Evolution Drama

Evolution is always about struggle and challenge. It's all about drama. Drama is mandatory. It's the dull, unnecessary type that I loathe. 

With all the conveniences of modern life, people are seldom in real danger and are pretty good at avoiding pain. But they need the struggle. So the real, painful challenges of life are often missed or postponed and it's the picky, daily chores that make the life's pains of an ordinary man. Same games over and over. Same patterns of behavior. Same pain - safe pain. 

I don't want to be at ease and in fact nobody does. Nobody can. I believe it's hard wired in our brains to look for a boundary to push, something to challenge or else - we die. It's how evolution works. So the all-peaceful-safe-well-fed people tend to find their drama - their meaning - making their lives hard and miserable. Punishing themselves, hurting others, wasting years and suffering about it - just so they could feel something. They just seem to pick the wrong challenges.

There's no such thing as finding happiness, no safe ground, no one spot that you should aim. Well being is about movement, change and growth so there is a path but there's no final destination. 

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.