Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I cooked a family dinner on Sunday. "Maggie's" daughter and grand daughter kinda invite themselves.
I decided to go ghetto and make fried rice, but my version is more like dehydrated rice.
Did you know that refrigerating cooked rice dehydrates it? If you take freshly cooked rice and try to make fried rice you kinda get just a sloppy mess.
So making fried rice is akin to developing film with Diafine where you have an initial soak of Part "A" where no development happens and the cooking actually happens in the second stage of the process.
A challenge was to segregate a carb free meal from all the fixings that would go into my fried (dehydrated) rice. for "Mal" who previously I knicknamed "The Creature" because I was reading lots of Jane Austin novels.
Kinda funny, but Maggie's grand daughter is known as C.J. or "Creature Junior." These names are only used by Maggie and me, so don't tell anyone.
I ended up using all my new Viking Stainless Steel cookware that Maggie suggested we have too much. Also when I was prepping all the food she thought I went overboard. "How big is that army?" she asked, but pretty much with a doggy bag for Dave, a school lunch for C.J. who loves fried rice, and my lunch it is all gone.
So I wonder if any of you guys are good cooks as well as having great darkroom skills.
To me it is all the same stuff. I prepped Saturday, gathered all my ingredients, and Sunday morning was a long Zen like process prepping the food.
Like developing film or a print the gratification was in the final product.
On top of all this I have an awkward kitchen that lacks counter space, so being creative and thoughtful were skills required. Cooking this meal was like combat because I had to think on my feet.
So I have a crazy idea that I hope works out. Graphmatics are really cool, and somehow I collect ten of them for 2x3 (2.25x3.25), but the problem is limited selection of films and price.
So I wonder if I can cut down 120 film. This would be a game changer for me. The bane of medium format is loading film and missing shots. Diane Arbus use to carry three loaded Rollies in a knapsack so she could just grab another camera.
Graphmatics are 6 shot mgazines and are smaller than my 120 backs. Out in the field/street I don't want to be loading film. Spending time at home loading is alright and is where I would rather spend the time loading magazines.
I don't see how I can't make this work for me. I bought these 2x3 Graphmatics for around $40.00 each, but today they seem to be scarcer and double the price.
Meanwhile 4x5 Graphmatics seem to have dropped in price. I wonder if in the supply-demand balance if it is because 2x3 Graphmatics were less popular back in the day, and now today they are scarce.
It took a long time for this idea to come to mind, but it has been a long process that evolved. Should not be hard to rig up a rotary cutter to cut film in a jig.
Cal
I decided to go ghetto and make fried rice, but my version is more like dehydrated rice.
Did you know that refrigerating cooked rice dehydrates it? If you take freshly cooked rice and try to make fried rice you kinda get just a sloppy mess.
So making fried rice is akin to developing film with Diafine where you have an initial soak of Part "A" where no development happens and the cooking actually happens in the second stage of the process.
A challenge was to segregate a carb free meal from all the fixings that would go into my fried (dehydrated) rice. for "Mal" who previously I knicknamed "The Creature" because I was reading lots of Jane Austin novels.
Kinda funny, but Maggie's grand daughter is known as C.J. or "Creature Junior." These names are only used by Maggie and me, so don't tell anyone.
I ended up using all my new Viking Stainless Steel cookware that Maggie suggested we have too much. Also when I was prepping all the food she thought I went overboard. "How big is that army?" she asked, but pretty much with a doggy bag for Dave, a school lunch for C.J. who loves fried rice, and my lunch it is all gone.
So I wonder if any of you guys are good cooks as well as having great darkroom skills.
To me it is all the same stuff. I prepped Saturday, gathered all my ingredients, and Sunday morning was a long Zen like process prepping the food.
Like developing film or a print the gratification was in the final product.
On top of all this I have an awkward kitchen that lacks counter space, so being creative and thoughtful were skills required. Cooking this meal was like combat because I had to think on my feet.
So I have a crazy idea that I hope works out. Graphmatics are really cool, and somehow I collect ten of them for 2x3 (2.25x3.25), but the problem is limited selection of films and price.
So I wonder if I can cut down 120 film. This would be a game changer for me. The bane of medium format is loading film and missing shots. Diane Arbus use to carry three loaded Rollies in a knapsack so she could just grab another camera.
Graphmatics are 6 shot mgazines and are smaller than my 120 backs. Out in the field/street I don't want to be loading film. Spending time at home loading is alright and is where I would rather spend the time loading magazines.
I don't see how I can't make this work for me. I bought these 2x3 Graphmatics for around $40.00 each, but today they seem to be scarcer and double the price.
Meanwhile 4x5 Graphmatics seem to have dropped in price. I wonder if in the supply-demand balance if it is because 2x3 Graphmatics were less popular back in the day, and now today they are scarce.
It took a long time for this idea to come to mind, but it has been a long process that evolved. Should not be hard to rig up a rotary cutter to cut film in a jig.
Cal
helen.HH
A smile & a wink…
Glad to see You are ever Creating ....
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
So my guess is that the now over 3 month old thread will be deleted because when I went to add a post they wanted me to fill in a new title.
Oh-well.
I went to April trying to be an optimist, but deep down I don't think herd immunity will happen this year.
The smut from my newsletters is that the top 40% are sitting on cash and a binge of wild spending will be unleashed by this group of savers who remained employed and did not suffer losses like the bottom 60%.
They are projecting this might happen in 2022 or 2023.
This "partying" and excessive spending of course will help the bottom 60% to some extent.
So in Peekskill I think I found a cool hidden dive-bar on the waterfront where we could have a meet-up when it is safe.
Cal
Oh-well.
I went to April trying to be an optimist, but deep down I don't think herd immunity will happen this year.
The smut from my newsletters is that the top 40% are sitting on cash and a binge of wild spending will be unleashed by this group of savers who remained employed and did not suffer losses like the bottom 60%.
They are projecting this might happen in 2022 or 2023.
This "partying" and excessive spending of course will help the bottom 60% to some extent.
So in Peekskill I think I found a cool hidden dive-bar on the waterfront where we could have a meet-up when it is safe.
Cal
helen.HH
A smile & a wink…
"So in Peekskill I think I found a cool hidden dive-bar on the waterfront where we could have a meet-up when it is safe.:"
hmmm, who really wants to travel... to your safe haven
Are You so tired of NYC...found your place in the Sun
hmmm, who really wants to travel... to your safe haven
Are You so tired of NYC...found your place in the Sun
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Helen,
"Maggie" is safe. That was mucho important to me.
Its been a while, but I think in January of 2022 I will retire.
I'm planning out a darkroom and a second studio/darkroom will be built in half of the two car garage.
The Baby-Victorian (1500 square feet) is the old lady on the block near the outskirts of the city. I only have one next door neighbor and a 1,600 acre Preserve is a few blocks away (Earlier I reported 1500 acres but it in fact is 1600.).
I have a back-backyard that is a separate building lot, so I will grow some food. There is a program in Peekskill where I can donate surplus food to food pantries, so now I have a mission. Lets see how clever I am.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Helen,
Perhaps the only thing I'm truely tired of is work.
They froze my pension, so there is little reason to keep on working. Financially we are already secure.
Another thing is that I'm tired of moving around. Things I put off like having a darkroom so I can wet print will be happening.
And of course I'm an hour and 5 minutes train ride to Grand Central, and I now own a car which is a whole different lifestyle.
Peekskill is not NYC certainly, but I am closer than say Beacon to NYC.
I can tell you this, I am definitely more relaxed and have less stress.
Also it seems I might have a projected life expectancy of 111 years, and I'm planning on digging in for the long-long haul.
NYC is there if I need it.
Cal
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I throw in a suggestion for an outside table at L&B. Or a picnic in Prospect Park. There has to be some good place to meet in Queens as well. Heck, dim sum in Bayside, if we want to travel. 
Phil Forrest
Phil Forrest
Stephen G
Well-known
Cal - I find myself having similar thoughts, though I am sadly far from retirement. How long can I push WFH remote.. it's worked for a year.. ??
I'm 1/4 mi from beach, access to good food, have a place to charge my car, setup a gym, wife&I each have our home offices.. space for printing&framing. Cats certainly love it, lots of entertainment to watch outside the window.
Agreed that herd immunity is still a bit out there til Summer/Fall or later.
Biden moved up vax deliveries to mid May, but it takes time to put jabs in arms.
We are approaching a 2-3M/day vax rate which is great, if you figure 2/3 of the vax are 2-jab and 1/3 are the 1-jab J&J.
This would imply 1.3-1.5M new fully-taxed per day.
If you look at adults only and 80% being herd, then that could be late June + a month for immunity to kick in so lets say start of August.
However we now know 10~12+ years old is when kids actually can become adult-like in terms of covid spread, pediatric trials in progress.. so we will probably start pediatric vax soon, which is another couple months.
These are all pretty optimistic and don't account for new variants requiring boosters, disruptions/misallocations to supply or delivery, and other wildcards.
Given the extended timelines, maybe we should do a zoom meetup sometime in Q2?
I'm 1/4 mi from beach, access to good food, have a place to charge my car, setup a gym, wife&I each have our home offices.. space for printing&framing. Cats certainly love it, lots of entertainment to watch outside the window.
Agreed that herd immunity is still a bit out there til Summer/Fall or later.
Biden moved up vax deliveries to mid May, but it takes time to put jabs in arms.
We are approaching a 2-3M/day vax rate which is great, if you figure 2/3 of the vax are 2-jab and 1/3 are the 1-jab J&J.
This would imply 1.3-1.5M new fully-taxed per day.
If you look at adults only and 80% being herd, then that could be late June + a month for immunity to kick in so lets say start of August.
However we now know 10~12+ years old is when kids actually can become adult-like in terms of covid spread, pediatric trials in progress.. so we will probably start pediatric vax soon, which is another couple months.
These are all pretty optimistic and don't account for new variants requiring boosters, disruptions/misallocations to supply or delivery, and other wildcards.
Given the extended timelines, maybe we should do a zoom meetup sometime in Q2?
Nokton48
Mentor
Cal,
I bought up six 2x3 Graphmatics and increased from one 4x5 to six. It was overall expensive but worth it. My 2x3s and 4x5s are presently loaded with Fuji HRU XRAY film EI 50. Slow but very inexpensive. You can get a lot of 2x3 sheets from a sheet of 8x10 which costs 28 cents.
At the very least this is great for camera testing. 2x3 film is rather limiting and expensive. Luckily Freestyle has the Arista in 2x3
I bought up six 2x3 Graphmatics and increased from one 4x5 to six. It was overall expensive but worth it. My 2x3s and 4x5s are presently loaded with Fuji HRU XRAY film EI 50. Slow but very inexpensive. You can get a lot of 2x3 sheets from a sheet of 8x10 which costs 28 cents.
At the very least this is great for camera testing. 2x3 film is rather limiting and expensive. Luckily Freestyle has the Arista in 2x3
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Ok, big RFF meet-up in Santiago, Chile ... 2022!
I'd rather go to Santiago than Peekskill... Just sayin
Phil Forrest
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Ok, big RFF meet-up in Santiago, Chile ... 2022!
John,
The world is not that big.
Kinda funny how "Maggie" is a celeb in NYC, and 40 miles away she is incognito.
Last week CNBC did an interview of her in our front yard: two cameras, two camera men and a corespondant, with a producer Zooming in.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Stephen,
Right now I just want to keep people safe. I would say that everyone is struggling.
Maggie has been locked down for about a year. She was depressed, even though things for us are all good. The social isolation has taken it toll.
Those trips to antique shops further upstate for Maggie were life savers. The only people she has seen over the past year have been her daughter, grand daughter and sometimes the son-in-law.
And this is coming from a blogger who has over 800K followers. She is sick of Zoom calls BTW.
The other day I heard two guys joking and laughing, and I mentioned to them how good it was to hear them. Its been a while where we can all just joke around and laugh.
There is another side of this Pandemic and it is the emotional toll. Even I feel at a loss and things for me are going great. I feel a deep empathy for those who lost their jobs and financially are falling behind.
Am I living in a bubble?
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Dan,
Prices on 4x5 Graphmatics seem to have dropped. Lets try not to bid against each other. LOL.
It would be pretty funny if whe were fighting over a 4x5 Graphmatic.
The world is not that big.
Augie
Prest_400
Multiformat
Lured by the thread title
Hope things are getting better concerning the pandemic topic and some meetups are getting to be possible again.On the positive side, I have worked today for the first time in the local office my company has and it is so liberating. A big pro is that I am quite close to my photo club's darkroom and I recover a big bunch of hours of commute if I implement this method of working. A nice advantage, I don't see people (the ones that have the option) going back to full time office.
Kinda in a bubble as well as I have been commuting to the office full time, just that our teams are separated from each other. WFH is possible but tends to be a dystopic utopia.
I am supposedly a good cook, just that I tend to be lazy so I keep recipes simple. As an example I make fried rice when it is still fresh. Why? Because then I batch up the rice, eat the fresh part with something and the remainder I just use the heat of the vitroceramic kitchen to fry it.
Another tip to set up something is to try to make your own 220. Some guys in Europe were able to purchase bulk 65mm Fomapan and just used leaders and trailers of used 120. I have a romantic view of 220 because I never really used and just have 5 rolls in the freezer for some trip. Texas Leica 8 exp a 120 roll do become few if shooting with a nice rythm. You do not have some Linhof 70mm action?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jorde,
I have mucho 70mm reels and backs. The good is that 15 feet of film is mucho exposures.
Also know that I have backs for 645, 5x7 and 6x9. This allows a lot of flexibility not only in format, but also in FOV.
Dan figured out the best deal in town in 70mm is Rollie 400 S which is stated as a 400 speed film, but reall in my testing is only 80-100 ISO. The bad is that the base is mighty thin and will cut you like a razor, and the film tends to light-pipe so loading film has to be done in really subdued ligting.
The Linhof CINE's are really great for shooting medium format like 35mm, but the backs are big and heavy.
Our friend Dan also sent me some Kodak Survalence film that is like Tri-X.
Cal
I have mucho 70mm reels and backs. The good is that 15 feet of film is mucho exposures.
Also know that I have backs for 645, 5x7 and 6x9. This allows a lot of flexibility not only in format, but also in FOV.
Dan figured out the best deal in town in 70mm is Rollie 400 S which is stated as a 400 speed film, but reall in my testing is only 80-100 ISO. The bad is that the base is mighty thin and will cut you like a razor, and the film tends to light-pipe so loading film has to be done in really subdued ligting.
The Linhof CINE's are really great for shooting medium format like 35mm, but the backs are big and heavy.
Our friend Dan also sent me some Kodak Survalence film that is like Tri-X.
Cal
Nokton48
Mentor
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Range-rover
Mentor
That sounds good to me I'm not to far but everyone else, that's a early
trip to get up there from Mann. or Brooklyn. It's going to be warm this
week hope to get out and take pictures with my Minolta and Zeiss lens
I got.
Range-rover
Mentor
Hi Helen, nice to hear from you.