It's been an interesting year. Like all years, there have been some goals that were simply out of reach, and there have been victories and setbacks. But, overall, a good year.
In the win column, I have been getting more shifts at work. I work with a great bunch of people, so going to work is always a pleasure for me. And the extra money doesn't hurt either! Of course, more work hours means fewer hours in the week to devote to other projects.
Which means my plan of scanning and organizing my boxes of pictures has slowed down considerably. Not quite to a standstill, but close. I now think that it will exceed my initial hope of being a winter project, and will now become a 2017 project.
Although, to be honest, my photo scanning project was going slower than I had hoped, partly because I decided to not just scan photos, but to also research each one as best I could. So, time passes as I email copies to people to see if they can help me place times, locations and names to people. It's slow going, but as I progress, I am learning a lot about how to handle such a project and how to organize the data.
I have also connected with some distant cousins this year, a side benefit of the family photograph and history project. I am able to find out what has happened to some people and family branches that I was only vaguely aware of. I was also able to fill in some blanks for them as well, so I take that as an added bonus!
I am quite looking forward to 2017 to see what it brings!
Saturday, 31 December 2016
Thursday, 3 November 2016
November 3, 2016 - Enlisting help
I've been scanning photographs and it is mostly going well - I've had a few obstacles to overcome - but it is mostly going smoothly.
I've been sticking with my original plan, to scan a small number of item each day to prevent becoming overwhelmed by the volume of material. That also allows me to take the time to properly keyword each photograph, as well as take thr time to identify the people and locations.
That last bit has been both the most frustrating and rewarding part of the project.
Overall, any kind of project involving family photographs is a trip down memory lane. It can recall many things, not the least emotion and for me, a sometimes almost overwhelming sense of loss.
So far, the most rewarding part has been tracking down distant relatives and being able to enlist their help. I've been lucky that not all of them have passed on and that they are able to recall dates, places and people from a time when I wasn't even born.
On top of that, I have also been able to connect with people who were part of that social circle and I've learned a lot from them as well. I've heard some stories about family I've never heard before, and I've seen pictures I've never seen before. Along with getting some names and places sorted out, this has been a voyage of discovery for me.
So far, I've been very lucky.
I've been sticking with my original plan, to scan a small number of item each day to prevent becoming overwhelmed by the volume of material. That also allows me to take the time to properly keyword each photograph, as well as take thr time to identify the people and locations.
That last bit has been both the most frustrating and rewarding part of the project.
Overall, any kind of project involving family photographs is a trip down memory lane. It can recall many things, not the least emotion and for me, a sometimes almost overwhelming sense of loss.
So far, the most rewarding part has been tracking down distant relatives and being able to enlist their help. I've been lucky that not all of them have passed on and that they are able to recall dates, places and people from a time when I wasn't even born.
On top of that, I have also been able to connect with people who were part of that social circle and I've learned a lot from them as well. I've heard some stories about family I've never heard before, and I've seen pictures I've never seen before. Along with getting some names and places sorted out, this has been a voyage of discovery for me.
So far, I've been very lucky.
Wednesday, 19 October 2016
October 19, 2016 - Being sick...
Being sick really sucks....
OK - I'm done whining now. I know there are people going through far more than I am and really, having a sore throat and a stuffy head will pass.
The part that disconcerts me the most is getting fuzzy-headed. I don't mind being sore, or out of sorts, but for me, they are usually accompanied by slower and fuzzier thinking. The practical upshot is that it takes me longer to do anything. Including formulating thoughts and answering questions.
That might not be a problem if I were quick to begin with, but I know plenty of people who are much quicker thinkers than I am at the best of times.
Since it's fall, I think today is going to be a lot of hot drinks today, and minimal progress on projects/to-do lists.
OK - I'm done whining now. I know there are people going through far more than I am and really, having a sore throat and a stuffy head will pass.
The part that disconcerts me the most is getting fuzzy-headed. I don't mind being sore, or out of sorts, but for me, they are usually accompanied by slower and fuzzier thinking. The practical upshot is that it takes me longer to do anything. Including formulating thoughts and answering questions.
That might not be a problem if I were quick to begin with, but I know plenty of people who are much quicker thinkers than I am at the best of times.
Since it's fall, I think today is going to be a lot of hot drinks today, and minimal progress on projects/to-do lists.
Tuesday, 18 October 2016
October 18, 2016 - Getting there!
So I've started my winter project - scanning photographs, slides and negatives - in an effort to cut down on clutter by finally organizing them and disposing of unwanted items.
While I haven't made any noticeable difference in the amount of material I have, I have been throwing out some things after they are scanned. And I feel good about that.
As the last surviving member of my immediate family, any sense of continuity more or less ends with me. I do have a nephew, and a few cousins - but my nephew has never met of heard of the majority of the people in the photographs, and I am relying on my cousins to help fill in the gaps in my knowledge as I sort and scan.
The work appeals to the archivist/documentary/historian in me - I think that may be a function of age. Nothing like thinking of your own mortality to make you realize that whatever unique knowledge you have disappears when you die!
I think if I had felt this way at a much younger age, I would have had far more opportunity to properly organize things. But when I was younger, we didn't have computers and the internet as we know it to do these things. But, as my grandfather used to say 'too soon old, too late smart.'
So far, I have been enjoying the trip down memory lane - remembering family member who have passed. It's not without a sense of melancholy, but I am blessed to have so many fond and happy memories of time spent with family that it is a worthwhile remembrance for me.
While I haven't made any noticeable difference in the amount of material I have, I have been throwing out some things after they are scanned. And I feel good about that.
As the last surviving member of my immediate family, any sense of continuity more or less ends with me. I do have a nephew, and a few cousins - but my nephew has never met of heard of the majority of the people in the photographs, and I am relying on my cousins to help fill in the gaps in my knowledge as I sort and scan.
The work appeals to the archivist/documentary/historian in me - I think that may be a function of age. Nothing like thinking of your own mortality to make you realize that whatever unique knowledge you have disappears when you die!
I think if I had felt this way at a much younger age, I would have had far more opportunity to properly organize things. But when I was younger, we didn't have computers and the internet as we know it to do these things. But, as my grandfather used to say 'too soon old, too late smart.'
So far, I have been enjoying the trip down memory lane - remembering family member who have passed. It's not without a sense of melancholy, but I am blessed to have so many fond and happy memories of time spent with family that it is a worthwhile remembrance for me.
Friday, 14 October 2016
October 14, 2016 - Song In My Head
I usually wake up with some random song playing in my head.
Not a big deal for me, I do work in radio so I suppose it is only expected that work events rattle around in my head while I sleep. It's certainly better than waking up dreading the day ahead.
But what I find interesting, is the songs aren't favorites (usually) or even something I've heard/played recently - although that happens as well. I can't even say they are guilty pleasures - just random songs.
For example, this morning I woke up with Martha and the Muffin's 'Song In My Head' playing in my mind, and I'm not even sure when I actually heard it last. So, I think I can eliminate it being a recent memory being processed/played back by my brain. Other songs/artists have included Michael Jackson (even though I've never bought any of his records) and Crosby Stills and Nash.
I don't find it annoying, in fact it's kind of fun to hear that first song of the day - a little like listening to oldies radio. The songs aren't unfamiliar, but they also aren't necessarily what I would choose to wake up to in the morning. That's what makes it interesting.
I suppose if it was the same song every day, or predictable, it wouldn't be as much fun - or as interesting. And honestly, it is a fun and interesting way to start the day before you open your eyes.
If I were more methodical, I would start a 'song journal' along the lines of a dream journal where you write your dreams down. Maybe I should start, it would be an interesting experiment to see if any songs repeat, and maybe I could make a mixtape out of the results.
Not a big deal for me, I do work in radio so I suppose it is only expected that work events rattle around in my head while I sleep. It's certainly better than waking up dreading the day ahead.
But what I find interesting, is the songs aren't favorites (usually) or even something I've heard/played recently - although that happens as well. I can't even say they are guilty pleasures - just random songs.
For example, this morning I woke up with Martha and the Muffin's 'Song In My Head' playing in my mind, and I'm not even sure when I actually heard it last. So, I think I can eliminate it being a recent memory being processed/played back by my brain. Other songs/artists have included Michael Jackson (even though I've never bought any of his records) and Crosby Stills and Nash.
I don't find it annoying, in fact it's kind of fun to hear that first song of the day - a little like listening to oldies radio. The songs aren't unfamiliar, but they also aren't necessarily what I would choose to wake up to in the morning. That's what makes it interesting.
I suppose if it was the same song every day, or predictable, it wouldn't be as much fun - or as interesting. And honestly, it is a fun and interesting way to start the day before you open your eyes.
If I were more methodical, I would start a 'song journal' along the lines of a dream journal where you write your dreams down. Maybe I should start, it would be an interesting experiment to see if any songs repeat, and maybe I could make a mixtape out of the results.
Thursday, 13 October 2016
October 13, 2016 - Winter Project
So I have decided that my winter project is to sort, scan and trash a lot of stored photographs that have never been edited.
I'm off to a good start, the scanner is set up and I have already started scanning prints. I've decided to start with prints because they are the easiest to handle and sort. I also have some papers, newspaper clippings, slides and negatives to deal with.
In order to stay on track, I am trying to keep things manageable by scanning a few items at a time, then importing the scans into Lightroom, where I apply keywords.
My self-imposed rules for scanning, other than scanning everything, include scanning no more than a roll of film at a time, but so far, I've been sticking to about ten items scanned before importing into Lightroom. If the pictures have already been sorted into a rough theme or project, I will try to do them together so I can apply 'global' keywords to the batch of pictures imported, an then go back and apply individual keywords.
One small issue I need to stay aware of is to remember to check the backs of photographs as well, for any handwritten notes. I've decided that any picture that I need to scan both the front and back, will be keyworded with a unique number so I can search and find both scan with one unique keyword search. Alternately, when working with any individual photograph, seeing a numerical (not date) keyword, alerts me that there is another scan of the obverse side.
As with any project, I am amazed at how many decisions need to be made to keep things working smoothly. How many details need to be worked out before starting. And how decisions made early in the process set the tone for the entire project.
I hope I've made the right choices, so far!
I'm off to a good start, the scanner is set up and I have already started scanning prints. I've decided to start with prints because they are the easiest to handle and sort. I also have some papers, newspaper clippings, slides and negatives to deal with.
In order to stay on track, I am trying to keep things manageable by scanning a few items at a time, then importing the scans into Lightroom, where I apply keywords.
My self-imposed rules for scanning, other than scanning everything, include scanning no more than a roll of film at a time, but so far, I've been sticking to about ten items scanned before importing into Lightroom. If the pictures have already been sorted into a rough theme or project, I will try to do them together so I can apply 'global' keywords to the batch of pictures imported, an then go back and apply individual keywords.
One small issue I need to stay aware of is to remember to check the backs of photographs as well, for any handwritten notes. I've decided that any picture that I need to scan both the front and back, will be keyworded with a unique number so I can search and find both scan with one unique keyword search. Alternately, when working with any individual photograph, seeing a numerical (not date) keyword, alerts me that there is another scan of the obverse side.
As with any project, I am amazed at how many decisions need to be made to keep things working smoothly. How many details need to be worked out before starting. And how decisions made early in the process set the tone for the entire project.
I hope I've made the right choices, so far!
Monday, 10 October 2016
October 10, 2016 - Photographs
I am amazed at the number of photographs that I have - I shouldn't be, but I am.
It is a collection of family photos mostly, fueled by an interest in photography by my dad, brother and I. As well as my grandmother documenting things, and my great-grandfather who loved to take pictures.
Primarily, these photos exist as prints, with negatives appearing in little pockets, like ore deposits in the strata of history.
My goal is to scan them, document them as needed, dispose of the ones that have little or no use to me, and donate materials to whatever archive or museum will accept them. My reasons are partly altruistic, I would like to preserve the history in the photos; partly logistical, I don't want to carry all this material around until I die just to have someone throw it all away; and partly hubris, I would like to attain a small toehold in history.
But the real work is in the research. I have already found several things that I didn't know about my family. I have also discovered there is material relevant to my interests already i museum collections and archives. And I've discovered how fragile personal history is.
I have found photographs of family members in other archives by searching for local professional photographers of the past who had their own archives of material. Sadly, many of the photographs have been lost to the ravages of time and improper storage.
As a result, we don't even know what we have lost - pictures of local people and places that would have been a professional photographers stock in trade. Not to mention people who pass daily, and have family throw out all the old pictures that they find - with no effort to document or preserve them.
I'm trying to do my part.
It is a collection of family photos mostly, fueled by an interest in photography by my dad, brother and I. As well as my grandmother documenting things, and my great-grandfather who loved to take pictures.
Primarily, these photos exist as prints, with negatives appearing in little pockets, like ore deposits in the strata of history.
My goal is to scan them, document them as needed, dispose of the ones that have little or no use to me, and donate materials to whatever archive or museum will accept them. My reasons are partly altruistic, I would like to preserve the history in the photos; partly logistical, I don't want to carry all this material around until I die just to have someone throw it all away; and partly hubris, I would like to attain a small toehold in history.
But the real work is in the research. I have already found several things that I didn't know about my family. I have also discovered there is material relevant to my interests already i museum collections and archives. And I've discovered how fragile personal history is.
I have found photographs of family members in other archives by searching for local professional photographers of the past who had their own archives of material. Sadly, many of the photographs have been lost to the ravages of time and improper storage.
As a result, we don't even know what we have lost - pictures of local people and places that would have been a professional photographers stock in trade. Not to mention people who pass daily, and have family throw out all the old pictures that they find - with no effort to document or preserve them.
I'm trying to do my part.
Friday, 7 October 2016
October 7, 2016 - One More Time
I have a lot of photographs that have stored in plastic bins. Photos that were mine, my brother's, parents, and grandparents. I think the last time I counted I have about ten hanging file containers full.
I had started scanning them onto a usb drive about seven years ago, with the intent of just scanning some copies for my brother to have. After his death, I went back and started scanning more with the intent of organizing them better than I had.
After that, I moved, and as part of the packing process, things got rearranged, and unscanned items were mixed in with scanned items, and I lost the papers that I was writing things down on.
So now, I am ready to start again - but hopefully better prepared, with better equipment/software and a better plan of how I want to do it.
So, everything gets scanned again - this time including slides and negatives that I never touched in the previous attempts. All scans will got directly onto a usb drive, which will be mirrored in a folder on the computer. Then things get imported into Lightroom where they will be organized. I think one of LR's greatest strengths is the ability to organize and catalog photographs.
As part of this final attempt, I intend in purging some of the material. I see no value in keeping high school pictures of people I haven't seen since high school. I will scan them, but after that saving the physical copy serves no purpose to me, other than to take up space. Some of the materials, such as photographs of places that no longer exist, I would like to donate to local museums and historical societies for their archives. Which serves two purposes for me: one being I no longer have to store/care for them; and the material can be properly documented and stored for the use of everyone.
Wish me luck!
I had started scanning them onto a usb drive about seven years ago, with the intent of just scanning some copies for my brother to have. After his death, I went back and started scanning more with the intent of organizing them better than I had.
After that, I moved, and as part of the packing process, things got rearranged, and unscanned items were mixed in with scanned items, and I lost the papers that I was writing things down on.
So now, I am ready to start again - but hopefully better prepared, with better equipment/software and a better plan of how I want to do it.
So, everything gets scanned again - this time including slides and negatives that I never touched in the previous attempts. All scans will got directly onto a usb drive, which will be mirrored in a folder on the computer. Then things get imported into Lightroom where they will be organized. I think one of LR's greatest strengths is the ability to organize and catalog photographs.
As part of this final attempt, I intend in purging some of the material. I see no value in keeping high school pictures of people I haven't seen since high school. I will scan them, but after that saving the physical copy serves no purpose to me, other than to take up space. Some of the materials, such as photographs of places that no longer exist, I would like to donate to local museums and historical societies for their archives. Which serves two purposes for me: one being I no longer have to store/care for them; and the material can be properly documented and stored for the use of everyone.
Wish me luck!
Thursday, 6 October 2016
October 6, 2016 - Time to make lists
It's amazing how jobs pile up at this time of year - as the weather turns things you thought you had plenty of time to accomplish become more urgent. And there is always the fall chores that need doing to prepare for winter, if the weather cooperates.
My solution is to make lists of things that need doing - actual physical lists instead of the mental lists I usually work from. It helps to have more than one - I group things I can doing according to the weather, so basically I have an indoor and outdoor list.
The indoor list is probably the longest because it contains a lot of things that don't necessarily have to be done quickly, but as the weather changes. So any indoor painting that didn't happen during the summer, clean up and toss out projects, and the like get mixed in with more time sensitive projects like insulating suspected drafts and repair weatherstripping.
The outdoor list, is of course, the priority. The weather can be variable so there is a limited time frame as well as limited days of acceptable weather - you can't rake leaves on a windy day, they usually just blow somewhere else to be raked up. So the list gets divided into nice and not-so-nice days. And of course the days are also shorter - both in the absolute sense of available daylight hours and things like not being able to mow early in the day because of dew conditions.
So, it's best to not have a hard cast-in-stone agenda for the day but rather a bigger list of smaller jobs to pick from. It may not be as efficient as a do-it-in-order list, but it makes it much easier to check things off and to stay motivated.
Next for me, another cup of coffee.
My solution is to make lists of things that need doing - actual physical lists instead of the mental lists I usually work from. It helps to have more than one - I group things I can doing according to the weather, so basically I have an indoor and outdoor list.
The indoor list is probably the longest because it contains a lot of things that don't necessarily have to be done quickly, but as the weather changes. So any indoor painting that didn't happen during the summer, clean up and toss out projects, and the like get mixed in with more time sensitive projects like insulating suspected drafts and repair weatherstripping.
The outdoor list, is of course, the priority. The weather can be variable so there is a limited time frame as well as limited days of acceptable weather - you can't rake leaves on a windy day, they usually just blow somewhere else to be raked up. So the list gets divided into nice and not-so-nice days. And of course the days are also shorter - both in the absolute sense of available daylight hours and things like not being able to mow early in the day because of dew conditions.
So, it's best to not have a hard cast-in-stone agenda for the day but rather a bigger list of smaller jobs to pick from. It may not be as efficient as a do-it-in-order list, but it makes it much easier to check things off and to stay motivated.
Next for me, another cup of coffee.
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
October4, 2016 - Vacation's Over
There is always a period after a vacation, after getting home and before the bills arrive, that you want to keep going. Especially if you have had a good, or better, vacation.
That was the kind of break I had.
Not to say there weren't any hiccups, there were, but the good bits far outnumbered the bad bits. And even by calling them bad bits, I may be overstating the case. Nothing bad actually happened, mostly in the realm of delays but we always managed to get where we were going.
The most notable glitch was when the GPS stopped talking to us and we ended up driving through a major city three times. To be fair, it was getting late and maybe the GPS lady went to bed early. Anyway, it was missing a turnoff before reaching the city, which we went past before realizing that we were no longer receiving instructions. Turn around and head back, again without receiving instructions, turning around again and driving into the city to find a place to park and regroup. Which we did successfully. After changing phones and GPS ladies, we were on our way once again. This time, a nice English lady directed us to where we were going. All in all, only a ninety minute delay.
High point for me, were meeting a guy who runs a popcorn store selling fifty kinds of popcorn. As it turned out, he was ex-navy and my dad had served as well, both out of the same port. So a great chat with him. And there was a brewpub we found on a little trip from home base - in a word amazing! I love micro-brewies and pub food and I was not disappointed. Tried a wonderful brew called Rad Dog and had a burger. I always like to try the basics and simpler fare to see how well a kitchen does food, feeling that if they can nail the basics then the rest of the menu must also be good. I had a very tasty burger with just the right amount of real (not frozen, but fresh cut) french fries. I don't like the trend of having so many fries that they are falling off you plate just to make the meal look bigger, so having just the right amount was a real treat for me.
I can't wait to go back!
That was the kind of break I had.
Not to say there weren't any hiccups, there were, but the good bits far outnumbered the bad bits. And even by calling them bad bits, I may be overstating the case. Nothing bad actually happened, mostly in the realm of delays but we always managed to get where we were going.
The most notable glitch was when the GPS stopped talking to us and we ended up driving through a major city three times. To be fair, it was getting late and maybe the GPS lady went to bed early. Anyway, it was missing a turnoff before reaching the city, which we went past before realizing that we were no longer receiving instructions. Turn around and head back, again without receiving instructions, turning around again and driving into the city to find a place to park and regroup. Which we did successfully. After changing phones and GPS ladies, we were on our way once again. This time, a nice English lady directed us to where we were going. All in all, only a ninety minute delay.
High point for me, were meeting a guy who runs a popcorn store selling fifty kinds of popcorn. As it turned out, he was ex-navy and my dad had served as well, both out of the same port. So a great chat with him. And there was a brewpub we found on a little trip from home base - in a word amazing! I love micro-brewies and pub food and I was not disappointed. Tried a wonderful brew called Rad Dog and had a burger. I always like to try the basics and simpler fare to see how well a kitchen does food, feeling that if they can nail the basics then the rest of the menu must also be good. I had a very tasty burger with just the right amount of real (not frozen, but fresh cut) french fries. I don't like the trend of having so many fries that they are falling off you plate just to make the meal look bigger, so having just the right amount was a real treat for me.
I can't wait to go back!
Wednesday, 14 September 2016
September 14, 2016 - Losing People
One of the sadder parts of life is losing people. Both in the sense of having loved ones die, but also losing people from your life.
I think we lose people for lots of reasons, people move away, we move on or events drive us apart.
I recently found out that a friend of my brother's, and to a lesser degree, of mine, had passed a year ago. I regret not making more of an effort to connect and catch up - and now it's too late. To be fair, she had her own family she was spending time with, and I had my problems to deal with. But I'm not sure that is a good enough reason to have not made the effort.
All our lives are filled with people we used to know: former neighbours, classmates and work friends. Not to mention the people we meet when out socializing. With electronic communication and the internet it is easier than ever before to be connected, but we aren't. Social media is not for everyone, it is a fine line to choose what to share publicly, and what to keep private.
At any given point in life, we stay close to those who mean the most to us and the people we spend the most time with. In school, it is classmates and in the workforce it is co-workers.
But we leave school, and many of us work in more than one place in our lives. So, how do we choose who to stay in contact with?
For many, I think we are happy to have a general idea what is going on in someone else's life. We feel that the knowledge is the same as being close, but without the personal contact,we become little more than stalkers.
Somehow, I feel better about losing someone in my life than I do about becoming a stalker and observing someone else's life.
Life is best on the field, not in the stands.
I think we lose people for lots of reasons, people move away, we move on or events drive us apart.
I recently found out that a friend of my brother's, and to a lesser degree, of mine, had passed a year ago. I regret not making more of an effort to connect and catch up - and now it's too late. To be fair, she had her own family she was spending time with, and I had my problems to deal with. But I'm not sure that is a good enough reason to have not made the effort.
All our lives are filled with people we used to know: former neighbours, classmates and work friends. Not to mention the people we meet when out socializing. With electronic communication and the internet it is easier than ever before to be connected, but we aren't. Social media is not for everyone, it is a fine line to choose what to share publicly, and what to keep private.
At any given point in life, we stay close to those who mean the most to us and the people we spend the most time with. In school, it is classmates and in the workforce it is co-workers.
But we leave school, and many of us work in more than one place in our lives. So, how do we choose who to stay in contact with?
For many, I think we are happy to have a general idea what is going on in someone else's life. We feel that the knowledge is the same as being close, but without the personal contact,we become little more than stalkers.
Somehow, I feel better about losing someone in my life than I do about becoming a stalker and observing someone else's life.
Life is best on the field, not in the stands.
Monday, 5 September 2016
September 5, 2016 - Labor Day and so much work to do
That title pretty much says it all - there was so much that I had wanted to get done this summer, and it feels I have greatly fallen behind.
We got four loads of mulch for the garden, and I still have a half of one load sitting in the driveway. It has to be gone before winter, but I can't get it into the garden until more weeding takes place, so I can spread it among the plants. So, weeding then shovel mulch onto the cart, take cart into garden and then shovel mulch off of cart.
Some of the outside door trim needs painting. A bit of it was cracking, so we started scraping the worst parts. Now, I need to finish scraping door trim and the trim around the building - making it look worse before it looks better. Then prime, then paint. Not a job that will be done and dusted in an afternoon.
Some of the trees need trimming. I've done a few, but I think the ones by the driveway will be next - they are hanging over the drive (nice) but also drooping down almost on top of the car (not so nice). So I need to get out the pruning saw and then clear up afterwards.
The raised bed in the vegetable garden needs cleaning up. It was a successful summer in the tomato and spaghetti squash departments, but they were planted too close together (a lesson for next year!) and need to be trimmed and cleaned up. And the excess plant matter, leaves and stems, need to be taken to the compost.
We have an old apple tree on the property that produces lots of apples, but hasn't been taken care of for many years. Time to figure out what to do with that - whether it needs trimming, spraying or whatever else you do to apple trees to keep them healthy and the fruit edible.
At least the mowing is not out of control.
We got four loads of mulch for the garden, and I still have a half of one load sitting in the driveway. It has to be gone before winter, but I can't get it into the garden until more weeding takes place, so I can spread it among the plants. So, weeding then shovel mulch onto the cart, take cart into garden and then shovel mulch off of cart.
Some of the outside door trim needs painting. A bit of it was cracking, so we started scraping the worst parts. Now, I need to finish scraping door trim and the trim around the building - making it look worse before it looks better. Then prime, then paint. Not a job that will be done and dusted in an afternoon.
Some of the trees need trimming. I've done a few, but I think the ones by the driveway will be next - they are hanging over the drive (nice) but also drooping down almost on top of the car (not so nice). So I need to get out the pruning saw and then clear up afterwards.
The raised bed in the vegetable garden needs cleaning up. It was a successful summer in the tomato and spaghetti squash departments, but they were planted too close together (a lesson for next year!) and need to be trimmed and cleaned up. And the excess plant matter, leaves and stems, need to be taken to the compost.
We have an old apple tree on the property that produces lots of apples, but hasn't been taken care of for many years. Time to figure out what to do with that - whether it needs trimming, spraying or whatever else you do to apple trees to keep them healthy and the fruit edible.
At least the mowing is not out of control.
Friday, 26 August 2016
August 26, 2016 - Containers
Over the last few years, I've bought more containers to store things in than anyone else I know.
A big part of that is driven by the need to organize and store a lot of stuff that my family has acquired/saved over the years. And the fact I am the last surviving family member who would know what much of the material is.
And I bought a bunch of stuff that needs some kind of home to keep pieces together and relatively easy to find and keep clean.
My favorite is the plastic hanging file boxes, the 32 liter ones. Sturdy and stack-able they fit the bill for what I need. Plus they are easy to handle.
So far, I've filled a dozen with pictures - photos, slides and negatives. All safely out of cardboard boxes and now on shelves in the basement. Still not the perfect storage solution, but the contents are far better protected now from wet and rodents.
I don't know how many are filled with papers that need sorting. To be honest, all the ones with photos need sorting too. I am working my way through the boxes scanning the material before anything happens to it, creating digital copies.
Of course I've found plenty of use for smaller containers. I've discovered that plastic shoe boxes work well for organizing smaller collections - I have one that I've stored a film camera and related accessories in.
The biggest challenge will be to properly sort, organize and label the boxes and their contents. There must be something more elegant than a black marker.
A big part of that is driven by the need to organize and store a lot of stuff that my family has acquired/saved over the years. And the fact I am the last surviving family member who would know what much of the material is.
And I bought a bunch of stuff that needs some kind of home to keep pieces together and relatively easy to find and keep clean.
My favorite is the plastic hanging file boxes, the 32 liter ones. Sturdy and stack-able they fit the bill for what I need. Plus they are easy to handle.
So far, I've filled a dozen with pictures - photos, slides and negatives. All safely out of cardboard boxes and now on shelves in the basement. Still not the perfect storage solution, but the contents are far better protected now from wet and rodents.
I don't know how many are filled with papers that need sorting. To be honest, all the ones with photos need sorting too. I am working my way through the boxes scanning the material before anything happens to it, creating digital copies.
Of course I've found plenty of use for smaller containers. I've discovered that plastic shoe boxes work well for organizing smaller collections - I have one that I've stored a film camera and related accessories in.
The biggest challenge will be to properly sort, organize and label the boxes and their contents. There must be something more elegant than a black marker.
Friday, 19 August 2016
August 19, 2016 - Pyramids
Well, that was interesting.
I was invited to a 'business presentation' last night, which turned out to be your basic pyramid scheme. Although they took care to not call it that, and point out that in their version, the guy at the top doesn't get all the money.
In the version they are trying to sell, you are the top guy, making money off of the people you sell to, and the people they sell to. An interesting twist is that the recommend setting up several pyramids as part of the plan to achieve financial freedom.
It was all nicely packaged, with a plan to teach you how to free up money in your budget, get tax money back at the end of the year, and, of course, make lots of cash.
However, freeing up money in your budget assumes that you do not have a bare-bones budget like many of the working poor do. Getting tax money back at the end of the year sounds good, but you have to be paying it out all year to get your own money back at the end of the year.
They promise lots of deductions and tax write-offs by helping you set up a small, home-based business. No mention of how many new businesses fail after their first year. I guess they fail because, by golly, they didn't work hard enough.
And that sums up the program in a nutshell - what you make is only limited by how hard you are willing to work.
I'm still trying to understand how you can make money by barely working, but if you don't make money then you didn't work hard enough.
I guess I'm not cut out for the program. :)
I was invited to a 'business presentation' last night, which turned out to be your basic pyramid scheme. Although they took care to not call it that, and point out that in their version, the guy at the top doesn't get all the money.
In the version they are trying to sell, you are the top guy, making money off of the people you sell to, and the people they sell to. An interesting twist is that the recommend setting up several pyramids as part of the plan to achieve financial freedom.
It was all nicely packaged, with a plan to teach you how to free up money in your budget, get tax money back at the end of the year, and, of course, make lots of cash.
However, freeing up money in your budget assumes that you do not have a bare-bones budget like many of the working poor do. Getting tax money back at the end of the year sounds good, but you have to be paying it out all year to get your own money back at the end of the year.
They promise lots of deductions and tax write-offs by helping you set up a small, home-based business. No mention of how many new businesses fail after their first year. I guess they fail because, by golly, they didn't work hard enough.
And that sums up the program in a nutshell - what you make is only limited by how hard you are willing to work.
I'm still trying to understand how you can make money by barely working, but if you don't make money then you didn't work hard enough.
I guess I'm not cut out for the program. :)
Tuesday, 9 August 2016
August 9, 2016 - History
It looks as if our history is disappearing.
Change is inevitable, but I also think we need to document in some fashion the way things are on a daily basis, so that in time, we can look back and see exactly how things have changed.
I think of this as I google my old high school, which was torn down a number of years ago. There are not as many pictures as I would have expected. And those are often poorly documented as to year or the people in them.
In many ways, the internet has become our collective attic, storing memories and photographs. And like many items in the attic, not curated or fully documented. With time, the ability to do that decreases as people pass and memories fade. Over time, names escape us, as do dates and exact details.
Yet, we upload more pictures in a day than were taken in the the previous 50 years. Sadly, we do not often include details - choosing to focus on ambiguous or clever captions. Missing too are the documentary photos of places we used to go - many of which don't exist any more.
At one time, newspapers were the repository of our history, along with the documentation as to date, location and people involved. But, as storage costs rose, and corporate owners cut budgets, many of those resources ceased to exist - either destroyed or donated to another organization - who may or may not have had the time and money to properly store and document what they had, let along try to digitize it so it would be available at a keystroke.
I wonder what future historian will think when they search this time period of lost opportunities and endless selfies.
Change is inevitable, but I also think we need to document in some fashion the way things are on a daily basis, so that in time, we can look back and see exactly how things have changed.
I think of this as I google my old high school, which was torn down a number of years ago. There are not as many pictures as I would have expected. And those are often poorly documented as to year or the people in them.
In many ways, the internet has become our collective attic, storing memories and photographs. And like many items in the attic, not curated or fully documented. With time, the ability to do that decreases as people pass and memories fade. Over time, names escape us, as do dates and exact details.
Yet, we upload more pictures in a day than were taken in the the previous 50 years. Sadly, we do not often include details - choosing to focus on ambiguous or clever captions. Missing too are the documentary photos of places we used to go - many of which don't exist any more.
At one time, newspapers were the repository of our history, along with the documentation as to date, location and people involved. But, as storage costs rose, and corporate owners cut budgets, many of those resources ceased to exist - either destroyed or donated to another organization - who may or may not have had the time and money to properly store and document what they had, let along try to digitize it so it would be available at a keystroke.
I wonder what future historian will think when they search this time period of lost opportunities and endless selfies.
Monday, 8 August 2016
August 8, 2016 - Dads
A man I used to work for died.
Nothing new about that, we all die - hopefully later rather than sooner. But it did get me thinking about the relationships that end when someone dies.
In this case, the man worked with his son in what, I suppose, could be called the family business. In the sense that the father owned and operated it for years, and now his son will be taking it over.
It will not be easy for the son - he has not just lost his father, he has also lost a co-worker, a mentor and a partner. It will be a reminder of his father every time he goes to work, or goes into his father's office (now his, I guess). It will be a reminder of that loss every day, for him life will not return to normal.
There are many challenges to overcome when you work with (and for) your dad. First you must deal with people who think you only got the job because of your dad - that you somehow do not have to work for it. You have to prove yourself to co-workers - that you can do the job, or that you can deal with things without running to dad for help. You have to prove that you know the business and people's responsibilities, because they will test you on your knowledge and ability. That is on top of actually doing your job!
It's not easy losing your dad.
Nothing new about that, we all die - hopefully later rather than sooner. But it did get me thinking about the relationships that end when someone dies.
In this case, the man worked with his son in what, I suppose, could be called the family business. In the sense that the father owned and operated it for years, and now his son will be taking it over.
It will not be easy for the son - he has not just lost his father, he has also lost a co-worker, a mentor and a partner. It will be a reminder of his father every time he goes to work, or goes into his father's office (now his, I guess). It will be a reminder of that loss every day, for him life will not return to normal.
There are many challenges to overcome when you work with (and for) your dad. First you must deal with people who think you only got the job because of your dad - that you somehow do not have to work for it. You have to prove yourself to co-workers - that you can do the job, or that you can deal with things without running to dad for help. You have to prove that you know the business and people's responsibilities, because they will test you on your knowledge and ability. That is on top of actually doing your job!
It's not easy losing your dad.
Tuesday, 2 August 2016
August 2, 2016 - Keyboards
Why is it so difficult to get a good keyboard?
I don't mean a musical keyboard, but I want to type out words keyboard.
I've probably owned over a dozen computers by now, and there have only been a few that had a decent keyboard that came with it.
For me, a keyboard comes down to how it feels. I suppose being old enough to have used manual typewriters, and then electric typewriters, I miss the sold feel of the keys along with the actual sound of the machine in action.
One of the nicest desktop keyboards I used was an aftermarket one I bought for use of an original Macintosh computer. I don't remember the name, but it was an extended one with the numberpad on the right hand side. It sounded and felt good, much better than the original Apple one, and I liked it more then the IBM keyboards that were available at that time.
The nicest keyboard I had on a laptop was on an old IBM Thinkpad. It was easy to type on, and sounded great with good feedback.
These days, I use some crappy supplied keyboards at work, wired at my workstation, wireless when I am on duty. I want to like them, but I find them to be less than a joy to use. At home, I am using a ASUS laptop, purchased a few years ago when a Thinkpad crapped out on me. The keyboard on it lacks good feedback, so I am either banging too hard, or miss typing letters - it has a narrow sweet spot. I am not a typist, so I like a bit of forgiveness.
Oh well, given product lifespans and product cycles, there is always the next keyboard to try.
I don't mean a musical keyboard, but I want to type out words keyboard.
I've probably owned over a dozen computers by now, and there have only been a few that had a decent keyboard that came with it.
For me, a keyboard comes down to how it feels. I suppose being old enough to have used manual typewriters, and then electric typewriters, I miss the sold feel of the keys along with the actual sound of the machine in action.
One of the nicest desktop keyboards I used was an aftermarket one I bought for use of an original Macintosh computer. I don't remember the name, but it was an extended one with the numberpad on the right hand side. It sounded and felt good, much better than the original Apple one, and I liked it more then the IBM keyboards that were available at that time.
The nicest keyboard I had on a laptop was on an old IBM Thinkpad. It was easy to type on, and sounded great with good feedback.
These days, I use some crappy supplied keyboards at work, wired at my workstation, wireless when I am on duty. I want to like them, but I find them to be less than a joy to use. At home, I am using a ASUS laptop, purchased a few years ago when a Thinkpad crapped out on me. The keyboard on it lacks good feedback, so I am either banging too hard, or miss typing letters - it has a narrow sweet spot. I am not a typist, so I like a bit of forgiveness.
Oh well, given product lifespans and product cycles, there is always the next keyboard to try.
Tuesday, 26 July 2016
July 27, 2016 - out for a drive
We went out for a drive yesterday.
Well, out for a drive to get lunch with friends. We ate about an hour away from home, and it was a great afternoon - so great, we are doing it again in a few days with more friends.
Where we ate, was not as amazing as the drive was for me. As the driver, I probably saw less than the other people in the car, but it was still an amazing drive for me.
We stayed off any main highways and traveled exclusively on secondary roads. It's weird to think that not all that long ago, what we now call a secondary road were in fact the main roads of their day.
When you travel on the highway, you buzz along at highway speed, seeing the names of towns flash by as you drive past them. Sometimes the towns are not even visible from the highway, adding the a sense of mystery about them.
But when you take the roads less traveled, you often end up driving right down the main streets of towns along your way. There is a feeling of having gone somewhere and of distance traveled as you drive through a town, back into a less developed/farmland landscape, and then back into another town.
It is a sense of history, the towns, villages and settlements that people came together to build. Schools and community centers and churches marking the gathering points. Farmland and barns where people made, or still make, their living. And, inevitably, empty or abandoned buildings - homes, farms, barns and factories. Each with their own stories to tell.
But who will tell their stories?
Well, out for a drive to get lunch with friends. We ate about an hour away from home, and it was a great afternoon - so great, we are doing it again in a few days with more friends.
Where we ate, was not as amazing as the drive was for me. As the driver, I probably saw less than the other people in the car, but it was still an amazing drive for me.
We stayed off any main highways and traveled exclusively on secondary roads. It's weird to think that not all that long ago, what we now call a secondary road were in fact the main roads of their day.
When you travel on the highway, you buzz along at highway speed, seeing the names of towns flash by as you drive past them. Sometimes the towns are not even visible from the highway, adding the a sense of mystery about them.
But when you take the roads less traveled, you often end up driving right down the main streets of towns along your way. There is a feeling of having gone somewhere and of distance traveled as you drive through a town, back into a less developed/farmland landscape, and then back into another town.
It is a sense of history, the towns, villages and settlements that people came together to build. Schools and community centers and churches marking the gathering points. Farmland and barns where people made, or still make, their living. And, inevitably, empty or abandoned buildings - homes, farms, barns and factories. Each with their own stories to tell.
But who will tell their stories?
Monday, 25 July 2016
July 25, 2016 - Radar Detectors
As I was driving to work the other day, I was thinking about radar detectors.
They are illegal where I live, but I disagree with that.
First, I don't think that technology can be effectively legislated. Once the genie is out of the bottle, that's it - no going back. Human nature being what it is, people will always try to find a work around. I think it is foolish to deny the human factor when passing legislation. And, as engineers will willingly tell us, the more complex something becomes, the easier it is to break. The same goes for legislation. The more amendments, exceptions and special allowances there are, the easier it becomes to find a way around it.
Second, I think most people who purchase radar detectors aren't doing so to speed recklessly on public roads, but to avoid tickets if they are over the speed limit. If legislators are trying to keep speeds down, then I would think a technological approach, or an approach that takes into account the human factor, would be more effective.
In the old days, you used to occasionally see a fully marked patrol car, parked very conspicuously at the side of the road. Traffic would slow down, and only when you went by, did you realize the car was empty. But, it did it's job slowing down traffic. Why not use a device that can trigger radar detectors, causing those who use them to slow down. The net effect is the same, traffic slows down to the posted limits. The only downside is the loss of ticket revenue - assuming that the whole exercise is to slow traffic down, and not generate revenue.
Yes, it is a game of cat and mouse - but isn't that exactly what is happening now as drivers speed up after seeing a patrol car figuring the road ahead is clear of enforcement?
The goal should be safety, not revenue.
They are illegal where I live, but I disagree with that.
First, I don't think that technology can be effectively legislated. Once the genie is out of the bottle, that's it - no going back. Human nature being what it is, people will always try to find a work around. I think it is foolish to deny the human factor when passing legislation. And, as engineers will willingly tell us, the more complex something becomes, the easier it is to break. The same goes for legislation. The more amendments, exceptions and special allowances there are, the easier it becomes to find a way around it.
Second, I think most people who purchase radar detectors aren't doing so to speed recklessly on public roads, but to avoid tickets if they are over the speed limit. If legislators are trying to keep speeds down, then I would think a technological approach, or an approach that takes into account the human factor, would be more effective.
In the old days, you used to occasionally see a fully marked patrol car, parked very conspicuously at the side of the road. Traffic would slow down, and only when you went by, did you realize the car was empty. But, it did it's job slowing down traffic. Why not use a device that can trigger radar detectors, causing those who use them to slow down. The net effect is the same, traffic slows down to the posted limits. The only downside is the loss of ticket revenue - assuming that the whole exercise is to slow traffic down, and not generate revenue.
Yes, it is a game of cat and mouse - but isn't that exactly what is happening now as drivers speed up after seeing a patrol car figuring the road ahead is clear of enforcement?
The goal should be safety, not revenue.
Thursday, 21 July 2016
July 21, 2016 - Organization
I am not organized.
I would like to be, and I like to think of myself as being organized, but I am not. however, I do have a fairly good memory, so I can create the illusion of being organized by simply remembering where things are.
I have been trying to sort through and organize family papers and pictures for the last nine years. Not steadily, but on the basis of having free time, the desire and an ever-evolving plan.
Initially, I started scanning pictures, so my brother could have (digital) copies for himself and his son - this was going to be a gift to him. Unfortunately, he passed before I was able to complete scanning all the pictures. So now, the plan is to scan and annotate for my nephew. As the last member of my immediate family, I am probably the last person who will be able to do this for him.
Added to that, are some papers that relate to my dad, and his dad, and my brother, and so on. A lot of material to try to organize into some kind of coherent entity. And some of the papers are in French, which will require some translation. And some of the material has spelling errors, which will need fixing. And there are some gaps in the information that I would like to fill in.
Currently, I am starting over again - at a beginning of sorts, with obituaries. Perhaps a morbid place to start, but having the advantage of mostly being in my living memory - making it easier for me to correct and annotate.
I am grateful to the rise of office supply stores and their selection of organizational materials and storage solutions.
Now, if only I were as organized.
I would like to be, and I like to think of myself as being organized, but I am not. however, I do have a fairly good memory, so I can create the illusion of being organized by simply remembering where things are.
I have been trying to sort through and organize family papers and pictures for the last nine years. Not steadily, but on the basis of having free time, the desire and an ever-evolving plan.
Initially, I started scanning pictures, so my brother could have (digital) copies for himself and his son - this was going to be a gift to him. Unfortunately, he passed before I was able to complete scanning all the pictures. So now, the plan is to scan and annotate for my nephew. As the last member of my immediate family, I am probably the last person who will be able to do this for him.
Added to that, are some papers that relate to my dad, and his dad, and my brother, and so on. A lot of material to try to organize into some kind of coherent entity. And some of the papers are in French, which will require some translation. And some of the material has spelling errors, which will need fixing. And there are some gaps in the information that I would like to fill in.
Currently, I am starting over again - at a beginning of sorts, with obituaries. Perhaps a morbid place to start, but having the advantage of mostly being in my living memory - making it easier for me to correct and annotate.
I am grateful to the rise of office supply stores and their selection of organizational materials and storage solutions.
Now, if only I were as organized.
Monday, 18 July 2016
July 18, 2016 - On The Road
My work commute is about 75km each way. Not a problem since I enjoy the time in the car.
But sometimes you see things that make you wonder about the other drivers on the road.
I should mention that a 40km section of the road I drive is not twinned, and has been the scene of many accidents and fatalities over the years. There have also been renewed calls to have the highway twinned.
Now, I really don't believe that the road itself is to blame, but we all need to accept responsibility for the way we drive on public roads. Having seen some truly boneheaded drivers, I'm occasionally surprised there haven't been more accidents.
Yesterday I watched someone in an SUV, with family members in the car, pass on a double line (no passing allowed). Dangerous and illegal. But, they must have felt that they needed to go faster, and get where they were going quicker. I wonder what they were thinking that made them feel it was alright to do something dangerous on the road.
I have made many timed runs on the road going on regular routes, and I have proven to myself that the time difference between driving faster than the posted limit (or passing unsafely), and following the rules of the road, is usually less than the time I would waste in a drive through getting a coffee.
I would suggest that if you are trying to save/make time on a road trip, the biggest gains might come from either eliminating stops on your route, or by driving in a drive through as aggressively as on the highway. It would certainly be more entertaining.
Now that I think of it, I am surprised there aren't more accidents in the drive through lines.
But sometimes you see things that make you wonder about the other drivers on the road.
I should mention that a 40km section of the road I drive is not twinned, and has been the scene of many accidents and fatalities over the years. There have also been renewed calls to have the highway twinned.
Now, I really don't believe that the road itself is to blame, but we all need to accept responsibility for the way we drive on public roads. Having seen some truly boneheaded drivers, I'm occasionally surprised there haven't been more accidents.
Yesterday I watched someone in an SUV, with family members in the car, pass on a double line (no passing allowed). Dangerous and illegal. But, they must have felt that they needed to go faster, and get where they were going quicker. I wonder what they were thinking that made them feel it was alright to do something dangerous on the road.
I have made many timed runs on the road going on regular routes, and I have proven to myself that the time difference between driving faster than the posted limit (or passing unsafely), and following the rules of the road, is usually less than the time I would waste in a drive through getting a coffee.
I would suggest that if you are trying to save/make time on a road trip, the biggest gains might come from either eliminating stops on your route, or by driving in a drive through as aggressively as on the highway. It would certainly be more entertaining.
Now that I think of it, I am surprised there aren't more accidents in the drive through lines.
Friday, 15 July 2016
July 15, 2016 - Sunday Drive
Whatever happened to the Sunday drive?
They used to be a regular thing when I was a child, and it seemed like most people did something similar. Age wasn't a factor either, I can recall my great-grandparents doing the same Sunday drives, sometimes by themselves, sometimes with my brother and I, but rarely the same route or places.
The drives were as much about getting out as they were about seeing someplace new. In their own way, they were drives of discovery. And at a pace that made discovery possible. There was very little getting on the highway to rush someplace, the drives were usually on a secondary road and at a speed that encouraged looking around.
I those days, we didn't have the four (or more) lane highways or divided roads designed to make travel faster. Our main roads were two lane, with occasional passing lanes. There were not as many trucks either, you mostly saw cars on the road on weekends. Once you were off the busy main roads, speeds slowed, and traffic seemed to all but vanish.
We never seemed to have a destination in mind, stopping when we felt like it. And in those days there were plenty of places to stop. Gas stations were everywhere, and there were corner stores and ice cream stands to give everyone a chance to stretch their legs, have a drink or a cooling ice cream in the days before air conditioning in cars was common. Driving with the windows open meant you heard the sounds of the countryside - machinery working in the fields, the sound of tires on asphalt and wind blowing in the car carrying the smell of hay fields if you were lucky, or the smell of manure if you weren't as lucky.
I think it's time to roll the windows down, turn onto a secondary road, and enjoy what the drive has to offer.
They used to be a regular thing when I was a child, and it seemed like most people did something similar. Age wasn't a factor either, I can recall my great-grandparents doing the same Sunday drives, sometimes by themselves, sometimes with my brother and I, but rarely the same route or places.
The drives were as much about getting out as they were about seeing someplace new. In their own way, they were drives of discovery. And at a pace that made discovery possible. There was very little getting on the highway to rush someplace, the drives were usually on a secondary road and at a speed that encouraged looking around.
I those days, we didn't have the four (or more) lane highways or divided roads designed to make travel faster. Our main roads were two lane, with occasional passing lanes. There were not as many trucks either, you mostly saw cars on the road on weekends. Once you were off the busy main roads, speeds slowed, and traffic seemed to all but vanish.
We never seemed to have a destination in mind, stopping when we felt like it. And in those days there were plenty of places to stop. Gas stations were everywhere, and there were corner stores and ice cream stands to give everyone a chance to stretch their legs, have a drink or a cooling ice cream in the days before air conditioning in cars was common. Driving with the windows open meant you heard the sounds of the countryside - machinery working in the fields, the sound of tires on asphalt and wind blowing in the car carrying the smell of hay fields if you were lucky, or the smell of manure if you weren't as lucky.
I think it's time to roll the windows down, turn onto a secondary road, and enjoy what the drive has to offer.
Thursday, 14 July 2016
July 14, 2016 - photographs
I have a lot of photographs.
Some of my earliest memories are of looking at photographs with my grandparents, listening to them tell me what I was looking at. The narrative can be as important as the pictures, giving them context, or as in my case, a simple explanation about what I was seeing.
As the last surviving member of my immediate family, I am in possession of all the photographs that survived the various moves, and editing by others. Which is probably a good thing, since at last count I have over a half dozen large plastic storage totes filled with pictures. That's not counting the ones filled with negatives or slides.
My project is to finally organize and catalog them for my nephew. If I do not do that, then all the knowledge of the who and when and where of the majority of the pictures will pass when I pass. There are some photos that are marked on the back with names, or locations, and sometimes the year. But mostly not.
Plus there is all the undocumented stuff - places I've lived, or buildings my dad worked on, schools attended. Things that, while I am in possession of that knowledge, no one else is. That is not an exaggeration.
Adding to that, is my collection of pictures and memories - some personal to me such as an engagement that went nowhere. Some very general in nature such as buildings that have since been torn down, but had been local landmarks, or stores that I remembered going into as a youth.
So far, I have scanned and key-worded close to three thousand pictures, not slides or negatives, but photographic prints. I still have some I need to find the originals of, to make sure I have recorded the information on the back. Then it is time to scan slides and negatives, and key-word those.
I'm glad I feel healthy.
Some of my earliest memories are of looking at photographs with my grandparents, listening to them tell me what I was looking at. The narrative can be as important as the pictures, giving them context, or as in my case, a simple explanation about what I was seeing.
As the last surviving member of my immediate family, I am in possession of all the photographs that survived the various moves, and editing by others. Which is probably a good thing, since at last count I have over a half dozen large plastic storage totes filled with pictures. That's not counting the ones filled with negatives or slides.
My project is to finally organize and catalog them for my nephew. If I do not do that, then all the knowledge of the who and when and where of the majority of the pictures will pass when I pass. There are some photos that are marked on the back with names, or locations, and sometimes the year. But mostly not.
Plus there is all the undocumented stuff - places I've lived, or buildings my dad worked on, schools attended. Things that, while I am in possession of that knowledge, no one else is. That is not an exaggeration.
Adding to that, is my collection of pictures and memories - some personal to me such as an engagement that went nowhere. Some very general in nature such as buildings that have since been torn down, but had been local landmarks, or stores that I remembered going into as a youth.
So far, I have scanned and key-worded close to three thousand pictures, not slides or negatives, but photographic prints. I still have some I need to find the originals of, to make sure I have recorded the information on the back. Then it is time to scan slides and negatives, and key-word those.
I'm glad I feel healthy.
Monday, 11 July 2016
July 11, 2016 - Maps
There's nothing like the promise of a map.
They imply that a trip, an exploration or the beginning of a dream is about to start.
After all, we don't buy maps for places we know well, or travel often. We buy maps to see what routes are available to get to our destination. Or, how to get someplace we've never been. Sometimes, we buy maps to dream about travel. Or to familiarize ourselves with a place we may soon be going to, or hope to go to.
Internet searches aren't the same, they don't really tell us what lies nearby, or that the longer route may be the best travel option. Internet searches keep us firmly in the fast lane of life, promising to get us to our destination quickly, efficiently, with minimal fuss.
But what if you don't want to travel the direct route? Or, if the whole point of traveling is to take the road least taken?
Planning by internet would have you believe that it's the destination, not the journey, that is important. And the directions are like trying to listen to a roomful of friends, all trying to be helpful, but not necessarily coherent. I think we have all tried to follow those instructions and found ourselves apparently lost, according to the directions, then magically back on track without having done anything different.
A map however, holds the promise of a cartographer's vision. One person, who has checked the data, who has traveled the road themselves, and spent time drawing it to scale, making certain that roads and junctions are where they are supposed to be.
There is something deeply satisfying about spreading open a map, and following the road with your finger. Seeing place names appear and disappear as you trace your way along the map from where you are to where you want to be.
You can't get that from internet directions.
They imply that a trip, an exploration or the beginning of a dream is about to start.
After all, we don't buy maps for places we know well, or travel often. We buy maps to see what routes are available to get to our destination. Or, how to get someplace we've never been. Sometimes, we buy maps to dream about travel. Or to familiarize ourselves with a place we may soon be going to, or hope to go to.
Internet searches aren't the same, they don't really tell us what lies nearby, or that the longer route may be the best travel option. Internet searches keep us firmly in the fast lane of life, promising to get us to our destination quickly, efficiently, with minimal fuss.
But what if you don't want to travel the direct route? Or, if the whole point of traveling is to take the road least taken?
Planning by internet would have you believe that it's the destination, not the journey, that is important. And the directions are like trying to listen to a roomful of friends, all trying to be helpful, but not necessarily coherent. I think we have all tried to follow those instructions and found ourselves apparently lost, according to the directions, then magically back on track without having done anything different.
A map however, holds the promise of a cartographer's vision. One person, who has checked the data, who has traveled the road themselves, and spent time drawing it to scale, making certain that roads and junctions are where they are supposed to be.
There is something deeply satisfying about spreading open a map, and following the road with your finger. Seeing place names appear and disappear as you trace your way along the map from where you are to where you want to be.
You can't get that from internet directions.
Sunday, 10 July 2016
July 10, 2016 - Coffee
I love my morning coffee.
In some ways, I would like to be a coffee snob, obsessing over the correct coffee bean and kind of roast. Wondering if the water temperature is right, and if all the flavour is being extracted from the freshly ground coffee.
But, and there is always a but, I only drink coffee in the morning and I am usually the first one up to make it. Sadly, I am not a morning person who can fully function when first getting out of bed.
It usually takes me around an hour (or more!) to start to feel like I'm alert enough to face the day and it's challenges. So the challenge of coffee snobbery in the morning is probably beyond me.
I buy grocery store beans, already roasted, and grind them in the morning for the pot. I do use a burr grinder, so at least the beans are freshly ground. All of that is probably horrifying to the real coffee snobs - the ones who order special beans and home roast. Not the coffee snobs buying their coffee from an overpriced coffee shop with weird flavours and toppings. In fact, I'm not even sure that those kinds of drinks can even be called coffee anymore, coffee based or coffee flavoured, maybe. But no longer coffee.
In fact, I would guess that if you truly wanted to be a purist you should drink your coffee black, with no additives. That too may be beyond me.
I love my coffee hot, with cream (18%, to be picky), and that's it. I've given up on giant mugs, preferring a smallish sized mug to drink out of. It works for me - the coffee gets cold at about the same time as I am reaching the last mouthful. It's a wonderful synergy.
Time for a fresh cup.
In some ways, I would like to be a coffee snob, obsessing over the correct coffee bean and kind of roast. Wondering if the water temperature is right, and if all the flavour is being extracted from the freshly ground coffee.
But, and there is always a but, I only drink coffee in the morning and I am usually the first one up to make it. Sadly, I am not a morning person who can fully function when first getting out of bed.
It usually takes me around an hour (or more!) to start to feel like I'm alert enough to face the day and it's challenges. So the challenge of coffee snobbery in the morning is probably beyond me.
I buy grocery store beans, already roasted, and grind them in the morning for the pot. I do use a burr grinder, so at least the beans are freshly ground. All of that is probably horrifying to the real coffee snobs - the ones who order special beans and home roast. Not the coffee snobs buying their coffee from an overpriced coffee shop with weird flavours and toppings. In fact, I'm not even sure that those kinds of drinks can even be called coffee anymore, coffee based or coffee flavoured, maybe. But no longer coffee.
In fact, I would guess that if you truly wanted to be a purist you should drink your coffee black, with no additives. That too may be beyond me.
I love my coffee hot, with cream (18%, to be picky), and that's it. I've given up on giant mugs, preferring a smallish sized mug to drink out of. It works for me - the coffee gets cold at about the same time as I am reaching the last mouthful. It's a wonderful synergy.
Time for a fresh cup.
Friday, 8 July 2016
July 8, 2016 - Notebooks
I seem to be breaking out in notebooks.
I'm not sure if that is a function of age (forgetting things) or keeping busy (to-do lists), but the notebook section of the local stationary store has me hearing it's siren song.
I've always had a few dedicated notebooks, of course starting with school notebooks. But I seem to be more obsessed with them lately, as well as making greater use of them. And with that, comes the search for the perfect notebook.
I used to be able to function with just scraps of paper, discarded when the tasks were completed. Usually that day or the next. When that became unwieldy due to having to keep track of things on a longer timeline, I added a day planner that lived on my desk and I transferred information to it as needed. That worked well to organize deadlines and contacts.
And then came cell phones, and I needed that information to be more portable, so I added a smaller daily planner with just the essentials. Smartphones, for a while, made even those redundant. I was able to keep everything on my phone. Except those early phones weren't as good for transferring information onto a new phone, and how do you take notes, while actually on the phone? Answer: a notebook.
Now, with regular updates, phones are much better, but I have migrated back to paper in addition to the phone.
Notebooks, with lined pages, have been my go to for the past few years. But as my use of them changes and evolves, so must the notebook I use. Part of it is really conceptual, how do I organize thoughts and keep the separate from grocery lists, and to-do lists. I have fairly small handwriting, so I can actually cram a lot onto a page.
My current thinking is to get a notebook that is either gridded like graph paper or uses dots to imply both lines and grids. In theory, that should make it easier to indent to-do lists and allow the checking off of items on the grocery list.
Off to buy more notebooks.
I'm not sure if that is a function of age (forgetting things) or keeping busy (to-do lists), but the notebook section of the local stationary store has me hearing it's siren song.
I've always had a few dedicated notebooks, of course starting with school notebooks. But I seem to be more obsessed with them lately, as well as making greater use of them. And with that, comes the search for the perfect notebook.
I used to be able to function with just scraps of paper, discarded when the tasks were completed. Usually that day or the next. When that became unwieldy due to having to keep track of things on a longer timeline, I added a day planner that lived on my desk and I transferred information to it as needed. That worked well to organize deadlines and contacts.
And then came cell phones, and I needed that information to be more portable, so I added a smaller daily planner with just the essentials. Smartphones, for a while, made even those redundant. I was able to keep everything on my phone. Except those early phones weren't as good for transferring information onto a new phone, and how do you take notes, while actually on the phone? Answer: a notebook.
Now, with regular updates, phones are much better, but I have migrated back to paper in addition to the phone.
Notebooks, with lined pages, have been my go to for the past few years. But as my use of them changes and evolves, so must the notebook I use. Part of it is really conceptual, how do I organize thoughts and keep the separate from grocery lists, and to-do lists. I have fairly small handwriting, so I can actually cram a lot onto a page.
My current thinking is to get a notebook that is either gridded like graph paper or uses dots to imply both lines and grids. In theory, that should make it easier to indent to-do lists and allow the checking off of items on the grocery list.
Off to buy more notebooks.
Wednesday, 6 July 2016
July 6, 2106 - The Past
It's kind of an odd week for me.
It was five years ago this week that I lost both my dad and my brother, leaving me the last surviving member of my immediate family.
Dad was in his 80's, my brother in his 50's.
It's weird how you can accept that your parents will die before you, but that the death of a sibling can be a complete shock. I suppose that it may have something to do with the fact that as we grow up, we come to grips that we will outlive out parents. It is the natural order of things.
While I often miss my dad, thinking of things I want to ask him, or to ask his advice; but the death of my brother hit me the hardest. It may be that he was my big brother, and always there for me; it may be that he was a major influence on me (as big brothers are) and what I got interested in. And it may be that he is gone too soon - he should have had many years ahead of him.
I suppose it wouldn't have been such a blow if they hadn't died within a week of each other. Or if I wasn't as close to them as I was. Or if I didn't have a good relationship with them, not perfect, but a good one.
I still have lots of great memories of both of them, and that will have to do.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
It was five years ago this week that I lost both my dad and my brother, leaving me the last surviving member of my immediate family.
Dad was in his 80's, my brother in his 50's.
It's weird how you can accept that your parents will die before you, but that the death of a sibling can be a complete shock. I suppose that it may have something to do with the fact that as we grow up, we come to grips that we will outlive out parents. It is the natural order of things.
While I often miss my dad, thinking of things I want to ask him, or to ask his advice; but the death of my brother hit me the hardest. It may be that he was my big brother, and always there for me; it may be that he was a major influence on me (as big brothers are) and what I got interested in. And it may be that he is gone too soon - he should have had many years ahead of him.
I suppose it wouldn't have been such a blow if they hadn't died within a week of each other. Or if I wasn't as close to them as I was. Or if I didn't have a good relationship with them, not perfect, but a good one.
I still have lots of great memories of both of them, and that will have to do.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
July 5, 2016 - Keeping Time
We had a power outage the other day.
That may not sound like a big deal, but whenever there is a power bump it seems like it takes days to reset all the clocks in the house. Even the one with battery backups.
Making maters worse, I like to have all the clocks reading the same time. And changing over within seconds of each other! I always feel a little weird when I'm in someone's house and it seems as if every room is in a different time zone. If you are going to have a clock, it should have the correct time - that is after all it's function.
I think my appreciation for correct time comes from working in radio, where one of my jobs was to connect to a national network news feed, on time, every hour. Nothing like a hard deadline, every hour, to make you aware of how on schedule you are!
To be fair, most clocks I have to reset keep good time, except when the power goes out. If it loses all time then, I'm ok with that. The ones that irk me are the ones with battery backup. Because it seems adding a battery is an afterthought, the clocks become wildly inaccurate when on battery power. I believe that they are regulated by the AC power for accuracy, but not regulated when on battery power. Those clocks seem to end up with roughly the right time, but nowhere near the correct time. And the longer they are off, the worse it becomes.
The trickiest part for me is trying to set them that the minute changes just as the second hand of my watch passes 12. So, setting each clock can take several minutes, mostly spent waiting for the second hand to reach 12.
There is something deeply satisfying in having the clocks change in unison.
That may not sound like a big deal, but whenever there is a power bump it seems like it takes days to reset all the clocks in the house. Even the one with battery backups.
Making maters worse, I like to have all the clocks reading the same time. And changing over within seconds of each other! I always feel a little weird when I'm in someone's house and it seems as if every room is in a different time zone. If you are going to have a clock, it should have the correct time - that is after all it's function.
I think my appreciation for correct time comes from working in radio, where one of my jobs was to connect to a national network news feed, on time, every hour. Nothing like a hard deadline, every hour, to make you aware of how on schedule you are!
To be fair, most clocks I have to reset keep good time, except when the power goes out. If it loses all time then, I'm ok with that. The ones that irk me are the ones with battery backup. Because it seems adding a battery is an afterthought, the clocks become wildly inaccurate when on battery power. I believe that they are regulated by the AC power for accuracy, but not regulated when on battery power. Those clocks seem to end up with roughly the right time, but nowhere near the correct time. And the longer they are off, the worse it becomes.
The trickiest part for me is trying to set them that the minute changes just as the second hand of my watch passes 12. So, setting each clock can take several minutes, mostly spent waiting for the second hand to reach 12.
There is something deeply satisfying in having the clocks change in unison.
Monday, 4 July 2016
July 4, 2016 - Tools
I love tools.
I should say, I love the thought of tools. The idea of owning quality tools, and having the right tool to do a job is very appealing to me. As is the thought of having those tools perfectly organized.
The reality is, and I suspect for most other people too, my tools are not complete sets, are not always of a higher than average quality, and certainly not organized. Although I am trying.
Over the years, I have collected a hodge podge of tools, from different manufacturers, used in different industries, and regular 'house-brand' tools. Most of which are more than adequate for my needs or skills. It took me a long time to stop using screwdrivers as prying tools, and some of my tools show signs of abuse and neglect. I try not to do that anymore.
Part of the problem is I don't have the money to spend willy-nilly on tools, buying only the best and buying proper toolboxes and storage solutions for them. I would love to do that, but finances don't allow that kind of extravagence.
Along with that, I don't really work with tools all day long; my lifestyle tends to lean more towards cerebral/couch potato than an active one. So, if I am being brutally realistic, I don't really need a lot of high quality tools.
However, dreams are seductive. I enjoy tools catalogs, dreaming about making things that I don't have the skills or desire to make. But, I could, if I just had that man cave/workshop that was perfectly organized and stuffed with quality tools.
Sometimes, the dream is enough.
I should say, I love the thought of tools. The idea of owning quality tools, and having the right tool to do a job is very appealing to me. As is the thought of having those tools perfectly organized.
The reality is, and I suspect for most other people too, my tools are not complete sets, are not always of a higher than average quality, and certainly not organized. Although I am trying.
Over the years, I have collected a hodge podge of tools, from different manufacturers, used in different industries, and regular 'house-brand' tools. Most of which are more than adequate for my needs or skills. It took me a long time to stop using screwdrivers as prying tools, and some of my tools show signs of abuse and neglect. I try not to do that anymore.
Part of the problem is I don't have the money to spend willy-nilly on tools, buying only the best and buying proper toolboxes and storage solutions for them. I would love to do that, but finances don't allow that kind of extravagence.
Along with that, I don't really work with tools all day long; my lifestyle tends to lean more towards cerebral/couch potato than an active one. So, if I am being brutally realistic, I don't really need a lot of high quality tools.
However, dreams are seductive. I enjoy tools catalogs, dreaming about making things that I don't have the skills or desire to make. But, I could, if I just had that man cave/workshop that was perfectly organized and stuffed with quality tools.
Sometimes, the dream is enough.
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
June 29, 2016 - The Groundhog
Call me Carl, the groundskeeper.
Because, just like in the movie Caddyshack, I'm locked in battle with a groundhog.
We have a groundhog, whom I've named Gary. All is fine as long as he stays in the field and minds his own business. The problem is, he likes to use the same part of the yard that we do. Specifically, the flower garden.
Living under the deck, we're good with that. Up on the hill? Fantastic! But the garden is off limits.
But in the garden he is. Digging around, making holes that can catch a foot and twist an ankle or knee. And making a burrow hole right in front of the small wooden bridge over an ornamental dry riverbed. Not that we use the bridge that much, but when grandchildren come, it is all too easy for a small foot to go down the hole, causing a fall.
I've stuffed the hole with rocks, fair sized ones, but Gary is not to be deterred. A day or two later, and he has made the opening bigger, and pushed the rocks aside. I've done that several times, trying to see who is going to give up first.
I guess he won that round, because I'm no longer stuffing rocks in the hole. Instead, I've got a big rock that I rolled over to the bridge and covered the hole with it. I figure if I can't lift it, he can't either! Some more rocks around it, so he doesn't just tunnel around it, and the addition of wind chimes hoping they might scare/annoy him. It's been four days now, and I'm winning - just like Carl in Caddyshack.
I'm alright.
Because, just like in the movie Caddyshack, I'm locked in battle with a groundhog.
We have a groundhog, whom I've named Gary. All is fine as long as he stays in the field and minds his own business. The problem is, he likes to use the same part of the yard that we do. Specifically, the flower garden.
Living under the deck, we're good with that. Up on the hill? Fantastic! But the garden is off limits.
But in the garden he is. Digging around, making holes that can catch a foot and twist an ankle or knee. And making a burrow hole right in front of the small wooden bridge over an ornamental dry riverbed. Not that we use the bridge that much, but when grandchildren come, it is all too easy for a small foot to go down the hole, causing a fall.
I've stuffed the hole with rocks, fair sized ones, but Gary is not to be deterred. A day or two later, and he has made the opening bigger, and pushed the rocks aside. I've done that several times, trying to see who is going to give up first.
I guess he won that round, because I'm no longer stuffing rocks in the hole. Instead, I've got a big rock that I rolled over to the bridge and covered the hole with it. I figure if I can't lift it, he can't either! Some more rocks around it, so he doesn't just tunnel around it, and the addition of wind chimes hoping they might scare/annoy him. It's been four days now, and I'm winning - just like Carl in Caddyshack.
I'm alright.
Monday, 27 June 2016
June 27, 2016 - Hats
I should get a hat.
I've been spending more time outdoors this summer, mostly doing yard work, and think that at my age buying a hat is probably a good idea.
The problem is, I'm not a big fan of hats - I don't think I've had one since I had a cowboy/straw hat when I was little. And I'm not usually thinking far enough ahead to get sunscreen. So, I think a hat may the the obvious choice for me.
Obvious to everyone but me, I suppose. I am going bald, and don't mind that. But it does mean that I have more exposed skin on my head to burn if I get out into the sun too much. Because I've never tried to hide my growing bald spot, I've never gotten into the habit of trying to cover it up by wearing the ubiquitous ball hat.
So, hat shopping looks like it has added itself to my to-do list.
My problem is that deep down I don't think I am a hat wearer, and I'm not sure I can become one. Plus, I do feel that if I am going to have to wear a hat, it should be something personal to me and my style. So, ball hats are out.
I live on the east coast, so the predominate hat appeal is ball caps, and not much else really. I don't think I could pull off a really nice hat, like a Stetson or a Panama. So I will probably be looking at the cheaper styles/brands. Plus, it will after all, be an outdoor working in the yard kind of hat.
I think I see a beer store giveaway hat in my future.
I've been spending more time outdoors this summer, mostly doing yard work, and think that at my age buying a hat is probably a good idea.
The problem is, I'm not a big fan of hats - I don't think I've had one since I had a cowboy/straw hat when I was little. And I'm not usually thinking far enough ahead to get sunscreen. So, I think a hat may the the obvious choice for me.
Obvious to everyone but me, I suppose. I am going bald, and don't mind that. But it does mean that I have more exposed skin on my head to burn if I get out into the sun too much. Because I've never tried to hide my growing bald spot, I've never gotten into the habit of trying to cover it up by wearing the ubiquitous ball hat.
So, hat shopping looks like it has added itself to my to-do list.
My problem is that deep down I don't think I am a hat wearer, and I'm not sure I can become one. Plus, I do feel that if I am going to have to wear a hat, it should be something personal to me and my style. So, ball hats are out.
I live on the east coast, so the predominate hat appeal is ball caps, and not much else really. I don't think I could pull off a really nice hat, like a Stetson or a Panama. So I will probably be looking at the cheaper styles/brands. Plus, it will after all, be an outdoor working in the yard kind of hat.
I think I see a beer store giveaway hat in my future.
Sunday, 26 June 2016
June 25, 2016 - Cookbooks
How many cookbooks do you need?
From where I sit, I can see eight. There are over 30 within ten feet of me, and I'm not in the kitchen. That's not counting the ones on the bookshelf upstairs, or the ones in boxes in the basement.
Plus there are online sources, and the recipes that got printed out to try, or to save.
One of the best organizational ideas we have had, was to print and laminate the recipes we like, and store them in a binder as our 'go-to' recipes.
If I had to start over again (and I might), I think I would keep the binder idea but I would run the recipes through a word processor first. Mostly to standardize formatting, but also to incorporate changes, and cooking notes.
I have started to write a notebook with some of my favorites. I know that goes against what I just said about running recipes through a word processor, but I do have a reason.
I have a nephew who is 16 now, and he will soon be embarking on his life journey, making his own way. I also have some hand written recipes from my mom, dad and grandparents that I would like to share with him.
I am hoping to finish up the notebook before he starts university. I would like to give it to him so he can cook tasty meals for himself, plus have some family recipes. Basically, the things I didn't have when I was first away from home.
But I won't give him a cookbook.
From where I sit, I can see eight. There are over 30 within ten feet of me, and I'm not in the kitchen. That's not counting the ones on the bookshelf upstairs, or the ones in boxes in the basement.
Plus there are online sources, and the recipes that got printed out to try, or to save.
One of the best organizational ideas we have had, was to print and laminate the recipes we like, and store them in a binder as our 'go-to' recipes.
If I had to start over again (and I might), I think I would keep the binder idea but I would run the recipes through a word processor first. Mostly to standardize formatting, but also to incorporate changes, and cooking notes.
I have started to write a notebook with some of my favorites. I know that goes against what I just said about running recipes through a word processor, but I do have a reason.
I have a nephew who is 16 now, and he will soon be embarking on his life journey, making his own way. I also have some hand written recipes from my mom, dad and grandparents that I would like to share with him.
I am hoping to finish up the notebook before he starts university. I would like to give it to him so he can cook tasty meals for himself, plus have some family recipes. Basically, the things I didn't have when I was first away from home.
But I won't give him a cookbook.
Friday, 24 June 2016
June 24, 2016
I have a lot of pictures.
I mean, boxes and boxes of pictures, negatives and slides. And they need to be organized.
I have not just all the pictures I have taken for forty years, but my brothers and grandparents pictures as well.
The newer pictures, digital, are much easier to deal with. They already are dated, so all I need to do is tag them with keywords - location and who is in them.
The prints are probably the next easiest to deal with. They can easily be scanned and then tagged with keywords. The only point of failure is my memory. As the last surviving member of my immediate family, I am the last person who stands a chance of being able to identify subjects and locations. Fortunately, many are marked on the back, so it isn't an impossible task.
More problematic are the negatives and slides. I still haven't completely figured out a way to deal with them. I will probably have to buy a scanner and then go at it frame by frame. Did I mention I have boxes and boxes of slides and negatives?
It's going to be an expensive project in terms of time. And certainly a trip down memory lane. People who are no longer with us, places from past visits and homes. And many of those odd pictures we take, thinking we will remember them. It is amazing how much we can remember from the vantage point of years later.
I think maybe in the fall, I will start a plan to organize the pictures. Far enough in the future to take the pressure off, not so far off that it won't get done.
And I should allow time for the photographs I continue to take.
I mean, boxes and boxes of pictures, negatives and slides. And they need to be organized.
I have not just all the pictures I have taken for forty years, but my brothers and grandparents pictures as well.
The newer pictures, digital, are much easier to deal with. They already are dated, so all I need to do is tag them with keywords - location and who is in them.
The prints are probably the next easiest to deal with. They can easily be scanned and then tagged with keywords. The only point of failure is my memory. As the last surviving member of my immediate family, I am the last person who stands a chance of being able to identify subjects and locations. Fortunately, many are marked on the back, so it isn't an impossible task.
More problematic are the negatives and slides. I still haven't completely figured out a way to deal with them. I will probably have to buy a scanner and then go at it frame by frame. Did I mention I have boxes and boxes of slides and negatives?
It's going to be an expensive project in terms of time. And certainly a trip down memory lane. People who are no longer with us, places from past visits and homes. And many of those odd pictures we take, thinking we will remember them. It is amazing how much we can remember from the vantage point of years later.
I think maybe in the fall, I will start a plan to organize the pictures. Far enough in the future to take the pressure off, not so far off that it won't get done.
And I should allow time for the photographs I continue to take.
Thursday, 23 June 2016
June 23, 2016
I got my first camera when I was teenager.
I'm not a teenager any more, but I still have that camera. Along with many more I aquired over the years, sometimes out of a desire for something shiny. Sometimes to try something new.
Today, I am more likely to take a picture with my phone rather than a purpose built camera. I comfort myself with the knowledge that the best camera is the one you have with you.
From where I sit, I can see my phone plugged into the charger. I have a digital camera in a drawer an arm's reach away, and to my right I have a film camera out in the open.
I think it's clear I get more enjoyment from film camera than any other kind. To me, that forty year old film camera is more like photography than a cell phone is. More work, certainly, but also more fun and a connection to my past. Learning about photography from my brother, and dad. Having my own darkroom set up in a closet.
I like the limit of film - a fixed number of exposures before having to put a new roll in the camera. Having to focus manually, and set the camera controls for each shot. Learning how to shoot slide film, more finicky and expensive than the black and white I normally shot. There was a magic in getting a box of slides back in the mail. Looking to see what pictures turned out best, and, over time, seeing how I was advancing technically.
I still have my darkroom equipment, in storage in the basement. And a film camera in plain view.
I think today is the day I shoot some film.
I'm not a teenager any more, but I still have that camera. Along with many more I aquired over the years, sometimes out of a desire for something shiny. Sometimes to try something new.
Today, I am more likely to take a picture with my phone rather than a purpose built camera. I comfort myself with the knowledge that the best camera is the one you have with you.
From where I sit, I can see my phone plugged into the charger. I have a digital camera in a drawer an arm's reach away, and to my right I have a film camera out in the open.
I think it's clear I get more enjoyment from film camera than any other kind. To me, that forty year old film camera is more like photography than a cell phone is. More work, certainly, but also more fun and a connection to my past. Learning about photography from my brother, and dad. Having my own darkroom set up in a closet.
I like the limit of film - a fixed number of exposures before having to put a new roll in the camera. Having to focus manually, and set the camera controls for each shot. Learning how to shoot slide film, more finicky and expensive than the black and white I normally shot. There was a magic in getting a box of slides back in the mail. Looking to see what pictures turned out best, and, over time, seeing how I was advancing technically.
I still have my darkroom equipment, in storage in the basement. And a film camera in plain view.
I think today is the day I shoot some film.
Tuesday, 21 June 2016
June 21, 2016
I love radio.
Even though I can play cd's and cassettes in my car, I almost never do. Instead the radio is on. The presets are all used, for our national broadcaster, to local stations and stations a town or two away.
I remember when radio was king when you were in your car, the deejays your friend, entertaining and informing you. Talking to you, in fact. And bringing you music. In the days before smartphones and streaming apps, it was not uncommon to sit in the car, waiting for the song to end.
Music was the commodity - and great music. Each announcer got to pick what he played, so you listened to the ones that played the most music you liked.
But not anymore. Now, it's computer generated playlists with the announcer allowed to talk occasionally. No more free-form radio. No more songs and artists you may never had heard of before. Now radio is about musical nostalgia. And announcers are more likely to be spending time on social media, reposting links from other websites - pretending they are producing content, while they read from Wikipedia.
There is a local announcer who considers himself to be a real music buff, and knowledgeable about music and the bands. But most of what he says is straight from Wikipedia, and even then he can get things pretty mangled. Last week I heard him talk about famed violinist Stephane Grapalinni. Really? Maybe he meant Stephane Grappelli? That was after he also talked about the all-girl group from Europe - the Cherry Bombs featuring Joan Jett. I'm pretty sure he meant the Runaways from America. But, hey, he got Joan Jett's name right!
Announcers don't seem to have the passion for the music anymore, or the knowledge. And if you're going to give out wrong information, why should I listen? I can stream music without interruption, or get satellite radio and listen to someone who at least tries to get it right.
I miss radio with talent.
Even though I can play cd's and cassettes in my car, I almost never do. Instead the radio is on. The presets are all used, for our national broadcaster, to local stations and stations a town or two away.
I remember when radio was king when you were in your car, the deejays your friend, entertaining and informing you. Talking to you, in fact. And bringing you music. In the days before smartphones and streaming apps, it was not uncommon to sit in the car, waiting for the song to end.
Music was the commodity - and great music. Each announcer got to pick what he played, so you listened to the ones that played the most music you liked.
But not anymore. Now, it's computer generated playlists with the announcer allowed to talk occasionally. No more free-form radio. No more songs and artists you may never had heard of before. Now radio is about musical nostalgia. And announcers are more likely to be spending time on social media, reposting links from other websites - pretending they are producing content, while they read from Wikipedia.
There is a local announcer who considers himself to be a real music buff, and knowledgeable about music and the bands. But most of what he says is straight from Wikipedia, and even then he can get things pretty mangled. Last week I heard him talk about famed violinist Stephane Grapalinni. Really? Maybe he meant Stephane Grappelli? That was after he also talked about the all-girl group from Europe - the Cherry Bombs featuring Joan Jett. I'm pretty sure he meant the Runaways from America. But, hey, he got Joan Jett's name right!
Announcers don't seem to have the passion for the music anymore, or the knowledge. And if you're going to give out wrong information, why should I listen? I can stream music without interruption, or get satellite radio and listen to someone who at least tries to get it right.
I miss radio with talent.
Sunday, 19 June 2016
June 19, 2016
I bought another pen.
However, in my defense, I also took almost two dozen pens to work and left them on a desk. My hope is that other people will use them, and like all office pens, their numbers will dwindle.
I also managed to throw out another half dozen pens that no longer worked. Since my goal is to have less, so far I'm winning.
But the pen I bought is such a joy to use. That may sound a little over the top, but I am particular (some might say peculiar) about what I write with.
It is an orange Caran d'Ache 849. I like the colour, although it's on the bright side for me for an everyday carry pen. I might have to get another in a more suitable colour. But it is a great replacement for my Parker Flighter GT.
It just writes well. The ink starts as I put it to paper, no skipping or scratchiness. It's a bit shorter than my Parker, which itself is shorter than the TWSBI I've used the last few weeks. The hexagonal body is made of aluminum, so it is very light in hand, lighter than the TWSBI which also has a metal hehexagonal body.
Since I tend to write fairly small, I need a pen that doesn't skip, doesn't need a lot of pressure to write, and puts down a fairly fine line. This pen hits all those marks for me.
I can see another one in my future.
However, in my defense, I also took almost two dozen pens to work and left them on a desk. My hope is that other people will use them, and like all office pens, their numbers will dwindle.
I also managed to throw out another half dozen pens that no longer worked. Since my goal is to have less, so far I'm winning.
But the pen I bought is such a joy to use. That may sound a little over the top, but I am particular (some might say peculiar) about what I write with.
It is an orange Caran d'Ache 849. I like the colour, although it's on the bright side for me for an everyday carry pen. I might have to get another in a more suitable colour. But it is a great replacement for my Parker Flighter GT.
It just writes well. The ink starts as I put it to paper, no skipping or scratchiness. It's a bit shorter than my Parker, which itself is shorter than the TWSBI I've used the last few weeks. The hexagonal body is made of aluminum, so it is very light in hand, lighter than the TWSBI which also has a metal hehexagonal body.
Since I tend to write fairly small, I need a pen that doesn't skip, doesn't need a lot of pressure to write, and puts down a fairly fine line. This pen hits all those marks for me.
I can see another one in my future.
Friday, 17 June 2016
June 17, 2016
I am against 'multi.'
We seem to be surrounded by a culture of 'multi' - multipurpose, multiuse and multitasking.
The best definition I have seen about multitasking is that it is doing several things poorly, instead of one thing well. I agree with that, as long as we agree that multitasking is not the same as multiprocessing.
To my way of thinking, an activity such as juggling or driving is multiprocessing. You are performing different, but related, actions to complete a single task.
Multitasking is more like thinking in English, speaking in German and writing in French, simultaneously. Each task requires a different approach and brain process, and are not a set of tasks that are usually done together (at least not well).
We should be asking ourselves, do we need these jobs done well, or at all? If done well, then single tasking is the way to go - it allows the time to get it right, to properly finish and to have it done once without the need for correction or the need to do it again.
I've often heard the phrase, any job worth doing, is worth doing well. I believe that. But, no one ever really asks that if the job is not worth doing well, or not worth the time/effort to do right, is it worth doing at all?
Along with the adage 'finish what you start,' we should ask 'should I start?'
We seem to be surrounded by a culture of 'multi' - multipurpose, multiuse and multitasking.
The best definition I have seen about multitasking is that it is doing several things poorly, instead of one thing well. I agree with that, as long as we agree that multitasking is not the same as multiprocessing.
To my way of thinking, an activity such as juggling or driving is multiprocessing. You are performing different, but related, actions to complete a single task.
Multitasking is more like thinking in English, speaking in German and writing in French, simultaneously. Each task requires a different approach and brain process, and are not a set of tasks that are usually done together (at least not well).
We should be asking ourselves, do we need these jobs done well, or at all? If done well, then single tasking is the way to go - it allows the time to get it right, to properly finish and to have it done once without the need for correction or the need to do it again.
I've often heard the phrase, any job worth doing, is worth doing well. I believe that. But, no one ever really asks that if the job is not worth doing well, or not worth the time/effort to do right, is it worth doing at all?
Along with the adage 'finish what you start,' we should ask 'should I start?'
Thursday, 16 June 2016
June 16, 2016
I'm trying to simplify my life.
That means going against my impulses to buy, collect or hoard things. It means getting rid of excess possessions, and rationalizing what I keep.
One of the things I've been trying to pare down is my everyday carry, or EDC as you often see it on the internet. That is the things you carry everyday or always have with you.
There is an attraction to being prepared and able to take care of every situation that comes up. But the downside is that you wind up with more stuff. Not just more stuff, but portable versions of things you may already own and have to organize and integrate into your lifestyle.
I think that last bit is important. It's very easy to get bogged down with lots of extra stuff, but simplifying means paring down to the essentials. I'll never need a woven paracord belt that will allow me to rappel down a ravine to save an animal, or anything else for that matter. And, if I did, I'd end up being the one who needed to be rescued.
For me, the first thing would be my watch. It's actually the first thing I put on in the morning. I know that we have clocks everwhere, and wearing a watch is not something every man does anymore. But I enjoy wearing a watch (currently a Seiko quartz) to know what time it is without having to look for a digital readout somewhere around me, that I probably have to move closer to to read. No digital watch for me, a regular face and hands gives me a visual view of where I am in the hour as well as the time.
Second is my wallet. I'm trying to weed out the cards I need to carry, mostly points or loyalty cards. If I could, I would be happy with just my driver's license and my bank card. But alas, that is not to be. Room for cash too - not too much, but enough for small purchases or emergency money. I'm old school enough to believe cash is still king.
Next is my pen. I've had a pen in pocket since my school days - it probably looked a little nerdy then, but I'd be lost without having my own pen to write/sign with. At least it's just a pen now, and not the pen and mechanical pencil I carried while in school.
After that is my phone and keys. I wish I could trim down the number of keys, but the best I've been able to do is split them onto two key rings.
I suppose to some people, that's a pretty simple everyday carry. No multitools, flashlights, pill bottles or pocket knife. Nothing clipped onto my belt or pockets, in fact I don't even wear a belt anymore.
Maybe I'm getting the hang of simplifying.
That means going against my impulses to buy, collect or hoard things. It means getting rid of excess possessions, and rationalizing what I keep.
One of the things I've been trying to pare down is my everyday carry, or EDC as you often see it on the internet. That is the things you carry everyday or always have with you.
There is an attraction to being prepared and able to take care of every situation that comes up. But the downside is that you wind up with more stuff. Not just more stuff, but portable versions of things you may already own and have to organize and integrate into your lifestyle.
I think that last bit is important. It's very easy to get bogged down with lots of extra stuff, but simplifying means paring down to the essentials. I'll never need a woven paracord belt that will allow me to rappel down a ravine to save an animal, or anything else for that matter. And, if I did, I'd end up being the one who needed to be rescued.
For me, the first thing would be my watch. It's actually the first thing I put on in the morning. I know that we have clocks everwhere, and wearing a watch is not something every man does anymore. But I enjoy wearing a watch (currently a Seiko quartz) to know what time it is without having to look for a digital readout somewhere around me, that I probably have to move closer to to read. No digital watch for me, a regular face and hands gives me a visual view of where I am in the hour as well as the time.
Second is my wallet. I'm trying to weed out the cards I need to carry, mostly points or loyalty cards. If I could, I would be happy with just my driver's license and my bank card. But alas, that is not to be. Room for cash too - not too much, but enough for small purchases or emergency money. I'm old school enough to believe cash is still king.
Next is my pen. I've had a pen in pocket since my school days - it probably looked a little nerdy then, but I'd be lost without having my own pen to write/sign with. At least it's just a pen now, and not the pen and mechanical pencil I carried while in school.
After that is my phone and keys. I wish I could trim down the number of keys, but the best I've been able to do is split them onto two key rings.
I suppose to some people, that's a pretty simple everyday carry. No multitools, flashlights, pill bottles or pocket knife. Nothing clipped onto my belt or pockets, in fact I don't even wear a belt anymore.
Maybe I'm getting the hang of simplifying.
Wednesday, 15 June 2016
June 15, 2016
I enjoy shaving.
That may not sound like much of an accomplishment, but life is made up of small pleasures and victories.
I wet shave - if you're not familiar with the term, it refers to the old-fashioned way of doing it, with shaving cream, a brush and a razor.
Things, I have noticed, tend to go in cycles. My grandfather used a brush and razor, my dad used an electric razor, and my brother and I both got into wet shaving. In my grandfather's time, that was the only way to go, my dad had access to the new technology of electric shavers and my brother and I were exposed to both. In fact, the first razors my brother and I had were electric, gifts from our dad.
I'm not sure why my brother decided to switch to wet shaving, but I did because he did. I suppose you never really lose wanting to be like your big brother growing up. By university, my grandfather had passed, and I was using his old safety razor. It's safe to say it was much older than I was.
One thing about the internet, if you want to know more about something - there are lots of opinions and websites available. Online forums are a lot of fun because they are usually filled with fans who are willing to provide some guidance without being dogmatic in their approach. The downside is that once you discover the community, it can be a real drain on resources (time and money) as you try out the variety of options available.
I'm lucky, I have my grandfather's razor and have a brush, so the only real expense so far has been trying out new shave creams. That will end when I decide which I like best. Right now, I'm trying the same scent (sandalwood) from several companies.
As long as I can stay away from the desire to try new razors, I'll be ok.
That may not sound like much of an accomplishment, but life is made up of small pleasures and victories.
I wet shave - if you're not familiar with the term, it refers to the old-fashioned way of doing it, with shaving cream, a brush and a razor.
Things, I have noticed, tend to go in cycles. My grandfather used a brush and razor, my dad used an electric razor, and my brother and I both got into wet shaving. In my grandfather's time, that was the only way to go, my dad had access to the new technology of electric shavers and my brother and I were exposed to both. In fact, the first razors my brother and I had were electric, gifts from our dad.
I'm not sure why my brother decided to switch to wet shaving, but I did because he did. I suppose you never really lose wanting to be like your big brother growing up. By university, my grandfather had passed, and I was using his old safety razor. It's safe to say it was much older than I was.
One thing about the internet, if you want to know more about something - there are lots of opinions and websites available. Online forums are a lot of fun because they are usually filled with fans who are willing to provide some guidance without being dogmatic in their approach. The downside is that once you discover the community, it can be a real drain on resources (time and money) as you try out the variety of options available.
I'm lucky, I have my grandfather's razor and have a brush, so the only real expense so far has been trying out new shave creams. That will end when I decide which I like best. Right now, I'm trying the same scent (sandalwood) from several companies.
As long as I can stay away from the desire to try new razors, I'll be ok.
Tuesday, 14 June 2016
June 14, 2016
I think rulers must multiply when you're not looking.
I just realized that I have seven rulers in my desk. Four stainless steel and three drafting rulers. And I don't know why I have so many.
I also have a box in the garage that probably has another eight wooden rulers. What on earth am I thinking of, saving, and presumably buying, so many rulers?
I think one or two of the wooden ones are promotional items, so they are pretty cool to have since the businesses don't exist any more. I know one was my grandfather's, so I at least have a connection to that one.
The drafting rulers are a bit trickier. They were probably either my dad's or my brother's. Most likely my dad's. English and metric, one is even made out of pearwood.
My dad wasn't an architect, or a draftsman, but he spent his life always learning about things. And doing things as well. He renovated a few homes we lived in, and built a few more. I do remember him doing some drawings at the kitchen table - I wish I still had some of those drawings. But, they were temporary, just a way to visualize a project he was working on, or thinking about. They also served the purpose of communicating his ideas in a very clear fashion. I wonder what his rulers would say if I were able to ask them about the work they've been involved with.
The stainless steel rulers are harder to remember where they came from. They are newer, and each is marked in both english and metric. One is cool though - it's for office use and has holes punched into it to measure punch hole sizes, plus a scale down one size to count lines of type. Things that used to be important in handling paperwork in an office before computers. Although I feel that computers in offices mean more paper is used, not less.
I should clean out the older rulers and only keep a few. Then I can start adding up tape measures.
I just realized that I have seven rulers in my desk. Four stainless steel and three drafting rulers. And I don't know why I have so many.
I also have a box in the garage that probably has another eight wooden rulers. What on earth am I thinking of, saving, and presumably buying, so many rulers?
I think one or two of the wooden ones are promotional items, so they are pretty cool to have since the businesses don't exist any more. I know one was my grandfather's, so I at least have a connection to that one.
The drafting rulers are a bit trickier. They were probably either my dad's or my brother's. Most likely my dad's. English and metric, one is even made out of pearwood.
My dad wasn't an architect, or a draftsman, but he spent his life always learning about things. And doing things as well. He renovated a few homes we lived in, and built a few more. I do remember him doing some drawings at the kitchen table - I wish I still had some of those drawings. But, they were temporary, just a way to visualize a project he was working on, or thinking about. They also served the purpose of communicating his ideas in a very clear fashion. I wonder what his rulers would say if I were able to ask them about the work they've been involved with.
The stainless steel rulers are harder to remember where they came from. They are newer, and each is marked in both english and metric. One is cool though - it's for office use and has holes punched into it to measure punch hole sizes, plus a scale down one size to count lines of type. Things that used to be important in handling paperwork in an office before computers. Although I feel that computers in offices mean more paper is used, not less.
I should clean out the older rulers and only keep a few. Then I can start adding up tape measures.
Monday, 13 June 2016
June 13, 2016
I mowed the lawn today.
That may not sound like a big deal, and when I was younger it wasn't a big deal.
But I'm not a youngster anymore, and we do have a ride on mower, so for me, today, it was kind of a bid deal.
I've been promising myself to be more active, and have been looking for a road bike to fill that goal. But, I also think the key to being more active is to make it a part of your regular routine. So, pushing the mower may get me part way there.
I have a good excuse for using the push mower, the front lawn is getting bare in spots under the trees, and the push mower may be easier on the grass that is there than the ride on. I've reseeded parts of the front lawn, and the smaller mower is not as damaging as the big one. And, if I'm being honest, I like using the push mower. I get a feeling of accomplishment, as well as the benefits of being outside with the fresh air and the exercise. And it will have to be done on a regular basis, at least for the first while.
At least that's what I am telling myself at this point. There is a lot of outside work to be done in the summer - in addition to the mowing there is painting, garden work and assorted maintenance chores that need doing. And there never seems to be enough time to both get the chores done, and have time to enough the summer weather. Trying to balance conflicting desires can be tricky.
At least I'm not using the self-propelling mower.
That may not sound like a big deal, and when I was younger it wasn't a big deal.
But I'm not a youngster anymore, and we do have a ride on mower, so for me, today, it was kind of a bid deal.
I've been promising myself to be more active, and have been looking for a road bike to fill that goal. But, I also think the key to being more active is to make it a part of your regular routine. So, pushing the mower may get me part way there.
I have a good excuse for using the push mower, the front lawn is getting bare in spots under the trees, and the push mower may be easier on the grass that is there than the ride on. I've reseeded parts of the front lawn, and the smaller mower is not as damaging as the big one. And, if I'm being honest, I like using the push mower. I get a feeling of accomplishment, as well as the benefits of being outside with the fresh air and the exercise. And it will have to be done on a regular basis, at least for the first while.
At least that's what I am telling myself at this point. There is a lot of outside work to be done in the summer - in addition to the mowing there is painting, garden work and assorted maintenance chores that need doing. And there never seems to be enough time to both get the chores done, and have time to enough the summer weather. Trying to balance conflicting desires can be tricky.
At least I'm not using the self-propelling mower.
Sunday, 12 June 2016
June 12. 2016
I hear music.
That may not sound unusual, especially in this days of being connected. You no longer need to be near a radio, if you have any kind of device you can stream, watch or listen to music from just about anywhere.
But I mean I hear music in my head fairly constantly. Not just ear-worms, although I have my share of those as well. Rather, bits and pieces of songs that seem to be randomly triggered.
I suppose some of that is due to working in radio, and some due to over forty years of listening to and collecting music. Surprisingly, none at all due to any kind of musical ability or training. I can't play anything on anything, so the music I hear in my head isn't new. Instead, it's song fragments that get triggered by hearing a song title, or a memory trigger and sometimes (ok, mostly) by no reason that I can fathom.
Music has great power to connect with you emotionally, or to trigger memories. So I'm guessing that it's no great leap to think that certain memories contain within them the music that was happening at that time.
Everyone I've met has a soundtrack to their life - not in the movie sense that music is used to evoke feelings. But that music can recall feelings and memories - ask any couple that has 'their song.'
My soundtrack is filled with songs from the radio when I was on car trips, album tracks from being at home listening to music with friends, and other odd songs hear in passing or from not-very-popular albums that I bought over the years.
I think everyone's soundtrack is unique and personal and lives in both their heart and mind.
I have to go now, "Life Of Illusion" is playing in my head.
I love that song.
That may not sound unusual, especially in this days of being connected. You no longer need to be near a radio, if you have any kind of device you can stream, watch or listen to music from just about anywhere.
But I mean I hear music in my head fairly constantly. Not just ear-worms, although I have my share of those as well. Rather, bits and pieces of songs that seem to be randomly triggered.
I suppose some of that is due to working in radio, and some due to over forty years of listening to and collecting music. Surprisingly, none at all due to any kind of musical ability or training. I can't play anything on anything, so the music I hear in my head isn't new. Instead, it's song fragments that get triggered by hearing a song title, or a memory trigger and sometimes (ok, mostly) by no reason that I can fathom.
Music has great power to connect with you emotionally, or to trigger memories. So I'm guessing that it's no great leap to think that certain memories contain within them the music that was happening at that time.
Everyone I've met has a soundtrack to their life - not in the movie sense that music is used to evoke feelings. But that music can recall feelings and memories - ask any couple that has 'their song.'
My soundtrack is filled with songs from the radio when I was on car trips, album tracks from being at home listening to music with friends, and other odd songs hear in passing or from not-very-popular albums that I bought over the years.
I think everyone's soundtrack is unique and personal and lives in both their heart and mind.
I have to go now, "Life Of Illusion" is playing in my head.
I love that song.
Friday, 10 June 2016
June 10, 2016
Showers and rain today.
Which is a good thing, I spread some grass seed on the front lawn in hopes of rain showers,
Our front lawn is looking a little sparse in spots, and this year I've decided that nothing I do to it could make it worse, so I might as well try whatever I want on it.
I've started with liming the lawn early in the spring. We have trees in front that shade the house wonderfully in the summer, but also shade a large portion of the lawn. Plus, as I've read, trees protect their territory by making it a little more difficult for other plants to grown beneath the.
So far, in addition to the lime, I've spread some fertilizer and allowed it to soak in. This week I have followed up with the grass seed. I'm hoping that the preparation, liming and fertilizing, have prepared the ground for the seed and it will do well.
If not, then more liming and start looking into the ph of the soil. I have been told that trees like it more acidic, and that it is not possible to 'oversweeten' the soil by adding lime.
If I were truly following the scientific method, I would have gridded off the offending portions of lawn, and performed experiments with amounts of lime, fertilizer and grass seed to see which proportions worked best. And kept track of things in a proper notebook.
On the other hand, it's just grass and any extra I can grow is more than is there now.
I would go out and examine how it is performing, but it's raining today.
Which is a good thing, I spread some grass seed on the front lawn in hopes of rain showers,
Our front lawn is looking a little sparse in spots, and this year I've decided that nothing I do to it could make it worse, so I might as well try whatever I want on it.
I've started with liming the lawn early in the spring. We have trees in front that shade the house wonderfully in the summer, but also shade a large portion of the lawn. Plus, as I've read, trees protect their territory by making it a little more difficult for other plants to grown beneath the.
So far, in addition to the lime, I've spread some fertilizer and allowed it to soak in. This week I have followed up with the grass seed. I'm hoping that the preparation, liming and fertilizing, have prepared the ground for the seed and it will do well.
If not, then more liming and start looking into the ph of the soil. I have been told that trees like it more acidic, and that it is not possible to 'oversweeten' the soil by adding lime.
If I were truly following the scientific method, I would have gridded off the offending portions of lawn, and performed experiments with amounts of lime, fertilizer and grass seed to see which proportions worked best. And kept track of things in a proper notebook.
On the other hand, it's just grass and any extra I can grow is more than is there now.
I would go out and examine how it is performing, but it's raining today.
Thursday, 9 June 2016
June 9, 2016
I should build some storage shelves.
What I should do, is draw a plan, and measure the things I want on the shelves so that the finished project will perform as I want it to.
What I will probably end up doing, is guessing what I need, buying the materials and then designing it as I build it.
It's the old 'perception vs reality' thing. I like to think of myself as a planner and methodical in what I do. The kind of person who has a clear vision in mind when he starts a project.
The truth is, I start with an idea, overthink it, research ways of doing it, and develop a mental plan that is beyond what I need, want, or can do. Then comes the phase where reality sets in and I can start to think about a project clearly, with my goals, skills and budget taken into account.
That may be why it takes me so long to get things done!
I think it's healthy to dream, to reach beyond your limits. But as I get older, I have come to appreciate more and more the engineer's mantra - KISS. 'Keep It Simple, Stupid.'
I really need to strive to keep things simple, life is complicated by owning and possessing more than you need or can use.
Maybe I need to purge more possessions instead of building shelves to store them.
What I should do, is draw a plan, and measure the things I want on the shelves so that the finished project will perform as I want it to.
What I will probably end up doing, is guessing what I need, buying the materials and then designing it as I build it.
It's the old 'perception vs reality' thing. I like to think of myself as a planner and methodical in what I do. The kind of person who has a clear vision in mind when he starts a project.
The truth is, I start with an idea, overthink it, research ways of doing it, and develop a mental plan that is beyond what I need, want, or can do. Then comes the phase where reality sets in and I can start to think about a project clearly, with my goals, skills and budget taken into account.
That may be why it takes me so long to get things done!
I think it's healthy to dream, to reach beyond your limits. But as I get older, I have come to appreciate more and more the engineer's mantra - KISS. 'Keep It Simple, Stupid.'
I really need to strive to keep things simple, life is complicated by owning and possessing more than you need or can use.
Maybe I need to purge more possessions instead of building shelves to store them.
Wednesday, 8 June 2016
June 8, 2016
I should stay off the intenet.
Ever since my Parker pen developed problems, I've been pondering what to do about it. I've used a variety of cheap pens, looking for one that I like using and that fits my pocket well.
I'm one of those people who can hang onto a pen, so it is a part of my daily carry. The last batch of shirts I bought had a pen pocket, so that was very easy for me to have my pen ready for use. I've been keeping a pen in my shirt pocket since the '70s and I don't think I've had a shirt since then that didn't have a pocket.
I've been using a TWSBI ballpoint lately, and while I haven't used it enough to decide exactly how much I like using it, I have discovered that it sits fairly high in my pocket. Although it's only about a half inch taller than my Parker, it feels much taller than that.
It's amazing the variety available in writing instruments. Not just materials, or ink colour, but also the variety in size and shape. I understand that materials used influence the weight of the pen, but I would think that by now, we have come to more agreement on the ergonomics of what we write with.
Anyway, poking around on the internet, I have discovered Caran d'Ache pens. These look to be closer in length to my Parker, so it should fit my pocket better. I'm thinking of maybe ordering one next week, just to see how it will work out.
I haven't even started to figure out refills for my pens. I've read some reviews, have some suggestions to try out, but I am not going to start experimenting until I have settled on a pen I like for my everyday pen. The choices are staggering.
Thank goodness for the internet.
Ever since my Parker pen developed problems, I've been pondering what to do about it. I've used a variety of cheap pens, looking for one that I like using and that fits my pocket well.
I'm one of those people who can hang onto a pen, so it is a part of my daily carry. The last batch of shirts I bought had a pen pocket, so that was very easy for me to have my pen ready for use. I've been keeping a pen in my shirt pocket since the '70s and I don't think I've had a shirt since then that didn't have a pocket.
I've been using a TWSBI ballpoint lately, and while I haven't used it enough to decide exactly how much I like using it, I have discovered that it sits fairly high in my pocket. Although it's only about a half inch taller than my Parker, it feels much taller than that.
It's amazing the variety available in writing instruments. Not just materials, or ink colour, but also the variety in size and shape. I understand that materials used influence the weight of the pen, but I would think that by now, we have come to more agreement on the ergonomics of what we write with.
Anyway, poking around on the internet, I have discovered Caran d'Ache pens. These look to be closer in length to my Parker, so it should fit my pocket better. I'm thinking of maybe ordering one next week, just to see how it will work out.
I haven't even started to figure out refills for my pens. I've read some reviews, have some suggestions to try out, but I am not going to start experimenting until I have settled on a pen I like for my everyday pen. The choices are staggering.
Thank goodness for the internet.
Tuesday, 7 June 2016
June 7, 2016
I got a new pen.
I've been looking for a new pen to replace my Parker that I've had since high school, nearly forty years ago.
So, I ordered a TWSBI in silver. It uses Parker refills, so I'm hoping for a similar writing experience. Overall, it's a bit longer, but nicely built and finished. For a metal bodied pen, it's surprisingly light in the hand. (I should get around to measuring and weighing both the TWSBI and the Parker to see how they compare.)
It comes with two refills, both black. When I first used the pen, it was a little hard starting when I picked it up, but it seems to have smoothed out. I find I still need to press a little harder than I did with the Parker. Next time I'm out shopping, I think I'll pick up a blue Parker refill to try in it.
I used to use black ink when I was in high school, mostly because everyone else used blue. To be fair, almost all pens back then came with blue ink. About ten years ago, I switched from black to blue for two reasons. First, by then, a lot of people were using black ink. And secondly, a discussion with a law enforcement officer where I discovered a more practical use for blue ink. It turns out, they deal with a lot of paperwork, and copies of paperwork that require signatures. That gets copied as well, so everyone can have their own copy. As you may have noticed, copies are usually in black. So, in order to keep originals and copies properly sorted, signatures were in blue ink. Blue signature = original, black signature = copy.
Of course, fountain pens users have a much wider choice when it comes to inks. And some of the newer gel inks are pretty nice too. But there is nothing like the simplicity of a ballpoint pen.
Filled with blue ink, of course.
I've been looking for a new pen to replace my Parker that I've had since high school, nearly forty years ago.
So, I ordered a TWSBI in silver. It uses Parker refills, so I'm hoping for a similar writing experience. Overall, it's a bit longer, but nicely built and finished. For a metal bodied pen, it's surprisingly light in the hand. (I should get around to measuring and weighing both the TWSBI and the Parker to see how they compare.)
It comes with two refills, both black. When I first used the pen, it was a little hard starting when I picked it up, but it seems to have smoothed out. I find I still need to press a little harder than I did with the Parker. Next time I'm out shopping, I think I'll pick up a blue Parker refill to try in it.
I used to use black ink when I was in high school, mostly because everyone else used blue. To be fair, almost all pens back then came with blue ink. About ten years ago, I switched from black to blue for two reasons. First, by then, a lot of people were using black ink. And secondly, a discussion with a law enforcement officer where I discovered a more practical use for blue ink. It turns out, they deal with a lot of paperwork, and copies of paperwork that require signatures. That gets copied as well, so everyone can have their own copy. As you may have noticed, copies are usually in black. So, in order to keep originals and copies properly sorted, signatures were in blue ink. Blue signature = original, black signature = copy.
Of course, fountain pens users have a much wider choice when it comes to inks. And some of the newer gel inks are pretty nice too. But there is nothing like the simplicity of a ballpoint pen.
Filled with blue ink, of course.
Monday, 6 June 2016
June 6, 2016
I've been keeping an eye open lately for a bicycle.
I had a 10-speed at te time when those were the 'hot' bikes to have and rode it around a fair bit. Certainly not as much as hard core bicyclists, but it took me everywhere I wanted to go on my own. Unfortunately, while it was supposedly under someone else's care, it got stolen.
I've wanted to get back on a bike for the last few years, for several reasons. Firstly, I do miss it. Secondly, it's good exercise and I could use more physical exercise in my life - a stationary bike just doesn't cut it though. And thirdly, I really should, for medical reasons.
With age, I have become noticeably stouter around the middle, and last year had to go on medication for high blood pressure. Not abnormally high, but a little over the line where they decide you have high blood pressure.
So I've been looking at bike for sale, more or less looking to replace my road bike of so long ago with something similar. I guess in part to replace it with something familiar. I do know that I am not interested in mountain bikes with their knobbly tires. I live on a paved road, and have no interest in going off-road, so a road bike still fits my needs and wants.
Looking at the online ads, I quickly discovered a few things. Most surprisingly are the prices! When a new road bike starts at $500 and goes up from there, it can be a shock. Or maybe it just feels that way because I haven't priced a bicycle in thirty years!
Used prices are all over the place, with the lowest prices attached to bikes that aren't worth buying.
So, I'll keep looking. Mostly for something that is the right size for me, and has a decent drive train. After all, it will be the last bike I buy.
But I thought that about my last bike too.
I had a 10-speed at te time when those were the 'hot' bikes to have and rode it around a fair bit. Certainly not as much as hard core bicyclists, but it took me everywhere I wanted to go on my own. Unfortunately, while it was supposedly under someone else's care, it got stolen.
I've wanted to get back on a bike for the last few years, for several reasons. Firstly, I do miss it. Secondly, it's good exercise and I could use more physical exercise in my life - a stationary bike just doesn't cut it though. And thirdly, I really should, for medical reasons.
With age, I have become noticeably stouter around the middle, and last year had to go on medication for high blood pressure. Not abnormally high, but a little over the line where they decide you have high blood pressure.
So I've been looking at bike for sale, more or less looking to replace my road bike of so long ago with something similar. I guess in part to replace it with something familiar. I do know that I am not interested in mountain bikes with their knobbly tires. I live on a paved road, and have no interest in going off-road, so a road bike still fits my needs and wants.
Looking at the online ads, I quickly discovered a few things. Most surprisingly are the prices! When a new road bike starts at $500 and goes up from there, it can be a shock. Or maybe it just feels that way because I haven't priced a bicycle in thirty years!
Used prices are all over the place, with the lowest prices attached to bikes that aren't worth buying.
So, I'll keep looking. Mostly for something that is the right size for me, and has a decent drive train. After all, it will be the last bike I buy.
But I thought that about my last bike too.
Sunday, 5 June 2016
June 5, 2016
I was in hunter-gatherer mode and found all the pens and pencils I own and put them into one place. My conclusion: I have too many.
I used to work retail, so people would always be leaving pens behind to become store pens. It was a great way to try out a variety of cheap pens. Let's be honest, most people are not walking around with expensive pens, and those that do tend to have the habits of keeping an eye on them, or putting them away as soon as they are done using them.
And promotional pens, there was always a collection of those. Like most promotional pens, they had less than a full load of ink. A lot of those ended in the trash fairly quickly.
But still, somehow, I have managed to accumulate what appears to be nearly a shoe box full of pens and pencils of various descriptions. If I am being truthful about it, most of those should have never made it this far in my life.
But there are some gems in there. I found my grandmother's Parker fountain pen. For some reason, there seems to be about ten fountain pens in total. Plus there are a lot of ballpoints, some gel pens, coloured pens and regular wooden pencils and some mechanical pencils.
I suppose they all live in a box together because they still serve their purpose. Which is to say they are all still capable of putting a line on paper. Too good to throw away, but worthless to keep. I have a suspicion that there are a great many things in people's homes that fit that description.
So, what to do?
My current solution is to take an old cup (a mug works too) and put it on a desk at work and keep it stocked with pens and pencils. It seems to be a universal truth that unattended pens at work will find a new home and never return to the nest. It should be interesting to see how long they last.
I used to work retail, so people would always be leaving pens behind to become store pens. It was a great way to try out a variety of cheap pens. Let's be honest, most people are not walking around with expensive pens, and those that do tend to have the habits of keeping an eye on them, or putting them away as soon as they are done using them.
And promotional pens, there was always a collection of those. Like most promotional pens, they had less than a full load of ink. A lot of those ended in the trash fairly quickly.
But still, somehow, I have managed to accumulate what appears to be nearly a shoe box full of pens and pencils of various descriptions. If I am being truthful about it, most of those should have never made it this far in my life.
But there are some gems in there. I found my grandmother's Parker fountain pen. For some reason, there seems to be about ten fountain pens in total. Plus there are a lot of ballpoints, some gel pens, coloured pens and regular wooden pencils and some mechanical pencils.
I suppose they all live in a box together because they still serve their purpose. Which is to say they are all still capable of putting a line on paper. Too good to throw away, but worthless to keep. I have a suspicion that there are a great many things in people's homes that fit that description.
So, what to do?
My current solution is to take an old cup (a mug works too) and put it on a desk at work and keep it stocked with pens and pencils. It seems to be a universal truth that unattended pens at work will find a new home and never return to the nest. It should be interesting to see how long they last.
Saturday, 4 June 2016
June 4, 2016
I like watches.
Now, I may have too many - mostly because my family tended to hang on to things. And I have added to the collection - if that is an appropriate description.
For instance, I still have my first watch - given to me when I was still in single digits and learning how to tell time. I also have my dad's watch, plus both grandfathers pocket watches. And a bunch of ladies watches that I'm not sure about the history of. The ladies watches are all of the itty-bitty face variety that used to be popular for women.
I think, in the grand scheme of things, I should pare it down. I'm thinking of just keeping my dad's watch as a dress watch, and a plain quartz watch as a daily watch. I like the simplicity of that idea.
The truth is, I mostly just wear one watch. Emotions aside, I could live quite happily with just the one watch. And it's cheap enough that if something happened to it, no loss.
But... (and there's always a but!)
Mechanical watches are great to own, even if they don't keep time absolutely. Quartz watches are much better in that regard. I don't feel the same pride of ownership with a watch I have to put a battery in. So it can become hard to choose.
One thing I do know, after 50-ish years, I would feel lost without a watch.
Now, I may have too many - mostly because my family tended to hang on to things. And I have added to the collection - if that is an appropriate description.
For instance, I still have my first watch - given to me when I was still in single digits and learning how to tell time. I also have my dad's watch, plus both grandfathers pocket watches. And a bunch of ladies watches that I'm not sure about the history of. The ladies watches are all of the itty-bitty face variety that used to be popular for women.
I think, in the grand scheme of things, I should pare it down. I'm thinking of just keeping my dad's watch as a dress watch, and a plain quartz watch as a daily watch. I like the simplicity of that idea.
The truth is, I mostly just wear one watch. Emotions aside, I could live quite happily with just the one watch. And it's cheap enough that if something happened to it, no loss.
But... (and there's always a but!)
Mechanical watches are great to own, even if they don't keep time absolutely. Quartz watches are much better in that regard. I don't feel the same pride of ownership with a watch I have to put a battery in. So it can become hard to choose.
One thing I do know, after 50-ish years, I would feel lost without a watch.
Thursday, 2 June 2016
June 2, 2016
Mornings have to be the best time of day.
I'm usually the first one up, and make the coffee. So that means not only do I get the first cup when it's ready, I also get the house when it's quiet with no distractions.
The day is ahead of me, full of potential - this is the day I'm going to knuckle down on that project, or finish some jobs that need finishing. Not like evenings, when I think about what didn't get done, or forgotten about in the daily hustle of life. Evenings are a mix of disappointment in the my daily progress, and hope for tomorrow.
But mornings - full of hope, potential and renewal. Just like the sun comes up to start a new day, mornings (and morning coffee) signals a new start, a better start than yesterday. A day brimming with potential achievements that somehow in the morning, do not require as much work as they actually need when you start doing them.
Alone, with fresh coffee, the world is great - there are no setbacks, no changing plans. From your chair you rule the day with an iron fist, undisputed ruler of your life. Or so it seems anyway.
I'd be unstoppable, if I could only get started. But for now, there's more coffee in the pot.
Carpe Diem.
I'm usually the first one up, and make the coffee. So that means not only do I get the first cup when it's ready, I also get the house when it's quiet with no distractions.
The day is ahead of me, full of potential - this is the day I'm going to knuckle down on that project, or finish some jobs that need finishing. Not like evenings, when I think about what didn't get done, or forgotten about in the daily hustle of life. Evenings are a mix of disappointment in the my daily progress, and hope for tomorrow.
But mornings - full of hope, potential and renewal. Just like the sun comes up to start a new day, mornings (and morning coffee) signals a new start, a better start than yesterday. A day brimming with potential achievements that somehow in the morning, do not require as much work as they actually need when you start doing them.
Alone, with fresh coffee, the world is great - there are no setbacks, no changing plans. From your chair you rule the day with an iron fist, undisputed ruler of your life. Or so it seems anyway.
I'd be unstoppable, if I could only get started. But for now, there's more coffee in the pot.
Carpe Diem.
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
June 1, 2016
Batteries, why is it always batteries?
I suppose it's just a function of the times we live in - it seems everything needs a battery or two and all different sizes.
When I was in high school, the only things I owned that needed batteries was a Timex watch, a camera and a car. You replaced the battery when it stopped working, and you were good for another year, or two, or three, or more.
Not now. Devices are more sensitive, and batteries need replacing before they are completely exhausted. And they don't seem to last as long. And there are more of them. And the service isn't near what it was.
I'm looking at my car key, and the remote fob attached to it, and I know there is a battery in there for the times when I am too lazy to use the key in the door. But it's not the same size battery as the one in my camera, or my other camera, or in my watch, or in the house alarm remote.
I miss being a kid, when all I had to worry about was flashlight batteries, and either triple a or a nine volt battery for a radio. That was it. Two, at most three kinds of batteries, that you could buy at any store and be on your way. Yesterday I was in a store staring at a wall of batteries, all different sizes, shapes and voltages. With an empty spot for the kind I wanted to buy.
I'll try again today at another store. The kind I want should be easy to find, it will be the empty spot on the wall of batteries.
I suppose it's just a function of the times we live in - it seems everything needs a battery or two and all different sizes.
When I was in high school, the only things I owned that needed batteries was a Timex watch, a camera and a car. You replaced the battery when it stopped working, and you were good for another year, or two, or three, or more.
Not now. Devices are more sensitive, and batteries need replacing before they are completely exhausted. And they don't seem to last as long. And there are more of them. And the service isn't near what it was.
I'm looking at my car key, and the remote fob attached to it, and I know there is a battery in there for the times when I am too lazy to use the key in the door. But it's not the same size battery as the one in my camera, or my other camera, or in my watch, or in the house alarm remote.
I miss being a kid, when all I had to worry about was flashlight batteries, and either triple a or a nine volt battery for a radio. That was it. Two, at most three kinds of batteries, that you could buy at any store and be on your way. Yesterday I was in a store staring at a wall of batteries, all different sizes, shapes and voltages. With an empty spot for the kind I wanted to buy.
I'll try again today at another store. The kind I want should be easy to find, it will be the empty spot on the wall of batteries.
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
May 31, 2016
I have too much stuff.
The problem with stuff is that it somehow becomes a case of the tail wagging the dog. Which is to say, eventually, you don't own stuff - stuff owns you.
When I was little I used to dream that living in a castle or mansion would be cool. Now that I am older and more experienced, I envy the people in the magazine ads that show a room with plain white walls, hardwood floors and one chair and lamp. Truly minimalist.
I suppose neither of those choices are realistic, I do like to have stuff, and I really don't think I could live happily at either of those extremes.
So, the way I see it, the problem lies in having just the right amount of stuff. Enough to fulfill the desire to own things, enough to do what I need it to do, but not so much that I have no room left to buy any more or that I would be unable to move it all if I had to.
Tools are a great example. You want to have the tools you need to do the work you want to do, but not so much that you have to buy more storage for tools you will never use. There is something elegant about having just the right amount instead of having lots, but not what you need.
I used to feel I should keep every book I ever bought and read. Magazines too. After a bit, it turned out that was a bad plan. I had to keep buying bookshelves that started to take over the house. Books are great, but not that great!
So I come to where I am today. Still with too much stuff, but learning to let things go, throw things away and pare things down. I wish I could say it is going well, but it is a slow process. I'm trying to only keep things that I need, or use. And trying to part with things that I don't need, but just wanted to own.
It's tough, but so far, I'm winning and the boxes of storage are getting smaller and I've (mostly!) stopped buying things just because I want them.
The problem with stuff is that it somehow becomes a case of the tail wagging the dog. Which is to say, eventually, you don't own stuff - stuff owns you.
When I was little I used to dream that living in a castle or mansion would be cool. Now that I am older and more experienced, I envy the people in the magazine ads that show a room with plain white walls, hardwood floors and one chair and lamp. Truly minimalist.
I suppose neither of those choices are realistic, I do like to have stuff, and I really don't think I could live happily at either of those extremes.
So, the way I see it, the problem lies in having just the right amount of stuff. Enough to fulfill the desire to own things, enough to do what I need it to do, but not so much that I have no room left to buy any more or that I would be unable to move it all if I had to.
Tools are a great example. You want to have the tools you need to do the work you want to do, but not so much that you have to buy more storage for tools you will never use. There is something elegant about having just the right amount instead of having lots, but not what you need.
I used to feel I should keep every book I ever bought and read. Magazines too. After a bit, it turned out that was a bad plan. I had to keep buying bookshelves that started to take over the house. Books are great, but not that great!
So I come to where I am today. Still with too much stuff, but learning to let things go, throw things away and pare things down. I wish I could say it is going well, but it is a slow process. I'm trying to only keep things that I need, or use. And trying to part with things that I don't need, but just wanted to own.
It's tough, but so far, I'm winning and the boxes of storage are getting smaller and I've (mostly!) stopped buying things just because I want them.
Monday, 30 May 2016
May 30, 2016
I really should dig out my camera.
One of the things that I am trying to do is reconnect with past interests, and one of my earliest interests was black and white film photography.
As it turns out, my dad was interested in photography as a young man. He even had his own set up for developing and printing his own film. I suspect that is a part of what motivated my brother to have an interest in photography. And, because I wanted to be like big brother, I gained an interest too.
Some of my earliest memories involving pictures include standing outside with my brother while our grandmother took our picture. I still have some of those pictures, on our trikes, standing side by side in the yard, and first day of school pictures.
My other early photographic memories involved looking at pictures stored in a box. Pictures of family members when they were younger, some pictures of me as a baby, and pictures of my brother.
So, when my brother joined the high school photo club, that was something I wanted to do too. In time, we both had cameras and took many pictures with them. My brother was more interested in photographing nature, I was more interested in people. Our dad helped us by building a small darkroom in the house - a place where we could develop film, and make our own black and white prints. When I finally got to join the high school photo club, I was already able to do the basics.
I never did get into doing my own colour work, although my brother did some of his own. I shot and printed a lot in high school, cut back a lot in university, and since then, have been sporadic in how much work I did with a camera.
My dad and brother are both gone now, but I still have their cameras - as well as a lot of equipment that we gathered over the years. Cameras range from half frame to four by five sheet film, as well as an enlarger that will handle those formats.
In addition to the equipment, I have what is most valuable to me; memories, and many pictures of my dad and brother. And the skills they taught me.
I think it's time to bond again with photography and, in do that, bond again with my dad and brother.
Now, where's the camera... and do they still make film?
One of the things that I am trying to do is reconnect with past interests, and one of my earliest interests was black and white film photography.
As it turns out, my dad was interested in photography as a young man. He even had his own set up for developing and printing his own film. I suspect that is a part of what motivated my brother to have an interest in photography. And, because I wanted to be like big brother, I gained an interest too.
Some of my earliest memories involving pictures include standing outside with my brother while our grandmother took our picture. I still have some of those pictures, on our trikes, standing side by side in the yard, and first day of school pictures.
My other early photographic memories involved looking at pictures stored in a box. Pictures of family members when they were younger, some pictures of me as a baby, and pictures of my brother.
So, when my brother joined the high school photo club, that was something I wanted to do too. In time, we both had cameras and took many pictures with them. My brother was more interested in photographing nature, I was more interested in people. Our dad helped us by building a small darkroom in the house - a place where we could develop film, and make our own black and white prints. When I finally got to join the high school photo club, I was already able to do the basics.
I never did get into doing my own colour work, although my brother did some of his own. I shot and printed a lot in high school, cut back a lot in university, and since then, have been sporadic in how much work I did with a camera.
My dad and brother are both gone now, but I still have their cameras - as well as a lot of equipment that we gathered over the years. Cameras range from half frame to four by five sheet film, as well as an enlarger that will handle those formats.
In addition to the equipment, I have what is most valuable to me; memories, and many pictures of my dad and brother. And the skills they taught me.
I think it's time to bond again with photography and, in do that, bond again with my dad and brother.
Now, where's the camera... and do they still make film?
Sunday, 29 May 2016
May 29, 2016
I love my job.
I realize that isn't the case for everyone, even though we've all been told at one point to 'do what you love, and you'll never have to work.'
That's true. The first time I tried doing what I do was in the fall of 1980, at university. I had no idea what I was doing, no real direction, no one to mentor me, but I fell in love with it. Too much maybe.
I never did graduate from university, I spent too much time hanging out with my new love, and the oddball cast of characters that congregated there. Characters that are still my friends today. So I guess the time and money spent at university weren't wasted.
Your life changes after university, mostly in better ways. But life can be bittersweet. Friends drift away, relationships come and go, and eventually people in your life start to die.
But they only leave your life in the physical, here and now, sense. You always carry part of them in your heart, and in your memories. Physically, we still have photographs and mementos.
If you are lucky, those past experiences can shore you up at times you feel like you're falling. Or give you a foundation to build your life and love upon.
I've been very lucky, my family gave me so much to build upon - memories, examples of a life lived well. Not rich, but well. They are physically gone now, leaving me the last surviving member of my immediate family. But it's a rare day that I don't think of them.
I'm in a great relationship now - actually two relationships. One with the most amazing woman, and the other is a relationship that goes back to the fall of 1980. And the first time I sat in the chair in the student union building in front of a microphone at the campus radio station.
I'll be doing that today, probably less that a mile away from that first experience. The only changes are that now I get paid, have less hair and (hopefully) have gotten better.
I get to go play radio today. I love my job.
I realize that isn't the case for everyone, even though we've all been told at one point to 'do what you love, and you'll never have to work.'
That's true. The first time I tried doing what I do was in the fall of 1980, at university. I had no idea what I was doing, no real direction, no one to mentor me, but I fell in love with it. Too much maybe.
I never did graduate from university, I spent too much time hanging out with my new love, and the oddball cast of characters that congregated there. Characters that are still my friends today. So I guess the time and money spent at university weren't wasted.
Your life changes after university, mostly in better ways. But life can be bittersweet. Friends drift away, relationships come and go, and eventually people in your life start to die.
But they only leave your life in the physical, here and now, sense. You always carry part of them in your heart, and in your memories. Physically, we still have photographs and mementos.
If you are lucky, those past experiences can shore you up at times you feel like you're falling. Or give you a foundation to build your life and love upon.
I've been very lucky, my family gave me so much to build upon - memories, examples of a life lived well. Not rich, but well. They are physically gone now, leaving me the last surviving member of my immediate family. But it's a rare day that I don't think of them.
I'm in a great relationship now - actually two relationships. One with the most amazing woman, and the other is a relationship that goes back to the fall of 1980. And the first time I sat in the chair in the student union building in front of a microphone at the campus radio station.
I'll be doing that today, probably less that a mile away from that first experience. The only changes are that now I get paid, have less hair and (hopefully) have gotten better.
I get to go play radio today. I love my job.
Friday, 27 May 2016
May 27, 2016
I shave everyday - but that wasn't always the case.
Starting in high school, I would take 'shaving vacations' starting maybe in December and lasting until April. Not exactly a winter beard, but pretty close. I used to find that by the time April would roll around, I was pretty tired of having a beard.
I stopped doing that after I noticed that I was getting more grey each year. A little was ok, but I was getting more than a little. So shaving is now a daily ritual.
About a year ago, I started getting more interested in the products available for shaving. I had been quite content for many years using what was basically my grandfather's setup: Palmolive shave cream and a safety razor. After I couldn't get the Palmolive locally, I switched to using cans of goo with mixed feelings. I missed using a brush, and could never get just the right amount of product. And there I stagnated.
Until last year, when I started searching for tubes of Palmolive shave cream. Pretty innocent, but I quickly found several online retailers and websites supplying and touting the whole process of wet shaving. While I know, in the back of my mind, that there were more products out there than I was interested in, I was surprised by how many different manufacturers there are of shaving gear.
After a few days (weeks) of reading, browsing and frowning at some of the comments and how many disciples there are of the church of wet shaving, desire took over. Was there a best shaving cream? What about razor blades? Look at all the different kinds (and sizes) of brushes! And scents - where to start?
Eventually, I calmed down and started to think about what it was I wanted to change, in what order, and at what cost. While I don't mind paying the price for better products, I had very little experience in the variety of products available. And variety may be too small a word - on the internet, you can find and have access to products from all over the world.
So, I decided to start small, shaving cream. That was what started this particular adventure, so it should make a good beginning. The first package that came to the mailbox was Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood shaving cream.
I have to say, I absolutely fell in love with it! Easy to use, creamy and a very pleasant scent. But... what do the other creams feel like? And what about different interpretations of sandalwood?
Package number two is Geo F Trumper Sandalwood shave cream. Different texture, and a lighter scent. Very easy to use, but overall I think I prefer the Taylor of Old Bond Street. Fortunately these are consumables, so I can work my way through them without waste and in a leisurely fashion.
There are still more Sandalwood creams to try, I haven't even considered soaps yet, let alone razor blades. This could turn a morning ritual into something more engaging and interesting than just a chore to get through to be presentable for the day. I think I'm going to have fun!
Oh, and the Palmolive that stated this quest - they were out.
Starting in high school, I would take 'shaving vacations' starting maybe in December and lasting until April. Not exactly a winter beard, but pretty close. I used to find that by the time April would roll around, I was pretty tired of having a beard.
I stopped doing that after I noticed that I was getting more grey each year. A little was ok, but I was getting more than a little. So shaving is now a daily ritual.
About a year ago, I started getting more interested in the products available for shaving. I had been quite content for many years using what was basically my grandfather's setup: Palmolive shave cream and a safety razor. After I couldn't get the Palmolive locally, I switched to using cans of goo with mixed feelings. I missed using a brush, and could never get just the right amount of product. And there I stagnated.
Until last year, when I started searching for tubes of Palmolive shave cream. Pretty innocent, but I quickly found several online retailers and websites supplying and touting the whole process of wet shaving. While I know, in the back of my mind, that there were more products out there than I was interested in, I was surprised by how many different manufacturers there are of shaving gear.
After a few days (weeks) of reading, browsing and frowning at some of the comments and how many disciples there are of the church of wet shaving, desire took over. Was there a best shaving cream? What about razor blades? Look at all the different kinds (and sizes) of brushes! And scents - where to start?
Eventually, I calmed down and started to think about what it was I wanted to change, in what order, and at what cost. While I don't mind paying the price for better products, I had very little experience in the variety of products available. And variety may be too small a word - on the internet, you can find and have access to products from all over the world.
So, I decided to start small, shaving cream. That was what started this particular adventure, so it should make a good beginning. The first package that came to the mailbox was Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood shaving cream.
I have to say, I absolutely fell in love with it! Easy to use, creamy and a very pleasant scent. But... what do the other creams feel like? And what about different interpretations of sandalwood?
Package number two is Geo F Trumper Sandalwood shave cream. Different texture, and a lighter scent. Very easy to use, but overall I think I prefer the Taylor of Old Bond Street. Fortunately these are consumables, so I can work my way through them without waste and in a leisurely fashion.
There are still more Sandalwood creams to try, I haven't even considered soaps yet, let alone razor blades. This could turn a morning ritual into something more engaging and interesting than just a chore to get through to be presentable for the day. I think I'm going to have fun!
Oh, and the Palmolive that stated this quest - they were out.
Thursday, 26 May 2016
May 26, 2016
I may have overestimated how much it would cost to replace my nearly forty year old pen. Research on eBay shows several examples from $20 to over $100 for used and new Parker Flighter 45 GT. Apparently the 'GT' stands for gold trim.
I still don't feel right about simply replacing my old pen with exactly the same pen. Somehow, it feels like if I do that, I would disrespect the great service that pen gave me. Silly, I know - but it's been said that you can never go home again. Perhaps that's true as well for items that have become more than just a tool to do a job, but have instead become an extension of you. Showing it's own scars and having it's own, shared, story.
My current think is to find a new pen. One that comes new in it's package, ready to be slipped into a pocket and unmarked for now. There is something optimistic about a new pen - what jobs will it be asked to do aside for the mundane. Will I use it to sign cheques for large purchases? I know I will use it to fill out paperwork at work. Grocery lists? Love notes? The weekly grocery list?
It looks like a TWSBI ballpoint might be a good fit. I know I will like how it puts ink on the page since it uses Parker refills. But how will it feel in the hand? Is it well balanced? Will I enjoy writing with it? I suppose the only way to find out is to try to find one.
Unless something else shiny come my way.
I still don't feel right about simply replacing my old pen with exactly the same pen. Somehow, it feels like if I do that, I would disrespect the great service that pen gave me. Silly, I know - but it's been said that you can never go home again. Perhaps that's true as well for items that have become more than just a tool to do a job, but have instead become an extension of you. Showing it's own scars and having it's own, shared, story.
My current think is to find a new pen. One that comes new in it's package, ready to be slipped into a pocket and unmarked for now. There is something optimistic about a new pen - what jobs will it be asked to do aside for the mundane. Will I use it to sign cheques for large purchases? I know I will use it to fill out paperwork at work. Grocery lists? Love notes? The weekly grocery list?
It looks like a TWSBI ballpoint might be a good fit. I know I will like how it puts ink on the page since it uses Parker refills. But how will it feel in the hand? Is it well balanced? Will I enjoy writing with it? I suppose the only way to find out is to try to find one.
Unless something else shiny come my way.
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
May 25, 2016
I need a pen.
That may not sound like much of a problem, after all, I have a box full of pens. But....
The problem is that I have small handwriting, so anything that leaves a large line just looks like ink blobs on the page with only ascenders and descenders to hint at what the word may be. When I first discovered mechanical pencils with 0.5mm lead, I was happy that I finally had something that wrote finely enough for me. Unfortunately, schoolwork often had to be passed in written in ink.
I struggled with ballpoint pens, looking for one that had a fine enough tip and reliable ink flow. Did I mention I also have a very light hand and don't press hard on the paper? For a while, I even tried fountain pens - they certainly wrote wet enough.
Eventually I tried fine tip ballpoint pens, but they needed me to press a little harder to write without skipping. Of course, using cheap paper for school also meant that the pen would pick up paper fibers and develop a blobby look on the page, or worse, leave an ink hairball.
By High School, I had settled on Parker pens as my go-to writing tool. My only complaint was that I would sometimes sit on them, and break the plastic barrel. So, in 1979, I bought a stainless steel Parker with gold trim. Unlike other pens that had a button on top, this one was cap actuated. At last, I had a pen that I truly enjoyed using and owning.
That pen got me through High School, University, and running a business. Except now, 37 years later, I seem to have worn it out. The cap won't stay on, often falling off and allowing the spring to pop free. The gold has worn away from the clip, but the stainless steel barrel still looks good!
I suppose I could just look online and find an exact replacement. Except, it wouldn't really be an exact replacement - it would be a new pen, that just happened to be like my old pen. I have looked, and it appears that the closest I can find is a Parker Flighter ballpoint. At this writing, I could get one around $90.
I'm not sure I want to replace it with one that looks the same. After all, I have managed to hang on to this one for nearly forty years! Somehow, I would feel like I was betraying an old friend - one that lived in my pocket on nearly a daily basis for that long.
So, I think it's time to find my next pen - the one that will live in my pocket for (hopefully) the next forty years. Online research, here I come.
Oh, and that box full of pens I have? The result of pens being tried, or left behind by others, or acquired while in business. Some have company names on them, some were 'won' in the game of 'can I steal this pen from the salesman?' And all of them, very cheap.
That may not sound like much of a problem, after all, I have a box full of pens. But....
The problem is that I have small handwriting, so anything that leaves a large line just looks like ink blobs on the page with only ascenders and descenders to hint at what the word may be. When I first discovered mechanical pencils with 0.5mm lead, I was happy that I finally had something that wrote finely enough for me. Unfortunately, schoolwork often had to be passed in written in ink.
I struggled with ballpoint pens, looking for one that had a fine enough tip and reliable ink flow. Did I mention I also have a very light hand and don't press hard on the paper? For a while, I even tried fountain pens - they certainly wrote wet enough.
Eventually I tried fine tip ballpoint pens, but they needed me to press a little harder to write without skipping. Of course, using cheap paper for school also meant that the pen would pick up paper fibers and develop a blobby look on the page, or worse, leave an ink hairball.
By High School, I had settled on Parker pens as my go-to writing tool. My only complaint was that I would sometimes sit on them, and break the plastic barrel. So, in 1979, I bought a stainless steel Parker with gold trim. Unlike other pens that had a button on top, this one was cap actuated. At last, I had a pen that I truly enjoyed using and owning.
That pen got me through High School, University, and running a business. Except now, 37 years later, I seem to have worn it out. The cap won't stay on, often falling off and allowing the spring to pop free. The gold has worn away from the clip, but the stainless steel barrel still looks good!
I suppose I could just look online and find an exact replacement. Except, it wouldn't really be an exact replacement - it would be a new pen, that just happened to be like my old pen. I have looked, and it appears that the closest I can find is a Parker Flighter ballpoint. At this writing, I could get one around $90.
I'm not sure I want to replace it with one that looks the same. After all, I have managed to hang on to this one for nearly forty years! Somehow, I would feel like I was betraying an old friend - one that lived in my pocket on nearly a daily basis for that long.
So, I think it's time to find my next pen - the one that will live in my pocket for (hopefully) the next forty years. Online research, here I come.
Oh, and that box full of pens I have? The result of pens being tried, or left behind by others, or acquired while in business. Some have company names on them, some were 'won' in the game of 'can I steal this pen from the salesman?' And all of them, very cheap.
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
May 24, 2016
I turned 55 this year, and like most people, I've had my ups and downs. This year seems like a good one, but I have been thinking about things I have yet to do, or have let fall by the wayside. I suppose it's part of the realization that I have (probably!) passed the halfway point in life.
Part of that has to do with the fact that I have been alive longer than either my mom or brother, 53, and 54, respectively, when they passed. So, I suppose it is only natural to reflect on what is behind me in life, as well as what is ahead of me.
I still have dreams and goals, some very 'pie in the sky' and some far more prosaic. I wouldn't call them Bucket List items, that's too lofty a term; opportunities, maybe is the word I want. Opportunities to just jump in the car and drive to see where I end up; the opportunity to ride in a hot-air balloon, or just to wander around with a camera to see what I can see.
I've chosen to call this blog 'Driven' because I love to drive - my commute for work is 75.5km each way. And because, at age 55, I find myself to be more driven - not in the goal-driven sense, but to do more, to be better, to get better. Perhaps even to live better.
Honestly, I can't wait to see what is next!
Part of that has to do with the fact that I have been alive longer than either my mom or brother, 53, and 54, respectively, when they passed. So, I suppose it is only natural to reflect on what is behind me in life, as well as what is ahead of me.
I still have dreams and goals, some very 'pie in the sky' and some far more prosaic. I wouldn't call them Bucket List items, that's too lofty a term; opportunities, maybe is the word I want. Opportunities to just jump in the car and drive to see where I end up; the opportunity to ride in a hot-air balloon, or just to wander around with a camera to see what I can see.
I've chosen to call this blog 'Driven' because I love to drive - my commute for work is 75.5km each way. And because, at age 55, I find myself to be more driven - not in the goal-driven sense, but to do more, to be better, to get better. Perhaps even to live better.
Honestly, I can't wait to see what is next!
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