Curie Author Showcase (December 16, 2018)

For an excellent set of well-written travel, gear and tech reviews, @onetechtraveller's blog would be my best recommendation. This time, in a manner that distills passion, he makes a complete description of the Marloe Coniston, a contemporary hand wound masterpiece, as well as giving some personal insight on its wearing. On @onetechtraveller's words, "it oozes exquisite craftsmanship on the outside and inside, with a stunning exhibition case back and distinctive aesthetic that anyone would marvel at." I present to you the excerpts of the watch's review I liked the most.

(...) The Marloe Coniston has a few elements going on, yet maintains a contemporary, classy look thanks to a largely spacious dial. It's slightly raised to create a surrounding infill of luminescent white. (...) A domed sapphire crystal shields the watch face, with an anti-reflective coating that effectively reduces glare. It exudes a beautiful change in shade - from dark to light blue - depending on angle and light. That dynamism adds greater dimensions to the Marloe Coniston when first meets the eye. (...) — @onetechtraveller

(...) I wore it with me on my stay of exploration in Lofoten, Norway. The Marloe Coniston Bluebird was comfortable to wear with that quality cognac leather strap molding to my wrist well in premium fashion. (...) No fatigue over the course of hiking, jogging, brisk-walking or any motion that required the wrist. (...) As an adventurer, the Marloe Coniston Bluebird embodies that by design. By combination, the Cognac leather and shaded hues of blue under different lighting represent the mountains, the landscapes, and the water. (...) — @onetechtraveller

To give you some more insight into @onetechtraveller's background, I visited his website and his previous posts. Here's what he had to share about his life journey.

I left the comforts of corporate life early in my career after finally taking the leap of faith into doubling-down on my passion for creating stories through photography, video, and writing, putting my educated knowledge (which I still value) in the back seat. I've always compromised my passion to satisfy both areas of my life but found it a difficult place to truly be fulfilled in life. (...) I've been at this for 2 years straight now, traveling the world to create personal stories and experiences, reviewing thoughtful, quality gear across industries to help people find the right gear for their lifestyle and way of traveling. The days and nights are long, uncertain and unknown, sacrificing a lot along the way... but my passion has only grown, unbounded energy to do what I love, the grind and adrenaline to keep going when my back is against the wall. — @onetechtraveller

@digi-me, whose real name is Christopher, wrote an outstanding article, accompanied with wonderful original photos, about his trip to the Himalaya region, specifically Tibet and Nepal. He did it "driving from Lhasa to Katmandu, crossing the Himalayas, and visited Everest Base Camp (5.200m) on the Tibetan side". Following, I'll share with you some excerpts of his story.

In Nepal you cannot drive to base camp. The only way is walking. I joined a tour, starting and ending in Lukla, following more or less the same route both up and down. It took 8 days up and 4 days down. Because of the altitude, one has to ascend slowly. Booking through a tour agent ensured everything was taken care of: transportation, accommodation, meals, permits, a list of what to pack and how to prepare. You can prepare for the walk, but not for altitude unless you do as I did by visiting Tibet first. — @digi-me

Day 8: Lobuche – Gorak Shep (5.170m) – Base Camp (5.300m) – Gorak Shep. The hardest part. The distance itself is not long, but rocky terrain along with altitude made this a long and hard day. The last few kilometers were done only on willpower. It is not possible to see Everest from here, but the South Col of Everest, the starting point of climbing expeditions, is right in front. One can only imagine how it feels climbing up that glacier! A dramatic sight. I wondered how it must be to climb the mountain. Many trek from Gorak Shep to Kala Patar because the view of Everest is better from there. Back in Gorak Shep, we did see the sunset on Everest. — @digi-me

I believe the monument in memory of the deceased on the Mt. Everest is truly a moving view. On @digi-me's words, "it was touching to walk among the stone memorials. Reading the names of men and women who died because of attempting climbing Everest, it will make a strong impression on everyone. Standing there makes one realize how dangerous it is to try to reach the top." Here's some background on @digi-me's life journey.

I live in Norway. A country with a lot of outdoor possibilities. I love hiking. Both short and long trips. In between I challenge my self-doing high altitude treks. My very first was Kilimanjaro in Africa ( 5.895m) Made it to the top. (...) My line of work is in public welfare, in an office. But in my spare time, I do like to take my camera and go out for a walk. I love traveling as well as photography and they go well together I think. I do have an interest in history as well. When I travel, I do try to combine city life with beach, history and outdoor activities. — @digi-me

@thomcytry, whose real name is Thomas Cytrynowicz, is a freelance photographer and filmmaker that shared with us a visual reportage of a protest day in Paris. I won't deepen on the context of the riots, as that kind of information is spread by the news. What I found most interesting of @thomcytry's post is the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what's happening, from an insider's point of view. Let's see what Thomas had to say about the experience.

On December 8th, another round of intense protest took place in the streets of Paris. The gilets jaunes mouvement encompasses a wide mix of people, including violent extremist elements. A huge number of police forces was deployed to counter disgruntled protesters fed up with the current French government. I spent the day around the Champs-Elysées to get a sense of what was happening. I was glad I took a helmet and proper protective gear with me, as lots of projectiles were flying from above! — @thomcytry

To me, @thomcytry's photos brought back a lot of intense, unsettling memories, as I actively participated in the protests that took place in my country last year. My best recommendation for Thomas, and for any Parisian, would be: stay safe! To know better Thomas's work, I visited his website. Here's what he had shared about himself.

Thomas is passionate about global issues such as education, sustainability, and human rights. He strives to combine these interests with photography and film in the projects he undertakes. A graduate from Leiden University College with a major in International Relations, he co-founded the multimedia production company Strobe Pictures, which aims at creating compelling narratives for businesses and NGOs alike through stories worth sharing. He is also involved in a wider range of personal projects, from photojournalism across the globe to fine art projects for which he has received awards. While currently based in Brussels, Thomas travels whenever he can. He worked in many places including Taiwan, South East Asia, India, East Africa, and various European countries, and recently in Mongolia alongside travel photographer Timothy Allen. — From @thomcytry’s website.

Some things need to be said out loud, and more importantly, heard. To raise awareness on subjects like depression or anxiety is a must, especially during hard times. @gade4rt took over the task, and on her post, shared some beautiful yet intriguing illustrations she made while being anxious. Not only that, but she also provided a solid background on the theme, both from her personal experience and from a medical approach. I struggle with depression, anxiety and panic attacks myself, and felt identified with many of her thoughts. Here is an excerpt of her touching story.

Since my childhood I am able to have a thousand ideas at the same time and not carry out ANYTHING, or on the contrary, think of a thousand ideas and try to do everything at once, I do not like that they impose a thought on me and I like to exploit my understanding , I like to know and create, freedom of expression should be a priority, although in these times this right has been a bit opaque, I usually change my mind from one minute to another, "What I thought yesterday was good, today I do not think it's right anymore." My mind is disastrous and it even scares me. — @gade4rt

@gade4rt, whose real name is Oriana, is an art student from Venezuela. As stated in the text, her art is usually related to her emotions, and so the series of illustrations served as a description of her state. The post ends on a positive, inspiring note, as she encourages the readers to acknowledge not only their problems but the ability and the power we all have to change our reality.

All the disorders mentioned above are, in fact, very strong for those who suffer them, but they can be treated by health specialists and, therefore, improve their quality of life. In my case, I have learned sequentially to better manage anxiety, identifying the factors that generate it and taking these factors to find an adequate solution. With this publication, I do not seek to provide a solution for all anxious people, but rather to talk a little about myself and at the same time create awareness about this common and underestimated disorder. — @gade4rt

Having so many talented writers as members of the community, it would be difficult to not include some great fiction on the Showcase. In this occasion, the piece was authored by @quillfire. This week's prompt of the mentioned writing contest was "your first Tinder date", and @quillfire masterfully took over it, displaying a brilliant sense of humor every other line. I should state that his writing might be considered a little politically incorrect by some, but do take it lightly and enjoy a few laughs. Before introducing the author a bit more, I'd like you to read an excerpt of the story. If it doesn't catch your attention, go check with the doctor! ^{Just kidding, fellows.}

(…) The Jan sitting across the table was decidedly not that Tinder Jan.
This Jan had the geometry of a giant pear. Her hundred pounds of surplus was distributed as if by gravitational lensing. Yes, she had an hourglass figure, but the upper part of the hourglass was her Churchillesque jowls, which tapered down to where most women have breasts, before again flaring out into an ass the size of a Volkswagon. (…) — @quillfire

@quillfire, whose real name is Paul Savage (savage as in his ability to make us laugh), is originally from Canada but lives in Florida. He's an ex-military and has worked in or traveled to 57 countries. As a "lover of history and all things science", he considers himself "a veritable fountain of knowledge regarding things that will never make me any money". Besides writing and cooking, he also spends "an inordinate amount of time studying the intersection of brain, belief, and behavior (neuroscience, psychology, sociology, linguistics, rhetoric, advertising theory, cognitive biases, behavioral economics, hypnosis, etc.)". What a background! No wonder he's so skilled in the art of comedy. A touching aspect of Paul is that he loves his daughter "with a ferociousness that surprised everyone, including myself". ^{All these facts were provided by @quillfire on many of his previous posts.}

So far, the five authors I have included hadn't been featured before. There is one more post, though, and it's so awesome I felt somehow obliged to add it. Being the birthday girl, as I am today, I'm taking the attribution to make a special mention. Therefore, I leave you with the sixth featured author of this Showcase.

After a week of shooting around Manchester, @ashtv brought us the freshly released music video for 'Theresa', a track belonging to Cabinet of Millionaires (CoM). In an artistic, creative way, the team managed to transmit a valuable message through the video. The imagery is truly powerful and accompanied by a brilliant performance. On @ashtv's words, "it was all shot guerilla style in the city, so we only had a few planned shots (and the puppet of course) - but the flow really came from the actor (Clay) and the surroundings."

There is a clear message in the video we made about the real problem of homelessness. We follow the protagonist as he makes a certain puppet to try and busk a few quid from... but perhaps its eventual uselessness is a reflection of the real thing it mimics? — @ashtv

As Ash describes, "CoM are a socially and politically focussed drum and bass/dance/soul outfit from the UK, with a variety of past releases that highlight the frustrations at the current leadership in the UK." They aren't yet on Steemit, but they might join us soon!

I'm Ash, a professional videographer based in West Yorkshire, England, with over 15 years' experience in shooting, editing and directing music videos, live videos, festivals, interviews, and branded business promos. AshTV has been running officially since 2007 and is recognized for working with repeating clients of both pioneering artists and emerging underground talent. I make every shot count and capture individual stories in my own way, making each project stand out from the next. Ash is available to produce and shoot custom projects, and for freelance camera-op/editing work. — @ashtv