Don’t call it a come back
You know, I have never been the one to complain about progress. My dad always says stuff like "I don't call it progress I call it regress". For someone in their 50's that grew up with things being a cetain way and watching small towns become swallowed by large cities I can understand why he would say that. but I never agreed with him.
Last week at work I ordered some software from one of our vendors and I was expecting an email back with the license key and a link for a direct download. This is how the majority of distribution is handled these days, mostly digital. Even though I am in an enterprise environment this same trend can be seen at home, with video games and all sorts of software. Every major software vendor has the availability to download your product through services like Steam. This is GREAT! Less cardboard in land fills, less overhead for vendors. This vendor did not send me a link, but an actual package that arrived two days later. As I sat with this box of software in my hands I wondered to myself "Why in the hell didn't they just give me a download?" but as I opened the box I was immediately reminded of my childhood. When I was growing up we used to have to go to buildings to buy stuff. We would shop for video games by looking at the box art, and these boxes were BIG. These boxes had a very distinctive smell, I'm sure it was just ink on the cardboard and game manual. I really miss the feeling of getting that box, holding it in your hands all the way home reading the back of the package over and over again, then after getting home finally tearing into it and reading the instruction manual while the software/game installed. Meanwhile, the whole time there's this very distinctive new software smell that is akin to new car smell.
I'll never forget those days. I'm usually pretty progressive and current with things but I think this is the first time in my life that I am unwilling to change with progress. As long as distributors still send box copies of games to stores I will buy them. For as long as I am able I want to open that box and smell the noxious fumes of industrial ink and packaging while I'm being asked for CD2 of 5. I want to read the game manual while the installation program flashes screenshots on my monitor. Maybe it's the kid in me refusing to die. Well I don't want him to die either so no, this is not progress to me, this IS regress. When my kids grow up and laugh at me for still going to a STORE to buy a BOX. I'm going to jump in my 1968 Mustang, drive my ass to the store, buy the game of the month and when I get home and they are already playing I'm going to feel sorry for what they are missing out on.
Mother Nature is Taunting Me
I recently accepted a new job with my company, this is my last week in my current position. The job I took is vastly different than the job I am in now, not in terms of responsibility so much as just the overall nature of the job. Both jobs have me fixing problems, troubleshooting, talking to people, those are the major similarities. The differences are huge though. With my current position I am outside a lot, driving from place to place mostly, but not in an office. I frequently take breaks or lunches in different parks around the county enjoying the beautiful weather we have here in Florida, especially this time of year. My new position will be in an office.
This morning I was walking outside, and what an amazing morning it was. The air was crisp, not a cloud in the sky, it was about 65 degrees with a slight breeze. Really, the kind of day that makes me reconsider ever moving away from Florida. A bird starts chirping in the tree in front of me. "Kaka! Chirp Chirp!" is what it sounded like. But what it was actually saying was a little more mocking. "I hope you enjoy walls, because at this time every day you're going to be behind them! Chirp!" is what he was actually saying to me.
That little son of a bitch.
He was right though, being outdoors all day is possibly at the top of a short list of things I will miss about my current position. That just means I'll be outside more on the weekends. Doing things like, sitting, and... walking. And... watersports.
1968 Mustang: Somewhere in the middle.
In September of 2010 we visited my grand parents in Moore, Oklahoma. During this visit I got my first look at the Mustang in years. Now, as an adult and as the time grows closer to pick the car up and begin the journey of restoring it, I am able to see it as a project and not as a fantasy. It is not a GT500, and it's name is not Eleanor but it certainly has been my unicorn over the past 20 years. Naturally, I took some photos. Lots of work ahead...
My grandmother is going to hate that I'm posting pictures of her garage right now, but let's be honest. She's probably one of the only people reading this right now. The others will include my father, aunt, uncle, etc... everyone knows it's messy. Anyway, this is where the car has been resting for a hundred years or so.
As restoration projects go, it's not in horrible shape. It's battered, beat down and in a general state of disrepair, the interior is trashed and there are bumpers removed but it is rust free and all of the original parts are still around. There isn't anything missing! The bumper is in the corner of the garage leaning up against the wall.
The original 289 is intact, and it freely turns over when rotated by hand. Nice! We thought it would be seized. We found an interesting little... gift. It was sitting on the alternator. See below...
This is everything you think it is. A mummified rat! Sitting on top of the alternator. There is no question, this little gem died of old age.
The interior. All intact, at least the original seats are all there and can be recovered. It looks like hell and everything is dry rotted. The interior will be, by far the hardest part of this restoration, but it is still fairly straight forward because there isn't anything missing.
So there you have it! I'll post another update whenever we're loading it on the trailer sometime in September of 2011.
Out with the old, In with the new.
Over the past few months I have fallen into a creative rut with my photography. I decided that the lenses I have been using were a huge barrier. The lenses I have been using since taking up the photography hobby are the 18-55 IS f/3.5-5.6 kit lens and a 75-300 f/3.5-5.6 telephoto. With these two lenses I have an enourmous amount of reach. Between the ranges of 18-300 I can capture just about anything I need to. However, both are very mediocre in quality and at 300mm the telephoto is a bitch to get a photo that isn't blurred or intensely distorted. So, that being said I made a leap of faith. I sold them both and bought a single 50mm prime f/1.4.
First reactions from friends and family include "Soo, you can't zoom?" and "That wasn't really a good idea." No, I can't zoom in or out now because I only have the single lens, but was it a good idea? Yes... I am officially in love with primes. It is obvious to me now that it is more important to capture a GREAT photo instead of TONS of mediocre ones. Not to say that I didn't grab some great shots with my other lenses, but none of the clarity that I am getting now.
Yesterday, my fiance and I went to a classic car show at the Wiregrass mall in Wesley Chapel, FL. There were hundreds of people walking around all of the cars so it was difficult to get any shots, especially at the 50mm range, but I did manage a couple without people walking in front of me.
Enjoy!
50mm @ f/2.8 ISO 100 1/800
50mm @ f/2.8 ISO 100 1/8000
The photo of the Porsche shows that I am still learning which aperture is best for certain situations. Before, when my only options were 3.5+ it wasn't as big of a deal to choose the correct aperture, but you can plainly see in this photo that 2.8 was too wide. The right side of the car is sharp and in focus, while the left side is slightly out of focus. Had I used f/3.5 or f/4 I would have achieved sharp focus on the entire front end while still throwing the background out of focus. However, the photo of the old (Ford?) above is sharply in focus using f/2.8, and that is because the car is sitting square in the frame.
Consistency
...I have none.
It has been forever since I posted anything. Not that I have nothing to say, it's been a busy several months. That's what I say when I have been slacking on something, because the fact of the matter is that instead of posting or doing anything constructive at night I mostly find myself roped into watching reality television, or "Say Yes To The Dress" marathons against my will.
Seriously, TLC, what are we "Learning" from these stupid bridal shows that you rerun constantly. Why does it seem like that's all you have to show us?