Argh!
21:03 Sunday, 1 July 2018
Words: 786
Well, I should be drawing some insights from this experience. I'm definitely feeling something. I don't know if it's "fear of missing out," or that I'm lacking my minimum daily adult requirement of snark and cynicism, but I'm definitely feeling out of sorts. I launched and immediately quit Safari a bunch of times yesterday. So far, I've maintained my resolve, but it's definitely affecting me.
I decided that reading the NY Times on the app didn't violate the fast, but it did make it harder. I saw that Harlan Ellison had died, and my first reaction was to tweet something about it. Same thing with a couple of other articles I read, I wanted to "share" them, with some pithy commentary. I suppose it says something that I can only recall the Ellison obit, not the articles I wanted to tweet.
I remembered I had an RSS app on my iPhone, so I found that and checked it. It had a bunch of news sites on it, like Ars Technica, Wired and so on. I decided that they would be too much like the rabbit hole, after looking at Ars. I had subscribed to a couple of blogs as well, The Online Photographer and Dr. Drang. I had read Dr. Drang's latest post because he had tweeted it before I started the fast; but I hadn't read The Online Photographer in some time, so I did catch up with his posts (while avoiding clicking the links).
Whether my experience may be typical, or if I'm a bit of an outlier because I'm retired and have much more time on my hands, and spend too much of it on the web, I can't say. I suspect it's at least partly the latter, but I also think that most people undertaking a similar "fast" would probably find it a somewhat uncomfortable experience.
It was hard to focus on other activities, and I didn't make any more progress on Willpower, but I did read a couple of essays in John Gray's Heresies. I think I've found my true "soul brother," (Well, besides Heraclitus.) if I may be forgiven for a minor act of cultural appropriation. I'm not familiar with his writing, but it's very resonant to me. He believes our notions of "progress" are little more than articles of faith, not grounded in anything provable. That we've sublimated the Christian notion of salvation through Christ to the salvific power of science and technology. Gray seems favorably disposed to the cyclic view of history, that events don't inexorably tend toward "progress." I suppose the jury is still out, if one takes the long view; but I don't think there is a "long view" left to this civilization.
I tried to watch a movie last night, but found myself oppressed by the tyranny of choice. I settled for an episode of Nova about last year's hurricane season. I believe it was The Coming of the Superstorms or something like that. It was nothing new to me, and I don't care for the delivery of Nova's narrator, it's a bit too "breathless" for me, but it was a well produced documentary and I recommend it to anyone who may be interested in what the future holds.
As uncomfortable as this experience has become, I think it has been very worthwhile. I have recovered significant amounts of time formerly "lost" chasing links. The discomfort I'm experiencing suggests strongly that there is something of an addictive quality to web, which is perhaps intensified by social media. I can't say that I've truly been deprived of anything by remaining off the web, so it seems clear that there is more to be gained than lost by rationing my time there. There were several moments when I reached for my phone to "look something up," but I checked the impulse and again, I can't say I was in any way really diminished by it.
I think, for now, I'm going to continue to restrict my use of the web. Tomorrow, I'll subscribe to a few blogs that I enjoy. There are a few specific topics I want to look into, and some people I'd like to catch up with on Twitter.
The remaining challenge will be to find enjoyable, productive things to do with the time I've recovered. That shouldn't be too difficult. The stack of books is still here. I'm writing more in this space. I have a number of Apple II projects in various stages of incompletion. What will be necessary, though, will be for this feeling of unease, or desire, or whatever it is, to be extinguished. I'm confident that it will, with time; but until then, it makes it difficult to focus.
Osprey in Flight
Current Wx: Temp: 82.47°F Pressure: 1015hPa Humidity: 80% Wind: 5.75mphWords: 467
It's a new month, so a new page. Had to update the Photos to Tinderbox script, I'll work on automating that when I get home later this month.
Yesterday, I updated the OM-1 with a new firmware version from OMDS (1.2). I had not installed the version 1.1 update, which addressed a lockup in some circumstances using a high refresh rate in the electronic viewfinder. This update promised improvements in continuous auto-focus, so I was eager to try it out.
It was a bit of an adventure, but ultimately all went well.
I took a walk yesterday morning, before I knew about the update, and noticed a nesting pair of Ospreys on a power pole alongside the road about half a mile from the house. When I approached the nest while walking on the road, one of the pair started flying around me, protesting my presence. It didn't make any effort to harass me. I made a mental note to return the next day with my 100-400mm zoom. When I got home and learned about the firmware update, I got pretty excited.
Because the Osprey is a larger target, and slower moving than the Swallows, it wasn't too challenging, but my impression is that continuous auto-focus with bird recognition was very solid.
I'm not very experienced in shooting birds in flight. What I think I've learned from this experience is that I need to dial in some positive exposure compensation. I tried to spot-meter, but it's way too hard to keep the center of the viewfinder on the bird. So those shots were dark. I switched to auto exposure for the scene and things improved somewhat. I just recently read a piece by a photographer who shoots birds in flight in manual mode so he can get the light on the bird the way he wants it. I shoot in shutter priority, because the lens is fairly slow so it's going to be wide open at 1/2000s (which may be faster than necessary for an Osprey). So I need to dial in some positive exposure compensation, which will bump up the ISO.
Later that afternoon, I went down to the dock and shot some swallows. I've already posted enough of those, but again, my impression is that continuous auto-focus is improved. It may also be due to some improvement on my part in climbing the learning curve, but I seemed to get far more in-focus shots than I had previously.
But I want to add that even sans firmware update, both the E-M1x and the OM-1 were letting me shoot Swallows in flight far more successfully than I ever had before. We live in an age of wonders. Too bad we're about to throw it all away.
✍️ Reply by emailWingspan
Current Wx: Temp: 84.45°F Pressure: 1014hPa Humidity: 76% Wind: 5.75mphWords: 46
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One more, just because I can.
I didn't stay long because I felt as though I might be distressing the birds. From the time of my first shot to the time of my last, I think I was there about two minutes. Got hundreds of shots.
✍️ Reply by emailOld Barn
Current Wx: Temp: 85.41°F Pressure: 1013hPa Humidity: 74% Wind: 1.99mphWords: 22
Just so you don't think I'm only shooting birds.
I love it here. It's beautiful. Always something to point the camera at.
✍️ Reply by emailTrumansburg
07:55 Monday, 1 July 2024
Current Wx: Temp: 91°F Pressure: 1014hPa Humidity: 70% Wind: 11.5mph
Words: 635
We arrived at our VRBO rental yesterday afternoon. We took a little detour out of our way to Binghamton to tour the Phelps Mansion Museum. It was well worth the extra effort. There used to be a row of mansions on that street, but Binghamton never had the kind of economy that supported the degree of wealth that could support the maintenance and upkeep of large, elaborate homes.
This one survived because a women's group bought it as a clubhouse, and largely maintained it as constructed for a century. They did install some modern plumbing and a "modern" kitchen, and added an addition with a ballroom, but the interior details remain as the house was constructed in 1870.
They did make one sad mistake. In 1940, they discovered the rooftop cistern was leaking into the third floor, and they had the entire third floor removed. Since then, the museum has added a facade that recreates the exterior appearance of the third floor.
It's a tragic story, Mr. Phelps had a run of bad luck with regard to spouses and children dying. It's possible that the house may have contributed in some fashion with toxic materials. Asbestos, for instance, was used to add a sheen to wallpaper at the time.
I didn't bring a camera in with me, and made do with my phone. My cameras were all packed up in the car. I'm not thrilled with what I got, but I'll post the least bad ones on Flickr.
Mitzi loves the rental. I'm ambivalent. We can't park immediately adjacent to the house, so unloading the car involved carrying a couple of large, somewhat heavy plastic boxes down a stone paver path with steps. I discovered that it was easier to walk on the gently sloping grass instead of the pavers.
We are surrounded by trees. There is a fairly open area of sky, so I may get some star trails. But no shots of the Milky Way arcing above the horizon. There's a fairly wide stream flowing next to the property, and there are a couple of Adirondack chairs down there, overlooking it.
A lesson we have repeatedly failed to learn is that we should bring some of our own cookware, knives for instance. We're going to create a small box of essentials. I lack an 8" skillet here, so I can't make my usual breakfast, which I was looking forward to after a week of eating breakfast at restaurants and hotels.
The house is comfortable with large windows overlooking the yard and the trees. There is some view of the stream, though nothing that would make a photo.
I'm trying to decompress after more than a week of driving, visiting, sleeping and not-sleeping in hotels. Mitzi is planning, planning, planning and asking for my input when I just want to be still. At home, I'm usually up for more than an hour before she is, and I have that time to kind of get my day oriented. Here I'm trying to remain polite and composed.
The idea is to relax, but I'm just experiencing more stress. She's excited, I'm a little disappointed.
One good thing is that this is the first place we've stayed at in the region that has genuinely high-speed internet. I'm surprised, but they actually have fiber up here. Perhaps it's the proximity to Cornell, we're just up the road from Ithaca.
The weather has kind of turned on us. It's supposed to clear up in a couple of hours, and it is looking brighter out there, but it's been pretty cloudy since we arrived. Can't shoot stars through clouds.
We'll head out later and do the Taughannock Falls trail. It's an easy hike with a nice view of the falls. That should help clear my head a bit.
✍️ Reply by emailNot Enough Wine
Current Wx: Temp: 88.63°F Pressure: 1013hPa Humidity: 75% Wind: 7mphWords: 121
I don't recognize my country anymore. It has let me down before, but I believed in the institutions. I never thought the Supreme Court would weasel its way to making a president into a king. There is no way this decision does anything but promote more turmoil and bad faith.
Perhaps Biden should exercise his newly granted authority in creative, albeit "official," ways.
I never liked the "Seal Team Six" scenario. Service members are only bound by oath to obey "lawful orders." This raises the very serious, very legitimate question of just exactly what a "lawful order" is today.
I never imagined the Supreme Court as chaos agents. But if your agenda is to overthrow democracy, I guess it makes sense.
✍️ Reply by emailMoms
Current Wx: Temp: 80.46°F Pressure: 1009hPa Humidity: 74% Wind: 7.87mphWords: 183
By no means an exceptional photograph. I was shooting through a window and I couldn't exactly maneuver to frame the shot except for zooming in or out. I had gone into the bedroom for something else and saw this group beginning to emerge. Called for Mitzi and then went to find a camera.
There are a lot of deer around here, so I'm quite certain this will become rather mundane at some point. But for now, it's still pretty remarkable. This is the first time that we've seen this many does and fawns together.
Warmer today than yesterday, but by no means oppressive. We had the windows open most of the day, only closing them about an hour ago to kind of bring the internal temp down a few degrees.
I got in touch with the gym, and I'm picking up my access card tomorrow morning. I'll probably start working out on Thursday, I have a few things I need to do tomorrow.
Just wanted to get a post in for the first day of July.
The beat still goes on...
For now.
✍️ Reply by emailFrost Wall
Current Wx: Temp: 91.47°F Pressure: 1015hPa Humidity: 64% Wind: 7.87mphWords: 99
Pretty damn not today. Brad and Derrick were on site today at 0630 to stack and reinforce the frost wall. They have a few things left to complete before the pour scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
The heat has a lot of local social media worrying about power failures. After the last two weeks of unreliable service, Mitzi asked me this morning if we should consider adding solar to the roof of the house after it's completed, rather than waiting for the garage to be built.
Music to my ears, assuming we can find the means.
The beat goes on...
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