Steampunk USB

I love doing things with my hands. Creating stuff, playing instruments or just fiddling with a pencil or a zippo. So here's a passion of mine I haven't talked before - handcrafts.

No matter what I'm dealing with usually the products of my work are fictive, digital, organisational, witty or plain nonexistent. Old school type of existent I'm talking about. The one you can touch, hold, play with.

I find enormous consolidation and satisfaction in working on something literally with my hands. To sweat, bleed and struggle to give it life.

This is the Ultimate Scribe Briefcase - my greatest creation so far. It took two usb flash drives (the first broke), 3 dead old watches, a russian alarm clock, a plank of grenadil, some leather and a sweet week of work. In the beginning when it was only a brave idea I wasn't sure I'll be able to do it so it was a challenge and I am still proud of it. Until the next one.

Done with the precious help of Yasen Nikov who prepared the wooden base and gave me my first lessons in wood carving.

Smallman

Smallman is the only bulgarian band I care about lately. The first time I was exposed to their music I was mesmerized. There is something in the sound of bulgarian bagpies that just gets me right in the guts, pulls a deep string, pushes a hidden button in me. Throw in the mix a tool-like bass, aggresive and unpredictable drums, beatuful vocal and lyrics and you've got me. There is something about their music that escapes words, a feeling that transcends the music itself. It just has to be experienced.

Last Sunday I had the plaesure to attend their first dedicated concert and it was a rare experience.The whole feeling was as being part of something historical, something yet to be talked about, yet to evolve and expand.

Миналата неделя бях на първия самостоятелен концерт на Smallman и в последния момент реших да взема и апарата. И понеже не бях снимал отдавна, нито поглеждал батерията - след втората песен и около 30 кадъра машинката умря. Интересна ситуация - или свиря отбой или търся начин да излъжа апарата да повярва в себе си и да съдейства. След известно време експериментиране открих, че ако извадя батерията, бия я о нещо твърдо (бар, сцена, зъби), вкарам я обратно, включа рязко апарата и натисна спусъка, машинката не се усеща навреме и прави един кадър преди да блокира. Беше интересно преживяване, което ми докара едно за съжаление позабравено чувство от снимането на лента - а именно педантичната прецизност, с която трябва да се подхожда към избор на светлина, бленда, кадриране, фокусиране (до колкото това е възможно с lensbaby) и светкавичноизпълнениенавоененманьовър за да щракне гявола.

До края на концерта успях да направя още двайсетина снимки и точно измежду тях се намериха и тези, заслужаващи внимание. Понякога границите са освобождаващи.

And many thanks to Emmy for spicing up the atmosphere just a notch above the comprehendable.

A Modern Mariachi

- And you? What'd you do?

I was sitting on the grass for some time now. Listening to him play an old guitar - hidden by a hat and somewhere in his own worlds. It was a beautiful early summer afternoon and relaxing on a meadow seemed like the only sane thing to do. My thoughts had flown too and I stumbled in the response.

- Uhm..like work or... - I thought for a second. - I think I'm looking for inspiration.

He just shrugged, smiled lightly and played a slow chord string by string.

- Any luck?

- Rarer than I'd like to.

This time he just laughed.

- What? It's not easy.

- Oh I'm sure it isn't. It's just... - another minor chord. He pressed his hand against the strings, still smiling. - Looks like you're trying to see your ears... and succeed, yet rarely.

He looked around slowly, like trying to smell something.

- You know, inspiration is a twisted word. Makes you think it is something you possess. But inspiration rather is something that you do now with full devotion and care. It's something that you are... in a way. And you simply can not be it while you're busy looking elsewhere. Don't you think?

- Well... makes sense.

- Look the guitar for example. Now it is the most important thing in the whole world. I press a string with one finger, I pick it with another and ...
As he let go his finger off the string a bold sound flowed out, vibrating, shaking the air around me. It resonated with the sun rays going through the branches of the trees, danced with their shadows chasing each other all around. It mixed with the humming of the insects, screams of the children and the soft wind going through the grass bellow. Suddenly it imbued everything around and synchronized it in that very moment. Then, becoming gentle and softer it shoot up to twirl with the clouds above.
- We both experience a miracle. Now...