Hodgepodge of Hindsight…
Hi!
As promised, I’m posting today (Saturday) on time! I’ve been accused in the past of easily making promises, and not keeping them, so I want to correct myself, and try to keep my word going forward. 
There are a few emails I want to address. Like last time, I begin with the easy ones, and work my way to the more complex ones.
Letter #1
Michelle asks: “Hello. I like your blog’s humor. The photography is great! What was the hardest photo project you’ve worked on, and why?”
Rodney: The hardest by far was the photo essay and reportage titled “Exploring The Underground World of Sex Workers.” It was difficult because I was shooting in near total darkness, with no flash or tripod! Additionally, most of the men did not want to be there when seeing a guy with a huge lens, so I had to shoot wide angle, moving in the dark as fast as possible, and quietly as possible (very hard for a fat guy to walk silently on a squeaking floor of woven bamboo slithers!). It is extremely difficult to get sharp photos in this situation!
Letter #2
Jamal asks: “Do you find discrimination there based on religion, since most there are Muslim? I’m assuming you are not Muslim, since you come from the United States, where most are Christian.”
Rodney: I’ve never found discrimination here. If anything, I’ve had more issues with Christians here than the Muslims! I won’t go into details here, but you’d be shocked. I’m still washing “anointing oil” out of my dress shirt (which is hard to find here in my size) from a Christian trying to rid me of evil. In the future, I will write a blog about “SARA” (4 items that should never be discussed, in general public, here in Indonesia).
Letter #3
Amanda asks: “I would like to see more color photos of just different things and people. Photos not associated to each other.”
Rodney: OK! This is why this post is called “Hodgepodge!” I’m posting a hodgepodge of photos from different places and genre.
This photo was taken in Kota (old area of Jakarta). Kota is full of old, Dutch buildings, and still has a wonderful gothic feel to the place. It is also a very popular location for pre-wedding photos, such as this one. The photographer was sort of pissed at me that I was there, and got this shot of this soon-to-be-married couple. I love their pose, as if all is in ruins, and they are about to kill each other!
This photo reminds me of the title of a Bjork song: “Violently Happy” *~ LOL ~*
This next photo was taken at a Mental Rehabilitation Center. The patients here had a range of mental disabilities due to several reasons: from drug use, to physical head trauma.
Some individuals have interesting stories.
- One guy was an expert martial artist, who trained police officers in combat skills. He was giving a demonstration of how to defend yourself against a baseball bat wielding opponent. But, the assistant swung full strength before the man was ready, hitting him in the head and causing permanent brain damage.
- Another person there is a woman who simply had a hard time coping with the world. She spends her time walking the length of the central floor, counting the tiles, over and over all day. The resident assistants told me they’ve had to take her to the doctor on several occasions because of foot injuries.
- One other patient is very unique: he is an elder man, but I found he was once one of the original doctors who worked at the facility! Now he is a patient there!
This photo is of two friends.
This next photo was taken with the Bethel English Service church group who treated an orphanage to a fun day. This is the flying fox ride, where you are suspended over 80m off the ground, and traveling at a fast speed from the top of one cliff to the ground. She seems to be having fun!
This photo was shot in Yogyakarta, in the mountains of Semin (I need to check my notes on this part). I really like her smile and attitude. She seems very nice.
This last photo is also in Yogyakarta, in the rice fields. I love the colors, and represents the theme of Yogyakarta pretty well.
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Macam-macam: Hodgepodge (a heterogeneous mix or jumble)
Melihat Kebelakang: Hindsight (recognition events or situations that occurred in the past)
Ok, Take Care!
Paradoxes and Parasites
Hello,
Yes, I’m still alive. Over the last few weeks I’ve survived fungus spores and parasites! I need to tell this country’s street vendors they need to try harder if they want to kill me!
*~ Dear Street Vendors: I’m bullet proof. Next time bring Kryptonite! — Superman ~*
I spent a good part of the last few weeks (and $) going to SOS clinic (a VERY good place ran by Western medical standards). I’m pretty much normal now.
I’m writing this blog from in the un-air conditioned lobby of a new hotel (just opened today!) in Yogyakarta, central Java.
The holiday is Lebaran (Idul Fitri). I am traveling in Yogakarta and Semin to explore the kampungs here, and to add to my current photographic projects. So far I’m off to a very slow start, but I think I will gain back some lost ground (sorry for all the American slang) starting Saturday morning. We lost a full day because of HUGE traffic jams. The driver has driven in past years during Idul Fitri, so he was aware of the traffic conditions, but this year (according to him) is the worst it has ever been. It took us 6 (YES SIX) hours to travel the distance normally requiring only one hour. We were to arrive in Yogyakarta at about 10AM Thursday (we left 10PM Wednesday night) to end a 12 hour journey. Instead, we arrive at about 1:45AM FRIDAYYYY.
So Friday is a lost day. We also had to change hotels to find better one with lower rate. I will go to Semin tomorrow, after an early morning of making photos in Yogyakarta kampungs. I do more photo creating in Semin on Sunday morning. Monday is pegged for Borobudur. Tuesday purely for making photos. We drive back to Jakarta Wednesday morning.
*~ Update: I won’t shoot Saturday. I injured my foot during the 27 (YES 27!) hour car ride. Pain Pain Pain. It hurts to bend the toes. I will use Sat to plan more for Semin. So, for 7 days, only shooting 2 cryyyyy. ~*
I’ve been to East Java (Malang and Lawang) and Jakarta is in the West. Now that I am in Central Java, I can say I have had a ‘taste’ of what Javanese people are like. There are some big differences, in my opinion, between the 3 regions’ peoples. I won’t go into it here, but I will tell some of you in private. *~ smile ~*
Anyway, I now need your help and advice:
I have two photos of two adorable little girls, I’m not sure which I like best. Please tell me what you like in each. The first is so innocent, and represent a vision of how I see kampungs: harsh environments with sweet, sometimes innocent people. The 2nd photo represents how innocence can cloud one’s judgment, leaving one vulnerable and at the mercy of others (as can be seen from that ominous hand reaching out of nowhere in picture #2).
*~ Anyway, which do you like more, and why ~*
The Kampung Paradox
Jakarta, Indonesia
Quite often kampungs (neighborhood villiages) are a paradox: Hard, unyielding rock walls,
old cracked brick and layered grounds of broken slate, razor sharp glass and sharp pebbles
Vs.
The soft, tender, innocent smiles of curious children
The Buddy System
Jakarta, Indonesia
Little children raised in the West are taught to always swim with a buddy because unseen, life threatening dangers can exist in even the most familiar places. If one buddy is in danger the other could provide help. The buddy system does not always work; sometimes both buddies will lose their lives.
The two innocent girls—the smaller one bravely leading her bigger, more apprehensive buddy—may know every corner of their kampung, but do not recognize the very real danger of following a stranger into a dark, isolated corner of jagged, sound-proofing rock and stone. Evil could strike like a hidden snake to grab one or both of them. The only frail evidence would be their unheard screams which would quickly disappear without a trace against uncaring stone.
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson For Today:
Macet: Traffic Jam!!!!
Ok, Take care and be good