Flickrintheflesh

Summer isn’t conducive to putting words to screen for me – too much open air & run/pedal around in the warmth to spend further time infront of a keyboard, generally. A hazy, lazy afternoon tapping into the Bryant Park freebie wireless in the shade of the Center for the Humanities on 42nd Street means I’ve at least pointed myself this way briefly. There’s copious brain leavings (phrase copyright Selkie) for me to deposit regarding the trip to Scotchshire (not to mention just how many gigs of photos to wade through?) and recent nyc fun, the meat of which I’ll just have to catch up on in time. The days will get shorter well before I’m ready for them to, after all.

Things tend to clump and aggregate in life although it may be pure coinkerdink that over the past week or two I’ve met in person a few significant bods known previously only from online discourse. Flickr, I’m sure, is different from other online communities (footie aside) in that the number of like minds is much higher and the chances of meeting reasonably socially-rounded folk is greater than elsewhere. Generally, I have little interest in finding community in cyblerland, but the mixture of the above, the impact of and passion for the digital image, and a good slice of good luck no doubt, means that I’ve ended up touching bases with some superb individuals.

First off was Brendadada in Edinburgh – someone who’s good humour, good slice of cynicism, and overall zest for life is mirrored in her personal, real world self by her 2D online wordsmith self. I suspect that I was somewhat typically birds and probably slightly abrasive when with her, but she took all in her stride. She’s complex, doesn’t take life too seriously, has boundless energy, and was a joy to finally meet. More briefly, we also spent a few hours with Shooz, who’s probably a bit more reserved in demeanour that I’d expected, but another sure-fire lively mind and someone with a real photographic skill. The fact that she’s landed her very own photo exhibition there in Glasgee is superb news and summat that she no doubt deserves. Distance is the bitch about meeting people in this way – I’d happily trot out for a quick bevy with these people on a regular basis to get to know them properly, but geography deems otherwise.

That sentiment goes doubly for Sarah (Knautia) & Vik (BingoLittle) who came through New York on their jollies and whom I sort of met up by flickr chance, although nortier Knautia & I had yapped online at each other a fair bit. A drunken night in NYC’s Ginger Man, a lot of laughs, and total soul mate comfort and ease being with ‘em means I missed them before they’d even gone. Sarrh & I share a sense of ridiculous and stewpidity with the camera lens, I think, that means I’d never get bored in her company and given the opportunity, would lead to childlike amusement to an ugly degree. We’ll doubtless be meeting up when next over in Blighty. (T. had fun with them too, to the point of gin-inebriation, natch…)

Lastly, I’d neglected making it to various NYC flickrite events during work mayhem and subsequent travels. A quick Friday afternoon slink out of responsibility meant I spent a few hours at Belmont Park racetrack on Long Island with Ingrid (other flickr nyarkers flaked, as it turned out). Her initial shock that I wasn’t a woman (which is just peach), despite briefly meeting me before, didn’t stop us from having a blast betting (and mostly losing, for my part) single dollars like completely clueless novices. Ingrid has a perfect mix of humour, bitterness, antisocial tendencies, and intelligence that makes her excellent company (and if I dare say, not typically American). If the rest of the NYC crowd are cut from a similar cloth, I predict they’ll be equally entertaining.

I think my screen’s about to melt….