Rebeca en Enero del 2007 en San Juan.

Silkworm cocoons. They lead to so many interesting facts! For example, that they make silk with their salivary glands by building a cocoon that protects them while they go through a body transformation, and that the silk thread they produce to do so is so thin that thread in one cocoon measures between 300 and 900 m in length! These creatures are amazing.  Silkworms are very peculiar animals whose evolution from wild species to their current domesticated state started somewhere in China thousands of years ago. These silkworms are really caterpillars that later on transform to silkmoths! The caterpillars themselves go through five different transformations before they even reach the stage when they can build their cocoon. These stages, called instars, are separated by a moult (Ecdysis), or a shed of the outer layer of skin. I was impressed by the number of transformation the same insect goes through in its life. Its scientific name is Bombyx mori, and that of its wild relative Bombyx mandarina. Furthermore, this insect only likes to eat leaves from one particular type of tree, white mulberry tree (Morus alba). Because of this, it got the mori part in its scientific name.

A huge industry of mulberry trees and silkworms produces the silk of the world today. I feel like participating in such an ancient and interesting industry. Perhaps one day.

The domesticated species  is completely dependent on humans for its survival. Humans made the species big and slow, and in their moth state they can't even fly! But they do produce a lot of silk.

Do we also go through transformations in our lives like caterpillars? Perhaps. The story of these insects resonates with me right now. I've got my own place Saturday, and it definitely feels anew.
I have not written in a while since the past couple of weeks were hectic with the moving and traveling to a conference and visiting friends.

Today I want to post a portrait of Lisette from the summer of 2009. Even if she doesn't know it, she helped me go through a change several years ago.

Europe.

Yoga.

These are photos that combine yoga with glamour, I think. Nicoline is beautiful, a great yogini and person. I met her many years ago and was lucky to get to do a couple of photo shoots with her. These are from the last one, summer of 2009.

December is here, and with it many new projects, voyages, deadlines, and excitement about seeing old friends and family. I am finally feeling more at home in this new city, but, maybe I'll be on the move again next year.
I find international politics very interesting. It's like a big live soap opera. But even more dramatic since the actors have real guns, it all is mysterious, and the large number of characters in the story creates great complexity. Within all this, I find Wikileaks intriguing and I want to talk with people around me about it. But, no one seems to care about this huge exposure of information in my lab, or in facebook!!! why!!! are people afraid of talking about it??? it it politically incorrect??? or simply, no one around me cares about it??? or do I have too much free time to think about it???

Anyway, I am posting two simple pictures of poster boards from Harvard Yard, one of my favorite places in Cambridge. I am finding poster texture, color, and information quite interesting. I don't know what it is about it. These boards take a life of their own, like trash cans, saying a lot about the communities that they belong to. Furthermore, each poster can be considered a piece of art. We could ponder about some of those for quite some time.

One of my favorite subjects is women. Today I have to post a couple of photos from Feli, who also loved to be photographed. I think we  had good chemistry doing the shoots, and she and her husband are really nice people. I was really lucky to meet them while they were in Boston.

Tonight I'm going to this 'new' party. Something has to be new in you. A new friend, a new thing you wear, a new thing you do. Cool right? Me and a couple others were invited by strangers to this. We'll be the new people! The one thing required though is positive vibes. I'll bring what I have.

November is almost gone! Seattle is back to normal, that is, cloudy and not so cold. The snow is gone, and some sun shines here and there. Today I got to see beautiful tiny white-black-brown cute birds in my backyard from the window of my room. Simple pleasures in life.

Here are photos from Budapest and Bratislava in April 2008. I loved Budapest and its thermal baths and great food, and beautiful people. Next time I go there, I won't go alone, since I think it's even a better place when you go with friends. Bratislava was exotic. It had all this communism remnants I just loved, in the trains, clothing, and city landscape.

Budapest:

Bratislava:

Girls on a long red couch. This was a Sunday in the fall of 2008 in Cambridge, MA. I don't know why the had a very long red leather couch on Church St. Everyone was really happy about that. The girls I was photographing were taking photos themselves. The girl with the gray sweater is beautiful out of the ordinary. I think this series of photos portraits well Cambridge. You can see the bikers, the couples, the older and younger, the calm, and its interestingness.

Yesterday it snowed a lot in Seattle. It is beautiful. However, it gets problematic if you want to move around the city. There are very few buses working. Walking will get you around your neighborhood though. In mine, children, dogs, and adults were enjoying the snow and the sun during the day. Kids and dogs were really exited. I wished I had a dog, or children, or that I was one of them.

Following on the black and white series, I'm bringing back photos from February 14 2003 in NYC. It was a festive protest against the invasion of Iraq. It was cold, and mostly young people showed up. It felt so good to be surrounded by people that also thought invading another country was non-sense. I was there with my good friend Marie. Good memories.

Today the Huskies football team won! Pretty cool. I start to feel some of the excitement football fans share... and have been particularly happy today. I don't know why! Maybe it's the new apartment, maybe I'm figuring out myself??? It doesn't matter. I like it.

I'm moving into an apartment all for myself soon! I'm thrilled about it. It will be the first time. I know I was really lucky to have spent all the time I did in Cambridge. Here are photos of Harvard in the fall of 2009. A building and a tree. Shiny bikes. A student!

I'm looking for a new apartment closer to the action: downtown Seattle. I'm also working on a proposal about savannas. And have been fascinated by the connections between soil and climate, they are much more connected than I had imagined.

Today I want to post bike photos from last fall. Enjoy! I miss Cambridge when I see them. Ah, nostalgia. Last night though, I went to see the Waterbaby Bagatelles at the PNB and they were amazing... beautiful. I feel transported to a magical world when I see these dancers move the way they do, with the music, light, costumes, and so much life and perfection of their own. I'm also living beatiful times here.

We are eating oil! Our food is produced with oil-derived energy that is needed to create fertilizers, transport stuff to the field and out of the field, plowing, harvesting, and then cooking it. When we run out of oil, we'll also run out of food... But I don't think that will happen any time soon. I hope! I like food.

Today I want to post some images I got from the trip with my parents to Vancouver. I love my parents very much. I was very happy traveling with them.

As I walked by the UW lawn, I felt the life under my feet for the first time. Or at least I walked aware of it. Of how I'm a lot of life put together. About how I was standing on the Earth. Of how I was surrounded by energy and mass and life and was part of it. I felt really happy. Am I crazy?

Ali suggested to create a blog of photographs. That's what I want to do today. I'll start with my friend that loves to eat and dance. I like her a lot.

Banning burkas is like banning baseball hats.

Banning mosques is like banning churches