castaway

I am slowly getting back to actually taking pictures again. There should be an increase in photo related content over the next few weeks, I promise. Mostly off and over the painkillers for now. Got all the initial bandages and dressings taken off and some of the sutures removed yesterday (a slightly gruesome close-up). Now I'm in a jaunty blue fiber-glass cast. I didn't realise I'd become half man/ half boat in this process but that seems to be the tack we are taking. Makes for a lighter weight than a traditional plaster cast but Amanda was disappointed she didn't get to sign it. I'm trussed up like this for another two weeks and then I get it smashed off and move into a removable velcro boot, which hopefully means I'll be a bit more mobile. Still not allowed to run though!

for Amanda

who's looking after me so well and putting up with me at the same time...

ankle updates

My Ankle has been a bone of contention for almost exactly a year now, since Arun didn't force me to break it playing squash. Finally got something done about it yesterday. Surgery lasted a couple of hours, the bits of bone and scar tissue were pulled out through some wiz-bang wonders of modern gadgetry and arthroscopy. I'm told the ligament was cut off and then re-attached and I'm all splinted and bandaged together now, lying on the couch. I'm finding the vicodin is a lot of fun, but not very conducive to lucid thought. Or any much thought at all really. I keep forgetting things that I've just done, but am generally happy about the whole experience. I have the attention span of a small newt. Just about enough to keep up with Super Mario Galaxy and not much else. Getting up and down from the couch makes me dizzy and all in all it is an interesting experience that I can hopefully not repeat in a hurry. I have just about mastered the flowing, staggering, always half falling way of maneuvering with crutches.

I get the bandages and sutures removed next week, then I get moved into a solid cast for a couple of weeks. After that, a removable boot and lots of physiotherapy (I almost typoed psychotherapy there). Hopefully I can start swimming again in a month or so, get back on a bike by the end of the year and do some running into the cooler months of the start of next year. Longer term aspirations for 2009 and 2010 will probably have to wait until I find out that I can walk and/ or run again. Fingers crossed...

pixie dust

Another one from On Writing. If you want to write well, you have to do two things. Read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around it. The photographic parallel is blatent - not just taking a lot of photos - and trying to finding the muse along the way. But also, looking at a lot of photos, not just your own, but looking at books of photography, finding what feeds your eye. Working at it is the only way forward, towards being productive and creative. Nobody is going to sprinkle pixie dust on your camera and have great pictures magically appear.

fear and writing

Listening to Stephen King's On Writing via audio book. Once again that recurring theme of fear and creativity rears its head. This time, he states his belief that fear is at the root of much weak writing. Over qualification of phrases with adverbs, because the writer isn't brave enough to believe that their dialog will explain intent, without further qualification. Passive voice used, because the writer is too scared to exclaim "this is me, this is what I believe". Most interestingly enough was just the common theme, art and writing, fear and creativity. Any medium you like, most of us struggle to believe we've got anything interesting to say. Yet we all have a unique point of view worth sharing.

back in Austin

Got back to Austin on Friday night, after a few weeks away. I'd hoped that I would do more photography while in North Carolina, but really the urge never quite grabbed me. Really that means I didn't get out enough with my camera and start shooting, until the urge grabbed me. It is very rare for inspiration to find me, until I actually have the camera in my hand and take a few frames. So in NC, my camera languished in the bag and I watched the Olympics. Took some pictures in the Outer Banks, but mostly recording the places I'd camped and things I saw - nothing too interesting. Then I shot a bit with a point and shoot when hiking in the Smokies. Started getting a bit of a twinge of an idea and did some motion panning on the trees. A small step but got me thinking photographically again at least for a few moments.

Then this weekend, the Austin Strobist group seems to be resurrecting like a phoenix from the hot ashes of an Austin summer. People are turning up, plans are being hatched and it is shaping up to be an interesting Autumn season. I went along just to see people, but took my camera. Then snapped a few while people were talking. Ideas started to flow, I began noticing the light where we were talking, and took a few portraits, playing with the stupendously purple walls and inflatable furniture and the directional window light. Having fun again and motiviated. All it takes is taking some pictures. Now why didn't I do that when I was away?

Smoky Mountains

26.1 miles walked.
7000 ft of elevation change.
2 bears chased away.

Was a good way to spend the labor day weekend.

outer banks

Went to the Outer Banks in North Carolina this weekend. The forecast said scattered thunderstorms again, but I decided to risk it after all the comments saying it is always like that. Only got rained on a little the first night and my new tent stood up pretty well. Forecast for the second night was severe thunderstorms, wind and rain and it was clear and calm all night. I saw a few lighthouses, walked along the beach and saw the field where the first ever powered flight happened. All in all a relaxing, fun weekend. The one thing the pictures don't show are the number of mosquito and fly bites I'm trying hard not to scratch now. Plenty of DEET but some still made lunch out of me.

a more authentic experience

Another night infront of the Olympics tonight. More swimming, more drama. I'm going to drag myself away from the TV this weekend and go to the Outer Banks (even if the forecast mentions scattered thunderstorms again).

Cooked a chicken stir-fry this evening and still trying to get used to cooking on an electric hob. Much smoke and spluttering. Dinner tasted good and while the smoke hasn't yet cleared, it is a much more authentic viewing experience. The air quality in here looks to be pretty close to the same as in Beijing!

amazing race

Photo by Rod Mar

What a fantastic 4x100m freestyle last night in the Olympics. Really riviting racing! Phelps sure looks happy about that gold and that his chances for 8 are still alive - probably more excited because it looked so unlikely at the end of 350m. If you are interested in sports photography, Rod Mar's Olympic blog makes interesting reading. Vincent Laforet is also worth a look.