After almost 2 years of knowing I needed to switch my site to faster hosting, I’ve finally switched to a new host and redone the site using a new theme. So I’ve probably lost some pictures and broken links along the way, but at least my blog is finally usable again!

So, let’s see – I’m in Moscow, Russia again and having a great time. Work’s going well and I’m getting out to a bunch of folk rock concerts and re-enactment festivals when the weather’s nicer. When it’s not, I’ve been getting a lot of knitting done. Only got into that last year when I was working in a difficult environment and needed a stress outlet… about 20 % of what I make actually fits but I just like doing something with my hands.

Actually my biggest complaint about photography as a hobby is that, with everything digital, once you’re on the processing stage (oh, post-processing, why are you never quick and easy???) it’s not a tactile art any more. Back when I was building folk instruments, I loved how everything came together – the smell of fresh cut wood, the curve of a shaving swirling out under the plane, the moment when the instrument was finally strung or headed and it went from dead inert matter to an almost living being as its voice sung out…

A camera is a lot more portable than a woodshop, though. This year Tony and I were based out of Russia all year, but traveled through Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia, Poland on stopover, Lithuania, and Estonia. Last year it was 9 countries. I’m very glad to be settled again but still be able to go adventuring a bit – just not sure if I’m ready to start accumulating large “things” again! But I’ve finally got a work visa instead of a business visa here in Moscow, so that means things will be a lot more stable now.