turndaround's PhotoBlog

The Land I Call Home

2008-10-05T21:12:55Z

just part of a parking lot Song/Title: The Land I Call Home Alexandros Myrat, Camerata Orchestra & ERT Choir

Gated Community

2008-10-04T11:00:00Z

I remember upon leaving for the states this summer, another photoblogger challenged me to find anything as random up there as I could down here. Well, as I was driving around home, in the sparcely populated (not even hamlet) in which I grew up, I rolled across this sight. There sat a small, and quite pretty piece of land with an intensely formidable front gate. Behind the gate? Nothing but this camper. Around the gate? Not a fence to be seen. Now, you might think, "the owners are just starting construction, and haven't had time to complete anything else." Okay, I could give you that, but this little scene has been nestled, exactly like this for several years -- really. Random? I believe so, sirs and madams.

Narrow Daylight

2008-09-30T11:08:53Z

Song/Title: Narrow Daylight - Lizz Wright

Oh Love...

2008-09-30T00:36:03Z

My aunt and her daughter, out to eat one evening this summer. Song/Title: Oh Love... - John Mayer

The Jealous Kind

2008-09-29T00:24:37Z

As I was walking home from school last week, this was sitting in the street in front of my house. I'm used to the random cones/construction work on these streets (since they're all made of cobblestones in our colonia). I was not, however, anticipating one with a little novella written upon it. Song/Title: The Jealous Kind - Delbert McClinton

and you were thinking

2008-09-25T19:26:13Z

that I'd finished with my Mexico City pics. I'll remind you that I'll never finish with my Mexico City pictures -- I have seventeen million of them! This is one of the many murals at the castillo Chapultepec. I'm pretty sure this one is in the carriage house of the place. All of the gente reminded me of the partying I'll be doing all weekend long (three birthdays to celebrate -- including mine!).

40 Acres

2008-09-24T16:56:06Z

Here are some of the animals I got to hang out with this summer while I was at home. The first is my aunt's dog, Bo. He's a particulary humorous dog that feels very entitled to everything in my aunt's house. The second is one of my stepdad's cattle. She was so curious about me that it didn't bother her at all to be less than a foot away from my camera (as long as that barbed wire were between us, that is) We had quite the stare-down that afternoon. The third is a deer named Buttons that lives in the community and is "owned" by one of the families there. They found her over ten years ago -- without a mother, and took care of her. The collar is so hunters don't take aim at her, but she has free reign all over the place. She was eating doritos out of the preacher's hand when I took this shot. The last is one of the many chickens that my uncle raises. When he gave up drinking, he decided to to something a little different to occupy his free time. I never knew how many types of chickens there were in the universe until that afternoon over at the coup. Song/Title: 40 Acres - Caedmon's Call

I Will Overcome

2008-09-22T23:19:36Z

Last week was Dia del Independencia in Mexico. You, faithful visitor, already know that after viewing my blog a few days ago, I understand. Indulge me a little further though. All over the country, citizens gather in public squares, and at the same time, they yell "¡VIVA!..." for lots of things. Mexico, Hidalgo, los niños heros... It's a very patriotic time. This year, I happened to be in a pretty wealthy neighborhood for the grito. It was raining everywhere, and frankly -- more than just a little bit boring. There were little games and numerous jumping houses (Mexican children love those things), traditional dancers and not-so-professional singers, and loads of food under a tarmac's length of tents. None of this was enough to really write home about though (or to get my camera wet for). As we were leaving after the grito yell though to dry our freezing bones, I stopped short at a horrific sight. There, spinning soggy in the patriotic air, was this "wheel of death" that I have officially dubbed the thing. It's like a ferris wheel (already one HUGE strike since I hate ferris wheels with a fervent passion -- and with good reason), but there are only seats on the bottom half of the wheel. Then, surrounding these terrible seats are nothing but bars...a cage if you will, to surround, nay, trap the poor passengers. These apparantly unwitting dears must hold on for their immortal souls as this murderous contraption spins them at a high velocity, until they are (I'm certain of it) completely unaware of their surroundings, current age, and middle name. I could only stand and shutter at what I saw. Finally, after being nudged back into coherence by my friends, I took my trembling fingers to my camera's silver-wet shutter button -- simply to have permanent recollection of the very amusement ride commissioned by Satan himself. Enjoy the memory. Song/Title: I Will Overcome - Charlie Hall

In a Little While

2008-09-18T21:31:09Z

We did lunch on Sunday afternoon at a really cute restaurant on Chapultepec called Chai. I loved the decor and the great time with friends. Song/Title: In a Little While - U2

A Little Viva

2008-09-18T01:12:28Z

This week was Mexico's Independence Day. Tuesday, actually. We all had Monday and Tuesday off, but on the Friday before, we had a flag salute to honor the holiday. There was a mariachi band, a balloon release, and the third and fourth grade classes entertained the student body with a traditional dance in traditional dress. The dance could have been a little more...well, umm...rehearsed, but they were all so cute!!