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Realizing something about yourself is easy, changing it is hard. But that is what I have intended to do. Change myself. I have finally realized what I am doing to myself now, it is not good. I don't want to say too much about it, but it is mostly about procrastinating waay to much. That will ruin most things, including photography.
The last week now that I have had vacation, most of my days have been like this; go to bed at 4 o'clock in the morning, wake up at 1 o'clock the day after, watch desperate housewives for the next 4 hours, eating dinner THEN go out shooting. And it just does not work this way anymore. I realized that today, because I wanted to shoot the sunset, so I hurried up just to find out the sun had already set. Then I found myself in great frustration thinking WHAT THE HELL DO I DO NOW?! I ended up trying to take some self portraits, then I went to the water and I bathed with a dress. Theeen, finally.. This. Done. Shooted at midnight. I do not want to do this with myself anymore. I am making the 365 way harder than it really is.
(sorry about this long boring description)
The realization even though you got to school early, all your completed homework sits forgotten on your desk at home.
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Created for the All-Around Awesome Weekly Theme, FORGOTTEN. (Poor Mio!)
That moment when you realize that the woman reflecting in the mirror at Target is actually you!
_________________________
¡El momento en que te percatas de que la mujer que se refleja en los espejos en Target, eres tú!
Manifest was irritated to find that his portrait with the girls of the 22nd Street Mission was not included as a family portrait.
*Seriously, if you like Lucha libre and portrait photography, then get this book!
Strobist: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera right. AB800 with Softlighter II camera left. Reflector at 6:00. AB800 open behind backdrop of white faux suede. Triggered by Cybersync.
Then comes the frustrating realization that no matter how long life endures, no matter how many experiences are muddled through in this existence, you may never really be able to answer the question…..
Who am I?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdqY0sRvidc
Because the answer....
Like the seasons, constantly, subtly, inevitably changes.
And who it is you are today, is not the same person you will be tomorrow.
~ Richelle E. Goodrich , Eena, The Dawn and Rescue
© All rights reserved Anna Kwa. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
The Friendship with birds may change a life into a better one. It's sufficient to learn from them: unconditional friendship, mutual help, generosity, adaptability, empathy, tenderness...And a huge dosis of sympathy.
©łwAE . All rights reserved
IMG_9266 WM DEF Macro 60mm
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly." — Langston Hughes.
“Wherever there are birds, there is hope.” ― Mehmet Murat Ildan
“Birds chirping around you is a beautiful realization that life is incredibly good. Let this sound be a gentle break in your routine.” ―
Hiral Nagda
52 Weeks of 2020
Week No. 50: Local Tradition
Category: Creative
Flickr Lounge “Season's Greetings"
Every year the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas decorates for Christmas. It is a beautiful place and all decked out, it is a gorgeous sight to behold.
My images are posted here for your enjoyment only. All rights are reserved. Please contact me through flickr if you are interested in using one of my images for any reason.
There are certain things, or many things in life that when captured on a photograph, hold a significant meaning but the person witnessing that moment feels the true feeling surrounding that particular event.
This is the realization of the pattern I created for a hungarian bride using hungarian embroidery elements. The henna is Tunisian style where like in Yemen gall ink is used to high light the henna.
Khidab is a Gall ink which is employed in Yemen mainly in the mountainous regions around the capital Sanaa instead of henna. For an account how it is made you can download an article:
Yemeni Women’s Body Painting with Black Gall Ink Khidab, Production Methods,
from my colleage Dr. Hanne Schönig at www.henna-und-mehr.de/pdf/Khidabartikel_eu.pdf; (Englisch)
or www.henna-und-mehr.de/pdf/schoenig_deutsch.pdf (German)
If you like to see original Yeminite bodypaintings with this ink visit: www.henna-und-mehr.de/de/khidabslide.html (German) or
A stick cracked to my left, sounding like a deafening yell in the serene silence of the forest.
I stopped, holding absolutely still, and was rewarded with the heart-warming sight of a doe and her calf making their way through the woods.
Smiling, I continued on my way after they passed, heading more or less in the vague direction of Durrough.
I had ditched the wagon several miles and two nights back, after coming to the realization that if someone was hunting me, it probably wasn’t the best idea to travel out in the open, driving a conspicuous wagon. Now, I was on foot, going through some of the more difficult, less traveled paths through the eastern-most portion of the Wandering Woods. It would take longer to reach my destination, but it would also draw less attention to myself, thus making it worth the longer journey.
Squaring my shoulders, I forged onwards.
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The next morning,
I awoke to something sharp jabbing into my back from beneath my bedroll. Groaning, I rolled over, and extracted……a rock.
Muttering in disgust, I threw the rock aside, and groggily disentangled myself from my cloak, which had been serving as my blanket, climbing to my feet with an audible cracking of joints.
“Well,” I said to no-one in particular, “Time to start the day I guess.”
I had killed a small rabbit with my crossbow last night, and I cooked him up now, along with a few edible greens I found near my campsite.
After breakfast, I packed up my bedroll, checked to make sure I still had that sealed letter, gathered my things, and kicked out the fire.
Then, I headed off in the same direction as yesterday. I estimated I only had another day at most before I reached Durrough. Fortified by this, (as well as that rabbit), I set off for another day of hiking.
Little did I know today was not going to be like the days before it.
————————————
A few hours later, I stopped for a rest, and possibly lunch, if I could find some game large enough to make a meal out of.
Making sure my crossbow was loaded, I began to stealthily advance through the woods, keeping a sharp eye out for prey. I spotted a couple of squirrels, but neither one was large enough to warrant taking a shot at.
Watching the second one run off, I detected movement out of the corner of my eye. Moving slowly, so as not to scare whatever it was, I turned towards the spot I saw movement from.
Expecting to find a deer, or even better, a wild hog, I was shocked to discover it was a BEAR!
I froze. The bear was staring right at me, not moving either.
As the seconds dragged on in our stand-off, I realized this wasn’t just any bear, it was a grizzly bear!
And to make matters worse, it was a very hungry-looking grizzly bear.
Keeping my eyes fixed on the bear, I began to slowly back away, taking micro-steps so as not to startle it into action. After a few steps, the bear began to move forward, as I moved back.
That was definitely not what I wanted the bear to do, and I realized this was not going to end peacefully.
Just as I was coming to this conclusion, the bear charged.
Given less then a second to react, I dropped and rolled to the side, feeling a rush of air as the bear breezed by. Rolling to my feet, I saw the bear stop and start to turn around, for another go at me. Pre-empting this, I turned and ran, as fast as my legs would carry me, hearing the bear charging up behind me.
Now, I know that everyone says the stupidest thing you can do when facing a bear is run, but A; not everyone is me, and B; I wasn’t trying to outrun the bear, I just needed a few seconds to get my shot, pardon the pun.
As I ran, I checked hastily that my crossbow was still loaded, and, finding it was, judged that the bear was too caught up in chasing me to slow down or avoid this, whipped around, bringing the crossbow to my shoulder, sighted, and pulled the trigger.
The bolt flew seemingly in slow motion, as the bear charged at me, straight into the grizzly’s right eye, killing him instantly.
The bear’s momentum kept his body moving forward, even as it started to hit the ground, forcing me to quickly step to the side, to avoid getting pinned as the corpse slid to a stop where I had been standing moments before.
I staggered against a nearby tree, sliding to the ground with my back against the trunk, staring at the bear’s corpse, feeling the adrenaline from my near-death experience pumping through my veins, and my breath coming in ragged bursts.
It was then, sitting on forest floor, waiting for my body to clam down, that the sound of rushing water penetrated my senses. I got up, and, turning around, surveyed my surroundings, which I hadn’t even registered yet.
My jaw dropped.
Hardly believing my eyes, I stepped out of the tree line.
I was on the bank of a river, that forked around the spit of land I was standing on. Both ends of the river wound away through the trees.
Directly across from me was the source of this river;
A magnificent (although not very large) waterfall, pouring majestically down the side of sheer rock face. The sound of it filled the air, which was the sound I had noticed minutes ago.
The rock face the waterfall poured over continued beyond to the right, slowly curving outward.
A huge old oak tree grew near this face, on the opposite bank. Over on my side, a large pile of boulders sat jumbled to my right, a tree growing up from their midst.
The whole area was overflowing with bright colors and abundant flora and fauna.
Looking around, I felt at peace for the first time in several days.
Putting down my crossbow, I flopped in the grass with a grateful sigh, content just to lay there in the soft grass for awhile.
As I lay there, I tried to come up with a suitable name for this hidden gem of the forest. Nothing I tried sounded right, and it wasn’t until I sat up and took another look at the place that the perfect name popped into my head.
“Heaven’s Lagoon,” I said out loud, trying it out. It fit perfectly.
It was then, as I was sitting there, enjoying the feeling of having this beautiful place all to myself, plus the fact I had just named it, when I noticed something I had missed before. Or maybe it hadn’t been there before, because I never missed anything.
Almost directly across from me was a cave.
As I stared at it, trying to figure out why I hadn’t seen it the first time I looked over there, I began to feel a strange sensation. It felt like the cave was calling to me, inviting and drawing me in.
That should have been more than enough warning to not go in the cave, but I had never been able to resist something like this.
So, curiosity getting the better of me, I got up, picking up my crossbow on the way, and moved to the edge of the bank, looking for a way across.
Finding it, I went over to the boulder pile, climbed up on the largest one, and, balancing carefully, hopped to a rock in the middle of the river, then over to the far bank, right in front of the cave.
Having reached my goal, I stopped to examine the cave opening. It was a little over six feet high, irregularly shaped. Other than that, there was nothing to suggest it was anything other then a normal cave. Anything besides that the tugging feeling in my gut had gotten stronger.
Fashioning a makeshift torch from a tree branch and some spare cloth I kept in a pocket, I took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
Instantly I was hit with a prickling sensation, a magic ward being tripped.
Damn, I thought, and then the cave walls disappeared.
————————
I am standing in the middle of a glade, surrounded by ages-old oak trees. A gentle breeze blows through, swirling leaves around, and tousling my hair. The afternoon sun shines down through the leaves, casting a golden light over everything. It would be the perfect day, if it weren’t for what I knew was about to happen.
Across the glade from me, shock mixed with horror etched on his face, stands my best friend, Trevor Mortlen. He has a hunting spear in one hand, as do I. Mine has the blood of a deer on the tip.
“S-Skye,” the other says, “What-how?”
At first, I am not quite sure what he is trying to say, then it dawns on me: He saw what I did, how I drew the spear back to me from the deer, twelve feet away, clear across the glade.
“Trevor,” I say calmly, forcing myself to look him in the eyes, “There’s something I’ve never told you about myself. I think it’s time I rectified that.”
I see the the hurt and fear in his eyes.
“I’m sorry Skye, but it’s too late for that. You’re not who I thought you were.” The other says, and begins to back away.
Panic starts to take told of me. I know how this ends. I know because I have relived this moment in my mind so many times, always trying to find an ending different than the one I know is about to happen, never being successful.
“Trevor,” I hear myself say, “Please, you must listen to me. It’s not what you think. I can explain everything, if you just let me.”
My plea falls on deaf ears.
“I’m sorry Skye,” he says again. “I don’t trust you anymore. You’re not someone who should be free to cause harm.”
Each word is like a dagger to my heart. I can barely believe what I’m hearing. This couldn’t be my Trev, the very best friend I had in this world. The person who meant so much to me.
“Please, “ I begged, tears beginning to blur my vision, “Trev, don’t do this.”
He looked at me with sadness in his eyes.
“I don’t want to. But I have to. I don’t know you anymore Skye.” And he turned away, heading out of the glade, bound for the sheriff’s office in our village.
I was torn apart in that moment, as Trevor turned his back on me. I knew if he reached the sheriff, my life, my parent’s life, maybe even my cousin’s lives, would be ruined, if not over completely.
There was only one way to stop this.
Only one way to ensure the safety of myself and my family.
Screaming my fury at the unfairness and helplessness of my situation, I throw the spear at my love’s back.
I could feel the scene beginning to change. Afraid of what I would be forced to relive next, I pushed against the memories, tearing myself free.
“NNNOOOOO!”
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And then I was back in the real world, still standing in the same spot. My legs collapsed beneath me, and I barely managed to catch myself before I hit the floor.
Lifting my torch, I was able to clearly see now that the cave was man-made, probably by some old wizard with elemental powers, which would also explain the ward guarding the entrance.
Finding my mind starting to drift back to the memory that had been triggered, I forced myself to redirect, settling on the the fact that the tugging in my gut hadn’t lessened any, despite the ordeal I had just gone through.
Getting to my feet, crossbow in one hand, torch in the other, I cleared away my jumbled thoughts, and focused solely on the feeling.
It was definitely coming from deeper inside the cave, so despite my growing reservations, I allowed myself to be led into the bowels of the earth, winding downward, past branch tunnels and rooms, drawn ever deeper by the steadily increasing tugging, til' finally, I arrived at the end of the tunnel. Before me was an absolutely ancient oaken door, fastened into the rock via some very rusty iron hinges. The source of the tugging sensation was on the other side of that door, I was sure of it.
Studying the four rusty hinges, I set down my crossbow and torch, stretched out my hands, palms outward, and concentrated.
A second later, the hinges tore free of the rock and zoomed into my hands.
Smiling, I dropped the hinges on the ground, and, retrieving my torch and crossbow, kicked down the old door.
Beyond, the room inside was circular, about twelve feet in each direction, walls, floor, and roof all made of carved stone. Carved into the floor, all around the edge of the room, were strange runes, in a foreign language I didn’t understand. But that wasn’t what drew my attention the second I stepped into the room, nor was it the faded mural-like pattern scrawled across the back wall.
It was the perfectly symmetrical pedestal, placed in the exact center of the room, with a second ring of runes around it’s base.
Atop the pedestal sat………..a gleaming, perfectly polished nautilus shell.
I could instantly tell the tugging sensation was originating from the mysterious shell.
Why, I didn’t yet know.
I slowly approached the pedestal, as if in a trance, and reaching out, picked up the shell.
Instantly the tugging sensation disappeared. I turned the shell over in my hands, studying it. Other then being extra shiny, it didn’t appear any different than any other nautilus shell.
“So what caused the tugging feeling?” I asked into the silence, not really expecting an answer.
But I got one.
A faint sound became discernible in the room, and it seemed to be coming from the shell in my hand.
Lifting it to my ear cautiously, I was surprised to hear the sound of waves, mixed with the chirping of birds, (though I couldn’t tell what species they were from), along with other sounds I didn’t recognize. This close to my face, I noticed for the first time there was something different about this shell.
The stripes on the nautilus were translucent, and in the one closest to me, I could faintly see a beach, made of white sand.
I blinked, and the image was gone.
Shaking my head to clear it, thinking maybe I had imagined it, I turned away from the pedestal, placing the shell in a pocket on my belt.
It was then I realized, without the tugging feeling leading me, I had no idea where I was.
I was lost down here, in this maze of tunnels.
As this set in, my shadow flickered, and disappeared, as the room went dark.
My torch had just gone out.
————————————
Previous Chronicle stories start here.
(TMS)Ushuaia Luxury JPS
The most beautiful and detailed (TMS)Ushuaia ever seen on Second Life.Interiors and exteriors completely redesigned.A lot of working hours were needed to make this boat and about 50 textures have been applied.
Reflections, luminosity and alpha totally revised, but you do not have to worry because to apply all this you will have to do only one simple operation:
drag a script from the inventory to over your Ushuaia. Just a simple mouse movement and your new boat will be ready to sail in the Linden seas. ⛵⛵⛵
To see this : maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Faracity/163/251/25
Marketplace : marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Texture-Ushuaia-Luxury-JPS/1...
The realization set's in that you must live in a relatively remote area when a scene like this is roughly 15 miles from your home.
''A UFO has crashed on earth; strange pink creatures 'ALIENS' are appearing on the street.......Will you run and hide? Call the police? or will you come out to play?''
Does Oxygen work for them? How will they survive for breathing, if there is no Oxygen outside of our planet?!!
UFO= Unidentified Flying Object
LJUD group: The INVASION. This is a Slovenian performing group mainly focused on performing in public spaces.
Event: Stockholm Kultur Festival (16 -21 August), 2011 including Youth Festival (Ung 08)
See other pictures in Youtube: youtu.be/KBezfYTXbZY
Today (13-18 August), this year Stockholm Kultur Festival has just started. I am sharing some pictures from 2011 festival. I realize that I don't have that much pictures from street and event photography in my photostream!!! So trying to have some balances :)
My thanks to Arindam Raha for his primate pic via Pexels. A big banana to aka Tman for his selfie and silliness. All transformations via Juxtaposer and Snapseed apps
Realization hits her and she falls to the ground, her face in her hands, her heart torn to pieces, memories racing through her mind, the early morning snuggles, the breakfast in bed, late night movie dates, now all of that was gone, there was no fixing things , no winning her back now.
Self-Realization Fellowship Temple on Sunset Blvd in East Hollywood. (Established by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1942.)
On a feudal world a calamity is spreading from one village to another. Jar Jar Binks is on the loose and his clumsiness is bringing destruction whenever he goes.
Everything the poor villagers tried to stop him was doomed to failure. Shielded by his unbelievable luck the Clumsy Creature was unstoppable.
In order to stop such plague the local lords hired a legendary Bounty Hunter; so skilled not even Jar Jar’s luck can match him.
In fact he quickly takes care of the annoying creature.
Jar Jar: “Yousa cannot kill mesa! Mesa have plot armor!”
Boba Fett: “Maybe yes or maybe not. But I can hurt you a lot and I’m sure the villagers will enjoy that so much!”
Jar Jar: “Ohi, Ohi!"
The action figure is the Bandai “Samurai Version” of Boba Fett. Actually the full name of that series of Samurai inspired figures (they also have Vader, Stormtroopers and Royal Guard) is Bandai Tamashii Nations Movie Realization and Boba is depicted in the Ronin role.
I’m mostly a Lego fan and so my expertise on actions figures may not be great but that Boba Fett action figure is amazing. A bit expensive for its size to be honest, but it’s epic. They managed to merge the original Star Wars concept with the ancient Japanese style and keep it close to iconic Boba’s look. Truly impressive :)
Like I always say, no real hate intended towards characters, creators of characters etc. This is just a parody scene :)
May the Force be with You :)
The Duel of the Figures continues ( you can find the previous part here: )
It’s not battle of Jedi vs Sith, it’s not a battle of Good vs Evil, it’s a battle of coolness as the high quality “Samurai” Darth Vader action figure fights against a “mass market” version of Kit Fisto.
Continues from part 2: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/25370023110/in/photos...
You can find the whole series (to be completed soon) here: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/albums/72157665467242701
Vader Force lifts his opponent and grabs him. He slams against the wall of the nearby structure.
Vader: “There is more than mass revenue [a reference to their previous dialogue] Collectibles are works of art and quality does matter! Figures like you are a curse for the world of Collectibles!”
To be continued…
No action figure has been harmed during the making of this photo; this is just a simulation of violence/combat etc, etc :) It’s obvious (they are just toys after all :) ) but nowadays a little disclaimer does not hurt lol :)
Samurai Vader is the Bandai Tamashii Nations Movie Realization Samurai Taisho [General] Darth Vader, Death Star Armor action figure :)
Fisto figure lacks his right arm because he lost in the previous image.
This is one of the problems of making a series of photo stories. There are images that are essential to the narration and in the whole story’s context they make sense and appear “in the perfect place”; however if you look at them alone they don’t seem to tell a lot.
I think this photo may be an example of this.
Anyway, I hope you still like it :)
May the Force be with You :)
2019 is complete!
I'm almost at a loss for words. This 365 (number 7) almost felt the easiest. The effort is a joy.
I had ups & downs this year. Friends that came, and went. Love was lost, then found again.
I faced a lot of old demons and continued to work through them with presence and a loving heart. It's a process.
Luck and good fortune have been by my side and I've attempted to share that with those close to me.
Most importantly, I have kept my friends and family close to my heart. As I get older, I realize more and more how those connections are what matter most in my life.
Going into 2020 I feel a sense that anything is possible. I have no tangible goals, no solid direction. With that comes the realization that in my life, those things rarely served me anyhow and maybe I'm better off without them. This year I'm a leaf on the wind.
As always…so many thanks to all those that continue to follow my journey here. Your comments and faves are always very much appreciated and cherished. THANK YOU!!!
When getting an idea in your head, it won’t let you go at times. If so, it slowly but surely takes over your thoughts and settles in. After a while, such a view might become a feasible venture.
By planing its realization, one embarks on a journey characterized by all sorts of highs and lows: Some things will turn out great while other approaches prove useless, which means that one needs to start over again.
As patience is a high virtue, this path is also a test of whether the initial idea can assert itself in reality. If one makes it to this final goal, the courage it took to come there will be richly rewarded.
While observing this achievement, joy, relief, and satisfaction compensate for all the intense efforts that vigorously took place. Soon after, one realizes that the heavy load which accompanied this journey slowly falls off the shoulders, and that lightness spreads around.
So many of my favorite moments probably look like nothing. But I think I like that they’re not understood. For this, you had to be there. And I'm so glad you were. #sweeterpoetry || Patagonia, Argentina ||
It is crucial to understand that when we die, it is only the death of the human body; the spirit (our soul) lives on. When we die our soul loses its physical connection with the world which we know when we are alive.
Everything we do in this life, we should do with the conscious awareness that the consequences of every action will carry on after we leave this world; that our soul will bear the burden of it.
With this thought should come a realization; what is the purpose for us to be in this world!
Inner peace and happiness actually comes from a clear conscience which keeps our soul at peace!
Let me elaborate this point with an example – If we help someone in times of need, or give food to the poor, these actions will not result in any monetary gain, but these actions will fulfill us at a spiritual level because our soul will reap the rewards of these actions, even after our exit from this life. On the other hand if we cheat or steal money from someone, this action might result in a temporary gain of a monetary benefit, but will lead to a guilty conscience - which is the unrest of our soul. It is our soul which will have to face the consequences of these deeds.
So whatever we do in life, please do keep in mind that every action will result in a positive or negative reaction from our soul. So if you truly want to create a life full of inner peace and happiness, be fair with others, keep your word, and be kind and generous. This approach to life will rid us of corruption and dishonesty & will steer our lives in the direction of success and prosperity.
Maryam Arif
You have decided to plan a day out trying to portray yourself as a female as best as you can. The evening before you give yourself a manicure and perfect polish, make sure you are silky smooth all over before stepping into a scented warm bubble bath and relax with a nice glass of wine. After drying yourself off you dust your body with sweet smelling powder and then slip into some sensuous and slippery lingerie. You go through your closet to pick out your outfit, heels, lingerie, and accessories for your outing. You spend the remainder of the evening leafing through current fashion magazines looking at the latest styles and fashion trends before retiring to a blissful sleep with anticipation of the coming day.
You wake up feeling refreshed and feminine with a bounce in your step and smile on your face. The day is here and you run your checklist in your head to make the most of it. You bathe, primp, and perfume your self before putting on your panties and bra and set about to do a great makeup job for your transformation. Satisfied with the results you begin the process of putting on your outfit, adjusting your accessories, and doing your hair. It's about time to go on your shopping journey and you check yourself in the mirror about 100 times. You load your purse with everything that a girl will need and cautiously step out of the door and into your car. As you are driving there you now have the realization you have entered the public world as a female and your natural movements and reactions change to meet how you are dressed. You notice other women driving to wherever they are going and you notice men in cars maybe looking over as they do admiring your womanly image.
You arrive at your shopping destination and your heart picks up a few beats. You are excited but also nervous as the time has come to exit your semi protective shell of your vehicle and present your female self in real life! You check your makeup, hair, and make sure all clothing is in place and next thing you know you are out and walking towards the stores. It feels like a good dream you are having but you know it's real. Very real. Your mind plays tricks with you and you think people are going to stop and stare at you but that doesn't really happen. Oh sure, some women will look at you but that's because women check out other women judging their style of fashion choices, it's natural. You enter the store and find the closest mirror to once again check out your appearance. You scan the store layout and get a plan of action going on the fly. First you check out the handbags and all the amazing varieties there, and then over to the shoe department. You look at some styles and when you are asked if you need some help you have already decided an a few you want to try on. They bring them out and have so much fun trying them on, walking around in them, and seeing how they look on you. Now over to the clothing sections (usually the dress dept. for me!) and you look through the selections with other women all around you. Women are very focused here and they are not paying attention to what you are doing and you are fitting in as one of them! You are dressed similarly, wearing the same types of clothes they are, and displaying the same interest in the fashions. You pick out a few things to try on and go over to the dressing room area and get shown a room to use. This is major acceptance of being a female and you sure feel it! Even if you don't choose anything to purchase just trying on different styles gets you on a great high. Ending this store visit at the cosmetics counters is a really great experience. All of sudden you realize that you are getting MORE attention from the consultants than the other women there! Maybe it's because they think you need their help more or maybe they figure you're more apt to buy beauty products from them but it's another good feeling. I have learned more about makeup products and applications from these people than anywhere and they always offer to re-do something on your face so you can see the difference. It's enjoyable to sit there and have people look at what they are doing anyways!
Time flies when you are having fun and now for another cool experience is finding a nice spot to refuel. You go into an eatery and maybe have a light salad dish and lemon water with everyone treating you as the lady you appear to be. Now with your female confidence built up you decided to push the envelope and step out into the crowded mall, walk around and stop in some stores. I have shopped in the malls a lot and not just for clothes. I have shopped for beauty supplies, home furnishings, electronics, and being gutsy perhaps a shirt for "him" which is a unique experience as you are bound to be waited on by a male sales person! As hours zip by and you are planning to head back home a certain urge to continue your girl's day out takes over. Could I? Should I? Oh why the heck not! You decided to further immerse yourself into femininity and take the chance on going to a upscale happy hour!! I have to tell you that some of my best social outings have been at these venues! That same exciting and nervous feeling as earlier when you first exited your vehicle happens all over. As you take a seat at the bar people will check you out more so than at a store or in a mall. That should be expected as you are now in a more social gathering spot and everyone is under more scrutiny. You keep a smile on your face and initiate conversation with bartenders, servers, and other patrons and now all of sudden they are eating out of your hand. People have interest in unique and "different" types of people. Some won't know your aren't the genuine article and some of course will know but if you are pleasant and interesting it all goes really well! I have met so many nice people this way and I tell them the truth about what and why I do what I do and have had very positive reactions from both males and females. After some social intercourse and being on cloud nine you realize you have been out in the world as a female for some 9 or 10 hours! You drive home in the happiest of moods and when you sit back and reflect on the days events you just have to pinch yourself to make sure it was real. It was real, very real, and you understand what it feels like to be a female! If you are still reading this, kudos to you and you probably understand my need to ramble on!!
Today I had a realization that went something like this - oh crap I'm leaving thursday and I need to get a photo in now or i'll have to skip a week. So this was sort of last minute. I had no lighting in my room and my walls looked a horrible neon shade in all the pictures I took, so I threw on the 'antique light' preset on LR. I test how that preset looks on most photos that I import into LR and I love it. I don't use it too often. But I am really enjoying it with the tinsel photos :P
Man, Perry's been on a roll lately! This was not easy with him, I made him balance his ass on the stool again, and pose with the dreaded tinsel. Such drama. But it took just a few shots to give a good one, so the torture was short lived and Per survived.
വരണ്ടുണങ്ങിയ മണ്ണില് ഒരായിരം പരുത്തിച്ചെടികളിലൊന്നില് എന്റെ ആത്മാവ് കുടികൊണ്ടു. പരുത്തികള് പൂത്ത് കായ്ച്ചപ്പോള് അവിടെയായിരുന്നു ഞാന്. വെളിച്ചം എന്റെ കണ്ണുകളില് ജന്മ വേദനയോടെ പിറവികൊണ്ടു. രാവിന്റെ നിറഭേദം മാത്രമാണ് പകലെന്നും അത് ചമക്കുന്നതൊരേയൊരു സൂര്യനാണെന്നും മനസിലക്കിയപ്പോഴേക്കും അമ്മയുമായുള്ള പൊക്കിള്ക്കൊടി ബന്ധം മുറിക്കാന് ഞാന് തയ്യാറായിരുന്നു. വിളവെടുപ്പിന്റെ വേദനയിലും നിറങ്ങളിലേക്കുള്ള മോക്ഷമാണിതെന്ന് അമ്മമാര് ഞങ്ങളുടെ കാതുകളിലോതി.
യാത്രകള്, ഇരുട്ട്, വേദന. ഞങ്ങളെല്ലാം വേര്തിരിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. വിധി നിര്ണയിക്കുന്നവന്റെ നെയ്ത്തുശാലകളില് ഞാന് വെറുമൊരു തൂവെള്ള തുണിയായി രൂപപ്പെട്ടു. നിറങ്ങളില്ല. സ്വപ്നങ്ങള് മാത്രം. വീണ്ടും യാത്രകള്, ഇരുട്ടറകള്. ഞങ്ങളില് ചിലര് നിറങ്ങളന്വേഷിച്ചും ചിലര് ലക്ഷ്യബോധമില്ലാതെയും യാത്രയായി. വേദനിച്ചെങ്കിലും നാളെയുടെ നിറച്ചാര്ത്തിനേക്കുറിച്ച്, ഞങ്ങളിലെ ഒരായിരം വര്ണങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചോര്ത്ത് സന്തോഷിച്ചു. തപസ്യ തുടരവേ ഒരു നാള് അരിച്ചെത്തിയ വെളിച്ചം അറിയിച്ചു - നിങ്ങള് നിത്യ ചൈതന്യത്തിനു മുന്പില് തിരിനാളങ്ങളാവേണ്ടവരാണ്. അതാണത്രേ ഞങ്ങള് നിറങ്ങളുടെ വിഷങ്ങളില്ലാതെ സ്ര്യഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെട്ടത്. ആ നുറുങ്ങുവെട്ടം ഞങ്ങളിപ്പോലൊരുവന്റെ സന്തതിയാണത്രേ!
വെളുപ്പിന്റെ നൈര്മലയതയേക്കാല് നിറങ്ങളാണ് നല്ലതെന്ന് പഴകിചെളിപുരണ്ടവരപ്പോഴും മൊഴിഞ്ഞു. നിറങ്ങളുടെ മാലിന്യം തങ്ങളിലെ കറകളെ താല്ക്കാലികമായെങ്കിലും മറയ്ക്കുമെന്ന വ്യാമോഹം ! ചിലരത് കേട്ട് സംശയാലുക്കളായി. ഒരു ദിനം എല്ലിച്ച രണ്ടുകരങ്ങളെന്നെ കോരിയെടുത്ത് ഒരു പഴകിയ ദണ്ഡില് ചുറ്റി, നറുമണമുള്ള എണ്ണയില് മുക്കി എന്നിലേക്ക് അഗ്നി പകര്ന്നു. ചൂട്, വേദന. ശ്വാസം നിലയ്ക്കുന്നത് പോലെ. ഒരുമാത്രകഴിഞ്ഞ് ഇറുക്കിയടച്ച
കണ്ണുകള് തുറന്നപ്പോള് വേദനയില്ല, ഉഷ്ണമില്ല എങ്ങും പ്രശാന്തതമാത്രം. നിറങ്ങളല്ല ഈ പ്രശാന്തതയിലാണ് മോക്ഷമെന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവ്. കത്തിജ്വലിച്ച് നിത്യതയിലലിഞ്ഞ് ചേരുന്നതാണ് മോക്ഷമെന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവ്.ഞാന് രാവിനെക്കിറിമുറിച്ച്, ഒരു കൊച്ചു സൂര്യനായി, നനുത്ത കാറ്റുകളോട് മല്ലടിച്ച് ജ്വലിച്ചു നിന്നു.
ഞാന്. ഞാന്. ഞാന്. ഞാന് മാത്രം. ഇന്നു ഞാന് എന്നെയറിയുന്നു. പക്ഷെ എന്റെ ഉടപ്പിറപ്പുകള്ക്ക് അവരെന്തെന്നറിയാന് കഴിയാത്തിടത്തോളം ഞാന് വെറും സ്വാര്ത്നത്രേ. ഈ വെളിച്ചം എല്ലാവരിലേക്കും പകര്ന്നു നല്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു. ഒരു തീപ്പന്തമായി, വഴി കാട്ടിയായി കത്തിജ്വലിച്ചമരും മുന്പ് എന്റെ തിരിച്ചറിവുകള് ഞാന് അവരിലേക്ക് പകര്ന്ന് നല്കും.
അന്ന് പതിവുപോലെ കാലം മുറുക്കിത്തുപ്പിച്ചുമപ്പിച്ച ഒരു സന്ധ്യയിലേക്ക് ഞാന് കണ്ണുകള് തുറന്നപ്പോള് എനിക്ക് മുന്പില് ഒരായിരം ചെരാതുകളില് എന്റെയുടെപ്പിടന്നോര് ! നിറങ്ങളാണ് എല്ലാം എന്ന് കരുതിയിരുന്നവരിലേക്ക് ഞാന് സ്വാത്രന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ, മോക്ഷത്തിന്റെ, തിരിച്ചറിവുകള് പകര്ന്ന് നല്കി. ഞങ്ങളൊന്നായി, ഒരേ മനസോടെ, ഇരവിനെത്തോപ്പിച്ച് ഒരായിരം സൂര്യന്മാരായി, ഒരേ സ്വപ്നങ്ങളോടെ, പ്രതീക്ഷകളോടെ, നല്ല നാളെയുടെ പ്രതീക്ഷകളോടെ സുവര്ണ പ്രഭ ചൊരുത്തി കത്തിജ്വലിച്ചു നിന്നു. നേരം വീണ്ടുമിരുളവേ ഒരിളം കാറ്റെത്തി. ഞങ്ങളില് ചിലരെയാക്കാറ്റ് വാരിപ്പുണര്ന്നു. ചിലര് ആടിയുലഞ്ഞു. നിറങ്ങളായിരുന്നു മോക്ഷം. ഇത് തീയാണ്, കാറ്റാണ് ഒരു തിരിനാളം
പരിതപിച്ചു. ഇളം കാറ്റത് കേട്ടത് ആര്ത്ത് ചിരിച്ചു. തിരിച്ചറിവുകള് നഷ്ട്ടപ്പെട്ട് കരിന്തിരി കെടും മുന്പ് മറ്റു ചിലരും പറഞ്ഞു നിറങ്ങളായിരുന്നു മോക്ഷം.
സ്വയം കണ്ടെത്തല് നാമോരുത്തരും സ്വയം എത്തിച്ചേരുന്ന അവസ്ഥയാണ്. സ്വയം തിരിച്ചറിയുന്നവനേ ഇളം കാറ്റുകളെപ്പോലും തരണം ചെയ്യാന് പറ്റൂ. സംഘടനകള്ക്ക് നമ്മെ സ്വതത്രനാക്കോനോ കരുത്തരാക്കാനോ കഴിയില്ല (ref 1). അത് സ്വയം നിര്വഹിക്കാന് കഴിയാത്തവന് കരിന്തിരിയണയേണ്ടത് അനിവാര്യതയാണ്. നീയും കൊടുങ്കാറ്റുകളെ നേരിടാന് പ്രാപ്തനല്ല. നീ വെളിച്ചം പകര്ന്ന ഈ ചെരാതുകളില് ചിലരൊക്കെ നിറങ്ങളല്ല വെളിച്ചമാണ് മോക്ഷമെന്ന് തിരിച്ചറിയും. പക്ഷെ നിനക്ക് കൊടുങ്കാറ്റുകളെ നേരിടാന് ശക്തിയാര്ജ്ജിക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. ഇളം കാറ്റ് ഇത് ചൊല്ലി വിടവാങ്ങുമ്പോള് ഞാനറിയുകയായിരുന്നു അവനാണ് നാളെയുടെ കൊടുങ്കാറ്റ്. ഇളം കാറ്റുകള് മോക്ഷം നേടി മഴയും പേമാരിയുമായി തിരിച്ചെത്തുന്നു. ഇവിടെ നഷ്ടങ്ങളില്ല, നേട്ടങ്ങളിലേക്കുള്ള പ്രയാണമാണ് നാമൊരുത്തരുടെയും ജീവിതം. പലപ്പോഴും നാമത് തിരിച്ചറിയാതെ വിട്ടു വീഴ്ചകളുടെ തലച്ചുമടുമായി ജീവിക്കുന്നു. എനിക്ക് യാത്ര തുടരേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. പേമാരികളേയും നേരിടാനുള്ള കരുത്താര്ജ്ജിക്കുവാന്. ഭാവിയുടെ ഭൂതകാലത്തില്, ഇന്നുകളില് ജീവിക്കാതെ ഭാവിക്കുവേണ്ടി കരുത്താര്ജ്ജിക്കുവാന്.
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Indirectly describes the reason for dissolving Malayalikkoottam as it was originally created & here by I announce that the vision and mission of the Malayalikkoottam is unachievable unless the very people involved don't realize themselves. In any case, it seems the realization is something similar to what J Krishnamoorthy had in 1929. I here by quit from Malayalikkoottam and the original intentions for which the group has created seems to be still unachievable. All assets of the group if there is any will be handed over to anyone identified by koottam-manage and I will preserve the photos and other artifacts of the group with atmost care until its handed over to respective individuals. It was a great attempt to create a group which is not for comments and which has a physical existence and which could do many things beyond mere photography. The group still has the best resources and great people and few souls still fighting to make it what it was intended. Those are the ones who knows who they are and the very reason for the issues. I have no words to express my respect for them. It was a great journey I thank every member of the group especially the great souls who are still fighting against the chaos and those who stood from the beginning. But the path is else where. The relationships I earned from the group, often wanted to called itself as a family is precious and may may be, we can put everything back. Looks like for last 2+ years I was fighting with individuals and vendors when they try to take advantage of us. May be its time to relax a bit and stop the never ending fight for a while and give more time to myself than the family / group.
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Ref 1: this sentence is added after originally writting the Malayalam text on November 5th, 2009 and its based on J Krishnamoorthy's "The Order of the Star in the East" dissolution speech.
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DSC_3556_1, Taken at Thrikkakkara Vamana Temple on Thirivonam day & the caption and processing done ages ago. The text / description was written on November 5th 2009.
If you think, you were involved somehow, in the effort to build this community in last 3 years, there is "Add a person" link on the right hand side ! add yourself there. It will be fun
Also it will be interesting to check Honey Moon photos too :-)
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Deviantart: www.jakehegel.deviantart.com/
The Duel of the Figures continues…
It’s not battle of Jedi vs Sith, it’s not a battle of Good vs Evil, it’s a battle of coolness as the high quality “Samurai” Darth Vader action figure fights against a “mass market” version of Kit Fisto.
Continues from part 3: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/25093753264/in/photos...
You can find the whole series (the last part will be posted soon) here: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/albums/72157665467242701
Vader maintains his hold on Fisto figure.
Fisto: “You…are deluded to think your kind actually means something…cough.. You have just a niche market…your kind are so expensive…we are so affordable…cough… we can swarm the market and be forever remembered…”
Vader: “You are a fool to think you can leave a mark in the history of collectibles. Quality does matter and while my kind may be expensive, you are annoyingly overpriced for a figure of your quality! We'll be a prized possession in a collection but you… you will be forgotten. It’s time to sink into oblivion.”
With a swift movement Vader plunges his Lightsaber into his opponent’s chest.
To be continued…
No action figure has been harmed during the making of this photo; this is just a simulation of violence/combat etc, etc :) It’s obvious but a little disclaimer never hurts lol :)
Samurai Vader is the Bandai Tamashii Nations Movie Realization Samurai Taisho [General] Darth Vader, Death Star Armor action figure :) I know it’s as long as a Hyperspace route lol :)
Fisto figure lacks his right arm because he lost it earlier in the fight.
I hope you are enjoying this little series :)
May the Force be with You :)
Thrilled to get this shot! It's taken a few feet from our back yard door. What really assisted this shot was the realization that the birds approach the birdfeeder slightly below the feeder. I recently got a remote cable which helps immensely and the camera is set on a tripod.
It's uncropped and straight from the camera. I will post an edited version of this. This is open to suggestions!
HELIAR Vintage Line 50mm F3.5
フォクトレンダーのレンズです、昔は営業写真のレンズとして重宝されました。
オールドレンズの中でもあまりボケることなく現行レンズのようにスッキリ撮影でき、小さなレンズで軽く持ち運び便利。F３.５なのでピントも素早く来て嬉しいレンズです。撮影したい時、気付いた時にさっと撮影できるいい奴みたい。なぜかこのレンズをつけていると色々な人がこのレンズは何かと必ず聞いてくる人気者のレンズです
so I was explaining K-9 to a friend the other day, and was struck with the sudden realization that he would look adorable stitched up.
I was in need of some relaxation Sunday evening, so I popped in a DVD of a good K-9 episode and sketched the little guy out. I got a lot of the stitching done at work on Monday and Tuesday, so this came together pretty quickly.
now lives in Kentucky with some guy and a dog named Jedi. go figure. nerds.
Pattern for this available at www.etsy.com/shop/MrXStitch !!!
The Duel of the Figures continues…
It’s not battle of Jedi vs Sith, it’s not a battle of Good vs Evil, it’s a battle of coolness as the high quality “Samurai” Darth Vader action figure fights against a “mass market” version of Kit Fisto.
Continues from part 4: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/25156534853/in/photos...
You can find the whole series here: www.flickr.com/photos/133750589@N08/albums/72157665467242701
Vader release the grip and the lifeless body of his opponent hits the ground and he checks the life signs (it’s always better to be sure, certain figures can be very tricky )
Vader: “All too easy.”
Today he scored another victory for the New Order of High Quality Collectibles but there are more battles to fight…
Samurai Vader is the Bandai Tamashii Nations Movie Realization Samurai Taisho [General] Darth Vader, Death Star Armor action figure.
This image completes the mini series about Vader and Fisto figures.
I hope you like it :)
Your feedback is really appreciated and it will be very useful for my next projects. So feel free to post what you think about this mini series. If you like that format or if you prefer other formats, like for example the comics format etc.
By the way which of the mini series five photos is your favorite?
Any feedback will be very useful, my friends :)
May the Force be with You :)