On my way

So I am getting a few things under control before I leave for Caracas. I will be beginning a new blog that will be dedicated to the work I am doing in Caracas. I think that it would be best to keep this blog as my own private project if I am going to be serious about making some of the work that I do public through the same medium. Here I will remain free to say whatever I like, while on the other blog, Andando en Caracas, I will be talking much more about the experience of being back in the city that hosted me for nearly a year during my dissertation research.

While I am there I expect to see a lot of activity. This should give me lots to observe while I make my way through the streets. Hopefully I can find as many people interested in giving their opinions and telling their stories as possible. So far, just in preparing for this trip, there have been many people who have agreed to make themselves available for questions. The next step is actually finding and talking with them.

Much of what I will be sharing here on blogger will be the sights and sounds of the city. I realize that I am not likely to stay in the same part of the city that I called home before, and that my experience will be quite different. Still, I want to share what I routinely experience in my short treks throughout the city with my friends in the US and elsewhere. There are some things that I would like to share--things that I experienced before--that are extremely difficult to describe. It may be difficult to communicate to someone the sights and sounds of the city, especially when they escape the traditional forms that we may find ourselves accustomed to in our own cities. My descriptions need help, so I am going to do what I can to remedy the situation.

On Andando en Caracas I expect to post audio and video files along with text. If all goes well, the media will be available as a podcast, which would be easily downloaded with a variety of podcasting software, such as iTunes. If you are interested in taking part in this little experiment, I welcome your joining the discussion by subscribing to the new blog. A link to Andando en Caracas should apear to the right of the screen.

feeling the pressure

Oh man, I feel bad about slacking on you guys. I have been busy with a lot of nothing for the last couple months. At the moment I am preparing for a follow up trip to my research site. I will be there for around a month, and I hope to be able to work as fast as possible.

Of course, this means that I will need as much cooperation as possible from all the people participating with me. That is something I will have very little control over. I think that I may spend a good deal of time hunting down old contacts and friends. During slow times, I can do a lot of sketching, taking pictures, and trying to record as constantly as possible (video and audio).

Most of all, I'll be keeping you posted on what I'm up to while I'm gone. I promise. I won't forget about you again... for the 5th time.