Tessera

Kafkaesque

@kafkaesque2024.bsky.social

Recovering lawyer & former historian, turned fragrance critic. #exPostie. #ECK Focus: art; politics; photography; German Shepherds; history; space; nebulae; science; TV; Star Trek; Top Chef; Camus; cPTSD; animals; cooking; gastronomy; & yes, fragrances.

11848 Posts1585 Follower 678 Folgt

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 6h ago

Strategic Defeat Update: "It could take more than 2 years for the US to replenish the more than 1,500 Patriot interceptor missiles that have been used in the Iran war. "The current inventory of those missiles is fewer than 1,700." Must-read/gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/08/u...

The U.S. Is Burning Through Weapons in Iran. Russia and China Are Taking Note. (Gift Article)

The Iran war has depleted U.S. weapons stockpiles, resulting in a significant erosion of firepower. A more drawn-out Iran conflict benefits Moscow and Beijing, some analysts say.

nytimes.com

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2h ago

My friends, if you have any interest in: Scotland; the Great British Bake Off or cozy shows like it; porridge/oatmeal; Australia; the Golden Spurtle; chef-y things; or articles that are more fun & better written than 2 famous novels I read this yr, click now! 👇 www.theguardian.com/food/2026/au...

Breakfast of champions: Australia’s best porridge makers cause a stir at inaugural national competition

On Saturday, a sold-out crowd cheered on as 15 contestants battled it out to claim the championship spurtle – with a pinch of Celtic salt the deciding factor

theguardian.com

Ari Dublion @aridublion.bsky.social · 4h ago

I took this photo of Freda Lake from Skwim Mountain in qathet BC a week ago. I shared it with a bunch of photos but I think it deserves its own post

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 4h ago

#SensoryArt #Small Making a splash, joy in every drop: The sweet, youthful innocence of children playing in #water on a hot summer day. #AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral #BlueskyArtShow #CityScapes #ClassicMono #Photography #Photographers #BWphotography #UrbanGaze #PeopleofBluesky #ECK

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · last mo.

#Abstractia #Shapes #GeometricSymmetry In the belly of the (architecturally beautiful) beast. Designed like a Gothic cathedral nave. I see a whale 🐳 too. #UrbanGaze #UrbanDesign #ECK #Architecture #StreetPhotography #Photography #Photographers #ClassicMono #BWphotography #Buildings #InteriorDesign

A vertical black-and-white photograph of the cavernous, multi-story 120 ft tall atrium and hall inside the iconic TC Energy Center (formerly known as the Bank of America Center) in Houston's financial district.

Gothic-Inspired Vaulting: The photo emphasizes a series of monumental, stepped overhead concrete arches that replicate a classic European cathedral nave, true to the building's postmodern, neo-Gothic design. Shot from a dramatic low angle looking straight up, the composition highlights a massive vertical void that draws the eye upward through several distinct building tiers. Symmetrical, parallel rows of rectangular interior window cutouts and open gallery levels flank both sides of the atrium, adding a rhythmic, geometric framing.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 5h ago

#BlueskyArtShow #Water Quand la feuille pleure en silence. When a leaf cries in silence. #AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral #BnW #BNWMacro #ClassicMono #Photography #Photographers #SensoryArt #Small #Macro #Bloomscrolling #Plants #Gardening #MinimalMonday

A close-up or macro black and white photograph of a single textured leaf hanging vertically against a dark, blurred background. The leaf features a prominent central vein down its middle, along which three large, clear water droplets are aligned vertically, reflecting light. The surface of the leaf is covered in a complex network of smaller veins, and its edges are lined with sharp, fine serrations.

Moyra @moytan.bsky.social · 6h ago

#Water drops on Spiderweb for #BlueSkyArtShow theme #water #BlueSkyPhotography #nature #photography #IphonePhotography

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 6h ago

#BlueskyArtShow #Water "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes." — Rob Siltanen Trees that stick out or haven't broken count as well. #Scape #GreenSat #ColorADay #ECK #Nature #Landscape #Photography #Photographers #ForestFriday

A wetland landscape unfolds under a bright sky filled with puffy white clouds, where still, dark water creates a glassy reflection of the surrounding nature. Standing tall above the dense greenery are two prominent, slender pine trees covered in climbing vines, rising high into the upper frame. Below them, a mix of vibrant green deciduous and coniferous trees lines the banks, transitioning into patches of tall reeds and grasses along the water's edge. In the foreground, weathered, bare tree branches break through the surface of the calm pond, adding structural texture to the serene, untamed natural scene.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 7h ago

One step closer to moving to... Portland? (Or Canada?) Must 1st visit, obviously, + who knows what the job market might be for someone like me? It's not good for GenX women generally RN. Considering fragrance jobs at the conglomerates, but those are in NYC (& maybe LA). Portugal was the...

G. Willow Wilson @gwillow.me · 10h ago

World Central Kitchen is on the ground in Spokane feeding folks displaced by the fires, so if you're looking for ways to help, here's a good option: donate.wck.org/campaign/829...

Donate to World Central Kitchen

Your donation will help to provide fresh meals for those in need after disasters, and build long-term resilience in affected communities.

donate.wck.org

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 8h ago

Productive day: I signed w/ the auction house & estate sale C° that I'd found. I'd initially planned on interviewing their rival before deciding but the other C° never picked up the 2-3 times I called them, so I took it as a sign. This C° recently won Michael Jackson's estate, so they can...

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · yesterday

I don't think I've ever been so tired in all my life. I feel practically drugged, physically and mentally. Unable to move. Can't think coherently, or at all. Dazed. Not sleepy, simply paralyzed physically as if pinned down. I don't know how I'll meet w/ the estate auction guy tomorrow at noon.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 6d ago

"J'attendrai, le jour et la nuit J'attendrai toujours Ton retour J'attendrai Car l'oiseau qui s'enfuit Vient chercher l'oubli dans son nid Le temps passe et court En battant tristement Dans mon cœur si lourd Et pourtant j'attendrai ton retour" -- DALIDA

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 6d ago

À l'éternel retour de la chance À l'enfant qui viendra Qui nous ressemblera Qui sera à la fois toi et moi [...] À la vie, à l'amour À nos nuits, à nos jours À l'éternel retour de la chance À l'enfant qui viendra Qui nous ressemblera Qui sera à la fois toi et moi -- Joe Dassin, À Toi

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2d ago

À Toi: youtu.be/UWGoVyXQ1l8?... Joe Dassin- superstar 70s iconic American French folk singer who died too early and who broke global charts in every language with his poetic love songs. "A Toi" has been my song since age 9. One day, maybe it will come true. To quote Dalida, "J'attendrai."

À toi - Joe Dassin - Live Performance - English Subtitles - 1976

YouTube video by AlineCunio

youtu.be

Kafkaesque@kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2d ago

"À Toi." Joe Dassin "À toi À la petite fille que tu étais À celle que tu es encore souvent À ton passé, à tes secrets À tes anciens princes charmants" One of the songs of my life since I was 6. One day, maybe it will be the song of... open.spotify.com/track/6J23SZ...

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2d ago

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 6d ago

#AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral Frayed, paper+thin, vintage film photos, over 50 years old, of a fleeting moment in time with a lady, my mother, whose light is dying out as we speak. My mother & I. #Photography #Photographers #VintageFilmPhotography #Analog #ECK

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 6d ago

#AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral Family weekend at Brown with my brother & parents, back in ye olde dinosaur ages. Out of the 3: I lost 1; losing 1 now RN; & can't wait to lose the abrasive bully once & for all. #Photography #Photographers #VintageFilmPhotography #Analog #ECK #MemoryLane

The image shows a group of four people posing closely together outdoors. On the far left, a woman wears a wide-brimmed black hat and a patterned houndstooth coat while smiling and holding her hat. Next to her, a smiling woman in dark sunglasses and a plaid jacket leans in. Behind them stands a young man with a wide smile, and to the right is an older man with grey hair wearing a formal dark suit and tie. The photo appears to be a physical print with a glossy finish that shows a slight glare.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 5d ago

They're together now. My mother passed away last night just prior to being taken to respite care. She's now free, her real self again, and back with the love of all her lifetimes ever. Goodbye, Mommy. Daddy, I did my best for her.

The image depicts a close-up portrait of a young couple posing together outdoors in a stylized, high-contrast black and white format with strong blue/silver tones.

A woman leans over from behind a man, wrapping her right arm around his neck and shoulder in an affectionate embrace. She has dark, short hair, prominent dark eyebrows, and a slight, knowing smile while looking directly toward the camera.The man is also dark haired and young, with a lean angular face and piercing eyes. He seated in front, resting his chin or cheek against his left hand, and wears a light-colored, long-sleeved button-up shirt with visible cufflinks.

The setting is outdoors with leafy foliage or textured shrubbery softly blurred behind them. The photograph has a vintage aesthetic, characterized by an artistic, high-contrast overlay that emphasizes deep shadows and bright, glowing highlights.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 6d ago

Perhaps my all-time fav. photo of my mother. They used to call her "The Pocket Venus." Sheikhs wanted to marry her (or sleep w/ her). Prime Ministers & politicians were dazzled by her keen political instincts, analytical mind, incisive psychological assessments, & sharp wit. My father: 😍💘 68 yrs!

A medium shot captures a striking woman with voluminous, shoulder-length auburn hair styled in soft waves, looking directly toward the camera with a subtle smile. She has extremely high cheekbones, dark sultry eyes, curving dark eyebrows, and a hint of a smile on her curved red lips. She is wears a black lace, long-sleeved French couture blouse with semi-sheer fabric detailing and a large, ornate, swirling diamond broach on top, paired with a matching dark lace skirt. She is leaning slightly forward with one hand resting on a smooth surface, set against a softly blurred outdoor backdrop featuring a light-colored architectural pillar and hint of greenery.

Michael @michaelsan.bsky.social · 2d ago

I’m a huge fan of his work. Before covid there was a spectacular one called Akhob hidden away on the top floor of the Louis Vuitton boutique in Las Vegas. free, but by appointment only. I don’t even remember how I found out about it!

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2d ago

I will say one positive thing about myself: my research skills are excellent, lol. I think I found -*fingers crossed, knock on wood*- a SUPERB estate sales C° that has its own auction house, using the same platform as Sotheby's & Christie's. They know the higher end stuff like the Louis XVI... 1/2

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2d ago

#Abstractia #Angles The Miller Outdoor Theatre, the largest free open-air performing arts facility in the US. Its iconic, award-winning A-frame structural canopy is made of self-weathering Cor-ten steel. Shakespeare, jazz, ballet: free 8 months of the yr. #ECK #UrbanGaze #Photography #ClassicMono

The Miller Outdoor Theatre, located within Houston's Hermann Park, is a historic cultural landmark renowned as the largest "always free" open-air performing arts facility in the United States. Founded in 1923, the theater offers an eight-month seasonal lineup from March through November featuring high-quality, culturally diverse programming that spans classical music, jazz, ballet, Shakespeare, musical theater, and classic films. Architecturally, the venue originally featured a classical amphitheater layout flanked by Corinthian columns. However, it was completely rebuilt in 1968 by Eugene Werlin and Associates into its current Modernist / Expressionist style, defined by its dramatic, award-winning A-frame structural canopy made of self-weathering Cor-ten steel. This striking, rust-patinated shell shelters 1,705 fixed seats, while a vast, sloping hillside accommodates another 4,500 lawn spectators for unique, open-air performances under the stars.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 2d ago

#Abstractia #Angles One of several, towering white #ModernArt pylon sculptures, inspired by birds in flight, intended to provide shade in front of Houston's outdoor Miller Theater in the park. #UrbanGaze #UrbanDesign #ECK #StreetPhotography #Photography #Photographers #CityScapes #GeometricShapes

A vertical black-and-white photograph captures a large, modern geometric archway sculpture positioned at Houston's Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Plaza, which serves as a newly designed gateway entrance to the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston's Hermann Park. Google tells me that "the towering structure consists of two sleek, sharp-edged angular pylons that rise up to frame a narrow vertical slit. The design is heavily inspired by the theatre's iconic angular, corten-steel proscenium stage canopy. The left section forms an expansive, asymmetric trapezoid block, while the right side tapers off into a dramatic, steeply angled diagonal projection pointing toward the sky."

Set against a backdrop of dense, mature trees and a sky filled with high-contrast, dramatic clouds, the sculpture stands on stone paving behind a low concrete planter box. Bright sunlight from the upper right casts deep, crisp geometric shadows across the paving stones in the foreground.

The geometric form is explicitly inspired by the iconic A-frame roof of the main Miller Outdoor Theatre stage. The sleek white angular design is styled to resemble an abstract bird in flight.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"The Light Inside:" James Turrell's famous immersive light installation in a tunnel under the MFAH. The walkway appears to float in space & the colours slowly shift over time, turning it into a living canvas. (More info in Alt-Text) #PinkMon #MinimalMonday #Photography #UrbanGaze #Architecture #ECK

A tunnel surrounded by bright neon fuschia pink light on either side, tinged with white. The walkway itself is black as is the ceiling. They appear foreshortened due to perspective. Two small figures are visible in the distance and near the square exit.

From the museum website:

"The underground corridor features a raised walkway that disorients the viewer's perception of space and distance. As you walk through, glowing, saturated light gradually cycles between shades of magenta, blue, and crimson, turning the tunnel into a living, breathing canvas.

The Artist: James Turrell is an iconic figure in the American "Light and Space" movement, known for stripping away architectural structures so visitors experience the actual, physical presence of light and air."

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 3d ago

#AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral Just a few red flags hanging out together as the crimson Postman coven quietly plots their global takeover. #Photography #Photographers #ECK #ColorADay #RedWed #SensoryArt #Small #Macro #Bugsky #InsectThursday #Butterflies #FlyDay

Postman butterflies (Heliconius genus) are known for their bright red and black patterns which warn predators of their toxicity. They are native to Central and South America, typically found in forested areas, forest edges, and along trails or streams. They are unique among butterflies because they feed on pollen in addition to nectar, allowing some adults to live for up to six months.

Visually, this photo is a close-up photo of 4 vibrant Postman butterflies with striking red, black, and white wings resting on and fluttering around lush green leaves. The butterflies are positioned at varying angles; one is perched horizontally in the center with its wings fully spread, showing bright red patches framed by black borders and creamy-white spots on the tips, while another hangs vertically below it, displaying a unique red spotted pattern near its body. In the upper portion, two more butterflies appear mid-flight or resting on higher foliage, all set against a softly blurred, natural green and blue background that enhances the vivid coloration of the insects.

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 3d ago

#CityScapes The path is the destination: We often seek a final arrival, forgetting that the journey of life is a journey of growth, and the destination is inner peace. #UrbanGaze #UrbanDesign #ECK #Architecture #StreetPhotography #Photography #Photographers #BuddhistTemple #ColorADay #RedWed #Zen

A perspective-grounded shot captures a red metal footbridge leading toward three tall, white statues of Buddhist deities under a wooden canopy. The footbridge, featuring vertical side slats, fills the foreground and aligns vertically down the center of the frame. In the background, the three white robed figures stand elevated on lotus bases, flanked by green bushes and trees. An ornate, white incense burner sits on the ground directly below the central figure. The main focal point of the image is the lined red walkway or bridge, its angles, geometry, and foreshortened perspective.

Mr. Snarky Pantalones @mrsnarkypantalones.bsky.social · 3d ago

Copenhagen, Denmark. September 2025. #UrbanGaze #ECK #EastCoastKin #Photography #Copenhagen #Denmark #Sunset #Cafe #VillageSquare #Urban

Kafkaesque @kafkaesque2024.bsky.social · 3d ago

#Bloomscrolling I don't know what to say about a flower whose cultivar name is "Lucifer," but it gives intense Hunger Game & GOT "Red Woman" vibes. #AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral #Photography #Photographers #ECK #ColorADay #RedWed #Macro #Crocosmia #GardenSky #PlantSky #FlowerPhotography