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Walking Commentary

Thoughts and cycling from Manchester to Rome in 2023

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Archives for January 2021

Inya and Offa

January 19, 2021 by Simon Robinson 2 Comments

‘Write and tell us when we are going wrong’ said Aung Sang Suu Kyi at the end of her interview with Fergal Keane in 1995.

I wouldn’t know this but for walking along Offa’s Dyke for a few days in 2019. My walking buddy and I found ourselves in a bookshop in Hay-on-the-Wye where I picked up a used copy of Fergal Keane’s Letter to Daniel, published in 1996 for his new-born son. While I’ve enjoyed dipping into these stories over the last fifteen months, I realise that Daniel must be around 24 now and I wonder what he thinks of his Dad’s letters. And I wonder if Keane ever wrote to tell Daw Suu how they were going wrong.

Swe Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon 1992 © Simon Robinson
[Read more…] about Inya and Offa

Filed Under: Fake Memoir Tagged With: aung san suu kyi, burma, fergal keane, nobel prize, offa's dyke, photography, travel, walking

Where Is The Edge?

January 18, 2021 by Simon Robinson Leave a Comment

‘Apparently, 600-1,000 words is the sweet spot for introducing one big idea. The brevity disciplines the author and allows the reader to grasp the essential point—and to remain hungry for more even as she moves to another essay.’

Here are three scarf candidates for your daily eye candy:

[Read more…] about Where Is The Edge?

Filed Under: Anchoritism Tagged With: edge.org, fabhappy, john brockman, photos, simonscarves

Charting Phrenology

January 17, 2021 by Simon Robinson Leave a Comment

I stumbled over a book on psychology while rationalising our book shelves. It has several names inscribed inside the cover so that I know at least three people in this family have read and annotated various passages. I speed-read it back in the day and on seeing it again, took umbrage at phrenology, and not for the first time. Umbrage is the right word. The dark shadow beneath a tree, the shadow that represents my doubts about the foundations of the ‘science’ of psychology (and especially psychoanalysis) that followed on from the bumps of phrenology.

On reflection, Freud wasn't right. This  is a picture I took today while I was thinking about phrenology.
Building Fence Pool Reflections © Simon Robinson
Fuji X-T4 | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM | 160 mm | 1/320s | f/11 | ISO 2500 | handheld
[Read more…] about Charting Phrenology

Filed Under: Anchoritism Tagged With: booklink, george a miller, photos, sigmund freud

Not Just Another Book

January 16, 2021 by Simon Robinson Leave a Comment

Imagine imagining publishing a book that would sell for £16,500 per copy. I mention ‘per copy’ lest you think that’d be the price for the whole print run. Yes, The Sistine Chapel is a brand-spanking new, limited edition, three-volume book available now from your nearest Callaway Arts & Entertainment supplier. I’d ask ‘wtf’, ‘why’ and ‘who’ but I think you probably beat me to it.

I took this image earlier today. The low angled morning sun turned the roiling green sea to jittery, jingly, shimmery brown. The wind was howling so I used the Dun Laoghaire pier wall as a shield.
The Muglins Lighthouse – © Simon Robinson 2021
Fuji X-T4 | Sigma 150-600 F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | 225 mm | 1/1000s | f/16 | ISO 3200 | handheld

I took this image earlier today. The low angled morning sun turned the roiling green sea to jittery, jingly, shimmery brown. The wind was howling so I used the Dun Laoghaire pier wall as a shield. I set the aperture to f/16 to maximise the depth of field, set the shutter to 1/1000 to minimise the shake with the big lens, handheld on a windy day. Then I overexposed the distant lighthouse with an ISO of 3200. And hoped the two image stabilisation technologies – OIS in the lens and IBIS on the sensor – would do their thing.

[Read more…] about Not Just Another Book

Filed Under: Anchoritism, ManRom2021 Tagged With: birds, booklink, edwin lutyens, lia mills, photos, sunflowers, thomas pakenham

Full Circles

January 15, 2021 by Simon Robinson Leave a Comment

I posted several photos to Instagram the other day. I decided on a theme: What is Red? My posts were in response to an ‘invitation’ to share red coloured photos with #capturecolors and @captureonepro in the captions of my posts. I thought to limit my post to photos taken in Ireland in 2020 and found six I liked. Submissions closed today and three Fuji cameras await the the best pictures posted with those tags.

  • Scanner & CaptureOne
  • Fuji X-T3 & Lightroom
  • Fuji X-T3 & Lightroom
  • Canon 1D-X & Lightroom
  • Canon 1D-X & Lightroom
  • Scanner & CaptureOne
What is Red? All images copyright Simon Robinson 2020
Instagram: simonscarves
[Read more…] about Full Circles

Filed Under: Fake Memoir Tagged With: capture one, photography, simonscarves, street photography, x-t3

Strange Memory Links

January 14, 2021 by Simon Robinson Leave a Comment

I’ve no idea why I woke up this morning thinking about Terry who memorably lamented ‘I could’ve been somebody’ in On the Waterfront. Thoughts of Terry somehow dragged up lots of stuff, including toilet rolls, from the depths of my mind.

strange memory links - a core tale from 1988 is repeated.
A core tale from 1988 is repeated below.
[Read more…] about Strange Memory Links

Filed Under: Fake Memoir Tagged With: argentina, fitbit, houston, photo, texas, travel

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