Natura

A dog and three moose looking at each other in the snow. © Nina Buesing Corvallo

I like seasons and weather. This winter has been very mild for us, which on one hand has made life easy on the other hand I am disappointed not to witness any blizzards this year (last year was phenomenal). Weather can be a menace but when observed from a safe place is just spectacular. If you head over to Sandra Juto's blog, you can see the best pictures of frost on windows I have ever seen: www.sandrajuto.blogspot.com.

Happy New Year! (New York Chinese New Year)

Happy Year of The (Water) Dragon! Three Corvallos in Chinatown for New Years. ©Nina Buesing Corvallo

Last night just before midnight we trekked down to the Buddhist Temple on Center Street to welcome the Year of the Dragon. I've come to the conclusion that Western New Year is not my thing. In Germany I always dreaded it because it involves an enormous amount of alcohol and firecrackers. Serious ones. The kind that is illegal here in the US and that cause a lot of emergency room visits. Not my thing. In New York City New Year's is one of the worst days for the police department, and we usually just hole up in our home or maybe have dinner with family or friends - avoiding the alcoholic rampage in our neighborhood. Ultimately it is fine. It's one night, but it is not how I want to start my New Year. Ever since I lived in Chinatown I make a point of stopping by the Buddhist Temple for Chinese New Year. It's beautiful how the New Year is greeted there and so kind that we are always welcomed. So that is the New Year that I look forward to.
This is a special year: The Year of the Dragon! I wish you all a healthy, prosperous, happy, lucky and full of love Year of The Dragon. Make it count.
PS: yes, I know Firecrackers originate from China. And no, I have not experienced Chinese New Year in China. I am strictly speaking about my experience in New York. If you are in New York, try to make it to Chinatown and have some delicious Vegge food, watch the Dragon bless the local businesses or watch the Fireworks at Chatham Square.

Love it Here, Hate it Here

So many truths in this one: S**t New Yorkers Say by Eliot Glazer.
Pat Kiernan. Love it.

Thursday This & That (First Post of 2012)

We had a magnificent lunch at Ida's the other day. I love her home. ©Nina Buesing Corvallo

To read and see: My classmate Hiro's writing & images at The New York Times' Lens blog: Lost And Alone Under Tokyo's Red Rain

To read and think about: The Unleashed Mind: Why Creative Peopel Are Eccentric by Shelley Carson (via Delphine Diall0)

To see: Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom trailer.

And more to see & read about: Emily's Ad for PETA!

2011

2011 was a very mixed bag. We lost big and we gained big as a family.
Professionally this year was a disaster. Might as well be honest about it. And I only have myself to blame . I did nada. But the good thing about it being my fault, is that it means I have a chance to correct it. And because this was personally such an intense year, maybe it was for the best that I did not have my mind on work and photography at large.
I think this journey of highs and lows might have started before 2011. Thus the calendar year is arbitrary, but still a good opportunity to take stock and muster resolve.
I wish you all a happy 2012. I am looking forward.

Fire

I can be a bit of a freak about safety, something I picked up from my dad, and I just wanted to remind everyone out there to check their fire alarms. Make sure the battery is good or if you don't have a smoke detector or not enough, get some - now.
A former neighbor of ours just lost her children and parents in a tragic house fire over the holiday. It seems that there were no working smoke detectors in that house.
Then today I read about a very similar tragedy happening in Australia. So please take a moment and check your smoke detectors.
We can't control the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

Manhattan

Manhattan Sunset ©Nina Buesing Corvallo

Still on a Woody kick. Last night we watched Manhattan. Find the original 1979 trailer at: www.youtube.com. So. Good.