Sunday 31 March 2013

Photo Challenge: Steamy Grates

A couple of months ago I asked all of you to set me some photo challenges. I love the idea of being set projects by people, however I think I asked prematurely. We were heading into winter and I completely underestimated just how cold it gets here. It gets bitterly cold here and it's consistent. Staying indoors was just the way to go and I didn't mind not doing much. Some of the challenges were for places that were far too exposed (Ellis Island requiring traveling by ferry first and then being outdoors for a long time). Some of the challenges just ended up being impossible. Jo set me steamy grates an iconic image of New York. However I found that the grates don't steam up that much, unless they have pipes placed in them to release the air, there's an example below.


It was only recently when we had the first of the horrid snow that the grates in the street were going crazy. The extreme low temperatures finally allowed enough of a difference in temperature for the steam to show. So here's the first of the photo challenges. Now with spring coming up I'm back out and about exploring the city again. Jo, Hope you enjoy these!


Sunday 24 March 2013

Movie History

Once again I've been missing for a while. A new job is the reason for it. I will post pictures of this super cool museum soon but really I just want to geek out for a minute here. My last job was a museum all about British popular music history. I will never forget how super cool it was to suddenly have my job be learning about current music and brushing up on my knowledge of The Beatles and Lord Kitchener.

And now I've moved from the history of music to the history of film. My research takes in the chronophotography of Marey to the the first version of Alice in wonderland (from 1910 lasting 10 minutes). It includes a look at the first television sets, special effects props and Yoda... Yes he lives in the exhibition. To get more knowledgable on the history of movies I have started watching films such as the first "talkie" The Jazz Singer from 1927. The term "talkie" being used loosely as there's actually only 2 minutes of dialogue in the whole film. The rest being synchronized musical numbers and title cards. And this is what I love about my job, it's constantly researching and learning. Taking in what I never managed to catch at school or what I never got introduced to while there. And now I get to build this amazing general knowledge.

Tuesday 5 March 2013

In a New York minute...

A couple of months after I arrived my friend Rebecca asked me when I had my "oh my gosh, I'm in NY" moment. I think my response was every time I look at the Empire State Building as it's a reminder of the streets I'm on. But I really hadn't had this moment until last week Wednesday. This was my first day at work. I travelled from Manhattan to Queens for my first shift. Then treated myself to lunch in Korea town in a place called Mandoo, specializing in dumplings which they make fresh in the window for everyone to see as they walk by. Then I headed home and took Paco for a walk down to Madison square park, which was lovely on a sunny day. I had just enough time to drop him back at home before heading back out, to my art history class at the MoMA. It was at this point that my cheeks started to hurt at the ridiculousness of it all. It was official, I felt relaxed and comfortable. Finally.

And all it needed was a job. I know that on the surface being here sounds like a dream. Oh poor me having nothing to do in one of the most wonderful cities in the world. While my husband gives me money to go out and enjoy myself. But I've always been independent. And what fun is exploring if everyone else is at work? But more importantly I came here to work and my biggest worry was that I would come home having not done so. I would have felt so disappointed. Luckily patience is all it needed. Just as many friends told me.