I think it’s pretty clear this blog has become defunct. It’s been more than three months since I’ve posted, and there aren’t any posts in the works. I’ve been thinking about what this blog is/was, why I had it and why it hasn’t kept on going. Basically it comes down to this: Ben in Japan came from my wanting to document all the crazy stuff I saw and did in Japan, and so I always had a lot to write about. I really loved writing that blog and taking those pictures, and so naturally when I came back home to Brooklyn, I wanted to keep that going. I did for a little bit, but from the very beginning, I never really knew what to write when I wasn’t going on vacations or having other adventures. I kept taking pictures, but they didn’t have long and involved stories with them, and I felt silly posting pictures of my friends and I hanging out on my blog. I would wait for “significant” events, and when those didn’t come I wouldn’t post. I didn’t like that, because I like posting photos, so I switched over to Flickr.

I’ve really enjoyed posting to Flickr recently, and it is updated very often. For now, that will be where all my stuff goes.

Interestingly, just as I’ve given up on my life being exciting and blog-worthy, I’m about to embark on a potentially exciting and interesting life adventure. We’ll see how it goes, but I could see myself starting up a new blog in the near future. Stay tuned. For now, keep checking http://www.flickr.com/photos/benduchac/ - I’ll be posting, and looking for comments.

Well, that was fun. It seems that I’m at my [blogging] best when I’m writing about Japan. I am not nearly as timely when I’m posting about Brooklyn, but a slow blog is better than no blog in my book. I didn’t take that many pictures in December, the short days mean I’m cooped up in an office for all the daylight hours every day, and my weekends are usually full. I have some night pictures, and some weekend pictures today.

First up, I was meeting family in Chinatown and got there about half an hour early, so I spent the time walking around with my camera, taking pictures of stores and restaurants. Here are a few I liked.

I like this place because it has no English name. Makes me want to try it out.

Fresh veggies! I never shop in Chinatown, although every time I’m there I think to myself that I should.

This is about as typical as Chinatown views get.

I like this picture best. Each little tank of fish is like a little framed picture. The three across the bottom make a nice little triptych.

I took the Chinatown pictures in mid-December, and other than various concerts and parties, I didn’t shoot much else until the holidays. We have a huge holiday party every Christmas Eve, but I actually didn’t take any great pictures at the party, so here are some before and afters.

This is actually a picture from Christmas Eve day. I got up around 10 in the morning to go help the family set up for the big party, and as I was leaving my apartment I noticed the sun shining in through the back door and hitting our old worn-out garden door. I took about five pictures (another one here) and then went to help out.

Neko came to help too (she sat on a stool and sniffed for food.)

The party happened, and it was great as usual. The house was full of people, the Christmas tree was decorated, and since we’ve been doing this every year for as long as I can remember, it finally felt like Christmas. Much egg nogg, beer, and ham was consumed.

Neko actually made herself scarce for the party - she’s more of a chill kind of girl, not so much into big crowds. Dinner parties are more her scene. Once most of the people left and there were just a few friends left, she came up for some holiday relaxation.

Of course, she’s not relaxing in this picture - she’s about to attack Ben Popper’s hand.

And to round it out (I know, I barely wrote anything this time) here are a couple pictures of family time after the Christmas madness was over.

Maud and mom at MoMA.

And Leila and Maud at the Koreans around the corner. They were buying… ice cream? Orange juice? I really can’t remember, but I like this picture of them, and it was good to have the girls back in town, even if it was just for a few days.

Further photo-ization on Flickr, as usual.

Yes, that is how far behind I have fallen. The pictures that I have been saving to post are from the first bit of July, and here we are in mid-August. I always know when it’s the middle of the month because my unlimited metrocard runs out and I have to open up the new one.

So, a bunch of things have happened since I last posted, and since I took these pictures, but there’s no point in writing them all out. Instead, here are some pictures and some tales of what has been going on recently.

I’ve been spending about every other weekend in Montauk, and it’s excellent. I always manage to get a sun burn, but I also always manage to have a good time. Life slows down in Montauk, I usually have one night of despair and boredom, but then by the second night my system has slowed down a bit and I can handle the quiet and the lack of loud and crazy entertainment.

Montauk is also a great place to photograph. Here is my favorite picture of Leila.

Just another beautiful day at the beach. When I was little, I used to go to the beach every single day of summer, but I don’t think I really ever appreciated how nice it is to be able to sit by the water on a hot day, reading a book and watching people go by.

As a truly lame pet owner, I don’t like to go to Montauk without Neko, and when she comes, I think she has a better time than I do. She is usually a slow and affectionate cat, but as soon as we get to Montauk, she becomes an alert and athletic hunter (so far she has caught a bunny and a shrew - the bunny survived, the shrew…not so much). She also sits on sun-warmed rocks like some sort of savanna cat. Neko spends her Montauk weekends running around, hunting, and keeping tabs on the entire property. When I take her back to Brooklyn, she sleeps practically for a full day.

Neko, on patrol.

A few weeks ago, Leila’s friends (John on the left, Lydia on the right) came out to Montauk, and I was embedded with them as their photographer for an evening having drinks out at Inlet Seafood. There are a lot of pictures, but this one…these are some cool kids. I don’t really know if I can compare. Sometimes it’s nice to be behind the camera, making people look cool - less pressure.

The truly excellent Montauk car.

Also: Leila and John went fishing, and John pulled up a giant striped bass. We ate it, it was delicious! Something happened to that fish’s genes, the stripes missed a spot - it looks like someone smudged it a little bit.

Back in Brooklyn, maybe you heard that we had a lot of rain, and basically the whole city was flooded. That was the second of two huge rainstorms, this was the first. It poured rain in the middle of the night for a few hours, and I took some pictures because the rain was heavy enough to become like a fog, and everything turned orange and golden out in the street.