tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23268587154629490292024-03-06T00:13:05.559-10:00The Flat TireA Sketch of Life in One Point PerspectiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-90657845380536788332019-07-13T01:31:00.000-10:002019-07-13T01:31:43.415-10:00A Tale of Two PicturesThe Closer.<br />
That's me.<br />
No, I'm not Kyra Sedgwick.<br />
Way too fat.<br />
I did close deals though.<br />
For four and half years, I was a closer.<br />
The salesman would line his customers up, and then I would go in, most times cold, and close the deal. <br />
So I think I got qualifications.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHjkNC8bkxaoPv4T_M-X6LOM-yAes8rUwxCUELxm1nrbyX_fVxmR4anR_VGTXT0F2u0b5ZwzzybgLCe6qXSu5VkG3dFYZNpW5v96qa0bQHjABgykLhPlJMjjZzcifXDel-_vqDcIrE58/s1600/trumpputin-1-796x491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="796" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHjkNC8bkxaoPv4T_M-X6LOM-yAes8rUwxCUELxm1nrbyX_fVxmR4anR_VGTXT0F2u0b5ZwzzybgLCe6qXSu5VkG3dFYZNpW5v96qa0bQHjABgykLhPlJMjjZzcifXDel-_vqDcIrE58/s640/trumpputin-1-796x491.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Something bothers me about this image.</div>
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If I was going into this room cold, trying to close a deal, do I talk to the guy on the left, or the guy on the right?</div>
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Who has the power here?</div>
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The guy on the right, look at his posture.</div>
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Relaxed, sitting back in the chair, appears to be observing.</div>
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What is he saying?</div>
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He doesn't have to say anything.</div>
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The guy on the left?</div>
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Apprehensive, sitting on the edge of his seat.</div>
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Looks a little unsure.</div>
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Goofing around with his hands.</div>
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Waiting for the other guy to say something.</div>
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Better yet, <i>looking </i>for the other guy to say something.</div>
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What is this guy <i>trying </i>to say?</div>
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I'll deal with the guy on the left, but look to the guy on the right when it's time to close.</div>
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I know he has the final say.</div>
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Obvious, no?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmDJGelJuhYj_JcmFsO8ExGXrXjwVgdK8abjyHa2-yl1BNGYjRk_TaB9HHCOtI-af77NV5lsEATQ00JoOT5b93YqqSWs2diwi7HKXJXfbXOyK0QEhjptJ5wrnu1pY8uPyKwKm0MP6jgk/s1600/FT_14.07.24_ObamaPutin640x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmDJGelJuhYj_JcmFsO8ExGXrXjwVgdK8abjyHa2-yl1BNGYjRk_TaB9HHCOtI-af77NV5lsEATQ00JoOT5b93YqqSWs2diwi7HKXJXfbXOyK0QEhjptJ5wrnu1pY8uPyKwKm0MP6jgk/s640/FT_14.07.24_ObamaPutin640x300.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Whose the boss here?</div>
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Kinda hard to tell really.</div>
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Then again the guy on the right looks like he's waiting for the guy on the left to tell him to go somewhere.</div>
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Or maybe the guy on the right just knows his place.</div>
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Who do you close here?</div>
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Pretty obvious.</div>
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The guy on the right looks like he has no business being there.</div>
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I'll talk to the guy on the left.</div>
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A closer.</div>
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You have to be able to read it, most times within five seconds or you're not going anywhere.</div>
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I'll be first to admit that sometimes I got it wrong.</div>
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Then again you don't make a living at it by being wrong.</div>
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I try not to be political.</div>
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I don't even vote.</div>
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I can observe.</div>
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A tale of two pictures.</div>
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You don't even have to be Captain Obvious.</div>
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Thanks to Getty Images for the pics.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-74158528320530576972019-07-03T10:57:00.001-10:002019-07-03T10:57:16.906-10:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ySleI-zyZ9rNXw0pykghNQz1Wiqzft2VpoZCz14nmckdqV4dWRLxk3wAqvxFGlgzL92cm6dlIIGMNlUsiEB03ei1CyoQellhrAakun1r7qIe4KRoqNHbwcvUmcGl-M6Unqdx6uSgiA4/s1600/Untitled.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ySleI-zyZ9rNXw0pykghNQz1Wiqzft2VpoZCz14nmckdqV4dWRLxk3wAqvxFGlgzL92cm6dlIIGMNlUsiEB03ei1CyoQellhrAakun1r7qIe4KRoqNHbwcvUmcGl-M6Unqdx6uSgiA4/s640/Untitled.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Back on the road!<br />
er...gravel...<br />
whateverUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-30224992291568097252017-08-30T15:36:00.000-10:002017-08-30T15:36:09.148-10:00The Keys to a KeyWell.<br />
Been a while.<br />
Busy getting the next generation ready for the real world.<br />
Sort of.<br />
Also been hamming it up!<br />
Radio ham I mean.<br />
Also got back into CW, which in ham talk is carrier wave or for you laymans out there, morse code.<br />
I got me some new keys, as opposed to the old key, and I wanted to share some thoughts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjxZnGgPK-7X_VvFNAJMXhnVvP87_07pVh5uvnC8q0-ZfyGC-8wLb5w040NAQEg-_9VEPtgAeMoXZFNV7oIjpIetnr7HSp9-SJn5mxlcrX6bmjhgaHtllClFXBPvSCrKbM86G2OsHFXw/s1600/IMG_2658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjxZnGgPK-7X_VvFNAJMXhnVvP87_07pVh5uvnC8q0-ZfyGC-8wLb5w040NAQEg-_9VEPtgAeMoXZFNV7oIjpIetnr7HSp9-SJn5mxlcrX6bmjhgaHtllClFXBPvSCrKbM86G2OsHFXw/s400/IMG_2658.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's my old key.<br />
The key I started with way back when, a Viking Speed-X.<br />
Not a great key, but a good inexpensive key.<br />
Oh yes, telegraph keys can get a bit pricey.<br />
Anyways, since I'm getting back in the whole thing I figured there must be some newfangled keys by now; the last time I shopped for a key was like thirty years ago.<br />
Off to the eVilness!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCAEvISZ9whJBDd4T4pgp7b3Nq2ckmfMWjjfahBGpj5hALF_ogND2RfRllaY_yET1l6ozCZNPAOqvidwkwwEc_Fsrns_qKhEru5EbVAgXR8CAHkWMBfuKp5su2-7RFEM0UMaTUjg1AIU/s1600/DSC_8050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCAEvISZ9whJBDd4T4pgp7b3Nq2ckmfMWjjfahBGpj5hALF_ogND2RfRllaY_yET1l6ozCZNPAOqvidwkwwEc_Fsrns_qKhEru5EbVAgXR8CAHkWMBfuKp5su2-7RFEM0UMaTUjg1AIU/s400/DSC_8050.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Navy Flameproof key!<br />
I believe produced during the war by four different manufacturers. Called Flameproof because the key was sealed where contact was made therefore it wouldn't/shouldn't start any fires/explosions if there were any flammable fumes in the air.<br />
Great key!<br />
Sort of takes some getting used to because it's difficult to practice with unless it's plugged in. <br />
I believe contact is made on an upstroke so you hear both the key up and down.<br />
Better to plug it in and hear a tone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gE0Ve5ghnrwGnb8udwRPUy-zpC9V1o6HoI5C0VMdUqBLZ54HGs9_1CrV8hRibTZnu5EDchZ_gPkxcY-kw8qxCcTSvyL1BF6dkT-Ll6kHpVM7qnGAnaLB5Wg0m0DZybNPFdA3nm83Bi8/s1600/DSC_8054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gE0Ve5ghnrwGnb8udwRPUy-zpC9V1o6HoI5C0VMdUqBLZ54HGs9_1CrV8hRibTZnu5EDchZ_gPkxcY-kw8qxCcTSvyL1BF6dkT-Ll6kHpVM7qnGAnaLB5Wg0m0DZybNPFdA3nm83Bi8/s400/DSC_8054.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Vizkey Camelback.<br />
Steppin up the plate now!<br />
I had to wait like five weeks for this puppy!<br />
The camelback design is because of course, the hump on the lever.<br />
Machined in brass and SS, it is a very nice key.<br />
Except.<br />
Except it's a bit touchy.<br />
I mean for me and my style of keying, it's a bit difficult to adjust. There is definitely a sweet spot, and if I'm not in that sweet spot, I sound like my five year old nephew trying to call CQ.<br />
Very strange!<br />
The Viking key, while simpler in design, has a wider range of operation. I mean you don't need to be right on in your adjustments in order to send decent code.<br />
On the Vizkey, <i>for me,</i> it has to be 'right there' or my dits sound strained and hurried; just plain bad.<br />
I was a little disappointed when I first got it for I had hard time setting it up.<br />
Again, that's just me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIqsCt82ZAAUj1rWrEdOP3uoAmzGVlnYgE7OJHI9Gkt8YKCBZY9_RY1mDAE6FZ22UD5hqJbJUmo32m2SWbc6g7i6PiEWV5477k65kB1HfFtEyRHimK_s83dnM9ehh6ruAlA6w-aEwkQk/s1600/DSC_8058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIqsCt82ZAAUj1rWrEdOP3uoAmzGVlnYgE7OJHI9Gkt8YKCBZY9_RY1mDAE6FZ22UD5hqJbJUmo32m2SWbc6g7i6PiEWV5477k65kB1HfFtEyRHimK_s83dnM9ehh6ruAlA6w-aEwkQk/s400/DSC_8058.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now we're talking.<br />
I mean keying.<br />
PB213 by Phil Boyle, <a href="http://g0nvtclassickeys.weebly.com/">G0NVT.</a><br />
After fooling with it a bit and reading the instructions! this key is really really really nice.<br />
Did I say this key was really nice?<br />
It's honking big!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8tpw0DIo0AbLCymcqwv5AWxt_JDpoEfmttGsnCWVZEc_Qbi5jORQtcaX4Uht9Z55P-Pyyjgn_Vh78-APzZtpqShU7707bnGoFi5p2JGXRIHbe7eeq7E2WuNkmwVMHluJ_aSa_g7giOI/s1600/DSC_8062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8tpw0DIo0AbLCymcqwv5AWxt_JDpoEfmttGsnCWVZEc_Qbi5jORQtcaX4Uht9Z55P-Pyyjgn_Vh78-APzZtpqShU7707bnGoFi5p2JGXRIHbe7eeq7E2WuNkmwVMHluJ_aSa_g7giOI/s400/DSC_8062.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not an illusion, that's the Vizkey right behind.<br />
This is a man sized key for man sized morse code!<br />
Sorry for the inferior images, this key is hard to shoot since its all chrome and black.<br />
This key has two adjustments as usual, but besides the spring load, the contact is in the rear and spring loaded upwards also. <br />
It has a very unique feel, not like a regular key and not unlike the Navy Flameproof, except smoother.<br />
Phil has made some changes to the original 213 design and I like it.<br />
Flat Tire Approved!<br />
Spend the cash, it's worth it.<br />
I didn't think keys would be that different.<br />
Of course I don't have years of CW time though long ago when I first got my ticket I was all CW all the time. My Viking treated me well.<br />
If you the reader, have been following along at home, then you also know that these aren't the only keys I have.<br />
I also have two other inexpensive keys I fool with.<br />
Bottom line is, the key <i>does </i>make a difference in the way you send code.<br />
It can make it easier, or harder, and just plain more enjoyable!<br />
Okay, I'll say it again: image is everything.<br />
So if you have a honking big key then at least you look like you know what you're doing!<br />
I mean if you got a key like that, you better be sending at like 5 gagillion words a minute!<br />
I'm up to around 10.<br />
Words per minute that is.<br />
Of course this is not the end of Quest for Key (QFK).<br />
There is this guy in Italy...<br />
More on that later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-61539013931869192232016-08-27T14:37:00.000-10:002016-08-27T14:37:13.326-10:00WWDThat's right.<br />
WWD baby!<br />
Once I get going there's no stopping me!<br />
I think.<br />
Well, here's the evidence:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIJevFBiQyuwX1BThQK8_BsjEzPc870GIAFe0Y2JmWgm2FP0yeUPgvIB8nQIoVfaC8_xZyTM8c1nGxNxcjrT9vMYwX8aIhBDMVaRGXR29f1RnQRa1d750R9OyCS1fVfYf3UZ5irKqBn4/s1600/IMG_2436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIJevFBiQyuwX1BThQK8_BsjEzPc870GIAFe0Y2JmWgm2FP0yeUPgvIB8nQIoVfaC8_xZyTM8c1nGxNxcjrT9vMYwX8aIhBDMVaRGXR29f1RnQRa1d750R9OyCS1fVfYf3UZ5irKqBn4/s400/IMG_2436.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My new to me transceiver!<br />
Oh yeah baby a dual band VHF/UHF radio!<br />
First of all lemme tell you, ham radio has changed since the last time I keyed a microphone.<br />
Now everyone is linked up on the internets via things called nodes and you can pretty much talk world wide on UHF.<br />
That's like the 70cm band in ham talk.<br />
Back in the olden days UHF was pretty much dead.<br />
I mean you could talk on it, but no one did cause most of the action was on VHF.<br />
By the way, VHF stands for Very High Frequency.<br />
Guess what UHF is...<br />
That's right!<br />
Ultra High Frequency!<br />
Boy, you gotta hand it to those FCC dudes to come up with some fancy names for radio frequencies.<br />
Anyways, I've been monitoring this thing called the <a href="http://www.winsystem.org/">Winsystem</a>, a system of repeaters and nodes that are pretty much world wide.<br />
Interesting to listen to say, England on the FM side of radio.<br />
The only times I ever got into Europe was on CW (carrier wave) using Morse code.<br />
Now the world is just a mike key away!<br />
So anyways, I was thinking long and hard between paychecks about what kind of station I wanted to do.<br />
First of all, I wanted to have independent power:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYl7sHr5luTvjYAqGcVnbtEs3ln0XrR0x-4X2aTUJW3xys_VMaQ_m6Dthl-d21pqPWsaFmTCx-VQDPQvl-zt_Okce4Ei7DwgBmJtFp-kpcksT7Y1BDW2WU0dvoKVGkzKzd7iF7fH4-a_Y/s1600/IMG_2431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYl7sHr5luTvjYAqGcVnbtEs3ln0XrR0x-4X2aTUJW3xys_VMaQ_m6Dthl-d21pqPWsaFmTCx-VQDPQvl-zt_Okce4Ei7DwgBmJtFp-kpcksT7Y1BDW2WU0dvoKVGkzKzd7iF7fH4-a_Y/s400/IMG_2431.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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There's my deep cycle 12 volt marine battery sitting outside on my lanai.<br />
Along with all the wires sticking out from under my window.<br />
I may eventually use two batteries running is series so I have some reserve power.<br />
For now I got this:<br />
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Slow rate trickle charger, about 1.5 amps.<br />
That will be the back up, you know, in case it rains cause the next step is a solar charging panel.<br />
Looks I need about 25 watts, but I'm still researching that part.<br />
Because of my building I'm only getting direct sun about half the day, that's why I need the back up trickle charger.<br />
I'm running a sort of portable antenna for now, but a real one is on the way.<br />
I sort of wanted to make sure I wanted to really get back into being a ham until spending the big bucks.<br />
Which I'm starting to spend.<br />
Oh boy.<br />
Actually it's not so bad since there's like tons of used stuff on the eVilness and it's not like you can reinvent the radio.<br />
One of the first things I got was a new microphone.<br />
I mean sounding good is everything.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
So off I went in search of audio bliss:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClYKKsB96-0gGRZyW1G89lb3M40aFf_IgGhiv616wB4klVASW8amFyGogvM0lQLrb5LwoM_tBm8nnrvrmuFjxd7e-JLPnDDNwX5TLQGuCi3wJBNvSPef7rtC1zPIcBR5xDRuj1QmP7TQ/s1600/IMG_2438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClYKKsB96-0gGRZyW1G89lb3M40aFf_IgGhiv616wB4klVASW8amFyGogvM0lQLrb5LwoM_tBm8nnrvrmuFjxd7e-JLPnDDNwX5TLQGuCi3wJBNvSPef7rtC1zPIcBR5xDRuj1QmP7TQ/s400/IMG_2438.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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That's right static fans!<br />
The World Wide Turner +3 desk mike!<br />
You are not a radio operator unless you've had one of these babies!<br />
All good except these were designed for CB radio and for AM and SSB use.<br />
Not for FM.<br />
Which is what I'm talking on.<br />
Thankfully it sounds pretty good on FM because I got two of em.<br />
You know, one for a back up.<br />
Okay, so I'm on my way!<br />
Burning up the airwaves!<br />
World Wide Domination (WWD) is next!<br />
I even found my old key:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw15HI-1424AcUnk8G5TjRmlMnNZDpRw1MAzD0ASr_Vrz_riMiv2AjaSlKhFKvinPCNDOfJQmTazWgmu1VXoaPophVxjyhpTmrYQRBX_DmHjLsoEWo9YDUtt3FnygpwhBbu75EV6qNog/s1600/IMG_2435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw15HI-1424AcUnk8G5TjRmlMnNZDpRw1MAzD0ASr_Vrz_riMiv2AjaSlKhFKvinPCNDOfJQmTazWgmu1VXoaPophVxjyhpTmrYQRBX_DmHjLsoEWo9YDUtt3FnygpwhBbu75EV6qNog/s400/IMG_2435.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-25797030332548929372016-08-06T11:03:00.000-10:002016-08-06T11:03:22.800-10:00 Hamming It Up!So to speak.<br />
Like kind of.<br />
I mean, I just started so technically I haven't really been hamming it up yet.<br />
Well, I mean I haven't <i>just</i> started, I started like 20 years ago.<br />
From the beginning.<br />
Okay, not from the way back beginning, but the present day beginning.<br />
Sort of.<br />
Anyways, so I've always had a fascination with radio.<br />
Back when I was shorter, I made one of them crystal radio kits and used to listen to this Hawaiian station that went off the air at like 4:30 in the PM.<br />
It was the only station I could receive.<br />
I used to look at that thing, the crystal radio, and wonder how the hell I was hearing music when there's like <i>no</i> batteries<br />
Then much later there was the CB thing in the seventies, which was fun, then the CB thing again in the nineties, which was fun too, but that led to my amateur radio ticket.<br />
Which was fun too, but only lasted a couple of years.<br />
Listen: <i>you talk on that radio more than you talk to me!</i><br />
Something had to go in the closet and well, it was the radio.<br />
Flash forward to about a month ago.<br />
Surfing the ole eVilness, I came across a short wave band radio.<br />
Well if you've been following along at home you, the reader, know that I already have a shortwave radio.<br />
Not that I listen to a lot of short wave, but at least I can.<br />
So I'm looking at that short wave radio, wondering where the hell my radio is.<br />
It was in my classroom thankfully.<br />
Well it got me thinking, it would be kinda nice to have one in the classroom and one at home.<br />
You know, just in case.<br />
Then I get this email from one of my local Flickr pals.<br />
<i>Hey dude, I remember you mentioned you were a ham so I was just checking and I noticed that your ticket is about to expire! Better renew!</i><br />
Wow thanks!<br />
Didn't really think about it too much.<br />
Until...<br />
Okay, I got this license that took a bit to get.<br />
Why not renew even I haven't thought about it for like fifteen years.<br />
Long story short:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntjX-bVBOJuwGLHzGW7GxhIzEE_IZBRS6CvK2Ksya9Bxcw2dc09RVxeUl6pA_czLo7dvDz3x8RDCKQpTiSkl5CWa2ne__gR_x_sjQe_3rou5hl8ivxCjwso00UHgp8e4T3XCu-PBtUUg/s1600/IMG_2410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntjX-bVBOJuwGLHzGW7GxhIzEE_IZBRS6CvK2Ksya9Bxcw2dc09RVxeUl6pA_czLo7dvDz3x8RDCKQpTiSkl5CWa2ne__gR_x_sjQe_3rou5hl8ivxCjwso00UHgp8e4T3XCu-PBtUUg/s400/IMG_2410.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I got me not one radio, but two!<br />
Why two?<br />
Obsessiveness I suppose.<br />
The in-between:<br />
I actually put up a CB radio antenna on my lanai along with a CB walkie talkie; you know just to see if anyone was out there.<br />
No one is out there.<br />
In the two weeks I had that CB hooked up, I heard two folks once.<br />
Okay, so I'm not getting a CB.<br />
What's left?<br />
Two meters.<br />
In layman's terms, 144 megahertz.<br />
VHF.<br />
Which I'm now on.<br />
Or at least listening to.<br />
These newfangled radios nowadays are freakin small!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb2_4TX6Sw2Pv4uELPokLGNXUlcsC6p1I4zLaB5anh-DtZOcBbqplwub69a6fvW1J4b8kr-eSwYFqE1tRlJuK4NIuDLSWqAMw_k0pZjfsqfBWLBLocrcy3SywuMai7g3MBsSCkC_05sI/s1600/IMG_2412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb2_4TX6Sw2Pv4uELPokLGNXUlcsC6p1I4zLaB5anh-DtZOcBbqplwub69a6fvW1J4b8kr-eSwYFqE1tRlJuK4NIuDLSWqAMw_k0pZjfsqfBWLBLocrcy3SywuMai7g3MBsSCkC_05sI/s400/IMG_2412.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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That's a peace dollar for scale.<br />
More on the peace dollar later.<br />
Actually maybe you don't what to know about the peace dollar.<br />
For Trevor:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqcsAyoWVSSiExmhj2ALefiWY3Rt9R7sgDg38uufJjgA78YC5oI8kKzIdmYI_GlGHGZOKBzrjRB6lcSDRQyOCT4bQmE8627FnHbT5c30ttqVdnD6A0s3Lb-6JudQINXKfpF8ZkY5gppo/s1600/IMG_2413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqcsAyoWVSSiExmhj2ALefiWY3Rt9R7sgDg38uufJjgA78YC5oI8kKzIdmYI_GlGHGZOKBzrjRB6lcSDRQyOCT4bQmE8627FnHbT5c30ttqVdnD6A0s3Lb-6JudQINXKfpF8ZkY5gppo/s400/IMG_2413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also got some of the Queen's, er King's cash.<br />
Been watching too much <i>Peaky Blinders</i>.<br />
How you English folks ever paid for anything pre decimal I'll never know.<br />
I mean it seems like you had to be proficient in calculus just to buy some bread!<br />
Or something.<br />
Anyways, I'm back on the air!<br />
OTA baby!<br />
Okay, I've only actually keyed my microphone like three times, you know to see if I'm getting out there, but soon I'll be taking over the airwaves!<br />
Hamming it up like a radio fiend!<br />
I've already made a basic outline for world domination.<br />
Thanks to some modern innovations like the computer and the internet, there's actually a radio repeater linked pretty much across these United States.<br />
I'm impressed.<br />
Well anyways we, the islands are about to rained on by some tropical storm remnants so I better go and do what ever the hell it was I was supposed to do.<br />
Or maybe I'll just sit here and listen to my radio.<br />
More excuses to stay on the couch.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-27315453435241757902016-07-23T09:33:00.000-10:002016-07-23T09:33:17.217-10:00Three Days!Wow!<br />
Where did summer go?<br />
Seems like I just blinked my eyeballs and I got three days left before going back to work!<br />
Boy.<br />
Actually, I'm sort of looking forward to going back.<br />
Nothing more fulfilling than bossing around little slaves all day long.<br />
I mean teaching students.<br />
So anyways, what have I been doing all summer long?<br />
Doing that jewelry thing:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2v3Rfa3Upr_rpdBQ73MXKcqH6XDq8Dxe8WdjoRAF1Bt9Aq_uobSE1VZa_6yAqoxnUE2a8fBd45CVuTU3jkn5_UgLpFl8g4JZGKqhJCRHLdh2hWFXx2UYF8VztYDvsEfF0b9fS4KQ4HaE/s1600/IMG_2401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2v3Rfa3Upr_rpdBQ73MXKcqH6XDq8Dxe8WdjoRAF1Bt9Aq_uobSE1VZa_6yAqoxnUE2a8fBd45CVuTU3jkn5_UgLpFl8g4JZGKqhJCRHLdh2hWFXx2UYF8VztYDvsEfF0b9fS4KQ4HaE/s400/IMG_2401.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've been trying my hand at some cloisonné, in French it means frustrating.<br />
I ordered some silver plate and wire and some enamels:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYfsp9wj1m_hQn0FlXVpE7HDngAoI8UcgEmNXKyBSWLx_iMZORXg-Qhsj7kaSwR_-2xDSbCZ7P-z2EuUs_ZvjbXLQjC-tiqLtxh4CMYRJTyqISJf70xcCbmc2OUJV5L0Pbnep_GO6u7g/s1600/IMG_2403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYfsp9wj1m_hQn0FlXVpE7HDngAoI8UcgEmNXKyBSWLx_iMZORXg-Qhsj7kaSwR_-2xDSbCZ7P-z2EuUs_ZvjbXLQjC-tiqLtxh4CMYRJTyqISJf70xcCbmc2OUJV5L0Pbnep_GO6u7g/s400/IMG_2403.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The enamels I believe are just some crushed glass.<br />
Or something.<br />
Anyways, you use the wire to make your outlines and then fill in all the negative space with the enamels.<br />
The trick is what designs to do.<br />
Postcard:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IN7UMkiohpbVvaoNcMoiNPfPCvDrF8VWmat-3zJkZlviHG0ak0Rl9ZZqoIx-pg4CoW5-FuDz_IBuvZf44UHegpw90fFuiRPwoxP22KYQH_QZ36LSJ0wP38p_Gm-Ie9R3Pqckemrjejc/s1600/IMG_2406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IN7UMkiohpbVvaoNcMoiNPfPCvDrF8VWmat-3zJkZlviHG0ak0Rl9ZZqoIx-pg4CoW5-FuDz_IBuvZf44UHegpw90fFuiRPwoxP22KYQH_QZ36LSJ0wP38p_Gm-Ie9R3Pqckemrjejc/s400/IMG_2406.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I just wanted to try something simple.<br />
The wire is held in place with a clear coat. The enamels are heated to oh about 1450 F before they melt and smooth over.<br />
Now for some color:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54_eZ_oPvVHRBzloXWlTMBg8lEMWZyr6QCkOXSPwSpBs_OzQKan_N53RlfmrqpwhcSewU65seLrt5T5eLiLK145k-fBrYbCLmyXnud0MsN8kAj0uQ_-P8RTU-S72vWyj5fbfnNjd543A/s1600/IMG_2407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54_eZ_oPvVHRBzloXWlTMBg8lEMWZyr6QCkOXSPwSpBs_OzQKan_N53RlfmrqpwhcSewU65seLrt5T5eLiLK145k-fBrYbCLmyXnud0MsN8kAj0uQ_-P8RTU-S72vWyj5fbfnNjd543A/s400/IMG_2407.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Voila!</i><br />
<i>Le Diamond Tete!</i><br />
That's actually just the first 'coat.' The glass settles and most times you need to a couple three four applications to fill out the space.<br />
Anyways, you get the idea.<br />
I've also been doing some rings, more on that later.<br />
Now its like three days to go and I need to get my room in order.<br />
So off I go.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-2056753425735947712016-07-04T13:47:00.002-10:002016-07-04T13:47:55.611-10:00Happy July 4th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubPd4OSlV1upcrUyTx9kDAG-2pgbzHI2ocV3xY79t26aMJmF4TxlWqaD4zsH09IVkD1P2FhB06iWfwFf1CYAF6JLoA6A1IGrdxY_qlTUL-QhE9LxK0dAtwuZ2zHjodWQGc_G9Xp7J8dc/s1600/DSC_5666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubPd4OSlV1upcrUyTx9kDAG-2pgbzHI2ocV3xY79t26aMJmF4TxlWqaD4zsH09IVkD1P2FhB06iWfwFf1CYAF6JLoA6A1IGrdxY_qlTUL-QhE9LxK0dAtwuZ2zHjodWQGc_G9Xp7J8dc/s400/DSC_5666.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Have a safe holiday!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-70102679482088749132016-06-27T19:51:00.001-10:002016-06-27T19:51:39.007-10:00Hot WaxSo I got into a bit o'casting.<br />
No, not casting like fishing, but some metal casting.<br />
I did metal casting in school, mostly bronze and aluminium, but this was large stuff, about a foot so tall.<br />
The casting I'm doing now is small scale; rings and stuff.<br />
How does it work?<br />
Well, first you make your thing in wax, in this case a ring:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NzOljw3FAhq7u2aLQ_xROQfcPWAA2T_CXpce2Xz2oE84Jhkr5MVQ8laCnmF6ZFc_F_aahyphenhyphenX1oce8WScGBNN_z9cvDUKvDfOJSJ42-8uxlUNAijNB_WjyHXR30vUaC5xOMohb5UAcYeE/s1600/IMG_2392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NzOljw3FAhq7u2aLQ_xROQfcPWAA2T_CXpce2Xz2oE84Jhkr5MVQ8laCnmF6ZFc_F_aahyphenhyphenX1oce8WScGBNN_z9cvDUKvDfOJSJ42-8uxlUNAijNB_WjyHXR30vUaC5xOMohb5UAcYeE/s400/IMG_2392.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">That's your basic wax ring shape.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Sort of.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">It actually comes in a tube thingy, but I forgot to take pics of it.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">So anyways, you file that thing down until you are ready to cast.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Then you put it in a thing called a flask:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmUDeG2Z2SGyKPsdG_FXJKRyqNV4_vlLbgc9ts39pOZlzqDAGZFddsOsXphKswpGiM2q5ReXxVRfkBMNZ1yQc9FWx1UFNZf23hJ1BwXwP9dmMdMhyphenhyphenENykAWeI0Kzz78hPhejLY3qqs_A/s1600/IMG_2393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmUDeG2Z2SGyKPsdG_FXJKRyqNV4_vlLbgc9ts39pOZlzqDAGZFddsOsXphKswpGiM2q5ReXxVRfkBMNZ1yQc9FWx1UFNZf23hJ1BwXwP9dmMdMhyphenhyphenENykAWeI0Kzz78hPhejLY3qqs_A/s400/IMG_2393.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The ring goes in the metal tube thing and the metal tube thing is filled with plaster.<br />
From there it goes into a kiln which burns all the wax out of the plaster:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMHlPZlSLTRnxyyMswSAUWa8llTZ5fzRlzKjPbD1U8fIInCn_0-OcGPhtrMNGOYAfD0de-7iifUBUQ2xlzU0AZjhEXg87QYpBejsahLOFHi5-TPLNWcWtV82C3ERlxQyzxKyupJzzn10/s1600/IMG_2394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMHlPZlSLTRnxyyMswSAUWa8llTZ5fzRlzKjPbD1U8fIInCn_0-OcGPhtrMNGOYAfD0de-7iifUBUQ2xlzU0AZjhEXg87QYpBejsahLOFHi5-TPLNWcWtV82C3ERlxQyzxKyupJzzn10/s400/IMG_2394.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Meanwhile, the metal of your choice gets loaded up into a centrifuge thing.<br />
The metal actually goes into a crucible where it is heated up and melted.<br />
I couldn't gets pics of that cause I was working alone today and to to tell you the truth, I forgot all about you, the reader.<br />
The spinner thingy:<br />
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Once all the wax is burned out, it goes on the spinner thingy with all the molten metal, in this case fine silver, and then the spinner thingy is well, spinned.<br />
Around and around she goes, centrifugal force well, forces the molten metal in the plaster mold.<br />
If it all goes well, and lemme tell you, it doesn't always go well, you may get something like this:<br />
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That is like V.4 of the skull ring, V.2 through V.3 got melted back down because of artist error.<br />
I added the emeralds later.<br />
I'm not real happy with it, sort of looks like the bug-eyed skull dude, but it's technically the second one that made it through the process so I'm hanging on to it.<br />
For now.<br />
Anyways, this whole casting thing has opened up a new area for me and I'm pretty excited about it.<br />
More on this later.<br />
Right now, I'm working on the Secret Decoder Ring, you know, the one I use for Top Secret Flat Tire Communications, the stuff you, the reader, aren't allowed to read.<br />
The next edition will be in code.<br />
Maybe.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-30635838557688834442016-06-25T10:44:00.002-10:002016-06-25T10:44:56.160-10:00Small Hands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEfH7Lik8mze0x2y_iICxZQNCdZ4sBu-YddyI-9vRe9JkRhBNTxtOZhRO0qr2z1-nWRzyihFVZBQ0Gi4p_zemx-3v8fwRPjRKm9nxKoUOLNE8_JdNNGAI48AdCEUPMuCRScdx0OW8uMc/s1600/DSC_6048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEfH7Lik8mze0x2y_iICxZQNCdZ4sBu-YddyI-9vRe9JkRhBNTxtOZhRO0qr2z1-nWRzyihFVZBQ0Gi4p_zemx-3v8fwRPjRKm9nxKoUOLNE8_JdNNGAI48AdCEUPMuCRScdx0OW8uMc/s400/DSC_6048.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwahphGeVFoeHQh9jZC9oHtlQsZA-3DGIn93xx0jgj7Sfvmagbn6Hd-EnG14rs2364fGgvsuCPYtry2PIs2Q2ADZJ9EABTgtGDrOhJB7UTQU1dHRjfnJmSD8XNHG5bEswlbH7_gc_HtUY/s1600/DSC_6050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwahphGeVFoeHQh9jZC9oHtlQsZA-3DGIn93xx0jgj7Sfvmagbn6Hd-EnG14rs2364fGgvsuCPYtry2PIs2Q2ADZJ9EABTgtGDrOhJB7UTQU1dHRjfnJmSD8XNHG5bEswlbH7_gc_HtUY/s400/DSC_6050.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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What I do during summer.<br />
Which is what do the rest of the year too.<br />
Except the hands aren't small like this.<br />
Well, some of them are.<br />
Going back to working in clay wasn't really what I expected.<br />
I mean I expected to be really happy.<br />
I was.<br />
Kinda sorta.<br />
Or maybe I was just distracted by all this working in metal again.<br />
More on this later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-55765747593631001972016-06-24T12:48:00.002-10:002016-06-24T12:48:49.058-10:00One YearSo.<br />
Hello.<br />
I'm back.<br />
For my annual post.<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
About being back I mean.<br />
Maybe.<br />
Anyways, a lot has been going on here in Flat Tire Land!<br />
Moving and shaking!<br />
That's me!<br />
There's some stuff we need to catch up on and some new stuff happening:<br />
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The jewelry enameling kit that came in the mail today.<br />
That's right bling fans!<br />
I'm making jewelry!<br />
Well okay, that's a bit subjective as I'm not sure I'm actually making jewelry and not just a whole bunch of you know what.<br />
More on this later.<br />
I've also changed from photo teacher to ceramic teacher and there's a whole story there too.<br />
Well okay, not too much in one sitting.<br />
We got all year.<br />
I think.<br />
The Flat Tire presses are rolling again!<br />
Read all about it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-26210885778609855582015-06-24T07:15:00.000-10:002015-06-24T07:15:12.275-10:00Meanwhile...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z__uOBYGy8kFSwWz49k42pMOjmiSIZJqVa3uK2EmoqoNWI6zhdncXQOgmcrfANIiy0Z2z3AC_7COFvqKFaBIRzqBN77tytB_5f6ahkCGIQdEayuE1dADNCVuR_KsDjfB3TRG3gU5DFY/s1600/DSC_2137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z__uOBYGy8kFSwWz49k42pMOjmiSIZJqVa3uK2EmoqoNWI6zhdncXQOgmcrfANIiy0Z2z3AC_7COFvqKFaBIRzqBN77tytB_5f6ahkCGIQdEayuE1dADNCVuR_KsDjfB3TRG3gU5DFY/s640/DSC_2137.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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D-Rex with Dairy QueenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-3401432296937126992015-06-23T21:01:00.000-10:002015-06-23T21:01:31.533-10:00My New Room!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMt69m0Uco5CryQwJnN7CFpYIVVOy8sPJTCq1h6hxGXQ4-0hCYfevSb2U2xVq4-tYo91Gfzcdi3XZDuiymasriK0okNvAxlGUFmoxum7YLGgG-8PCgkIlo5fBciJQIF0tjLcImahn9lnE/s1600/DSC_2143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMt69m0Uco5CryQwJnN7CFpYIVVOy8sPJTCq1h6hxGXQ4-0hCYfevSb2U2xVq4-tYo91Gfzcdi3XZDuiymasriK0okNvAxlGUFmoxum7YLGgG-8PCgkIlo5fBciJQIF0tjLcImahn9lnE/s640/DSC_2143.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4ha2eNDDIBN35sVk9zkC7tVC4YAbVFXb9LQkBmeJYzbgJU-uKeEY8eCO-W5qXvwqA-Ml86m_uhaGQlK_Hc3ufco38j8g1ODDngzEhwGGFginqv9e22wAIG4L29ktdAOwGQXoIzOb9zQ/s1600/DSC_2145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4ha2eNDDIBN35sVk9zkC7tVC4YAbVFXb9LQkBmeJYzbgJU-uKeEY8eCO-W5qXvwqA-Ml86m_uhaGQlK_Hc3ufco38j8g1ODDngzEhwGGFginqv9e22wAIG4L29ktdAOwGQXoIzOb9zQ/s640/DSC_2145.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm sad.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-14461920431651980432015-06-22T14:56:00.000-10:002015-06-22T14:56:15.251-10:00New Hobby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsU3M_pejBYmHsfQcFdXXzlFWy5NQ5ZqZR3nOoQ0vL8rDbqBIpM0XQNsgiX-AkmVYvhkjlZZ6SeHj3Qsy2vdbaRDE3B3T7wqhGuXSq71HFASmF54uZeke7RgdQeLooxEx90AEGLL0SYk/s1600/DSCF4501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsU3M_pejBYmHsfQcFdXXzlFWy5NQ5ZqZR3nOoQ0vL8rDbqBIpM0XQNsgiX-AkmVYvhkjlZZ6SeHj3Qsy2vdbaRDE3B3T7wqhGuXSq71HFASmF54uZeke7RgdQeLooxEx90AEGLL0SYk/s640/DSCF4501.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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More on this later.<br />
No, really!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-42770551136440689222015-06-04T08:52:00.000-10:002015-06-04T08:52:06.003-10:00Stick a Fork in MeI'm done.<br />
Maybe.<br />
It's been a good run, but it's sort of officially over.<br />
All the blood, sweat and tears.<br />
Wait.<br />
That was a band.<br />
Anyways, I've been busy this past month or so.<br />
Taking care of some small things like my summer employment and my regular employment.<br />
Which just changed.<br />
My regular employment I mean:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHR3XA4SsSXmV73H8EtkMPDkBgbwI4n9fZUXlmamnRJaU_SGYbu2eThm3TKYfe8VdaHp0N8PjemqrK9HEi5vRKMQCuBFtM2YYJNeh9C3sWzhSVt78LjLni6-s7qHJofwEmpXQlyiVCOo/s1600/DSCF4482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHR3XA4SsSXmV73H8EtkMPDkBgbwI4n9fZUXlmamnRJaU_SGYbu2eThm3TKYfe8VdaHp0N8PjemqrK9HEi5vRKMQCuBFtM2YYJNeh9C3sWzhSVt78LjLni6-s7qHJofwEmpXQlyiVCOo/s640/DSCF4482.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today is my last day as photography teacher.<br />
Today is also the last day of school but as you can see I still got a lot o'crap to clean up and move.<br />
So I'll still be busy, what with summer teaching starting next week already!<br />
School also starts back up like, next month!<br />
WTF?<br />
What the hell happened to like, <i>summer</i>?<br />
So anyways yes, I'm done as the photography teacher here.<br />
Probably.<br />
More on that later.<br />
I've been spending the last few weeks thinking about it, wondering what to do.<br />
I mean it's not like I built this program, although I'd like to think I improved it a bit.<br />
I got the kids better cameras, one of which got stolen by the way, better equipment and I think they produced better work.<br />
Or at least they were challenged.<br />
Which to me, is the main thing.<br />
I think kids today want to be challenged, they want to be creative, they just don't know how.<br />
I hope at least they all learned to how to <i>see</i> things.<br />
That's what this was all about, that and learning some real world skills.<br />
Well, I hemmed and hawed, waffled and changed my mind about three times before finally letting go.<br />
This was after all, three years of my life too.<br />
Thing is, I <i>liked</i> photography!<br />
Like I mean.<br />
Still going to do it, not like I'm quitting picture taking.<br />
Photography was/is like a journey I started and am not going to get to finish.<br />
What that means is I'm not bored with it yet.<br />
I was in the middle of planning some different things for next year, more diabolical projects for the kids; I had even ordered a couple of photography books on Amazon!<br />
I can still use them I suppose.<br />
The most difficult part is/was the students.<br />
There are about 30 of them who are enrolled in the advance class for next year; they were sort of expecting me to be the instructor.<br />
Not that I'm a super teacher or anything, but well, a few of them voiced their displeasure in my decision.<br />
Guilty, guilty, guilty.<br />
So I might come back.<br />
To photography I mean.<br />
For one class.<br />
What did I jump ship for?<br />
Where am I going?<br />
What is making me hang up the ole camera?<br />
Ceramics of course.<br />
More on that, later.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-33107362160121718482015-06-03T14:13:00.002-10:002015-06-03T14:13:43.954-10:00Breaking News II!Tomorrow.<br />
Promise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-45697570890717076752015-05-26T14:44:00.000-10:002015-05-26T14:44:02.714-10:00Breaking News!Maybe.<br />
Stay tuned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-32514313280411132852015-04-19T14:13:00.000-10:002015-04-19T14:13:30.618-10:00Sunday Early EditionWell, sort of early.<br />
Earlier than the maybe Late Edition anyways.<br />
So, these past few weeks have been busy ones for me.<br />
Glad it's finally over.<br />
Sort of.<br />
I've been busy organizing the first annual Art Festival at school.<br />
Okay, it's sort of the second annual since we did one last year, but last year it was only like a video festival.<br />
This year, I had a photo exhibit, some 2D work, the dance club, and some drama kids doing some skits.<br />
Whoa!<br />
It really wasn't that hard to organize since all I had to do was get the space and schedule stuff.<br />
The hard part was the video and photo.<br />
Here I am last week, printing and a matting all the pictures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6neu6A2UTParlyhvszfavBFsBYP4zAWWZjQLXMax1wwb9u-BZF_s_gNzg8nKhLJsx1f3yxdVVcuPiWBx-co4iES1L-F9MScPCxQWcppt2pBJ5xVayyDm9PblHCVemYwQRaTkor3hHp1M/s1600/DSCF4433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6neu6A2UTParlyhvszfavBFsBYP4zAWWZjQLXMax1wwb9u-BZF_s_gNzg8nKhLJsx1f3yxdVVcuPiWBx-co4iES1L-F9MScPCxQWcppt2pBJ5xVayyDm9PblHCVemYwQRaTkor3hHp1M/s1600/DSCF4433.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLeXOsjXx76kKjNqwAK41qSUIBfNyQWViSwOtDhgLPG06igvH_a2PjvED0n8FDN3jo8fTMEu6eNAglnl_bzH4blbvOETg9KEzDN_6bhXssB6mWrjMF1ByUQMiTsh9i0CbZoNeKwTo4zE/s1600/DSCF4434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLeXOsjXx76kKjNqwAK41qSUIBfNyQWViSwOtDhgLPG06igvH_a2PjvED0n8FDN3jo8fTMEu6eNAglnl_bzH4blbvOETg9KEzDN_6bhXssB6mWrjMF1ByUQMiTsh9i0CbZoNeKwTo4zE/s1600/DSCF4434.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0H1eOn63Wdks7xE5lTXBZZh2j7ee-RMCirj5w5z3RqgTXstbQIm9t5JdGi_moXcOmJJNXKXEP9ZM0A3nUBP8edlBcr4QkG7ywYz8G7DVmyZZsYHr3jP3nFCttDBJmvr2_JQ5Fm8LOae8/s1600/DSCF4436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0H1eOn63Wdks7xE5lTXBZZh2j7ee-RMCirj5w5z3RqgTXstbQIm9t5JdGi_moXcOmJJNXKXEP9ZM0A3nUBP8edlBcr4QkG7ywYz8G7DVmyZZsYHr3jP3nFCttDBJmvr2_JQ5Fm8LOae8/s1600/DSCF4436.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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I wanted the kids to experience a real show/exhibit thingy so I just took submissions and I had a guest artist jury the work.<br />
He picked the top three, ten honorable mentions and the rest.<br />
Out of sixty six submissions I ended up hanging forty five in our administration building:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSblQ3dGPNPfBBEYeyRhak3XK1mvv7tcK_GPJeN5P33ZYc3XGgWMkBcRUL-sBGoj8SBKDW62Y6tdN_OIVoy6EOSRlpC_01cc0UD-CMURgKd0EkdDKegmMJfFLZN1nLctCO9B-PqhUCPmI/s1600/DSCF4439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSblQ3dGPNPfBBEYeyRhak3XK1mvv7tcK_GPJeN5P33ZYc3XGgWMkBcRUL-sBGoj8SBKDW62Y6tdN_OIVoy6EOSRlpC_01cc0UD-CMURgKd0EkdDKegmMJfFLZN1nLctCO9B-PqhUCPmI/s1600/DSCF4439.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxw-X8uI9ZRQ_xjeSWqTifklozbH3Ehw7p07_MFkX1DlmVjH_0nMrJhlrBFfNYiBUGe5PVrDLiEAiWqvSOi60U88eL9-nbp1v66WaKgo3UZQtIJshbKtaemp4L22eDkvvyjMJHT1cnRTU/s1600/DSCF4440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxw-X8uI9ZRQ_xjeSWqTifklozbH3Ehw7p07_MFkX1DlmVjH_0nMrJhlrBFfNYiBUGe5PVrDLiEAiWqvSOi60U88eL9-nbp1v66WaKgo3UZQtIJshbKtaemp4L22eDkvvyjMJHT1cnRTU/s1600/DSCF4440.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also had to organize the video submissions and the judging for that.<br />
Glad that's over too.<br />
The hardest part is handing that stuff off and waiting for others to do their jobs.<br />
I can't really press for they volunteer and I know we're all busy, busy, busy!<br />
Anyways, we did better than last year when only ten folks showed up.<br />
This year we got maybe twenty!<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
Maybe it was more like twenty five.<br />
I would have had more pictures but I was busy like hell doing stuff I should have done the day before.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
So next year, I'm trying to plan three photo shows.<br />
One in the beginning of the year, one around winter break, and the last one being the Art Festival.<br />
Maybe.<br />
There's some rumblings around work that I can't get into.<br />
Rumors don't you know.<br />
Stay tuned.<br />
Well now that its' over, sort of, more on that later, I just want to take a nap and then maybe go out for a ride on my bicycle.<br />
Laziness drills; practice makes perfect.<br />
Lemme tell you, I need the practice.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-84768481054571199432015-03-29T23:43:00.001-10:002015-03-29T23:43:48.409-10:00Sunday FinalSo.<br />
How are you?<br />
Hope all is well out there in Bloggerland!<br />
<i>Moi</i>?<br />
Well I've been busy as usual.<br />
Work stuff don't you know.<br />
I've also been a riding my bicycle.<br />
My bicycle.<br />
That took about two weeks.<br />
From <i>the</i> bicycle to <i>my</i> bicycle I mean.<br />
Rolling, rolling, rolling.<br />
I've mostly been out doing four or five mile jaunts, here and there.<br />
You know, getting the ole legs back to steam piston like form.<br />
Sort of.<br />
Been out riding at night too; just got back about an hour ago from a short trip around the park.<br />
Lemme see if my Prevaricating Garmin still works:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="//connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/732636775" width="465"></iframe><br />
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What I've found is that I really miss riding around.<br />
So much so that it's become more about riding around than stopping and taking pictures.<br />
I mean mostly I'm a riding around and I don't want to stop!<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
I stop sometimes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNd_Qiw57ZTqN7fX8MUxJKFUjHysDkACSf8FBPkCvEPaT0ameavczruzuNgPUcykbYtQ1nRQWDRQ-N0bPWslcObZbEFRWK6Usg1l00AYn0KA0lh9aKeH2kMfvj4i-tpFhV9EAp-f496M/s1600/DSC_9738-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNd_Qiw57ZTqN7fX8MUxJKFUjHysDkACSf8FBPkCvEPaT0ameavczruzuNgPUcykbYtQ1nRQWDRQ-N0bPWslcObZbEFRWK6Usg1l00AYn0KA0lh9aKeH2kMfvj4i-tpFhV9EAp-f496M/s1600/DSC_9738-2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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There I am with my boat in the background.<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
About the boat part.<br />
It was my boat but I had to sell it.<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
About both parts.<br />
So anyways, I've been a busy a riding and goofing and a riding and a goofing.<br />
Then there's work.<br />
I got that big Art Festival coming up and I have a few loose ends to take care of.<br />
Seems like you always have time then all of a sudden the deadlines loom!<br />
Looming very close they are; we are a go on April 14!<br />
Two weeks!<br />
Okay, less riding and goofing and more a working and well, a working!<br />
Except maybe at night:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39szDlD0XCeDRC4RqN8i0ZqIvxyzjkt-n0pOGpPA02JyeMdVBxiOX2PiuDv0vm8GMSIiZVan0p4VtGQcXu9RnieeJxiHEvRictD3CjpzPhPMUBQ_Bxp87iXgyFpo2k_JSyxWQZcamqak/s1600/DSC_0042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39szDlD0XCeDRC4RqN8i0ZqIvxyzjkt-n0pOGpPA02JyeMdVBxiOX2PiuDv0vm8GMSIiZVan0p4VtGQcXu9RnieeJxiHEvRictD3CjpzPhPMUBQ_Bxp87iXgyFpo2k_JSyxWQZcamqak/s1600/DSC_0042.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think maybe I'm still allowed to goof around at night.<br />
Stay tuned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-52699548653921571372015-03-29T09:14:00.000-10:002015-03-29T09:14:49.030-10:00Sunday Early Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIxwuYdbyu8ehORpoRcXW5EQQOdySNO4dAC_tvG_rcEDgdALbYqnQ5n88hcLYIDmCha1OUkIkGpckIqLeEzjzUh6eMHzmHdTqgp03BynK7MJflIlO2TLMxnPEVrYKVaG2ba3qfbNPdC8/s1600/3-19-15+mat+pan013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIxwuYdbyu8ehORpoRcXW5EQQOdySNO4dAC_tvG_rcEDgdALbYqnQ5n88hcLYIDmCha1OUkIkGpckIqLeEzjzUh6eMHzmHdTqgp03BynK7MJflIlO2TLMxnPEVrYKVaG2ba3qfbNPdC8/s1600/3-19-15+mat+pan013.jpg" height="633" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-56875528780835551832015-03-15T23:30:00.000-10:002015-03-16T00:55:06.983-10:00Sunday FinalOh yes!<br />
Lemme tell you, I'm gonna make up for all them miles I've been missing.<br />
Tomorrow.<br />
I put a small dent in them miles today as off I went to Chinatown:<br />
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I went in Quest for Mango (QFM) and completed that mission.<br />
This time I got the cheapo mangos not the ones that set me back $16 like last time.<br />
I also got hungry:<br />
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Dim sum by the river.<br />
Or in local speak: manapua ovah dea.<br />
I also picked up some roast pork, you know, for later.<br />
Colors in the market:<br />
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Chinatown has some cool stuff and I gotta go and just walk around.<br />
I actually took my class there a couple of weeks ago but I had to keep track of the kids so I couldn't go galavanting but I did manage to pick up a plastic colander for like a buck.<br />
For the pasta don't you know.<br />
Anyways, I was losing the light so I moved on:<br />
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Down by the beach.<br />
I needed to finish the rest of roll of film and there's always something there to get a picture of.<br />
I'm really liking the new to me bicycle, it rides pretty well, though it's not as smooth as my other bicycle was.<br />
At least I don't think so.<br />
Then again I had fatter tires on the other bicycle.<br />
I came home and developed some film, took a nap, loaded up the camera bag and was back out on the bicycle!<br />
Unfortunately I left my film on the couch and only took one roll but I did fool with the digital since I was out there.<br />
More on that later.<br />
As I said, I feel like I'm making up for all them lost miles when I didn't have a bicycle to ride.<br />
Okay, that's a lie because I still have my two road bikes.<br />
Only they aren't exactly built to go galavanting.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
More on galavanting later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-34309718290236148852015-03-15T07:49:00.001-10:002015-03-15T07:49:32.474-10:00Sunday Early EditionI'm free!<br />
I'm free!<br />
Sing along!<br />
You know, to the song by The Who:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ux1vBolJf5Q?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Keith Moon is awesome!<br />
Anyways, yesterday I got on the new to me bicycle and went out on the new cycle track:<br />
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Funky picture!<br />
I don't know what happened there as the road is actually green!<br />
I'll do better today.<br />
More on that later.<br />
At the end of the track there is a sort of new bicycle place I wanted to check out.<br />
I forgot to take pictures but it's a one man operation, sort of like the place I used to help out at.<br />
They sell new bicycles but they also do used and they have some parts bins that you can search.<br />
I scored this:<br />
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Brand new looking flat bar with a nice bend for twennydollah!<br />
I was so stoked I hurried off without the stuff I bought before I bought the handlebar:<br />
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I was almost home when I realized I had left it behind and I had to ride back!<br />
Into the wind.<br />
Which is okay because I had a free ride back.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
Actually I just went out to test all the changes I made to the new bars, you know, the grips and shifters and stuff.<br />
Instead I ended up tooling around for three or four miles.<br />
I gotta say right here, I missed being on the bicycle.<br />
I miss going nowhere and ending up back where I started.<br />
I actually miss riding into the wind!<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
Riding into the wind I mean.<br />
Having a bicycle really is freedom.<br />
I started thinking of all the places I was gonna go now that the New Flat Tire Earth Machine (NFTEM) is up and running!<br />
With new bars!<br />
So I changed everything out in like ten minutes:<br />
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Now I'm ready for some adventures!<br />
Maybe.<br />
Well I do need some mangos so I need to get into Chinatown this morning.<br />
Stay tuned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-80031450926334266072015-03-13T01:54:00.000-10:002015-03-13T01:54:15.532-10:00One the Road Again...Just like the song.<br />
Sort of.<br />
Anyways, I spent the last couple of days working on the new to me bicycle.<br />
There were a couple of things I needed to do like change out the cranks, and shifters, and stem.<br />
Transform it into well, my bicycle.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
The cranks it turns out were 175s, so I ended up putting the old ones back.<br />
I still have some problems with the front derailleur, it won't shift down to the granny gear.<br />
I have another derailleur but I don't have a master link to break the chain.<br />
That's coming in the mail.<br />
The master links I mean.<br />
Well I finally got all these things together and went out to do a final tune.<br />
Which turned into an hour long ride:<br />
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The new stem lowered the bars some; I need to drop them a bit more.<br />
I used the same riser bar that came with the bicycle but am looking at other options like a straight bar.<br />
The rack and trunk I swear are exactly the same as my other bicycle, the stolen one.<br />
Funny, it's still <i>my</i> bicycle even if it is probably in a million pieces by now.<br />
The stolen one I mean.<br />
I'm not actually sure I like the 700 wheels.<br />
Or 29er.<br />
I sort of liked the low to ground feel of (here we go again) <i>my</i> MTB and the fatter tires.<br />
On the other hand, when I step on the gas I can feel this bicycle jump.<br />
I wonder how long before this bicycle becomes <i>my</i> bicycle.<br />
Don't be me wrong, I like this bicycle.<br />
It just needs a new seat.<br />
I'm still looking but will probably go with another Flite:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCOZDu-qaKtVMh1fN5YWh_BiSMNqGrCD-I8SaEeq-d2RhmJg7kouvzipqd9EB9zWP0eP973E3oDGTIC3aFprPSht_Gd-v6rpzwH8DquYZ-9vrvzrDqvVye5oxWS4F3fTwA0ewy8Z0Ly8/s1600/DSCF4413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCOZDu-qaKtVMh1fN5YWh_BiSMNqGrCD-I8SaEeq-d2RhmJg7kouvzipqd9EB9zWP0eP973E3oDGTIC3aFprPSht_Gd-v6rpzwH8DquYZ-9vrvzrDqvVye5oxWS4F3fTwA0ewy8Z0Ly8/s1600/DSCF4413.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not sure I like them gums, they're only 32s so I'm also looking for some 35s.<br />
I went and did some laps around the park, you know, to tune up the ole cockpit and make sure everything fits.<br />
It's been a while since I've broken in a new to me bicycle and I've sort of forgotten all the little adjustments that I need to make.<br />
While this bicycle weighs about the same up and down the stairs, it rides lighter.<br />
That's a good thing.<br />
I don't think that Nishiki frame is anything special, but it rides nice, not clunky at all.<br />
I also need some new pedals, the plastic ones are a bit slippery.<br />
Been thinking about some Easton Flatboys again.<br />
The rear super duper blinky needs to be mounted on the rack; I don't trust the attachment thingy on the trunk bag.<br />
What started as a short tune up in the parking lot work turned into an hour or so long ride:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHYy4uIRwbXOCfwjHoRwmP7h74gss7jsm_N02Xt6USmhyyAI85215ZoRAdV1M8PFEe89Wdq4-VSkxipdEFCnwZfmei6NKsylvbGrB6jdr4PDm7ecubLSyxlu9X87oN3F1Sf6zcfQwCUk/s1600/DSCF4417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHYy4uIRwbXOCfwjHoRwmP7h74gss7jsm_N02Xt6USmhyyAI85215ZoRAdV1M8PFEe89Wdq4-VSkxipdEFCnwZfmei6NKsylvbGrB6jdr4PDm7ecubLSyxlu9X87oN3F1Sf6zcfQwCUk/s1600/DSCF4417.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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In which I learned one thing: I got no legs.<br />
Okay, I have some legs, not like when I first started riding and I can't walk down stairs.<br />
I don't have any cadence or endurance.<br />
On with the Prevaricating Garmin again and the ole heart rate monitor so I can get back in shape.<br />
I got fat.<br />
More on this later.<br />
So anyways, I'm back on the road again!<br />
The journeys continue.<br />
Stay tuned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-21341562219974698592015-03-09T12:36:00.000-10:002015-03-09T12:36:51.687-10:00Still HereSort of.<br />
I mean I'm here, but my computer is not.<br />
I was coming up on three years and my Apple Care was going to expire so I figured it was time to take the ole Mac Book in and get some small stuff taken care of.<br />
While it was still for free.<br />
Nothing big mind you, just some small things.<br />
I gotta say getting on a Mac Book has been a good experience, one I would do and will do again.<br />
Maybe not so soon though for even though my computer is just about three years old, I have no inclination to upgrade.<br />
Maybe an iMac.<br />
So anyways, I'm on my work machine which by the way just happens to be a Mac Book Air, but of course it doesn't have all the doodads my own computer has.<br />
Like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.<br />
I also gotta say that the Retina Screen makes a rather large difference as this screen pretty much sucks.<br />
Hopefully I get my computer back this week.<br />
So this stuff has been arriving in the mail:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbbOcoZc6IQEt2kk6_wtxNSsL4h0b5n5kwScl_qGmE1K2ajW2Bt-G0qnFUpK5ffC_Iuq3RfaELdZCXFWVCEHlJoPRdjrf2jNXB6VH40VrodjLpi83gAHRBaJlS9lmtA7UltV08N8o0Cg/s1600/DSCF4405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbbOcoZc6IQEt2kk6_wtxNSsL4h0b5n5kwScl_qGmE1K2ajW2Bt-G0qnFUpK5ffC_Iuq3RfaELdZCXFWVCEHlJoPRdjrf2jNXB6VH40VrodjLpi83gAHRBaJlS9lmtA7UltV08N8o0Cg/s1600/DSCF4405.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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New stem, shifters, and grips.<br />
Ready now to change over all that stuff so that the new to me bicycle is more to my liking.<br />
Telling the truth I haven't been riding it since it just feels weird.<br />
I also got me my trunk bag, the same one I had before, so I can start a packing the cameras again on the New Flat Tire Earth Machine (NFTEM).<br />
Soon.<br />
I promise.<br />
Sort of.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-45160443514171140552015-02-22T09:39:00.001-10:002015-02-22T09:39:44.998-10:00Sunday Early EditionBoy.<br />
I haven't been a very good blogger.<br />
Well I've been really busy.<br />
Okay, not really.<br />
Laziness drills don't you know.<br />
Anyways, I got away from the laziness drills long enough to get back to the old place and pick up this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vrLTz-7pf9xLWW53GsOslnhz5B_hx8QNsPeQLbLBdYGmS61J-WE0A0ueCV2_fQb501SkwaI1iezgbDlVqFcrYKJxu7qk1bsm_nVP7SA1e9Od_3vJyVgDlYbg27SoXuJfi5aadU6IILc/s1600/DSCF4360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vrLTz-7pf9xLWW53GsOslnhz5B_hx8QNsPeQLbLBdYGmS61J-WE0A0ueCV2_fQb501SkwaI1iezgbDlVqFcrYKJxu7qk1bsm_nVP7SA1e9Od_3vJyVgDlYbg27SoXuJfi5aadU6IILc/s1600/DSCF4360.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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An old drive train that I can't remember where it came from sans shifters.<br />
Which I needed.<br />
The shifters I mean.<br />
I also forgot it was Biopace, which is okay since I've turned Biopace before and it's no biggy.<br />
What I really needed was the cranks which are like 170mm.<br />
It's sort of strange, on my road bikes I turn 170s and 175s, no problem.<br />
On the new to me Flat Tire Earth Machine Two (FTEMT) for some odd reason it was fitted with 180mm cranks and lemme tell you, I can tell.<br />
I just can't seem to get a good spin going and it feels like my knees are hitting my chest.<br />
Well okay, my knees <i>are</i> hitting my chest if I crouch down on the bars.<br />
Not that I ever crouch down on the bars.<br />
So today is change the cranks day.<br />
I also plan on hitting up the bicycle place to look for another rack bag.<br />
Or maybe panniers.<br />
I've also been fooling with this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h0nI_HKmVSvuOlLK0vqzfLjxTGjIiMnEL_RcQKOvXWaIaJ8ST2YVv48gxQ85Qt6L7VwnW5dPZaGEGH9jZP-L5WzjCbLm2cADRRDXZm74wIU6q-mp2yrxEGNu5gtwapZqfV-OkOjnIJ4/s1600/DSCF4355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h0nI_HKmVSvuOlLK0vqzfLjxTGjIiMnEL_RcQKOvXWaIaJ8ST2YVv48gxQ85Qt6L7VwnW5dPZaGEGH9jZP-L5WzjCbLm2cADRRDXZm74wIU6q-mp2yrxEGNu5gtwapZqfV-OkOjnIJ4/s1600/DSCF4355.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The camera is not new, nor is the viewfinder mounted on top.<br />
What is new is the 35mm lens.<br />
The reason for the viewfinder on top is that the camera's viewfinder is only marked for a 50mm lens.<br />
The viewfinder is adjustable for focal lengths of 35 to 135mm.<br />
If you've been following along at home you, the reader, know that I picked up a Jupiter 12 35mm lens.<br />
Well this is the Nikkor version: W Nikkor C 3.5cm f2.5<br />
I gotta say, it's a nice looking lens.<br />
Is it $250 nicer than the Jupiter?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuXlNMxBR08qXA6-2jnD0hBnvpP1bxHvxlrCqWg-PoBDhjgrNjWaxQe8y7OMukjhnNOojHfrUUQjqQh4E09dmFod_saf4-DhFGcU_ptCCJfol5ST2nP2pOZhcSaf51T0a2gKXrAhQW0I/s1600/2-19-15+s2+5363007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuXlNMxBR08qXA6-2jnD0hBnvpP1bxHvxlrCqWg-PoBDhjgrNjWaxQe8y7OMukjhnNOojHfrUUQjqQh4E09dmFod_saf4-DhFGcU_ptCCJfol5ST2nP2pOZhcSaf51T0a2gKXrAhQW0I/s1600/2-19-15+s2+5363007.jpg" height="270" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGky9RU7ZbW_A9X5o-6L-GIHeItXPRCWFMZIhKFshcjC5VzUfLO_5dAoWPhrVh3Fe8kWkuB6MLPA-s0d_InOuOjGfGHiY34GSM9YUdIS0U6GZ4fxVnEaUVk42b4pg1AVJ20zD_cTeBAds/s1600/2-19-15+s2+5363009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGky9RU7ZbW_A9X5o-6L-GIHeItXPRCWFMZIhKFshcjC5VzUfLO_5dAoWPhrVh3Fe8kWkuB6MLPA-s0d_InOuOjGfGHiY34GSM9YUdIS0U6GZ4fxVnEaUVk42b4pg1AVJ20zD_cTeBAds/s1600/2-19-15+s2+5363009.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Probably not, but it <i>is</i> a Nikkor.<br />
If you know what I mean.<br />
So I've been fooling around with it, seeing what the wide angle is all about.<br />
Well, 35mm is not that wide, as a matter of fact I can't really tell from the pictures.<br />
Okay, sort of.<br />
I mean I can sort of tell, but for the most part not really.<br />
Then again, having that extra width is nice.<br />
So much so that I'm thinking of going wider.<br />
The bad thing is that these wider lenses are slower, forcing me to shoot faster film.<br />
More on this later.<br />
Okay, them cranks are calling me!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2326858715462949029.post-48105931557949933442015-02-11T06:33:00.000-10:002015-02-11T06:33:53.468-10:00Russian GlassOne nice thing about having a Contax or Leica camera is that there are some really cheap lenses out there.<br />
Not Zeiss or Leica glass, but Russian lenses made from German tooling gotten from after WWII.<br />
Lot o'glass made in Leica M39 mount or Contax mount is available as the Russians, or Soviets if you will, made/stole cameras based on German designs.<br />
Okay, they copied.<br />
Sort of.<br />
Or something.<br />
Anyways, nice lenses can be had for very little compared to the 'real' German stuff.<br />
For instance this nice Contax mount Helios lens:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGVWjZ73Tucqv9d8n4fF6aEQYp9o6WAUsm8HcuMfTKr82kjBAo2gt2ylgPOCqcsBhfJ_Hw1xn6vZ2PWAOZT6-4pyKPsX7Y_F0iSz9Svlx2yl3z4nJ_sz8YqMVE6phPJ6_ZgpTwj5kDjQ/s1600/2-3-15+s2+d100-2027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGVWjZ73Tucqv9d8n4fF6aEQYp9o6WAUsm8HcuMfTKr82kjBAo2gt2ylgPOCqcsBhfJ_Hw1xn6vZ2PWAOZT6-4pyKPsX7Y_F0iSz9Svlx2yl3z4nJ_sz8YqMVE6phPJ6_ZgpTwj5kDjQ/s1600/2-3-15+s2+d100-2027.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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The lens fits on my Nikon S2 because the mounts are basically the same and lenses below 50mm will work on both cameras.<br />
The Nikkor 5cm lens runs about $250, the Zeiss 50mm Sonnar about $175 and this Helios 53mm f1.8 cost me $32.<br />
The Russian versions are basically Zeiss clones made on tooling won/stolen during the war.<br />
The quality seems to be hit or miss, but this version seems to work pretty well:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93irClcgeJrUGwX0I_Si3QZR0pTd3gp8pMVjpPAjORIqHWDht-zch9GrPfV_LVPgN-0aGaBiDb-xmAoUJDneqBY2gi3HZ-9q1z1gZWhqlJdqMIgJ35q4ywf5enemiEHYSZXfdSpp5jVM/s1600/2-7-15+contax+pan010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93irClcgeJrUGwX0I_Si3QZR0pTd3gp8pMVjpPAjORIqHWDht-zch9GrPfV_LVPgN-0aGaBiDb-xmAoUJDneqBY2gi3HZ-9q1z1gZWhqlJdqMIgJ35q4ywf5enemiEHYSZXfdSpp5jVM/s1600/2-7-15+contax+pan010.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think for the price even if you get a bad version, it's not really a bad deal and one can always get another to test out.<br />
I mean this is for film so in my case a little quirkiness is a good thing.<br />
Sometimes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLke1tMdxsH8BAP6iEsLUzGL_RhLG41PH-MlzpyKFYBRsTvGfK-MF_2akFoSkyELQc8Pc40jwaLs3BDC8Wl5KIoDb_IqCcWTVohxoDE_vrJaC_SA0bCCzzA7Kt1BKtAcsxAM2sTD15FhM/s1600/2-7-15+contax+pan012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLke1tMdxsH8BAP6iEsLUzGL_RhLG41PH-MlzpyKFYBRsTvGfK-MF_2akFoSkyELQc8Pc40jwaLs3BDC8Wl5KIoDb_IqCcWTVohxoDE_vrJaC_SA0bCCzzA7Kt1BKtAcsxAM2sTD15FhM/s1600/2-7-15+contax+pan012.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
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For $32 it's a lens I can go out with and bang around and trust me, my stuff does get banged around some, and I wouldn't have to worry about it breaking.<br />
Leave that collectable expensive glass at home.<br />
Or to just shoot something different.<br />
I got more coming in, a couple of Jupiter lenses, and we'll take a better look at them later.<br />
I've been busy recently putting some stuff together at work.<br />
If you remember last year, I did a digital media thingy that didn't work out too well but what the hell I'm doing it again.<br />
This time we're going to add some 2D work and I'm going to try and add a juried photo exhibit too.<br />
I'm also trying to organize a tri-school photo exhibit, but that may not happen; I'm meeting this week with a person in charge of a space I want to use.<br />
For sure the tri-school show is happening next year though, I already got gallery space reserved for that.<br />
Busy, busy, busy!<br />
Well okay, not <i>that</i> busy.<br />
Truth is, I've been posting over on <a href="https://ello.co/jeffrey_ideta">Ello</a>, a new social thingy.<br />
It's mostly artsy folks and it's add free so it's pretty interesting.<br />
I think if you click the link that takes you to my page, you can roam about a bit, or maybe not as the place is still invitation only.<br />
Lemme know if it's interesting and you'd like to try it.<br />
I got invitations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4