Fáilte go gConga...

Just like someone waking up from a dream, I can't believe that I'm already on my 10^th day in here and only 3 days are left till I move out and head to Dublin.
I'm checking things right now for a possibility to visit Inchagoil island, which might take place on Sunday or Monday. Because of the pressure somewhat here, I've canceled my plans to visit Brigit Gardens. It is a nice place but I do need some time to enjoy the nature around the Waterfront B&B too. I do need time too to put my tools down and arrange them in order to fit it all inside my suitcase before heading to the station.

Today, I've headed to Cong town, in Co. Mayo, to the north of Oughterard (which lies in Co. Galway itself). The town is the location of Ashford castle, which is now a 5-star hotel, and Cong Abbey. Thus, in the beginning we headed to the castle.

On the way to Cong

Things had changed a bit since 2009. Apparently, there is now a gate before the golf course and to cross it there is supposed to be some sort of payment. Anyway, we passed the gate without paying anything. My first target was the main fountain in front of the castle, and there I've placed my stuff to do a panorama. It was a fast rhyming panorama because the sun was shining today. After that I've started to search for that mysterious pathway around the premises which I've went through 5 years ago. I remember this path had a name,  a very specific name containing the word "Lady" - but this year I didn't find this sign; it was all entitled as "The Walled Gardens".

On the top of the entrance of the path.

Now, I think this path is supposedly to go around the "monk's fishing hut" or something like that, but I'm just going to call it "the path". This path also leads or circles the Falconry school in the premises. I have to say I kind of got lost there trying to find my way to the old path I've encountered before 5 years ago. I went back and forth until I've encountered a gateway which I remember clearly that it lead to the gardens and the path, and some of the details there which I didn't catch back then are now into my camera! Once I've found the way, I've encountered a shaded path made of tree branches which was the perfect spot for some shots; and specifically IR shots.

After taking few shots for this short pathway with my Rokinon 8mm fisheye, I switched to my 15mm fisheye lens (as it is the lens I can use infrared filter with). Unfortunately I didn't have the time to cut a little piece of the infrared filter slide (which I have in my bag) to fit my Rokinon 8mm. Maybe I would do that any time now or maybe I should leave it till I get back home!

Infrared shot for the shaded path.

Now, to take this infrared shot, I was supposed to expose for around 12 minutes. I was somewhat in a hurry and urging to move forward, specially that this spot was in the midway and I was expecting people passing by (the passage is narrow and I was blocking it). Thus, I've decided to shoot it at ISO400 instead of ISO100, which reduced the time from 12 minutes to 3 minutes only. And, they were really long minutes! Another infrared shot was made later in a different position, but at ISO500 to make it even a bit faster. That one took 6 minutes to be done! Those trees surely do provide a good shade.

Going back to the beginning...

On the way I took various shots for the forest and the path in different lenses (mainly the 8mm Rokinon fisheye). In general though, I think they are quite the normal shots like those I've done 5 years ago. In fact, they are even less in number. And here comes the problem which I will talk about briefly later.
After finishing I've just headed to the cab and since I was tired, I asked the driver to just skip the abbey. Thus, no pictures or panoramas from there, despite the magnificent architecture of that abbey. Even when I got into the car, I've left my camera at the backseat and didn't keep it with me to take pictures on the way. I was so tired, not only physically, but also emotionally.

It seems that I'm pressuring myself just to take pictures because everyone was expecting me to take a lot of pictures. This stress, probably, lead to my brain to switch off and I couldn't notice the beauty that I was hoping for like when I was a freshman to this area 5 years ago! I think I've missed the point big time and it is time for me to just enjoy my vacation without thinking about photography - and this is something I'm planning to do soon, just before I leave this place. As for now I've canceled my plans for Brigit Garden, and maybe I will do one night photography in the coming few nights for me here just before I leave…

Sorry for Ranting

My mind is disturbed. So disturbed. I decided to write this post today and post it instead of Thursday. Despite the abundance in some photographic materials that I had prepared somehow, yet I don't and I can't find the spirit to write anything about artistry down.
It has been a rough week so far, and I'm writing these words from my laptop at work as it is the only way I could do, since the internet is not working back home because of phone line problems.
I've been trying my best to cope with stress, but the more I do, the higher the wave gets. Starting off with my supposed weekend which gets ruined every week, but this week there was an extra bonus waiting for me with some power problems putting the house on and off for 2 days - that is my whole weekend. Later, I get some weird requests for family members knocking off my privacy completely - and they do it in a cold blood in a commanding manner like if I was simply a pawn. Then comes a disastrous Monday (the day that I love the most, and please note the sarcasm), which started off with a migraine taking me through all the work problems and the endless talk, and suddenly getting a bleeding nose. Just when I thought my day is over, still there were more problems awaiting - Malfunctioning PC, which I got it working again by a miracle, and then to discover that the internet is not working at all. After investigation I've discovered that the whole house has no signals and we are completely isolated from the internet. I've spent all of Monday (after work) without internet and now, Tuesday, after calling the emergency they told me I won't be seeing anyone until tomorrow, Wednesday. Meaning another day with no internet.

Simply for the fact that I got fed up with everyone and everything else, I've decided to get married as soon as possible. Maybe when I move out I would have a better chance for stress relieving, or maybe I can sleep without thinking what's next. Maybe then I can have a weekend like everyone does - enjoying my time. The only way to move out from my house is to be officially married because singles can't rent decent places here.
I'm sorry. I'm not really sure if this is the right thing to do, and I didn't live any love story (and my heart had passed this phase long time ago), nor I'm dying to do this. But desperate times, need desperate measures - and here I am, just knocking off everything and screwing my world up in a gamble, that I might have a better one later. I need to do it, as soon as possible...

Back to Work...

My first day at work. Nothing has changed. Blabbering, clumsiness, and yet, stupid administerative people.
I spent the previous days playing one game or two and working on lot of photographs (specially those that were made into panoramic views). Not all of them turned out great and as usual, fotolia refuses all. I'm planning to order some stuff from outside and I need indeed some cash for it, even though it will be over the visa of course.
I didn't post much here, specially the photos, but hopefully I will make an email later for a group of photos and I shall spread the email all over.

In case you want to receive the email later on, please, leave me a note here or send me an email (the same ID of this blog @ gmail), and I shall work on it.

A little example of what I'm working with;


Now, I need some time to grease my mind and my nerves to cope with the daily stress as usual. Also, I have to push myself to write poems and to complete what I began with that story and also with the translation of my story, Alexander. The stress seems to be coming from my private work rather than from work for the first glance, but in Kuwait, everything brings a stress I believe. I also plan to look further than stock sites to sell my photos, but I just need a start point to begin with...

Stress

Trying to compensate and to manage between the various stresses I had about work, so I'm concentrating more upon poetry and writing, and trying to find a career within that field. Many people advised before to find a place in that domain since they read my poetry before.
In the time being I just finished writing my newest poem, Take Me. It is weird how one, or me at least, writes a poem. you don't feel anything... only words flow through your fingers. You smells things are not there, and see things you never did see before. A world of imagination and dreams (not necessarily happy ones) and then, tata, you are finished.
On the other side, I'm thinking also of stepping into the designing world, specially in the field of educational posters. I made some posters already for work, I believe I can handle that... all what I need is materials and ads.

Still writing on the story of Alexander and might as well soon finish, or let's say, get into the last scenery or last patch of the story. In the same time, I'm working on with my previous recordings to add some effects and change the pitch of my voice. Although I previously decided to do everything in Flash format but, seems I'm not gona use it completely... and I'm gona add the contents of the chapters one by one.

I think it is the time to prepare for my vacation in October now. I should start filling my visa application!

The Charnagút

The Charnagút

Here you find a scan for my own sketch of the Charnagut. I did not plan for this shape in the beginning but it was my hand that works separated from my imagination and mind. The scan looks weird with grey blocks as you can see, because the scan was done on 2 parts then combined together. The sketching book was so large for the scanner to take it all.
The sword looks small so I had to lengthen it a bit after the scan.
The work is going on now on vectorizing parts of the sword, and then each part of it shall be rasterized and be as an image by itself. I'm pushing far behind my abilities, this is what I think. I'm not an artist after all.

I can barely think clearly these days.... work... home..... everything is stressing me out. Sometimes I do think really of leaving work and do something else related to art... something that keeps me free instead of being like a slave or a prisoner to the stupid working conditions and laws in this state.

I got myself a little notebook lately, with a special green pen specifically for this note. It is to record any ideas I might encounter suddenly or any words of poetry that I might use later on. You don't know when are you going to use such things one day.

Today, Friday, I hope I would have a brainstorm to write something in Alexnader's story... I've passed the 2000 limit already (or to be so soon). I finished recording all the voice clips for all the previous parts (1-5), and now the part for the sound effects comes. After that I have to figure out a way to pin it down on the web.