Dirt Bike Fun!!!

I had the opportunity to take some photographs of some dirt biking! As soon as I got to the track I could feel the testosterone in the air, it was fantastic. Real, raw, bike power speed as your fingertips..without the law to pull you over for dangerous riding!

Check out some pics I took whilst trying to not get killed by passing dirt bikes.....

Auschwitz

I had the fortune of being able to travel to a place that I have wanted to go to for a long time. My reasons for wanting to go to this place was to show my respect and learn a lesson about humanity. The place I am referring to is Auschwitz.

I have been to a concentration camp in Poland before, but it was not open to the public. Before going on this journey I had prepared myself mentally. I knew it would be an emotional experience. It would be something that would stay within me forever. When I visited Auschwitz One, it was nothing like I had expected. I don't think I understood what I expected to be honest. It was however, a harrowing experience. I saw many things, heard many things and experienced a range of emotions. My emotions ranged from sadness, anger, despair and hurt.

But each emotion effected me differently. It was inward. I didn't show it to others. The experience was overwhelming.

When I stepped infront of one of the remaining gas chambers I was speechless and my thoughts were a jumbled mess. Overwhelming. I was stood outside the very spot thousands of Jews were forced to stand. When I entered this horrific space, we were told to be silent to demonstrate our respect to the many lives that had been exterminated. Exterminated. Extermination. Horrific actions had taken place in this very spot I was standing. I was silent. My thoughts seemed to be silenced too.  I couldn't process what I was experiencing at that very moment. All I could think of while I took my steps forward was "they were here". I needed to touch the walls. The walls they had touched. The walls they had scratched their nails into in desperation to survive. I imagined the victims climbing on top of each other, trying to get as high as possible in order to try and survive a while longer. As I looked up, I saw the two square openings in the ceiling. This is where the poison gas was poured in. What looked like little grey stones, were in fact Zyklon B poison gas. As I looked to my left, I could see the furnaces. Furnaces that burned all of the poisoned bodies. Thousands of poisoned bodies. I couldn't stop touching the walls. I think I did this because it was my way of saying sorry. I was sorry that humanity did this. I was sorry that they were not helped. I was sorry that this had happened.

It wasn't until I returned home, I was able to process my experience. When explaining to my family what I had seen and heard, I started to cry. I started to sob. I couldn't stop the rush of emotions that came out of me. On the day I returned home, I cried all day.

Here are some pictures that I have taken during my time at Auschwitz I and II.

May we remember all of the souls that were lost, and remember what hate can do.

New Year Resolutions 2013

I have been looking at the idea of resolutions and I have come up with the following statement:
"Will it be the start of something new or good intentions that will be left by the way side? Who knows but it is within my control! New Year resolutions are too easy to ignore...But if changes are to happen, you do them...just depends on how much you want to change. It's all about your motivation! I hope mine is durable!" Happy New Year 2013!

Inspired by David Bailey & Mick Jagger

I was having a discussion the other day with my mama and we started talking about the old time classic beauty of the likes of Vivien Leigh, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe and of course Elizabeth Taylor. We had a look at some images and started to really chat about their natural beauty. It is a shame that so many 'celebs' have a different image today. It seems to consist of a look of makeup work or worst still, cosmetic surgery! Of course not all of us are blessed with this natural beauty, but I would never want to go to the lengths that some men and women go to in order to achieve their idea of beauty. Anyway, after this discussion we started looking at some pics that David Bailey had done on some world famous people and I came across a Mick Jagger pic that I thought was fab. I decided that I wanted to take a self portrait with that as my inspiration...hope you like...

Living sculpture

I decided yesterday on the eve of the New Year to take my new camera on a mission. The mission was to capture a photo of my favourite tree. You might think this is a little weird but I have seen this tree for many years as I drive past it every week when I visit my sister on a Friday afternoon (after finishing work hurray). I have always poked at it and thought it is beautiful. I feel like I drive under it, as a passing from 'work mode' to 'weekend mode' and it is just lovely! Every once in a while I always think I really should take a picture of it but I never did. I don't know why. Perhaps from being too lazy...or the lack of parking near it.. or that I am just too tired to stop and actually appreciate it in more detail. Well yesterday was the day I decided to take the pic. I personally feel that I haven't done it justice. Unfortunately there is a stupid man made sign directly on its right hand side and so I have tried to place the camera in a way so that you only see the tree.........

My gorgeous tree x.

Tense

Atmospheric

........I was lucky yesterday in terms of lighting. At first the sky looked very grey and dull, and you can see that not much sun was out, but lots of clouds helped create a lovely atmosphere. I also took some pics of the surrounding area and the sky seemed to come alive with atmosphere. It was just before it started to rain heavily! Hope you like the pics!