Idea for a family photo album project

People usually organize their photo albums chronologically, i.e.,  first the pictures of one given year, then the next, and so on.

But a while ago I thought it could be done by age of the photographed subject, or simply by subject. For example, a collection of family pictures of babies. Or first school day pictures. Or wedding photos. Regardless of the year or the generation, but always the same family.

So far I've managed to collect one series of four babies.

 1920

 1950

 1980

2011.


Each baby is a parent of the baby in the next picture, except for the picture with two boys where it's the youngest who's the father (and grandfather) of the babies in the next pictures. These pictures give a hint of physical similarities (full dark haired heads, tiny mouths and rounded cheeks seem a pattern, although photography can be the ultimate lying device), of reproductive patterns (that 30 years loop can't be just a coincidence), fashions and... who knows? With time we'll get more clues to read series like this one.

By the way, there is a picture of all four of us at the same time. I think it just says how precious life is, and how strong family bonds can be.

And probably that we grow up to look only like ourselves, and nobody else.

August month

August. We've passed the half year mark, so it's typical to think about all those things one thought one would do but obviously still hasn't - and probably won't, ever. And feels bad about it.

Given that at this point of my life I'm not really counting time in year lapses but rather roll with it on a daily basis, I really should pass - but this self flagellating mood is still here. So I'm going to pick on it.

It's not a goal or anything really useful, but turns out I opened a Twitter account a while ago and dropped it because I didn't understand how it's used. Mine is not really an informed or critical decision, it's that I really couldn't catch the gist of how it goes, of what's one supposed to do other than reading other people's tweets. The noise is unbearable - it's only pieces of information repeating things I already know or pointing to facebook (useless if you don't have an account there), and the "retweeting" function just... well, are you supposed to repeat what other people has said? On what purpose? Don't we sound as idiots doing that?

I felt stupid every time I logged into Twitter. So August: notch yourself another win.

Is this worth it?

Lately I've been putting an extra effort into daily cooking. I'm trying new recipes (mostly twists to the same old things) and giving the classics a whirl - so I can't say we're exactly pushing our taste buds with exotic ingredients all too often. The goal here is not so much to try new things but to avoid the what's for dinner panic attack and that we've converted to soup religion feeling.


The main difference is forethought. Planning. Or just premeditation. And I never premeditate enough time to follow the steps or calculate exactly how much food I'm making, so it might be a lot of work for one and a half meals worth of servings, or we end up eating the same thing 4 or 5 times in a row, and on top of that, burned. Or the week takes us for dinners out and the food sits, waiting in the fridge, until past its prime. Or it's just... well, less than perfect anyway.

So I can't help wondering, is spending so much time and energy every night cooking, really, truly, worth it? The time doing all the washing up... isn't it better to, right, plan ahead what to eat and when, but rely more on food made by others and stay with the basics like rice and boiled eggs? It sounds stupid, almost, but the thought of last night's burned pan that's still sitting and waiting... makes me think it twice. Isn't it the case for you, too?

Driver! Follow that actor!

Everyone, meet Mads Mikkelsen (pronounced something like "max miggelsen").

Picture from here.

I first registered him as the bad guy in Casino Royale, a.k.a. "James Bond begins". Not particularly a memorable character, though interestingly creepy.

He's in an Oscar nominated Danish film (I try to watch the European nominees as they're usually excellent), which we watched as soon as it fell in our hands. That's when I decided to follow this actor.

Pic from here.

Adam's apples is pitch black among dark humor comedies, but it's great. I really don't know how it manages to avoid bad taste, but it does, and it leaves laughing at yourself.

Oh boy, the doctor and his clinical studies still elicits more than a chuckle from me. The neonazi who has to bake an apple pie, his fellow, ahem, interns and his fellow neonazis all interacting with each other and with Ivan the priest, are just priceless. How I wish other directors and producers could ridicule evil so nimbly.

Pic from here.

The most bizarre film I found following Mads Mikkelsen is "Torremolinos 73". Franco's Spain meets homemade porn meets Ingmar Bergman... what can come up from that input?

Pic from here.

A story with hilarious absurd, sound development and a surprisingly tender end. That's what.

There are still plenty out there to watch from this actor and they are (or will be) in our play list. But the best thing is having found an actor who can pick his movies and makes our decisions easier. Thank you Mads!