Brrr Cold Horses and an Annoyed Jack Russell

Wicked cold today. So cold, the horses were running around just to keep warm.

That crying/whining/whimpering noise you hear is Remi the Jack Russell---upset because she wanted to be with them, instead of in the car with me. (FB viewers, click "View Original Post" to see video)

Snowhenge, Austria

Backstory: Carlos Perez, Donna DeCesare, and our interview in Vienna

I have an article in Smithsonian Magazine, February issue (out now, or out soon), featuring a former Guatemalan gang member who is now a successful artist and teacher in Vienna.

The magazine section takes a well-known photographer's iconic portrait and runs a "where are they now" story.

This article features Carlos Perez, a former 18th Street Gang member in Guatemala who not only turned his life around with the force of nothing but his own will, but made a remarkable success of it, by even the most discriminating standards.

We met in Perez' studio in Vienna, just before he graduated from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. The photog, Donna DeCesare (who chronicled his life in the gang, and has stayed in touch with him) arrived from New York to attend his graduation ceremony, and she joined us.

Interviewing him was a delight. He is eloquent and articulate, reflective and intelligent. The interview itself has stayed with me, and will for some time to come, I think. It was an experience also to watch Carlos and Donna together. It's hard to define the friendship that binds them. It's both experiential (both have seen significant violence) and professional (both tell stories with images). Unspoken. There seems to be a deep respect that runs both ways.

When I interview people for features or long-form narratives, I always record and take notes. Yea, both. I prefer to record with an ipod (a 20 dollar mic attachment and you're set to go for hours and hours. And then download directly into itunes).

But no ipod this time, so I got creative and put my mac on imovie--which picked up video, of course, but also the all-important sound.

Here is a screenshot of my imovie-recorded interview with artist Carlos Perez and photog Donna DeCesare in Perez' university studio.

If You're in the Market for Elves....

...this Czech store might be a good place to start. (FB: Click "View Original Post)

Timeless Prague

(FB Friends, click "View Original Post" to see photo)

This was taken from the Charles Bridge, looking down onto the snow-covered street below.

I could look at this photo endlessly--I imagine someone standing on the bridge 200 years ago,

looking down and seeing the same scene

Prague, Charles Bridge, Lot O Snow

Facebook Friends: Click "View Original Post" to see video

Czechs in the Snow

Taken from a seat on Tram 22 near "Slavia" stop on Vladivostocka Street in Prague. We got nearly a foot of snow. This young mother soldiers on with her baby in the stroller and what seems to be a useless umbrella.

Is the Ad the News?

I'm preparing to give a workshop in Prague next week. While refreshing my collection for my Keynote presentation, I found this among the otherwise fabulous Newseum collection of front pages. It's a head-scratcher, all right.

It appears to be nothing but an ad-- a Welcome to 2010, courtesy of a coffee company. According to the Newseum Graphics guys, it really is the file that was submitted to them by the paper. See the full front page.