heymichelle

Teddy’s New Threads

Teddy likes post. Especially when it’s something useful like a warm jumper and delicious looking foreign food. Perfect on a cold, winter’s night. He’s a very happy bear, thanks to Rhian.

Photograpy in Europe

Kharkov Girl – 1977 Jury Rupin

I’m entertaining the idea of going back to school. Well, if I had the pennies, I would apply for a course right this minute. At first I was looking into languages because I love the idea of spending time studying in Russia and Ukraine. However, that now seems like too much hard work (and a bit frightening) so I began looking into Photography courses. The most appealing I came across is ‘Photography in Europe’ at Nottingham. Surviving the streets of Nottingham would be good practice for taking photographs in, I dunno, Chechnya? I love the idea of jetting out to Europe to take lots of ‘oliday snaps. Maybe one day I’d make a book, even if it was only a Jessops effort for myself.

Parkland Walk

Yesterday, I hit the Parkland Walk (disused railway) with Silvia in search of a Spriggan. Apparently, it inspired a Stephen King short story, “Crouch End”. The walk is quite nice, until you get to the part where children throw rocks at your head from a bridge.

Polar Bears

The polar bear is my favourite animal. A friend bought me this ink-stamping kit a couple of years ago and I’ve only recently braved taking it out of the packaging. When I get a job, I’m definitely going to Adopt a Polar Bear. For now, the best I can do is honour their greatness in the form of a Tumblelog.

“The Collector”

One of my favourite films is Everything Is Illuminated; and not just because I adore Eugene Hutz. I love the book, too. I re-read it recently and it got me thinking about the things we collect and why we collect them.  Jonathan collects things to preserve history – things that belonged to his family etc. Between the ages of 10 and 12, I collected stamps, coins and precious stones and I had no idea why. I suppose compiling lists of things like, gigs attended etc is kind of preserving memories of events in my life. I have a stack of gig tickets and things I’ve picked up on my travels which I’ve always intended to do something with (travel journal?) Aside from receipts and ticket stubs, there isn’t anything I collect. I still have my stamp collection and occasionally add to the coin collection – but the Euro has made that less fun. Nerd child.

What is your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession is my teddy bear. His name is “Teddy”. My Nanna bought him in Dublin and whisked him over to Salford for my birth. I find his smell really comforting. He always smells like home, despite the fact we’ve had 14 of them. I still take him away with me when I go on holiday, because I dread returning to find the flat has burnt down. However, when I was 4, I was adamant that Teddy did not want to come to Germany with us and left him behind. I cried the whole time because I missed him. I cried watching him spin around in the washing machine. He’s survived a house fire (my flat burning fear isn’t so irrational), abuse from cousins (thrown out the window), decorating (blue paint on his nose) and now the years are beginning to show. I’ve been toying with the idea of taking him to the seaside to visit a Teddy Bear Hospital but upon seeing some of the before and after pictures – I’m scared he’ll change too much. I don’t want him to return with a different smell and new eyes. He would no longer be my Teddy.

Schnee?

I took a bus into the City this morning and was surprised that there appeared to be absolutely no trace of snow whatsoever. Not in the trees. Nor on the rooftops. It must have snowed around London. I went to the Tate Modern to sit myself down in Room 11: Red Star Over Russia. My favourite. Once I could feel my feet again, I braved the icy winds back over the Wobbly Bridge and bused back Northbound to the land of snow where I picked up something special for us tea…

‘Lomo Effect’ tutorials wot I found on Google & followed.

Moscow & Athens. Not sure if I like them, but it sure passes the time. Maybe I’ll try out some other terrible Photoshop tutorials to modify old and terrible holiday snaps.

Sony Ericsson W995

I have a new mobile phone with an 8.1 megapixel camera. It ain’t half bad for a phone camera. I forgot to pack my digital camera cable for my Christmas jaunt in Derbyshire, but the phone did the job decent enough. Thanks, 3.

Things I’d Like To Do In 2010

#1 Get a job.
#2 Move house.
#3 Go back to Russia and take better photographs.