Day off today – so I went and did what I had done every other day this week, and went into Manchester. With educational ends however. This is the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), a fine place to spend time, and this is a replica of the world’s first stored-program computer, dontcha know. If it wasn’t for this thing we’d all still be communicating via radio. Or something.
You nearly got something Valentines’-related… but I’ll spare everyone’s blushes. Here’s a library instead, in case you were thinking of getting too flustered about the (arbitrary) occasion. It’s got some nice lines in it. But then again so did the picture I nearly posted, only the lines were curvier.
Alma Mater (noun): ‘The school, college or university that one attended. ORIGIN [17th Cent]: (in the general sense of someone providing nourishment): Latin, literally ‘Bounteous Mother’.
I was here from 1993 until I achieved my doctorate in 2001, then I worked here until 2005. I’ve not been back much since, but I was here today for a meeting. Nice to see it again. They say ‘never go back’, but sometimes you should do.
One of this town’s greatest assets is its old-fashioned (1920s) cinema, with its good mix of movies and lots of legroom. It is so great that Joe is growing up within walking distance of a proper movie theatre – particularly when Halifax, a town ten times the size down the road, doesn’t have one at all. I love movies; a far superior medium than TV, which I never watch. (Except Masterchef.)
Even though I went back to my little compact camera today after yesterday’s vision of the future, I did learn one or two things about it yesterday; such as how to take better photos in lower light. I like this shot; the line of heads, the light reflecting off the two follicly-challenged guys.
And the movie? Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Well, you get asked to go to these kinds of things when you have pre-teen boys. Actually I thought it was pretty decent. Silly, but entertaining.
No offense, but I’ve never seen a man who can take this much away for a one-night journey, regardless of the circumstances. I quite like the mild optical illusion with this picture: the reason the rucksack to left appears to be balanced on its side, and the ID tag on the right is hovering in mid air, is because this pic is actually taken from above.
However, the moral of the day is – Always Take The Camera. In the evening, after I’d given up seeking a better shot in a grey and dreary, uneventful day, there was a half-hour snowstorm that left Hebden Bridge dusted with white in the evening light. But… you’ll just have to take my word for it. Two hours later it was all gone.
In my life I have been to the Netherlands about 12 times: mostly in Amsterdam but I have also visited some provincial towns. And even though there will be many people who will look at certain surface features, particularly in Amsterdam, and think that this is sometimes a sleazy place, they have got it all wrong. In all those times I have been here, regardless of what state I have been in, I have never once felt threatened, and no one has ripped me off for even the slightest Euro. This is, in fact, the most civilised country in the whole world.
I am trying hard not to repeat myself on this blog. That means that there are some photo possibilities which I’ve had my eye on for a while, but been saving, as they could then be used on one of those days on which I did not leave the immediate area, just sat and worked, and there were no particularly decent views outside.
Today was one of those days.
It was also the 150th day of the blog, which means I’ve updated the ‘Best of the Rest‘ page with some more shots that didn’t quite make it. Enjoy…
Couldn’t decide whether to make some comments about the blandness of (most) hotels or just leave this shot alone. OK, OK, I’ll leave it alone.
The feet are those of a fellow guest at the New Year’s Eve party to which we (including Joe) were invited. It wasn’t the most exciting party in the world but it was nice to be out on Dec 31st for the first time in 9 years, since Joe was born.
So ends 2011, the last 128 days of which have been documented here. All in all, it was an interesting year… 2012 is gearing up for more of the same. And I kept my 2011 New Year’s resolution: to take my photography more seriously. This blog is one manifestation of that. Happy New Year to you all, may it be a safe and fulfilling one whatever it brings.
In the 126 days of this blog, few have been harder than today was when it came to finding inspiration. I worked at home all day, not leaving the house; the weather outside was flat grey skies and rain; I didn’t even have the other family members as subjects as both were out from early on and aren’t coming back until tomorrow.
But I have a duty to fulfil, so here is my best effort – given a little tweak by going black & white, which works on this shot, I think (and disguises how faded is the coloured fabric of the duvet cover). It also gives the eagle-eyed among you a chance to vet my sense of humour and football-related reading matter.
Being 42 