally make it home on Friday.

x

Let the fun begin!

So here I am at the start of a Diploma in Digital Photography. I'm studying very part time, just one module for now. The first week's exercise was to just go for a walk with my camera and take a whole lot of shot... and then pick 3 to send in. These are them!

These are of a motorway overpass down the road from me, interesting lines and shadows I thought. I took these in the middle of the day, bright sun and wind made for some issues! That said, I do quite like some of the subtleties in the shades of grey on the underside of the bridge. 

I wasn't entirely sure how much I should be manipulating them on my computer. I've adjusted the contrast on 2 of them, but pretty much left them alone other than that.

x e

x

we certainly do live in times of great change. some of them not so great.

one composting toilet installed in my bathroom.
one new shop underway.
one photo credit in a magazine.
one new housemate, a small black one who purrs.
one sweet man to keep me smiling.
one small obstacle to hurdle.

unnecessarily miserable.
(there, i said it, now i need to get over it)

PIKO CLEAN UP (a month and a half post earthquake)

reeeevolting.

one week today since the earthquake that toppled my city, taking so many lives with it.
what a week it has been! exhausting and emotional and numb all at the same time.
i'm so glad to be here, and i'm so glad that my friends and family are safe.

x

SAFE

i am safe, so is my family and friends too. very very lucky.
my workplace is a pile of rubble, might be time to think about a career change.

x

accomplished:

a batch of laundry
a cycle adventure with the lovely parents
a batch of plum jam
a very good dinner

xe

reminder to self: it's not that hard when you start DOING it.

this evening i have managed to do an hour or so of compost lugging at my new garden venture, made a healthy dinner involving lentils and seaweed (it tasted better than i expected!), and i have a loaf of bread in the oven.

i also mopped and vacuumed my kitchen floor. not so much because i'm that industrious, more because a shelf fell out of the fridge and the result was about half a dozen smashed glass bottles oozing sticky liquids!

xe

BiRTHDAY LiST

a new 'niece' (one hour before my birthday started, to be fair)
an earthquake or two (big ones!)
a badge that states "no, no, that's ok. I'm interrupted by morons all the time"
a good coffee at the co-op
a shared sentence or two on an old typewriter
sweet messages from sweet friends

and the day is only half through!
x e