Today I watched a program about hoarders – people who collect things to the extent their lives and the lives around them are miserably altered. I was transfixed by this condition wondering how and why this could happen. I don’t think I’m an obsessive collector of ‘things’ (except maybe shoes and glassware) and feel good about keeping a fairly trim apartment. But then I realized I am a major collector of memories – hence my drive to take pictures. Thank goodness for the digital age.

I recently received a book of photographs by Garry Winogrand, whose humorous and odd journalistic style speaks to me in many ways. In the book, is a quote by Winogrand in response to the question, “What is Art?” asked by one of his students. Winogrand says, “Art makes you question your conceptions. That’s what puns do. You don’t really laugh at a pun because anything’s funny. You laugh because you realize you’re not getting killed. Basically, a pun upsets you. Language is basic to your existence and a pun calls into question what you believe a word means and you laugh out of relief.” (photo by Garry Winogrand)

A sore replacement for the sun, but I’ll take it.

Kind of a useless shot – but I think it speaks of my tiny craving for the glamorous life.

Yesterday was orientation at the Park Slope Co-op, the largest co-op in the U.S. hovering around the 14,000 member mark. Offering ridiculously cheap, locally produced food, it has a mountain of rules which must be followed or you may find yourself suspended quicker than you can fry an egg. The selection is impressive, but I didn’t see any quail eggs (a favorite snack of mine) like they have at the outdoor markets in Thailand. I’ll make do.