A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

I've been very image conscious lately as I've been uploading a great many pictures to Flickr. I've been making more than current pictures available. I've also been scanning things from the photo suitcase.

This, of course, has affected what is landing on these blog pages. The whole concept of keeping images of the past seems intriguing.

While in the Middle East, one had to be aware that a few individuals from the village would not want to be photographed. There was a belief that an image has the ability to steal one's soul. Of course many educated youth turned pleasingly theatrical when a camera appeared. Still, an image is something special.

On the recent trip to Europe, we got to see many of the first individuals who saved their images. Hundreds of years before photography only the rich or powerful could see themselves represented in pigment. They can still be seen today. We don't get too much of a glimpse into their souls, but we definitely get an idea of hair style choice and nose size.

Anyway, it's more than a trip down memory lane, modern imaging allows us to capture moments that will live beyond our own frail bodies. I find that very interesting.

Labels: Flickr, Kuwait, scanned

This arrived in the post box yesterday. The envelope looked like it had stayed submerged in water for a while. The drawing inside fared fairly well though. It came from Isuru. He's our sponsored World Vision child. Being able to contribute fairly directly to an individual child is motivating. It's nice to feel as though one is actually making a difference. A previous piece of art was posted as a blog entry in August.

Labels: World Vision

I saw Quest for Fire (Guerre du feu, La) on the DVD rental website. As soon as a return DVD gets to them, the company sends another from the customer's online listing. So, it's good idea to always keep twenty or more titles waiting. I received the disc this week and we watched it yesterday.

It is a very unique 1981 movie. I hadn't even heard of it before. The story involves prehistoric humans and contains no real language. It wasn't perfect in its implementation, but deserves unreserved praise for its sheer uniqueness.

In a way it related to yesterday's entry as a section was filmed in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. Other shooting locations included:

Badlands, Alberta, Canada

Ben Nevis, Highlands, Scotland, UK

Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

Cairngorm Mountains, Highlands, Scotland, UK

Cathedral Grove, MacMillan Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Iceland

Lake Magadi, Kenya

Labels: movies

I found out that I'll be teaching on Monday to Thursday afternoons. I had thought I'd be able to get the weekend course but actually find this just as good. The course is still marked as an intensive, but it will be a bit easier as it's spread out over twice as many days. The Pre-technical Communication course lasts just five weeks, so I will have off the majority of December.



On another note, I have been scanning old photos to include on Flickr and I've got over 100 added already. I will be doing this for a while as I figure that I'll eventually upload at least 1000! I've discovered that fading old photos can come through of the scanner quite satisfactorily. Here are some zebras. I shot them with a camera when Jay and I were on vacation on the Kenyan safari. (Click the picture to load the current, scanned images in MY ATTIC on Flickr.)

Labels: Flickr, Kenya, scanned

I've been away long enough, so I'm ready to get back in the classroom. I am not exactly sure when I'll hear about the class loading. There is a special meeting this Thursday, and I should have a better idea then. It's possible that I might do an Intensive course. This type of class meets for five weekends on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. It would begin this weekend! These classes are generally a struggle as a majority of the students work full-time; however, there is a great deal of satisfaction when we successfully cover the materials.

I have never considered getting into educational management. Unfortunately that's the expected path for the brave and the brightest. I understand, however, that my strengths are best utilized in the classroom. That is really where I enjoy staying put. I absolutely detest office politics and everything that goes along with it. I would take no delight in shuffling papers nor the stress of dealing with those of my ilk.

Labels: feelings, students

I found old, saved text for yesterday's entry, so I thought I should find an image from the same period. Here are Jay and I standing near the Dubai Creek. Apparently, Dubai has continued to expand unabated since those days. (Click the photo to see a larger version of it found on Flickr.)

Labels: Dubai, Flickr, scanned

I've been dredging up the past for several days. Sometimes I'm amazed how much easier it is for us than our ancestors to save and share 'life stuff'. It's easy to turn paper into PDF's. Photos can be shot digitally and old ones scanned. The Net means it can show up instantly anywhere.

Today, I dipped into my archive CD for keystrokes made long ago. I copied junk from old 360K floppies once upon a time. This letter to my father was written about fourteen years ago. The printed version is long gone, but the WordPerfect file opened right up in Word 2003. All data expressed must be viewed in its historical context. For back in 1991, what did I know?

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Mr. Dennis Sylvester Hurd
Dubai Men's College Faculty
Post Office Box 15825
Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Intl. Telephone: Code 971-4
Work 690029 ext. 306
Fax 691369 Home 369354

October 25, 1991

Dear Dad,

Greetings from Dubai. It has been several weeks since I've written. I really don't have to much to say. But I do want to "appear" to write more regularly than you!

Things are continuing here as expected. I am waiting for my second salary check. It does seem as though October has been a long month. But as far as money, I have already saved as much working here as I would have in a half year in Bahrain. It is nice not to be making payments for an apartment. And think how silly it was to rent a car in Bahrain for over two years!

My car by the way, is running fine. It hasn't been in for it's second free oil change yet because it has only 3,700 kilometers (2,220 miles) on it. When on a long trip I can see why the new, ugly round Chevy Caprices are so popular here. Even in 5th gear, after a few hours you feel a little like you're riding in a wind-up toy. Still for $8,000 it seems like a solid little performer.

The college had grown to big for our one building. So last week, the English staff moved to another building only a quarter of a mile away. It is part of a large apartment building. But the contractors came and redesigned to two floor end of the building into very nice classrooms. Now because of the additional space, I don't have to have all my classes in the afternoon. Rather, I have eight o'clock classes four days a week. Now I have to get up earlier.

It also takes longer to get to work because there's major construction on the bridge which I cross the harbor. Thank god they are taking out the dangerous roundabouts. I don't know why but that's one thing the British always leave behind . . . very treacherous traffic circles.

Of course this place was influenced by the English before. But now America seems to be exerting a lot of influence. I don't think it is necessarily due to the Gulf War. It's just that many UAE nationals now go to the US for university education. And there's the general truth that we as a nation, are much more respectful of people from other countries.

The weather is changing here to the winter. It must be because of the Gulf, but it is somewhat like Seattle. No, the temperature is not in the 40's or 50's. But each morning starts with fog and mist. Stupid me, left my headlights on at the school the other morning. By 4:30pm the battery was very, very dead. No wonder why I like manual transmissions!

So, everything here is all right. I do miss FPO but if I had it I probably would have purchased a $1,000 laser printer mail order. I borrowed one from the school last weekend. How great!

I hope everything's all right with you. Say hi to Dianne and the kids. When are you guys gonna start talking about getting married?

Love always,
Dennis

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Labels: Dubai, file archives