I’ve realised the only way to catch up with my week notes is to combine two weeks into one and stop falling behind, so here goes.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
1.
Once Amber was back from his work travel on last Saturday, we began wondering if it would be best to squeeze in a documentation trip for me at the end of that week. It is a very hectic few months ahead of us both, and accommodating all the work travel we need to do has been a challenge. After considering a trip to Pune, we went with Ahmedabad, since the weather there will become quite harsh once the winter recedes.
I decided to rent a camera for this trip, and realised at the last moment that since I chose a full sensor camera my EFS lenses won’t work. I do have a couple of EF lenses, prime and telephoto, but the middle ones that I need for street lettering documentation were not compatible. So I ended up renting lenses as well. It was a bigger expense than what I would have liked, but there was no other way. The rented equipment worked really well, though, and I am quite happy with the quality of photographs I was able to take.
Ahmedabad was both productive and terribly tiring. Like most trips of this kind, I’ve come back feeling how good to it would be to return. There is so much to document, and there is only so much one can accomplish over a long weekend.
I couldn’t make much time for socialising in Ahmedabad, but I did meet Tejas for dinner one night.
2.
I’m attending (parts of) BITS next month, and will be participating in a conversation with Veronika and José about TypeTogether’s efforts towards research, cultural preservation, and education, apart from commercial type design. After much agonising, I decided to miss the last afternoon of the conference so I could make it back home on Sunday night. While in Ahmedabad, I made the arrangements for this trip. This year, I am staying at the conference hotel. Given how short the visit is, I am grateful to cut out the cab rides to and back from the event.
3.
My talk at the Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival was announced. I’ll be speaking there about India Street Lettering, with a special focus on Lucknow, on the afternoon of February 2.
I heard from folks from Bangalore International Centre and Science Gallery Bangalore, who emailed to say that my short film Letter by Letter has been chosen for screening at the Sci560 Film Festival, as part of a cohort of B•LORE grantees’ work. I was also invited for a panel discussion at the festival, but I’ll be in Lucknow at the time, so I had to sadly decline.
I can hardly believe that I have a talk, exhibition and movie screening, all stemming from India Street Lettering, happening in a single weekend across two cities.
4.
Amber’s sister was in Noida for an afternoon, and we had her over for lunch on Wednesday. Since she was headed to their parents’ in Purnea afterwards, we were able to send a birthday gift for his mom.
5.
Harshay dropped by on Wednesday and Thursday for a spot of parallel play, and to help me plan the exhibition layout for Lucknow. Since I was under the weather and getting rather desperate, I really appreciated the help, and a second set of eyes. Sadly, towards the end of our time together, Harshay began to feel a bit unwell himself.
There was a mistake in printing for the postcards for the exhibition, but the right prints arrived by Friday night. I couriered them to Lucknow on Saturday morning, and hopefully they will arrive there well in time.
6.
This past weekend was a quiet one. Amber and I ate brunch at Carnatic Café followed by coffee at Blue Tokai one morning. We went to the nearby nursery to pick up a couple of plants, and made the best of the sunny, blue skies by squeezing in another walk in the park. A bit of house cleaning, laundry and cooking, and I’m still happy with the rest we could get.
7.
Theju sent me an unexpected, lovely gift.
