I have always thought that my greatest talent was the ability to make friends. I have been kind of lacking in that department since I left New York. I've been so moody lately that you can see the dark cloud over my head clear as day. As luck would have it a few people from home are in town and a few new people have stepped up to the plate to help me though the transition. I usually only post work that is"serious' but we had a great time taking pix of each other, drinking, laughing and catching up. I feel I get a little more creative when I have other people to bounce my ideas off of. It's good to hear other voices sometimes and not just the one in my head. I need to remember that no man is an island.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
NEW DELHI FASHION WEEK FOR DUMMIES
Like I did not get enough of fashion in New York. My agency said I should go and make features of fashion week since it's always good for sales. I've covered fashion week for 9 years in New York and was never that much of a fan. This is about the same but as my pal at a world wide wire service put it New Delhi fashion week is like a high school musical while New York is like a big Broadway show. I'm not that cynical. While production value may be lower the clothes seem pretty nice and they did have free Grey Goose. Hooray for Alcohol!!!! Sponsoring Fashion Weeks worldwide since 1989.
A DISQUIET FOLLOWS MY SOUL
A title that is heavier than it really needs to be but I just watched Battlestar Galactica and that was the episode title. Rip-off I know but I hate coming up with titles for blog posts. It kind of fits my mood as New Delhi has been rough. I feel like I can't get a moments peace or things to work properly. I am trying to lower my expectations and learn patience. I found a flat share so I finally got out of the cell of a room that is Hotel Bright. They really need a Best Western or some other mid-range hotel here. It goes from shit hole to five star with very little in between. But after moving into the flat with dreams of a hot shower and a good night's sleep I found my shower does not work and it's 5:30 as I write this.
Sleep has been a big problem for me since I left New York that just keeps getting worse. The good is that I am always exhausted when I put my head on the pillow and drift off pretty quickly. The problem is that I usually fall asleep around 1AM and find myself wide awake by 5AM. I'm spending the time refreshing my photoshop skills and skulking the neighborhood at night. I am so tired of being in a dark place here. I've been sick, run over, sleepy and lonely. I think I am back in Bikaner next week to follow up on the cancer trials and train story. I need the diversion. Work is slow right now and being able to do something for myself is a lift I need. Right now I miss friends, love, comfort, and medium rare hamburgers. I am also stubborn and am really trying not to let this get me down.
Sleep has been a big problem for me since I left New York that just keeps getting worse. The good is that I am always exhausted when I put my head on the pillow and drift off pretty quickly. The problem is that I usually fall asleep around 1AM and find myself wide awake by 5AM. I'm spending the time refreshing my photoshop skills and skulking the neighborhood at night. I am so tired of being in a dark place here. I've been sick, run over, sleepy and lonely. I think I am back in Bikaner next week to follow up on the cancer trials and train story. I need the diversion. Work is slow right now and being able to do something for myself is a lift I need. Right now I miss friends, love, comfort, and medium rare hamburgers. I am also stubborn and am really trying not to let this get me down.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
ROAD RASH AND CLINICAL TRIALS
I'm in kind of a weird place as I write this. In the last week I've spent time in a hospital shooting the first part of a story on patients taking part in a clinical trial for chemo therapy treatment. There has been a 65% rise in trials in India in the last two years due to the number of potential subjects and loose regulations.
As if that weren't enough taking a 20 hour train ride to get to where I wanted to be I got sick myself. As I tried to continue with the shooting with a bad tummy and a fever, I wound up getting run over by a motorcycle as I was leaving the hospital the hospital. Fortunately I was a few hundred yards away from decent medical care. Nothing broken. Just bumps, bruises, and scratches. This as I was considering getting my own motorcycle. I was exhausted,lonely, sick, and sore on a dirty hospital bed surrounded by the people who's story I wanted to tell. Everyone looked perplexed by the situation I found myself in. Wasn't I just there with a camera? What happened? Who did this to you?
With all that I have seen and the care that people had received I was trying not wonder if the sheet I was lying on was going to make me sicker. Despite the lack of so called Western conditions a great deal of care goes into the treatment of patients here. Why should I feel the need for something better? I felt a bit ashamed of myself. Doctor dropped what they were doing just to be sure I was taken care of. Patients came over and smiled. Nothing terminal like my bunk mates. Just a few bumps, bruises, and damaged pride. I said I wanted to do this project because one of the things I thought that leveled the playing field for all of us is health care. I should put emphasis care. This was not the most modern hospital bed I have ever been it may have been my best I've ever been treated in a hospital any where.
As if that weren't enough taking a 20 hour train ride to get to where I wanted to be I got sick myself. As I tried to continue with the shooting with a bad tummy and a fever, I wound up getting run over by a motorcycle as I was leaving the hospital the hospital. Fortunately I was a few hundred yards away from decent medical care. Nothing broken. Just bumps, bruises, and scratches. This as I was considering getting my own motorcycle. I was exhausted,lonely, sick, and sore on a dirty hospital bed surrounded by the people who's story I wanted to tell. Everyone looked perplexed by the situation I found myself in. Wasn't I just there with a camera? What happened? Who did this to you?
With all that I have seen and the care that people had received I was trying not wonder if the sheet I was lying on was going to make me sicker. Despite the lack of so called Western conditions a great deal of care goes into the treatment of patients here. Why should I feel the need for something better? I felt a bit ashamed of myself. Doctor dropped what they were doing just to be sure I was taken care of. Patients came over and smiled. Nothing terminal like my bunk mates. Just a few bumps, bruises, and damaged pride. I said I wanted to do this project because one of the things I thought that leveled the playing field for all of us is health care. I should put emphasis care. This was not the most modern hospital bed I have ever been it may have been my best I've ever been treated in a hospital any where.
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