Rebecca B.

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PEPY finalist for Geotourism Challenge 2009

PEPY, an NGO in Cambodia I do volunteer work for (and helped photograph their school projects last year, see that project here), is a finalist in the Ashoka Changemaker's Geotourism Challenge 2009. It's all about sustainable tourism and...they explain it better than I do:

"The goal of the Geotourism Challenge is to identify and showcase innovators—individuals and organizations—that directly or indirectly support good destination stewardship and the approach known as geotourism: “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” Innovators who improve or protect that character of place are as important as geotourism practitioners."

PEPY is awesome and if you have 5 minutes they could use your vote to help them keep doing what they do. Click here to register and vote.

Portland Summer

NY Times...

It's been nice knowing you all. Surely I'll have very little time to communicate with normal people from here on out having had my photo and name grace the NY Times, the holy grail of photojournalism. You're no doubt saying to yourself, "Jeff, that's great, but surely you are taking a bit...well, an immense and possibly ridiculous amount...of liberty with the word "published," no? I mean, your photo is just one of 300 some odd reader's cell phone photos featured in little known section of the Times (online version at that). You weren't even paid and it's doubtful more than a handful of people will click on the tiny thumbnail that is your photo and see it." And I stare at you a moment in what looks to be either incredibly deep thought or a minor stroke and respond with a swift, resolute and determined "Yes! Liberty taken and embraced...possibly groped. My dear friend or family member or lucky visitor, you are here. Where? Here...at the humble iPhone photo beginnings of a wonderful career shooting for the NY Times." (cue applause) I'll just be waiting here by the phone.

Camper Shoes

I've always wanted a pair of super soft comfy quirky shoes from Camper, a family owned shoe company from Mallorca, Spain, but the price tag has always been a bit much to get over. Finally I found a pair of nice flip-flops and shoes that were on some sort of super sale (from Amazon no less...probably a few years out of season or something). I'm all about buying quality made gear (like Patagonia for example) even if it costs a bit more (which is a good policy when all your material possessions fit in a couple backpacks) in the hopes that it will last longer and you won't need to replace it as often. These velcro puppies ought to do double duty as semi-formal and casual sneakers.

Sirena Queen of the Dirt

Farmer's Market, Portland (near PSU)