Viscometric Whirls [425]

Greetings from the Isle of Arran...

I’m Christian Payne, professional over-sharer, photographer and writer. I’m currently on holiday so this might be an abnormally brief issue.

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#TheAction

There is nothing like getting away from it all. Rest, recuperation and having a go at living a little more than you work. We are definitely living right now. But there was a glitch in the ‘r and r’ bit. Not long after we got here we received a call from the house sitter reporting the brand new state-of-the-art immersion boiler fitted in our absence flooded the house. Or at least the bit of the house that sits under the boiler. Electrics mostly. The frustration and stress was bedded in the fact you can’t just slip off the island and head home. But thanks to sporadic moments of internet use we’ve managed to call six emergency plumbers (one of which could help) and a qualified electrician who just so happens to be a neighbour. All now appears to be sorted. (Fingers crossed).

So in the meantime we have enjoyed summery weather, mountain climbs, beach walks with old friends and far too much food and drink.

We love the Isle of Arran and would seriously consider moving here if the kids weren’t settled in school. I was just browsing a six bedroom island with lighthouse - but it appears to have been sold.

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#ThePictures

It was so good to catch up with my friend and fellow photographer Dr John Perivolaris (pictured with me in the above photo). In between assignments he lives here on the island and is about to aquire some new gear I’ve been lusting after. We got to thinking about the departure from a conventional camera-centric approach to image-making and what this might mean for photography in general. Expect a future post on the topic.

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#TheWords

I posted this yesterday for supporting subscribers. It includes some tools to help you spot AI generated content.

And four years ago I wrote about our first visit to Arran.

Which included a photograph of me on set with Colin Farrell.

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#TheSound

There are some great sounds and stories off this link to the work of Jim Metzner. (thanks to Geo for sharing.)

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#TheConsumed

I prefer veggie haggis to the meaty kind and quite often cannot tell the difference.

Pretty sure it will be the same tonight. As soon as I post this I’ll be using it in a chickpea curry.

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I’m not long back from the Lagg distillery tour. At 90mins it was packed with information and every question was answered from our guide Tim. There was just the three of us (apart from Tim). Myself and two French travellers called Sofie and Évan (I think). So we got a very personal tour.

It’s a beautiful building with friendly staff and this new whisky made from inland and not coastal peat has finally given me a peaty tipple I really enjoy. I used a handful of French words I know to help the couple understand some of the finer details. I had so much fun on the tour that I was offered a job as I left. Storytelling and whisky? Tim has no idea how tempting that offer was. Anyway, I recommend booking a tour if you are ever passing. I also recommend grabbing some of this unique whisky.

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#TheThings

Just as my Primus Trail II’s have got a hole in the sole, I saw that Vivobarefoot are about to put their prices up. They have lasted well as I’ve worn them for two years almost daily. So picked up a new pair. Or at least I thought I did. I accidentally bought a pair of Primus Lite III’s and if i’m honest they fit so well I will hold onto them. The one pair I will be truly sad to see go are my Tracker boots pictured on the left below. They took me up Goatfell this week and are still the most comfy walking boots I have ever owned. (I’m not sponsored by Vivobarefoot. Just addicted. I have used discount codes in the past as they are easy to find.)

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#TheThanks

I must thank the paying subscribers that pay $5/month to get all the content I share into this feed. Please consider upgrading to become a paid supporter. Or if you prefer PayAsYouGo you can do that via PayPal. If you do tip i’ll give the same value (plus some) in full membership. Either way… Thank you for reading, sharing and liking.

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#TheWeb

• What happens to Russian defectors? they become truck drivers in the US.

• The Documentally community map has no one from Araan. i’m not doing my job.

• Do insects feel joy and pain?

• Prison can be a hostile place then the birds came.

• Some of my other places include GoodReads, FarceBook, Flickr, Strava, Untappd, Diaspora, Vivino, LinkedIn, YouTube, Mastodon, a ham radio newsletter or search ‘Documentally’ on Wire, Birdsite, T2 or Bluesky.

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#TheEnd

That’s it from me. The family are hungry so I’m off to cook dinner in a lovely little kitchen in our erroneously named bothy. It’s far smarter than any bothy I’ve stayed in. I can look at the sea as I chop onions and watch the wind bend trees and fast forward clouds across the sky.

Have a great weekend. Chat soon I hope.

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“We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.” ~ Voltaire

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Soraidh

See you out there.

Over…

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