Paper Bound Solace

(Photo mine.)

 

book·worm/ˈbo͝okˌwərm/

Noun:

A person devoted to reading. The larva of a wood-boring beetle that feeds on the paper and glue in books. A person devoted to reading who begins, in both physical and virtual worlds, to resemble a wood-boring beetle that feeds on the paper and glue, margins and type, quote and blurb, jacket and spine, colour and smell, shape and size, heft and height of books.

Photo/Portal

(Warmth, Joy, Relief)
Photo by Carissa Gallo

Another life

I hope I am the child they never had.

A photograph I did not take

The flower vendor by the turnstiles at the fourteenth street L train station, softly slumped over himself in late evening slumber, chin on chest, hand hanging on the inside of his knee, surrounded by flowers; his apron turning the whole thing into a curtsy.

Dark Room

Open. On. Put down, unstack, pour. Tong. Tong. Tong. Negative out. Unfold. Open. Place, close, adjust, slide, brace. Frame. Rotate. Rotate. Rotate back. White off. Red on. Focus on. Up, down. Edge. Adjust. Focus. Back, forth. Grain check. Squint. See spots. Stop down. Time up. Stopwatch. Focus off. Paper out. Fold, slice, fold, slice. Paper in. Frame open. Paper in. Frame closed. Adjust.

Breathe. Dark. Breathe.

Expose. Count down. Frame open. Paper out. Frame closed. Drop. Developer. Stopwatch. Swivel. Swivel. Swivel. Wait. Watch clock. Sing Billie Holiday. Swivel. Tongs. Pick up. Shake off. Drop. Stop bath. Stopwatch. Swivel. Swivel. Swivel. Tongs. Pick up. Shake off. Drop. Fix. Stopwatch. Swivel. Swivel. Swivel. Wait. Watch clock. White on. (Red off.) Squint. Frown/Grin. Go out. Find Don. Feedback. Tinker. Reset. Watch clock. Tongs. Pick up. Shake off. Drop in. Water. Wiggle. White off. Red on. Set up.

Dark. Breathe. Dark.

And: again.

End: Water out. Hypoclear in. Stopwatch. Developer. Pour back. Stop bath. Pour back. Fix. Pour back. Rinse. Rinse. Rinse. Tong. Tong. Tong. Watch clock. Tong. Pick up. Water bath. Pick up. Water bath. Again. Again. Hypoclear out. Rinse. Tong. Watch clock. Squeegee. Drying mesh. Squeegee. Drying mesh. Again. Again. Stack. Pick up. Off. Close.

Exhibit Announcement

Well. It seems it's happening. Here's the first draft of the flier for the Spring Exhibit:

Delhi Dogs

Next quarter, my final one at the University of Oregon, six of my photographs will be on display at the Mills International Center in the Erb Memorial Union. Since somebody else wants to show them, I figure I should do so, too.

Below are the photographs on exhibit. Collectively, I like to call them

Delhi Dogs

Stone chip facade,
Asymmetric arch.
Toto, we're not in Agra anymore.

Vaulting dome
Fine lattice
Asleep.

June heat
Fountain water
Wallowing.

Damp concrete
Right angles
Nestled.

Red flagstones
Summer Dust
Limp.

Bamboo scaffolding,
Bright plastic buckets.
Delhi's pride and joy on her day off.