Grand Central, Morning
I know -- a cliche subject done to death. But man, I can't resist this - especially with the beautifully blown highlights.
2/23/2006
Grand Central, Morning
Grand Central, Morning
I know -- a cliche subject done to death. But man, I can't resist this - especially with the beautifully blown highlights.
Health
I've been in a lousy mood the last few days. Probably caused by my aching back - I definitely pulled something - and I've had to give up the excercise routine for a while. But I also am faced with medical expenses (routine but expensive) that have to do with my medicine for Crohns disease, and a routine colonoscopy that's coming up and a doctors appointment. In case you are reading this for the first time - I've had Crohns for about ten years. It's been in remission for about six or seven years. But I am on expensive medication and I have a high insurance deductible and I have to go through a colonoscopy every year as a preventive measure. The medical stuff hits me this time of year.
The insurance I have is quirky. I need to lay out the money first and then - eventually - I get reimbursed for what they think whatever it is should cost. Anyway - it ain't great, but the insurance is specific to the laws of New York and only costs me $250 a month. On top of that, I need to get some dental work done - and I have no dental insurance.
So that's where the rubber hits the road. If I didn't have health expenses, and if I hadn't bought all the new equipment - and if pigs had wings - I'd be perfectly solvent.
Oh - and about writing this stuff in the blog - who cares anymore. I made a deal with the devil. Bottom line: I put myself on display to sell pictures (years ago).
Kafka has a great story about the artist as a circus freak. Now I can't remember the name of the story. Oh, was it called "A Hunger Artist." Did it have anything to do with what I'm blabbing about? I doubt it. I'm in the mood for some Kafka though.
* * *
But you see - that's why it doesn't pay to really get too worried about this crap. I went to the pharmacy a little while ago to pick up my medicine. Last year, this cost $1200 for a 3-month supply. The pharmacist sees me come in and smiles. "I have good news for you," he says.
He pushes the receipt for the drug in front of me and it is only (being relative) $850.
Wow, say I. That is good news. It went down so much since last year.
And yes - it did. He doesn't know why, but I'm not asking. So I'm starting to feel a little bit better.
* * *
And received two emails about the cause of Crohn's being discovered (The Lancet) and the use of Viagra to stimulate blood to the colon. There's a joke in this somewhere - but I don't know what it is yet.
The insurance I have is quirky. I need to lay out the money first and then - eventually - I get reimbursed for what they think whatever it is should cost. Anyway - it ain't great, but the insurance is specific to the laws of New York and only costs me $250 a month. On top of that, I need to get some dental work done - and I have no dental insurance.
So that's where the rubber hits the road. If I didn't have health expenses, and if I hadn't bought all the new equipment - and if pigs had wings - I'd be perfectly solvent.
Oh - and about writing this stuff in the blog - who cares anymore. I made a deal with the devil. Bottom line: I put myself on display to sell pictures (years ago).
Kafka has a great story about the artist as a circus freak. Now I can't remember the name of the story. Oh, was it called "A Hunger Artist." Did it have anything to do with what I'm blabbing about? I doubt it. I'm in the mood for some Kafka though.
* * *
But you see - that's why it doesn't pay to really get too worried about this crap. I went to the pharmacy a little while ago to pick up my medicine. Last year, this cost $1200 for a 3-month supply. The pharmacist sees me come in and smiles. "I have good news for you," he says.
He pushes the receipt for the drug in front of me and it is only (being relative) $850.
Wow, say I. That is good news. It went down so much since last year.
And yes - it did. He doesn't know why, but I'm not asking. So I'm starting to feel a little bit better.
* * *
And received two emails about the cause of Crohn's being discovered (The Lancet) and the use of Viagra to stimulate blood to the colon. There's a joke in this somewhere - but I don't know what it is yet.
2/22/2006
Fine Art B&W Printing
"Last time I checked my bankroll,
It was pretty thin,
Sometimes it seems like the bottom,
Is the only place I been." - John Prine
I'm beginning to wonder whether I shouldn't branch out at this point and take on clients that I would do personalized b&w inkjet printing for. You give me the negative or the digital capture, I'll do the photoshopping as necessary - or you do it - and output with the 4800 on paper of your choice (more or less).
How do you figure out how much to charge? I'll try and work that out.
It was pretty thin,
Sometimes it seems like the bottom,
Is the only place I been." - John Prine
I'm beginning to wonder whether I shouldn't branch out at this point and take on clients that I would do personalized b&w inkjet printing for. You give me the negative or the digital capture, I'll do the photoshopping as necessary - or you do it - and output with the 4800 on paper of your choice (more or less).
How do you figure out how much to charge? I'll try and work that out.
The Amazings
The story about the UAE taking over a couple of ports, including one in New York - is amazing because it has actually caused politicians from both sides of the aisle to unite against the president. However - the theory that we want to give contracts to our friends - whether they be Arab or English - makes good sense. In fact, an unnamed source has told me that Pres. Bush's first idea was to give control of American airports to the Iraqis to prove that we took care of our friends, no matter their religion or nationality.
President Bush argued that this was not as crazy as it sounded since Iraq was now a democracy - and that we wanted to show our support for democracies in the middle east.
The president, though - will explain why this move makes sense - and since this is not a political issue, but an issue of national security - the president will not back down from this no matter who is agin him. That is amazing.
The Met players have shown up for Spring training - and I have to believe that this is the year they will make it to the division playoffs. And to make it better, they have their own t.v. station in New York.
President Bush argued that this was not as crazy as it sounded since Iraq was now a democracy - and that we wanted to show our support for democracies in the middle east.
The president, though - will explain why this move makes sense - and since this is not a political issue, but an issue of national security - the president will not back down from this no matter who is agin him. That is amazing.
The Met players have shown up for Spring training - and I have to believe that this is the year they will make it to the division playoffs. And to make it better, they have their own t.v. station in New York.
2/21/2006
Flat Iron & Empire State Bldg.
Shot through sculpture and reflected from same. 23rd Street. And, because of a reflection in the next shot, I actually know that this was shot with the Hexar Classic. It was on TMax 100, which I didn't use very often, but the scan looks great.
Skyscraper Men, Battery Park
My lower back continues to bother me. I wish I could say that I hurt it doing some acrobatics, but it was just that yoga session that did me in.
2/20/2006
Museo Silver Rag
I placed my first order for Silver Rag (two rolls) and should have it by the week-end. I still have enough left from the beta stock to do a few 11 x 14 prints. The cut sheet silver rag won't be available for - say another week or two.
If you want to know pricing and where I ordered it from, please e-mail me. I like the roll paper anyway, so this isn't a big deal, but I could use the letter size for my 5 x 7's. In other words, if someone orders one 5 x 7 at this point they're still going to get it on the luster. If someone orders a bunch of 5 x 7's I'll do 'em on the roll paper.
If you want to know pricing and where I ordered it from, please e-mail me. I like the roll paper anyway, so this isn't a big deal, but I could use the letter size for my 5 x 7's. In other words, if someone orders one 5 x 7 at this point they're still going to get it on the luster. If someone orders a bunch of 5 x 7's I'll do 'em on the roll paper.
day 51
I am in training for when they put the stationary bike in the Olympics. On Friday I did an hour on the bike. I think it would be at least as exciting as curling.
Then I walk up these spiral stairs to the small room upstairs in the club where I usually do some stretching, but on Friday there were two women sitting in the Lotus position and one asked me if I wanted to join them for Yoga class.
Well sure, says I. And I grab a mat and it starts off easy enough with some hand wringing to generate heat and some chanting (I'm good at that) but soon I realize that the teacher and the one woman beside me are way beyond my stretching capabilities. But I'm trying to stay with them and I won't go into the whole thing but by end of an hour session let's just say that I felt like I had just finished a 20 mile march with full pack.
The teacher and the other woman tell me that I did very well, considering this was my first time, and that they had been doing this for many years.
I say that I think I did okay in that I'm already sore, but I don't think I sprained anything.
Wrong.
I'm sitting here with a badly pulled lower back. My bad. I'm sort of an idiot when it comes to this stuff. Way too competitive with myself?
My family is like that: very politically sensitive, and aggressive maniacs when it comes to any sort of game or athletic activity.
One day, about 20 years ago, my parents put up a badminton net near what was then our country house. My younger sister (seven years younger) and I played all the time and one day I told her that I had gotten good enough to serve and hit her in the head. Sort of like Babe Ruth pointing to the stands.
And so I did. The shuttlecock left a crimson mark in her forehead.
She was 14 and went running in the house screaming. Out comes the old man. A tough bird.
Hey, did you hit her in the head!
Sure did, dad. Right in the forehead. I told her I was gonna.
Yeah? How'd you like I did that to you!
I told him he could try if he wanted to but it took practice. When he started down the stairs, I took off. He doesn't tolerate wisecracks well.
A few years later, my sister dug a small hole (she swears she didn't) on my side of the court, covered it with leaves, and hit the shuttlecock so that I put my left ankle into the hole and had to be taken to the hospital.
Revenge, the dish that is best served years later.
But that stuff comes from big daddy. Dad was an excellent paddleballer and even when he was in his sixties, he used to be able to drive me all over the court until I was ready to collapse. He could not stand losing. Not at anything.
After he taught me to play chess when I was around seven years old, he absolutely loved to play. Until the day that I beat him (I think I was about ten years old) and he would never play me again.
No, I'm too busy. Much too busy.
And out he'd go on to take care of his business.
Anyway - health is tough. But I'm going to stick with it. Ouch.
Then I walk up these spiral stairs to the small room upstairs in the club where I usually do some stretching, but on Friday there were two women sitting in the Lotus position and one asked me if I wanted to join them for Yoga class.
Well sure, says I. And I grab a mat and it starts off easy enough with some hand wringing to generate heat and some chanting (I'm good at that) but soon I realize that the teacher and the one woman beside me are way beyond my stretching capabilities. But I'm trying to stay with them and I won't go into the whole thing but by end of an hour session let's just say that I felt like I had just finished a 20 mile march with full pack.
The teacher and the other woman tell me that I did very well, considering this was my first time, and that they had been doing this for many years.
I say that I think I did okay in that I'm already sore, but I don't think I sprained anything.
Wrong.
I'm sitting here with a badly pulled lower back. My bad. I'm sort of an idiot when it comes to this stuff. Way too competitive with myself?
My family is like that: very politically sensitive, and aggressive maniacs when it comes to any sort of game or athletic activity.
One day, about 20 years ago, my parents put up a badminton net near what was then our country house. My younger sister (seven years younger) and I played all the time and one day I told her that I had gotten good enough to serve and hit her in the head. Sort of like Babe Ruth pointing to the stands.
And so I did. The shuttlecock left a crimson mark in her forehead.
She was 14 and went running in the house screaming. Out comes the old man. A tough bird.
Hey, did you hit her in the head!
Sure did, dad. Right in the forehead. I told her I was gonna.
Yeah? How'd you like I did that to you!
I told him he could try if he wanted to but it took practice. When he started down the stairs, I took off. He doesn't tolerate wisecracks well.
A few years later, my sister dug a small hole (she swears she didn't) on my side of the court, covered it with leaves, and hit the shuttlecock so that I put my left ankle into the hole and had to be taken to the hospital.
Revenge, the dish that is best served years later.
But that stuff comes from big daddy. Dad was an excellent paddleballer and even when he was in his sixties, he used to be able to drive me all over the court until I was ready to collapse. He could not stand losing. Not at anything.
After he taught me to play chess when I was around seven years old, he absolutely loved to play. Until the day that I beat him (I think I was about ten years old) and he would never play me again.
No, I'm too busy. Much too busy.
And out he'd go on to take care of his business.
Anyway - health is tough. But I'm going to stick with it. Ouch.
2/19/2006
From George Washington Bridge
A few years ago I went to visit a friend in Washington Heights and found myself with tripod and camera on the G.W. at dusk just as a snow storm was coming in.
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