Hey everyone - just wondering in you all could do me a favor - go to my website, which has most of the pictures uploaded now, and test it out. Explore the site, and leave me feedback here on the blog. I've noticed that the site reacts differently between PC and Mac, though it really shouldn't. Tell me what doesn't seem to work well for you when you explore it.
I would be eternally grateful!
Hannah Epley Photography
12/19/2006
12/17/2006
Girls' Night and the Ten Ren Tea Company
Last night was the most fun night I have had in a long long time... I'm here in the University Center on duty for the weekend, meaning I really can't leave the building at all except to go to Panera (which is in our building). A bunch of other girl RAs are also on duty, including my roommate, so we invited the other ladies over for a girls' night. Before our duty meeting, I snuck out of the building and caught the train to Chinatown, which is only 5 minutes away by rail. I went to the Ten Ren Tea & Ginseng Company, quickly picked up a 1/2 pound of loose leaf tea, then headed back immediately.
We rented the new Woody Allen film "Scoop" and began watching it - we never finished, it is absolutely awful. Two great actors, Scarlet Johannsen and Hugh Jackman, were awful in this movie. When the DVD skipped and stopped an hour into the film, we took it as an omen that we should just stop watching it. Instead, we put in one of my favorite movies, Two Weeks Notice, with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. So we got our fill of romantic comedy and an amazing British accent. Good stuff.
Meanwhile, we tried the new tea I got, Mango Black Tea, and let me tell you, it is AMAZING. It was $20 a pound, one of the cheaper teas at Ten Ren (They have one green tea that they sell at $130/lb.) but it was so good, perhaps the best tea I have ever had. It has real pieces of mango dried up in it. I used my new french press, which I am so excited about, and Hayley's water boiler, and probably refilled it 6 times, thus about 30 cups off of 6 tablespoons of the loose leaf tea. I don't think I will ever go back to regular tea - I'm going to Ten Ren again tomorrow, so that I can take my time and get acquainted with all they have to offer. Supposedly they have 200 varieties of tea there.
Following the movie, we sat around and gushed about boyfriends and dating and life until after midnight. It was so much fun. A few of us had to do late rounds in the building still, so we headed out and girls' night was over. I believe we'll be doing another on Monday. Priceless.
We rented the new Woody Allen film "Scoop" and began watching it - we never finished, it is absolutely awful. Two great actors, Scarlet Johannsen and Hugh Jackman, were awful in this movie. When the DVD skipped and stopped an hour into the film, we took it as an omen that we should just stop watching it. Instead, we put in one of my favorite movies, Two Weeks Notice, with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. So we got our fill of romantic comedy and an amazing British accent. Good stuff.
Meanwhile, we tried the new tea I got, Mango Black Tea, and let me tell you, it is AMAZING. It was $20 a pound, one of the cheaper teas at Ten Ren (They have one green tea that they sell at $130/lb.) but it was so good, perhaps the best tea I have ever had. It has real pieces of mango dried up in it. I used my new french press, which I am so excited about, and Hayley's water boiler, and probably refilled it 6 times, thus about 30 cups off of 6 tablespoons of the loose leaf tea. I don't think I will ever go back to regular tea - I'm going to Ten Ren again tomorrow, so that I can take my time and get acquainted with all they have to offer. Supposedly they have 200 varieties of tea there.
Following the movie, we sat around and gushed about boyfriends and dating and life until after midnight. It was so much fun. A few of us had to do late rounds in the building still, so we headed out and girls' night was over. I believe we'll be doing another on Monday. Priceless.
12/15/2006
Haircut!
Got a new haircut! I LOVE IT. Thank you, Colin of London. Thank you, Polish girl Magi, you are amazing.
Another Semester of Perspective
This evening I had my last class of the semester, History of the Holocaust. What an amazing class it has been; I have learned so much.
For tonight's class, we spoke on the topic of more recent genocide around the world. All semester, this class was sort of a downer for ending each week (though it was a valuable class regardless), but tonight I left the classroom very much saddened as I was reminded of the inadequacy of governments in our world.
As of December 31st, the UN will, I believe, have a new leader, as Kofi Annan will be stepping down after 10 years of service. I found a somewhat cynical but revealing article in the Tribune that I thought I would share, discussing the UN's failure to take necessary actions during these past 10 years.
In class this evening I watched a very graphic documentary on the Rwandan genocide in 1994, and it was honestly so hard to stomach. In taking my African History & Culture class last fall, I gained a lot of perspective about Africa and why it is where it is today. This documentary had a lot of footage that I had never seen - scenes of rebels approaching people on the roads and hacking them with machetes, piles and piles of bodies lying alongside the road, hundreds of bodies flowing down the river into neighboring countries, lining the banks. Even writing now, thinking of these scenes brings tears to my eyes. I watched film from 1994 of a Clinton rep denying that genocide was occurring, struggling to save face amongst reporters. And then scenes of Clinton arriving at the airport in Kigali, apologizing for his country's failure to act, and then getting back onto Air Force One, engines never having been turned off. Really, is an apology enough?
The discussion quickly turned to Darfur and the current situation there. President Bush has used the term "genocide" many times when referring to the situation, yet the UN is too afraid to use that term. Why? Calling a conflict "genocide" demands action. The UN is bound by an agreement written in 1951 stating that it is its duty to prevent and punish even conspiring genocide. Quite frankly, the UN has a history of not wanting to get involved in countries where its interests do not lie. The United States is not left out of that either - though Bush uses the term "genocide," what have we as a country done that has made a dent in the conflict?
One of my very liberal classmates made a point that he thinks that the current administration would get support of the American people to send troops to Darfur if we would simpy educate the people. Several other students agreed with this statement. "You really think that the American public would be in support of that?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. These same students ramble about the "Bush regime" and the 'pointless War on Terror' that is 'laden with corruption'... I'm not sure I completely support the war in Iraq but I'm definitely more supportive than most kids my age. Let's get some perspective here... Hussein's administration was not innocent of crimes against his people. Because of this war, we are giving these people a chance at democracy, a better way of life away from the tyranny of a dictator. The truth of the matter is, unfortunately, that Americans are often ignorant of the continent of Africa in general, and I can't see many citizens wanting to send troops into a messy conflict like Darfur, with the current level of support for the Iraq war.
I feel as if I've gone on a rant. I am very sensitive about Africa. Sometimes overly-sensitive. But I just can't stand the world's inactivity and failing to even care. I know there are good people doing great things to help resolve the conflict in Darfur. And I am not the kind of person who has no faith in our government. I love America and love living in this country. But considering Rwanda, we are following the same path to allowing genocide to occur.
How many times can we repeat the phrase "Never again" before it becomes meaningless?
*Lord, I pray that you can help us to make a difference not only in Darfur, but in places around the world where people are being savagely killed. Help me to remember not to place my trust in the government, but to place it in you.*
For tonight's class, we spoke on the topic of more recent genocide around the world. All semester, this class was sort of a downer for ending each week (though it was a valuable class regardless), but tonight I left the classroom very much saddened as I was reminded of the inadequacy of governments in our world.
As of December 31st, the UN will, I believe, have a new leader, as Kofi Annan will be stepping down after 10 years of service. I found a somewhat cynical but revealing article in the Tribune that I thought I would share, discussing the UN's failure to take necessary actions during these past 10 years.
In class this evening I watched a very graphic documentary on the Rwandan genocide in 1994, and it was honestly so hard to stomach. In taking my African History & Culture class last fall, I gained a lot of perspective about Africa and why it is where it is today. This documentary had a lot of footage that I had never seen - scenes of rebels approaching people on the roads and hacking them with machetes, piles and piles of bodies lying alongside the road, hundreds of bodies flowing down the river into neighboring countries, lining the banks. Even writing now, thinking of these scenes brings tears to my eyes. I watched film from 1994 of a Clinton rep denying that genocide was occurring, struggling to save face amongst reporters. And then scenes of Clinton arriving at the airport in Kigali, apologizing for his country's failure to act, and then getting back onto Air Force One, engines never having been turned off. Really, is an apology enough?
The discussion quickly turned to Darfur and the current situation there. President Bush has used the term "genocide" many times when referring to the situation, yet the UN is too afraid to use that term. Why? Calling a conflict "genocide" demands action. The UN is bound by an agreement written in 1951 stating that it is its duty to prevent and punish even conspiring genocide. Quite frankly, the UN has a history of not wanting to get involved in countries where its interests do not lie. The United States is not left out of that either - though Bush uses the term "genocide," what have we as a country done that has made a dent in the conflict?
One of my very liberal classmates made a point that he thinks that the current administration would get support of the American people to send troops to Darfur if we would simpy educate the people. Several other students agreed with this statement. "You really think that the American public would be in support of that?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. These same students ramble about the "Bush regime" and the 'pointless War on Terror' that is 'laden with corruption'... I'm not sure I completely support the war in Iraq but I'm definitely more supportive than most kids my age. Let's get some perspective here... Hussein's administration was not innocent of crimes against his people. Because of this war, we are giving these people a chance at democracy, a better way of life away from the tyranny of a dictator. The truth of the matter is, unfortunately, that Americans are often ignorant of the continent of Africa in general, and I can't see many citizens wanting to send troops into a messy conflict like Darfur, with the current level of support for the Iraq war.
I feel as if I've gone on a rant. I am very sensitive about Africa. Sometimes overly-sensitive. But I just can't stand the world's inactivity and failing to even care. I know there are good people doing great things to help resolve the conflict in Darfur. And I am not the kind of person who has no faith in our government. I love America and love living in this country. But considering Rwanda, we are following the same path to allowing genocide to occur.
How many times can we repeat the phrase "Never again" before it becomes meaningless?
*Lord, I pray that you can help us to make a difference not only in Darfur, but in places around the world where people are being savagely killed. Help me to remember not to place my trust in the government, but to place it in you.*
12/14/2006
3...2...1...launch!
Here it is... the moment we've all been waiting for. Ok, well, I've been waiting, anyway. The site isn't complete - I'm going to finish it up over the next week. However, it is at least up and running! Check it out:
hannahepley.com
12/10/2006
Preview of what's about to come...
Just wanted to take a couple mins to post one picture from one of my finals...
I promise I will post more, and soon. Just let me try to get through this next week first!
I promise I will post more, and soon. Just let me try to get through this next week first!
12/07/2006
Changes a-coming
After much thought and consideration, I have decided to make a few changes to my blog.
New look.
Will not be so pre-made. The new look will closely mimick my website that is launching in a week.
New name.
The city life isn't so new to me anymore. Actually, I'm pretty used to living in the city. Nor is this blog usually about living in the city! I figure since most posts I write revolve around photography and my making thereof, my blog should reflect that.
New links.
I will still feature those of your blogs that I frequent. *Note to those blogs that I frequent. A few of them would be great if the blogger would blog more than once every 6 months.* Now, I will have links to the photography sites that I adore - places to buy photo gear, resources for photographers, cool portfolio sites, etc.
New content?
Probably not, though I hope to update it a lot more frequently that I do now.
I hope you will keep checking back, and also check out my new personal photography website when it launches a week from today: hannahepley.com
New look.
Will not be so pre-made. The new look will closely mimick my website that is launching in a week.
New name.
The city life isn't so new to me anymore. Actually, I'm pretty used to living in the city. Nor is this blog usually about living in the city! I figure since most posts I write revolve around photography and my making thereof, my blog should reflect that.
New links.
I will still feature those of your blogs that I frequent. *Note to those blogs that I frequent. A few of them would be great if the blogger would blog more than once every 6 months.* Now, I will have links to the photography sites that I adore - places to buy photo gear, resources for photographers, cool portfolio sites, etc.
New content?
Probably not, though I hope to update it a lot more frequently that I do now.
I hope you will keep checking back, and also check out my new personal photography website when it launches a week from today: hannahepley.com
12/06/2006
Procrastination, Part 1
Lately my roommate Hayley and I seem to be able to find anything and everything to do but our homework. It's as if we can't face the reality of how much we need to do, so we mindlessly waste away precious hours doing absolutely nothing. Last night, when I had 150+ pages in a book to read, what did we do? Hayley cleaned and planned a trip to Europe, I arranged some flowers, talked with Hayley about Christmas gifts, browsed through pictures on my computer, went to Myspace and Facebook, edited a paper for Josiah, vacuumed... the list goes on. I got very little reading done before my eyes were starting to shut on their own. So, alas, today will be another packed day of homework, including a trip to the Holocaust exhibit here at the Spertus Institute for class.
All these horrible things about procrastination aside, I wanted to share this AMAZING website that my cousin Kris sent to me... if you have ever cut snowflakes out of paper you will LOVE this site. Have fun, time's a-wasting!
Click here to enter a winter wonderland
All these horrible things about procrastination aside, I wanted to share this AMAZING website that my cousin Kris sent to me... if you have ever cut snowflakes out of paper you will LOVE this site. Have fun, time's a-wasting!
Click here to enter a winter wonderland
12/03/2006
Oh, baby!
I hate that it has taken me so long to post a new blog. Seriously. I'm terrible sometimes.
But tonight, I wanted to share a couple photos that I took today of my friend Ashley. She had been planning to visit me for probably over a month now, and on Wednesday, she called me to say she was going into labor. The visit was off, so we thought. But her labor stopped, and since she's not due until the 28th, she and Darren made the trip downtown so I could get some "belly shots."
Here are a couple of my faves:
But tonight, I wanted to share a couple photos that I took today of my friend Ashley. She had been planning to visit me for probably over a month now, and on Wednesday, she called me to say she was going into labor. The visit was off, so we thought. But her labor stopped, and since she's not due until the 28th, she and Darren made the trip downtown so I could get some "belly shots."
Here are a couple of my faves:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)