MrFujicaman
Well-known
I can relate Cal...I didn't get my Leica M3 until 2012 and I was 54. I'd wanted one since I was in high school! I think as we get older we want the things we lusted after as teenagers but couldn't afford. I wound up with my Leica's that way and a bunch of Nikon F's and F2's Some times we find out the things we lusted after aren't as good as we thought they'd be. I bought a Hassleblad F2000 for under $200 a few years back and shot 2 rolls with it and sold it to KEH because I didn't like the way it handled
You only get one shot at life-you should try to enjoy it as much as you can.
You only get one shot at life-you should try to enjoy it as much as you can.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
SMUG STORY:
It was a decade ago that I bought my first Leica: a used Wetzlar M6. Before that I was a Nikon SLR shooter and my main camera was a F3P. I was 50 years old at that time. You should know that I still own and shoot the above two mentioned cameras, and that leads to the story below.
A few decades ago I saw a series of three short films on TV. One of the segments was directed by Steven Spielberg. The story was about a young man who was granted a wish, but the catch was that the wish would come true only if these certain directions were followed, and that involved taking all his belongings and living alone in the desert.
So 5 decades pass and eventually this now old man returns to society with all his belongings, which in the meantime have become collectibles, antiques and valuable treasures. Some passerby picks up a comic book and remarks that it is the first issue of "Superman" and at auction it would sell for mucho money.
The moral of this story is about delayed gratification. Evidently the hipsters who named me "Smug" were more into immediate gratification and thought they "deserved" Leica's because they are so "wonderful." Jerks... (Correction entitled jerks...).
BTW I was called out as being "a rich dentist."
I will call these jerks posers who fled NYC. Pretty much it was described by one of their co-workers at B&H that they moved to NYC to check it off their bucket lists. Now they are big-time hero's back in their hometowns. LOL.
Cal
It was a decade ago that I bought my first Leica: a used Wetzlar M6. Before that I was a Nikon SLR shooter and my main camera was a F3P. I was 50 years old at that time. You should know that I still own and shoot the above two mentioned cameras, and that leads to the story below.
A few decades ago I saw a series of three short films on TV. One of the segments was directed by Steven Spielberg. The story was about a young man who was granted a wish, but the catch was that the wish would come true only if these certain directions were followed, and that involved taking all his belongings and living alone in the desert.
So 5 decades pass and eventually this now old man returns to society with all his belongings, which in the meantime have become collectibles, antiques and valuable treasures. Some passerby picks up a comic book and remarks that it is the first issue of "Superman" and at auction it would sell for mucho money.
The moral of this story is about delayed gratification. Evidently the hipsters who named me "Smug" were more into immediate gratification and thought they "deserved" Leica's because they are so "wonderful." Jerks... (Correction entitled jerks...).
BTW I was called out as being "a rich dentist."
I will call these jerks posers who fled NYC. Pretty much it was described by one of their co-workers at B&H that they moved to NYC to check it off their bucket lists. Now they are big-time hero's back in their hometowns. LOL.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
MFM,
Even though it was a rat I wish I still owned the white 67 Mustang convertible that my sister gifted me. It was my first car.
The car I consider my first real car was a 67 Volvo 122S. I worked hard to save the $300.00 I paid for it. The Mustang was so beat that it was not a reliable car. I remember getting stuck in Madhattan while on a date with a girl. I came across as a loser/hosebag. LOL.
For much of my life I drove cars that only cost a few hundred dollars. Out in the Long Island suburbs I had a neighbor kindly ask not to park my car near his house because it was an eyesore and really ghetto. LOL.
I think later in life we don't take so much for granted. I also see value in holding onto some items as treasure. Perhaps this is why I want those first cars. Today I really could restore or hot rod them into something, and back then I didn't have the time or resources.
I could imagine installing a built out 2.3 liter ford 4 cylander with a World Class T-5 tranny with a lowered sys-pension. Pretty easy to build out a 250 horsepower 4 cylander that revs like a mofo without a turbo or supercharger. Best/better to stroke out the engine to 2.8 liters for some grunt.
Retirement is bringing on all this adolescent behavior. I regress into my past, and all of the sudden it is like I'm 18 years old again and I'm scrambling about trying to figure out what I'm going to do over the next few decades.
Like in the song, "Still crazy after all these years..."
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I bought a remastered version of Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" from Academy Records used pretty recently. The remix and remastering seems to have muffled some of the great dynamics, and it is especially evident in the transitions between the passages. Not the best for my analog tube stereo that are 8 watt 300B monoblocks.
What was released in this remastering is an interview with Ian Anderson about back in the day recording this early work in a studio that was also used by Led Zep-a-lin.
Some smut that was revealed is that Ian became friends with Jimmy Page, and got along with John Bonham who was noted/revealed in a context of being a bit of a wack job. A funny thing is how casually Ian mentioned that he never got along with Robert Plant, after he kinda casually insulted him. LOL.
Pretty much the recording was originally engineered with all the latest technology and technics, but the actual studio had bad acoustics, and basically the about month long endeavor to record Aqualung was a spackle job of confusion, where Ian was the only person who had the concept in his head.
Anyways this album makes me feel young again. "Maggie" responded to my mentioning that retirement is like regressing back to being like a teenager again because one has to create a future that wil likely span decades.
She revealed that this Buddist monk talked about three births that are age related: 13 because of the beginning of adolescence; 18 because of adulthood; and the age 60 which is where I am right now.
So I look at what I now value that has endured over the decades. I see patterns that define me as an artist, in that the guitar, photography, printing, and bicycling all require a discipline that to be great one must practice pretty much every day. I also realize that I have had a disruptive life that interfered with maintaining the concentration and discipline, but in retirement that will all change.
Louis Armstrong took two years of his life to focus and concentrate to become a great horn player. For a while bicycling was the focus of my life, I had to learn how to relax, and cycling along with my friend Mike saved my life. I know I have great dexterity, but my guitar playing is choppy, and it is simply a matter of "wood shedding" to get to where I need to be.
Interesting to note that the above are all are somewhat solitary personal struggles.
Maggie's trip to this spa in California that has evolved into a rewarding gig introduced this low inflammation diet that I have been following over the past two weeks. Over the past 4 years my skin has become dry and itchy, and I developed Seberatic Dermititis (a flacky/scabby dandriff around the top of my ears and hairline).
Two dematologists prescribed creams and lotions to relieve the symtoms, but pretty much this auto immune system imbalance was credited due to aging. Lots of discomfort, lost sleep, and physical pain was due to the burning sensations that have progressively gotten worse over the years.
So this Perricone Diet of whole foods seems to have cured me. I no longer have to coat my entire body with creams and lotions, I do not get awakened by discomfort, and my hygene allows my routine of exercising to be daily.
So I have to give up processed grains, so no bread, Pizza, or pasta which use to be staples of an endurance athlete. My food is more raw and fresh, and of course this all costs more. I think of my dad who lived to 94, who was dirt poor, illiterate, and had a hard and brutal life. He eventually died of heart disease and was a diabetic. My mom was also a diabetic and died of heart failure.
As long as I stay thin and fit it is highly unlikely I will develop Diabetes. Also know that I don't drink alcohol at all which often contributes or is a precursor for Diabetes. I believe I could easily live to 100.
I think I can have a very rich life of 4 decades ahead with biking, guitar playing, and photography. I delayed gratification and worked day-jobs to be able to afford this retirement. I earned it.
I'm back to recovering my base. My blood pressure 100/65 with a resting pulse that sometimes dips below 50 BPM. Been biking, running, and strength training.
Maggie and I are in a great place for the next 4 decades ahead.
Cal
What was released in this remastering is an interview with Ian Anderson about back in the day recording this early work in a studio that was also used by Led Zep-a-lin.
Some smut that was revealed is that Ian became friends with Jimmy Page, and got along with John Bonham who was noted/revealed in a context of being a bit of a wack job. A funny thing is how casually Ian mentioned that he never got along with Robert Plant, after he kinda casually insulted him. LOL.
Pretty much the recording was originally engineered with all the latest technology and technics, but the actual studio had bad acoustics, and basically the about month long endeavor to record Aqualung was a spackle job of confusion, where Ian was the only person who had the concept in his head.
Anyways this album makes me feel young again. "Maggie" responded to my mentioning that retirement is like regressing back to being like a teenager again because one has to create a future that wil likely span decades.
She revealed that this Buddist monk talked about three births that are age related: 13 because of the beginning of adolescence; 18 because of adulthood; and the age 60 which is where I am right now.
So I look at what I now value that has endured over the decades. I see patterns that define me as an artist, in that the guitar, photography, printing, and bicycling all require a discipline that to be great one must practice pretty much every day. I also realize that I have had a disruptive life that interfered with maintaining the concentration and discipline, but in retirement that will all change.
Louis Armstrong took two years of his life to focus and concentrate to become a great horn player. For a while bicycling was the focus of my life, I had to learn how to relax, and cycling along with my friend Mike saved my life. I know I have great dexterity, but my guitar playing is choppy, and it is simply a matter of "wood shedding" to get to where I need to be.
Interesting to note that the above are all are somewhat solitary personal struggles.
Maggie's trip to this spa in California that has evolved into a rewarding gig introduced this low inflammation diet that I have been following over the past two weeks. Over the past 4 years my skin has become dry and itchy, and I developed Seberatic Dermititis (a flacky/scabby dandriff around the top of my ears and hairline).
Two dematologists prescribed creams and lotions to relieve the symtoms, but pretty much this auto immune system imbalance was credited due to aging. Lots of discomfort, lost sleep, and physical pain was due to the burning sensations that have progressively gotten worse over the years.
So this Perricone Diet of whole foods seems to have cured me. I no longer have to coat my entire body with creams and lotions, I do not get awakened by discomfort, and my hygene allows my routine of exercising to be daily.
So I have to give up processed grains, so no bread, Pizza, or pasta which use to be staples of an endurance athlete. My food is more raw and fresh, and of course this all costs more. I think of my dad who lived to 94, who was dirt poor, illiterate, and had a hard and brutal life. He eventually died of heart disease and was a diabetic. My mom was also a diabetic and died of heart failure.
As long as I stay thin and fit it is highly unlikely I will develop Diabetes. Also know that I don't drink alcohol at all which often contributes or is a precursor for Diabetes. I believe I could easily live to 100.
I think I can have a very rich life of 4 decades ahead with biking, guitar playing, and photography. I delayed gratification and worked day-jobs to be able to afford this retirement. I earned it.
I'm back to recovering my base. My blood pressure 100/65 with a resting pulse that sometimes dips below 50 BPM. Been biking, running, and strength training.
Maggie and I are in a great place for the next 4 decades ahead.
Cal
Range-rover
Veteran
Congrat's guy's for being in that great place, and Academy Records is one of my
favorite record stores as well. What Turntable do you have?
favorite record stores as well. What Turntable do you have?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Bob,
I downsized my collection of vinyl when I moved to Madhattan. Vinyl is mucho heavy. I use a Sony DVD player as my input source. When I downsized I sold to Academy Records.
One day I hope to have a room set up for just sound for my Hi-Fi, guitars, basses, and amps. Much of my gear is being stored at two of my friends houses out on Long Island. I also have some amps and speakers in my Public Storage.
My skin is smooth again and feels so soft. The inflammation was very much like being sick for over 4 years. Really great how a simple change in diet has improved my quality of life. Kinda like being reborn in a Buddist sense.
In walking to work this morning I took note of how thin I have remained. I have an 8 inch drop if I expand my chest, and if I drop a few pounds to my "fighting weight" a Flyweight at 146 pounds at 5'9" I'll kinda resemble a Flyweight boxer in build built for speed.
Seems like this is where I'm heading. 150 pounds on the scale this morning. I don't feel like I'm on a diet, the few pounds of muscle I have added seems to be the reason for the weight loss. Good genes. I see the outline of abs, and I have the three fingers of definition on my sides that look like ribs like Bruce Lee.
Really hard to imagine I'm a 60 year old man.
Cal
NY_Dan
Well-known
Perricone Diet:
The 28-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Menu
You can find a sample one-day menu below; for the full 28-day menu plan, pick up a copy of The Perricone Prescription.
Breakfast
3-4 ounces smoked Nova Scotia salmon
½ cup slow-cooked oatmeal
1 teaspoon slivered almonds
8 ounces green tea or water
Lunch
4-6 ounce grilled turkey burger (no bun)
Lettuce and a tomato slice
½ cup three-bean salad (chickpeas, kidney, black beans dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and a minced clove of garlic) served on a bed of cabbage leaves
8 ounces water
Snack
6 ounces unflavored Greek yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
8 ounces water
Dinner
1 cup lentil soup
Spiced Diver Scallops*
Green salad dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
2-inch wedge of cantaloupe
8 ounces water
Bedtime
1 hard-boiled egg
2 celery sticks
3 Brazil nuts
8 ounces water
Better not eat more than 3 Brazil nuts or you'll turn into a fatty
The 28-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Menu
You can find a sample one-day menu below; for the full 28-day menu plan, pick up a copy of The Perricone Prescription.
Breakfast
3-4 ounces smoked Nova Scotia salmon
½ cup slow-cooked oatmeal
1 teaspoon slivered almonds
8 ounces green tea or water
Lunch
4-6 ounce grilled turkey burger (no bun)
Lettuce and a tomato slice
½ cup three-bean salad (chickpeas, kidney, black beans dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and a minced clove of garlic) served on a bed of cabbage leaves
8 ounces water
Snack
6 ounces unflavored Greek yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
8 ounces water
Dinner
1 cup lentil soup
Spiced Diver Scallops*
Green salad dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
2-inch wedge of cantaloupe
8 ounces water
Bedtime
1 hard-boiled egg
2 celery sticks
3 Brazil nuts
8 ounces water
Better not eat more than 3 Brazil nuts or you'll turn into a fatty
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Perricone Diet:
The 28-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Menu
You can find a sample one-day menu below; for the full 28-day menu plan, pick up a copy of The Perricone Prescription.
Breakfast
3-4 ounces smoked Nova Scotia salmon
½ cup slow-cooked oatmeal
1 teaspoon slivered almonds
8 ounces green tea or water
Lunch
4-6 ounce grilled turkey burger (no bun)
Lettuce and a tomato slice
½ cup three-bean salad (chickpeas, kidney, black beans dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and a minced clove of garlic) served on a bed of cabbage leaves
8 ounces water
Snack
6 ounces unflavored Greek yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
8 ounces water
Dinner
1 cup lentil soup
Spiced Diver Scallops*
Green salad dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
2-inch wedge of cantaloupe
8 ounces water
Bedtime
1 hard-boiled egg
2 celery sticks
3 Brazil nuts
8 ounces water
Better not eat more than 3 Brazil nuts or you'll turn into a fatty
Dan,
I have a brother who is a millionair, and one thing he taught me is that without good health life is rather limited. One Christmas he gave each of us (4 siblings) a card each with a check for $3K.
This was nearly 30 years ago, and when I thanked him and said it was a lot of money, he said, "No it isn't," and he told me to spend my money wisely. For my wealthy brother giving away $12K for Christmas was no big deal.
I ended up buying a $3K titanium road bike that I still own today. Back then this was crazy money to spend on a bicycle.
Some of the best money I ever spent. So in the Photoville thread I mentioned the people complaining about the price of the new M10P at $8K, and I remember six years ago buying my Monochrom for $8K. Again pretty much I bought a luxury product and paid a premium, but I still own and love both my Monochrom and my Ti road bike.
It is still a good camera and suits my style well. Same for my retro bike (Ti Lightspeed Classic marketed under the Basso name with a bead blasted frame a purple Imaron fade and then clear coated).
As far as eating Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts have abundant naturally occurring radiation. Kinda high when compared to the amount of naturally occurring radioactivity in the Potasium in say a banana.
In the world of biking I'm what is called a "weight weenie" meaning I tend to trick out my bikes with light weight components.
Since I only weigh 150 pounds I can take advantage of the physics and having a great strength to weight ratio. I also exploit my advantages for endurance and climbing. Bigger men might have the strength advantage, but for endurance, climbing and intervals of high intensity I have the advantage.
Bike riding is the study of physics in real time.
I expect a delivery today of some carbon fiber handlebars. I just changed out these butal rubber tubes on the Ti IBIS and relaced them with lighter Latex versions that are softer and have less rolling resistance. Now with NYC's Vision Zero and the reduced 25 MPH speed limit I can pretty much time the lights on the Avenues and do the speed of traffic.
The last time I weighed the Ti IBIS on a digital bike scale it was 17 1/2 pounds. With the new tubes and bars it might be getting close to 17 pounds even. In my case less weight equals more speed. Realize that the Ti IBIS is a mountain bike that I set as a single speed (fast) with slicks for less rolling resistance.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Last Night like a terrorist I poisoned everyone in my building with the smell of boiling olive oil and Falafil. It started the day before, when I started soaking some Chick Peas. I figured that making Falafils is not any harder than developing film: simply follow the directions; well sort of...
They kinda recommended using a thermometer because 350 degree oil is kinda important, and the idea is to fully cook the flavored balls of Chick Peas in about 5-6 minutes. They also recommended using Grapeseed oil, and I would later learn that olive oil boils off and becomes airborn scenting the entire building. Pretty much it was as if I created a Falafil Factory to bother my neighbors.
I used the 1100 watt Ninja food processor I bought "Maggie" that she never used to blend all the ingredients and make a thick paste. I used egg as the binder to avoid the recommended few tablespoons of processed wheat. I was feeling like I was in an episode of "Master Chef" because that was a high point, but then when the frying began nothing worked right because my oil was not hot enough.
The uncooked Falafil assembled into a plate of ping-pong balls smelled great, but I would later learn it would of been great to have a deep fryer that had temperature control. So Joe and Chef Ramsey likely would have publicly humiliated me for my attempt on National TV during primetime.
Oh-well.
So the moral of the story for me today is that this morning I realize part of being an American is a lot of excessive behavior like overeating. So many things we tend to overdo, yet I kinda embrace this excessiveness as part of my style. Kinda Like shooting a Linhof in NYC: totally excessive.
Meanwhile last night I installed the carbon fiber Mini BMX bars on my Ti IBIS. This bike now is optimized fully, and not much could be done to make it faster or lighter. Maybe I could get a lighter front wheel made to loose a few ounces of rotating mass for quicker acceleration without compromising structural integrity.
This bike is basically set up for doing strength intervals attacking the Harlem Hills in the norther section of Central Park. There is a long descent before the first climb which is a moderately long incline, followed by a short one, and then comes the long steep climb.
Many tourists walk their bikes up these hills, or annoyingly they stop on the roadway and become obstructions.
Anyways imagine a mountain bike with a 24 inch rear wheel and 26 inch front wheel, with a short 40 inch wheelbase. The riding position is almost right over the rear wheel kinda like a unicycle, and the seating is also kinda upright, that's where the 3 1/2 inch rise from the Mini BMX bars comes in.
In use the Ti IBIS loves the standing hammering position of sprinting out of the saddle and working the bike with tall gearing like as if a stairmaster. The bikes handling is twitchy and the rear end likes to come around. In a car it would be called "oversteer" where the rear end begins to "float."
I'm reminded by Fidel's stories of champagning a road rally car, an Audi called the Fox-Hen with a crazy Greek owner. If you hit the gas the car was so overpowered that the torque from the engine pitched the car sideways. Also the story of being the navigator (passender) during a race and throwing up from the motion sickness induced flying/ not driving in a car.
I see this excessiveness in my photography also, like when an art dealer asks me, "Why are these prints so big?" LOL.
Cal
They kinda recommended using a thermometer because 350 degree oil is kinda important, and the idea is to fully cook the flavored balls of Chick Peas in about 5-6 minutes. They also recommended using Grapeseed oil, and I would later learn that olive oil boils off and becomes airborn scenting the entire building. Pretty much it was as if I created a Falafil Factory to bother my neighbors.
I used the 1100 watt Ninja food processor I bought "Maggie" that she never used to blend all the ingredients and make a thick paste. I used egg as the binder to avoid the recommended few tablespoons of processed wheat. I was feeling like I was in an episode of "Master Chef" because that was a high point, but then when the frying began nothing worked right because my oil was not hot enough.
The uncooked Falafil assembled into a plate of ping-pong balls smelled great, but I would later learn it would of been great to have a deep fryer that had temperature control. So Joe and Chef Ramsey likely would have publicly humiliated me for my attempt on National TV during primetime.
Oh-well.
So the moral of the story for me today is that this morning I realize part of being an American is a lot of excessive behavior like overeating. So many things we tend to overdo, yet I kinda embrace this excessiveness as part of my style. Kinda Like shooting a Linhof in NYC: totally excessive.
Meanwhile last night I installed the carbon fiber Mini BMX bars on my Ti IBIS. This bike now is optimized fully, and not much could be done to make it faster or lighter. Maybe I could get a lighter front wheel made to loose a few ounces of rotating mass for quicker acceleration without compromising structural integrity.
This bike is basically set up for doing strength intervals attacking the Harlem Hills in the norther section of Central Park. There is a long descent before the first climb which is a moderately long incline, followed by a short one, and then comes the long steep climb.
Many tourists walk their bikes up these hills, or annoyingly they stop on the roadway and become obstructions.
Anyways imagine a mountain bike with a 24 inch rear wheel and 26 inch front wheel, with a short 40 inch wheelbase. The riding position is almost right over the rear wheel kinda like a unicycle, and the seating is also kinda upright, that's where the 3 1/2 inch rise from the Mini BMX bars comes in.
In use the Ti IBIS loves the standing hammering position of sprinting out of the saddle and working the bike with tall gearing like as if a stairmaster. The bikes handling is twitchy and the rear end likes to come around. In a car it would be called "oversteer" where the rear end begins to "float."
I'm reminded by Fidel's stories of champagning a road rally car, an Audi called the Fox-Hen with a crazy Greek owner. If you hit the gas the car was so overpowered that the torque from the engine pitched the car sideways. Also the story of being the navigator (passender) during a race and throwing up from the motion sickness induced flying/ not driving in a car.
I see this excessiveness in my photography also, like when an art dealer asks me, "Why are these prints so big?" LOL.
Cal
MrFujicaman
Well-known
Cal, I was looking at your post about your first car. I've noticed that people always remember their first car. My first car was a 1974 Valiant that my Dad handed down to me when I left for college in 1976. He'd already put 50,000 miles on it in just short of two years and I got that car instead of my mom's old 1969 Chrysler Newport (which I really wanted) because my mom HATED the Valiant! She never could get it to start for her!
It was not a good car...1974 was the year the government piled on the emissions control, the stupid seatbelts that buzzed if they weren't fastened and other dumb ideas. It was underpowered-the Valiants with 225 Slant Six lost 50 horsepower between 1969 and 1974, it had crappy 4 wheel drum manual brakes and the only options it really had were power steering and an AM radio and A/C. The poor thing would only do 85 floorboarded! And with all the emissions control crap, the best gas mileage was about 8 MPG in town and 15-16 on the highway!
But, I had a lot of good times in that car. If I had the $$$$ I'd get my hands on another one and upgrade it with a 5.7 Hemi crate motor, a heavy duty rear end, big four wheel disc brakes and a really good sound system. Excessive? Yup-but damn it'd be fun!
Oh, and Cal ? if you'd been a dentist, you'd have bought a NEW Leica !
It was not a good car...1974 was the year the government piled on the emissions control, the stupid seatbelts that buzzed if they weren't fastened and other dumb ideas. It was underpowered-the Valiants with 225 Slant Six lost 50 horsepower between 1969 and 1974, it had crappy 4 wheel drum manual brakes and the only options it really had were power steering and an AM radio and A/C. The poor thing would only do 85 floorboarded! And with all the emissions control crap, the best gas mileage was about 8 MPG in town and 15-16 on the highway!
But, I had a lot of good times in that car. If I had the $$$$ I'd get my hands on another one and upgrade it with a 5.7 Hemi crate motor, a heavy duty rear end, big four wheel disc brakes and a really good sound system. Excessive? Yup-but damn it'd be fun!
Oh, and Cal ? if you'd been a dentist, you'd have bought a NEW Leica !
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
MFM,
You reminded me of how bad the brakes were on the 67 Mustang convertable. No power assist and basically I would use both feet on the brake peddle and pull on the steering wheel for additional braking power.
The old slant sixes were known to be durable, but post 73 the pollution controls curbed any performance. Also the bumpers got mighty clunky and ugly.
On the parkway I tried to impress my friends and I raced the car against another friend. My Mustang had the 289 V-8, but floored could only do 85 MPH. It was a pig. Also handling wise it had mucho body roll. What do you expect from a car that cost $75.00.
The 67 Volvo 122S cost me a wopping $300.00 and was a real car that had sporty handling. I really liked how I could control the drift of the rear end with the throttle, and this is how I steered the car. I installed speakers in the doors and used them as baffles and got deep bass. The styling was cool: looked like a 3/4's sized 1954 Chevy.
I remember being really high and me and two friends were racing to Captree to catch a charter boat to go fishing. The Volvo could only do 100 MPH and we rocked back and forth in the car in unison as if we were rowing a boat trying to go faster.
The vacant toll booths came up and I momentarily just took my foot off the gas and we coasted through the toll booths likely at 90-95 MPH. There is a lot of physics going on. Drag follows inverse square law. At 100 MPH there is four times as much drag than at 50 MPH.
The Mustang would be an interesting project today. With this car ther is such a strong aftermarket. I could buy a turnkey suspension that would stiffen and lower the car so it could outdo a ZR-1 Corvette on a skid pad. Oh-what crazy fun and possibilities.
In reality there was not a lot of good parts on my old Mustang and knowing me the only thing useful on the old Mustang was likely the VIN number because I would likely would of recreated it with all new beefy high performance parts.
On the Upper Eastside someone owns a Ford GT 350 with the flat plane cranked V-8 that redlines at 8200 RPM. The sound of the exhaust is muy macho and I totally love that sound. Pretty much it is built like a Ferrarri engine where opposing cylander scavenges the exhaust more effectively allowing a V-8 to rev like a motorcycle engine.
So I have to tell you a Mustang story. My best friend Billy was in the passenger seat and there were 4 of us in the car. One guy I didn't know well, and on this rainy day in the Long Island suburbs the four of us were parked, drinking, and getting stoned.
I think Gary was his name. Don't believe weed effects the memory, I believe it just makes one believe in other possibilities, so even though it was 42 years ago his name was Gary. I'm pretty sure...
So Gary asks Billy to let him out so he can take a leak, then after a while we see that something is not right because we see Gary running towards the car for his life and this old Italian man wearing a muscle shirt chasing after Gary. So like some Fellini film I take notice as Gary's hand grabs the handle of the Mustang's door I hear a firm click as Billy casually lifts his elbow to depress the door lock.
The next thing you know is that the car is rocking and shaking. This old man has Gary pinned against the convertible top with one hand and is punching him with the other.
I observe Billy using the palm of his hand to leasurly and casually wipe away the condensation for a better view while dipping his head. Meanwhile Kevin in the back seat is observing through this large tear that existed in the convertible top.
During all this several cop cars arrive, and now I'm worried that we'll all get busted for the weed. We get told to get out of the car, and I see this one cop open the passenger door and he smells the weed and begins to laugh. It didn't look good. LOL.
So in the end we find out that Gary decided to piss in a location where he was looking on a family having dinner. The man thought he was a peeping Tom. Does it get dumber than that? LOL.
Nobody got arrested that night because the old man would have also been charged with assault. Gary wasn't really hurt either.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
WOW. There is mucho aggressive programs at dealers for upgrading to M10P.
For me I am fine with keeping my MM and SL. Much of the M10 features have existed in my SL, and pretty much the M10 is a SL made as a rangefinder.
I have a friend who owns both a SL and a M10. His M10 is the less used camera.
So last night we went to Soho to exchange a jacket for a smaller size. New York Fashion Month is coming up and "Maggie" is already booked for mucho fashion shows. We had a leasurely time and had a nice dinner out. Later that night I called Crazy Mike the Wack-Job to try and weigh my Ti IBIS on his digital bike scale.
Mike the Wack-Job lives in the apartment right above me, so I was surprised to see his living space set up as a pro bike shop that specializes in track bikes. Pretty much it was a speed shop with Italian steel track bikes hanging on the walls and the general area cluttered with carbon fiber bike parts and this crazy carbon fiber track frame that was ultra aerodynamic.
A carbon fiber wheelset for this new bike my guess cost $2K-$2.5 alone for just the wheels. My Ti IBIS is an aggressive bike with short 15 1/5 inch chainstays. I grabbed a sheet of paper to use as a measure to compare the new carbon fiber frame's chainstays to mine. Mike's chainstays were only 15 inches making this a very hyper aggressive bike.
Since it is also a track bike it also sports a high bottom bracket which elevates the center of gravity. Mike showed me this carbon fiber seat (no padding) that I imagine would splinter in a crash. Also the surface of the race wheels was "dimpled" and textured for better aerodynamics. Mike said the technology was tested in a wind tunnel.
All I can say is that this was all aerospace technology, and Mike expects the complete bike to weigh about 15 pounds.
One day I went riding with Mike. On our way home we were on the 59th Street Bridge on the descent onto the Madhattan side. You can really go fast on the downhill and towards the end it becomes more like a ramp like chute that plunges steeply, and at the very bottom there is a narrow hairpin turn that is framed by a Jersey barrier.
I had a fixed gear vintage Italian track bike from the early 50's that I got rid of when I downsized. Track bikes with fixed gears are not for me. Mike rides fixed gear, has no brakes, and he sprints past me and down the chute at great speed when I start to slow down. I'm terrorized because I think that Mike in a few seconds will become a wet red sponge when he impacts the Jersey Barrier. Know that Mike at this time is not wearing a helmet.
Then I see at the last minute Mike exicute a rear wheel hop, locking his peddles, and upon landing go into a full blown skid, fishtailing violently back and forth as sudden impact still eminent, but somehow he makes the narrow hairpin turn without crashing. So this is why I consider Mike a Wack-Job and crazy.
Know that now Mike wears a helmet after having been clipped by a U.S. Postal truck and left for dead in a hit and run where he was taken away in an ambulance.
Yesterday I had an epiphany and realized that already I am somewhat semi-retired. Perhaps I started/began retirement about 8 years ago when we downsized and moved into Madhattan. Pretty much I got rid of about 2/3rd's of our belongings. Along the way I ended up selling my beloved Jeep Scrambler with the Corvette engine.
We concentrated our future purchases on durable goods, luxury items, and things regarded as treasures. We started making wise financial decisions that involved savings.
So today I will say I'm in austerity mode that somewhat simulates a retirement because I have so much money going into savings and paying down debt that it resembles living on a fraction of my salary that is like living on a fixed income.
It feels good to be a "Short-Timer."
Christian made a great point, "Any city is wonderful if you can afford to live there and are not poor."
There is another saying that was also helpful to reach this point, "If you don't start planning a retirement a decade in advance, you likely won't have one."
Anyways I was really surprised that I am able to maintain my high quality of life where I'm eating good, I have time to exercise and maintain my health, I have nice cameras, bikes and guitars to enjoy that I accumulated over my lifetime, and it looks like I likely will likely have 4 decades ahead.
"Maggie" made the point that we pretty easily can hang out in NYC for a while. Somehow along the ways retirement kinda surprisingly got phased in.
Cal
For me I am fine with keeping my MM and SL. Much of the M10 features have existed in my SL, and pretty much the M10 is a SL made as a rangefinder.
I have a friend who owns both a SL and a M10. His M10 is the less used camera.
So last night we went to Soho to exchange a jacket for a smaller size. New York Fashion Month is coming up and "Maggie" is already booked for mucho fashion shows. We had a leasurely time and had a nice dinner out. Later that night I called Crazy Mike the Wack-Job to try and weigh my Ti IBIS on his digital bike scale.
Mike the Wack-Job lives in the apartment right above me, so I was surprised to see his living space set up as a pro bike shop that specializes in track bikes. Pretty much it was a speed shop with Italian steel track bikes hanging on the walls and the general area cluttered with carbon fiber bike parts and this crazy carbon fiber track frame that was ultra aerodynamic.
A carbon fiber wheelset for this new bike my guess cost $2K-$2.5 alone for just the wheels. My Ti IBIS is an aggressive bike with short 15 1/5 inch chainstays. I grabbed a sheet of paper to use as a measure to compare the new carbon fiber frame's chainstays to mine. Mike's chainstays were only 15 inches making this a very hyper aggressive bike.
Since it is also a track bike it also sports a high bottom bracket which elevates the center of gravity. Mike showed me this carbon fiber seat (no padding) that I imagine would splinter in a crash. Also the surface of the race wheels was "dimpled" and textured for better aerodynamics. Mike said the technology was tested in a wind tunnel.
All I can say is that this was all aerospace technology, and Mike expects the complete bike to weigh about 15 pounds.
One day I went riding with Mike. On our way home we were on the 59th Street Bridge on the descent onto the Madhattan side. You can really go fast on the downhill and towards the end it becomes more like a ramp like chute that plunges steeply, and at the very bottom there is a narrow hairpin turn that is framed by a Jersey barrier.
I had a fixed gear vintage Italian track bike from the early 50's that I got rid of when I downsized. Track bikes with fixed gears are not for me. Mike rides fixed gear, has no brakes, and he sprints past me and down the chute at great speed when I start to slow down. I'm terrorized because I think that Mike in a few seconds will become a wet red sponge when he impacts the Jersey Barrier. Know that Mike at this time is not wearing a helmet.
Then I see at the last minute Mike exicute a rear wheel hop, locking his peddles, and upon landing go into a full blown skid, fishtailing violently back and forth as sudden impact still eminent, but somehow he makes the narrow hairpin turn without crashing. So this is why I consider Mike a Wack-Job and crazy.
Know that now Mike wears a helmet after having been clipped by a U.S. Postal truck and left for dead in a hit and run where he was taken away in an ambulance.
Yesterday I had an epiphany and realized that already I am somewhat semi-retired. Perhaps I started/began retirement about 8 years ago when we downsized and moved into Madhattan. Pretty much I got rid of about 2/3rd's of our belongings. Along the way I ended up selling my beloved Jeep Scrambler with the Corvette engine.
We concentrated our future purchases on durable goods, luxury items, and things regarded as treasures. We started making wise financial decisions that involved savings.
So today I will say I'm in austerity mode that somewhat simulates a retirement because I have so much money going into savings and paying down debt that it resembles living on a fraction of my salary that is like living on a fixed income.
It feels good to be a "Short-Timer."
Christian made a great point, "Any city is wonderful if you can afford to live there and are not poor."
There is another saying that was also helpful to reach this point, "If you don't start planning a retirement a decade in advance, you likely won't have one."
Anyways I was really surprised that I am able to maintain my high quality of life where I'm eating good, I have time to exercise and maintain my health, I have nice cameras, bikes and guitars to enjoy that I accumulated over my lifetime, and it looks like I likely will likely have 4 decades ahead.
"Maggie" made the point that we pretty easily can hang out in NYC for a while. Somehow along the ways retirement kinda surprisingly got phased in.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Old X-Files: Mulder meets an informant near Central Park.
"Did you come alone?"
"It's New York! We're all alone..."
So I started this thread, and no one firmed up the date. Oh-well. No August Meet-Up.
No sweat off my balls. LOL.
So I have two stories about healthcare: One goes back to when HMO's were new and I called my provider to get a Primary Care Physician (PCP). The representitive inquired if I had a preference for a male doctor or a female and I said it didn't matter. Then it came to location and the first one to come up was this location right in Bethpage near work where I lived.
I call and set up an appointment and get the street address for a check-up. So much to my surprise when I went that it happened to be a woman's clinic and woman's center. So pretty much I'm the only man in the waiting room and all the Doctors and staff are women. One woman in the waiting room gives me a dirty look, perhaps because I'm a man and have invaded her space or safe place. Obviously I violated a man free zone from her POV.
I felt kinda intimidated and uncomfortable because of that woman's dirty look. Obviously she took exception to my presence. I asked the receptionist if I had made a big mistake and if I was the only male patient.
"There is at least one other male patient," I was told.
So this nurse practitioner first examined me before my doctor. I was told to lay down on the table. The nurse practioner folded the stir-ups as I looked up at a poster of a topless Bar-Ish-NA-cough caught at the apex of a grand leap while performing solo.
So in keeping up and establishing myself firmly as a freak of nature my blood pressure was something like 100 over 50 and my resting pulse was somewhere in the 40's. I was in my mid thirties and at that time I was putting more milage riding my bike that people did driving their cars living in the suburbs.
"Do you feel alright the nurse practitioner asked?
"Other than a stressful day at work I'm fine," I replied.
So Doctor Jill looked hot, and I liked the black leather miniskirt she wore.
When she found out I worked in research she asked, "Do you have a PhD?" The way it was asked was as if it was a speed date. LOL.
So for about 5 years I attended this woman's center as an outsider.
So now I'm not so young a buck, and I'm at a dematologist getting screened for Skin Cancer. An assistant is in the room to record data and take notes for my records. I'm standing there in my underwear feeling vulnerable, so to break the ice I ask, "Do woman have any opinion about boxers or briefs?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm curious, and I want to know how women feel about what men wear and their female perspective."
That's when the assistant said, "Men's balls get mighty sweaty and boxers allow for some ventilation."
My spin: boxers make for less sweaty balls. An honest answer. So I used my performance art skills and fought back my laughter. As a man I never realized my balls are sweaty. LOL.
Cal
"Did you come alone?"
"It's New York! We're all alone..."
So I started this thread, and no one firmed up the date. Oh-well. No August Meet-Up.
No sweat off my balls. LOL.
So I have two stories about healthcare: One goes back to when HMO's were new and I called my provider to get a Primary Care Physician (PCP). The representitive inquired if I had a preference for a male doctor or a female and I said it didn't matter. Then it came to location and the first one to come up was this location right in Bethpage near work where I lived.
I call and set up an appointment and get the street address for a check-up. So much to my surprise when I went that it happened to be a woman's clinic and woman's center. So pretty much I'm the only man in the waiting room and all the Doctors and staff are women. One woman in the waiting room gives me a dirty look, perhaps because I'm a man and have invaded her space or safe place. Obviously I violated a man free zone from her POV.
I felt kinda intimidated and uncomfortable because of that woman's dirty look. Obviously she took exception to my presence. I asked the receptionist if I had made a big mistake and if I was the only male patient.
"There is at least one other male patient," I was told.
So this nurse practitioner first examined me before my doctor. I was told to lay down on the table. The nurse practioner folded the stir-ups as I looked up at a poster of a topless Bar-Ish-NA-cough caught at the apex of a grand leap while performing solo.
So in keeping up and establishing myself firmly as a freak of nature my blood pressure was something like 100 over 50 and my resting pulse was somewhere in the 40's. I was in my mid thirties and at that time I was putting more milage riding my bike that people did driving their cars living in the suburbs.
"Do you feel alright the nurse practitioner asked?
"Other than a stressful day at work I'm fine," I replied.
So Doctor Jill looked hot, and I liked the black leather miniskirt she wore.
When she found out I worked in research she asked, "Do you have a PhD?" The way it was asked was as if it was a speed date. LOL.
So for about 5 years I attended this woman's center as an outsider.
So now I'm not so young a buck, and I'm at a dematologist getting screened for Skin Cancer. An assistant is in the room to record data and take notes for my records. I'm standing there in my underwear feeling vulnerable, so to break the ice I ask, "Do woman have any opinion about boxers or briefs?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm curious, and I want to know how women feel about what men wear and their female perspective."
That's when the assistant said, "Men's balls get mighty sweaty and boxers allow for some ventilation."
My spin: boxers make for less sweaty balls. An honest answer. So I used my performance art skills and fought back my laughter. As a man I never realized my balls are sweaty. LOL.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I regress. Lately I feel like I'm back in high school because I live in a non stop daydream.
I wonder about the decades ahead and wonder about the possible future because there is such vast uncertainty ahead. Anything is possible at this point.
There are remarkable possibilities. One thing is now "Maggie" now has two agents. Seems evident a book is being solicited, and the rights for a TV program if the book does well are already secured. If this happens each episode well exceeds my annual income and then some.
So instead of reading what I write on RFF, my persona might be broadcast on TV.
Cal
I wonder about the decades ahead and wonder about the possible future because there is such vast uncertainty ahead. Anything is possible at this point.
There are remarkable possibilities. One thing is now "Maggie" now has two agents. Seems evident a book is being solicited, and the rights for a TV program if the book does well are already secured. If this happens each episode well exceeds my annual income and then some.
So instead of reading what I write on RFF, my persona might be broadcast on TV.
Cal
ptpdprinter
Veteran
Assuming Maggie books you as a guest.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
PTP,
More like the writer of the TV series captures/interpetes my persona. "Maggie" will not be the actor, and certainly some actor will have to portray me.
This would be a scripted TV show.
How crazy is that possibility. So far it looks like things are moving in that direction. Also know that an editor from a big publishing house contacted "Maggie." Evidently her talent agent and this editor already know each other.
This talent agency is the real big-time. "A" list.
This is really surreal.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Last night I had difficulties with head scuffing when using my 3880 with Piezography Pro. Generally this occurs on rag papers and not cellulose papers.
It seems the limited paper handling of the 3880 combined with my disengagement of part of the paper transport to avoid "Pizza-wheels" compromises the flatness too much, and I get print head scrapping into wet printed areas especially on the leading edge.
I am also down to the last three cut sheets of 17x22 paper, so instead of buying more paper I'll dig into my new batch/stockpile of Jon Cone Type 5. I have 4 fifty foot 24 inch wide rolls and 4 fifty foot 17 inch wide rolls to burn through, but to use rolled paper I must use my 7800.
I'm thinking of loading the 3880 with Piezoflush, repacking it into the original carton, and putting it into my Public Storage. The 7800 will be my main/primary printer.
I still have mucho stock of Piezography Pro and K-7 HD, so my plan is to load the 7800 with Piezography Pro or K-7 HD and totally deplete each stockpile. No doubt that the 7800 is a thirsty printer, and I will deplete these stockpiles rather fast. I figure sometime next year I'll have to wait for a sale and load up the truck again.
I like roll paper for the flexibility and for the savings. The vacuum paper transport of the 7800 is vastly superior over the 3880. I have the carts already loaded with K-7 HD, but as a matter of maintenance I will use this ultrasonic tank to re-suspend the pigment.
To load Piezography Pro I will have to buy a spare cart because I Can-IB-Bill-ized a cart from the complete extra set of carts I purchased when they had a sale.
It seems that after completing my "Workbook" that the real "Fine Art" printing will begin. No more cut sheet paper going forward, and I'll be sorting through to evaluate whether an image does better in Piezography Pro, or is rendered better using K7-HD.
The breakdown really comes down to PP for deeper contrast, or K7 HD for broader more detailed midrange. The workbook is moving things forward as intended. I think I will standardize my small size limited edition to fit on a 20x24 sheet and utilize this to exploit big borders and stock frame sizes and cut mats. This means an increased of image size over my workbook prints and meanwhile 20x24 is still hand holdible.
Know that I have a second paper roll holder/retainer so switching between 17 and 24 inch wide is easy. Remember I'm a clever/lazy slacker.
Not sure if I will eventually get a P7000 and move forward with Piezography Pro with the added Lite-Lite cool and warm shades. I like the one pass printing, the convenience, and the speed, but I think K7 HD since it is a two pass system prints with a higher ink load and a more expanded tonality. For IQ it does not get better than K7 HD. Brutal.
Anyways moving forward into retirement. Reminds me of Arnold Swharzenager when he created a 5-year plan with the goals of being both rich and famous.
This dedicated focus allowed him to achieve his goals eventually. He knew it would require discipline and his plan made sure that he did something every day towards these goals. The keys here are focus, determination, discipline, and most importantly every day.
This is serious business...
Cal
It seems the limited paper handling of the 3880 combined with my disengagement of part of the paper transport to avoid "Pizza-wheels" compromises the flatness too much, and I get print head scrapping into wet printed areas especially on the leading edge.
I am also down to the last three cut sheets of 17x22 paper, so instead of buying more paper I'll dig into my new batch/stockpile of Jon Cone Type 5. I have 4 fifty foot 24 inch wide rolls and 4 fifty foot 17 inch wide rolls to burn through, but to use rolled paper I must use my 7800.
I'm thinking of loading the 3880 with Piezoflush, repacking it into the original carton, and putting it into my Public Storage. The 7800 will be my main/primary printer.
I still have mucho stock of Piezography Pro and K-7 HD, so my plan is to load the 7800 with Piezography Pro or K-7 HD and totally deplete each stockpile. No doubt that the 7800 is a thirsty printer, and I will deplete these stockpiles rather fast. I figure sometime next year I'll have to wait for a sale and load up the truck again.
I like roll paper for the flexibility and for the savings. The vacuum paper transport of the 7800 is vastly superior over the 3880. I have the carts already loaded with K-7 HD, but as a matter of maintenance I will use this ultrasonic tank to re-suspend the pigment.
To load Piezography Pro I will have to buy a spare cart because I Can-IB-Bill-ized a cart from the complete extra set of carts I purchased when they had a sale.
It seems that after completing my "Workbook" that the real "Fine Art" printing will begin. No more cut sheet paper going forward, and I'll be sorting through to evaluate whether an image does better in Piezography Pro, or is rendered better using K7-HD.
The breakdown really comes down to PP for deeper contrast, or K7 HD for broader more detailed midrange. The workbook is moving things forward as intended. I think I will standardize my small size limited edition to fit on a 20x24 sheet and utilize this to exploit big borders and stock frame sizes and cut mats. This means an increased of image size over my workbook prints and meanwhile 20x24 is still hand holdible.
Know that I have a second paper roll holder/retainer so switching between 17 and 24 inch wide is easy. Remember I'm a clever/lazy slacker.
Not sure if I will eventually get a P7000 and move forward with Piezography Pro with the added Lite-Lite cool and warm shades. I like the one pass printing, the convenience, and the speed, but I think K7 HD since it is a two pass system prints with a higher ink load and a more expanded tonality. For IQ it does not get better than K7 HD. Brutal.
Anyways moving forward into retirement. Reminds me of Arnold Swharzenager when he created a 5-year plan with the goals of being both rich and famous.
This dedicated focus allowed him to achieve his goals eventually. He knew it would require discipline and his plan made sure that he did something every day towards these goals. The keys here are focus, determination, discipline, and most importantly every day.
This is serious business...
Cal