As I write this update, I am in the thick of my first week back at school. This semester will be a logistical balancing act between all of my class work, an independent film project due at the end of March, music-making, and all of the other important parts of my life (time with loved ones, friends, family, my cat, and for myself to regroup and rest along the way).
Starting next week, I’ll be including a weekly school check-in to update all of you folks on what I am working on and how I am doing.
Now, on with this week’s new stuff from me.
- Photography Feature: Sandor Katz and Food Fermentation
One of the places I visited last month was the kitchen of Sandor Katz. He is one of the world’s leading experts in food fermentation. He has written numerous books on the topic and travels all over the world to give talks and workshops.
I would highly recommend that everyone visit Sandor in his kitchen. My time with him was truly delightful. He talked with a great deal of warmth and candor. I saw firsthand some of the food that he works with. Unfortunately, I was too focused on taking photos to ask if I could taste what he made.
A highlight was the unveiling of what looked like some sort of gooey animal brain from a large jar. As it turned out, it was a head of fermented cabbage, but nonetheless, it was pretty fun to geek out on.
Special thanks to Sandor for having me. I can understand why people travel great distances to hear him speak. He has a way of engaging a listener with his disarming and sweet demeanor, and he has such a wealth of knowledge. The love he has for his work is undeniable.
Here are some of the photos I shot:
2. My Blog Tropical Shade of Green
My latest post is the first in a series about light. This particular one is a meditation on the presence of light on a rainy and overcast day. I am sharing more of my creative writing this year. You can read this post here:
3. Thank you to all Unpaid Government Employees
As of this update, the stand-off in Washington DC between our president and the Democrats in Congress has lasted well over three weeks. I just wanted to thank and commend the men and women all over the country who are still doing their important jobs despite not getting paid for their work. This includes folks who run our national parks and museums, air traffic controllers, TSA agents at airports, and a whole slew of other federal workers.
I hope some resolution happens soon so that you can feed your families and maintain a good living.
That’s all for my weekly update. I will feature more photos next week, and I will be getting a lot of work done at school in the meantime.
Be kind and be generous,
-Roqué
