Down Under
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Happy to see things here are firing up again. I find al your comments stimulating and thought-provoking. Well done, everyone!
At age 71-4 (Y-M) I'm slowing down a bit. So far small but growing mobility problems are being noticed - as my beloved partner and my medico quack slyly hint, if I seriously apply the principle of Excess In Moderation, give up my lifelong pastimes of gluttony and sloth and lose 10 kilos of excess bIubber I could surely get about more easily, and if I shed 15 kilos I could be 65 again, imagine! - also my ever- growing dislike of carrying heavy gear. I've never really liked having to cart things with me (suitcases for travel, heavy bags of groceries, armloads of library books) and as I'm not a car driver (I no longer even have a license) I find I nowadays have to plan better to get more things done such as shopping, buying wine, visits to the library and the hardware store, and so on,without relying on aforesaid partner's help with the car.
In 2018 we moved from our house in Tasmania to our condo (unit) near Melbourne. This wasn't as stressful as I expected - by prior agreement before the move we disposed of at least 60% of our possessions, household goods, long-unused personal items, darkroom bits I'd hoarded for years. Out went my beloved Nikkor tanks and cartons of no-loner-useful fim bits. One enlarger was sold locally. All told I coped surprisingly well - what took more out of me than the actual packing was the sorting and the (often emotionally wrenching) decision of finally rid myself of things I once wanted so badly, but after acquiring them found I didn't use them or bond with them. As we all do. The big Do It was to decide to get rid of those items, after which the rest was easy. So far nothing has been missed.
A cherished old friend (now gone) once told me two wise things. The most important step in making changes in life is to buck up the courage to do them, and 90% of life is a series of compromises but the last 10% just happens.
I still enjoy traveling. In two weeks I'll fly to Brunei and Sarawak to look at old colonial buildings,then meet up with friends passing through Singapore for two days, go on to Thailand by train via Malaysia with (maybe) stops in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang, and a meet-up with my partner in Phuket, which I first saw in 1974, those five beautiful beaches, once pristine, now tourist havens for hotels and resorts and disco-clubs with tabletop dancers, fooi! Eventually back to Australia after 2-3 months via Surabaya (again to see friends) and Bali. So far this is my LAST (famous last promises) planned extended visit to Asia, but then time will tell and we'll see.
I'm already about half packed - 12 kilograms of clothing and personal items in a medium-size rolling bag (soft), a Nikon D700 with 28, 60 macro and 85 lenses and (I never learn, do I?) a Rolleicord Vb with a 16 exposure kit, a few other basic accessories, and 20 rolls of 120 film in a clear plastic container to keep the Customs boys and girls happy.each and every item I put into my bag or backpack is carefully thought out. If I can buy it locally, I will. A few T-shirts, Chinos, walking shoes, sneakers. I've sourced film suppliers in Malaysia and Bangkok if I need more, but I doubt I will. In all I plan to be away for three months.
I now have 14 cameras (down from 20 in 2018, down from 50-60 in 2012, well done me!) and I want to sell or give away of a few more this year. The Nikkormats and Nikkors will stay (nobody will pay decent $$ for them), also the Rolleis. Two Nikon F65s will be given away. two Contax G1s and (maybe) two of my five wonderful Zeiss lenses sold via Ebay. The carton of old German folders, Kodak Retinas and unused saleable Nikkor items will be flogged off. Less clutter, more spare dosh for cold Tiger beers and good seafood lunches in my travels, a sensible trade-off. The glutton will be pleased!
A new, minimalist darkroom is in the works. One LPL 6700 enlarger, a Jobo unit, still too much old printing paper, basic accessories, fresh chemistry as and when needed. No more hoarding bulk chemicals in cartons in the spare bedroom, Off with the gallons of Kodak Rapid Fixer I bought in 2010.
Once back home I intend to sit down and deal with my photo archives once and for all. Too many old negatives and color slides to be checked, cleaned, scanned or cut up. Keywording, captions, archival filing. Also too many digital image folders to be checked, assessed, and maybe loaded into that web site I've promised myself and others for far too long to set up.
Also to spend on a new laptop with decent color screen and a reliable 'l' key and space bar....
My photo sales were down in 2018, more so than in 2017. My last good year was 2016 when I made enough to pay for my overseas flights. Photo markets are no longer as they were but it may also be that I'm no longer as interested as I was. Anyway, we'll see. I have all these old film images in my files... But this is only a passing mention as this not really the main point of my post.
Time passes, things happen, life goes on. So many of us who are over 60 (and even over 70) are still out there, doing things and enjoying life. I for one am so grateful for having photography to thank for getting me out and about and keeping me interested in things. Too many I know don't have this privilege and sadly are no longer interested in anything other than sitting around, complaining about things, and eating/drinking too much.
Over to you good people now.
At age 71-4 (Y-M) I'm slowing down a bit. So far small but growing mobility problems are being noticed - as my beloved partner and my medico quack slyly hint, if I seriously apply the principle of Excess In Moderation, give up my lifelong pastimes of gluttony and sloth and lose 10 kilos of excess bIubber I could surely get about more easily, and if I shed 15 kilos I could be 65 again, imagine! - also my ever- growing dislike of carrying heavy gear. I've never really liked having to cart things with me (suitcases for travel, heavy bags of groceries, armloads of library books) and as I'm not a car driver (I no longer even have a license) I find I nowadays have to plan better to get more things done such as shopping, buying wine, visits to the library and the hardware store, and so on,without relying on aforesaid partner's help with the car.
In 2018 we moved from our house in Tasmania to our condo (unit) near Melbourne. This wasn't as stressful as I expected - by prior agreement before the move we disposed of at least 60% of our possessions, household goods, long-unused personal items, darkroom bits I'd hoarded for years. Out went my beloved Nikkor tanks and cartons of no-loner-useful fim bits. One enlarger was sold locally. All told I coped surprisingly well - what took more out of me than the actual packing was the sorting and the (often emotionally wrenching) decision of finally rid myself of things I once wanted so badly, but after acquiring them found I didn't use them or bond with them. As we all do. The big Do It was to decide to get rid of those items, after which the rest was easy. So far nothing has been missed.
A cherished old friend (now gone) once told me two wise things. The most important step in making changes in life is to buck up the courage to do them, and 90% of life is a series of compromises but the last 10% just happens.
I still enjoy traveling. In two weeks I'll fly to Brunei and Sarawak to look at old colonial buildings,then meet up with friends passing through Singapore for two days, go on to Thailand by train via Malaysia with (maybe) stops in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang, and a meet-up with my partner in Phuket, which I first saw in 1974, those five beautiful beaches, once pristine, now tourist havens for hotels and resorts and disco-clubs with tabletop dancers, fooi! Eventually back to Australia after 2-3 months via Surabaya (again to see friends) and Bali. So far this is my LAST (famous last promises) planned extended visit to Asia, but then time will tell and we'll see.
I'm already about half packed - 12 kilograms of clothing and personal items in a medium-size rolling bag (soft), a Nikon D700 with 28, 60 macro and 85 lenses and (I never learn, do I?) a Rolleicord Vb with a 16 exposure kit, a few other basic accessories, and 20 rolls of 120 film in a clear plastic container to keep the Customs boys and girls happy.each and every item I put into my bag or backpack is carefully thought out. If I can buy it locally, I will. A few T-shirts, Chinos, walking shoes, sneakers. I've sourced film suppliers in Malaysia and Bangkok if I need more, but I doubt I will. In all I plan to be away for three months.
I now have 14 cameras (down from 20 in 2018, down from 50-60 in 2012, well done me!) and I want to sell or give away of a few more this year. The Nikkormats and Nikkors will stay (nobody will pay decent $$ for them), also the Rolleis. Two Nikon F65s will be given away. two Contax G1s and (maybe) two of my five wonderful Zeiss lenses sold via Ebay. The carton of old German folders, Kodak Retinas and unused saleable Nikkor items will be flogged off. Less clutter, more spare dosh for cold Tiger beers and good seafood lunches in my travels, a sensible trade-off. The glutton will be pleased!
A new, minimalist darkroom is in the works. One LPL 6700 enlarger, a Jobo unit, still too much old printing paper, basic accessories, fresh chemistry as and when needed. No more hoarding bulk chemicals in cartons in the spare bedroom, Off with the gallons of Kodak Rapid Fixer I bought in 2010.
Once back home I intend to sit down and deal with my photo archives once and for all. Too many old negatives and color slides to be checked, cleaned, scanned or cut up. Keywording, captions, archival filing. Also too many digital image folders to be checked, assessed, and maybe loaded into that web site I've promised myself and others for far too long to set up.
Also to spend on a new laptop with decent color screen and a reliable 'l' key and space bar....
My photo sales were down in 2018, more so than in 2017. My last good year was 2016 when I made enough to pay for my overseas flights. Photo markets are no longer as they were but it may also be that I'm no longer as interested as I was. Anyway, we'll see. I have all these old film images in my files... But this is only a passing mention as this not really the main point of my post.
Time passes, things happen, life goes on. So many of us who are over 60 (and even over 70) are still out there, doing things and enjoying life. I for one am so grateful for having photography to thank for getting me out and about and keeping me interested in things. Too many I know don't have this privilege and sadly are no longer interested in anything other than sitting around, complaining about things, and eating/drinking too much.
Over to you good people now.
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