Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Inspection delays: first plumbing; then framing, then insulation, and then the final.
Monday the mini-split gets installed, but the compressor might not be on hand. We’ll see…
Things are getting dragged out…
Did fire up the Webber grill. Grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, and grilled corn. Mucho good.
Seems like my Vitamin D uptake is “insufficient” and I need to add supplements according to my recent blood work up. Pretty much common as we age, and I want to avoid the shrinkage and maintain my height.
Lately a lot of attention has been on the “Front-Backyard” meaning the pergola, the beds surrounding the pergola, outdoor furniture, new grill, climbing roses, and Boxwood schrubs. Anyways looks really great and is a very nice space.
The Knotweed is kinda weakened this year, but now I have to extend and expand my perimeter. This I recognize is a long battle.
Cal
Monday the mini-split gets installed, but the compressor might not be on hand. We’ll see…
Things are getting dragged out…
Did fire up the Webber grill. Grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, and grilled corn. Mucho good.
Seems like my Vitamin D uptake is “insufficient” and I need to add supplements according to my recent blood work up. Pretty much common as we age, and I want to avoid the shrinkage and maintain my height.
Lately a lot of attention has been on the “Front-Backyard” meaning the pergola, the beds surrounding the pergola, outdoor furniture, new grill, climbing roses, and Boxwood schrubs. Anyways looks really great and is a very nice space.
The Knotweed is kinda weakened this year, but now I have to extend and expand my perimeter. This I recognize is a long battle.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
This journey so far has not really been retirement; I do not have the life of leisure I thought I would have: biking; shooting, printing; and of course guitar.
The work though I “own” and is of my own doing, that has its own rewards because it is “personalized.” I am not “working” for someone else.
I have a friend who I encourage to retire. I say, “There is more to life than work,” but he has a business, and now I understand how different that is than my situation, a guy who held a “day-job.”
In the past, I am guilty of judging people for not having meaning in their lives. I found lots of people that are from the same mold, have very limited experience, and are just plain boring. The worse are the rigid thinkers, and perhaps in my career somehow the people that surrounded me and concentrated such people I would rather avoid.
It was pretty hard for me to be in such a place where my personality, my identity, and my creativity was put off and discounted. Pretty much 22 years in a hospital was a hostile environment for me because I really did not fit in. Things were kinda one sided all the time.
Today I really appreciate that I am free, I no longer have to conform, and I can be me.
The S&P is down 17% and approaching a bear market (-20%); the NASDAQ is already in a bear market. Oddly energy is selling off (marking a lock in of profits???), but remember 4 out of 5 recessions are caused by energy prices. Perhaps the predicted global slowdown is the reason for energy selling off.
Analysts are saying a recession maybe a year from now, but how many times and how often is a recession recorded late? We live in a time of shortages, so the DOW Transport Index is no longer a viable indicator of an accelerating or decelerating economy, but data shows that lumber demand and prices are around $800.00, about half the peak ($1.6K).
Seems like the 5.6% rate on 30-year mortgages has slowed down the building of new homes. Not at a rate though that creates a “bust” yet though. Pretty much new home construction is my leading indicator for a recession.
I speculate because I need a new gable roof to have an attic work space in my two car garage. Pretty much a “darkroom” but for my B&W digital printing. In my work I try to simulate large format, so I avoid high contrast and promote and amp up the mids. Know that with Piezography Pro that I likely have the densest black on the planet, so black-blacks are never a problem. The best way to use a 27 inch EIZO calibrated monitor is in a dark room to avoid high contrast.
Snarky Joe takes note that remarkable things happen to me, and that I have lucky timing. A recession looks to be scheduled around the time I need to buy mucho lumber to build out my studio. My carpenter mentioned likely having to build 2x4 interior walls to hold up the heavier roof, and I say better to have 2x6 because the structure will be heated and insulated.
Anyways looks like my timing could be good. The two car garage will be divided: one half will be a “clean-room;” and the other half “utility” or a heated workspace that will double up as a garage for my car.
Don’t tell “Maggie,” but I envision setting up a shed in half the driveway to stow garden supplies, tools, and outdoor furniture. My man-cave will not be cluttered.
Almost 25K miles on the Audi A4. Put 9K miles in a year and a half of ownership. Not a lot of driving, so this car could last a long time. I had a Saab 900 that I would drive over 1000 miles every week. This was when I lived on Long Island right near the border of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, but I worked a Brookhaven National Labs very near the twin forks of eastern Long Island.
I was also a performance artist, had a gig off-Broadway, and had to drive to NYC for rehearsals and performances after work and on the weekends.
Pretty much I did an oil change once a month because I was driving and putting more than a month’s average driving every week. Anyways this was a mucho crazy life.
The gig was at Second Stage Theater in Times Square. We also performed at The Public Theater. I kinda killed the Saab, but it had close to 200K miles when I donated it to a charity.
My Saab was a 4-door. Structurally 4-door sedans are stronger than 2-door coups, and now I pretty much like/love “saloons” meaning 4-door cars. Coups for me are for two seaters or Porsches that have “cheat-seats” like a 911.
Rally race cars are often 4-door models.
Cal
The work though I “own” and is of my own doing, that has its own rewards because it is “personalized.” I am not “working” for someone else.
I have a friend who I encourage to retire. I say, “There is more to life than work,” but he has a business, and now I understand how different that is than my situation, a guy who held a “day-job.”
In the past, I am guilty of judging people for not having meaning in their lives. I found lots of people that are from the same mold, have very limited experience, and are just plain boring. The worse are the rigid thinkers, and perhaps in my career somehow the people that surrounded me and concentrated such people I would rather avoid.
It was pretty hard for me to be in such a place where my personality, my identity, and my creativity was put off and discounted. Pretty much 22 years in a hospital was a hostile environment for me because I really did not fit in. Things were kinda one sided all the time.
Today I really appreciate that I am free, I no longer have to conform, and I can be me.
The S&P is down 17% and approaching a bear market (-20%); the NASDAQ is already in a bear market. Oddly energy is selling off (marking a lock in of profits???), but remember 4 out of 5 recessions are caused by energy prices. Perhaps the predicted global slowdown is the reason for energy selling off.
Analysts are saying a recession maybe a year from now, but how many times and how often is a recession recorded late? We live in a time of shortages, so the DOW Transport Index is no longer a viable indicator of an accelerating or decelerating economy, but data shows that lumber demand and prices are around $800.00, about half the peak ($1.6K).
Seems like the 5.6% rate on 30-year mortgages has slowed down the building of new homes. Not at a rate though that creates a “bust” yet though. Pretty much new home construction is my leading indicator for a recession.
I speculate because I need a new gable roof to have an attic work space in my two car garage. Pretty much a “darkroom” but for my B&W digital printing. In my work I try to simulate large format, so I avoid high contrast and promote and amp up the mids. Know that with Piezography Pro that I likely have the densest black on the planet, so black-blacks are never a problem. The best way to use a 27 inch EIZO calibrated monitor is in a dark room to avoid high contrast.
Snarky Joe takes note that remarkable things happen to me, and that I have lucky timing. A recession looks to be scheduled around the time I need to buy mucho lumber to build out my studio. My carpenter mentioned likely having to build 2x4 interior walls to hold up the heavier roof, and I say better to have 2x6 because the structure will be heated and insulated.
Anyways looks like my timing could be good. The two car garage will be divided: one half will be a “clean-room;” and the other half “utility” or a heated workspace that will double up as a garage for my car.
Don’t tell “Maggie,” but I envision setting up a shed in half the driveway to stow garden supplies, tools, and outdoor furniture. My man-cave will not be cluttered.
Almost 25K miles on the Audi A4. Put 9K miles in a year and a half of ownership. Not a lot of driving, so this car could last a long time. I had a Saab 900 that I would drive over 1000 miles every week. This was when I lived on Long Island right near the border of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, but I worked a Brookhaven National Labs very near the twin forks of eastern Long Island.
I was also a performance artist, had a gig off-Broadway, and had to drive to NYC for rehearsals and performances after work and on the weekends.
Pretty much I did an oil change once a month because I was driving and putting more than a month’s average driving every week. Anyways this was a mucho crazy life.
The gig was at Second Stage Theater in Times Square. We also performed at The Public Theater. I kinda killed the Saab, but it had close to 200K miles when I donated it to a charity.
My Saab was a 4-door. Structurally 4-door sedans are stronger than 2-door coups, and now I pretty much like/love “saloons” meaning 4-door cars. Coups for me are for two seaters or Porsches that have “cheat-seats” like a 911.
Rally race cars are often 4-door models.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I took Metro North into NYC today. The goal was to drop off the 1954 M3-DS back at Nippon Camera Clinic because dry firing it on the train ride home after service lead to jamming the shutter. I had 90 days to get the camera back, and since I had an open opportunity to take a day off from the house I decided to head in.
On the way in on the train ride my cell phone rang, and it was Tourneau to tell me my Panerai could be picked up. Kinda remarkable timing.
I had walked to the train station in Peekskill, then to 57th Street (Tourneau), then to 39th Street (Nippon), and then to Bed Bath and Beyond in Chelsea, then back to Grand Central, and finally back home.
At BBB a guy told me about this place on 22d Street and Sixth Ave by Trader Joe’s that sold creams, cosmetics, shampoos and stuff like that that were better deals than BBB. In fact they would accept BBB expired coupons. My mission downtown was to stockpile lotions for my dry skin and I loaded up the truck at a great price.
So on my walk I was wearing a Rolex Sub on my right wrist, and the huge Panerai on my left. The strap uses the last notch because my wrist is so small (boney), yet the stretched out steel band on the Rolex was tight on my right wrist, tighter than my left by far. So I discover that my right arm has thicker bones.
The look of two watches is of a currency trader. My Panerai is a GMT that can handle two time zones, and the Rolex Sub for a third. Know that currency trading is 24 hours.
So having my Panerai back and wearing it offers great comfort. It looks particularly huge because I have a small wrist.
In a post above I wrote about remarkable timing. What a nice surprise to pick up my watch without breaking my stride.
A relaxing day that included lots of walking. After dinner “Maggie” and I went for a walk in Blue Mountain Preserve.
Cal
On the way in on the train ride my cell phone rang, and it was Tourneau to tell me my Panerai could be picked up. Kinda remarkable timing.
I had walked to the train station in Peekskill, then to 57th Street (Tourneau), then to 39th Street (Nippon), and then to Bed Bath and Beyond in Chelsea, then back to Grand Central, and finally back home.
At BBB a guy told me about this place on 22d Street and Sixth Ave by Trader Joe’s that sold creams, cosmetics, shampoos and stuff like that that were better deals than BBB. In fact they would accept BBB expired coupons. My mission downtown was to stockpile lotions for my dry skin and I loaded up the truck at a great price.
So on my walk I was wearing a Rolex Sub on my right wrist, and the huge Panerai on my left. The strap uses the last notch because my wrist is so small (boney), yet the stretched out steel band on the Rolex was tight on my right wrist, tighter than my left by far. So I discover that my right arm has thicker bones.
The look of two watches is of a currency trader. My Panerai is a GMT that can handle two time zones, and the Rolex Sub for a third. Know that currency trading is 24 hours.
So having my Panerai back and wearing it offers great comfort. It looks particularly huge because I have a small wrist.
In a post above I wrote about remarkable timing. What a nice surprise to pick up my watch without breaking my stride.
A relaxing day that included lots of walking. After dinner “Maggie” and I went for a walk in Blue Mountain Preserve.
Cal
Yokosuka Mike
Abstract Clarity
Is this the Facebook thread of the RFF? A place where members can yack away about things not related to photography? Looks like it to me. Roger Hicks would have loved this.
Does anybody here enjoy listening to podcasts? Today I listened to Bill Maher's new (newish) podcast “Club Random” and he interviewed Mike Tyson. Two things, one, it was hilarious, two, Mike Tyson is not the Mike Tyson I was imagining in my head. Lots of fun, a great listen.
What else can I talk about? Well, I’m not a good cook but my food is edible and I do serve good wine with my meals. Not expensive wine, no, no, no, I serve cheap wine that tastes good.
Why do I use a backpack instead of a man's purse? Uh-oh that's a subject too close to photography to qualify for this thread.
I could talk about my “Man Cave", but the first rule of man cave is…
All the best,
Mike
Does anybody here enjoy listening to podcasts? Today I listened to Bill Maher's new (newish) podcast “Club Random” and he interviewed Mike Tyson. Two things, one, it was hilarious, two, Mike Tyson is not the Mike Tyson I was imagining in my head. Lots of fun, a great listen.
What else can I talk about? Well, I’m not a good cook but my food is edible and I do serve good wine with my meals. Not expensive wine, no, no, no, I serve cheap wine that tastes good.
Why do I use a backpack instead of a man's purse? Uh-oh that's a subject too close to photography to qualify for this thread.
I could talk about my “Man Cave", but the first rule of man cave is…
All the best,
Mike
Yokosuka Mike
Abstract Clarity
August NYC Meet-Up:
O-kay, time to get serious (wait a minute) is it OK or okay? Life can be so torturous, or do I mean tumultuous? What do I know? What do I mean? Anyway, let's talk about the big August NYC Meet-Up! Firstly, when is it? Secondly, where is it? An exhausting subject, better to talk about eggplant. Who would have thought that Eggplant would be one word instead of two? OK it’s boring to some but not to all.
Vegetable juice versus tomato juice: too serious, too soon? I prefer tomato juice myself. My wife is pro veggie juice. Somehow we manage to stay married despite this serious difference. A credit to my wife's ability to accept our difference in taste. She’s a wonderful woman.
BTW, my neighbor is considering forming a Beatles tribute band. He can play guitar and sing and knows all the words and stuff. He wants me to be a member of the band. Mainly because he likes my cheap wine.
All the best,
Mike
O-kay, time to get serious (wait a minute) is it OK or okay? Life can be so torturous, or do I mean tumultuous? What do I know? What do I mean? Anyway, let's talk about the big August NYC Meet-Up! Firstly, when is it? Secondly, where is it? An exhausting subject, better to talk about eggplant. Who would have thought that Eggplant would be one word instead of two? OK it’s boring to some but not to all.
Vegetable juice versus tomato juice: too serious, too soon? I prefer tomato juice myself. My wife is pro veggie juice. Somehow we manage to stay married despite this serious difference. A credit to my wife's ability to accept our difference in taste. She’s a wonderful woman.
BTW, my neighbor is considering forming a Beatles tribute band. He can play guitar and sing and knows all the words and stuff. He wants me to be a member of the band. Mainly because he likes my cheap wine.
All the best,
Mike
jszokoli
Well-known
Mike,
Don't know why this is bothering you. Cal was setting up meet-ups for years in the NY area. He does like to go on, but as most of the people who look at this tread know him it's kind of weirdly relevant.
It's what we would talk about when we got together.
During Covid I think the meet-up only happened a single time and and for those who were regulars we know who Cal really is, and can see past your experience when reading his posts, and see Cal running on over food and drink.
Knowing people for real is a different than experiencing them here.
If your ever in New York I bet the NY bunch might even schedule a meet-up to accommodate you...
Joe
Don't know why this is bothering you. Cal was setting up meet-ups for years in the NY area. He does like to go on, but as most of the people who look at this tread know him it's kind of weirdly relevant.
It's what we would talk about when we got together.
During Covid I think the meet-up only happened a single time and and for those who were regulars we know who Cal really is, and can see past your experience when reading his posts, and see Cal running on over food and drink.
Knowing people for real is a different than experiencing them here.
If your ever in New York I bet the NY bunch might even schedule a meet-up to accommodate you...
Joe
MrFujicaman
Well-known
Mike, some of us enjoy Cal's ramblings. During the worst of the Covid mess, his posts and Chris Crawford's posts about Sneaky the cat were among the few things I had to look forward to.
robert blu
quiet photographer
I confirm to be one among them, it's like chatting with a friend in front of a drink! Relaxing, and Cal has some good ideas!
Austintatious
Well-known
Plus one !
I must confess that most every morning, I open RFF to look at informative new posts. Cal is surely among the most interesting for me.
I must confess that most every morning, I open RFF to look at informative new posts. Cal is surely among the most interesting for me.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I have a simple solution for any folks who complain about this thread.
Ready? ::
RUM ROLL:::
Don't read the thread.
You're welcome.
Now back to Cal and his ramblings about bikes, guitars, home ownership, the Hudson Valley, retirement, his Audi, and of course photography and gear.
Phil Forrest
Ready? ::
RUM ROLL:::Don't read the thread.
You're welcome.
Now back to Cal and his ramblings about bikes, guitars, home ownership, the Hudson Valley, retirement, his Audi, and of course photography and gear.
Phil Forrest
MrFujicaman
Well-known
You forgot watches, Phil....
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Mike,
With my retirement and Covid many were worried that my ranting and posting would end. Some people kinda freaked out, and it got back to me.
So anyways “Calzone” is a persona and a perhaps an exaggeration of a personality. I kinda do this thread as a Public Service, but know I have many great friends from all over the world.
To tell you the truth posting almost every day, and kinda trying to say something meaningful is kinda hard work, but then again I promote myself as a “Lazy-Slacker.”
The New York Meet-Up has been a monthly event, until Covid. Our gatherings at time get crazy: at one Meet-Up in Harlem we kinda had a Flash Mob from New Jersey; about 7 of us took the Mega-Bus to Philly to Meet-Up with three guys from Philly, and we went shooting at Eastern State Pen-IT-Tent-UR-E an abandoned prison; we had annual Camera Beauty Contests where we make fun of our obsessive culture…
Pretty much a support group like Cameras A-NON-O-muss.
Just know that as much as I whine about the responsibility and all the time it takes, know that I kinda get more than I give. My friends, true friends, really care about my strange views, my long rants, and going way off topic.
Anyways I always promote a “safe place” where all are welcomed.
Also know that we always make it easy for travelers to attend NYC Meet-Ups and schedule to accommodate our guests/visitors.
So let me tell you how I got a working Eason 7800 (24 inch printer) for $100.00. Chris S. And Snarky Joe were talking, and I heard my name being mentioned that I might be interested in a floor standing printer for $100.00. Chris knew the large format photographer who was moving back to Japan and wanted to just unload the printer.
Snarky Joe offered to pick it up with me because he had a car. Pretty much the printer weighs 130 pounds and was too big for me to take on the subway. So everything worked out. This printer was about a decade old when I got it, but it was still fresh and had a low amount of prints it made, something like 1850 prints over ten years.
Understand that I’m a skinny bitch, but I kinda do crazy things in an OCD manner. I went full bore into Piezography and bought about $10K worth of paper and ink to learn fine art B&W printing. Know that I print big, anyways one of my personality flaws is that I tend to annoy people. Kinda over the top.
I bought so much ink and paper from Ink Jet Mall that I got an invitation to be a Beta Tester for the new Piezography Pro.
How crazy is that?
Then I was invited to be part of a focus group. Pretty much got a big fee to help design the SL2.
How crazy is that? Had to wait about 3-4 years. Pretty much Leica built me a camera I helped design. How cool is that?
I retire just before Thanksgiving last year, but my gal “Maggie” was a fashion blogger and has over 750K followers. She also is a Go Daddy Girl and did a lot of modeling.
Somehow I got snookered into this crazy life as her photographer going to fashion shows, closed parties, and special glamour -us events. All kinds of crazy stuff like a gig in Mad-Rid (Madrid) promoting a luxury hotel that formally was a palace for some Duke when he visited the King and Queen.
Then there was the river cruise vacation that started in Amsterdam, went through Germany, then France, with a final destination in Basel.
Pretty much VIP treatment like we were Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
So now “Maggie” has a book contract and is becoming a writer, but she is terminating her arrangement with her present agent because she got poached back by her first agent.
Now it seems her new/old agent wants to represent us as a couple. Now my retirement seems to be cut short. In June gigs could begin. Her new/old agent is based in London, while the agent she is leaving is based in America. Pretty much more of a world wide coverage.
Anyways lots of crazy stuff happens to me, and I don’t know why.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I went to an eye doctor today for a check up, to get a new perscription, and to get these crazy high end frames that are too big for “Maggie,” that were gifted to her, then gifted to me.
Know that these glasses are huge black frames that are high ended, bold looking, and over the top.
I’m getting them made into prescription polarized sun glasses with anti glare glass. Will likely dig through my collection of retro glasses and will get them updated with new lenses. BTW I have a pair of original Oakleys from the 80’s that I had made into prescription glasses. Mucho retro, and pretty much I can still use these glasses.
Been 4-5 years since I last had an eye exam, and since “Maggie” just had Cat-R-Act surgery on both eyes, she has been pressuring me to get my eyes checked out.
So pretty much my eyes are good and also stable. Seems like my prescription did not really change, and I don’t need new glasses, my old glasses from 4-5 years sago are still good. I inquired about Cat-R-Acts and pretty much anyone over 50 has a lens that is fogging up, kinda like a single coated Leica 50 Rigid. So far I have transmission in the high 90’s, but sometime, maybe decades from now, I’ll need new lenses in my eyes.
So Covid has really warped time. I have not been to a doctor (Primary Care) for a check up until a few weeks ago, and before that perhaps 4-5 years.
I wonder how many people have not been to a doctor because of Covid like me. Pretty much an opportunity for disease to set in undiagnosed, or for conditions to advance in a bad way.
Luckily for me I have had a clean bill of health.
Since the kitchen has been on standby, waiting for inspections, we have been working on the garden in the front-backyard. I made a stepping stone path from a sidewalk to the lock block patio. Also filled a sink hole I created when I dug a post hole for the pergola.
Tomorrow we have to go back to the nursery in Croton Harmon to buy more plants.
Yesterday I saw baby Preying Mantis emerging from the cocoons I collected. About 1/2 an inch long.
There is a 20% tariff on Canadian lumber, and a 25% tariff on Canadian finished wood products. The 10x10 cedar pergola kit cost us $5K because of the Trump Tariffs. Anyways I’m just pointing at where inflation is coming from.
Also Biden over boosted the economy with some of his stimulus. I point the middle finger here too.
S&P getting very close to a bear market. “Look out below,” I say.
Cal
Know that these glasses are huge black frames that are high ended, bold looking, and over the top.
I’m getting them made into prescription polarized sun glasses with anti glare glass. Will likely dig through my collection of retro glasses and will get them updated with new lenses. BTW I have a pair of original Oakleys from the 80’s that I had made into prescription glasses. Mucho retro, and pretty much I can still use these glasses.
Been 4-5 years since I last had an eye exam, and since “Maggie” just had Cat-R-Act surgery on both eyes, she has been pressuring me to get my eyes checked out.
So pretty much my eyes are good and also stable. Seems like my prescription did not really change, and I don’t need new glasses, my old glasses from 4-5 years sago are still good. I inquired about Cat-R-Acts and pretty much anyone over 50 has a lens that is fogging up, kinda like a single coated Leica 50 Rigid. So far I have transmission in the high 90’s, but sometime, maybe decades from now, I’ll need new lenses in my eyes.
So Covid has really warped time. I have not been to a doctor (Primary Care) for a check up until a few weeks ago, and before that perhaps 4-5 years.
I wonder how many people have not been to a doctor because of Covid like me. Pretty much an opportunity for disease to set in undiagnosed, or for conditions to advance in a bad way.
Luckily for me I have had a clean bill of health.
Since the kitchen has been on standby, waiting for inspections, we have been working on the garden in the front-backyard. I made a stepping stone path from a sidewalk to the lock block patio. Also filled a sink hole I created when I dug a post hole for the pergola.
Tomorrow we have to go back to the nursery in Croton Harmon to buy more plants.
Yesterday I saw baby Preying Mantis emerging from the cocoons I collected. About 1/2 an inch long.
There is a 20% tariff on Canadian lumber, and a 25% tariff on Canadian finished wood products. The 10x10 cedar pergola kit cost us $5K because of the Trump Tariffs. Anyways I’m just pointing at where inflation is coming from.
Also Biden over boosted the economy with some of his stimulus. I point the middle finger here too.
S&P getting very close to a bear market. “Look out below,” I say.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Hey Phil,
Getting a 29’er is a game changer for me.
Check out www.IBIScycles.com and the Excie. One of the owners was a very big shot at Specialized, another guy was a manufacturing engineer. In 2014 the set up a research lab to figure out how to make cost effective a carbon fiber frame in the U.S.
This learning evolved and was used to produce the Excie.
I have the steel IBIS set up as a Trials bike. Now I have 9 spare cinder blocks to build out a trials ob-stick-L to practice in the back-backyard.
Cal
Getting a 29’er is a game changer for me.
Check out www.IBIScycles.com and the Excie. One of the owners was a very big shot at Specialized, another guy was a manufacturing engineer. In 2014 the set up a research lab to figure out how to make cost effective a carbon fiber frame in the U.S.
This learning evolved and was used to produce the Excie.
I have the steel IBIS set up as a Trials bike. Now I have 9 spare cinder blocks to build out a trials ob-stick-L to practice in the back-backyard.
Cal
Yokosuka Mike
Abstract Clarity
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Cal, I have your Diafine slacker's brew thread archived somewhere (can't find it at the moment) and when I ever get around to mixing my 1-GAL Diafine powder (yes, it's that old and I am a slacker also ), will use it as guidance.
), will use it as guidance.Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Cal, I have your Diafine slacker's brew thread archived somewhere (can't find it at the moment) and when I ever get around to mixing my 1-GAL Diafine powder (yes, it's that old and I am a slacker also
Ray,
Diafine I found to work best with Tri-X at 650-800 ASA, and Fuji Acros at box speed. I have not tried the Acros II yet, but I understand it likely will have great results. With Acros the grain is so fine that some people might say it looks “Digital.”
Acros does not have reciprocated failure, and using Diafine for bulb exposures at night is a great and inspiring thing to do. Even with night time contrast I get rich mids. Don’t tell anyone my secrete…
I discovered that only two gentle inversions per minute gave me the best results instead of the recommended three. I got finer grain and increased midrange.
Because Diafine is a “compensating” developer it compresses contrast, so when in doubt over expose to increase contrast. Like in “stand” development the highlights are nice and soft, meaning not blown out, and because of this my slacker’s way is tuned for the kids which are vast.
Anyways the result in my negatives is a kinda expanded dynamic range, kinda like HDR but with shooting film.
Devil Christian once remarked that my 6x9 negatives are so good that I don’t need a 4x5. Pretty much I try to emulate a large format shooter by maximizing everything at the time of exposure as if I’m trying to make great negatives that are easy to print or ideally just straight print.
So pretty much I admire a large format look, but I shoot smaller formats. Cheap-cheap-cheap.
So let’s see if you can sustain shooting and developing 150 rolls of 135 and 120 a month…
BTW Diafine takes about 25 rolls of film to get “seasoned.” Pretty much broader midrange as 25 rolls of film is processed. I use 4+4 on Tri-X and 5+5 for Acros. Shot at 650-800 ASA and 100 ASA respectively.
I still have Diafine mixed and feel confident that it is still good even though it has been sitting for almost 2 years. It has a vast shelf life.
Good luck.
Cal
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Awesome Cal! Thanks so much for all the detail and really appreciate your insights!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Ray,
I forgot to mention that Kodak 5222 loves Diafine. I have to check my negatives but I believe I shoot at 400 ASA.
I think this combo (Diafine and 5222) is my favorite. Kinda has a special look.
Use 4+4.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Watches… Watches kinda have a lot of meaning for me. My stainless Rolex Submariner “No-Date” I call my “Cheap Rolex” because it lacks the date function, but did you know that at one time Navy SEALS were issued Rolex Submariners with SEAL engravings.
My Panerai 1950 Luminor GMT also has a military history. In WWII Italian Navy divers used modified torpedoes that were utilized as vehicles to tow a diver and an underwater mine to attack 3 British ships docked in Alexandria Egypt. Pretty much 6 divers took those three British ships out of the war.
Kinda crazy, but also bold and brave. The oversized Panerai has a very high visibility dial, and both my watches are dive watches.
My mom was an educated woman from Hong Kong. I speculate that she must of come from some influential family that had wealth. Meanwhile my father came from the merchant class, which in Chinese culture is lower than peasant class. He was illiterate.
I like to think that I might have bankster blood in me, because Hong Kong is a lot like New York, a port city that also is a financial center.
My mother was a “looker” and a trophy wife, and out of her 5 children I am likely the pick of the litter. My sister pretty much was jealous of me because I am prettier than her. Kinda frustrated for my sister when a college friend flew in from California and was more interested in talking with me when I was around.
I first met Chris when I was a teenager, but now I was grown up. She eventually made a pass at me.
Back to watches: so pretty much a Rolex Sub is a Bankster watch, and back in 2003-2007 I used a zero APR credit card offer to open a margin account and began trading energy stocks. At that time half the volume of trades was due to hedge funds.
I noticed a pattern where hedge funds sold off their energy stocks to cover their margin calls to cover their losses. I would buy the dip on energy stocks, and swing trade them about a week later when the Hedges would bid energy stocks back up again.
Pretty much this exercise was like finding a wallet from someone with a MBA, taking out the cash, and leaving the wallet in the same exact spot where I found it, then a week later visiting the wallet and finding it loaded with cash again.
This went on for almost 4 years, but one day oil hit $135.00 a barrel, I hit the sell button, and I closed my margin account. Later that day oil went to $147.00 and then crashed. Pretty much I was hours away fro being ruined if on the wrong side of the trade.
Realize that the only difference between me and a Hedge Fund was a zero, where I had 3 to one leverage; and a Hedge Fund utilized 30 to one leverage.
Understand that a margin account allows you to use your account balance as collateral, and that I could borrow up to three times that amount to buy and trade, but of course my account had to stay above a certain threshold or otherwise “forced-selling” would be triggered.
This is how gains and losses get multiplied.
So during the financial and credit crisis I had mucho cash, and I bought hard assets to store wealth. This is how I got into Leica. I bought a 75 Lux version 2 Made In Germany and a 35 Cron V4 Bokeh King also Made In Germany for $1.8K and $1350 respectively, and it was a year later I would buy my Wetzlar M6 prototype to actually use these lenses.
Eventually I sold the lenses and kinda doubled my money. During the credit crisis people were basically selling their treasures to raise cash. What a buying opportunity.
I’m pretty convinced that I must have Bankster blood in me from my mother’s side.
Vicariously I kinda received military culture by working at Grumman for 17 years. Most of my co-workers were veterans and I gained lots of insights and inside experience.
Growing up knowing poverty the watches are a pure display of power and wealth where I realize and recognize that I am not poor anymore, and in fact I am privileged.
Yet I still do have the marks of poverty: I tend to hoard; I tend to indulge in luxury goods perhaps excessively; and despite all this I don’t really like spending money.
Today was a really great day. Worked hard gardening, but the best was that “Maggie” was kinda relaxed, not stressed and anxious. We really talked about adapting to a relaxed style of living where we are busy, but not in a rush or overly busy. Life is pleasant, full, and has a deeper meaning of richness. Time to think, time to enjoy, time to really take things in.
Pretty much Maggie is learning to be a lazy-slacker like me.
Cal
My Panerai 1950 Luminor GMT also has a military history. In WWII Italian Navy divers used modified torpedoes that were utilized as vehicles to tow a diver and an underwater mine to attack 3 British ships docked in Alexandria Egypt. Pretty much 6 divers took those three British ships out of the war.
Kinda crazy, but also bold and brave. The oversized Panerai has a very high visibility dial, and both my watches are dive watches.
My mom was an educated woman from Hong Kong. I speculate that she must of come from some influential family that had wealth. Meanwhile my father came from the merchant class, which in Chinese culture is lower than peasant class. He was illiterate.
I like to think that I might have bankster blood in me, because Hong Kong is a lot like New York, a port city that also is a financial center.
My mother was a “looker” and a trophy wife, and out of her 5 children I am likely the pick of the litter. My sister pretty much was jealous of me because I am prettier than her. Kinda frustrated for my sister when a college friend flew in from California and was more interested in talking with me when I was around.
I first met Chris when I was a teenager, but now I was grown up. She eventually made a pass at me.
Back to watches: so pretty much a Rolex Sub is a Bankster watch, and back in 2003-2007 I used a zero APR credit card offer to open a margin account and began trading energy stocks. At that time half the volume of trades was due to hedge funds.
I noticed a pattern where hedge funds sold off their energy stocks to cover their margin calls to cover their losses. I would buy the dip on energy stocks, and swing trade them about a week later when the Hedges would bid energy stocks back up again.
Pretty much this exercise was like finding a wallet from someone with a MBA, taking out the cash, and leaving the wallet in the same exact spot where I found it, then a week later visiting the wallet and finding it loaded with cash again.
This went on for almost 4 years, but one day oil hit $135.00 a barrel, I hit the sell button, and I closed my margin account. Later that day oil went to $147.00 and then crashed. Pretty much I was hours away fro being ruined if on the wrong side of the trade.
Realize that the only difference between me and a Hedge Fund was a zero, where I had 3 to one leverage; and a Hedge Fund utilized 30 to one leverage.
Understand that a margin account allows you to use your account balance as collateral, and that I could borrow up to three times that amount to buy and trade, but of course my account had to stay above a certain threshold or otherwise “forced-selling” would be triggered.
This is how gains and losses get multiplied.
So during the financial and credit crisis I had mucho cash, and I bought hard assets to store wealth. This is how I got into Leica. I bought a 75 Lux version 2 Made In Germany and a 35 Cron V4 Bokeh King also Made In Germany for $1.8K and $1350 respectively, and it was a year later I would buy my Wetzlar M6 prototype to actually use these lenses.
Eventually I sold the lenses and kinda doubled my money. During the credit crisis people were basically selling their treasures to raise cash. What a buying opportunity.
I’m pretty convinced that I must have Bankster blood in me from my mother’s side.
Vicariously I kinda received military culture by working at Grumman for 17 years. Most of my co-workers were veterans and I gained lots of insights and inside experience.
Growing up knowing poverty the watches are a pure display of power and wealth where I realize and recognize that I am not poor anymore, and in fact I am privileged.
Yet I still do have the marks of poverty: I tend to hoard; I tend to indulge in luxury goods perhaps excessively; and despite all this I don’t really like spending money.
Today was a really great day. Worked hard gardening, but the best was that “Maggie” was kinda relaxed, not stressed and anxious. We really talked about adapting to a relaxed style of living where we are busy, but not in a rush or overly busy. Life is pleasant, full, and has a deeper meaning of richness. Time to think, time to enjoy, time to really take things in.
Pretty much Maggie is learning to be a lazy-slacker like me.
Cal