Not bad. Last night, was the first time since I stopped smoking that I slept soundly through the night. I think the physical part is over and now the psychological cravings kick in. The physical withdrawal, as annoying as it is - has always been the easiest part since it is just being able to endure a lot of pain, which I can do. The more difficult part is when you've forgotten about all the pain you went through - and something emotional sets you off - and you feel like - oh what the hell - I just need one. One cigarette will help me so much.
Now that craving has a time and life of it's own. Usually it last for a few minutes - though if you don't look at your watch you think it's longer than that. But those cravings can go on for days and days and that's when it gets tough.
I haven't run into them yet - but I know that I will. They are always around the corner. Talk to just about any ex-smoker and ask if there aren't times - decades later when some situation makes them think about reaching for a cigarette. That's when it gets real dangerous.
Be that all as it is. I got a lot done this month. Finally got my matting supplies and storage organized by buying a bureau and getting pre-cut mats. My packaging system costs a little bit more, but is much quicker for me. I got out four orders yesterday morning which is a new land speed record for me.
New p.c. and backup system is working well. I even upgraded from Quickbooks 2002 to the current version and did a bunch of things to make entering sales quicker. Compared sales year-to-date this year with year-to-date last year and they've been three times as much.
In other words, I've turned my apartment into a production line. And even bought a new rug and curtains. Anyway - very productive month. My charge card is getting up near its limit - but I have the stuff I need to run the business for another year and my theory is that every year I stay in business brings me one step closer to financial solvency - or is it bankruptcy? I get the two confused sometimes.
1/18/2006
More Secrets
Continuing with my Victoria's Secret campaign tips, I made this replica of what they've got on their site and plastered it on my home page. This is not a new offer. It's just more pronounced. Think about it. Why should anyone charge shipping if the orders are large enough? Hey - no shipping charges on orders over $10,000. I guess it depends on what you're shipping and how.Speaking of shipping - two packages brought to post office for overseas shipping and once again, I managed to fill out the wrong custom form. Remember, you have your two choices, the little green one and the larger white one. Last time I was told that for a package of a certain size and weight (same as today, same as today!) I should fill out the larger white one. But of course when I got to the window I was told to use the smaller green one. Reason? You should use the smaller green one for packages that are under 4 pounds. Really? I never heard that one before. Yep, that's the rule she says: 4 pounds or under. I tell her that every time I fill out a custom slip I get told something different... Oh ---
1/17/2006
Under New Manager
Today, this place is under new management. The new management will cause empty bottles to fill with wine. Wine glasses and table clothes will appear in front of you. It will be a black-tie affair. Your chariot awaits. The new management is here. Keep the faith and have another bit of that excellent caviar. - The Other Worlds' Word
Dave's Secret
In case you've been wondering about the rhyme and reason if any to my last sale, I will tell you my secret. The other day I was walking down 86th street and boys being boys I always look in the window of the Victoria's Secret store, hoping to see something I've not seen before. (That's a story for another time and a more adult audience).
They were having a Semi-Annual Sale. I began to wonder about the expertise that must go into these decisions about what to call a sale, and when to have them. And how they built an empire selling women's underwear and it dawned on me that they may be the best marketers in the world (shows how much I know).
I made a secret vow that whenever Victoria's Secret had a sale - I'd offer one too. We are both in the business of selling illusion.
You know that there will be all sorts of sales during the year: the next one being the Valentine's Day Sale (and I will do same if I'm still playing this game). But each sale will have it's own special aura, and will be for a certain time only.
Or to put it another way - I'll emulate the best and the brightest. If I don't like semi-annual sale, the next sale may be Ten Minute Sale. Yes, if you place your order between 4 o'clock p.m. and 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday the... SAVE - I don't know what, save something. SAVE YOURSELF. SAVE SOMEONE ELSE.
But whatever you do - don't tell anyone about this as it is, Dave's Secret.
They were having a Semi-Annual Sale. I began to wonder about the expertise that must go into these decisions about what to call a sale, and when to have them. And how they built an empire selling women's underwear and it dawned on me that they may be the best marketers in the world (shows how much I know).
I made a secret vow that whenever Victoria's Secret had a sale - I'd offer one too. We are both in the business of selling illusion.
You know that there will be all sorts of sales during the year: the next one being the Valentine's Day Sale (and I will do same if I'm still playing this game). But each sale will have it's own special aura, and will be for a certain time only.
Or to put it another way - I'll emulate the best and the brightest. If I don't like semi-annual sale, the next sale may be Ten Minute Sale. Yes, if you place your order between 4 o'clock p.m. and 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday the... SAVE - I don't know what, save something. SAVE YOURSELF. SAVE SOMEONE ELSE.
But whatever you do - don't tell anyone about this as it is, Dave's Secret.
1/16/2006
Batch Scanning w/ 4990
A while back Jeff asked about the feasibility of using the Epson 4990 for batch scanning 35mm negatives / slides. Last night I had to do something like that for a client. I had about 40 color negatives that needed to be scanned for output at say 300 dpi 8 x 10.
A couple of quick impressions: the 35mm holder is a pain to load. I was doing color negative film. It goes emulsion up into the carrier and boy it wanted to curl up and I had a lot of trouble getting it to lie flat. As you know you can put four strips (6 negs each) into the holder. Yes, there is a little notch to slide the film under at one end, but not at the other. I got the stuff in okay, but it is just not the same as using a good sturdy negative holder for a film scanner.
I was using VueScan. Next problem was that in the preview, I really couldn't get all four strips lined up properly so that I could scan all four strips at once. This might have been easier to deal with if I was using the Epson Twain interface. Don't know. But I lined things up so I could do one strip at a time.
Size @ 4800 dpi input scan is 15 x 23 inches. But in my opinion, you'd be crazy to use this to scan 35mm negs. at that resolution unless your film scanner was broken. Remember, you are adding two surfaces that can and will contain dust, hair, and other unwanted junk. Remember that the negative is just not lying as flat as it would with a dedicated film scanner. In other words - my quick pronouncement is that for 35mm negatives, I'd still use it if I had to do a large scanning job where the quality of individual scans could be mostly for the web or for knowing what you had (indexing). But for the real thing - where you want to get everything you can out of the negative / slide - I'd still jump to a film scanner.
The same, obviously is not true for the Medium Format and large format negatives where I'm dealing with one negative at a time and you can put the negative on the sweet spot of the scanning glass, and you are prepared to clean each neg. up as needed.
A couple of quick impressions: the 35mm holder is a pain to load. I was doing color negative film. It goes emulsion up into the carrier and boy it wanted to curl up and I had a lot of trouble getting it to lie flat. As you know you can put four strips (6 negs each) into the holder. Yes, there is a little notch to slide the film under at one end, but not at the other. I got the stuff in okay, but it is just not the same as using a good sturdy negative holder for a film scanner.
I was using VueScan. Next problem was that in the preview, I really couldn't get all four strips lined up properly so that I could scan all four strips at once. This might have been easier to deal with if I was using the Epson Twain interface. Don't know. But I lined things up so I could do one strip at a time.
Size @ 4800 dpi input scan is 15 x 23 inches. But in my opinion, you'd be crazy to use this to scan 35mm negs. at that resolution unless your film scanner was broken. Remember, you are adding two surfaces that can and will contain dust, hair, and other unwanted junk. Remember that the negative is just not lying as flat as it would with a dedicated film scanner. In other words - my quick pronouncement is that for 35mm negatives, I'd still use it if I had to do a large scanning job where the quality of individual scans could be mostly for the web or for knowing what you had (indexing). But for the real thing - where you want to get everything you can out of the negative / slide - I'd still jump to a film scanner.
The same, obviously is not true for the Medium Format and large format negatives where I'm dealing with one negative at a time and you can put the negative on the sweet spot of the scanning glass, and you are prepared to clean each neg. up as needed.
1/15/2006
1/14/2006
Building #306
Building #306, 1994 (Pentax 67)
BEFORE AND AFTER
Here's the shot as it came out of the 4990 with vuescan, with only resizing for the web. Above is the finished version for the web. It may seem extreme, but if you pick up Ansel Adams' The Making of 40 Photographs you will see similar examples.
2 weeks
Not quite official since the day she ain't over; but this does mark the two-week mark for ye olde addict. It is nice to be able to carry boxes up the stairs without getting winded; and I think there were some unexpected effects such as wanting to shower every 20 minutes, and clean the house, and have some feeling of being organized.
At this point, the physical monkey is supposed to be off ye olde backside; and all that's left is the big psychological monkey. I definitely feel that monkey as a couple of times I went to reach for a cigarette and realized I didn't have any anymore and had given up smoking.
Last night I just about slept through the night for the first time since quitting. But around 5 a.m. was woken by this dream that I swear I've had before.
One of those - I'm late for a test type dreams - where I'm running up flights of stairs. I'm not sure if this school is college, high-school or what, but the stairs have mesh fencing. Everyone is already sitting down in class waiting for a teacher to hand out papers. I get to the top floor and the halls are empty. I don't remember which classroom I'm supposed to go to. As I run down the corridors I open each door and see perfectly geometrical classes of students with their hands clasped, awaiting something.
I'm trying to remember which class I'm supposed to be going to. Spanish? Algebra? History? I have no idea. To make things worse, I can't remember if I'm a student or the teacher. The only thing I know is that I have to get to one of these rooms and do something.
Finally - I open a door to a closet where there's an eraser-cleaning machine. The room is filled with chalk dust and the door slams shut behind me. The machine goes on by itself and I start suffocating on the dust. I hear knocking on the door behind. I can't talk. I want to scream out that I'm drowning in chalk dust but my mouth is too dry. I catch sight of myself in a mirror - white-faced.
The door opens behind me and I jump past this Lincolnesque figure and continue running; but now I'm leaving white footprints in the corridors. I'm running and running and soon I realize that I'm going over my own tracks. I fall to the floor and look through my bookbag. That's it. My bookbag. What books do I have. I open them up, one at a time. They're all the same book: The Anthropomorphic Arcade. But the pages are blank.
Bells are ringing. I find myself - as you do in dreams - at a registration desk on another floor where I'm asking if they have a record of me going to this school and if so what class am I supposed to be in. All stuffy old ladies thumbing through cards. Finally one them recognizes me.
Mr. Beckerman. Are you feeling alright? Why aren't you in your --
At which point I wake up.
Yes, that's day 14 for you.
At this point, the physical monkey is supposed to be off ye olde backside; and all that's left is the big psychological monkey. I definitely feel that monkey as a couple of times I went to reach for a cigarette and realized I didn't have any anymore and had given up smoking.
Last night I just about slept through the night for the first time since quitting. But around 5 a.m. was woken by this dream that I swear I've had before.
One of those - I'm late for a test type dreams - where I'm running up flights of stairs. I'm not sure if this school is college, high-school or what, but the stairs have mesh fencing. Everyone is already sitting down in class waiting for a teacher to hand out papers. I get to the top floor and the halls are empty. I don't remember which classroom I'm supposed to go to. As I run down the corridors I open each door and see perfectly geometrical classes of students with their hands clasped, awaiting something.
I'm trying to remember which class I'm supposed to be going to. Spanish? Algebra? History? I have no idea. To make things worse, I can't remember if I'm a student or the teacher. The only thing I know is that I have to get to one of these rooms and do something.
Finally - I open a door to a closet where there's an eraser-cleaning machine. The room is filled with chalk dust and the door slams shut behind me. The machine goes on by itself and I start suffocating on the dust. I hear knocking on the door behind. I can't talk. I want to scream out that I'm drowning in chalk dust but my mouth is too dry. I catch sight of myself in a mirror - white-faced.
The door opens behind me and I jump past this Lincolnesque figure and continue running; but now I'm leaving white footprints in the corridors. I'm running and running and soon I realize that I'm going over my own tracks. I fall to the floor and look through my bookbag. That's it. My bookbag. What books do I have. I open them up, one at a time. They're all the same book: The Anthropomorphic Arcade. But the pages are blank.
Bells are ringing. I find myself - as you do in dreams - at a registration desk on another floor where I'm asking if they have a record of me going to this school and if so what class am I supposed to be in. All stuffy old ladies thumbing through cards. Finally one them recognizes me.
Mr. Beckerman. Are you feeling alright? Why aren't you in your --
At which point I wake up.
Yes, that's day 14 for you.
1/13/2006
Schurz Park Trees
Schurz Trees in Rain
A few years ago I setup a glass plate in front of the camera for this shot, and put different substances on the glass: water, vaseline etc. I don't remember anymore how this particular shot was done. I guess I could just have bought a fog filter, but I had been reading about effects that were used in motion picture films in the early days and I had wanted to fool around with the idea of shooting through glass that wasn't right up on the lens.
When I looked at the scan of the negative, it still wasn't "enough" diffusion so I ran it through a median filter - and blended it with the original shot. For better or worse - I'm not sure yet.
Day 13
Nothing unexpected here - but here ya go:
"- When I faced what seemed like a wall of used Nikon F100s at Adorama a short while back, I wondered how long it would be until Nikon started paring back their film-camera line. I got my answer today: except for the extremes of their SLR line (the new-ish flagship F6 at one end, the lowly FM 10 at the other), all of their film-based cameras are biting the dust, along with a lot of their remaining manual-focus lenses. There's a lot of demand for the F6, and presumably the FM 10 (the student-shooter's standard, affordable sidearm, courtesy of Cosina)." - Barrett
TODAYS NEW YORK TIMES
TOKYO, Thursday, Jan. 12 - The Nikon Corporation, the Japanese camera maker, said Thursday that it would stop making most of its film cameras and lenses in order to focus on digital cameras.
The beat goes on, and the beat goes on... (Sonny & Cher)
"- When I faced what seemed like a wall of used Nikon F100s at Adorama a short while back, I wondered how long it would be until Nikon started paring back their film-camera line. I got my answer today: except for the extremes of their SLR line (the new-ish flagship F6 at one end, the lowly FM 10 at the other), all of their film-based cameras are biting the dust, along with a lot of their remaining manual-focus lenses. There's a lot of demand for the F6, and presumably the FM 10 (the student-shooter's standard, affordable sidearm, courtesy of Cosina)." - Barrett
TODAYS NEW YORK TIMES
TOKYO, Thursday, Jan. 12 - The Nikon Corporation, the Japanese camera maker, said Thursday that it would stop making most of its film cameras and lenses in order to focus on digital cameras.
A company spokesman said Nikon made the decision because sales of film cameras have plunged. In the most recent fiscal year ended March 2005, Nikon said that film camera bodies accounted for 3 percent of the 180 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in sales at the company's camera and imaging division. That is down from 16 percent the previous year.
By contrast, sales of digital cameras have soared, the company said, jumping to 75 percent of total sales in the year ended March 2005, from 47 percent three years earlier. Scanners and other products account for the remainder of the division's sales....
The beat goes on, and the beat goes on... (Sonny & Cher)
1/12/2006
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