12.26.2007

December 28, 1933 - December 24, 2007



After more than nine years, now you can sing this again, Ma...



Huwag mong sabihing ikaw'y hamak
Kahit na isang mahirap
Pagkat ang tangi kong pag-ibig
Ganyan ang hinahanap

Aanhin ko ang kayamanan
Kung ang puso'y salawahan
Nais ko'y pag-ibig na tunay
At walang kamatayan

Maala-ala mo kaya
Ang sumpa mo sa akin
Na ang pag-ibig mo ay
Sadyang di magmamaliw
Kung nais mong matanto
Buksan ang aking puso
At tanging larawan mo
Ang doo'y nakatago.

Di ka kaya magbago
Sa 'yong pagmamahal
Hinding-hindi giliw ko
Hanggang sa libingan

O kay sarap mabuhay
Lalo na't may lambingan
Ligaya sa puso ko
Ay di na mapaparam


12.23.2007

Why do we buy the things we do?

My wife and her friend just bought state-of-the-art mega-crockpots from the Williams Sonoma catalog. "The recipes in the catalog just looked so good!" She made Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner last night. Yes, it WAS good.

Rachel Ray now has her line of cookware. I tried one of her 30 minute meal recipes. No, that was NOT good.

I hate watching QVC or HSN. I end up buying something I really didn't need in the first place. I think that if you watch the program long enough, you will end up convincing yourself that you do. Especially if Wolfgang Puck uses it, right?

The Omega Planet Ocean that Daniel Craig wore in the movie Casino Royale recently sold at auction for $206,250. Can you name at least 5 other Daniel Craig movies?

Omega's bestselling watch is the Seamaster Bond, first worn by Pierce Brosnan in Goldenye. They even have a limited edition commemorative model. I hear that's selling well.

This guy actually calls himself J. Bond. Someone hand be a red-hot iron. I'd like to poke my mind's eye now.

On TimeZone, a poster asked about celebrities that appeared in the movies wearing a Rolex. Rolex sells every one of the more than 1,000,000 watches that it makes each year.

Every yuppie wants one (or a Breitling, that is). Along with a 3-series BMW and a Montblanc Meisterstuck. Even if chances are, he is not aware of what caliber movement is in his Submariner, does not know how to heel-toe, and has the penmanship of a third grader.

Of course, in the end it's your hard-earned cash, but in this season of gift-giving, when you also inevitably buy "something special for myself," you may want to ask yourself this question before you do. You might be pleasantly surprised.


* No, the watch pictured is not mine!

12.16.2007

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Here's a quick and easy meal. Warning: this is not a "low fat" recipe. I make this once or twice a year, and as long as you don't "supersize" your portions, you should not clog your arteries. Feel free to substitute, but this is the original:

*serves 5-6

1 pack of spaghetti noodles
1 pack of bacon
2 tbsp butter
1 small carton heavy cream
3 cloves garlic (optional)
3/4 cup grated cheese
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

Boil the spaghetti for 10-11 minutes. Drain.

Fry bacon till crisp. Set aside, then cut up to bits.

In a large pan, mix bacon fat, butter, cheese and cream (and garlic, optional) on low heat. Add salt and pepper. When cheese is melted, turn off the heat. Add the drained noodles and egg. Toss. Sprinkle bacon bits.

Serve while hot.

12.09.2007

12.02.2007

It's About Time

It's snowing outside. The first snowfall in New England this winter. It's Sunday, I have a log in the fireplace, and what the heck... I want to write a post about my watches.

A few weeks ago, I was deciding whether it would be worth to send my watch in for repair. I guess, that is where this story begins.



This was back in the mid-70's, and I was probably in 4th grade. I had no watch, never had, and we couldn't afford one. A family friend, a young priest, was visiting with us that day. Apparently, he had just gotten a new watch - one of those digital calculator watches that were the vogue in those days. Yes, the ones you weren't allowed to wear during math exams. Anyway, since he had a brand spanking new digital wonder, he took his old watch off his wrist and handed it to me. My first watch.

It was an 1966 SS gray-blue faced Omega Constellation with caliber 564, given to him on his ordination into the priesthood. This was my one and only watch for the next twelve years. All through grade school, high school, and the first few years of college. It is in rough shape, with quite a few scratches on the acrylic (hesalite?) crystal, probably from hours in the school playground. That watch saw me through my childhood and teenage years. Quite a few memories. It finally gave up when I got caught in a rainstorm during my college ROTC bivouac (all my watches since then have been divers, hmmm). I had it repaired after that, but still, it would quit every now and then.

Fast forward to few weeks ago. The Constellation is 41 years old, and the young priest is a bishop. I took the watch out of the drawer and decided to do some research about it, to see if it was worth fixing. That opened the door to the heretofore unknown world of watch idiot savants. Here's an article that started my readings about the Omega Constellation.

Long story short, the Omega is now with the watchmaker. I hope he can bring my old friend back to life. I'll take some photos then.




On with the story...





Third year college. I was joining the UP Divers - the university Scuba diving club. My friend, Chuck, had a nice black Seiko diver watch, and I decided to save up. I finally managed to scrape up enough money for one. This was in 1985. The watch was the Seiko 6309-7290. It saw me through college. I wore it facing a tank in the middle of the highway during the revolution, and checked it to see what time I would die. It took me through medical school. That sweeping second hand counted off thousands of pulse rates in the wee morning hours. It got me to my wedding on time.

Apparently, the 6309 is now a modern classic. The 7290 case is still being used in most seiko diver watches today. Back in 1985, I remember looking at one with an orange face, but ended up choosing the more classic black face. Big mistake. The orange-faced 6309 is now highly sought after by collectors. Here's a short history of the Seiko 6309 from the Seiko and Citizen Watch Forum.



I wore it as recently as yesterday, as my casual watch. I must have gone through three of those Seiko rubber straps. It is now on a black Zulu strap. It has some minor scrapes on the black bezel insert, but the 6309 is ticking as accurately as ever. The first watch I had ever bought with my own money. The caseback has never been opened. I probably will have it serviced someday, as long as I can be assured it would not lose its waterproofness (is that a word?).



1996. I was a medical resident. My wife gave me a watch for my 29th birthday. A Tag-Heuer 2000-series quartz (WK1111-BA0317). The classic white face is just timeless. I think it is one of the best Tag-Heuer designs. Simple and clean. A classic. Not the gaudy teenager watches they are putting out today.

It is still my daily watch to this day, eleven years later. Through residency and fellowship training, and now in practice. Timed my wife's labor contractions. It answered the question, "Shit, what time is it?" on those nights I got up to change diapers.

These are my watches. My "real" watches.


Over the past few years, I picked up a couple of "beaters." What are beaters? Watches to use when I am in Middle Eastern souks. When I am pounding with my hammer or changing tires. Nice watches, but not anything that I would cry about.



My first beater is a G-Shock (MTG-920DA) that I got some time ago. Amazing thing. Shockproof, waterproof, solar powered. Nice big black metal bracelet. The thing syncs with the atomic clock in Colorado everynight. I think Ethan Hunt wore a variation of this watch in MI3. Indestructible.



Yesterday, my second Seiko diver watch arrived. Twenty two years after I bought my first one. A monster of a watch. An Orange Monster to be precise. There are quite a few reviews of this watch on the net. It has attracted a cult following, it seems. This guy is a tank. With Seiko's robust 7S26 movement, this watch should be reliable for some time. If it lasts as long as my other Seiko diver, that could be a long, long time.

11.22.2007


Happy Thanksgiving!

11.17.2007

Yale vs Harvard


The photo of the boy would have worked... IF only we had won the championship instead of being clobbered 37-6 !!

Still, it was a nice crisp fall afternoon for football, and the Yale Bowl's a great historic place to watch it. The kids had a blast -- it was their first live football game!




Epson RD1, 90mm hexanon

11.15.2007

World Travel Map

34 countries to date.



create your own visited country map

My Crappiest Camera





Yes, cellphone cameras are horrible. Crappy lens, low resolution, blown highlights, lots of noise in low light, blah blah blah. Why in the world would anyone want to use them?

Well, sometimes you don't have a camera on you when you need one. That's when.

For the past several years, I always, ALWAYS, carryon a camera or two, in some form of camera bag when I get on a plane. Always.

Not last weekend, when we left for a 3 day visit with family in California. It wasn't that kind of trip.

Murphy's law all over again. Mike peers into the open cockpit as we were boarding in line. The crew sees him, and next thing I know, the Captain's leading him to the pilot's seat. His sister's in the co-pilot's.

And the pilot turns to me: "Dad, you've got a camera, right?"

Duh. Lots of them. All of them at home.

The best camera's the one you have when you need it. So true.

And to AA 265, you guys are cool.

11.03.2007

"Enter the... Mikey?"

--- title by Mikey



Mikey had his graduation ceremony today at his Tae Kwon Do introductory class. He is now enrolled in Master Hwang's regular class.

11.02.2007

Quote of the Day

Phil J: "Blogs are just so gay."

Please email or PM me and I'd be more than happy to give out Phil's email address.

Twinky and Otto


Three years ago, someone gave us a kitten. Against my better half's protests, I succumbed to the kids' pleas to keep "Emily." Fast forward 6 months, and our house was overrun by ticks. It was interesting how they only bit my wife's legs. Did I mention she has dermatographism? Long story short, the house was fumigated thrice, Emily found a new home, and I was in the doghouse, yet again.

Now Rica's 9, Mikey's 8, and I am as gullible as before. Pets are good for kids, right?

After all, I grew up with a non-stop succession of dogs.

Well, so far so good!

10.27.2007

Rica's First Swim Meet


Today was the Valley Shore YMCA Marlins' first competition of the season. It was also Rica's first ever swim meet. It was a big surprise for us, since she just tried out for the team last month, and was supposed to train for some time before competing. We just found out a last week that she was entered in the 9-10 Age Group.

The Marlins faired extremely well in today's meet against Fairfield. Rica swam well - her 200 yard freestyle relay team won, and she placed second in her individual events: 50 Free, 50 Back and 50 Breast.

Not bad for a first meet. She had a blast, and that's what it's all about.


8.23.2007

Pens!

There seems to be an uncanny connection between rangefinder cameras and fountain pens. I guess it is a fascination with and appreciation of how things were done in more elegant years.

I started a ragtag collection of pens in 1999, mostly bought from ebay, when I was in fellowship training but I confess that it had been neglected in recent years. Earlier this year, this hobby was revived when I got a nice Waterman LeMan 100 fountain pen for my birthday. Since, I have been boggled by the amount of information now available on the internet. A far cry from 1999, when all I had to go by were a couple of reference books and some scattered magazine issues.

Well, since then, my collection has been transformed. I only have 3 or 4 of my older pens left, joined by several excellent writers, the operative word being "writers." I am accumulating, for lack of a better word, pens that I love to write with, rather than collecting them for any value or theme. I will be blogging about these in more detail in the next few weeks. I will also try to highlight some sites of interest that I have run into.

6.15.2007

Coffee Roasting Update


It's been close to a year now since I first wrote about our coffee roasting adventure. It's about time for an update.

First off, it has been loads of fun. A bit daunting when you have to roast beans in the garage in the wintertime, though, but still fun.

The West Bend Poppery II popcorn popper has seen much use, roasting 1/4 lb of beans twice a week. Even roasting, easy to use, good batch sizes (1/4 1b requires two batches). The roasts are easy to vary, and replicate, as long as you keep a log. For my needs... I am perfectly happy with this $10 roaster.

As far as roasting, I have my system down pat. I have a Gralab 300 enlarger timer that, when the timer reaches zero (signalling the end of the roast), gives out a load buzz, and automatically turns on a small electric fan pointed at my baking (cooling) pan. I dump the smoking-hot beans into the non-stick baking pan. It has a corrugated bottom which quickly dissipates the heat. A few stirs with my wooden spoon, and the beans are cool.

The decision to get the midrange Capresso Infinity burr grinder was a good one. The grinder has been reliable, with consistently excellent results.

I am glad we got the press pot in two sizes: the eight cup is good for 2-3 people. When I just want one cup, the 3 cup Bodum Chambord is just right.

A fast-heating electric kettle is key. The Braun was a bit costlier than the competition, but well worth it. It has no cord to tangle, and no heating element inside to corrode.

Beans? Well that certainly is the most crucial component.

Burman has good prices, but there was some variability in quality and taste between orders. Makes me doubt the freshness of their beans.

Sweet Maria's costs a bit more than most places, especially with shipping costs from California. The quality and freshness of their offerings are top rate. You just get the sense that they actually know what they are talking about. That gives you the confidence that they select the best lots. Their service has been excellent, too. In my first shipment, a couple of bags opened in transit and I ended up with "blended" coffee. They promptly shipped me two replacement bags for free. Try that with Willoughby's aka Roastmasters.com. No one picks up the phone, or returns your phone call.

Willoughby's has been a pain to deal with, particulary trying to pick up the beans from their store(s). Somehow you get the impression that they do not want to sell green beans. Sure I could have it shipped to me one town away, but it's a matter of principle. Their prices are also the highest I have seen. Lastly, I have not been impressed with the coffees I tried (from the store, roasted or green).

On a friend's advice, I am trying out a new (to me) source in North Carolina, The Coffee Bean Corral, particularly for their Kauai selection. They also have a very large selection, and an informative site. Like Sweet Maria's, they strike me as more confidence inspiring that places where your options are pretty generic, like "Kenya AA", or "Colombia Supremo." And they take Paypal, if you are hesitant to give your credit card information. We'll see.

If you like coffee and are still buying roasted beans (or worse, grounds... yech!) from the grocery, give roasting a try. You won't regret it.

6.14.2007

John Rain's Latest

Requiem for an Assassin came out the end of May, and I just finished reading my copy. This is the 6th Barry Eisler novel about John Rain, "the most charismatic assassin since James Bond," (San Francisco Chronicle).

Personally, I think it was the best-written: it's pace was fast and sustained, with no lulls or overly lengthy descriptions. It is also possibly a reflection of the maturation of the author as a storyteller.

My only misgiving about it - I think it assumes that the reader has read the preceding Rain books. Characters, like Boaz, popped up with not much background for the reader's benefit. I "discovered" this character after picking up "Killing Rain" from the New Books shelf at the local library a couple of years ago. I had no problem, despite starting with the 4th book in the series. Somehow, I think starting with Requiem would be different.

There were a few differences that struck me, compared to the other books. Not a single mention of jazz, if I recall correctly. First time Rain did not go to a jazz or whiskey bar. Only one drink of single malt (Glenmorangie) throughout the whole novel. It seems John Rain is becoming more of a wine connoisseur?

In addition to the fast pace, there was also considerably more travel in this novel: Paris, Saigon, Bali, Singapore, Silicon Valley, LA, Tokyo, New York, Rotterdam. Also a new "affinity" for expensive cars: Mercedes E500, BMW 750iL. Expensive watch. The books must be selling well, eh?

Lastly, the political statements about the current administration, and the war in Iraq. AG. American society's excesses. I don't think John was quite so vocal in the past.

I hope this is not the end, although Rain seems to have run out of enemies. All in all a good read, especially for Rain fans.

6.09.2007

Have ipod Will Travel

Ironically, most of the ipod generation will have never heard of that western.

Up to this point, I have been using my video ipod for music, podcasts, video podcasts, and some audiobooks. I have also uploaded several of my favorite photos in jpeg form.

I decided to try the "video" part and downloaded "Apocalypto" from itunes. All $12.95 of it (now it is $14.95!). Big mistake.

Great movie, but the entire movie is in subtitles. Have you tried to read those little subtitles on an ipod screen? For over two hours? I had to get the dvd after that.

Other than that, watching movies on my ipod is pretty cool. Problem is, I also like to watch them on my big screen. And getting both the dvd and the itunes download can be pretty expensive.

Apocalypto in both formats, $32. Being able to watch someone's heart getting ripped out over and over again, priceless.

Speaking of price, for a bit more than the cost of two movie downloads, I decided to purchase the PQ DVD to Ipod Converter. I have since converted most of the DVD's in my modest collection into MP4 files compatible with my ipod. Very easy, intuitive interface. One-click operation. Definitely money well spent.

Just be sure you only rip videos YOU own.

It allows you to choose the level of compression you want. For 'excellent' video quality, a 4GB movie becomes around 350-400MB. You can carry enough movies for a trans-pacific flight and back.

Or for a trip to the mall with your wife.

The next problem, of course, is having enough juice to run the video for more than two hours. The Maxell ipod battery backup is a nice, economical solution. Sure it adds bulk, but that is really not a problem when I am watching movies on an airplane. And since I have many sets of AA NiMH rechargeable batteries (and Maha charger) for my digicam, I am all set.

Of course, when you get to where you are going, you will need to charge your ipod. AC chargers run the gamut, from less than a dollar on ebay (with astronomical shipping), to the $29 OEM piece from Apple. Take your pick.

Next, for use on a plane, you really need something better than the ipod buds. Invest in a good pair of headphones. I got a pair of Bose headphones a couple of years ago as a gift. Since I tend to set the volume on the loud side, I really have not found a pressing need to plunk down more than 300 bucks for the latest noise-cancelling version.

Last trip, I found myself taking digital photos almost exclusively (as opposed to film), with the RD1. This seems to be a handy ipod accessory to be able to use the video ipod for photo data storage. Transfer rates are supposed to be quite slow, but that can be done while I shower that night in the hotel room, so it really is not a big deal. Like all apple accessories, the price seems a bit steep, however, since it really is just a glorified ipod to usb connector, but with a female usb port. A separate portable data storage device, such as the wolverine, may be a better choice. However, if I will be traveling with something that big, I may as well bring the laptop, and get an early start on the post-processing.

And be able to read the subtitles.

6.03.2007

The Chum Bucket Guide to the Galaxy

My nephew will be backpacking through Europe for a month when college lets out this summer. He emailed me for some tips regarding his upcoming trip.


Suggestions? Here are a few practical ones:

- get a good backpack, and travel light. Eagle Creek makes good backpacks. Rick Steves' ETBD bag is cheap but also ok. A backpack would be best since you will be going around by train, and walking around and to the hostel with your stuff. Unless you leave your stuff at the train station locker, you will be touring town with your stuff.

- don't overpack. i typically bring clothes good enough for 5-7 days, then wash at the hotel/hostel. Bring lightweight clothes that dry quickly. Jeans take more than a day to dry. Cotton shirts take long too. Check THIS out. Cabelas also has the supplex pants that zip into shorts. Supplex dries in 2 hours or less. LLBean has good pants too.

- I bring two pairs of Tilley travel socks. I prefer the ankle length version. They dry quickly overnight, are light, and wont wear out for years, so the cost is ok.

- The absolute best clothesline, with no need for clothespins. Also, get a stopper for the sink drain at a hardware store or such before you leave. Something like THIS would be more unversal, but you can also get the standard one, with chain. That is to plug up the hostel sink for when you wash your clothes.

- get a money belt or something that goes under your shirt, for your cash, passport, and important documents. Write down important phone numbers, your credit card numbers (and toll free numbers to report loss), your passport number, hotel/hostel numbers, etc. Include that inside the money belt. Also make a few copies - leave one at home with mommy, put one inside your backpack. If there is a secure url you can upload the info to, do that - you can access it from an internet cafe in case of emergency.

- look into traveller's health insurance, if your medical plan does not cover you worldwide.

- get a small combination lock, or at least cable ties, for your pack for when you leave it in the hostel. Do not lock your bag if you are checking it on the plane. I would not check it in if I were you since it would completely ruin your vacation if it got lost. Make sure you check your particular airline's carryon size and wt limits. The US carriers are liberal,but air france and british airways are stricter.

- Buy your toiletries there - shampoo, soap, shaving stuff, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Plan to buy as you go - think of it as an opportunity to try the local brands. People in europe brush their teeth too.

- Consider buying tshirts as you go. That will save you the space and weight, and you will have some souvenirs at the same time.

- Consider bringing your oldest clothes - the ones that you will be throwing out soon. Like underwear and socks, tshirts with holes, and leave them in the hostels as you go. Less stuff to wash too.

- Bring a small flashlight for use in the hostels. I like the cheap LED ones powered by one easily available AAA battery.

- Check if your hostel provides beddings and towels. More than likely they will not. If so, bring along a lightweight set travel beddings: sheet and pillowcase, and a microfiber travel towel.

- When you eat in italy, do not sit down, the prices will be much more. Eat standing up at the bar, or take the food out with you. In the vatican, many places will not let you in if you are in shorts or sleeveless tshirt. Make sure you read up on local customs etc for each place you will be going to.

- Get THIS. Concentrate good as shampoo, body wash and to wash clothes. A 4oz bottle should be enough. Remember too that TSA will only let you bring liquids or gels as big as 4oz in quantitiy (in a one quart ziplock bag that you must put through the airport xray. You will need to take it out of your bag, but in general, airport security is not too bad these days compared to 1-2 yrs ago.

- Instead of always eating at restaurants, you will save money by buying cheese, bread, and sausages from the local stores/bakeries, esp in france. Pack a plastic plate, plastic spoon and fork (or spork), and plastic knife. Plan to buy a cheap corkscrew there for wine (you probably will not be able to get that through security).

- Bring individually packed hand wipes for after your "picnics" if you eat the bread, cheese etc in the park for instance (much better than at the hostel). Public bathrooms cost money to get into to wash your hands (bring loose change always, for this). Also, bring a small roll of toilet paper in your pack (you can buy there) since not all the public restrooms are stocked, or clean. Also, if you eat out, take the opportunity to use their bathroom (for free) before you leave.

- wrap a few feet of duct tape around your shampoo or camp suds bottle. There are infinite uses for duct tape, believe me.

- Bring a small first aid kit, with bandaids, tylenol/motrin, imodium. I also bring a small sewing kit in my toiletry bag, in case of emergency. You probably wont need to sew buttons back on (like i had to do with a coat) but a safety pin saved me when the pull tab of my pants' zipper broke off.

- If you are bringing electronics like your ipod and camera charger, make sure you have the appropriate plug adapters for the countries you are visiting.

- back to packing: Pack-mate vacuum bags are very useful. They not only cut on bulk, but also keep your dirty clothes from making your clean clothes smell. I got them at QVC for much less. Consider packing cubes too. They keep your stuff separate and easy to find, and also makes packing and unpacking easy, and you will be doing a lot of that.

- bring earplugs and the airplane eye covers for sleeping - good if the other people in the hostel room snore, talk late into the night, or keep the light on. Same for sleeping on trains. Be careful sleeping on the train - watch for thieves and pickpockets at night. Best to have your own compartment for you and your friend, and don't leave stuff hanging on the coat hook while you sleep. On the train, watch out for this guy.

- An item i have found useful is a carabiner. You can use that to secure your bagstrap to your chair while you eat, or to your beltloop when you sleep. Consider a small plastic whistle too, just in case you need to attract attention.

- Again, make sure you have lots of copies of your passport. In case all gets lost, you can have mommy mail it to you. Or else, you wont be able to fly home.

- Bring a small alarm clock if your watch does not have one. Hostels do not have wakeup calls, and you may have an early train to catch. Also, for popular tourist places like the Sistine Chapel/Vatican museum, you need to be there early (or go late, before it closes) or you will be in line for many hours. Remember, you will be there in the peak of tourist season. Also, whenever possible, get your tickets online or through a travel agent before your leave - especially the LOUVRE.

- When you get to a big city, make sure your go to the tourist office. Get free maps. Also, many of them offer 1, 2 or 3 day passes which will let you in all the museums. Same with trams, metro and buses. Otherwise, individual tickets are available at the Tabac shops.

- This is a good chance to use your small moleskine notebook! Keep a journal - if not, you may not remember the little details of your trip.

- Get a good guidebook and read when you plan your trip. Lonely Planet is good. Europe Through the Backdoor is a handy book. Lots of great little tips. Like what bus number to ride to see the sights around the Ring in Vienna. Or which tram to take to the top of the Prague Castle entrance, to bypass the tourists coming in by bus. Or that you can get tickets to the Colosseum at some other place up the hill and beside it (I forget the name, it may be the Palazzo Borghese) - or else you will be in line half the day. Also good suggestions about cheap places to eat, hostels, etc. Read the parts pertinent to your trip but do not bring the (bulky) book with you. Just photocopy or rip out the pages to bring, and leave it when you are done with that place.

- If you buy stuff and it starts to weigh you down, consider mailing a package back home midtrip. Even if you send it by the cheapest way, it will be there by the time you get home.

- Send postcards as you go.

Well, that's a lot of stuff. Damn, I should make this a blog entry.

Have fun.

5.24.2007

D.C.





Just got back from Washington.

Well, the new Spy Museum was the only thing I saw, after my conference was done. You can't take photos at the Spy Museum. Of course you can't.

So all the photos here were taken by Rica. I only brought one lens, the fast Sigma 35/1.4. She has only shot with a 50mm on her film camera, so I thought this would be familiar for her. I set the camera for her at P mode, and auto-ISO. She liked using the Nikon DSLR.



I like what she did with this, including the people in the foreground. Most would have gone for the postcard shot.


Doesn't she have a good eye?


For a 9-year old? (mommy took this one)


More from the Smithsonian.




"Daddy, I took this for you..."



She's appreciates what is going on around her.


And she is fearless.


So is her little brother. Witty, to boot.

This is what happens when you give the camera to Mikey.


That was a wonderful mini-vacation.

Nice to be back home.

5.13.2007

Happy Mothers' Day!

It was also a special day for Mikey. First Communion day.

No photos allowed during the mass.

Here are some hand prints of the first communicants, posted on the front of the altar. The blue one is Mike's.



And his banner. Doesn't he look serious?
The little guy absolutely refused to wear a coat.


Soon back to his old self.

Congratulations!

5.11.2007

MY "Quote of the Day"

Money does not make a person who he is. It has the power only to reveal a person's true nature.

5.07.2007

Let's Play Pretend

Okay, you spent good money on a pro- or near-pro level DSLR (you are much too good for the entry level stuff!). You also have a big, heavy "pro" f/2.8 telephoto lens, right? Vacationing with your family is an "assignment." A birthday party is a "shoot."

Here's a video game for you.


*courtesy of TOP

5.05.2007

Longevity

This post, and the responses posted, on RFF had me thinking over my first cup of coffee this morning. Many people assume that, because it is electronic, digital cameras have a very short lifespan. Especially compared to old, "classic" mechanical camera that have been around for 30 years or more, and still very usable today.

Now, I love old cameras too. In fact, if you scroll down, you will find at least a couple of blog entries extolling the virtues of the Canon P, the Nikon S2, and the Leica M3. Maybe I need to roast a new batch of coffee beans, but my thinking this morning left me a contrarian.

How sure are we that current DSLR's won't be working in 20-30 years? The CDS meter on my Spotmatic is working. The electronic shutter on my F3 is still accurate. And this was "old technology." How many of your computers actually conked out before you replaced them? Or was it replaced just to "upgrade?"

The guy from Circuit City called the other day asking me if I wanted to renew the extended warranty on my flat screen TV. "You must be joking. The damn thing won't die, and that's the only thing keeping me from convincing my wife to get a plasma screen!"

In large part, our Leica M3's and Contaxes are in good working condition because of people like Sherry and Henry. Don't we always factor in the cost of a CLA when buying one that has not been serviced? Nothing magical about their longevity.

The original poster on RFF said that 6MP was a sweet spot for digital cameras. Sure, newer models may have more MP and more bells and whistles. It's just a matter of what is good enough for your needs. There may be pros who actually need the extra features, or make humongous enlargements, but for most people, "upgrading" is just part consumerism, and the other part, the little boy who compares 0-60 times on Car & Driver magazine.

5.01.2007

Red Oxx Gator : a Camera Bag?







I came across Red Oxx's Gator bag while browsing for a smallish carryon bag several months ago. Made by a small, quality outfit of ex-parachute riggers in Billings, Montana, the bag was rated the Best Travel Shoulder Bag for 2005, by this reviewer. When I first read it, I thought the article was a little bit over-the-top, but I have to admit that I was intrigued by this little bag.

The problem was, there really was not much else I could find out about the Gator. No other review on the web, as far as I can see. And not a whole lot of photos. I stayed on the fence since... "sounds nice, but $95?"

Fast forward to today. One Air Boss later. If you have no clue what I am talking about, scroll down a few inches to my blog write-up on the Air Boss.

The Gator is no different. The quality of materials, attention to detail, and craftsmanship are superb. The Humvee of small bags. It is made of 1000-weight urethane coated Cordura nylon, regarded as the "kevlar" of the bag industry. The seams are double-stitched, and the huge #10 YKK zippers won't foul up or break. The D-rings are welded stainless steel. Bottom line is, the bag is over-built, and will carry pretty much anything you can put in it without a hiccup. If the Guvernator carried a man bag, this would be it.




But I also wanted a bag that will do double duty as a camera bag. And this is really the purpose of this mini-review. See, oftentimes, when I travel with a real camera bag as carryon, there is not much room for other (i.e. non-photography related) stuff I want to bring with me. And if I use a plain old carryon, I don't feel like my equipment is secure or protected enough.

Aside from doing double duty, it must also be small and light enough to comfortably carry around all day (as camera and daypack) when I am there.

There have been a couple of long-running threads on the rangefinder forum (RFF) on this topic. One that I started a year ago about "man purses", and more recently, a thread looking for a man bag for casual shooting, which could also carry a camera and a couple of lenses. You know, the kind of discussion we live for in these forums! Well, that is the kind of "jack-of-all-trades" role I had in mind when I got this bag.

The Gator measures 12(L) x 9(H) x 6(W) inches, and is just about the same size as a Domke F6. In fact, the F6's four-compartment insert fits nicely. Here it is beside the F6.



Here, you can see that it can hold a good-sized rangefinder kit with room to spare. That's an Epson R-D1, bottom of a leather ER case, with 40/1.4 and hood lying flat on it's base. A Leica M3 in a Luigi case, with a collapsed Summitar is in one pocket of the insert. Three more pockets for lenses, etc.



Here is the bag with an SLR kit. The D50 with Sigma 35/1.4 fits nicely. There is a Tokina 12-24mm f/4 in there. That lens with a white rear cap? That's a Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 AF.



It is interesting to note that packed with the heavy SLR lenses, the bag felt very comfortable slung over my shoulder. I think that is thanks, in part to the massive rubberized Claw strap (this alone retails for $20 and is well worth the price) that stretches with heavy loads, and in part to the fact that the padding keeps the bag from sagging despite the weighty contents.





That brings us to what I think is one of the neatest features of this bag. The bottom and both large side panels are lined with 1/4 inch thick 4-lb closed cell foam. What is that exactly? Something waaay better than the foam used on the Domkes. Going by feel, it is the same quality of padding in the insert of my Billingham S3. Not the dividers. The insert that you snap into the bag. Excellent built-in protection.

Using an insert like the Domke's is really just to keep things from banging into one another. I generally just carry a few items and can probably do well with one RF camera + lens in a wrap (or something like the Artisan & Artist Rina case), and one or two lenses in small pouches. That will leave me with plenty of room in the bag for other stuff.

I know what you are thinking. Not to worry - the bag is sturdy but not too bulky. The top and ends are not padded, so the bag is more streamlined, sort of "compressible" side-to-side. It is not stiff and won't bounce off your body like, say, the Lowepro AW 100. It is not too wide either- 6 inches is just right in my view. It is just as thick as my Billingham S3, and 3/4 inch thicker than a Domke f5xb. Just the right size to go under the airplane seat.

What else? Little things like two gusseted snap pockets on one side which can hold film, sunglasses, ipod, what have you. The other side has a full zip pocket. Two gartered end pockets sized for water bottles. Inside the bag, there is a full-length pocket perfect for magazines, and 4 slips for pens.

The only con about this bag is that I don't think it is waterproof. The cordura is water repellent, but the zipper and seams are probably not.

That, and it makes about as much of a fashion statement as a pickup truck.

I like trucks.

Well there it is. If you are looking for a tough, protective, versatile bag, this is definitely worth considering. Guaranteed to outlive you, it is warranteed for life. Sure, it is not cheap, but you get what you pay for. You will ABSOLUTELY not find a better made bag anywhere. For any price.

The folks at Red Oxx are a nice, helpful bunch too. Before I bought the bag, I asked them some questions about using the bag for cameras, and had a series of helpful emails with Jim Markel, one of the company's owners. He even added a photo of the bag holding a Nikon DSLR to their website. You can't put a price on little things like that.

Read more about the Gator at Red Oxx.com.

4.30.2007

Paparazzi in Training


Sunday afternoon: a fun way to finish off partially used rolls of film!

Ilford Pan F and Rodinal. I can get used to this low speed combination.

Too much dust on the negs today. A lot of it is mineral deposit. I will need to change the water filter. And maybe use distilled water for the final wash.




She has this really cute way of looking through the viewfinder. And the smile. Kinda like Mickey's eyes and expression.



The Olympus' light shutter release takes a bit of getting used to.




Now, somewhere on the net some "experts" said the zeiss 50/1.4 planar's bokeh was harsh. The info you get on the internet...

This lens in ZF form will set you back quite a bit. Same with the 85 Planar (used for the first three shots). But in Contax mount, you can now get them for a song. Can't mount them on a D200, though. You will need to shoot film. Too bad.

Some people buy a fast lens for the narrow dof. Then mount it on an APS sensor digital. Then wax on about the narrow dof.

What's that? The ZF lenses have a different formulation? I guess that justifies the huge price difference. Like Zeiss suddenly discovered a breakthrough formula to make their already legendary lenses twice as good. Yeah, I know, internet experts...

There's an ass for every seat.