I am back!

I am back from my holidays in Poland. This is what I saw at the Warsaw airport after my plane landed. And basically it was exaclty the same view I saw when I returned to Scotland 10 days later...

We are working in next couple of days so updates about my Polish trip might happen in New Year. So just in case : Szczesliwego Nowego Roku!

Awful

On the days like this I hate my current life - 8 hours of inserting references and captions into a completely useless critical study (I am photographer, not an aspiring PhD scholar, so just let me take pictures for f* sake, instead of making me to write 9000 words of absolute bullshit so just to match number of words! Especially that fron next year college is changing these rules anyway.), but first 6 hours spent begging the college technicians to print 2 testprints. That is how long it took - anywhere else it takes me 1.5 h including a final print. When I was ready in 15 minutes with my corrections they buggered off for 2 hours lunch break. Then they had an hour coffee break. I know I am not a star of the department and everybody has to bend backwards for my sake but honestly - if everybody in this country works like them, Scotland will not be able to get out of this recession for many years to come. I might be harsh with my judgeent but the final straw was closing the college for 2 weeks until the very day of a final submission. Pay us you dosh but go away to do your prints in town paying commercial prices. I cannot wait to graduate. Never again a teacher and never a student again. Ever. Give me wedding images to process any day.

Christmas meal of the photography department

Yesterday the annual Christmas meal of the photo department took place.

Or rather it was supposed to take place in a Mexican restaurant where we have managed to squeeze in last year. When I arrived there, the restaurant was dark, cold and people waiting in front of it were really upset. More and more students were arriving and at first they were thinking that it was some sort of a practical joke. Unfortunately it was just the credit crunch in practice - the restaurant went bust, our prepaid dosh went towards paying their lease and nothing has left for them to run their business. We were all disturbed but as it was supposed to be a BYOB party, corks started to pop and finally we decided to talk our way into college and have our little party there. As Claudine put it frankly, nobody was going to have space for 40 people with their own booze so we might have as well go and speak with joanitors - we had nothing to loose.

Surprisingly they allowed us to stay in a little gallery space until 11 pm thanks to Claudine's charm and this gorgeous girl also organised pizzas for everybody (with a little subsidy from the pocket of the head of the department)! A normal practice of exchanging presents took place, we put our presents into a big bag (the head of department acted as Santa, wearing a flashing red nose and Rudol's fleece antlers - Agata, you have to try that one day!) and I was lucky again! Last year I got a set of 35 mm films and this year was a David Williams book signed by the author!

Photo of me with my Christmas present courtesy of my friend Sejin who wore beautiful Christmas tree earrings on the day and Viv Westwood heels which are feature in the picture with her holding her little camera she got from the department's Santa.

I am desperately trying to finish all my comissions before I got for 10 days to Poland so bear with me if posting will be somehow...erratic within next couple of weeks!

I did not know!

Projection

The City Chambers on a freezing almost-winter afternoon:

Cold!

After a trip on foot to my photolab this afternoon in a freezing cold damp air coming from the sea - I went to take there some films for development after a photoshoot this morning (1 - these walks are the only way to keep feet 2 - I left my wallet at home = I could not get a bus) I got so exhausted that I had to have a nap! I never nap during the day unless I am sick (which I am not) but this time I felt so exhausted that I slept for 4 hours. News from Poland say that it is +15 there. Crazy this climate changes.