15_the_circle | Q&A x 5

[OT from cottage renovations]

from dakiwiboid (citing jonquil) come these questions. leave a comment to this entry and I'll ask you five in turn.

Q:

What on earth is a suspicious cheese lord, anyway?
Is Meg as snuggly as she looks?
What's your favorite of all those gorgeous flowers you photograph?
How old were you when you started taking pictures?
Alfred or Mark Deller?

A:

What on earth is a suspicious cheese lord, anyway?

their web site includes this explanation: "The Suspicious Cheese Lords’ name is derived from the title of a Thomas Tallis motet, Suscipe quæso Domine. While "translating" the title, it was observed that Suscipe could be "suspicious," quæso is close to the Spanish word queso meaning "cheese," and Domine is, of course, "Lord." Hence, the title of the motet was clearly "Suspicious Cheese Lord"—which in time became adopted as the group’s name. Although their name is humorous, the group appreciates the literal translation of Suscipe Quæso Domine, which is, "Take, I ask, Lord." Suspiciously, the Cheese Lords have yet to perform this motet." we were fortunate enough to have them come to the Grove last October to perform in the first of the 2006/07 Mouse Trap Concert Series. if you ever get the chance to hear them, do it.
Is Meg as snuggly as she looks?

when she feels like it, yes. the sure-fire way to bring this about is for me to put on a flannel nightshirt. she heads straight for lap, purring and slurping away. when the latter exceeds my very limited tolerance things can get ugly.
What's your favorite of all those gorgeous flowers you photograph?

a tough question, particularly in view of yesterday afternoon's day lily down on Center Street. but the one species to which I have given my heart is the Virginia Bluebell, Mertensia virginica.
How old were you when you started taking pictures?

by all rights that question should have a simple numerical answer, but it isn't that easy. my first use of a 35mm camera was in the mid 1960s when I was in my mid teens, but the years since then contain many long gaps during which I had neither a camera nor the inclination to acquire and use one. there was also this issue that the apparatus was only part of of the cost: film and processing were never cheap (consequently I was an early convert to digital but held off on equipment upgrades for a long time in the face of many other demands for limited funds and attention). only over the past few years, and in this space, have I been trying to get more serious about photography. I've never had any training in it, nor in botany; it's been 100% trial-and-error. mostly the latter.
Alfred or Mark Deller?

yikes. another tough one. hard to choose between the accomplishments of one generation and the potential of the next. but wait, there's a way out -- I could waffle and go for that father-and-son Purcell recording, even though I don't have a copy. mmmm, waffles. tasty.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I only do this with those I know will ask interesting questions.

.... and regarding your answer up there to number 4, you must be hiding those errors.

circumstance gives you, with no warning, a chunk of free time and some cash. reservations, travel documents and other such details are handled by supremely efficient staff so all you need to figure out is: "where to go?"
what was your first computer and when did you cross the line with it as a tool that could be used without having to think about what it was you were doing?
bluegrass or the blues?
you've seen the light. Italy, Indonesia, California, the southwest Pacific are mentioned your journal. maybe others too. which matches the inner one, the one you see in/with when you close your eyes?
what's the most musical spoken language you have ever heard?

[strictly speaking (2) is two questions but they work better if not separated]

thank you, that's very kind.

there's a lot of deleting that happens before the survivors are are further sifted for upload potential. not as much as there used to be, but probably not as much as there ought to be.

I found your answers interesting. But I was inspired by # 4 to remember my camera history. (It's all about me isn't it?) Hahaha

So.....here goes.....
I took my first photos with a brownie camera when I was in the 7th grade. I must have taken an elective because we got to use the dark room which I thought was totally cool. I came across some of those photos awhile back and was surprised that even then I wanted drama and design, intrigue and mystery. (Of course I must have been about 12, so it figures.) Not much has changed.
Then there was a long period with no camera. The next camera I had was a Leica which I took to Mexico on a road trip with a friend. I was 20 I think. I still have the slides. Lost the camera tho. Next one was many years later when I received a Nikon for Christmas I was in my 40's. I still have it. Altho, I got it out recently and couldn't remember how to work it! Dang. These digital cameras are so easy.
Another long gap and then

duccio gave me a Sony just like his so we could go out and shoot together and learn from one another. Hahahaha as tho he could learn from me....it's very much the other way. Next was last year a Panasonic update he also gave me. It is my favorite so far. Easy to use with a good zoom range and mucho pixels.

Hmmmmm. sorry to get so carried away. Hope you didn't mind.

Feel free to not ask me 5 back.

>
> Feel free to not ask me 5 back.
>

I need some help here. is that your way of saying you'd rather not be asked?
if you've got the answers I have the questions ...

Noooo, I just felt funny when I realized I answered your question in my comment. (It was such a GOOD question!

Ask away.....I agree with Grace G, you are certain to ask interesting questions.

art runs through everything you post. even your writing is highly visual. and light runs through your images, tripping through air and bouncing off water in ways that ~~often~~ usually leave me stunned with what you have done. so: of all the places you have visited, or lived: where has the light done the most for you?
(yes, I know this Q is mostly recycled from one I asked gracegiver but I am interested in your answer).
have you ever had to live without cats? if so, how long did you have to?
is there any artistic medium you've wanted to work in but for some reason have never had the chance?
tortie or siamese?
(another recycled Q) you are given a fill-in-the-blank ticket good for anywhere. pen in hand, you have just a couple of seconds to write in your dream destination before setting off. so: where to?

5. I have wanted to go to Lake Baikal ever since I took a trip to Russia years ago.
Please send me in from the East by rail from Khabarovsk. AND as long as I'm there and they ARE in the neighborhood, I'd love to visit Samarkand and Ulaan Baator.
Thanks so much, I'm excited to finally be going there. Woo hoo.

4. Tortie.

3. I have always wanted to paint with encaustic. One of my art teacher once gave a demo and we got to fool around with it. The same teach later said he wanted to sell his pigments and wax and I was very interested but it was a time when I didn't feel I could spend 'frivolous' money on myself as I had two boys to support. Dang. He was not asking that much either.....under a $100 bucks, but it seemed like a lot then
I'll have to put that on my list of things to do now that I can spend some $ on myself.

2. 'Have to' is right - I have never wanted to live without cats. But there have been a couple of times when I did. I think the longest was about 3 years. Since I live alone now I don't see myself ever having to live without a few.

1. Thanks for the compliment about my work. It surprised me as I had never thought of my art as being particularly full of light. I think of myself as more of a colorist. I LOVE color and I usually push my paintings in that direction.
However, your question made me start thinking about light. I am a fire sign, LEO, and my ruler is the sun.....light and warmth and I have always been a sun lover.

I think the place where I found light the most interesting was in Kamchatka, Russia. I had never been so far north and I was there in August. The light was different than I had ever experienced. It was more diffuse, softer and seemed always present. It was in a way kind of silvery, slippery if you will.
Dusk didn't happen until after midnight and it didn't get real dark for very long. I found that disorienting. I am so used to the Calif cycle of morning soft light, midday strong light, and then afternoon when the light gets softer, until dusk and sunset.

Hey, since I'm going to Lake Baikal, perhaps you could tack on a side trip to Petroplavask! It would be great to see those volcanoes again.

Q&A x 5

Q:

A:

go for five

re: go for five

re: you must be hiding those errors

no subject

no subject

no subject

five 4 U

Great Questions!