Barbara Nebel

‘Thank you for sleeping with us’, read the headline on my bill as I checked out of a hotel in Amsterdam this week. It amused me ‘thank you for sleeping with us’, why would they use that expression? Was it a nod to the infamous red light district around the corner? Being thanked for sleeping with someone, is a little patronising, don’t you think? I’ve not been thanked for sleeping with anyone before, neither have I returned the sentiment. If I was, I’d feel as if I had just completed a service, as opposed to sharing a vivaciously intimate moment.  Or were they implying, how important it is to sleep well and to be ‘well slept individuals’? The bed and pillows were delightfully comfortable, more so than most and had I had the time to achieve the recommended eight hours, this would have been the place to do it. We’re under pressure from so many areas as the world unravels on so many levels and we are under increasing pressure to achieve eight solid hours sleep but surely this must be ideology at its purest? We have to make time to sleep but what if our time is not our own, as was the case in Amsterdam, it was a press trip. However, I did manage to etch out a few awoke solitary moments, in between meetings and they were divine. This was an adventure, I told myself, an intriguing quest, and one that I would regret not seeing through at least a little further along the way. I walked into the hotel restaurant, found a seat backing against a wall (my preferred seating placement), I could see all who approached me, as I ordered North Sea Chowder with a glass of Prosecco, from the attentive waiter, what could be more ambrosial?  I delighted in the process, as the waiter asked if I was dining alone and I replied with glee, ‘yes’, he removed the opposing cutlery as the chilled Prosecco slipped slowly down my throat.  It’s possible to carve out special moments, just for yourself, you just need to be disciplined enough. Self care is a radical act, let’s all to try to have a #selfcaresunday.  The feminist poet Audre Lorde says: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it’s self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Wishing you all a beautiful Sunday.

Thank you to all the talented artists for submitting your works to our showcase this week. If you would like your work to be considered for entry in to our weekly Mobile Photography and Art Flickr Group, please submit it to our dedicated group, here. You can also submit images to our Instagram tag for this section #mobilephotographyandimagery.

Many congratulations to the following artists for being featured this week: Peter Wilkin, Lorenka Campos, Paul Yan, Paul Toussaint, Isabel Afonso, Catherine Caddigan, Ile Mont, p.a hamel, David DeNagel, Barbara Nebel, Karen Axelrad, Vadim Demjianov, Rob Pearson-Wright, Deborah McMillion, Linda Hollier, Rita C, Allyson, Tomaso Belloni, Yasuo Furue, 1968selin, Jun Yamaguchi, Clint Cline, Kat McClelland, Candice Railton, Gina Costa, Fleur Schim, before.1st.light – Jane Schultz, Gianluca Ricoveri, Kate Zari Roberts, Hanni K, Kate Zari Roberts, Barbara Braman.

Music this week is ‘If Only For A Moment’ ©The Weak Need