Remembering the Marikana massacre of mine workers in South Africa in 2012. By artist Haroon Gunn-Salie, Senzenina (2018), the surrendering bodies have no heads and no hands, as though their minds and their physical agency are removed by the state. Primeval and shocking, it is worth a visit.
How to love
Love with your whole heart—
Your mind
Your body
And soul.
It sounds cliche
But try it.
It’s the hardest fucking thing you will ever do.
Akin to peeling back your skin
Revealing your veins and saying
Look
This is me
Naked
I am yours
The pulsing of your blood
From the chambers of your heart
Down to your loins
All visible for him to see
Just where to cut you
with the lies in his heart—
His mind
His body
And black and gutless soul.
It hurts.
But pain
Is proof of life
And life is good.
There is no greater beauty in England than its many coasts and seaside towns. Visiting during the off-peak season is a special treat as the vibe is relaxed and there are no lines in sight. Photos turn out better, too, with fewer people around to ruin the shot. In February, I visited Lyme Regis on England’s southern coast and lucked out with sunny skies and mild winds. Famous for fossil hunting along the Jurassic Coast, as well as the film about a French Lieutenant, the village was just what I had imagined. A quaint fishing village with beautiful old buildings, some centuries old, crammed along the coast for the best view and sailing vessels of all sorts lined up beside the sea waiting for summer to arrive. Each morning at 7am I awoke and strolled along the shore in the crisp dawn light to swipe my credit card in the parking metre so that they wouldn’t tow my rental car. It was a chore to be sure, but an enjoyable one as the views on that short walk to and fro were a magical start to my day. If only London had the equivalent for a morning stroll along the shore–the Thames doesn’t come close. There’s something about the sound of the waves breaking on the rocky shore, the maniacal clattering the rocks make as the water is sucked back out to sea, and the sunlight glinting off the horizon that can’t be replicated anywhere. A trip to remember for sure.
(In this photograph, the Golden Cap rises out of the sea along the horizon. It’s a bit of a hike uphill through muddy fields strewn with cow bombs to get to the top, but definitely worth it.)
Not possessing a green thumb, my window box has not fared well this past year. Every few weeks I’ve been forced to replace poor, dead plants with new ones in an effort to keep the winter gloom out of my small London flat. There’s nothing like flowers and heather to cheer up a cold winter’s day. Fortunately for me, the sun peered out from behind the clouds this afternoon and these lovely stalks bloomed. They also grew a few centimeters and now tower above the heather. Noticing the little things in our day to day can lead to a happier outlook on life, especially in a world demanding so much of our attention. Today it was a bit of sun and new growth. What will tomorrow bring?
This is an example of a typical coastal village house that a haenyeo diver would have lived in on Jeju Island. If you look closely, you’ll notice the haenyeo standing on the porch. A stone wall fences in the property, while also acting as a protective barrier against the island’s strong winds. Jeju Island was once crisscrossed with these stone walls, which can still be seen today in certain parts of the island. This house is one of many located at the Jeju Folk Village where they work to preserve the island’s history. Many Korean dramas are filmed here, and the village sets remain intact for visiting fans. Their website is here if you’re interested in visiting one day!
Carnaby Street Christmas Lights
A visit to the English Countryside near Long Melford with views that require no filters. #Lavenham #escapetothecountryside
Lovers/haters/sticker vandals, you…complete…me
I walked along the Thames today–lost for words at the state of western politics. These footprints caught my eye and I wondered … and that was enough.
It’s spring in Seoul, and the flowers are out showing off their petals.
Mary Lynn Bracht 