Alexander 6, V44.

Another busy day to be. God, is this month is ever going to finish? Long weeks and many stuff been going here and there that just made my mind scattered.
In the coming posts, I think most of them will be blank without any images. Most of my photography plans are postponed as well because of my PC problem. Now, I'm here in this office working with two laptops; one I'm typing this from (mine), and the other is a work laptop that my boss asked me to check it for viruses. In a little while I'm going to get out of this place and go back home to pick my PC then head to the dirty roads and streets of Hawally, where the word "traffic" lost its meaning. It's the only place on Earth where the road moves and the cars are stand still!
The boredom that stroke me yesterday made me start out some game and do some fun tests on Facebook. I had an account there that I didn't care much for it before, but I guess with this clogged mind, I need to have to entertainment now and then. I've started an aquarium in a game called Happy Aquarium. Well, I always wished to have one for real but I think I can hardly take care of it daily with such a messy life, so here you go. Something to fullfil my desires, even though virtually.
Still trying to push myself further for more writing...

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1033. then Alexander thought for a moment
1034. then this he said to Birbuár: and how can you help me?
1035. after I find your body and bury you your soul will not be here,
1036. and to the kingdom of Heavens you shall go
1037. and Birbuár answered: yes, indeed, but I still have things to tell you,
1038. things you might need to know before I leave this life here,
1039. my father Árúc was verily a wise man and one with knowledge,
1040. and he taught things before his death, but I was never good
1041. then Alexander said with a frowned face
1042. "this better be true, or else you shall never rest!"
1043. thus the two of them stayed in the old house
1044. until the night spread over the sky
1045. but there was no sun or one moon
1046. but several moons revolving in the heavens
1047. thus the light was enough to see the way
1048. and Alexander took the hand of Birbuár and went out
1049. then Birbuár walked slowly in the calm streets
1050. while dragging Alexander behind him by the hand
1051. until they reached a pile of stones on the ground
1052. and Birbuár stopped there and made a sigh
1053. and Birbuár said to himself: yes, I deserve it,
1054. we reached the place O good king,
1055. here lies my house, and my body just below that
1056. while a sudden move in the stones appeared

Alexander 4, V3.

Quiet day relatively, despite the fact that it is Monday! Well, not quite quiet, since I had to pick up back my sister's laptop from the damn workshop. The filthy technician requested extra 5 K.D. for installing the "right" Windows XP, which he did not do in the beginning. He installed an Arabic version and yet, a non-genuine one and I could not do an update. He was acting like beggar really. He made me angry again after I made a decision to calm myself down, but he is a rude one indeed.

Back to work, I had to prepare some samples of tuna and sardines to put them in the freeze dryer;



Believe me guys, with all due respect, the guy who invented sardines is an idiot! What's wrong with flexible cans? My can opener did not work and I made such a mess (and a horrible smell) all over the lab just to get these samples out into some plastic bag. Sardines ARE rocket science guys!


I spent the last night on doing an experiment in a dark environment with only my censer lit (can burn aromatic oils and candles). Well, it was a chance as well to try my filters out and try some long exposures, however, generally speaking the experiment did not go very well (specially with lot of noise in long exposured images). I tried to take images of the lit censer as well in several shutter speeds and I also got my flash involved (and that was an awkward move). The flash's problem is, I can't work with it solely without being connected to the camera (I can, but the control is cumbersome since it is not designed to work that way). This matter is a problem for me now since I want to give some instant light to the objects I want to take a picture of, but from a different angle other than the camera's direction (specially the sides). I will think about it and see if there are some cables or so. My camera is old and do not have the wireless control over the flash, thus, it must be done by a cable of some sort. Combining the images later on was awkward as well, in Photoshop and in Photomatix. Lot of noise and doubled or tripled EV values. All of this, as I believe, is for the lack of my understanding for EV concept. Anyway, I'm looking forward to make out something from these images already.

For the time being, I've finished reading my HDRI handbook, the one written by Christian Bloch (he is apparently a nice guy please visit his page, and, don't forget the credit as well!).

It is a magnificent book, specially for beginners. Before reading this book, I used to tone-map my HDR images down and I thought this is the core of the event, but now the whole concept had changed in my mind and there are lot of things that I could have fixed in old images that I made (specially those from Ireland) if I was to read this book before this time! However, there is no solution for any blured images!
As for now, and beside working on the translation work for Alexander VI story, I'm starting to read the books that I've already got from Ireland (from a souvenirs shop!). They had been in the dark corner for long now, and I think this is the right time. But, I will still think of some photography books to purchase, specifically from "rocky nook" series. As for the time being, I picked a little book entitled "Irish Ghosts" by John J. Dunne.

 

The cover is different, but the title and the author's name are the same, so I would say they are the same book. By the way, I might be fascinated by ghost stories, but I didn't say I like to meet one, ok?

I've forgot already how many books I've purchased from J.P. Keogh & Sons shop, but I remember I've purchased something about the Irish dancing and something about Irish music with music sheets (or notes) in it.

This one here is a small book, I shouldn't take much time to finish it all! I hope! But the most important thing for me now is, to burn my writing skills back as I did stop for a long time now in favor for photography and experimenting with my camera.

Words got beauty in my heart.

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49. and by arriving there the villagers shouted
50. "Alexander O Master, let us get back
51. the lands is not ours and shall not be!"
52. thus Alexander was surprised and wondered
53. "what is that you are saying O good people?"
54. then a villager named Chidhwárthí advanced
55. and with a weak voice full of fear he did say
56. "O Master of the good, you never heard of Zimúrá,
57. the land of mischief and the heaven of mutants?
58. the forefathers were sinners and so they were after them
59. like animals they live and hunt, and mercy left them out
60. cannot you see how black is their place?
61. cannot you smell how it is full of bad scents?
62. cannot you feel how gloomy this place is?
63. come on O Master, let us not waste the lives
64. there are so much good can be spread elsewhere"
65. then in a humble voice did the hero say
66. "O good man, I was not ordered to retreat,
67. did you not follow me asking for glory
68. did you not forsake the justice to be all over
69. what is the value of your lives amid the fear
70. and what is the value of your deeds for no good
71. who is afraid to come let him be back to his wife
72. and I am not leaving this, until God commands me!"

Alexander 4, V2.

Waking up late is, a very bad idea. And it is a very bad day after all. I realy don't know if this is the beginning of my week or the middle of it or just a day not counted in my life.
After bringing back my sister's laptop yesterday from the damn workshop, we discovered that the Windows is not original AND it is an Arabic version, after telling the damn guy 3 times that I want an English one. Thus, I had to pick it back again today.
Waiting there as usual for 15 to 20 minutes just for the store to open up (in Kuwait people respect the time indeed... NOT). He argued that I have to pay another 35KD for the Windows and for his kindness he settled that down to installing an original Windows without paying. So generous. Out of the damn place I just had the heck out of the cars who seem to be driving like they've just been awakened at 10 O'clock, A.M. Because of this and that, I do feel just so down that I can't concentrate on anything. Beside waking up late and having to go out just go get me breakfast (and cat food). Cats are far more better than human beings. As for now, I'm wishing to close my eyes and wake up to see the weekend in front of me.
Amid the harsh flow of feelings and the confused mind, I couldn't resist my Notepad and started hitting some non-sense keystrokes all over the keyboad to finally give up with Singing Wind. It had been some long time since I've made a poem or wrote something. I hope this event is the initial spark for a continuous work on that side. I hate to leave the field just like that. I need to work again on my story "Blackened Image" as well, but how to collect my thoughts, this is another story.
And just when I thought my day (or whatever left of it) will pass easily, the devices in the lab did not work properly, and yet, the quantities of the samples are not enough already. Bravo. I survived the day at least!

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25. three days passed and Alexander was waiting
26. he organized the bulughmans into an army
27. now they can defend themselves by themselves
28. after the passage of three days, Heavens got ready
29. and sent the signals to him by the skies
30. where every cloud pointed like an arrow above
31. here, Alexander shouted to his men with amazement
32. "O men of valour, North shall we be heading,
33. I knew it before and I am sure of it now. So here we go."
34. and the horsemen and foot soldiers gathered
35. behind their leader and started to march
36. to the North where they never been before
37. amid the rumble of the dissatisfied men
38. while some of them are tired of the journeys
39. and the weight of metals broke their backs
40. and on the way they encountered villagers
41. some joined them and some sought their help
42. while some abandoned their villages with fear
43. thus Alexander had more men for his army
44. but some of them were not trained or weak
45. but they were happy to seek for glory
46. with a just man like Alexander, the hero
47. and fifteen days passed between the valleys
48. until they arrived to a thick black forest

Alexander 3, v5.

A day marked with sluggish movements. I'm kind of used to sleeplessness by now but today was something different. Wherever I go, I must do something wrong; wrong movement, crushing into something... you name it. Thank God I didn't bring my camera with me today. Although I don't know what I was thinking and I did not have a clear plan on what to snap, but I just felt like taking my camera with me (and that means lot of stuff to carry out with me as well).
Worked on 2 verses so far with my transliteration, and worked in the lab for some time to prepare and can the fish sampled that I've grinded before. I was working under the hood for the first time. This device is amazing guys... you MUST have it. I should keep one in my bathroom really... (just kidding, I'm not an oil tycoon).
I have some ideas for in-home photography and also I left my PC work on stitching again overnight, since I discovered that I saved the previous file as a .HDR format, which tends to be sluggish and literally, my Photoshop stopped responding when I opened the file. I know the file size is big as well, but EXR is better for handling this I would say, and also it supports transperancy, which I need highly.
I've noticed one more purchase for one of my photos in canstockphoto (via fotosearch). A little amount to be added to my balance but anyway, it makes me happy at least that my photo is getting some attention after all. It was an old photo though (most probably taken with my old Sony, I can't remember!). The image is "A Busy Day in My Life".

I'm having some busy day by tomorrow with some tasks to do here and there and picking my sister's laptop to some workshop for upgrading... let's hope it all goes well. I hate going into that area where all computer shops scatter around and the streets just STINK big time.
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97. in that situation and fear
98. Alexander drew something similar on the ground
99. like the shapes of those beasts
100. and they yelled with fear in one voice
101. Jawgá! Majawgá! Hayhókhaman!
102. just then Alexander remembered the legends
103. legends was told by his late father
104. about sons of the demons and sinners
105. when they met together and gave birth
106. he remembered Jawgá Majawgá
107. children of doom, children of hell
108. then once again the command was revealed
109. from Heavens down to earth for Alexander
110. "Alexander, you are victorious. Go ahead!"
111. it was then when Alexander called the men
112. the courageous generals of all times
113. and he divided them into three divisions
114. Chirán, Tólímí, Shakrashom and Galgalom
115. four generals with thousands of men
116. these will block the way from the valley
117. Érán, Kahrími, Dartalom
118. these with workers from invaded lands
119. shall dig the ground and take the ores
120. and a dam they shall make over the valley