I’ve been sick again, for the last week and a half. I had a cold, but it developed into an upper respiratory infection. I haven’t even been commuting by bicycle, while I’m sick. I have done so in the past and I basically decided it’s not worth it. It’s just not enjoyable, and I end up thinking, “Why am I doing this?” So I’m not doing that. The timing couldn’t have been worse — last week was my busiest week of the entire semester, and I was sick the whole time. Ugh.

For now, I’m getting to/from/around campus by bus, walking, and rides from my wife. It’s times like this when I’m glad I have some alternatives to riding.

Next week is finals, and then I have a few weeks off before winter semester begins. I’m looking forward to a break, and I hope I’ll be well enough to do some riding by then. I am thinking that I would really like to do some wandering rides — take my time and just enjoy myself, nothing too intense. It sounds relaxing.

School started back up on Monday. I’m taking a full load again this semester.

I didn’t feel ready for school to start, but I’m getting back in the swing of things pretty quickly. My classes are all interesting, and once again, as a General Studies major, I get to take a variety of classes:

• Social Informatics
• Roman Culture
• Production
• Photography

In addition to being interesting topics, my production course is actually hands-on this semester, which is exciting. We got to see the TV studio where we’ll be doing some of our work, and it’s very impressive. I can’t wait to learn how to use some of the crazy equipment they have there.

Photography is in the darkroom this semester. I’ve done darkroom work before, but it’s been a long time, and I’m very excited.

The Social Informatics class is a prerequisite for another class I want to take, but it looks interesting in itself. It looks at how technology shapes society, and vice versa.

Roman Culture fulfills a cultural studies requirement. I chose it because when I was growing up, we always studied the Greeks, with promises that we’d cover the Romans later. But, we never did. The topic isn’t as fascinating to me as some of the others, but it is interesting, and it’s cool to have such a different kind of class. It’s going to involve a lot of reading, and I’m actually looking forward to some of it. Also, the professor seems engaging, which could make a huge difference in a class like this.

I’m trying a different approach to carrying my junk to campus this semester. Last semester I used a milk crate, and it worked OK, but it was a little cumbersome having the weight so high on the bike, and it took a good 10-15 minutes to get the crate on and off.

I looked into some messenger bags that could attach like panniers, but they were all expensive and I wanted something more flexible. So, I bought a grocery pannier. I ended up with an Axiom Hunter model, I didn’t put a lot of thought into it, just picked up the best one the shop I visited had. They had a Blackburn model that seemed sturdier, but it was smaller and less flexible, and I’m pretty sure my backpack wouldn’t have fit. Here’s my new setup:

It’s not perfect. Sometimes my foot hits the bag (though I think I can adjust that problem away). And it’s still cumbersome sometimes, but it’s a lot easier to get the grocery pannier on/off when needed, and the weight is lower, even if it’s a little unbalanced. We’ll see how well this setup works out.

Finals are over now. One  by one, my grades are rolling in. So far, it looks like my hard work is paying off. I’ll post an update about that when I get all my grades.

For now, here are the 10 images I turned in for my third photography project. I actually took these shots in early April, but I haven’t really had time to write about them. Note: Some of these are from the burlesque set I posted before, so once again, they might not be safe for work.

The assignment had five categories: directional force, texture, repetition, color, and symmetry.

Directional Force

The effect of having lines or shapes that draw the viewer’s eyes along a particular path is known as “directional force.”

The following image was inspired in part by Henri Cartier-Bresson’s amazing (and famous) cyclist photo (though of course I can’t compete with his shot).

Texture

I chose two contrasting shots for this topic.

Repetition

I don’t think this next shot is one of my stronger ones, but it does communicate the theme.

This one I like a bit better. They’re just flowers, but it’s a little different angle than you usually see, and the B&W definitely works for me.

Color

I really like the bold blue against the softer flesh tones in this photo.

This one is nothing special — just more flowers — but the colors are nice.

Symmetry

I took some liberties with this one. The first shot really has diagonal symmetry. I don’t think it came across as obvious symmetry, but I like the stark shot and the sparse composition … and the subtle symmetry.

I was really lucky the ladies were seated as they were, in the next photo. Perfect for my assignment.

I’m happy with most of these shots, but I am trying to push myself further and some of these don’t really stand out. In particular, the flowering tree and the large building I used for repetition are nice photos, but not as interesting as they could be. Also, I feel like I’m still trying to discover my own, distinctive style. I am taking more photography classes, so I look forward to further developing my style and technique.