As a kid, many of the sleepovers I attended at my friends home had nothing to do with sleep of any kind. If I remember correctly, and I think I do. The goal was to stay up all night in order to get a head start of the next day’s badly mapped out journey into areas and neighborhoods that often resided outside of the borders or imaginary lines our parents often forbid us from wandering past.
Years later I still have a love and admiration for those pre-dawn hours and minutes where much of the world still sleeps. The streets and adjacent pavement have yet to feel the impact of rush hour cars and hustling feet. Aside from the fact that I have to actually go to bed earlier and be aided by the sound of my alarm. Not much has changed. Upon learning that Thanksgiving morning would allow the sun to rise and proudly show itself. I once again set my alarm early enough to join in and watch as the sun peaked over the horizon.
As early as it might have been and as much as I may have waited to enjoy watching the night become day. I was not the first one on the beach. Waiting for me were two separate groups of fishermen, a loving couple, a surfer and someone who found the perfect time and place to reflect and/or mediate. While returning to my everyday responsibilities on the West Coast may not present the same opportunities to watch the sun rise. I’m sure I’ll find similar joys within time.
Since our arrival in Seattle, we’ve found a number of neighborhoods we’ve grown quite fond of. Pioneer Square with it’s reminders of New York’s once edgy Lower East Side was our first love. While the International Center, Capitol Hill and pockets of Queen Anne have all spirited our first months here. That said, there has been somethng special about Georgetown that keeps us coming up with reasons to visit from one week to the next. Having moved to Columbia City just over a week ago has brought us even closer to the somewhat quiet pocket of Seattle that often reminds me of the out of the way area known as Red Hook Brooklyn back in New York. It wasn’t until my wife mentioned how much she loved the area and her desire oi buy there, that I realized just how similar the areas seemed.
Here I’ve posted two images I took of Capital Hill’s Rite Aide. Located on the corner of Broadway and Denny. The pharmacy looks more like an old theater than a one stop drug store. I took the first image on monochrome mode with my 40mm pancake lens and the second, in color, with my 15mm fish eye. (A lens i use almost exclusively for concert photography.) I really love how the edges bend the closer you get to the subject. In comparison.,the monochrome image stands out for me due to the antiquated feel monochrome provides. I can’t help but feel as if I’ve been transplanted to another time. On the other hand, the fisheye lens offers a trippy vibe that makes me feel as if I’m swimming in the pages of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
During our short ride, she tried to imply that I was unaware that though both are located in Southeast Asia, Thailand and Taiwan were two distinctly different places. With Thailand being a kingdom bordered by Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma. Taiwan, on the other hand is an island located south of China. Despite the fact that we eat mass quantities of Thai food and that I grew up with a number of friends whose families had immigrated from Taiwan. She continued to push the envelope. Despite any nudging on her part or geographic miscues on mine. We made it to the festival and had a great time enjoying the food and festivities. In conclusion, I’d really like to start working photographing and covering events for the press here. It’s something I enjoyed doing back east and something that always seems to teach me more about other cultures, expression and rituals. The money I’d earn would most likely go towards all the great food these festivals offer.
. I have no problem admitting that I do not like surprises. So when my wife kept in me in the dark about an early morning excursion to Georgetown. I can honestly say, I became somewhat unnerved trying to guess what she had in mind. As we arrived at what was supposed to be our final destination. My wife looked as puzzled as I was. Luckily, we waited it out and after a couple of rights, a left and another right, we were able to tail a pick up truck long enough to get us to where we needed to be. Georgetown Steam turned out to be the perfect surprise, as we both share a passion for factories and industrial sites. We spent over an hour exploring the old factory, while sharing some memorable exchanges with some of the retired steam workers who happened to be volunteering that day. Maybe it’s time for me to trust my wife’s instincts and learn to enjoy those little surprises.
Photogeek Blog 