I notice that we hardly take any - do we still call them "snapshots"? - anymore. I prefer to attribute this to our forcibly purchased digital camera. "Forcibly purchased" because when we had to replace our trusty old 35mm camera, what else was there? Clunky, heavy professional cameras for those who refuse to give up their "tried and true" FILM cameras.
So now with our Kodak EasyShare C340, I, Certified Digitally Disabled, find it humiliating to whip out my camera and then stand with it at arms length fumbling with my glasses - reading? middle distance? distance? None of the three pairs seems to focus on the tiny viewing window, let alone deal with all the menu options, arrows, dials, symbols (I KNOW a lightning bolt is Flash, but what about all the others?)
Then when I finally am brave enough to find and click the shutter, sometimes nothing happens. The battery is dead? You mean we have to charge it all the time? That means remembering to take the charger AS WELL AS the camera? You can't just run into any kiosk anywhere in the world and pick up a 25 or 36 expossure roll of film and go on with it?
When the light does turn green, and I think I've got something in the viewfinder, it isn't MY hands that shake, it's the lightweight camera. Result: out of focus everything.
Then I've got to wait until we shoot dozens and dozens of photos (out of focus) before Bob will take the secret chip to Costco, and have them wave their magic wand over it, and Bob brings back a package bulging with photos taken so long ago I can't even remember where or when, but that's another concern.
But the more I think about it, and try to be honest with myself, I suspect that it has more to do with how I look these days.
And it's then that I want to burn most of the negatives, if there were any negatives to burn. Did I always take such a miserable picture? Those squinty eyes - that crooked, as in lipstick - smile - that stringy flat-top hairdo - wrinkles? I'm a poster lady candidate for any and all plastic surgery. I'm also now so short my head barely reaches everyone else's waist. I could gain 20 pounds and no one would see the difference.
So is it any wonder I don't want to take "snapshots".
Next time we're at some scenic place, I'll buy a post-card and just tell everyone we were there.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
A CHRISTMAS STORY - WELL, SORT OF
Last week we went to the Getty Museum to see their exhibition titled "Medieval Treasures from the Cleveland Museum of Art. One of the treasures was a small,exquisite carved ivory depicting Mary, seated sidesaddle on her mule/donkey, with a half concealed Joseph to her left, and in front, to her right, a young boy, carrying a stick with tied bundle at the top, over one shoulder, (BBP: Before Back Pack)
So who was this young kid, I wondered?
The wall plaque read as follows: 'PLAQUE WITH THE JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM (SOUTHERN ITALY - AMALFI - ABOUT 1100-1200)
"This plaque shows Mary, Joseph, and one of his sons from a previous wife on their way to Bethlehem to be registered following a decree by Emperor Augustus (27 BC - AD 14) There according to the Bible, Mary gave birth to Jesus.
"The scene is set within an architectural frame combining Byzantine decorative elements (such as the acanthus leaves on the column capitals) with Islamic architectural motifs (notably the rounded arch). This blending of style is typical of art made in this period in Southern Italy, where many foreign influences converged."
".....one of his sons from a previous wife.....!!!
How in the world did we not know Mary was Joseph's SECOND wife? That she was stepmother to, not one, but TWO sons? That Jesus had two stepbrothers?
How and when did they get deleted from the story?
Shocked and disturbed were we.
Then, not two hours later we were at the Academy where the Short Films Selection Committee was viewing this year's Oscar contenders. And there, one of the films, titled "The Obscure Brother" appeared on screen and we watched - lo and behold - the following first scene: Interior: typical Biblical set, where a young boy looking up adoringly at at a beautiful, blond actress, asks: "Dear Mother, who is your favorite son?"
She hesitates, then replies, "You, dear."
Enter: Father who addresses the woman, "You are such a good mother to my children, and such a good wife......except for one thing......(leaning down, lowering his voice)....you do not carry out your wifely duties to me."
The blond edges away, with the Biblical equivalent of a headache.
Cut to what we now sense is Mary, walking with adoring son, carrying a basket of food from the nearby market. She clutches her stomach, stumbles, and falls, as -must be - Joesph rushes to her side. She looks up at him painfully, and says: "I am with child."
Cut and Fast Forward to now now older young boy watching his young stepbrother, who we guess is Jesus, with obvious loathing, as Jesus charms the locals with what look like magic tricks.
As the older and younger stepbrothers wend their way home, the basket of fish the older one is carrying falls, and Jesus cries out - "The fish!"
"So what?" replies the stepbrother, with a sneer, "You can just conjure up some more - just like all your other tricks!"
Jesus: "They're not tricks! I don't know how I do it, I just do!"
Cut to: Boys still arguing as they enter the hut. Joseph hears and comes in to punish them, but Mary takes his raised hand and motions to let them be....
And at that very moment, the red light went on, which allows the group to raise their flashlights if they feel the film is not worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Apparently, there was the required number to turn off the film and go on to the next.
DARN! Now that here at last was another reference to Joseph's other sons, one obviously "Obscure", and I wasn't going to see how everything worked out. (Were he and Judas in cahoots?)
Still, I find it somewhat serendipitous that just as a good part of the world is about to celebrate Jesus's 2007th birthday, I happen to find out so much more of his family history.
Even, as I ask, yet again, how is it that we never seem to have seen, in art and/or literature, any other references to Mary as a stepmother? To Jesus's stepbrothers?
I dimly recall that a few years ago there was some excitement over the finding of a tomb somewhere in the desert that was suspected of - possibly - being the brother of Jesus. But the whole thing seemed to self-destruct rather quickly.
Should I Google "Jesus - Stepbrothers?"
Cimadb
So who was this young kid, I wondered?
The wall plaque read as follows: 'PLAQUE WITH THE JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM (SOUTHERN ITALY - AMALFI - ABOUT 1100-1200)
"This plaque shows Mary, Joseph, and one of his sons from a previous wife on their way to Bethlehem to be registered following a decree by Emperor Augustus (27 BC - AD 14) There according to the Bible, Mary gave birth to Jesus.
"The scene is set within an architectural frame combining Byzantine decorative elements (such as the acanthus leaves on the column capitals) with Islamic architectural motifs (notably the rounded arch). This blending of style is typical of art made in this period in Southern Italy, where many foreign influences converged."
".....one of his sons from a previous wife.....!!!
How in the world did we not know Mary was Joseph's SECOND wife? That she was stepmother to, not one, but TWO sons? That Jesus had two stepbrothers?
How and when did they get deleted from the story?
Shocked and disturbed were we.
Then, not two hours later we were at the Academy where the Short Films Selection Committee was viewing this year's Oscar contenders. And there, one of the films, titled "The Obscure Brother" appeared on screen and we watched - lo and behold - the following first scene: Interior: typical Biblical set, where a young boy looking up adoringly at at a beautiful, blond actress, asks: "Dear Mother, who is your favorite son?"
She hesitates, then replies, "You, dear."
Enter: Father who addresses the woman, "You are such a good mother to my children, and such a good wife......except for one thing......(leaning down, lowering his voice)....you do not carry out your wifely duties to me."
The blond edges away, with the Biblical equivalent of a headache.
Cut to what we now sense is Mary, walking with adoring son, carrying a basket of food from the nearby market. She clutches her stomach, stumbles, and falls, as -must be - Joesph rushes to her side. She looks up at him painfully, and says: "I am with child."
Cut and Fast Forward to now now older young boy watching his young stepbrother, who we guess is Jesus, with obvious loathing, as Jesus charms the locals with what look like magic tricks.
As the older and younger stepbrothers wend their way home, the basket of fish the older one is carrying falls, and Jesus cries out - "The fish!"
"So what?" replies the stepbrother, with a sneer, "You can just conjure up some more - just like all your other tricks!"
Jesus: "They're not tricks! I don't know how I do it, I just do!"
Cut to: Boys still arguing as they enter the hut. Joseph hears and comes in to punish them, but Mary takes his raised hand and motions to let them be....
And at that very moment, the red light went on, which allows the group to raise their flashlights if they feel the film is not worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Apparently, there was the required number to turn off the film and go on to the next.
DARN! Now that here at last was another reference to Joseph's other sons, one obviously "Obscure", and I wasn't going to see how everything worked out. (Were he and Judas in cahoots?)
Still, I find it somewhat serendipitous that just as a good part of the world is about to celebrate Jesus's 2007th birthday, I happen to find out so much more of his family history.
Even, as I ask, yet again, how is it that we never seem to have seen, in art and/or literature, any other references to Mary as a stepmother? To Jesus's stepbrothers?
I dimly recall that a few years ago there was some excitement over the finding of a tomb somewhere in the desert that was suspected of - possibly - being the brother of Jesus. But the whole thing seemed to self-destruct rather quickly.
Should I Google "Jesus - Stepbrothers?"
Cimadb
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Something Went Amiss
In checking the blog I just posted I see that the sort of punch line was omitted.
Please go to: ".......how much would we have to give in order"......and continue..... "for you NOT to send us all those labels, wrapping paper, calendars, mugs, umbrellas, stuffed pandas.......?"
Guess I haven't mastered the "Edit Html" Blog system yet.
Cimadb
Please go to: ".......how much would we have to give in order"......and continue..... "for you NOT to send us all those labels, wrapping paper, calendars, mugs, umbrellas, stuffed pandas.......?"
Guess I haven't mastered the "Edit Html" Blog system yet.
Cimadb
Thursday, December 6, 2007
WE'LL CONTRIBUT TO YOUR CHARITY ON ONE CONDITION
When I opened our stationery cupboard today and dozens and dozens and dozens of greeting cards cascaded to the floor, covering my feet up to my knees - well, almost, I decided something had to be done.
Along with enough labels to send out a mass mailing to everyone in the United States with our return address (some with our names misspelled) attached, we are also the recipients of Christmas wrapping paper, with dubious charm, and 2008 calendars (I still have a pile of leftover 2007), of which we can at best use only two - and which financial prudence prevents me from buying one I would really like........
......and all this because we contribute - I can hardly use the word "support" since our donations are, unfortunately, not that impressive - to various needy causes.
This in turn, makes us both feel guilty, and also wonder at the cost-profit-ratio statistics of these organizations. It really looks as if they spend more than they get from us.
So, my question to each and every one of the administrators of these noble causes is "Just how much do we have to send you in order for you pan>
Maybe I should set up a garage sale, put all this stuff out, and alert Hallmark? I mean this is serious competition for them and they might just want to make a deal with all these good causes and everyone would come out ahead.
I'd be sure to give all my card business to Hallmark - it's the least I could do.
Cimadb
Along with enough labels to send out a mass mailing to everyone in the United States with our return address (some with our names misspelled) attached, we are also the recipients of Christmas wrapping paper, with dubious charm, and 2008 calendars (I still have a pile of leftover 2007), of which we can at best use only two - and which financial prudence prevents me from buying one I would really like........
......and all this because we contribute - I can hardly use the word "support" since our donations are, unfortunately, not that impressive - to various needy causes.
This in turn, makes us both feel guilty, and also wonder at the cost-profit-ratio statistics of these organizations. It really looks as if they spend more than they get from us.
So, my question to each and every one of the administrators of these noble causes is "Just how much do we have to send you in order for you pan>
Maybe I should set up a garage sale, put all this stuff out, and alert Hallmark? I mean this is serious competition for them and they might just want to make a deal with all these good causes and everyone would come out ahead.
I'd be sure to give all my card business to Hallmark - it's the least I could do.
Cimadb
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