Day 80: THANKSGIVING AT THE PHOTO HOUSE

(A traditional turkey chicken dinner- with a side of photos)


What's a Thanksgiving dinner without crossaints, chicken and photography?

Celebrating Thanksgiving can prove to be difficult in Europe. The tradition of honoring the pilgrims for slaughtering feasting with Native Americans is not too important to British culture BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

But that's fine by me since everybody knows Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. I hate 90 percent of the food, I have to watch the ***** Lions play football and plus I don't need a holiday telling me when I should be thankful. Instead, I believe we should just be thankful everyday. (That's my justification for disliking this silly holiday. It's not a very good justification. shhhh...) The good news is in London it's actually easy for me to follow my "always be gracious" mantra.

This would normally be the point where I list all I'm grateful for here in London. Eh, but it's too cliche. OK, I'm actually not doing that because I'm too stuffed from eating pies. My favorite Thanksgiving treat. Still, it's true from the new sights every day to the accents to the history to the theatre to the doner kebab, it's impossible to not to feel so lucky and privileged to be spending four months here. Now if we could only find some damn pumpkin pie?

For Thanksgiving dinner at the house, it's been almost impossible to find any of the traditional Thanksgiving food. That's good news for me. Our resident chef Will Halsey led the charge in cooking the meal. No turkey. Instead tastes like chicken! Apple pie replaces pumpkin pie (all pie* is delicious, so this is acceptable). No stuffing, but there is sweet corn. No, um, turkey. But there are choreos. Mmmm. Now this I can appreciate. And we still managed to keep the Thanksgiving tradition of nearly burning down the house.*

Living in the photo house has been an interesting experience. Nine people. One house. One non-photo major (me). The goal I wanted to accomplish this semester was to see the world from completely unique perspective. From another culture's point of view. And hell, that was even possible in my own house. The age-old battle between photographers and writers (me) still rages on, but learning to see the world through a lens is something I struggled with in past classes. To not only spot a brilliant image, but to have the guts to get right in there and snap that shot and to frame it just right - you must see the world with both an artistic and frantic eye.

And while, I might never take one photo as good as any of them. I believe I'm learned from seeing my flatmates shoot thousands of pictures of the semester. I ask questions, and little by little I'm feeling more like I'm seeing the world better through the camera's eye. So thanks for that. I'm impressed by what y'all do.

Furthermore, while I have trouble taking photos of cool images. I have managed to find success taking photos of photographers taking photos of cool images. Taken from throughout this current semester, here are shots of photogs making memories: (Except Sarah, who managed to be elusive enough to escape everyone one of these photos.)

The cast of "St. Mary's Mansion Photo House"


The obligatory "British soldier" shot


Haircut in da house!


Brad surveys a good location for him to rule London from.


Dat's good beer.


That face says it all: "I've taken zero good photos at Hampstead Heath."


Tower of London


Bahhh.

I think I was in the way on this one.


Work that chicken, Will.


Halloween.
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Foot notes

*What's better pie or cake? Overall, I feel there's a greater quanity of delicious pies (pecan, pumpkin, pudding, apple). But nothing is more savory than a rich, moist slice of chocolate cake. Let the age-old debate rages on.


*

This photo may look out of focus, but it's actually all the smoke in the room. And this photo is out of focus.