Today was Marty's birthday, although it has been more of a b.d. week. Yesterday morning we spent at the eye doctor and then he kept me company while I shopped for a car (still pending). He spent his birthday at the office and we ate leftovers tonight. But don't worry -- tomorrow, I am invited to a lunch party at the office that his employees are throwing for him. And Saturday night we are going to dinner with all six of our children and four spouses: my treat. I stayed home doing car research this morning and by the afternoon, I decided to make a gelatin plate and print on paper to amuse myself. I had the yucky plate left over from Friday's deal with the grands, so I melted it in the microwave, strained out the bits of paint and gunk, and added it to the last of the gelatin to make a strong, 9x13 plate. I used textile paint and it worked fine on the paper. Here are a couple of the prints.

The one I like best is the paper towel print.

Tonight, thinking I would do some collage, I unearthed my treasure trove of ephemera. I hadn't looked at it in so long that I had forgotten it contained some long-lost favorite inspirations. And I realized two things:

1. All of these photos speak to me with a common voice.
2. All, except the last one, predate 9/11.

1999

Shop window, Venice, Sept 1999

February 2000

2009

What do you see as a common voice in these photographs? And more to the point, why do they appeal to me so strongly? (I don't expect you to answer this). And now, after having stayed up till an ungodly hour last night, I am going to bed.