- William Shakespeare
One act of beneficence,
one act of real usefulness,
is worth all the abstract sentiment
in the world.
is worth all the abstract sentiment
in the world.
- Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho, 1764
Action is eloquence.
- William Shakespeare
I've been doing a little pondering about the old adage 'actions speak louder than words'. Don't worry, I'm not going to get on my soapbox again, especially as Shakespeare and friends have already summed up my thoughts on the matter quite elegantly. I just wanted to share one of my daily sources of inspiration, Operation NICE. I'm constantly amazed and humbled by the beautiful stories of beautiful people who go out of their way to help others, from their friends, family and their community, through to complete strangers who may never get the chance to thank them. I don't think I've made it through a single NICE Person of the Week post yet without having to inconspicuously dig around for a tissue.
So if you've been watching too much news and need a little extra slice of hope that humanity isn't doomed after all, head over to Operation NICE and revive your faith in humankind. Take comfort in the knowledge that there are wonderfully kind, generous people out there, and that you might just be one of them!
All That Glitters and Glows...In The Dark
Ladies and gentlemen, here is Day 5 of In The Dark for your viewing pleasure! The countdown to Earth Hour has officially begun and I am way too excited. I have my bus ticket at the ready and my candles, matches and board games all packed up and ready to go. Sure I'm 36 hours early, give or take, but I'm taking Earth Hour very seriously this year! I might even take along a little torch so I can put my hands up in the air and wave them around like I just don't care, just like these guys...
Straight out of Norway, Lightmark is a truly remarkable collection of stunning scenery, time lapse photography and a couple of insanely talented lads running around in the dark with light sources (torches doesn't sound technical enough!) Their "light drawings" are absolutely magical at a glance, but upon closer inspection many of the concentric loops, glittery sparkles and simple strokes are actually mimicking and responding to the landscape. Utter perfection!
There are SO many more beautiful images in their gallery, I feel guilty only sharing these few with you! Go over and check out the rest, and prepare to be amazed...some more!
In a similar vein, German lads Lichtfaktor have been using similar techniques in their "light writing" experiments. Their aesthetic has a distinct graffiti edge, and although the stills of their work are impressive enough, their work is best experienced through their extended exposure/stop motion films.
In a similar vein, German lads Lichtfaktor have been using similar techniques in their "light writing" experiments. Their aesthetic has a distinct graffiti edge, and although the stills of their work are impressive enough, their work is best experienced through their extended exposure/stop motion films.
Check out this video to see a tiny slice of behind the scenes (skip the first 30 seconds, then watch the next minute or so, you won't regret it!) and then try to keep your jaw off the floor as you see what these guys go on to create...
Land dwelling whales? Rubbish bin robots?! A strangely adorable car-eating caterpillar!?! Eeeeek, resistance is futile!
And on that hyperactive note, I'm off to plot some of my very own torch graffiti antics. I'd like to wish you all a fabulous weekend and an outrageously superb Earth Hour! What do you have planned for the weekend? Will you be switching off your lights on Saturday at 8.30pm local time?
