1614 – A Weirdo – apparently

I went for a walk this afternoon. I wanted to try out a new videoing set up, it did mean walking around town carrying something a bit strange; monopod, with a bracket upon which were mounted the GoPro and the iPhone.

The thing I wanted to do was get a record of all of the commercial units on the high street. I walked from the Morrisons end toward the waterfront, taking pictures of the north side of the street.

Towards the ferry end, I almost got waylaid by some chuggers (charity under the guise of research) I have to confess, I told a blatant fib to get away from them. I don’t know why I just didn’t walk away from them.

I finished the north side, went to the waterfront front and did a bit of videoing sat down and watched the waterfront for a few minutes and then returned taking pictures of the southside.

It was as I was nearing the end of the part of the exercise that I was passed by a young man heading towards the ferry, as he passed me, he said quite distinctly “Weirdo”.

I stopped and called out did you call me a weirdo, I said I wasn’t photographing you, I’m not interested in you. I’m quite happy to explain what I am doing and why. I think the fact that I challenged him caught him offguard. I said again that I was happy to explain. He said have a good life and walked off. I sat on the conservative club (closed down. Probably to be converted into a pub). I recorded a bit of video explaining what had just happened and how I felt about it. I may post that once I’ve reviewed it.

How do I feel about it? Well, what I was doing was innocent, I need feel no guilt about it, I will do it again, and I will happily talk to anyone about what I am doing and why. I do it out of interest, and something to keep me occupied in spare time, and possibly retirement (not a full time activity I hasten to add). Does that make me a weirdo? Perhaps in some peoples eyes, when they see me out with my gadget stick, and no context as to what I am doing – it’s an interest, almost a hobby and that’s it.