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stevetuba.co.uk
Days in the life of a Curmudgeon...2008.
Velence...January 1st 2008. 0528hrs...0543hrs...The street light is showing that it’s snowing a bit. Well...Happy New Year to one and all. I woke up to the sound of fireworks...must have been midnight...duh. It’s not yet six hours into the new year here...hence the west coast (USA) it still waiting. 0821hrs...The snow continues...and has now filled in most of the holes that there were...leaving a white blanket over the whole area. I see in the street two places where the snow seems to have melted...strange. I should go out and take a closer look. There is geothermal activity in this area...which could be the cause. The sat images show that there maybe some clearing of the clouds...perhaps sunshine later in the week. Time for breakfast. 0907hrs...The snow has picked up. The flakes are larger too. 0926hrs...Have swept the porch and stairs. Doing my second cup Java...Joe...Mud...Coffee. And started the dishes. I did check out the small dark spot in the snow...and it looks to me as though it is melting because of something warm underneath the asphalt...duh...though I don’t know the cause. 1038hrs...Just in...having taken a few frames for the record. The skater shots from the other day look interesting. As of now the flakes are again smaller. I noticed that the D200 sensor needed cleaning again...done deal. Used a new swab this time...retired the one that I’d been using...for some time. Interestingly...the mirror lockup function doesn't work with a usable though weak battery. Makes some sense. 1410hrs...At least three inches of snow. It’s white all over...except where it’s not. 1554hrs...Stopped snowing. Finished KP (Kitchen Police). It’s minus 1.1°C. 1801hrs...It’s coming down...as though it’s not made up it’s mind yet. On the other hand...the porch now has as much snow as before I swept it off. News...The price of gas has gone up as of today...don’t know what it was...nor what it is now...need to find out. The bigger cities are picking up after last night’s fireworks...and the snow. In some places there has been a foot of snow. 1944hrs...Watching a French flick...dubbed into Hungarian...which is world class. The film is good too. Cila call...exchanged greetings...Laughed...and it came down to one of my favorite quotes...that "stupidity has no limits"...Of course I didn’t know it in Magyar (Hungarian)...But I was able to start it..."stupidity...has...ah...ahh"...which she finished for me...which translated came out as "not having a border." Great I thought...hahahhaa. 2028hrs...I’m a wreak...I was drawn back in...as I heard an aria from "The Merry Widow"...five sopranos...And then...it was a piece from "The Land of Smiles" ...my heart can’t take it. I was out earlier...and I made note of the fact that it was dark...as I looked up. Now...wait for it...This time out...I saw STARS!!! Then later...It was thick fog...nothing looking up...and I could not see the other side of the street. I almost went out with the 10-20...but... Now the fog is gone...but I can’t see the stars. 2125hrs...Watching another French flick...I’m enjoying it. It’s about an old guy...50...taking up the Tango...and it looks like an affair...in dance...with a young gal. Well now...it looks more like...well...ah...both. The girl's mother is against it...as of this scene. The dance sequences are good...I think...feel. They hold hands...waiting for the lift. Shit hit the fan! The weasel...got in with them...and hits her with her pending wedding...which is unknown to our old guy...queering the whole thing between them...he leaves her by driving off alone, Gads...she’s shown up at his place of work. She explains. He listens. His secretary eavesdrops...Gads...he never wants to see her again...as a friend as she suggests. Tough. Next scene is with his father...who’s a prick... Tells him off but good...as in it’s the last time he'll visit. Forgot to mention that his office overlooks the dance studio. He is some kind of process server...and has been back to serve a final one. Not a good thing. Damn...his father has seen his last. It’s getting way too complicated...Fade to black...as they dance...the Tango. 2317hrs...2323hrs...2334hrs...Another flick has stared...not sure I’ll do it. Switched channels...seen it...but will let it run. I think it’s "The Wild Geese." The best scene is the very last one...I don’t think I’ll be awake to see it though. I was looking at my 35mm scans...Damn...even if I do say so...there are some nice shots there. It’s that time...boys and girls... Velence...January 2nd 2008. 0920hrs...Up for an hour...No sun...yet...temps at zero. Doing coffee. Have yet to go online. 1057hrs...It’s now a heat wave...1.4°C...above zero. The snow that had been on the railing has now melted. My Leningrad 4 (1978 vintage) light meter reads a solid 7...at ISO 200...that’s f/8 at a 1/60th ...I found it at a car boot sale while living in UK Land. To hit the shower...or not. Oh...have been online...nothing to report. No emails. 1127hrs...It’s now 2.0°C. Get out the sun block!...we may need it soon. 1217hrs...Showered...Now 2.5°C. Started a second cup of Joe. 1328hrs...Have swept the porch and stairs again. It’s 2.8°C...and I see delineation in the clouds...though I can’t tell where the sun is. 1351hrs...And I’m hungry. 2100hrs...Have been reading a download...interesting. But it’s now time for House. House and NCIS are the only two programs I watch. Velence...January 3rd 2008. 0805...Minus 3.4°C! It’s below freezing again. There are what appear to be cracks in the ice on the lake...long linear ones. 0820hrs...The clouds are out of the east...and there is delineation...such that I can now see some faint blue patches...and some bright patches too. 0853hrs...Seeing actual blue sky...AND there is this big bright thing in the sky...not sure what it is. Have turned the space heater back on! 1106hrs...Have been to the close store...It was damn cold I thought. Have seen the sun again...and this time I took out the binocs...saw no sign of the sunspots...that were supposed to be there...an eruption the other day. Also...some Sparrows are finally feeding on the poppy seed pastry I’d put out on the kitchen window ledge about a week ago or so. They seem to like it. About time. Reading "The Genetic Origins of the Nations"...Interesting...but as has been the case so far...it raises more questions than it answers. This one is trying to connect Biblical accounts with the genetic data. I was unable to follow it. Too many...begets‘. And there are names that are not mentioned at all. There is a saying..."If you have a simple answer to a problem...YOU don’t understand the problem."...Interestingly...the writer doesn’t actually say...at the end..."Well...there you have it"...as one would expect given the thesis...that the Biblical accounts can and do match the genetic data. If that were so...then that would be the end of it...no? This raises another question...that of who is checking who? 1421hrs...Have done lunch. It’s a minus 4.7°C. Hate it! Did I mention having read "Ice Station Zebra"...Nothing like the film. A bit of trivia...ISZ was Howard Hughes’ favorite film. Yeah...I know...I didn’t know until I read it some place either. It seems that there were a whole bunch of people...on the move...back and forth...east...then west...north...south...and they sometimes fought each other...and at other times and places they merged. They gave themselves new names...and were known by different names by other peoples. They sometimes moved because of the weather. There was at one time an ice age that effected many peoples...and they would have tended to find places that were to some extent free of ice. One can imagine that at those places there would have been some mutual accommodation. During a forest fire...animals are not interest in each other...as they would normally be...prey and hunter. Their mutual enemy is the fire...a truce is in effect. Now it’s interesting to speculate if man declared a truce during the time that they occupied the ice age refuges. Or...was it every man (tribe) for themselves? Given limited resources...I’m inclined to go with the latter. Nonetheless...these refuges would have been a hub...from which a new wave of migration would have started. Again we speculate if they went back to their original locales...or some new territories. I’m inclined to think that again the latter is most the likely scenario because it may well have been a number of generation...since they had migrated in the first place...and now have only stories about the old places. Which if you think about it...would have been pretty much generic in nature. 1533hrs...Experiencing some CP...just right of center. Felt it when I was going to the store...this morning. The clouds are lower again...and I can hardly see the other side of the lake. Did see a white-ish winged bird of prey. Was close to grabbing the 200 with the 300 2 8...which I now keep close to the door. 1617hrs...It’s now a minus 4.7°C...and plummeting! Plummeting I say. The phone rang earlier...Jutka...misdialed. Then later another call...looking for Istvan...same old thing. 1642hrs...Just had another caller...same stuff...same drill. Huh...who’s on first...that’s right? 1738hrs...Had stepped out...and heard the sound of a shovel clearing snow...Istvan..."Cila’s is coming"...he says. 1929hrs...Minus 6.4°C! Foggy. Velence...January 4th 2008. 0538hrs...Up since 0500hrs. Doing coffee. It’s cold out there...the wind chill. 0904hrs...Well...we have some hazy blue sky...and a hazy sun...at a hazy minus 3.9°C. Next time I go out...I’ll meter the light. 1003hrs...We have actual sunshine entering the room! 1538hrs...And now we have an actual sunset in progress. And some clearing to the east. The pot's on. Waiting. I’ve taken apart the vacuum...in the hope of fixing it. It has a defective on/off switch. Was able to get only so far...and I’m now stuck...thinking. Took a few frames of wind skaters...earlier. I also see some guys out there harvesting the reeds. 1725hrs...No wonder...just in...it’s a bloody minus 6.1°C! I was able to see some stars too. Have yet to edit the 200 plus frames! Someday...I’ll get around to it. I know what it is...in addition to the other problem...it’s the question of how much work I should put into some frames...as with Niki’s. Cosmetic type stuff I’m talking about. It’s a lot of work to get it good enough to say...print...and it’s another for just show and tell. Had been online earlier...no email. Oh...did a GS on "Mike Gazarek"...it was his family that had moved into the Pride/Charles C. Dose house. I think I found him. Put on a whole lot of weight. Into the Knights of Columbus. Had a operation of some sort on the 16th of January...don’t know the year for sure...but at least one year ago. Came out of ok. He had a cute sister...and one day I showed her how to flip someone...by flipping her...right there on the grass parking strip...GADS...I could have hurt her...thinking about now. Needless to say...she didn’t want to see me do it again. Judo...it was. Yesterday I did a GS on Hugh Laurie...HOUSE....etc. Impressive stuff. I was interested in his film credits...because I noticed him in a flick. Anyway...he’s now...Sir Hugh. He’s British...but is known for his convincing American english. But I remember him from the Blackadder series...among others...while living in UK Land. I have trashed a number of frames that I had scanned prior to my latest technique. Seeing the images...and as I’d said...there are some good ones...I get the urge to go back again...through the negatives for what must be...in their entire history...the 20th time. Just handling the negatives does them no good at all...and it’s a sad case of cleaning up the image after scanning...or at least cleaning them first...which is a bitch...on time. And there are still the Kodak 2475 negatives to go through. 1827hrs...minus 6.9°C. That’s the coldest it’s been...I think. Thinking food... Oh...remember...to get light bulbs. 1905hrs...Without cloud cover...it’s now a minus 7.3°C! Velence...January 5th 2008. 0705hrs...Minus 8.7°C...color in the sunrise. 0800hrs...Looking at the frost on the windows...thinking about a frame or two. 1024hrs...I did check out the frost shots...I’d need to shoot from a tripod. Have done the shower trick. "Help me Rhonda"....etc... Been online...though...Back up...the system got hung up...so I never got to checking my mail. NBD. 1838hrs...The lads have just left. First Pityu showed up...There I was drumming my fingers on the desk top...a kind of rumble it was...when I thought I heard an other rumble elsewhere...Sure as hell...Pityu had rumbled the front door. I drug out one of my Xmas gifts...a bottle of Tokaji and we began to talk...And then since I'd left the door unlocked...Istvan was able to enter unassisted...looking for Pityu since Cila had noticed that he‘d left without wearing a coat...and thought that...he might freeze...hence the search party. Got another glass...and drank a toast to the new year. Talked some more. Gave Pityu the OM’s old 35mm Minolta. Ended the evening with one empty bottle. Velence...January 6th 2008. 0800hrs...I’m up. 0833hrs...A minus 1.0°C...and a large drop in barometric pressure. And it seems to be raining something...water and ice. 0855hrs...I see icicles forming...so it’s mostly rain that’s falling. Time for some breakfast. Done deal. 0918hrs...I believe...after a great deal of thinking...that I have been...and continue to be...the statue! The rain has picked up. Time to go online...pardon my back. 1325hrs...A blistering plus 0.9°C. Will now look at the last few frames I’ve taken. Done deal...and NBD. 1729hrs...Just off line...And it’s a scorching plus 1.2°C. Things are melting out there. 2320hrs...Gads...what am I doing up...at this hour...you ask? Pityu had called around 1800hrs and then came over...ostensibly to bring over some papers...as it turned out...that I’d left there at least a week ago. We then started talking and then I offered some wine...the last...that I gotten for Xmas. This time it was a red...Csobor...Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. I don’t actually like red wines...but drank it anyway. He left around 2000hrs...and I’ve been online the rest of the time. It’s a plus 0.9°C. And time to pull the plug...you know the drill... Velence...January 7th 2008. 0721hrs...It’s foggy and a minus 1.9°C. Not a good omen. I need to go to the doctor’s office to get a prescription amended...and get it filled...and then the far store. All three are in the same area...but it’s getting there that will be the problem. Kemping is rutted with ice. 0858hrs...The sun is doing its best to burn off the fog...and may get there sometime this morning. Time to hit the shower. OH...I was looking out the window and noticed that there was about an inch of ice on the very end of one of the radials of my Discone antenna. Now you say..."what’s so unusual about that Steve?" Well I looked at the other radials...and GADS...there was ice on the end of them too...BUT...they were about eight inches long! Now for the punch line. The icicles were NOT hanging down...as one would expect...but in line WITH the radial...having kept the same angle...in effect making the radial longer. I had never seen anything like before. The water (rain) must have flowed down the rod...and then froze...and as more rain flowed...it simply added a bit more ice to that which was already there...and so on. Interesting I thought. Ok...time to do it...0910hrs. Done deal...0932hrs. 1053hrs...Change of plans. I dug into my backup supply and found that I have plenty pills to tide me over. On the other hand if it continues to warm up...as it is now...above zero...I may go out yet...since I should go to at least one of the stores. The sun is showing...through the fog. 1434hrs...Just back from the far store...and checking the doctor’s office. Closed. Tomorrow 8 to 1130hrs. Good thing I have pills. The sun never did manage to burn off the fog. And I had quite a time negotiating the icy patches...and even getting up here from the street was not without hazard...and certainly a pair of snowshoes would not have been out of place...though that would have increased the difficulty of peddling the bike...by at least an order of magnitude. 1532hrs...Into my second cup of Java. Further to the coffee pot plot. It goes back to when I first arrived here at Cila’s house...and there was some consternation regarding the fact that the coffee maker had its mating pot missing in action...as in I presume now...broken. BUT...and you know the drill...there was a non-matching pot...that in the end did function after a fashion...in as much as one rammed the pot into place at the requisite angle...and hoped for the best. Time passes...and I get the idea that I will purchase a new coffee maker...because while the arrangement did work...since the pot did not mate with the maker...it would not keep the coffee hot if left unattended...which I was likely to do. Ok fine...next time out...I buy a new one. Happy camper...I retired the old setup. The new one used paper filters...but...AYKTD...the filters I had on hand were a size too large...so every time I made a cup...I would have to cut down the filter. Then one day... 63 seconds...11653 points... As I was about to say...one day I did something...the precise details of which escape me at the moment...suffice to say that I cracked the pot...rendering it useless to it’s intended function. Nothing for it...but...buy another one...right? This I did again first chance I had. The new one was of the filterless type...and though I did use it that way for awhile...I decided to use up the remaining paper filters...which in this case did not need to be cut down to size. The main reason for doing this was to facilitate the dumping of the coffee grounds...tossing it...filter and all. Everything went well...until...YKTD...until...the other day...when in the process of cleaning said pot...nothing more I assure you...I managed to crack the pot. The pot being of unusually thin glass...and I might add...suspect in its constituency...i.e...is it really Pyrex? What to do now? Nothing for it...but grab the original pot...the one that did not mate with the maker portion...and now...except for the fact that since this pot does not mate either...things are just ducky! All I have to do is place the pot in at an angle and I’m all set. OH...and since I’ve now used the last of the filters...which if you recall fit...I’m back to filterless mode meaning that I now have to empty the grounds by the expedience of slamming it...the filterless filter...upside down onto whatever. You know the rest. 1702hrs...NCIS tonight! Earlier I caught Istvan coming home...talked a bit. Mentioned Cila but I have not seen her making it home. 1812hrs...Having risked life and limb...have managed to take out the garbage. It’s now a plus 1.4°C...and raining...which I think is a good thing. 1727hrs...Have done dinner. The rain has abated somewhat. 2045hrs...Stopped raining...and I can see stars. Velence...January 8th 2008. 0836hrs... 0917...Have done coffee...Planning on going to the doctor’s office. It’s below freezing...but the road is clear. I need to do a system recovery on the laptop. The speedometer shows the CPU running at 100%! Postdated...It is and continues to be bloody Skype! OH...Yesterday...Stock symbol FE topped out at over 100%...in fact 104.9%...so there it is....100% plus in something over three years. 1047hrs...Damn...My first shot at a system restore...failed. Doing it again with an older date. The sun’s disk has been visible...and the temp is just above freezing. Change of plan re doctors...Need to nail the laptop first. 1230hrs...The last attempt failed also. Have done lunch. It’s partly cloudy for a change...and the big melt is in progress. Took out the 300 2 8...just in case something showed up...nothing so far. On the sunny side of the house the air temp is a plus 13.2°C. The back is a plus 3°C. 1410hrs...It’s now 3.9°C. Mostly clear blue sky. Everywhere it’s melting nicely. The mission to recover the garbage can went as planned...and without drama. 1512hrs...All the frost that had accumulated on the trees has melted. I’ve repositioned the front temperature sensor and it still reads a plus 14.6°C? I‘ve also swept the front porch...using hot water...and the balcony deck. FE at 108.57%! This stock may well be my salvation. I need what moneies I have working to make more money since some of the financial situations that I find myself in...need more that any Social Security payments can meet. 2037hrs...It’s a minus 0.7°C. And the fog is back. Have been online...for some time...reading about the American political scene. Earlier I went out with one of my binocs...to check out another comet. Velence...January 9th 2008. 0447hrs...Minus 1.1°C...Foggy...Coffee... 0831hrs...1005hrs...1030hrs...Done the shower trick. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The Test! You are to be place on a recently discovered very large island ...code named...EDEM. Extraterrestrial Demonstration Environment Matrix. It’s location has been kept a secret. This island has an abundance of natural resources. It has water...A river...A number of large, medium and small lakes...The lakes have a variety if aquatic life...It has trees of all kinds...It has mountains and valleys. There are birds...and a number of four legged animals. None of which are a danger to your life. You hold PhD’s in Physics, Chemistry, Geology. You hold a Masters in Electronics, Botany, Astronomy, Metallurgy, Computer Science, Optics and a few more...And you are also a Doctor of Medicine. You will be provided with every reference books you wish...in addition many more that you have not stipulated. In effect you will have a library containing most of man’s knowledge to date. 1209hrs...Back from the far store. 1406hrs... Continued...You’re given a few basic tools. A big hunting knife, an ax, a compass, small binocular, a box (100 count) of waterproof matches, two medium size tarps, a 74 (give or take) function Swiss Army knife, a small waterproof flashlight (taking two standard D size cells)...with four cells as spares, a spool of strong string, a thirty foot length of half inch Manila rope, one hundred feet of quarter inch Nylon rope, a spool of 16 gauge copper wire, a spool of 18 gauge iron wire, a mess kit, a P38 can opener...the list goes on. Food for thirty days. Your task...should you except the challenge...is to get rescued from the island before your food supply runs out...contingent on any additional food you’re able to gather. There is a catch. The only way to get rescued is to send a message...via radio at a specified frequency beamed to the Moon...from whence it's reflected back to Earth...where there are receivers maned 24/7...listening. 1924hrs...Foggy...about zero. It’s HOUSE night. Cila called earlier...misdialed. 2038hrs...Minus 0.1°C. Velence...January 9th 2008. 0419hrs...Woke up around 0400hrs...started the coffee...then stepped out. The only sound was from a number of dogs barking on the other side of the lake...0430hrs...they’re still at it. This is unusual. 0926hrs... 1355hrs...Have done lunch. Have cleaned the kitchen. Have moved the sensor of the front thermometer...and it now agrees with the one at the side of the house...to within 0.3°C...now reading a plus 1.1°C. The sensor had been placed in such a way that it must have been measuring some warm air escaping through the window frame...Now reads plus 0.9°C. Have finally logged on to Schwab. Had to find and reprint the email that contained the UN and PW. I need to change the password to something I can remember...someday. I how know to within a $1000 (exchange rates etc.) my net worth. That’s not plus/minus...just minus. Naturally I have less than I would have liked...but you play the cards you’re dealt. I shall run the numbers to work up a plan of action. 1655hrs...It’s just at zero...foggy. It’s been a lackadaisical kind of day...though I did get some things done. I guess waking up a 0400hrs...is not the best way to start the day. I’ve got a slight TA going...took 4 aspirin...and hit the paint remover...and waiting for it all to kick in. Re the story I started...I think I need to restart it. It’s not going in the direction I’d intended. Post dated...it’s actually ok...as far as I’ve taken it...it just need to be continued. Velence...January 11th 2008. 0652hrs...Coffee... 0730...Foggy...Minus 2.0°C. The TA woke me up at 0130hrs...Took 4 aspirin. Seems ok now. 1611hrs...Have been out helping Istvan de-ice the walk. It’s just above zero. Have been working the numbers also. 1748hrs...Just read that Sir Edmond Hillary died...1919-2008...age 88. His Sherpa guide...Tenzing Norgay...had died in 1989. Another era has passed. 1847hrs...Just in...and I can see some stars to the east...It my well turn out to be a sunny day tomorrow...can always hope...huh? Getting really tired of this fog...and cold. Help me Rhonda... Velence...January 12th 2008. 0735hrs...It’s at zero...The sky is mostly clear...there is color to the east as the sun comes up. 0801hrs...The first rays of sunlight have entered the room...long time no see. 1031hrs...Just in...I had been distracted by a noise at the side of the house...and went out to investigate...Snow had come off the roof...and then I see Istvan returning to de-ice the walk. It’s a plus 4.1 °C at the side...and a plus 20.1°C in the sun in front. Yesterday I had an email from "A"...stating that she had withdrawn her monies and sold INSP...which I already knew. This morning I looked into opening an account with Schwab...but ran into a snag or two...which I related in my reply. Wait and see. What's left in the account now is all mine...the cash and three stocks. Istvan says that Jutka is planning on going to USA Land...later in the month. News to me...but NBD. Except that I have relied on her for trips to the stores...which I will need to do again soon. Thinking that I should go to the local store...not sure why though. He goes on to say that yesterday ALL the females went into Feharvar...re Dori’s pending wedding. Girl stuff! It’s 23.1°C in the sun! Oh...the laser printer is starting to ask for coal dust. This is going to be a problem! GADS...another big noise...back in a flash... Sure as hell...it now came down onto the stairs. 1127hrs...Second cup of Joe...in works. 1308hrs...Have done lunch. I have now witnessed a few avalanches coming off the roof. You hear it first...and then wet show hitting the ground. GADS! I just touched the radiator next to me...HOT as hell. I had felt for sometime this morning that the room was unusually warm...and attributed it to the warmer outside temperatures. WRONG...Istvan has stoked the fire so to speak...without telling me...naturally. I even left the doors open...telling myself that I was just airing the room...when in fact I was trying to cool it down. 1353hrs...Clouds have arrived to obscure the sun...hence a drop in temperature...now a plus 12.6°C in front...the melt continues nicely. 1759hrs...Earlier I stepped out and there was Istvan again...and then Pityu showed up too. Says he plans on getting some ice fishing in...tomorrow. Also talk about some birds he’d seen the other day...Sounded interesting...If the sun should show tomorrow...I may go and take a look. Though from what I hear...there is rain in the forecast. I also find out that my photo paper is now here in HU Land...Budapest to be specific...at Eva’s. I talked to Istvan about it since he was the one that said getting the paper is not a big problem...though he ask about its weight. I just looked at a box and there was nothing. At the same time...I don’t know if the three boxed are naked or boxed up. Getting complicated again! Velence...January 13th 2008. 0730hrs...And it’s a PLUS 3.1°C...for a change. 1002hrs...Cloudy...the melt continues. This is a good thing. 1519hrs...Just in...was out there...in a coat...reading and enjoying a cup...as the sun tried its best to shine. But I‘m getting ahead of my story. It was about 25 minutes ago that I decided to make what would be my second cup of coffee...and all went well...pour water into reservoir...put mismatched part "A" into mismatched part "B"...measure out coffee for what I figure to be two cups worth...into filter matching mismatched part "B"...and place the combination...at an angle onto coffee maker under the spout. It was now at the point where one just waited. There was still the matter of putting sugar into my "I Love my Coffee" coffee mug...in effect killing time. Now...the location I had to use for the coffee maker was predicated not on best position possible...but the length of its power cord...which I’d like to say here and now...is DAMN short. Hence it sits on a small cutting board that sits on the right top burner position on the gas range. There is only one real problem with this solution...and that is that it’s...UNSTABLE! There...I said it! So...you guessed it...I turned away for just a second...and then...in slow motion...the pot went flying as the maker/cutting board combination tipped. Me and coffee makers don’t seem to get along. I now have three coffee makers...all without pots. Email from "A"...surprised...it’s ok with her re keeping the account open. Thanks much. It's a load off my mine. [Postdated: She will eventulaly cause me to lose all that I'd gained and more!] Thinking about taking the Celestron C8 off the equatorial mount...and putting it on the big Slik tripod...for my next attempts at photographing the ISS. The difference this time over the last time I used the C8 will be that I will be sighting through the lens as opposed to using the finder scope. Though it did work...the fact that the image in the finder is upside-down made it a nasty proposition...as I tried to track the fast moving ISS. The only question is...whether it’s possible to mount the C8 on the tripod. To do that...there needs to be a 1/4-20 thread in the mounting block. I’ll take a look sometime...soon. 1614hrs...The sun has set... 1640hrs...Pityu just showed up. 1726hrs...Pityu has gone...He came to ask for details re the photo paper. Gave him Eva’s phone number...and the rest will be taken care of next week...or was it two? Anyway...it’s a done deal. 1834hrs...The sky is clear... Velence...January 14th 2008. 0538hrs...Up since 0530hrs...Coffee...boiled water and Instant. It’s clear this morning...and a plus 2°C! I will shower soon...and hit the far store. 0641hrs...Have showered. It’s now overcast! Should see some color as the sun rises. 0818hrs...Back from the far store. 0853hrs...The sun is in a race with the clouds...and I now see smoke to the south...along the waterfront...but not the source. 0900hrs...I shall now read the downloads from yesterday...on language, tribes and clans. 0939hrs...Done deal. Interesting. I will need to think about it. If Arpad’s seven tribes constituted 108 clans...where one clan is counted as from 7000 to 10000 population...that would work out to a total population of from 756,000 to 1,080,000. Add to this the other three Khazarian tribes... For a total count of from 1,008,000 to 1,440,000...entering the Carpathian Basin. Postdated...I don't think it's possible to move that many people at once! If everone went down to the river for a drink at the same time...and assuming that the average person were to take up about a meter of space...it would take up more that 1000 kilometers at the rivers edge. That's over 600 miles! [Unless they did it in shifts...ha!] The fires continue...From the look of it...they are burning the reeds along the shoreline. 1056hrs...Have removed the C8 from its mount and remounted it on the big Slik....There was a 1/4-20 thread...making it a no brainer. Took the rig outside...and took a few frames. It’s the same old problem of the whole thing moving during the exposure...which I expected. So I’m all set for the ISS to show...early next month. 1203hrs...Had lunch...it was good. It’s sad to realize that I have not heard every piece of music that I would ultimately like...had I been able to hear it. In the sun it’s a plus 17.4°C. 1629hrs...Been back for about 20 mins...Jutka had called...store...yes...go...come...done deal. 1839hrs...NCIS tonight...seen it though. 1925hrs...Typically...Jutka went on about having seen a program on TV about Hungarian Nobel Laureates...and how it‘s the fact that they went to schools here...that made them what they became. WELL...I tried half heartedly to point out a few facts...but she would not listen...Her mind is...and has been thus set...permanently. And that seems to be pandemic in the "village". This...what I must call a heavily biased view...is so typical of a small country. These Nobel prize winners did not learn everything there was to learn here in HU Land. Most of them studied further in other countries. And while I don’t doubt that they were "ahead" of many others in there fields...there was a perfect window of opportunity...that was then open...and then closed. Other windows have opened up...computer science...micro-electronics...(chips)...and others. So while there may have been a greater difference in the rigor of the educational systems...here and abroad...it has I believe diminished. Velence...January 15th 2008. 0643hrs... 0718hrs...Taking the garbage can out was a piece of cake. Most of the snow on the ground is gone. I’ll check...but I don’t think it went below zero last night as had been forecast. It’s foggy as of now. 1154hrs...Listening to old ethnic Hungarian music...Love it. The only other music that’s even close is some Cajun. 1638hrs...Had lunch about 40 mins ago. It was good. I’m on Tom Van Baak’s website...Great stuff...though I had been there before...still fun to re-read some pages. "You da Man!" Am just now printing out a 51 page document from his site. My damn laser printer just hates to move paper though itself...so I have to continuously monitor it. There...Done Deal! "The Evolution of the Quartz Crystal Clock". 1932hrs...Have just gotten off line. And lots to read. I downloaded a number of pages. I had just stepped out earlier...when the phone rang...looking for Istvan...no...try this number...ok. Step back outside...the phone rung again...same gal...tell her that we’ve done this just a minute ago...bye. 2035hrs...The fog continues. Temps are above zero. Velence...January 16th 2008. 0622hrs... 1551hrs...Have spent the day reading..."The Evolution of the Quartz Crystal Clock"...and "Accuracy evaluation of the primary frequency standard NIST-7"...and managed to take a shower...and fix lunch. And am still not dressed. I may not...since I have one more to read..."The Photon"...though I did scan it as it printed out. L. Essen...Time Scales. And The Photon. 1829hrs...Done deal. Very interesting. Have had two calls...both looking for Istvan and or Cila. Tonight is HOUSE night. I never did watch NCIS the other night. I had set the TV’s timer for 1.5 hours...and listened. I heard it start but never got into it. What to read up on next? The moon is visible through some clouds. It’s also on the warm side... Damn...the phone again...I’ve got it figured out...today is Wednesday...and that’s the day that these people make the bloody calls...I hung up on this last one. Warm side as I was saying...at a plus 6°C in front. The forecast is for warmer days also. GADS!...I just noticed more printouts that were still in the printer tray! Let’s see what we have boys and girls..."Cesium Beam Atomic Time and Frequency Standards"... 1949hrs...Done deal. 2014hrs...I must admit that I get a real kick out of time and frequency measurements...clocks and oscillators...Nothing even close to Tom Van Baak...but share the same high. The evolution of the technology is astounding...Time is the most accurately measurable quantity...known to man! Velence...January 17th 2008. 0624hrs...Coffee... 0652hrs...All signs of snow have disappeared...almost. Just a small patch hear and there...should be gone today...given the temps. The lake of course is still frozen...though unsuitable for skating. Speaking of the lake and ice...yesterday I saw two crows...on the ice. Interesting I thought...given that there is not much to do...on the ice. Unless the crows were...comedian crows..."look...look...I’m a duck...Hahhahaha." Or...it was a case of the thrill seeking crows..." I dare you to land on the ice...!"..."How much you want to bet?"...Or...they were religious crows..."I shall now...walk on water..."... 1156hrs...The printer finally stopped...lacking toner. I had a brand new toner cartridge for an older printer and managed to remove the toner...and put it in the current printer. Should be just fine. Jutka called...invited for lunch...yes...1300hrs...yes...etc. I’ll leave here about 1230hrs. I shall now read the latest downloads. 1227hrs...Out the door... 1618hrs...Have been back for about 30 mins... I’m now crunching numbers relative to Jutka’s latest proposal. I now also have the latest bank statement. Jutka had mentioned that she ended up talking to Eva...as part of setting up the pickup of my photo paper. 1858hrs...Getting that old feeling again. 1945hrs...Oh...Jutka is in fact going to the USofA...leaving February 3rd...return on May the 10th. Gads.... Velence...January 17th 2008. 0746hrs...Up for about 30 mins...Coffee...and the one Fank left from yesterday... 0857hrs...Earlier...caught Cila on her way to work. I need to hit the far store...should take a shower...and then do some powerful thinking. 1054hrs...And I’m dressed ready to go...but as I noticed the last time I was outside...it was raining...and now a bit heavier. So I shall wait. 1147hrs...And listening...!..Ancient sounding music...my heart soars... 1508hrs...Back for about 30 mins...Had hit the far store. 1819hrs...Did lunch around 1600hrs...Am now looking at the spreadsheet dealing with Jutka’s finances...And am thinking about making her an offer that she can’t refuse...at least that’s the way I have to look at it...all or nothing. Fixing up the top floor would take...by the latest estimate...3.5 million Forints. That’s just over $20K in real money. 1935hrs...Just in...The fog is back with vengeance. People walking in the street...Kemping Street does not have a sidewalk...look like ghosts. 2101hrs...Just in...the Moon is visible through the fog...and from the phase...it’s a start of another month here. Been here for six months! 0517hrs...Post dated June 19, 2008...as I edit...Don't know the date. 0747hrs...Time for breakfast. It’s raining...lightly. 1103hrs...Well...the plot re-thickens. I was online...and at one point...don’t ask me why...since I’d done it before...I did a GS on just "Dose"...and on the first hit...there it was. What was...I hear you ask? Well it was a Seattle, Gov...Department of Neighborhoods...web site...showing the "Pride" house. Printed it and did a search on our house. Bingo...there it was also. These were historical houses. I did a search on the Elfendahl house and come up with nothing...which I should have reckoned. Anyway...they got some of the facts right...and others wrong...on both houses...so I sent them an email...though only on ours...since at the time I had not read the details of the Pride house. Speaking of which...didn’t it strike the writer as odd that since the house was built in 1911...that house was not purchased till 1936? And then it went on to state that they...the Mu....STOP PRESS...I need to take a closer look at this. The name I was about the write was Murphy! If that is true...re the house...then it was NOT the Pride house...but another. I need to check the address...again. Found the papers that I was looking for...and...GADS! Well...the Murphy house was built in 1911...And from the web page...if correct...because they have the same date as our occupancy...the Murphy’s lived there until 1968...which sounds about right...given that I don’t recall running into John...after I returned from Okinawa. It says that the house was bought by Robert and Harriet S. Murphy in July of 1936. I have not found the paper about the Dose/Pride house from which I’ll have an address...but when I do...I’ll do another search...online. Should be interesting. OH...and here is the really big deal in all of this...i.e...the point that I wanted to make...and that was...that Mr. Thomas...was in fact the Reverend Mr. Thomas!...and...Synodical secretary with the Presbyterian National Missions. THE "Bishop"...as it were! Postdated 24 Oct. 2008: This is in reference to one of the people that had lived in our old house...adding credence to the store that there had been a "Bishop". 1248hrs...Just in...saw a Kestrel...and grabbed the 300 2 8...fired off a few frames. Fixing lunch as I write. Velence...January 20th 2008. 0453hrs...6.6°C...windy...out of the west. 1543hrs...Back for about 10 mins...having spent most of the day at Cila’s. Got there about 0940hrs...Wine...snacks...lunch with Pityu...fried chicken with rice...more wine...play with Jimmy...the Puli. Knackered. Oh...the reason I was there was to pick up my photo paper. Velence...January 21st 2008. 0716hrs...3.3°C. We have a sunrise this morning...and it looks like there will be proper sunshine today. 1029hrs...Well...I had one of my "LOST" dreams again. It was not a full blown nightmare...just that I kept looking for my two cameras...and could not find them...over and over it went. At one point I found something mixed in with the camera gear...and this large contraption...was leaking water...onto the gear...so I picked it up...and while doing so...water came squirting out...so I moved it. Never did find the cameras. 1024hrs...The sun is shining...and I have been outside with the 300 2 8. I went to the back first without luck...then I went to the front...ditto...back to the back again...when I heard Jimmy the Puli...barking...and a voice. The voice came through the gate...It was Lajos...I hailed him. He went about opening a large tin...of what turned out to be dog food...as Jimmy went nuts waiting. Then Lajos came out the last gate and we chatted a bit...Pityu had called him to ask if he would buy some dog food and feed the Puli...since he had the day off. Off he went to see about his water bill...which seems to be a problem around here...in as much as the meters seem to read high. It's now 19.5°C...in the front which faces the sun. I get the itch to go out again...but I suspect I won’t see anything worth shooting. 1307hrs...Well...that was good...lunch out on the patio...the sun blazing down...reading further into SJG’s book. 1423hrs...It’s showing 25.6°C...on the sunny side of the house...a veritable scorcher! When I come back...I will do so as...moss...I think. The sunshine keeps drawing me out...so I shall do so. 1921hrs...Answered an email I got the other day from a guy that had been stationed on Ie Shima. Liked reading my stuff...thanked him. Have been reading through a bunch of D/Ls...about the old homestead...aka...the Mt. Baker area...specifically the close neighborhood. Found a lot of good information. Would have been better yet if it had all the data per house...but I guess it’s a good start. Interesting stuff about the Pride house...not sure I understand it though. It’s as though the Pride’s were renting(!)...more on this later. Post dated June 19, 2008: What must have happened was that they paid the house off...and then sold it. AND...I even found Susan’s house if you can believe it. If I have my dates right...then her name was Susan McMillan(sp)...though it’s spelled McMilian on the D/L...typo(?). They were there from January 1960 through 1968. They made $7000...on the house when they sold it. Just occurred to me...I have a Seattle phone book for 1962...so I will take look...and that will nail it for sure. Postdated...June 19, 2008: The 1968 date above is bogus...in that a great number of entries ended on that date...it was not an actual date of the event...just the date they stopped further research...which is misleading...and stupid! The date means nothing at all. Postdated...3rd May 2008: I just drug out the ‘62 phonebook...and guess what...I found...what might be it. A John A. McMillan...2540 34th S. Parkway 5 8216. Well now...I had scanned that page when I found the book at Anci’s...but did not find the name...it was a quick search. But...there it is! More on this in real-time. The Pride house is an interesting case...and this is where the information is lacking...Built in 1910...is right...but is shows that it was not "bought" until...or say the first time...in August of 1938(!)...and the Polk directory shows it as vacant in 1940(!)...The next buyer was there for only two years...through 1943...and THEN...I quote..."William Pride resided in the building by 1955 and purchased the building in July of 1957 for $13,950. That same day sold the building to Charles Ganarek(sp) sic for $15,500, and he remained through 1965." Well NOW...We bought our house in 1952...and took up residence that same summer. As I recall...the Pride’s were already there...And as for selling the house to Ganarek sic...well...the name was Gazerek...and came later I think. I will check this out....I have Burt’s email address...somewhere. If tomorrow will turn out as nice as today...I should take a run over to Anci’s...and dig out the phonebook...and have a chat with Anci. I need to hit a store anyway...which I can do on the way back. So back to the "Pride Case." Was the house empty from 1943 till 1955?(!!) Hard to believe...no? And then...how can you be residing in a house...and then buy it just like that...and then sell it. Was the house always up for sale...while it was occupied? Curiouser and Curiouser. Another thing...has to do with the house numbers on our block...not sure what to make of it. It’s as though some house numbers were skipped...but don’t quote me on that...yet. And then we have our house. The same strange scenario...as the Pride house...in as much as there seemed to be no residents until it was bought in 1930(!)...which if true...in the sense that it must have been occupied by the then owners...the Dose’s...as I think the case with the Pride house. In our case...the House was in fact sold first to Mottinger in 1907...was then bought by Wightman in 1925...AND THEN bought by Thomas in 1930...who was in fact the first name and date stated on the web page. And then we have the "Egger Case." What are the odds of two people having the same surname living in the same block...in the same time frame...named "Egger"? One a Edwin F. Egger...the other a...Gads(!)...I don’t have the other ones name at hand...YES I do...a Glen M. Egger. It’s NCIS night...so...It’s STOOAC...till next time boys and girls...when it’s Howdy Doody time again. Velence...January 22nd 2008. 0713hrs...Coffee... 0756hrs...Well I had yet another "Lost" dream this morning. This time I was somewhere in the U-District...trying to get to a particular avenue...and just couldn’t find it. It didn’t help that the area seemed to look like a house floor plan...without the roof. The streets had walls. Then I ran into a woman...who seemed to recognize me...but I don’t seem to recognize her...anyway I explain my problem...and she says that she will help me...She smiles and gives me directions. She disappears behind a door...and I head off. I don’t get very far...because I am lost again. The end. It’s garbage day today...so it must be Tuesday. It’s overcast...and 4.1°C...in front. 1034hrs...Have just showered...and doing a second cup...OH...The other day I did it again...This time it was going to be hot Chocolate...right...what could be simpler? NOT! Put chocolate in cup...add milk...place in microwave...ding! I was fine until it got to the add milk part. I poured in the contents of what I again took to be the milk...and watched as I poured...and then gave it stir...ok(!) fine...I gave it more that just one stir...like many...AND then lick fork...I use a fork...GADS...that tasted like...orange...it was. I thought about patenting it...but figured that other may have...I say may have...already done it too. No problem with the coffee that’s now cooling...since I am out of milk...hence need to hit a store sometime today. Speaking of which...it’s on the cool side and there is a wind blowing...hence wind chill...I don’t think I’ll do Anci today. I need a day like yesterday...since I want to dig pretty deep into my stuff. The phone book...papers...other stuff that I’m sure I’ll know it when I see...find...it. It’s now been months that I was there last...I think. Would like to find the copies of the deeds to our house to get the full names...etc. 1237hrs...Just finished lunch...delicious...even if I do say so myself. 1421hrs...GADS! I looked out the window and notice the there is a crew working on one of the house toward the lake. And I think to myself that they are getting close to finishing tiling the roof. Looking closer yet...I notice that there are three men on the roof...and only later do I see that there is one more at the bottom of a ramp...AND then...I see tiles sliding DOWN the ramp!.........I’m watching to see what happens next. I mean...the roof must have been done...I just didn’t make note of it...and NOW their going to take it all down?...Well I guess not...they seem to be swapping out that which was up...for that which was piled up by the road...as though it may have just arrived...will keep you advised. And then we have the Photon! Here it is...smoking along at the speed of light...when it encounters one surface of a piece of plate glass...AND slows down going through said glass...and when it reaches the other surface...it resumes going at the speed of light again. "How do it know?" If you want my opinion...I say that it never slowed down! I say that it...the Photon...had farther to go in the denser material...in this case the plate glass. It was in effect...a crooked mile. [Dense material is...condensed...dare I say it...SPACE.] Velence...January 23rd 2008. 0546hrs...Coffee...as planned...no drama. 0602hrs...Just in...2°C...Full moon...still windy...Last night very strong gusts. Partly cloudy...Mercury is visible. 0914hrs...Just back from the far store. 1108hrs...It’s f/8 at 1/000 ISO 200 as of now...clear blue skies. 1145hrs...It’s that time again... 1256hrs...Have done lunch...and as usual...it was good...or if you will...I liked it. Yesterday Jutka called to tell me about the high winds alert...and to take care of the patio furniture...which I had in fact started to do...but went out to do the rest. The first gust that hit...long before Jutka’s call...was quite awesome...which was why I had already moved the table. 1309hrs...I’m going to make a run to Anci’s... 1536hrs...I’m back. Ended up that Lajos was there...and came out just as I was about to leave...Had some wine...talked. Found the Genome stuff and some other papers. A box of audio tapes...that I’ll need to go through one at a time...have no idea what’s on them. I brought over the 450mm...and the IR scope...the Tamron 500mm...Oh...and the Nikon C950...and the Nikkor 28mm with my IR filter set. 1710hrs...Just finished reading some of the paper that I’d found. I had also seen the setting sun...the last of it...bright red it was. Tonight is HOUSE night... Oh...I put one audio tape into the machine...and it seems to have been tape recordings that I’d made...I am setting it up so all I have to do is hit the "REC" button to record the radio programs at 1145-1200hrs. All set! Now I just have to remember to catch it...! 2100hrs...Took the C8 out with the C950...not much luck for lack of a charged set of batteries. Perhaps again tomorrow. Velence...January 24th 2008. 0746hrs...Coffee... 0816hrs...One set of batteries is charged...and look good. Another set is on the charger. These two sets are 2000mAh batteries. It was below freezing last night...and about 1.0°C now. It’s mostly cloudy as the sun rises. Yesterday at Anci’s I never did find the 1962 Seattle phone book. Saw the Kestrel again...this morning. Saw a large flight of Geese too...all strung out in a line. 1148hrs...A recording is in progress....1200hrs...done deal. 1533hrs...Have done lunch...and have been online for a number of hours...R1a1 stuff. 1623hrs...God...I’m a wreck! I can hardly see to write. 1654hrs...Time to hit the Unicum...I know I’m going to hate it... Damn...Bad stuff...but I think I’ve had worse. That was bad...time for another shot...Down in one...DAMN! Time for another...WOOOFFFF! And another! Down the hatch! 1800hrs...The 2700mAh batteries are done...back into the strobe. Time for the last of it! Oh Maiden...My maiden...How I weep for you.........Over and over again.......... All that’s left is bubbly....two bottles...to be specific...in the fridge as I write! 1906hrs...Time to step outside...and........... Velence...January 25th 2008. 0607hrs...Coffee... 1339hrs...Have just had lunch...and as usual...it was good. I had it outside again...and read...but it was on the windy side...though as I predicted this morning...there would be sunshine by 1400hrs...though it’s not warm. Have done some laundry...and general pick up. Found a few interesting things. 1529hrs...Just back from the close store. The sun is in fact shining. 1541hrs...Istvan is out there doing something. 1613hrs...I joined him...and later changed out the bulb at the side door. 1648hrs...Well...it’s off to Pityu’s with Istvan to see about tomorrows schedule... 1822hrs...I’m back. Ended up getting fed. Good! Had some red wine also. Talked. Lajos had been there earlier...though not by the time I got there...and then showed up again. They were preparing to make sausage. Well...it’s on for tomorrow at some ungodly hour...0700hrs at Bela’s...to butcher a pig...as it were. 2030hrs... Velence...January 26th 2008. 0530hrs...Coffee... 0614hrs...Just out of the shower. The sky is totally clear. 0639hrs...Dressed. When I first hit the kitchen...I heard Jimmy barking...This meant that the Lads were up and getting ready to leave...and I figure that they were running late. There is color in the east. It’s only about 1°C...not what I would call warm. Thinking that I will take two cameras...two lenses....and oh...the flash. 0648hrs...Cameras and flash are set. 0654hrs...Decided to have breakfast. 0708hrs...Out the door in 5 mins. 1313hrs...Been back for about ten mins... 1649hrs...I’m still here...as in I thought I would have gotten a call by now...at which time I would have gone back for some grub. Not a real big deal...except I would have recovered the gloves I left behind. I don’t think I got it backwards...as in I was to call them. I let Bernadette use my D70 to take photographs...which I’ve looked at...and they are quite good. There was a colorful sunset. The sky still has bright red clouds showing. 1724hrs...Cila just called...and we will in fact be going to Bela’s together as it were. Velence...January 27th 2008. 0413hrs...The winds finally got me up...though the multiple TA’s kept me awake all night. It’s warm out at 8.5°C. Doing coffee. 0427hrs...Just in. It’s bloody windy out there with very strong gusts. And there is some moisture too. Wouldn’t call it rain yet. Have taken four 75mg Aspirin tablets...and I’m going back to bed. 0814hrs...Up again. It is now raining...and continues to be windy. 0907hrs...Have lost power at least twice so far. The last one just a few mins ago. They were momentary...just enough to kill this computer...and a digital clock. 0937hrs...Happened again! 0951hrs...The wind is fierce! I guess I should say that the gusts are the big deal today. Looking at the sat image...I can see where it’s coming from...the north. 1415hrs...Up since 1400hrs. The windy conditions continue. AND the wind has blown sheets of ice up into the reeds...AND...water is now visible in two areas of the lake...the ice is breaking up. And the sun is trying to break through too. 1451hrs...There are now numerous areas that are free of ice. I’m sure that the wind is helping speed up the process. 1541hrs...There is a part of the lake that looks like a river...the wind is blowing it with great speed...and that water is being forced under the ice...breaking it up all the more. 1756hrs...The winds and strong gusts continue. Have popped 4 more Aspirins...The TA’s continue also. Running out of pills...need to take care of that too. Hate the hassle! 1828hrs...The lights blink now and then... The sky is clear...stars are out. Velence...January 28th 2008. 0713hrs...Coffee. The sky is clear...and we are close to sunrise. 0807hrs...The lake is blue again...I see no signs of ice as far as I can see. 1038hrs...Back for about 15 mins...And it has not been a good day so far! It started out ok...but then went down hill. I went to the Doctors to get a new prescription...and it took 45 mins to get in. Then I went to get monies out of the cash point...that went ok. Then to the chemist...I will have to go back tomorrow...which did not surprise me...and I’m not actually out of pills yet...so that was no big deal. It’s then that I notice that I only had half a pair of gloves. Back tracked without luck. I then hit the store...the far one...since it’s right there and I needed their bread...ok fine...and back home. I had bought some jam filled pastries...that will go well with my second cup of coffee. So there I am...measure out a cups worth of H2O...pour it into a small pot...place on gas stove. Right! Backing up...light the burner and then place pot...BUT...I notice the that damn thing is already warm...Which explains why when I made the first pot earlier...the water kept on boiling...albeit just...and I attributed it to the heated iron retaining the heat...and went about my morning. The bottom line is that I had in fact NOT turned it off...to the right...but to the left...Low! This meant that I didn’t need to light the burner...since it was already lit...And it’s then that I realized that I had forgotten to buy a lighter. I did remember to buy some pain killer...for my ongoing TA...and ended up with something called Saridon...which turns out to be nothing more that Parcetamaol, Propyphenazone and Caffien. The lady said to take three at a time...She’s a relative...but I was able to decode the dosage...to two at a time...which sounded right to me. Last night was not hot either. I crashed early...about an hour into it...the phone rings...it’s Jutka...wanting to know what I thought about the high winds etc...went back to bed...only to wakeup an hour later...back to bed...up again around midnight. 1112hrs...It’s 6°C in the shade...and 24°C in the sun. 1145hrs...That time again. Recording. 1206hrs...30°C in the sun now! 1232hrs...Back from having gone to the close store. Did buy two lighters. It’s good to see waves on the lake again. The wind has picked up again. 1706hrs...Just before 1500hrs...the phone rang...Jutka wanting me to go over. I do...have now returned. I was to bring two eggs also. Talked stocks re Imre...while I ate the spinach and two eggs that Jutka had prepared...the eggs being the two that I brought. Spinach is not one of my favorites. At the end she wanted $100...ended up giving her 30,000ft ($171)...which also covered my internet access fee. (6,000ft)($35)...to give to Pityu for the Palinka that was to be produced from some of her grape harvest. Oh...we will be going into Feharvar tomorrow...at 1100hrs. I will need to dig out some papers that will need to be transliterated. And I need to find the last dividend check that I will deposit in a new Hungarian bank account. 2027hrs...It’s NCIS night. Got to write Bill an email sometime soon. I have another unanswered email also...from the guy that had been stationed at Ie Shima...Det 1 of the 1962nd Comm Group. Which brings up the whole Flitterman incident. Velence...January 29th 2008. 0709hrs...Coffee... 1005hrs...Panic as I tried to find some documents. I did find one in the last place I looked...The other one alludes me still. Called Jutka...gave her the details...and the fact that I need to hit the Chemist’s and the cash point. Hope I dropped the glove there. 1051hrs...Waiting for Jutka to show up. She’s is...on average...always late. 1615hrs...Back for 15 mins. Not this time she wasn’t! Did the Office Depot that just happened to be there. Bought a toner cartridge for my laser printer...and an 8MB memory stick. Then it was to swap Pounds for Forints...which then Jutka swapped for Dollars...which I then deposited into my new bank account. I know...hard to believe. And since the first place wouldn’t except a 20GBP note because it had a very small piece torn off...and neither would "my" bank...I ended up giving it to Jutka...More like she asked if they would except it in GB Land...to which I say yes...she took it! I think the real winner in this whole deal was...you guessed it...Jutka. While I waited for Jutka to take care of her business...I checked out some CDs...and ended up buying two. Then it was back to here...to collect some shopping bags...and then off to shopping with Jutka...Spar. Velence...January 30th 2008. 0643hrs...Coffee. Rough night! TAs...no end. Vodka and pills. 0731hrs...Will leave soon to see the Dentist. 0902hrs...Back for about ten mins...Well...that’s one down. Should have been three if it were up to me...but I’m just the patient. Oh...cost me 2000ft...($11.43). Cila has just left for work. 1310hrs...Yesterday evening as I was partaking of dinner...the phone rang. Cila wanting to tell me about an asteroid that is to come close. I told her that I knew about it. I did in fact. The problem was that it was overcast...and...that’s a big AND...the asteroid was rated a 10 magnitude. And that meant that one could not see it without proper optics...as in a large telescope. Back to dinner...and then sometime later...the phone rings again. Anci wanting a big favor...that turned out to be my chains...as in snow. The girls were going skiing in Austria...and needed to have a set...just in case they were checked...no matter that they may not have fit their tires. Done deal. 1317hrs...I’m a bit pissed off...with the Dentist. He pulled one tooth that in fact needed attention...like right now. On the other hand...there was at least one more that I would have liked to have pulled too. And he was mumbling about two weeks plus! Damn! AND...Though the tooth is out...I’m in pain...now that the effects of the Novocain have worn off! Popped two Paracetamol. Have not had lunch...not really hungry. 1323hrs...In the sun it‘s 21.8°C. 1547hrs...Have just had lunch. 1636hrs...It’s been a bummer day...not sure why...though I got some things done. HOUSE night. The dance sequence from: Picnic, Crocodile Dundee, Pulp Fiction, Dirty Dancing, Fred and Ginger pick one.... Velence...January 31st 2008. 0704hrs...Coffee... 1757hrs...Well it pays to keep your eyes on the ball. With the upcoming launch of STS-122 on the 7th...I updated the Keplers...and took it for a spin. I set the date for the 7th...just to see if it will be possible to see both the ISS and STS-122. The answer is no. But as I moved the time around I noticed that it appeared that optimum ISS orbits were later than I thought they should be...given that I have been waiting...without checking...for good passes to arrive. Anyway...I set the clock back to current time...and to my stupid amazement...there was the ISS...granted at low elevation...directly south of me. Had I stayed outside for another minute...and looked in the right direction...which was an area that I was scanning anyway...I would have seen it. As it was...I grabbed the big 11X80 binoculars...and sure as hell...there it was...plain as day. Back at command central...I checked out the next days orbits...and I will take a shot tomorrow...not a good orbit but it will be good practice...with the C8 mounted as it is...weather permitting. Earlier...Caught Istvan coming home...talked. Last night was HOUSE night NOT. I crashed early...and though I heard it come on...I switched it off...and had a good nights sleep. I don’t know what it is...perhaps one of the pills I take...as in I know for sure that one is labeled as inducing sleep...hence taken at night...when I’m not likely to be operating heavy equipment. Yes...but what about in my dreams...what if I am driving a big rig...(?)...do I drive it...FUNNY? Defining moments: There are events in our lives that make an impact. An impact that at the time you may or may not know the significance...thereof. It is only some time later that it hits home...that GADS...there it was. This phenomena should not be confused with my other favorite whipping boys...the fork in the road of life. No...this is something entirely different. These are in some cases very subtle...to the point that you may not even be aware of the effect it had on you...but there nonetheless. In no particular order...: (1) Germany...Wartenburg. It was the summer of 1950 and we were all outside enjoying the pleasant weather. Sunshine...casting dappled shadows. The green grass...birds chirping...a gentle breeze...all was well in the village...as it were. When I say we...I mean to say that there were a number of people...that thinking back now must have been some of the OM’s students. These students were for lack of a better term...driftwood of the war...refugees...from many countries...they were young and in some sense disoriented by their war experiences...which had been over for the last five years. They were their in a sanitarium. Anyway...there we were....I remember that one group was playing with a pellet rifle...target shooting. Then someone had an idea...the trick was to put a pellet through the open end of an empty wine bottle...Not sure anyone knew what to expect...but they were having great fun. There would have been refreshments...sandwiches...pie...and pastries...talk...relaxing...good for the soul stuff. Then someone spotted a squirrel up in a tree...and before you could say "Thisspipple"...everyone was all excited at the prospect of trying to capture it. With great abandon...people were running all over the place...it was infectious. Running...laughing...yelling. The squirrel did it’s best to accommodate...by jumping from branch to branch...tree to tree. It was great fun to watch. Then someone picked up a stone and threw it in the direction of the squirrel. Others took up the new theme...and did likewise. After awhile...stones were flying all over the place. The thrill of the chase. They cheered when a stone came close to scoring a hit...more tossed stones...more cheers. They would all move from tree to tree as the squirrel tried to escape as best it could. This went on for a few minutes when...the squirrel actually came to ground...and scurried about madly. Cheers went up...as capture became viable...and possibly eminent. No one really knew what to do...so they began to chase the squirrel...while trying to keep it from getting back up in a tree. Laughter...joy...a thrill...a summer breeze... Then...the squirrel took what it thought was a way out...and ran right between the legs of one of the merrymakers...who happened to still have a stone in his hand...and from fear as much as anything...threw that stone down hard...killing the squirrel. The laughter and joy...stopped...the silence was thunderous. (2) In two parts. (1’)The year was whenever Mission Impossible was on the air...the original. The plot was like all the rest...except that this one would require a computer to be re-programmed. Greg Morris’ character is asked if that will be a problem. It must be remembered that this took place long before personal computers were even a dream. So when Greg’s character say...something to the effect that..."no"...that should not be a problem...since it was in fact the very computer that he learned to first program. I remember thinking...mmmmm. (2’) Renton, Washington...Leasametrics...Kin King’s outfit at the time. An auction. We were there to pick over the bones of a company going under the gavel. I was there looking for bargains...while the OM and his longtime friend Tom Askey were there to bid on a computer. A Wang. The word was that they had set a high figure...in the high hundreds...and hoped. Looking back now...I have not the slightest clue what they thought they could/would do with it. Not sure that I did either. The Wang was set up just to the right as you came in the front door. We all stared at it. I came and went a few times as I looked over all that would be auctioned. Then sometime later...as I approached it for one more look...I noticed that there was someone sitting at the console...typing. Closer...I hear him talking to someone else...and it soon became apparent that he was in the process of programming the computer to...count. I was mesmerized watching with anticipation. There were a few false starts...but then...numbers scrolled down the left hand side of the green screen. A number of years later...One of the first things I did with my first computer was to.... It was so easy...to do...child’s play...could do it blind folded...one hand tied behind my back... BUT...at the time...that day...watching the numbers scroll...it was MAGIC. (3)....XXX Velence...February 1st 2008. 0436hrs...Coffee...up since 0404hrs. Sometime earlier...it just fell out. Happy camper! Help me Rhonda... 0700hrs...It’s cold and clear as the sun is about to rise. Minus 2.0°C. 0938hrs...I’ve run the orbits for ISS passes...and they look good for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I will need to find the earliest Keplers for STS-122 on Thursday after liftoff. Note...the times I quote have been off by 2 minutes 19 seconds...late. The time now...set correctly is...0946hrs. Doing my second cup of Mud. The damn Laser...has developed a problem. Just my luck having bought a new cartridge the other day. Velence...February 2nd 2008. 0432hrs...Up since 0400hrs...Coffee. 0835hrs...Have just done breakfast. The wind started to blow last night...and gusts continue this morning. It’s not cold...but the wind chill makes it unpleasant. Jutka called yesterday...partly to invite me for lunch today...1300hrs. Observing the ISS was a bust yesterday as clouds rolled in just when it was due. I spent a long time online yesterday...and learned a few new things. I think I nailed the printer problem...but may have to buy a new one. 0944hrs...Just out of the shower. Still windy out there. Going online...and will look at the 0600hrs ZULU sat shot. 1705hrs...Back from Jutka’s. Ildiko and Gabi were there...they eventually left...and we ate sometime after 1400hrs. Spent the rest of the time re-translating (English-Hungarian) Imre’s LW&T...and PoA papers. Jutka leaves tomorrow morning for the States. When I went to Jutka’s...it started to drizzle...and it continues...and I got wet riding back. It’s out for the ISS again. It would take a miracle for the clouds to clear in time. Another day lost to bad weather. Super Bowl on Sunday...would like to watch it. Just had a flash...Jutka’s! If it’s not on one of my channels...then her place might be the answer. One thing is the time...! Postdated 19 June, 2008: SBS is one of those dates that will always be connect with Perk...that weekend. Dark stuff. Velence...February 3rd 2008. 0850hrs...Coffee...Sun shining and calm. 1246hrs...Just had lunch. Jutka is well on her way. It’s turned to overcast...so again the ISS will be a problem. Not a happy camper. 1855hrs...Earlier I went out with the C8/D200 and set it up for what would be a lousy pass of the ISS...because at the time there were no stars visible...to aid focusing the scope. Then I brought it all back in...because the stars were becoming less visible. I then went out to observe the pass for what it was worth...and I was right...I caught just a glimpse now and then. Done deal...over. Another day lost. Velence...February 4th 2008. 0836hrs...Coffee... 0901hrs...Low clouds...that may burn off later. Strange dreams the other morning. The main theme were these prints. They were what looked to be 16x20s...perhaps even larger. There were four or five prints laying about...in a pile...where for a long while I had some of my prints...color...but not colorful. I was incensed...and then I picked one up...and it was still wet...as in they just came off the printer...and should not have been stacked the way there were. AND...someone had made these prints on my printer...and without permission. The fact that my printer could not have made such large prints was beside the point. I confronted someone about the prints and the use of my printer...but they just shrugged it off. I kept saying that they did it without my permission. Twenty some odd members of the clan had gone skiing...and returned yesterday. Jutka should be in Seattle by now. Back in May. She said she planned to visit the old house. Should have asked her to get an email address. OH!....This should be Cila’s last month of work! 25 days by my count. 1817hrs...The ISS was a bust again...though we did see it through gaps in the cloud cover. The pass was to take place at 1730hrs...Cila arrived in time but by then I could see that the clouds were not going to pass...in fact just the opposite. I told her to tell Istvan not to come out...but he did along with Pityu...at which time we just chatted...Pityu eventually went back to get me a bottle of wine...and it was while he was gone that Istvan happened to look up...and let out an exclamatory "there it is"...and so it was. 2047hrs...NCIS. Earlier I killed a can of Red Bull....that should keep me awake. Velence...February 5th 2008. 0609hrs...Coffee... 0919hrs...Strange time for the church bell...bells to ring. It was sometime after 0900hrs...stopped about 13 minutes past. No smoke nor sirens. I need to hit the far store...just out of the shower. Will try the ISS again tonight. 0942hrs...Time to hit the road...Jack...in 5 mins. 1010hrs...I’m back...and I assure my reader(s)...that I did in fact go to the store and am not simply faking it. A mean...look...see that I’m about to eat some pastries that I actually bought at the store that I actually went to. Yum...Yum. Ok...FINE...don’t believe me... But look at the desk top...crumbs...What do you say to that...huh? 1050hrs...Ohhhh...Yawn...I think I’ll take the remaining two pieces of pastry back to the kitchen were I had originally unpacked the stuff that I bought at the store. And my...now empty...coffee mug...from which I drank the coffee that I had with the pastries...that I bought at the store. 1301hrs...Have been editing my music. Removing those that I flat don’t like. I have also ripped one of the Cds that I bought the other day. 1907hrs...Managed to shoot the ISS! Istvan and Cila in attendance...this at 1754hrs. I had Istvan actually press the shutter release button at the end of a cable...while I aimed the rig. Results are not the best. Have to think about it. And I will go back to the MTO-1000mm for the rest of the upcoming passes. Did a show and tell for the crew of the pig dissection. 2112hrs...I’m back on... I popped the nights pills minus one...as last night...because of mismatched count. I’m up because of CP...I hit it with Nitro spray...and laid down. Pain still there. Hit it again...and am now here. Oh...I went and dug out the missing pill...and popped it. Sitting here seems better. 2118hrs...Will try to crash again... Velence...February 6th 2008. 0750hrs...Coffee... Yesterday just as I was setting up for the ISS pass...Bela and Sari showed up...and gave me some Fanks...(Hungarian doughnuts) along with the requisite peach jam...and left. I consumed three yesterday and two with my coffee this morning...see the crumbs?(!) 0857hrs...It’s a foggy morning at the lake. Started last night...but is now lifting as the sun rises. 1251hrs...Doing my second cup of Joe...I have taken apart the Brother Laser printer. Nothing pisses me off more than a printer gone bad. AND...I just bought a toner cartridge for the damn thing...even though I was able to replace the toner from another full cartridge for another Brother printer that had just gone bad too...(sometime ago). 1352hrs...Have gone as far as I can with the printer. Note...The Progress supply...M63...ship was in fact launched...and while I don’t yet have Keplers for it...it should be visible tonight...weather permitting...which right now looks lousy. Never fails! As I figure it...it should be ahead of the ISS...and will dock Thursday...which is also the launch day for the Shuttle...mission STS-122...which then docks on the 9th...Sunday...by which time the Progress will have to have undocked...and well out of the way. Will it be possible that three spacecraft at once? Oh...I have failed to mention that there have been fishermen out on the lake...already...though as I understand it...it’s cold out there...on the water. I feel ok now...but last night was a bit scary...and I am now into the latest supply of pills. AND she’s...the doctor...done it again...changed pills on me! 1825hrs...Just in. Saw an opening in the clouds and so I quickly pulled the C8 off the big Slik...and slapped the MTO 1000mm on. Once outside and setup...the cloud turned worse and saw nothing at all. I was hoping to at least see the Progress and ISS together...but now it will be tomorrow as the last chance for that. I had just enough time to see about Keplers for the Progress but there was nothing. The printer was a no go too. Well...it is HOUSE night...though...huh? Drinking a bit of the house wine...ha ha ha. Over and over...the theme goes on. Could it be a "crooked mile"...as it were? I mean...how does it know to speed up once out of the "denser" medium? It’s as though it would have to have a frame of reference that includes it’s speed. [Covered above.] Velence...February 7th 2008. 0650hrs...Coffee... 0713...There is color to the east...some blue in the sky...fast clouds out of the north...and gusty. 0849hrs...Have been knocked offline twice this morning due to winds...loss of power. Saw and photographed a full rainbow. Nailed Progress M-63 Keplers...and took care of a problem since day one re Keplers that the tracking program had been trying to download. No more error messages. Turns out that M-63 was/is about 2.5 mins ahead of the ISS...as I figured. The winds continue...whitecaps on the lake...and there are massive waves hitting the beach on the other side. Thinking that I need to go to the far store...but can’t recall why. 1050hrs...Out of the shower. Still don’t know. 1336hrs...Have been knocked off again. Have done lunch. Ah...the Photon. 1709hrs...Just in...I took the rig out knowing that it would be a long shot to see M-63 and the ISS since the pass was too close to sunset...it was. Earlier was knocked off yet again. The wind gusts continue. The wind chill is a bitch. I will try for the next pass...knowing that it will blink out early...but still. And may well have docked by them...though the latest Kepler shows them separated. Oh...it was not just the bright sky...but there were clouds also...so the next pass may look better re clouds. Velence...February 8th 2008. 0727hrs...Coffee... 0740hrs...The sun is up and shining...Blue sky...with some low clouds in the distance. Yesterday...I was outside on the balcony...when Istvan and Bela show up. They were on the way back to Bela’s. Chat...in the course of...I tell them that there is an up coming pass...ISS/M-63...in five minutes. They will wait. We setup in the back...and right on time...we see the ISS...only. I shoot a number of frames...(mostly useless due to distance and angle)...while Istvan...gave Bela a play-by-play running commentary...and I did the color (commentary). As of right now...I don’t know if STS-122 launched yesterday or not. I will once I go online...a bit later. Either way...there will be a pass this evening...which will be better than the one we witnessed last night. 1050hrs...Back from the far store. The Shuttle...STS-122 did in fact launch yesterday...and I even have Keplers. So...if the weather holds...I shall be taking another shot at it and the ISS. 1401hrs...Just in...having had lunch out on the balcony...and reading SJG’s book...on the Burgess Shale. It’s 28 plus in the sun...pleasant. Earlier I went out back to shoot the chickens...and later I took over pieces of dried bread...some of which I gave to the chickens, having told then earlier that I would. 1711hrs...The ISS/M-63/STS-122 is a bust. Though there is some color to the west...there is serious overcast. Never fails! 1754hrs...Phone...Cila...says I have a letter...and that... Velence...February 9th 2008. 0425hrs...Coffee... ...and that...she and Anci are coming over. It worked out well because I had wanted to talk to the both of them about my situation. Ended up talking at some length...and out of it came a few ideas that I will need to work out. Velence...February 10th 2008. 0925hrs...Coffee... 0948hrs...Yesterday...I was online...and I now don’t remember the time...but it was Pityu at my door. We ended up chatting at some length outside on the balcony...since it was nice day for sitting in the sunshine. Sometime later I walked him back to his house...I wanted to have a better look at the area to the south of the main house...in light of the fact that he planned to do some necessary demolition...opening the possibility of constructing a larger addition...which would become my house. While there...Bela showed up...with Dori...and it was stories time. First outside and later inside...since it was not warm in the shade of the house. What was to have been a short survey...turned into more than an hour. Bela mentions that there was to be a party starting at 1800hrs. It was Dori’s birthday...with someone’s Name Day...thrown in. The whole clan was to be there. Pityu, Dori and I went up to the Tuba wine cellar to get wine. Once back...more chatting...stories. It finally broke up...around 1630hrs...as a result of Istvan’s having noticed...he’d been out and about...that both my front door and balcony doors were open...the front door unlocked...the balcony door "wide" open. So after having consumed a few glasses of wine...I came back here. It was going to be tight. There was a favorable pass for the ISS/STS-122...at 1743 and thirty second...I had to shave and change...and copy 4GB plus of images onto a memory stick. As predicted...I was able to get a shot of both the ISS and the Shuttle! Anyway...I got to Bela’s at 1800hrs. There till 2300hrs. There were so many that we ate in three shifts. 1543hrs...Have checked the ISS/STS-122/M-63...pass predictions...and it looks good for 1804hrs...The cloud situation looks good also...as of now. 1849hrs...Pityu has just left...I had called over to tell them that I would be outside shooting the ISS...etc...and Cila said she’d pass the word...but that she would not be coming. Ok fine...I went out with the two Nikons...and waited...No one showed...but I did take the photos...and I had just brought it all in...and was transferring the files from the CF card onto the computer...and stepped out for a smoke...when who should show up...but Pityu wondering if it was too late...it was. Came in and chatted. OH!...Guess who was waiting outside for Pityu as he was leaving...Jimmy the Puli. Funny! He’s normally not allowed out...but this time he sneaked out somehow. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX MISSING/LOST XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Velence...March 29th 2008. THIS MORNING I LOADED THIS DOCUMENT...AND FOUND THAT I HAD LOST ALL OF IT EXCEPT THE SMALL PART BELOW. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER...BUT HAVE LOST February 11th 2008 to MARCH 27th 2008. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX About time to hit the shower...It’s cold and windy out there...partly sunny. 1252hrs...Back from the far store. Velence...March 27th 2008. 0646hrs...Java... 1503hrs...Scanning since getting up. Dorle, Sue, two Jan’s, two Vicki’s, Sandi, Priscilla, Ann (Tonto)...Laurie, Bonnie...the list goes on. Oh...forgot Alexandra. Velence...March 28th 2008. 0616hrs...Up for twenty mins...Mud... Looking at yesterdays scans. Speaking of which...Bela and Sari showed up...she to return some monies...the overage of my internet connection bill. They also saw...the first to do so...some of my prints. Talked about houses...and I printed a metric dimensioned floor plan. 1738hrs...Still scanning...probably over 1000 frames so far. Re-booting the computer since it’s running slow again. Printed Toni...Working on Susan S...shots. Velence...March 29th 2008. Up since 0600hrs. See above. DAMN...that was close! Don’t know how it happened...but the file was only 9KBs... To have lost it all would have made for an unhappy camper. The missing days...Well let’s just say I’m glad to have what I have. It looked real bad. My first search came back with the 9kb file...when it should have been over 850kb! Anyway...I looked at yesterdays scans...and will continue. Velence...March 30th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0746hrs...Up...Mud...It’s sunny. Yesterday I did more scans...Gave Jan Peck a chance...Sue A. and Sue S, by scanning frames that I normally would not have...but deleted most of them. The desk is clearing...Another day and I might finish. Oh...Last night I stepped out...and saw a light in the sky...turned out to be ISS and XXX. Iridium was obscured by clouds...but later it cleared just enough. Tonight will be a big day...ISS/XXX and an Iridium pass. And then to add to my problems...I’m one short of running out of Yellow ink for the printer. Velence...March 31st 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0734hrs...The usual. 0811hrs...The start of another nice day. Last night the Lads and I watched the ISS and Jules Verne...and later Iridium 83. Took photos...I used the second MTO1000...but the results were very poor...focus was off. The Iridium shot was good with the 10-20 Sigma at 20mm. I now think I’ll use the 300 2 8 tonight. It had produced sharp images of the geosats...so why not the ISS? Today should be Cila’s last day at work! The Lads finish trimming the grape vines...sunburned. Velence...April 1st 2008. Daylight Savings time. 1459hrs...Up since dawn...scanning since. Good stuff...will print later. Did ISS and Iridium last night. Used the 300 2 8 as planed...not good. Will go back to number one MTO1000...and use it tonight...weather permitting. 2041hrs...It’s a no-go for ISS etc....clouds. For most of week and then some...I have been scanning my old 35mm B/W negatives. It’s been great fun...not that I am even close to half way. Yesterday...or was it the day before I brought back from Anci’s...my stash of Kodak 2475 negatives...more on the film later. I am making some interesting observation. Unlike the "real time" procedures that I followed 35-40 years ago...I can now truly analyze events...granted...based on my examination of not the frames that I ultimately would have printed...but the frames before and after. Mostly those before...that led up to "that" shot. It’s not a precise science...but it seems to work in most cases. Shelly...Jan...Karen...Ann (Tonto)...Toni... and others. It’s not the shots themselves that are of interest...but what was "really" going on...that in most cases I missed....as in completely. The looks...the poses...the averted eyes...the near smiles...the change in pupil size...it’s all there...for analysis. On frames that would never see the light of day...literally will not have been printed...I see things now that there was just no time to analyze...it was all going down in realtime...no? And...and there is always a BIG AND in this case...So...given the fact that 35mm contact sheets are nearly useless under the best of conditions...In the case of the 2475 negatives...it was a case of finding a frame that would become "THE" frame...and just moving on from there. The reason I hear you ask...is that that film was cursed...YES it’s true. After processing you would hang it up...weighted...to dry. Once dry...unclipping the weight...the film would just curl up onto itself. Contacts were for all practical purposes impossible. I would take a 10 power loupe and check every frame that showed promise...for sharpness. It was a fast process...which is just the way I worked. Looking back now...I can say that I "nailed" most of the good frames...BUT...I have others...now...just as good. The great advantage now in using the scanner is that I don’t mind scanning more frames...hence able to truly see what was there all along. And a record of WHAT was GOING ON. Jan was at one time hanging with Peter Riches...a photographer. I think I met her as a result of knowing Peter. Not well...but. Anyway...one day I get a call...Jan M....with Lola...(agency) wanting to setup a shoot. OK...done deal. A day or so later we shoot. Tall...stunning...sexy. She pays. Time passes and another shoot. Same deal...She pays. Some time later...again...and again...BUT...the poses are getting sexier and sexier. At one point she’s posing nude. A strange thing took place one day...after a shoot...though it could have been a day she came to see her contacts...I usually had made a few prints too...So I walk down to the street with her...and as we near her car...she asks me to pick her up...and into the open roof of her car! Double!! Now...she was a big girl...at least 120lb. This was not something I was called upon to do regularly...thank god. It wasn’t her weight so much as getting her body high enough to ingress through the roof. Throwing caution to the wind...I complied. I had sensed that she had seen...something...someone...because she was looking around as I lifted her dead weight...believe me...you can’t make this stuff up. She seemed happy with the outcome...and drove off. It was after that that she began to take up more of my evenings. Eventually...one thing led to another...as one would rightly think. I now see...in the "other" frames...that she must have been thinking..."What’s a girl have to do to get this guy hot?" The signs were all there. Toni. Well now...I look at frames that were never ever going to see the light of day...except for now...over 35 years ago...that I see were so full of clues...I should have tripped over them. Same thing...WAGHTDTGTGH. She had a boyfriend at the time she showed up at my door. He was also something of a photographer...film...as in moving...But...I never did hear exactly...I mean EXACTLY what he/she...they did. She did show me a...what I considered a poor topless...photograph. I don’t remember asking who took the shot. Anyway...One session after another...the seduction had begun...and as was the case most of the time...I was the last to know about it...until it was too late. The one frame that caught my attention...one that I’ve now gone back to more that once...just to make sure...is so..."in your face"...pardon the pun...that it now knocks me over...as in "blow me down"..."sink me"..."Yes...I am the Purple Mask!" Tuba san will continue this tomorrow...ok? 2217hrs...Tired. Yawn. More printing...more scanning...tomorrow. Velence...April 2nd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0638hrs...Java...and the start of an overcast day. 0816hrs...The sun has broken through the clouds...must take a look. 0838hrs...Will need to hit the far store sometime today. I have gone through all the 2475 negs...and have them sorted out. Sorted as having some possible frames that I may go back to...and those that I have looked at but found nothing to write home about. I still have...on my desk Tri-X negs that are sorted and just need to be scanned. And there are boxes full of negs that will need to be looked at again. 1623hrs...Taking a break from scanning...found a Melanie strip...printed one. Reloaded the CD player with new ones. Cuban Big Bands...1940-1942...for one. Velence...April 3rd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0627hrs...Mud... 1300hrs...Second cup in works. Not getting much done. I’m pissed off...I guess. Yesterday I heard from Bela that...subject to my looking into it...that the costs involved in registering/insuring my car would be extravagant! Thanks a bloody lot. I was just online but forgot to look at a web site about moving to HU Land. I expect to find something about bringing in a foreign registered car...and have it say that guess what(?)...you too can get screwed without much effort. Pissed...but I do need to look into it beyond what Bela had said. On the scanning front...I’m mostly done with the 2475...though there are a few rolls that still have interesting images. Left to do...is clearing my desk of semi sorted negatives. Since I had to cut the 36 frame strips...they now lack a home. I printed a frame of Melanie...and two of Jan and Karen...one of which is pretty hot. This was the first time in 35 some odd years that I actually saw that frame for what it said. That frame had not seen the light of day...till now. Karen playing seductress...blatantly(!)...which from Jan’s expression...saying..."go for it...girl"...or..."Good luck!" I think that these frame were taken well before Jan and I did the deed. Speaking of Karen...I never did know her "story" except that she had a child...as did Jan for that matter...and that she was "hooked up" with some guy...don’t know if it was the father or not...don’t recall ever meeting him...and that she lived "just" around the corner. They both knew Priscilla (Perk) ...Or more accurately...Perk may have found Karen...which led to a connection with Jan. On the other hand as I said before...I think I met Jan through Peter. In that case...Sualius would have known of Jan...too...not that that had any bearing on anything. Found some negs of Pam B. There is a connection to Steve Swift P.E. Seattle...and the post office counter woman. "Not the famous photographer...Steve Tuba......?" 1404hrs...Have been reading STLore. Looking to find Jan’s first shoot...Have not gotten to it yet. NBD. 2041hrs...Pityu caught me outside...and we talked at length...me in a short sleeve shirt...nearly froze. Time to pull the plug...Oh...got an email from Bill. Velence...April 4th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0633hrs...Consuming first cup...Color in the sunrise. Last thing yesterday...I nailed...or at least close to nailing my high contrast negatives...and perhaps my low contrast soft focus ones. Was outside when Istvan returned...and he said something about Cila seeing me today...about the car. Velence...April 5th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0619hrs...The usual...with an overcast morning. 1951hrs...Scanning all day...frame count is over 1800! Hit the shore and got the shot I wanted of the setting sun behind Sukoro church. Bumped into Istvan...chatted a bit. Lots of frames of unremembered (names) girls...Gads! I’m touched by them...little things like positioning their hands just so...And the quality! Takes my breath away! Lots of scans now...but have not printed in days...Spooked by my paper count...as in running low...But I have to now run the ones that went through PhotoShop...back into CompuPic for Sepia...and back again to print. Plan to take my portfolio over to Anci...and do a show and tell. Bela and Sari saw some of them...not all...and there are now new ones. Velence...April 6th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0549hrs...Java...foggy out. Lots of work today...more scanning...and I should PS some too...and perhaps even print a few. I will have a problem there...printing...because I will run out of ink soon. 0755hrs...Knocked out two prints...Sidney and Crystal...good. 2050hrs...Calling it a day. Scanning all day. Printed three or four. Velence...April 7th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0630hrs...Mud...cloudy. 2048hrs...Time to time out. Scanned all day. PS’d a number of negs...and printed one of Kathy S...and one of Michelle B...and one of Shelly B. One of Perk is waiting...OH...and Sandy made the cut too. NCIS...in minutes. Have not been online today... Velence...April 8th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0610hrs...Joe...heavy overcast...calm. "Wake up Little Susie"...Don and Phil now...found the CD. Time to take a look at yesterday’s work. 0935hrs...Showered...shaved...Thinking about hitting the far store. Yesterday I did the close one...in the rain...emergency run...you know what I mean. I think I’m down to three sheets of A3 paper! The two Cyan inks are low...but those I have. Light Black is next to run out...I don’t think I’ve got that. Need to get Cila over here to help me order some paper and ink. She went to work yesterday...but she is officially retired...so she should be home. 1059hrs...Sun is breaking through. Have done the far store...forgot cereal. Getting burned out with scanning...but the process must continue. 1709hrs...Gads!...what a day. I had found the head shots I had done for Jim Buss...at the downtown studio. These were of a girl that would later return for a private shoot. I have printed her images...and just as I finished looking through Jim’s photos...I came to what may be the last...subject to looking through the very last of the negatives...studio shots...and DAMN...some of the very best materialized. I’m blown away! Just went to take another look...and while the hair shots are ok...the others are the very best! Movie star quality...Hollywood...30’s...20’s maybe. One profile shot...using my soft focus lens is a real knockout. Damn...I need more paper and ink. I think I’ll PS that one and print it. 1836hrs...Done deal...Nice...nice...photograph...even if I do say so. The craziness continues...can’t shake it. It’s the beauty of it all. So unattainably perfect. The perfect blossom. I need to find out who that is...the girl in my photograph. Not sure if I recorded it in the LORE. All I need is another mystery. 1955hrs...Printed the last photograph for today. One sheet of paper left! Still have Sandi to do. 2211hrs...Been playing with images...Sidney. Interesting. Have again not been online...(?)...obsessed. [As in getting it done.] Velence...April 9th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0714hrs...Same old thing...Cloudy...but could clear. "Over the Mountain, Across the Sea..." 0828hrs...Sun is coming out. Just read into the LORE...no way near enough entries to nail down the name. A shame...really. Toni’s handwritten logs...a few Rock Groups...and then it’s off to SF. Nothing about Michelle...Alexandra...Though Terry and company did get in. Thinking about...Terry would have been early on...because I remember meeting her at the Phinney House...first...Oh yeah...Bill was in Seattle at the time also. I wonder if S. Pempe might know? Postdated 3rd October 2009: Have to think about this...Terry must have been after Toni...Gads...that can't be right...and before doen't work either! Pondering! I met Toni at the Phinney House and shot her there and the Downtown Studio. Terry came to the House...but I shot her only at the Studio. I have gone through the "easy" finds...negatives...but now it will take longer to finish the last of it. 0950hrs...Out of the shower. Sun is shining. 1346hrs...Well that’s done it. Last of the paper. Shot of Chrystine Angell on the beach. Done deal...you know it is. 8013hrs...Almost at the bottom of the heap. I’m now into the 2 1/4 sq. stuff . Came across Michelle’s art work...nice stuff...would like to print it...but it’s on 2-1/4 film. Also found a few interesting shots that I clipped down to 35mm format. OH! Came across Joan of the Angels...a name that S. Pempe had given her...on 2-1/4...which I didn’t remember having shot of her...and I did clip one frame. Gads...out of 12 frames she has her eyes closed on 8! AND..."the" hat stayed on even after a change...into the studio brown velvet backless...or open front based on how it was put on. She put it on open back...but struck...surprisingly...a few "sexy" poses. The "one" frame is poignantly haunting. Sitting on a tall stool...one leg drawn up onto the seat...the other on a rung...one hand on the up drawn knee...her chin resting on that hand. What would have been "just" another sexy pose...in the eye of the beholder...her eyes closed...but not tightly...a sublime smile of her face...as in a dream...the world shut out for a few seconds...of...? I wish I knew...She looks like an...Angel! Her hat(?)...her halo! All sats are a bust...overcast. Cila managed to scald her hand. Istvan had been here looking for something...and then we talked a bit out on the porch...politics. 2049hrs...Just in from being out for the usual...and I look up into the dark sky to the south...passed the bloody street light...and think that perhaps I spoke too soon...because there was what looked to be a bright star. Ok...fine...I thought as I scanned the rest of the sky...and not seeing other stars...I look back...only to notice that "star" was moving! Of course it was the ISS...which then faded to black. There is a crescent moon out also...to the west...just visible through high clouds. Time to pull it...STOOAC. Velence...April 10th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0553hrs...A Cup...Mostly clear...windy. 0643hrs...Looking at my scans. I must have driven "T" nuts. 0819hrs...Out of the shower. It’s turning into a great day...blue sky...clear air...good light. The only problem is the wind direction...out of the west...makes for birds soaring in the wrong direction to the sun. 0840hrs..."T"...So there we were...that morning...kneeling on the floor hunched over...side by side...looking through pages in the fashion magazines that I had on hand. She...wearing "that" orange dress...shoes that I still remember...Me in a bathrobe. I remember saying something about a photo as it related to her...adding that "I’m not trying to hit on you"...to which she murmured acceptance. Sofar so good...except that she said nothing reciprocal(!)...granted it would have be a surprise. As time would shortly show...she was hitting on me...as in no end. Thirty-six frames of film are in a way a slow movie. Gaps between frames...though sometimes closer together. But...and you know the drill...the frames looked at in sequence...tell an amazing little story. Later... She was there for a shoot...and by that time she had shown me her portfolio...along with the topless photo...which I only glanced at...she should have noticed that...and made a note of it. I was not a "breast man"! The first time I saw her....she was wearing a high collard sweater...and how the orange dress with a high collar...showing nothing. But once the shoot started...things started to change. At one point she came out wearing a jumpsuit...that was held together in the front by a string that laced through eyelets that ran down to her navel. Normally the string would have been drawn discreetly tight and at the top end tied in a bow. Well...not likely. Very loose...and not tied at all...in fact as it was...it would not have been possible to tie the two ends...being too short. The effect was that she could just as easily have done without the string...Granted that that would have made for a different shot (message) altogether yet. Though later...in another dress...with a similar arrangement...string through eyelets...she left the string out altogether. The poses looked as though she wanted to fall out her cloths...well...her breasts at the least. The seduction had started! So there I was...having said that I was not "hitting" on her...and what does she do? I see the frustration in her continence...as nothing seems to be working. So in the "game"...say anything...but just chalk it up to drivel...to be ignored. Read it as just the opposite. I’m not...is...yes I am. The truth was I didn’t particularly like the jumpsuit...it’s design...nor the pattern. The only "feature" was the tie-up front. I didn’t say anything...though I should have asked that we try it synched up...at least then there would have been cleavage...which as it was...there was nothing but bare skin. The message was clear...she wanted some reaction from me. What...Sierra Tango loosing control? Not likely! The shoot could have been much better. I now see...unhappiness in her eyes...frame after frame...change after change. I’m not getting the message. Sustained winds now...whitecaps on the lake. The seductive placements of her hands...all to entice me. Speaking of which. Some of the girls really learned their lessons. Always mindful of how to hold their hands. I was and am most impressed by that small detail. "T" had not. Not that it would have mattered much. Surprisingly good shots of Michelle...her smile. Velence...April 11th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0700HRS...Joe...Clear... 0925hrs..."Baby Love..." Partly cloudy...high winds...whitecaps. PhotoShopped some images...Shelly H. 1127hrs...Showered. Should do my second cup. Partly sunny now...with the winds continuing. Saw some windsurfers. There are now swallows and bats. Well now...Having virtually gone through "all" my negatives...except for some 2 1/4 squares still at Anci’s...I can say that I totally underrated Shelly B! I remember being put off by her short hair style...but in a wig she looked...what(?)...interesting. Now...I can say...even sexy. She was on the fringe...home in Bellevue. I look at the negs...and damn...she had some nice(!)...clothes. At the time the "Troupe" girls were off-limits as far as I was concerned. I was interested in Perk...and the rest were just my models. Shelly, Sandy, Bonnie, Laura, Delores and Katy. Shirley...I never met. Interesting to look back and see Shelly practicing her womanly techniques. I missed them at the time. Further...I can say that while I shot more frames of Perk...she never...or I guess I should say that I didn’t see...though I don’t think that I would have missed it...didn’t do anything that was blatantly sexy. Her "sexiness" was in "my" mind...not hers. I think now that Shelly...well there was Katy...acted subtly sexier than the rest...Katy was rougher. 1631hrs...House work...Still blowing out there. David Doucet..."Ton Papa".... 1640hrs...Back to cleaning up this desk...of negative that were left in a lurch. Chrystine... 1932hrs...Just in from spending most of an hour talking to Sari. She brought me some grub. Talked about my situation. 2041hrs...Prior to Sari knocking at my door...I was outside checking out possible Iridium pass...not sighted...then a few minutes later the ISS. That I saw...but did not attempt photography...due to clouds...though it was bright. My desk is now clear of all negatives. OH...found one...one(!) frame...Shelly for the Jaymar ads...Damn good I thought. Interestingly...I don’t recall ever looking at it. Just one frame...that’s a bit strange. On the other hand...it works as a square...not rectangular as I needed for the ads. Look forward to printing up more than a few of the frames. I guess I should qualify...all...in as much as there are the negative that are of me...which I’ll put aside. Velence...April 12th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0710hrs...The usual...overcast...from the west. Had a virtual dreams this morning. It’s been a long time since the last time. I will try to conjure some tonight...as I could long ago. I saw buildings...and I could "look" at other buildings...there were faces too...real. 0928hrs...Showered...and just finished backing up my photos onto the external hard drive. Also this document. 1105hrs...Called Anci...and am going there with my portfolio. 1345hrs...Back for some time. Did the show and tell...they liked them...Anci and Anita. Then Anci came here to help with my paper and ink problem...but we got stuck. I then went to the far store. Oh...while at Anci‘s I looked for and found some more CDs. I also looked for the remaining 21/4 sq. negs...no luck. I was sure that they were out in the open...not. 1732hrs...It’s now 100% overcast. What sunshine and warmth there was is gone. "The Mountain’s High..." Time to hit my shots...just to clear those out too. Velence...April 13th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0709hrs...Java...Partly cloudy... "The valley is so deep..." Well now...This morning I was again able to conjure images almost at will. I was aware of what I was trying to do...so I tried many subjects to "view". The images were not of recognizable objects...as in something that I’d seen before. I even managed to generate...wait for it...dialogue! It was Alex and I in a reclined clinch. My hand running over her body while we talked. At one point I mention what I’d said to her on "that" first shoot. She smiled. And then(!) she responded with words I did not consciously think of! The "scenes" were all black and white...though the white was closer to a light gray. 1242hrs...Well...I see that Sidney went through the seductress phase too. I can see into her mind as she smiles at what she’s about to do...and does it. Nice shot(!)...wish I had been aware of it at the time. But...YKTD...she would eventually come back again...a number of years later. 1718hrs...Call...Cila...Dinner...Yes...Gone... 2130hrs...Back...for a bit. Cila and Pityu came back too...Cila to find her drivers license...found...good till 2013...done deal. Bela showed up also. Velence...April 14th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0718hrs...A Cup...Overcast...but could get better...calm. Yesterday was not dinner...but a late lunch. Took my portfolio over...show and tell...went well. 1045hrs...Just in from outside...The sun is now shining through thin clouds. I started reading S.J. Gould’s "Dinosaurs in a Haystack". Meanwhile the Collared Doves have started their mating calls that last interminably for months. Hate it. Just about as bad as the mating call of the...male Nadirigo...Acrocephalus arundinaceous...Hate it. Found a few more frames that I look forward to printing...Shelly. I think that I must have another 10 frames worthy of printing. I hate to admit it...but I know that there are some frames yet...hiding. If I had to do it all over...I would fine tune the shade of sepia that I am now using. More subtle...But that will have to wait. I also need to pull some of the shots of Bonnie...from my portfolio...there are just too many...in the same Gaucho outfit...at my "Castle Site"...and in the studio. I have started work on one of her head shots...the head shot...to replace the others. Interesting comments yesterday about "my" girls...as to "type" and age. They got the type right...but missed the ages...guessing older. Did some more virtual visualizations. I must be tapping into the pattern recognition portion of my brain. It occurs to me that it’s not a dream state at all...hence I should be able to do it whenever. It is nonetheless a unique state of mind. Part of it may well be that darkness is required. Too much light and you can not see the darkish images...that may in fact be there...but just can not see in daylight...as a normal process. Just in again...from reading...Clouds have obscured the sun...hence colder...changed shirts...as strange clouds form...and the wind has picked up...slamming the patio door. 1658hrs...Well now...I had marked a number of rolls of Kodak 2479 film with "P" for possible. Today I decided to nail those too. So...I found one roll of Perk’s shots. Gads...sadly she looked stoned...though there may be a few interesting frames. Then on to shots I took of a ballet production at the Seattle Art Museum...again some interesting frames. Then to shots I took for Pier One Import...for which I used Debbie...and Perk. Now...the interesting part. You must remember that the 2475 rolls were never contacted...hence I may have used a frame...but the rest were unknowns. Debbie...sweet thing...looked as though she was some place else...half hearted. Oh...the clothes she wore were new...at least two new dresses and a pair of new shoes. The second frame that I had scanned...was a straight on shot...I did a double take...gads...was it the dress or what it looked to be. She was pregnant(!)...Look at the next frame...at an angle this time...no help...still looked pregnant...third frame...this one will surly tell proof positive one way or the other...a body profile. Well I guess I was wrong. Come on...you can’t be that far off...so... Start all over again...she’s not there...not there...not there...and I was back at the first frame that looked strange to me...same thoughts...ending with the body profile...Wait a minute...she’s turned past a perfect profile...in effect hiding the front of the dress. The rest of the shots were of her in my whicker chair...so it was impossible to see...except that she was...what...distracted. The next step will be to consult the "LORE"...to see whether she stayed on my shooting schedule...or did she disappear. I can’t imagine shooting her later without knowing for sure. She had said nothing to me. I know that she talked about a boyfriend...but not much detail. So...time to look at The LORE. By the way...it’s raining. 1758hrs...No luck! Oh...forgot to mention a roll shot of the Troupe girls...Bonnie, Delores, Sandy and Laura...Shelly’s missing...gads...so was Katy! Shots taken at Volunteer Park...on stage...more accurately...back stage. 1805hrs...Sun’s coming out...should check sat passes for tonight. Missed last night because of lunch/dinner...at Pityu’s...and it was clear. Just noticed that I have three more frames of Debbie...scanning as I write. 2050hrs...Time to pull the plug. The ballet shots are interesting. Looked at many shots. Velence...April 15th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0638hrs...The usual...Overcast...been raining. 1642hrs...Back for about 30 mins...Had been with Anci to Fehervar...shopping. Check into the car situation too. Could be as high as a million four HUF’s...That works out roughly to $8,000 plus. That’s more than the car is worth. Damn! Not good news...no sir. A real piece of shit as my friend Saulius would say. On the other hand it could be "just" a million...which is again roughly just over $6,000. 1823hrs...Heavy duty clouds coming from the north. Have heard thunder...this could be good. Velence...April 16th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0829hrs...A Cup...mostly cloudy...windy. My heat is off again as of yesterday. "Night and Day..." 1045hrs...Just out of the shower...it’s cold in here. 2051hrs...Just back from having been at Pityu’s...to check the date of the last MOT on the car...and pass the message that my heat is inop. Ended up talking politics...with Istvan and Pityu...and later Cila arrived. Talked to Jimmy...the Puli. House night. Velence...April 17th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0803hrs...Mud...Partly sunny...not warm. 0956hrs...Need to make a run...far store and check out the doctors office. 1019hrs...Well damn...I was halfway there when it crossed my mind that I was without money...and it was raining. 1559hrs...Just back. I hit the doctor’s office and took a frame of the schedule...then the (far) store. It had taken longer to find my wallet...and as usual...I found it in the last place I looked. It’s drizzling again. Yesterday I spent time creating subfolders for my scanned photos...by model names. I still have left those frames that are of girl for which I do not have a name...sad but true. As it was...I had to make up some names..."BigEyes"..."NiceGirl"...JBGirl"...and the like. Oh...A week or two ago I was at the lakeshore and some dude plus entourage showed up...and I hear the guy talking about boundary lines etc. Don’t think much more about it. Then yesterday I see a "BobCat" gouging out the sod...prepping a lot from the look of it. Postdated 6th October 2009: Turned out to be Korda! Velence...April 18th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0639hrs...Samo-samo...Clear. 1109hrs...Have been back for about 15 mins. I had been outside reading into SJG’s book and catching rays...when the phone rang. Sari...notifying me that my internet bill had arrived. I took off immediately. While still here I was into my second cup...but put it aside with half left. Inside with Sari...I was offered coffee which I excepted. Back here I recovered said second half cup...which now would be my third and consumed it in the sunshine reading. Today is "put your unwanted articles out" day. Agnes Tuba...a distant cousin and next door neighbor is out there with her son doing the deed. Gypsies are out in force collecting that which interests them. Oh...Sari confided that Istvan went under the knife today. I didn’t understand exactly what for...except that it was a cyst...and she later added that I should not mention that I’d heard...about it...(from her). Velence...April 19th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0616hrs...A Cup...Overcast. 1505hrs...The high winds continue. Whitecaps on the lake. I continue to scan negatives. I have gone through all of it and pulled the best ones. Now...I’m going through them again to search for connections...forensics as it were. What or how did I get the shot that I got...What led up to it? Some interesting observations. I’ve mentioned Toni...and how "lost" she was...trying to turn me on...to her. One thing all...or at least most of the girls didn’t understand was that I’d seen it all before...the simple things...and hence they would...unknowing...have to show me a whole lot more. I had become in some sense...jaded...to the run of the mill stuff. I can see in their eyes...wanting me to respond...in some way...which I don’t think even they could/would verbalize. The language was their bodies and cloths. A shoot should be...for lack of a better technical term...fun! But...and you know the drill...there is that which I’ve written before...this "connection between model and photographer. And again...a semi standard "rules of engagement"...though not in writing. Some of the girls were exhibitionists...period. Others were there to a have their "picture" taken. Some had a dream...or at least some vision of what it would be like to be a "model"...whatever that was. I was always looking for yet another mindset. The "artist's model"! A mannequin...allowing me greater latitude...than the others. The greatest difference has to do with the end result..."that"...once in a while great photograph...that both appreciate as unique. My journey back in time that my negatives allow continue to fascinate me...as much as the fact that I "missed" a lot of things in real time. Only now...reflecting...do I "see" what was going on. I laugh. I remember one girl...name forgotten...that I shot at Kathleen Peck’s school late one night...into the following morning. She was in some way related to someone at the school. It could have been Kathleen. Anyway...she was tall but not overly...she was skinny...but not overly...but perhaps close...and she had long red hair. Her face reminded me of Brigit Bardot. I started to shoot. She started to pose. Almost from the beginning...her posses were...for lack of a better term..."hot". I remember saying to her...later on...that her posses were "bedroom" posses. They really were! I felt that she knew what she was doing...as in having done the same posses...many times before...though I didn’t then nor now know in what format that may have been. It was not her first time. Kathleen had an older woman as her assistant...and one night after a shoot at the school...I hung around and we talked...at some length. I remember saying to her that I...what(?)...liked her "style". She laughed...and asked if that was because of her use of..."colorful" language. I had to admit that that must have been the case. Oh...I also remember watching her..."pose" for me...while we continued to talk. One pose was a classic...up against the door jam...arms up...hips touching the jam. She knew what she was doing...from a time passed. We shot through the night and into the morning. I was getting tired...on two counts...and would take a break while she changed...by laying out on a leather...or simulation thereof...couch. Up again...shot some more...back to the couch. About dawn...I called it a wrap...and took her out for breakfast. Next time that I’m at the school...the assistant lady asks...with a subliminal wick...if "we" "used" the couch? Well now...that’s interesting. Why would she think that? Just another case of..."you can’t win". If I...we...had "used" the couch...and word got out...then what...I ask? If...as was the case...she knew something that I didn’t...as in here is a girl for me...to "play" with...and I don’t...then what...I ask again? I would have been most happy to have extracted from this girl a photograph "suitable for framing"...which in the end I believe I did manage to do. On the other hand...had I only known...what the hell was really going on...I/we...could have done a whole lot better...photographically speaking. I could write a script...for just such a story. A model is set up with photographer...as a seduction...and they turn the tables on the perps. It just goes to show that most of the time one doesn’t have the foggiest idea as to what’s going on. Just adrift...pointless waste of time and energy...no? Same place...same time. I’m at the school having been reduced to shooting 4x5 Polaroid film...on an old Speed Graphic with a borrowed lens. Four prints...$40...what a deal...huh? Anyway...about halfway into the session with a number of models in attendance...up comes a young girl accompanied by her mother. The girl steps onto my seamless...and I do the proverbial double take. No...I can’t shoot her...not like this. She's wearing the coat that she came in...and I remember asking if that was what she wanted me to photograph her in...yes was the reply. I took a closer look and saw that I would have a real problem when it came to head shots too. She was...as I said young...but as I think about now...why would I be the one to "change" her...as in why had they not done so...i.e...the school? Anyway...she had a high forehead...topped with hair that was truly mousy brown...she wouldn’t mind my saying so I’m sure...because that’s what it was...in spades! I say to her...mother in attendance...that she should have bangs cut...period...and then to come back. So it was...a week or so later...I’m at the school again...having been reduced to shooting 4x5 Polaroid film...a stressed point that will become clear at the end...when...and there is always a "when"...through the door comes this girl. I think to myself...self...that’s one hot little girl...in as much as she was not at all tall...but a real a "knock me over"...and "sink me"...nonetheless. I had on my "dumb" look...which by the way is easy...as they came over to me. It was as..."well...what do you think?"...now! Well what I think...my breath taken away...is to ask who is this girl...I know I’ve seen her before...but were? You know the rest. The sad punch line to all this it that given that I was shooting Polaroid...there were no copies...no negatives...all originals as it were which she got to use for here composite. I would love to be able to see a roll of 35mm Tri-X of her. 1731hrs...Could have predicted it...but didn’t...High winds...strong gusts...hail...a bit...and now rain...lightning...etc. The storm warning strobes are at the max rep rate. Just saw a nice one! Then the thunder! Way cool! Time to make some lunch. 0807hrs...Done deal. Killing myself with sounds. I am reading the last un-published web page. Hope to uploaded it...not tonight though. Velence...April 20th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0648hrs...A Cup...Calm...Partly cloudy. Nice. In the background...a tape that I recorded weeks ago off the air...radio...Love it...Over and over again...it goes. Would very much like to get a CD of it...some day. Back to the last web page...I now have more photos to illustrate it. A result of many found frames on 2475 un-contacted film. 0858hrs...Showered. The sky is now cloudless. I need to hit the far store. 1013hrs...Been there and back...the "back" is of course redundant otherwise I couldn’t be writing this. But...it’s supposed to indicate that I had come back...and was in fact writing it then...not sometime later as is logically possible. Of course it can not be proven one way or the other...just like seeing crumbs on my desk. 1053hrs...A few clouds are forming...NBD. 1558hrs...Scanning negs. Found one strip of six that was mostly Tonto...but...and you know the drill...but...there was one frame of the girl I have called JBGirl. Jim Buss...hair style girl. I will now do a quick look at the LORE. Back...1606hrs...Well damn...nothing at all. That whole time is mostly a blank...don’t know why. Velence...April 21st 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0455hrs...Water is boiling. Some stars are visible...through clouds. Calm. Yesterday I caught Pityu coming down to cut some grass for his chickens...and to pass on an invitation for late lunch. It is after 1700hrs. 0910hrs...Three calls sofar this morning...only the last one was of interest. I was in the shower of course...Cila to tell me that I’d left my camera...the D70...there yesterday...and that Istvan was going to the doctors...and would I like him to drop it off(?)...yes. Partly sunny...but there are warnings of expected rains, hail and winds. My desk is again littered with negative to be scanned. Time for a second cup...BIAF. 0926hrs...Consuming same. A survey team showed up at the location that I mentioned before. There are now more cars and people on site. Another house about to be started...more view blocked. Then we have something that I’ve been meaning write about. For the time that I’ve been here I’ve heard "stories"...and then the same story again...and again...and again...etc. This points back to my pet peeve of peoples lives reduced to just a very few..."events" that are re-played...regardless how many times and to whom it was told. These are not heroic stories...just normal stuff...or bitch. 1721hrs...Taking a break. I’m scanning...and I see that I could have done a lot better...as in taking control of the shoot...or in fairness to myself...taking more control. I see now that I let too many sessions take their own path. Clothing mis-adjustments...all over the place...wasted frames...lighting...my fault. Should have talked more...hell I could talk...no? Finished off the last of the bubbly I opened yesterday...and into the last bottle of Fuller wine. Playing my favorite piece of music...which I have to watch...else will come the tears. The beauty of life. I have to stop. 1742hrs...Scanning...more images...Shelly at the shore...the diamond ring shot...waiting. I really did underrate Shelly. But...I was hot for Perk...hence no time for the other Troupe girls. Given a chance to do it over again...Well...I’d like to think that it would have been different...allowing me my knowledge NOW! A joke! I should have had another "rule"...no "HOTS" for any particular girl. Equal rights both ways. But I really am disappointed about my lack of total control. I see now that Shelly gave me some really sexy poses...but I missed them...DUH! I find myself scanning entire rolls...36 frames...looking for what happened...really. Looking for perfection...a perfection in time and space. What really was taking place? Perk was in fact an Albatross around my neck...as I see it now. But I was stupid...and naive. Not that I had the hots for Shelly...but...and it’s most interesting that she would marry first. It went bad real quick as I understand it...and I would not have been a candidate given my statement above...but who knows what else might have happened...short of marriage...which was out of the question...or it should have been. Delores married next I think...for real...though I don’t have the facts...but she did manage to get pregnant. Perks "marriage" doesn’t count. Then came Sandy. Good for her. I think her husband...a Merchant Marine took a nude shot of her...which she asked me to print. I did. Kiss... kiss. Shelly’s photo...one of mine...was stolen from the display at the Trolley Club. I wonder who? She did look hot. [I think I know who it was. But it's a shitty thing to have done. He could have just asked me to make him a print.] As I look at her...Shelly’s... photos now...I see a sense of humor in her eyes. Interesting I think. Not a Mona Lisa Smile exactly...but something. What did she know that I didn’t? 2016hrs...Anci left about ten minutes ago...arrived...don’t remember...talk car stuff...and house stuff at the end...Anita called to beckon her home...storm coming...true. Velence...April 22nd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0651hrs...The usual...Clear...Calm...Sun’s up. Today a year ago was the date that I arrived here and was staying at Jutka’s. I’d been guessing as to what that date was relative the fact that "things" look about right. The lake, the reeds...etc. Sure enough...the date and time stamp confirms this. 1536hrs...There is another storm on it’s way. The clouds are changing. The other day/night was quite good...lightning...thunder etc. It’s disconcerting that I come across images that I don’t remember taking...as in who the photos are of. Not even a hint. I guess this speaks to the images lacking uniqueness. So...I won’t say common...but just plain. 1619hrs...Just back from the far store. Massive clouds forming...waiting. 1717hrs...Jutka caught me at home...talked. The winds have arrived...should be a good show. Can’t believe I’m scanning Perk's negatives...but a good frame is a good frame...though sadly I tossed her best ones years ago in a fit of cold rage...though calculated. Velence...April 23rd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0616hrs...A Cup...Overcast...Calm. Jackie made the cut too. [Not.] 0709hrs...Last night’s storm never materialized. Ended yesterday’s scanning with what I call "Saulius’ Ballet"...dancers using large rolling thingies. Some of it looks erotic...by design...but the setting was very poor. [As I think about now...it was strained...and in some sense amateurish...though she...the choreographer would not have thought so. It was just not daring enough.] Velence...April 24th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0634hrs...A Cup...Cloudy...but the sun is as yet below and shinning through... 1451hrs...Well...I finished scanning most of Jan M’s frames. Big job it was. More of Laurie S’s...and Lottie T’s...and some more of Karen’s, Sandra B, Vickie S, Perk, Estolee, Mardra J(Quincy’s sister), Laurie’s mother...and Alejandra...the way we spelled it for her portfolio...Alex. Still have more of her to do yet. Interesting stuff. Can’t wait to get some paper so I can print a bunch. The 40 sheets coming may not be enough. For sure! The story of Alex is an interesting one. Have just looked at her negatives...I remember that first day’s shoot. She was married but it came out the her husband was not paying her that much...needed...attention...preferring to playing cards with the boys (brothers?)...etc. She had it altogether...as to her wardrobe...all of it first rate. She looked...what(?)...clean. Anyway...partly to let her know that I liked what I saw...as in...her...I said something to the effect that..."well...if you’re ever looking for an ‘ol man(?)...and left it at that. She may have smiled...but I didn’t look to see. All it meant was that I thought she was nice. In the venacular of the time. Time passes...as in months...and she reappears...another shoot. More time passes...as in months...and she reappears again...another shoot. Yet more time passes...another shoot. This one produces her portfolio. There was something going on that I was not made aware of...but I think she was hitting on me. It’s in the poses and eyes. Time passes again...as in months...and she reappears...another shoot. This would have been at the downtown studio. Now things really got hot. Looking back now...there was no questions...A major hit was going down...and I was the victim. She pulled out most of the stops. What the girls didn’t take into account was "my status"...vis-a-vis who I might be with at the time of their assault. Change of subject...Perk and I were at some event...at the Center I think it was...when we run into a young girl (outdoors) and I take a few frames. There was a connection...but I can not remember what that might have been. She may have been one of the modeling school girls... Just went back to take another look at her photos...Gads...It was at the Auto Show...She was with a school...and I have a photo that I took at the show (inside the Coliseum)...with one frame that included her...AND Dorle too. Ok...so...she sees me doing the photos of the show...and later...once outside...she bumps into Perk and I. I shoot two frames. She would have said something to the effect that she will call for a private shoot. Well...she did...BUT...I only came across four frames...taken at The Phinney House...studio(!)...labeled...Laurie. That’s great...a name for the girl in the other two frames. An aside...I will look to see why I have as yet not found the rest of her photos... Anyway...NOW for a real stretch... Time passes...like years. I’m by then at the downtown studio...and I shoot head/hair shots for Jim Buss (Franklin High Class of '62)...of some girls that he had done. One of which comes back soon thereafter for a private session. I shoot lots of film...(I like her look) and we do a number of sessions...and just recently scanned many of her frames...and printed some too. Great shots. BUT...I don’t have a name. On a hunch...I brought up a frame from the two sets of photos in PhotoShop...Damn...they look to be the same girl...but I’m not 100% sure. The older shot of the two...she...Laurie...was young...with a bit of baby fat...the second image...is an older girl...but...but...The mouth...eyes...nose...all the same. I will get a second opinion on the two images when the time is right. Just back from another look...They sure look to be the same girl. If it is...then the joke was on me. The girl...Laurie...in the old shot was really nice looking...She looks as if "life" was fun. So ok...I do a private shoot at the Phinney House...time passes...I shoot a girl that let’s say is Laurie...BACK up a bit. I do remember the "second" girl saying something to me about her being the girl that had I taken hair shots of...as in...she must have just walked in off the street...to which I say..."oh...yeah". BUT...Though she must have told me her name...she didn’t connect herself with the other shots ostensibly shot at the Phinney House studio. Nor do I remember her bringing up the subject during the hair shots. Granted...she was there with another girl...and I was switching between them for shots...work...no time for idle chatter. 1646hrs...Have been searching through The LORE. The Car Show went down on May 1st...2nd and 3rd...my birthday...I was 26 on the third...1970. Anyway...there is an entry on the 17th...for a Laura. Could that be her? No follow up entries down the log...either! In the pilot for Star Trek...the original...the baddies create an image in Christopher Pike’s...(Jeffery Hunter)...mind of his ideal women...personified by a young woman that was the last survivor of a crashed spaceship. They...the baddies..."didn’t know how to put her broken body back together..."never having seen an earth woman". The bottom line was that Pike likes the image...a nice girl of his dreams. They do the same thing to the woman...and she says..."I can’t help but love you". Where is he going with this????? Hahahhaahaa... The girl I shot those two frames off...outside the Auto Show...The one that I said that I liked the look of...Laurie. Well...If it was in fact her...that I would end up photographing years later...and shot many frames of...that I really liked...then it was that I "knew" her from my past...the image was always there....just no name. As I look at her images now...taken thirty plus years ago...I can still see...what(?)...the magic! 1723hrs... 1728hrs...Thinking...looking at frames. My desk is littered with Alex’s negs. Waiting to be scanned. Or at least screened again. Velence...April 25th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0709hrs...A Cup in hand...Looks to be a nice day. 0725hrs...IT‘S THE SAME GIRL! Yesterday early evening I stepped out and there was Pityu with scythe in hand cutting the now tall grass. Wave. Sometime later he quits...and we chat outside. I ask him to come in and brought out some house wine. I then hit him with my problem regarding not being able to decide if the two images were in fact of the same girl. I show the two images...but he was not sure either... THEN...this morning I decided to look at the other two frame of Laurie shot at the Phinney studio...not the images taken on the day of the Auto Show. Two of the frames had a pose at an angle that were much closer to the pose and angle of the shot taken...(that I had chosen for the comparison)...at the downtown studio. WELL...there we have it...lips parted...mouth...eyes...ALL the same! This is great! 0831hrs...Just sorted out the scanned images and put then into folders matching the name. Interesting...Mystery girl Laurie/Laura has 299 images...the most per...Perk at 296...and Jan with 272 images. Postdated 6th October 2009: Perk would have had at least twice to three times that many. The 296 figure is just the count for the frames I now still have...given that tossed many and gave her some too. 1015hrs...Have just extracted the images from the D200’s CF card which had been in there for over a week. The D200 is now into 40,000 frames! Will be going to the far store sometime this morning. I have lots of images that now need to be run through PS (PhotoShop)...for a cleanup...etc. When the paper finally gets here...all I’ll need to do is print. I would like know what happened to the rest of Laura’s shots taken back in 1970 at the Phinney studio. It is...sadly...possible that I threw them out...(?)...as part of an earlier massive cleanup done years ago. BUT...I would have at the very least looked at the frames just to see if there were any frames usable. And hence kept them. Hell...I have other frames of nameless girls...why not her? 1045hrs...Out the door. 1113hrs...Back with consumables...and consuming same. No...Really! 1131hrs...That was good. Hours old French bread...mayo...ham...cheese. 1420hrs...Doing a second cup. Had taken a nap. I had another virtual dream. It felt real...I talked with people that I did not know. I was at a location that I did not know. It was about...what would turn out to be stolen debit cards. Lost money...in effect. Took another peek at the two photos...It’s the curse of Pygmalion all over again. In love with my model(s)...my creation(s). Part of me...naturally...would like to know about "her"...now. An emotion. Logic...cold at that...say’s it would not be a good thing. Why not...I ask? According to The LORE...her name is not on the "names to remember" list. WELL NOW! Something compelled me to again read into The LORE. Page 84: There was the entry to the effect that I was moving the studio downtown...August 30th 1972. The entries just before...the 25th and 29th...dated cards from Toni...Hawaii. November 8th Invoice to "Everyday People"... November 16th Invoice to "After the Rain"...Both rock groups. December 11th A dated letter from my friend Dan and Bonnie West...addressed to the downtown studio...2nd and University Suite 427. 1973...Here it comes! January 31st ...Dated letter from...wait for it(!)...a one...Laura R. Gibson saying she’s sorry about making such a small payment...etc... The name rings a bell....Gibson. Laura and variations was a very popular name at that time...I can name at least five...so it came down to last names. There we have it...I guess. 1515hrs...The big drilling rig packed up...and left from across the way. 1829hrs...Taking a break...Two of Delores’ images cleaned up. One was "the" classic shot...The one where the flash failed to fire...and all I had for light was the modeling light...but the 2475 got it anyway. The other one had never seen the light of day. 1943hrs...Just in. It’s cold out there...Talking to Istvan and Pityu. I went out to help...but they were calling it quits. Velence...April 26th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0727hrs...Did breakfast first this morning...not that it was planned that way... 0740hrs...Hence coffee now. Sun’s out...could be nice day. 0905hrs...Cleaning up the area. Thinking about hitting Anci‘s...looking for more negatives. Interesting...that there were far too few frames of Katy...Troupe Katy...Can’t think what might have happened to them...Did I chuck them...and if so why? I know that there more 2-1/4 negs...also...just need to find them again. I need to wait for the wash cycle to finish...before heading out. Just found the tool that went MIA...it was on the window sill! The last place I looked...as usual. With "The John Dunbar Theme" playing...I’m set to leave. 1037hrs...Back...Anci drove over with the three bags I packed. I did manage to locate the box of 2 1/4 negs...interestingly...right off. Here...she informs me that I can not get the car insured because it’s not HU registered! Figures! Can’t win. Well...hell. The video camera that I brought back is the defective one. And I looked for the other one...but I was in a hurry because Anci was leaving post haste. 1116hrs...The 2-1/4 negs were no big deal. Some historical color...and some...of Katy(!) that I took for the Bon Marche. One was interesting. 1235hrs...It’s one of those days. I have been looking at her images. Her hands were always...just so...delicate...how sweet. I never found true love...but I can now say with some assurance that the relationships that I had with my models was more honest and true than it my private life. It was in most ways so much simpler too. No real hassles...arguments or discord. It’s strange that I much preferred the "cold" stare to a smile for my head shot...because so few of my girls had a good smile. Having said that...I am now amazed by how many frames I have...of more than one girl...with smiles...AND...I like them. More now than the others. Oh...The first time I tried to match her photos...I used the shot taken outside the Coliseum if you remember. The match was not 100%. I mentioned that Dorle is in the only shot I scanned from the Car Show...NOT because of Dorle nor Laura...but another girl...dressed in really short something. I noted the girl at the far right...as someone I recognized...(Later identified as Laura) and at the far left was Dorle...looking a bit tired. I was not thinking in terms of chronology...as in who I knew when. Was Dorle in a pre-discovery frame? The LORE was no help...I show an invoice dated well after the show...but not the first time I shot her...Dorle. I would have thought that had we known each other at the time of the show...we would have talked some...but I don’t remember doing so. So...Dorle was just another body. Laura would only become "Laura" outside...and then the session a few weeks later. And as I’ve said...the joke was on me...for not connecting "that" Laura with "hair" Laura...and it even had to be explained to me that the Laura that came through the door...was in fact "hair" Laura. Of coarse she would have been about two years older...and looking quite different. I guess now...I would have to say the she was...what(?)...enchanting...is a good word. Pygmalion’s enchantment. There were/are a few others...that I now find compelling. Sidney M....was...but only at one time...for one session where she really shined bright. Love...kiss kiss. The girl that walked in one day...had a look that I labeled as "Loretta Young". She had a countenance that was at once far away...and yet close and now. Vulnerable...but strong. She was the most...what(?)...I’ve been trying to come up with just the right word...conforming! She did everything I asked...no discussion...no hesitation...she just went ahead and did it. There was a secret...hers...and sad...that I only found out about later...which I shall not relate here or ever. But she remains on my mind and will forever...for the magic. Then we have Shelly B. In a word...I now see her as most erotic...though I can not say whether she knew it or not. Hell...at the time I didn’t see it either...only now. Not that I’ve grown wise...just that I have now "pulled" many more frames...and I see now that which I missed then. It’s just another case of..."only if"...only if I’d have known...I’d like to be able to say that "we" could have done...what(?)...better...yes...but that’s not the right word again...more...yes...but...Ah!...perfect! You are an endless source of dreams. "Joan of the Angels"...was a name that Saulius gave her...and it stuck. Her name must have been Joan...too uncommon to have not been real. A true enigma...you know she was. I now do not remember how many sessions we did...It could well have been just one...most likely...on the day that I "discovered" her. I can see that I had her change from the street cloths that she wore that day into some stuff we had at the studio...but that was it. And from that...ONE shot that stands out. Little girl...erotic...playful...reflective...sublime...an Angel. Strangely...she too had a secret...which though...was never reveled to me. I’ve come up with a name for my exhibit...when and if. "Memories of ’My’ Avingon: Love Affairs In Sepia." Rather catchy...right? Then...there was Lori...a young girl. She was testing her female prerogatives and powers. Experimenting with herself...to which I was a willing witness and recorder thereof. She grew up during those three days...of photography. She was...mad...happy...thrilled...contemplative...in her own world...here...and all at the same time...wishing it would happen faster...but going at it’s own inexorable pace. Looking at Glenda’s frames...I’m impressed. I can see how she evolved over time. Such a sweetheart. Velence...April 27th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0722hrs...A Cup...Sunny and clear. 0933hrs...Out of the shower. Last night I went out with my ultrasonic detector and found that I could hear the crickets...the high frequency component...thereof. Heard a bat too. I now know that I am missing some negatives for sure. Glenda...and Katy...and there must be some other as well. Don’t know where to look exactly. I go to Anci’s and just stand there...stupefied. Where to even start. There is no simple answer. I hope to get my paper and ink sometime this coming week. The greatest fear I have is that instead of the "Light Black"...I end up with "Matte Black". As always I didn’t nail it down when I should have. I now have a number of images that I look forward to printing...and are in fact ready...and I have more images to work on. I can say that except as noted above...I have now finished screening all my negatives. I will go back and take a last look at the 2475 stuff for content...having already screened them. It’s been an amazing journey back in time...to a time when life was new and innocent. I feel very fortunate in having the negatives of my work. They are not just a record...though it is that...but an emotion also. Pygmalion...My template...In love with my creations. I say this not as a trifle...but my life’s fact. I did succeed in creating images that were beyond normal expectations. Better than real...they transcended reality. 1052hrs...I’m into the 2475 stuff. Looks to be first session Jan M. All very proper...BUT...the seduction was already in progress. Velence...April 28th 2008. Daylight Savings time. HELLS BELLS! I’ve managed to lose today’s entries from early this morning till now...1216hrs. I’m pissed off...you know I am. I can’t write now...I’ll have to cool off. 2052hrs...Just off-line. I did a GS the other day and just now sent off an email to a Laura Gibson on a long shot....asking if...the one pictured...she is/was from the Seattle area...1970’s? The photo is of an older woman...that to me looks like Laura R. Nose...mouth...eyes. I got an automatic response from someone in their office...so perhaps tomorrow. I’ll write something about what I had written before the stupid program wiped itself out. It was good stuff...a blow-by-blow of the negatives that I was scanning...etc. The program is supposed to save every 5 mins...! NCIS time now. Velence...April 29th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0517hrs...Coffee...Clear...Sun’s not up yet...And from the look of it...another nice day. I’ve fired off the laptop...I guess...HELL...I’m sure...I want to see about a response to my email. 0524hrs...Nothing. 0550hrs. Yesterday I was scanning negs...and I did...finish Jan’s...and Mardra‘s...then I came across Pam B’s...and last one looked to be a split roll...Pam and...wait for it...Laura. Well...I was wrong(!)...it was all Laura. These were from the first private session. Interestingly...there are frames where she looks quite different. The rich hippie look. And I had printed at least one frame...at the time...and it was on my wall. 1200hrs...Just back from the far store...and now doing lunch. 1255hrs...Failed to mention that since I was up so early...and had coffee and breakfast...I went back to bed...slept till around 1020hrs...the point was that I again had a virtual dream. It was good. I could effect the scenes...and knew that I was doing it. 1652hrs...Have done dinner. Thinking about Laura...and the rest for that matter. Not so much how it could have been as how many forks in the road. Lots. And of course you just don’t know what the next one will be. It’s not really about choices either...is it? Most of the time we never stop to think...about it at all. I’m here...in Velence....not because I wanted to be here. It’s mostly external forces at work...pushing mostly...inexorably...in some unknown direction...and we are there just for the ride. The other day...yesterday as a matter of fact...I thought that one place on earth that I would like to visit...yet...is India. I thought about other places over the years...Egypt...Not Greece...Not Rome...No place in Africa interests me except perhaps the Serengeti...and of course The Gorge...find a fossil if I’m lucky. We left Hungary by force...I left Seattle by will...but there was something truly forcing me to do so. Same force led me to England. Another force here. Where next? Naturally it could be said that I’m now back where it all started...fair enough. Oh...counted the number of photos in the "Sepia" collection...40...not counting about six that I’ve pulled out. One was of Laura...It needed more work...most likely I’ll find a better neg to start with. 1818hrs...Have been online...And I get an email...Not my Laura. Said she was from NY. Okkkkkkk. Well that means...what(?)...that it was not meant to be...or at least not that easy. I wonder if Jim Buss is still alive? He might know. S. Pempe too perhaps. Been listening to John Barry’s DWW...CD. Over and over it plays. Nice...fits my current mood quite well thank you. It sounds to me like...a long time ago. Like my search...My images...and now prints...in Sepia. If...in this case...I had it to do over again...I would like to think that I would have setup a scheme whereby I would have recorded in much greater detail...the old who...what...where and when kind of thing. I do remember trying something along that line...starting with Deb...and the Troupe girls...but some of them...the TG’s would not fill in all the blanks...as in age. Damn. I mean if you can’t get that out of a 16, 17, 18 year old...you’re sunk from the get go. So...in some ways it’s a good thing that I not only wrote a lot of information down...but that I still had it on hand when I wrote STLORE. I wish now I could find a copy to put onto my computer since it would make for faster searches. Though that given...I’m now just happy to have a printed version...though I don’t think it’s complete...the last years of entry. Then of course...the last 8 years are not recorded at all. Those years would not have been of any great interest. Well...there are a number of negatives that I will need to scan...but they fall into the category of re-scans. I still think that there is a batch of negatives that I’ve not come across...have no idea where to look. Glenda...more Laura...Katy...I probably threw out some of Denise’s...like a whole roll of her...standing in the corner of my old studio...taking her own photo. THAT was a true waste of film. Frame after bloody frame...that were for all practical purpose the same...what(?)...NOTHING. Oh...speaking of Dee Dee...she saw the OM’s obit...and called the house...I answered. This was back in ’04. I was still pissed at her...from years before. A Tuba never forgets a slight. Postdated 20 June, 2008...And she still owes me $1,500! It’s the images! Velence...April 30th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0632hrs...A Cup...DWW Love Theme playing...Calm...Mostly clear. 0833hrs...Showered. Ready for another day. 1137hrs...The plot thickens. It’s never simple as one would think. I decided that I would properly sort my negs...and in the process look for the Auto Show images...on the hunch that I may well have more images of you know who. Soon enough I found the envelope....set it aside and finished the sort and re-packing. Then at the desk I opened the envelope...this was the same one from which I had originally found what I thought to be just the six frames that I then used to put a name to Laura. Digging in...I then found yet more frames of her...which I don’t remember taking...but duh...there they were...and another strip of six. So it was not a quick six shots...but we walked around some. Fine. Then I decided to look at every frame of those taken inside the Auto Show...and though I had looked at them before...I was now targeting Laura...and sure as I’m sitting here...there are a good number of her...also Dorle...wearing different outfits...dancing on stage. 1245hrs...Still at it...There are a lot of frames. Oh...After the sort and packing...I did a rough count...wait for it...over 10,000 frames! Velence...May 1st 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0749hrs...Coffee...Sun’s up...Mostly cloudy. 0938hrs...Showered...dressed. Reading an article that I’d downloaded the other day..."The Extended Mind Model of the Origin of Language and Culture"... 1130hrs...It’s now sunny. Happenings are taking place at the camp grounds. Today is a holiday...the first of May. Not much enthusiasm today. I expect someone to show up at any time...don’t know why...but that’s the way it feels. Looked at a few images. It is the images...the magic of it. A photograph is such a unique experience...to take...and the model. A veritable millisecond...1/000th...of time...and then stored for...well...about 18.9 thousand million seconds (18.9 Billion)! Yes...that’s a lifetime. Interestingly...I do not remember that precise millisecond...of the exposure. The human mind just doesn’t work that way. Not even close. Not the hour...the day...week...the month even. Just close to a range of years. But with a written record I can come closer...in some cases. One of the first things I need to do when I get the paper and ink...though it’s just the ink that I would need...is to print up some more business card...and this time round...I’ll change the color to...wait for it...Sepia...my new trademark...Yes...it’s Sepiaman! Speaking of which...it sure is taking way too long...this is not a good thing...which I’ll change the next time. 1212hrs...It’s 30°C in the sun. What wind there is...is warm. Sailboats out on the lake. Have been policing the kitchen and bath. 1230hrs...Sorted out a few things and came back here. Changed CDs...back to DWW...track 12...and then settled down to continue reading...WHEN...I looked at where I thought was the place I’d left off...and the start of the next paragraph...what do I see as the first word(?)....but...DUNBAR! 1550hrs...Well shit! Just online...email from "A"...stating that a friend...also a Steve...Cserenyecz died early Wednesday morning as a result of a head on collision on Tuesday. Well shit. It sounds like a suicide to me. His life was going nowhere fast. A lost soul... He was the one that I had originally contacted to drive my car from UK Land to here. "A" queered the deal and the rest is history. Steve was a car buff...had some interesting cars. A Rolles...an MG...and a Jag...I think...among others over the years. I only ran into him now and then...at Hungarian functions...and of course the last time at the house as we talked over plans to get my car here. Nice enough guy...past 50...though not sure by how much. Had property up in Nagymaros (sp)...and spent time there and in the UK. Never did hear "his" story as I think about it now. I do know that he taught himself Hungarian (Magyar)...hence it was not his first language. He spoke with an English accent. His Magyar was better than mine...a greater vocabulary. As I like to say..."I only know the words I know". He never married I think...though not absolutely sure on that. If it was as I suspect..."You did well...dude"...see you sometime soon. Sorry you had to linger...perhaps...mercifully...you did not know. And...the world keeps turning... Did you ever notice that the older you get...the more dead people you know? 1703hrs...Aimless day. Caught Istvan out in the yard...weed whacking...the now tall grass. Talked for a minute and after asking of the time...said he had to go. 1807hrs...The storm warning strobes are indicating that something is approaching...dark clouds to the southwest...usually rain. Perhaps lightning too. I can’t believe that on a few frames I took of Laura...that she looks so different ...can’t put a finger on it. One of them I printed...back then...and it would have been in my exhibition...in 1971. I remember thinking even then that it was somehow...what(?)...strange...as in not quite right. The pose was ok...but the face was not to my liking...but I used the shot anyway. Today...not a chance. Oh...and she looked a bit heavy too. Could have been the cloths she wore. 1817hrs...The winds have picked up...people are running in the street. BIAF. Sure enough...now the rain has in fact started. Two young girls were walking...ok...truckin’...and then outright running...then one of them lost a shoe...more running. The clouds are now angry...waiting for the lightning. Can’t complain about the rain...people have sown their seeds...and need the water now. A good thing. Damn...she had good hands. Oh...and so did my other mystery girl. I don’t think I ever knew her story prior to her just showing up. Where did she learn the moves? I look at these tiny things...I guess I flash back to Deb...whom I’ve said had bad hands and no training. And she chewed her nails. Oh...and another thing about Laura...There was one pose that I remember asking her to do...and when I saw the result...I was disappointed because it seemed to be...forced. Now I see that she did the same pose a number of times...it must have been later...and they look just fine...she was having fun with it. And I now also wonder from whence she got her cloths? Saying that...it was no problem for most of the girls to come up with ten changes...so...NBD...I guess. Velence...May 2nd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0903hrs...Yeah...I know...I woke up at around 0200hrs...and was kept awake till about 0400hrs...when it stopped. It was the super loud music at the campgrounds. Cila had called earlier...saying that I could crash at Jutka’s if the noise was a problem. Anyway...Coffee...Sun’s up...and mostly clear. 1107hrs...Showered. Thinking about Steve. His problems are history. It’s an absurd proposition...yes...no more problems...BUT you’re not there to realize it...nor enjoy it. That’s just the way it is. Though...it could be argued that just before...you could be thinking..."Well in a few more seconds...nothing will matter." There will be nothing...forever. A sort of...what(?)...comfort. A sort of...peace...and tranquility. 7.096X10^12 units of exposure in 75 years. 1243hrs...Istvan’s out there whacking the grass. And I’m heading for the far store. 1556hrs...It’s sunny and hot in the sun. Nice day. The campgrounds are alive with people. Thought about going in. Doing a second cup. Thinking that I should go over that which I’ve written so far...do a bit of editing etc...and get it up on the web. Word count is just over 70,000. Velence...May 3rd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0744hrs...Ha! ‘44...the year of my birth...and Happy Birthday to me. The usual...Sunny...Mostly clear. 0922hrs...Showered...shaved. 1011hrs...Amazing co-incidents...First it was 44...the 22...and now...11. Anyway...Doing a second cup. Yesterday...FE exceeded the last high of 108%...now at 109%...subject to looking at it...as I wait for internet access. 110.33%! Got to page 87...found a few mistakes...corrected...same. 1111hrs...I have had GS set to find a reference to Steve’s death. I fired it of just now...and there it was. Have printed it...will now read. Well...Steve crashed his red Alfa Romeo into a tree...near Dorking...Blackbrook Road, in Holmwood on Tuesday at about 2200hrs. The article goes on to state that there have been other deaths along that same road. 1837hrs...Just back. I don’t remember exactly when Istvan showed up...OH!...it was 1500hrs...and invited me over for lunch. It was just the three of us...Pityu, Istvan and I...Cila was off doing something. Lajos showed up before the main course...of fish...caught by Pityu the other day...and chips...of all things. The fish was good. Then it was talk...first inside then later outside. Stories mostly. I’ve gotten to page 147 in my re-read and editing. I go there now. 2251hrs...Have finished the re-read and edit. Looks to about as close as I’ll ever get it. Done deal. I plan to bring up the road on one of the "map" view web pages...just to see the scene of the accident for myself. Velence...May 4th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0710hrs...Slurp. Clear and sunny. 0832hrs...A game plan is in the works. Copy this document onto the laptop. Make two new web pages. One for the last "Photography Years"...and a blog page...Thinking that actually it should be three new pages...if I do the blog pages by years. It would make for smaller files that translate into faster uploads too. Looked again for any possible further information about Steve. There was. Two cars were involved. The other one was a Volvo...both going in the same direction(!)...ending with Steve’s car hitting a tree...with fatale results. The other driver was unhurt(?)...raising the question of whether they were racing...or passing one another....etc. I still don’t discount suicide. Velence&ldots;May 5th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0625hrs&ldots;A Cup&ldots;Cloudy. 0838hrs&ldots;I got to the doctors office at ten to eight&ldots;and then found out that things would not really start till nine&ldots;so I hit the far store&ldots;and came back here. Had breakfast&ldots;and now I wait. I know now that every time I should happen to play the DWW CD&ldots;I will be thinking of Steve&ldots;as I mourn. 0905hrs&ldots;Just in&ldots;I was about to come in when I spot a white shape moving up the street. A Stork&ldots;you know it was&ldots;Grabbed the 200 with the 300 2 8 mounted and blasted off a few frames. It crossed the road&ldots;and seemed to have found a mouse&ldots;and swallowed it whole. 1117hrs&ldots;Back for a bit. I went to the doctors&ldots;thinking that the wait might be less&ldots;but&ldots;it was not&ldots;and closes at 1200hrs. So it’s tomorrow morning. Playing my favorite tape&ldots;a change from the DWW CD. My heart soars. Getting ready for the 1145hrs&ldots;broadcast&ldots;that I will tape. 1155hrs&ldots;Last night I finished editing my first&ldots;2007...blog page&ldots;ready to publish. That leaves the second page&ldots;2008 to do. 1547hrs&ldots;We had a hail storm&ldots;about an hour ago. Lightning is still in the area. 1858hrs&ldots;As I said above regarding the blog page&ldots;I found this morning that there is a major problem with the table width&ldots;that I can’t seem to control. Not a happy camper after all the time it took to get it where it is. So I did the second page&ldots;just to see how that went. So far it’s ok relative maintaining width&ldots;though I still have to go through editing out page breaks and text changes&ldots;which is the real killer of time. I won’t start that today/night. I also fixed all the pages and brought them into conformity&ldots;since they were not uniform&ldots;and I took care of some other minor problems as well. Funny&ldots;I can’t help rereading my work. Interestingly though&ldots;I’m STILL finding typos. So&ldots;I guess the reread is a good thing after all. 1911hrs&ldots;There is rain visible to the southwest. Towering clouds also&ldots;though it looks like it will stay there&ldots;at some distance. 1941hrs&ldots;I had started making dinner about 30 mins ago&ldots;that way I just have to fire off a burner&ldots;and there we have it. Tonight is NCIS. 2057hrs&ldots;Just back from a quick run over to Pityu’s and returned his forgotten fishing net. Cila, Istvan, and Anci were there&ldots;I could not stay but for a few mins&ldots;(NCIS)&ldots;and talked about Dori coming to see me this coming weekend. Okkkk. Velence&ldots;May 6th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0625hrs&ldots;Coffee&ldots;Cloudy&ldots;but clearing. 0736hrs&ldots;Showered&ldots; 0925hrs&ldots;Just back from the doctor’s. Damn&ldots;I get there early&ldots;ten to eight&ldots;I’m first in line&ldots;with no line. Come to find out that the doctor will not be in for another 30 mins&ldots;which went up to&ldots;ten to nine! Waited for an hour&ldots;for what is ten mins with the doctor. And then of course I took the prescriptions over to the chemist’s&ldots;and naturally it will be tomorrow when I can pick it up. 1212hrs&ldots;Second cup. It’s warming up out there. 1547hrs&ldots;I did in fact work on the second web page&ldots;last night&ldots;but nowhere near even the middle of it. OH!&ldots;Got an email from a H. W. "Bill" Lederer. He was at the 85th &ldots;3385th Sqd. Keesler AFB&ldots;the same time that I was there. He was a bit behind me&ldots;about four months&ldots;and remembered some of the events that I wrote about. I answered&ldots;and today I received a number of photos&ldots;and text. As I work on one of Sidney’s frames&ldots;I continue to mourn&ldots;and think. Do you realize that death is not an experience. Online I see that there was one posting of remembrance&ldots;and love&ldots;for Steve. Well&ldots;the plot thickens. Was online looking for anything on John A. McMillan&ldots;and found nothing useful. Then I added "Match" to the search string&ldots;and again nothing. Then I thought&ldots;why not look in the YellowPages section (1962 Seattle)&ldots;to find Lion Match Co. There it was plan as day&ldots;and...the address shown is the same as the house with matching phone number too. It was a matchbook advertising business being run from home&ldots;as it were. 2106hrs&ldots;Istvan has just left&ldots;stopped by to talk about the feasibility of doing something with my car&ldots;re inspection etc&ldots;suggesting that I should think about driving to UK Land&ldots;etc&ldots;for what would be a yearly event&ldots;NOT! The discussion went in a circle by the end. You can’t get there from here&ldots;is the way I put things as they are. Can’t win. So&ldots;push is coming to shove. Velence&ldots;May 7th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0624hrs&ldots;The same as all the other days. Sunny and bright. 1011hrs&ldots;I’m off to the far store area&ldots;to pick up my prescription. I’ll do the store too&ldots;and the cash point. 1323hrs&ldots;I see that NIKON is the official camera on NCIS. And for now&ldots;it’s the D200 like mine. Not yet the D300 like Bill. 1737hrs&ldots;It’s been a slow day&ldots;not getting much done. I’m pissed waiting for that damn paper and ink&ldots;it’s ridiculous. I could have gone to Japan and been back with it by now. 1857hrs&ldots;Have just run the numbers re MOTing the car in UK Land&ldots;ten times&ldots;(Once per year&ldots;for ten.)&ldots;and it works out&ldots;with today’s prices that it’s over to 1 million HUF&ldots;which is what it will cost to reg the car here in HU Land! It’s a wash! Well...not quite...there would be car use...as in 20,000 miles. 2056hrs&ldots;It’s that time boys and girls&ldots; Velence&ldots;May 8th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0541hrs&ldots;A Cup. Clear&ldots;The sun’s just coming up. 0724hrs&ldots;Showered. Thinking of hitting the shore&ldots;or Anci’s to do a bit of rummaging. 1113hrs&ldots;I did in fact hit the lake. Got there about 0900...and came back at 1000hrs. Have done lunch. And pulled the images off the card. It was mostly a reconnaissance in force. Did get a few shots&ldots;but nothing great. During the winter I saw smoke from fires that I later figured out were the shoreline reeds. I now see the new growth&ldots;it’s green&ldots;and short&ldots;but looks nice. Oh&ldots;saw lots of snakes&ldots;and got a few frames of one swimming. The rest were sunning themselves out of the water. And the last one I saw was flattened on the street. I did get around to answering some email&ldots;this was yesterday. One left to Rick Chinn. OH&ldots;I need to get one off the Steve Swift too. I took a route that I had only been on once before in getting to the shore. It was through the "Holland Houses" property. The last time was with Cila and Istvan&ldots;me on a bike&ldots;and late in the day. This time&ldots;on the way back I noticed a stand of ivy covered trees&ldots;green grass&ldots;a slight breeze&ldots;it was not just nice to be there&ldots;but I made note of its potential location for some photographs. The sun time would have been 0900hrs. Just the right amount of shade&ldots;and light. I should go back later in the afternoon to see the lighting conditions then. 1217hrs&ldots;Second cup. Thinking about Steve&ldots;life! DWW CD! Steve is the first person that I knew to have died&ldots;that was younger than myself. I think that’s the difference. I think about his possessions&ldots;They’re&ldots;just there&ldots;waiting&ldots;for what will be forever. The significance of some small item&ldots;totally lost&ldots;a letter&ldots;a photograph&ldots;a note. No one to tell the story&ldots;not any more&ldots;forever. It’s now all just&ldots;what(?)&ldots;meaningless artifacts of someone's life. Projects that will go unfinished&ldots;those planned&ldots;never started. No more dreams. No more joy from a dream come true&ldots;or a job well done. No more happiness. No more glorious sunsets. Just&ldots;darkness&ldots;forever. 1254hrs&ldots;Well&ldots;Just had a call&ldots;Sari&ldots;dinner at 1815hrs&ldots;and am to bring monies re my ISP. Okkkkkk. 1606hrs&ldots;Just offline&ldots;GS on Tuba Istvan&ldots;lots of hits&ldots;printed some&ldots;to show Cila. 1719hrs&ldots;I plan to take my last two portfolios&ldots;the Sepias. Sari and Bela have seen some of them but not all&ldots;and the girls have seen none&ldots;so. I think that the other day when I took Pityu’s fishing net back&ldots;We talked for only a few mins&ldots;because&ldots;and I didn’t tell them so&ldots;was that NCIS was pending. Anyway&ldots;we talked about Dori’s wedding/photos&ldots;and as I said&ldots;that what I had said&ldots;would filter back to Dori et al. So I anticipate the subject coming up. 1747hrs&ldots;I’ve changed and am ready to go soon. Don’t know when I’ll get back. I’m taking the bike. Velence&ldots;May 9h 2008. Daylight Savings time. 1040hrs&ldots;The water is on&ldots; I got back at 2245hrs&ldots;and didn’t crash until after midnight. Woke up around 0600hrs&ldots;stepped out to check things and went back to bed. Just caught Cila on her way to the doctors. 1241hrs&ldots;Showered. 1408hrs&ldots;A bummer day...as I do a second cup. I was asked to do Dori’s wedding shots&ldots;by Sari&ldots;to whom was not known that I thought I had already been asked that&ldots;and that Dori and to be husband were to come over this weekend. I would like to have known for sure which day precisely&ldots;so I can be prepared. OH! I did the show and tell with my latest Sepias and I got the skinny regarding my other portfolio that might have been of some use&ldots;BUT it turns out again that it seems that the parameters were not known&ldots;hence my photos were in fact not what they were looking for. Ok fine&ldots;but do I detect a pattern? And I heard not a word about my prints&ldots;at all&ldots;which seems to be another pattern. The Germans to whom Jutka had shown my work could/would only say that I must have some expensive photo equipment(!)&ldots;Thanks a bunch&ldots;just what I wanted to hear&ldots;from nobodies at that. 1943hrs&ldots;Have spent some time online. HWL sent me an email to say that he has written and published some "war stories" of his own&ldots;and asked me to take a look. Not bad&ldots;though he has some technical problems to deal with&ldots;and indicated that in my response. Emailed back to say that he sees it&ldots;the problem&ldots;and I assume that he will take care of it. His text was running off the screen&ldots;so I could not read all of what he had written. Look forward to reading it once fixed. He had mentioned thinking about writing up some of his experiences&ldots;and I told him to go for it! He has! Tomorrow I plan to work on my three unpublished web pages. While doing of GS I came across my website&ldots;so I entered. And got to reading. The last three pages I think it was. I will need to look into those pages again and check for typos. And&ldots;here we are&ldots;and still no sign of my paper and ink! Pissed! OH! Jutka will be back on the 10th&ldots;GADS&ldots;that‘s tomorrow! I wonder if she has called "A"? Will know soon enough. 2103hrs&ldots;It’s time. Velence&ldots;May 10th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0622hrs&ldots;Doing a Cup. Overcast&ldots;though it may improve later. 0719hrs&ldots;I need to hit the far store&ldots;some time today. 0822hrs&ldots;Showered&ldots;and the damn water heater had failed to fire off&ldots;so the water was not hot&ldots;just on the line of not warm enough. Not sure I understand why&ldots;some times it goes for weeks&ldots;and then&ldots;just like that&ldots;it fails. 0900hrs&ldots;Dressed&ldots;Going online&ldots;see how HWL made out. The sun is making headway against the clouds. 1118hrs&ldots;Back from the far store. Waved to Bela. Said hello to Istvan’s brother in the store. Doing lunch as I write. 1513hrs&ldots;Another slow day&ldots;kinda. HWL did in fact fix his website&ldots;and I have read it all. Some interesting stuff. Have heard nothing re Dori. Have not worked on my web pages&ldots;not sure why. 1533hrs&ldots;There are two pieces of farm machinery at work across the road&ldots;harvesting what had been tall grass. The guy with the horse will end up with the bailed hay&ldots;I guess it is. And from the look of it&ldots;he will have help loading the bails onto his horse drawn wagon&ldots;the same one I shot last year&ldots;but it seems earlier in the year. This must be then&ldots;the first of two harvests. 1830hrs&ldots;Did dinner out on the balcony&ldots;felt right. Was thinking about hitting the shore&ldots;but I didn’t see much activity. The field across the road is littered with bails of hay. I guess one load was enough for today&ldots;and assume that he will pickup the rest tomorrow. It’s picturesque but for the houses. Still I took a number of frames. Velence&ldots;May 11th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0645hrs&ldots;A Cup. Clear&ldots;sunny. Yesterday I went over to Pityu’s about 1900hrs&ldots;got back at 2200. I took over the pages that I’d downloaded&ldots;the results of a GS. 0812...Showered. Thinking that I should hit the shore. 0845hrs&ldots;As I arrived at the first gate heading over&ldots;I soon saw Istvan&ldots;and was informed that Cila, Pityu and Anci had just then departed for Jutka’s. Then Lajos showed up and we went inside and had some house wine&ldots;and talked&ldots;sports. Sometime later Jutka’s welcoming committee returned. It was still later that Anci informs me that my paper and ink had arrived&ldots;and that we would pick it up on Tuesday. They had called her Friday&ldots;but she couldn’t find me&ldots;at around noon. I was here&ldots;so I don’t know&ldots;but that’s moot now. 1109hrs&ldots;Going online. Doing a second cup. No really! Velence&ldots;May 12th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0844hrs&ldots;A Cup&ldots;Sunny and clear. Running late this morning. Yesterday at about 1800hrs Istvan came down to invite me over for dinner. Got back at 2230hrs. 1130hrs&ldots;Reading yesterday’s printouts. Interesting as usual. Waiting for the water heater to do it’s thing. 1153hrs&ldots;Showered. Continue to read&ldots;Medieval Latin. 1220hrs&ldots;Ancient Hungarian Runic Writing. VERY interesting&ldots;though short. "Runic figures on a medallion predate Sumerian writing in the Mesopotamian city of Uruk by 1,000 year!" 1228hrs&ldots;Starting&ldots;"Old Hungarian Script". 1255hrs&ldots;Starting&ldots;"Sarmatian-Iazyg presence in the Carpathian basin and western Europe. VANISHED CIVILIZATIONS of the Ancient World". 1710hrs&ldots;Funny and interesting&ldots;I was there at Pityu’s having finished dinner along with Cila and Istvan&ldots;when a question arose. I felt like an Oracle&ldots;about to spew an answer. The question as stated was&ldots;"What does the word(!)&ldots;Libra mean?" The word was in the context of it appearing on some of the fishing gear that Pityu owned&ldots;and other objects. And in the context where something was sold by the "Libra"&ldots;in the example of again something in a fishing shop. OK. Applying my massive brain to the task&ldots;I asked what was the magnitude of the numbers that it was associated with the&ldots;Libra? Pityu was unable to reply&ldots;but asked Cila to find and bring back some fishing magazines from the other room. It was Cila&ldots;because of the seating arrangements&ldots;such that she was nearest given that Pityu was hemmed in. Ok fine&ldots;she returns with two magazines&ldots;and with high expectations&ldots;Pityu and I thumb through said magazines. I looking for the word "Libra"! I don’t know what exactly Pityu is looking for. I go through my magazine two&ldots;three&ldots;four times and give up. A bit of time passes&ldots;and Pityu does too. Backing up a bit&ldots;almost to the start&ldots;there were two fishing poles within arms reach&ldots;and I took a close look&ldots;with negative results. Pityu&ldots;now beside himself&ldots;asks Cila to find and bring back some&ldots;items from his fishing supplies. She leaves and returns with spools of fishing line. I pick one up and search the label for the word Libra. I take note of the fact that these spools had differing countries of origin&ldots;though it made no real difference. I looked at all the spools&ldots;with negative results. None had the word Libra anywhere on the label or anywhere else. Pityu is now shaken into action&ldots;gets up and goes off&ldots;bringing back more spools of fishing line&ldots;and hooks and a few more magazines. Same deal&ldots;I can not find the word Libra anywhere&ldots;period! At one point&ldots;pardon the pun&ldots;I postulate that Libra as I know it is a constellation&ldots;a sign of the Zodiac...and THAT it’s the one with the scales. Scales? Yes I say&ldots;as in weighing things&ldots;in a balance. Nothing comes of that bit of fact. THEN it happens&ldots;that I’m asked&ldots;about two letters ending with a period. The two letters were an L and a B&ldots;as in "lb."! WELL Hells bells! I go on to explain&ldots;and in the end&ldots;all is well in HU Land again. Not the end of the story though&ldots;since there is still a mystery to be solved. That is&ldots;what the hell does "lb." stand for. I tell them that in my entire life I never heard of nor learned what it meant. I must have missed that day it school. To wit&ldots;I leave by saying that I will get to the bottom of it. It must be stated that no one picked up a spool of fishing line&ldots;and said&ldots;"Look right there&ldots;lb."! Libra! I get back here&ldots;late&ldots;but since my Hungarian to English dictionary is at hand&ldots;I took a look. Bingo! I had thought that I may well have to go online&ldots;but no&ldots;it was right there&ldots;bingo. So&ldots;someone along the line had looked it up in a dictionary or other source and hence forth it was in the lexicon&ldots;"2 Libra’s of meat"&ldots;a 5 Libra bag of whatever etc. In effect they were using the Libra as standard parlance. So&ldots;there it was&ldots;lb.=&ldots;wait for it&ldots;Libra. Of course it’s called a pound in English&ldots;as is the British monitory unit&ldots;also. It’s still confuses me to have to say in Hungarian&ldots;"font"&ldots;for the money&ldots;and then too for a unit of measure for weight&ldots;a pound of something&ldots;but there it was in the book. So&ldots;here in HU Land they don’t read it as a font&ldots;but as Libra&ldots;for which "lb." is the abbreviation. Cool huh? 2040hrs&ldots;Just in. Dori and groom showed up unannounced&ldots;and I took them out on the balcony. Did my thing. All went well. Then as we went out we stopped to talk with Istvan...and Pityu who was digging for worms. How many Libra's worth...I don't know. Dori leaves with Istvan&ldots;Pityu and I kept on talking. Done deal. Velence&ldots;May 13th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0542hrs&ldots;A Cup&ldots;Sunny and clear. 0713hrs&ldots;Showered. Today Anci and I will be going to Fehervar to get my paper and ink&ldots;and possibly shopping. 0849hrs&ldots;Anci has called&ldots;1000hrs&ldots;ok. 0928hrs&ldots;Just back from the cash point&ldots;which was out of monies&ldots;and the far store. I will need to get some cash by other means. 1019hrs&ldots;Anci arrives. I called to ask her to come in&ldots;so that she might be able to come up with a name&ldots;regarding a CD that I’d like to find. 1437hrs&ldots;Back&ldots;and wolfing down a few PB sandwiches on white. 1810hrs&ldots;Printed out one of the ballet shots&ldots;on A4 paper&ldots;just to see. Looks ok&ldots;I’ll think about it. Strange&ldots;now that I have paper and ink again&ldots;I see that I need to finish some images&ldots;in PS. OH! Got an email from Bill. Things are looking better for Mary Lou&ldots;and he says that they are thinking of moving to Florida(!)&ldots;and wants to know what I want to do about my "stuff"&ldots;that’s stored there? Good bloody question! On the other hand Anci brought up the thought that since I’m "moving here"&ldots;that there may well be a whole other set of rules re my car. This could be a good thing&ldots;and I guess she will look into it for me. If there are&ldots;saving me one million four&ldots;I could then see using that now&ldots;"found" monies&ldots;to ship my stuff over. Velence&ldots;May 14th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0838hrs&ldots;Cup&ldots;Sunny&ldots;with some haze. 1004hrs&ldots;Should have checked the hot water heater earlier. Naturally it had flamed out&ldots;so I’ve had to relight it&ldots;and I now wait. 1030hrs&ldots;The start of another slow day. I thought that I would be printing for real by now&ldots;but&ldots;YKTD&ldots;It feels like full summer when I just don’t feel like working on fixing images&ldots;It gets too bright and I don’t trust the image on the monitor&ldots;as an accurate facsimile of what it will look like printed. Even as it is&ldots;though arguably close&ldots;but still not perfect. And I guess the "fever" has subsided to some degree. The images that are left are of secondary importance to those already printed&ldots;though good. Also&ldots;I have no burning desire to hit the lakeshore to shoot birds. It would be just the same birds as a year ago. I should drag out the map to see if I’m closer from here as opposed to from Jutka’s place. Well&ldots;it seems that it is in fact closer from here. 1312hrs&ldots;Back for a bit from the close store. Yesterday Anci took me out to Lajos’ parents’ old house. I knew about it for some time and thought that I should at least take a look as a possible option. The girls don’t want it&ldots;and I can see why. It was built in ‘55 by the father. It’s now rather run down&ldots;needing lots of repairs. It does have a view of sorts&ldots;but nothing to write home about. It is close to Fehervar&ldots;with bus service every 15 mins or so. It was never landscaped as such. There are a number of "out dwelling"&ldots;even a cellar&ldots;with an old wine barrel. The main house has a number of extensions&ldots;like 4...with the last one made of just rough timber. The lot size is large but not huge&ldots;and not in the least landscaped&ldots;meaning that it’s a rough job to cut the "grass" if you want to call it that. Access to the property is also rather poor by my standards...anybodies for that matter! 1356hrs&ldots;Stepped out the side door&ldots;because out on the balcony is just too hot&ldots;I saw dark clouds to the north&ldots;and I heard distant thunder. This could be interesting. Will keep you posted to changes. Just looking at possible images to print. I look at Shelly H’s frames and eventually get to one where she’s sitting in a whicker chair&ldots;And I think&ldots;"What did she think I would&ldots;or was about to do just because of her pose? 1411hrs&ldots;Out and back. Winds from the north are picking up. Saw three lightning strikes&ldots;and eventually thunder&ldots;still some distance off. For all the good it does me now&ldots;I think I got it figured out. The scene in Caroline’s office&ldots;was just to show me that she was "friendly"(!)&ldots;expo facto. Everything that she was "showing" me during the subsequent shoot was meant to reinforce that "friendliness". I guess the ball was in my court. I would love to have been a fly on the wall&ldots;when the story was told&ldots;as to the events of the shoot. "You mean to say that he did NOTHING&ldots;nothing at all?"&ldots;"That’s right&ldots;he never even ask me to&ldots;you know&ldots;pose topless!" 1646hrs&ldots;Have just finished dinner. Saved some for later. Velence&ldots;May 15th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0803hrs. Same. Clear and sunny. 0935hrs&ldots;Time to hit the shower. Just thought of it&ldots;I had not checked the water&ldots;will do so now&ldots;BIAF. 1002hrs&ldots;Ok fine&ldots;it was more than a "flash"&ldots;and since there was water hot enough I did the deed. 1228hrs&ldots;A second cup&ldots;slurp. 1301hrs&ldots;Have spent some time online&ldots;The advances made in timekeeping are out of this world. One clock beating the previous one by orders of magnitude&ldots;simply amazing. And those that are working standards are being improved significantly. The size of some new standards are the size of a match box! And then there is the speed of the fastest computers&ldots;also going up to amazing levels. Watched "House" last night. Was that the last episode? One resigns&ldots;another is fired&ldots;and then the last one quits too&ldots;and House plays a new guitar as the last scene fades to black. I can’t see a scenario where they would ever return. 1456hrs&ldots;Have just had lunch&ldots;while I printed the frame of Joan. I feel vindicated in my thesis that given just a photograph&ldots;a great mystery is perpetrated. And&ldots;in this case&ldots;by my own hand. No other information than a name&ldots;a given name&ldots;Joan&ldots;with a secret. Have also printed another frame of Jan M. So is it any wonder that the question of who was the subject of De Vinci’s&ldots;Mona Lisa persists to this day&ldots;painted over 500 years ago? 1521hrs&ldots;Just finished the ballet frame. What to print next? Ahhh yes&ldots;the frame of Shelly B&ldots;.the one that never saw the light of day&ldots;till now&ldots;OK&ldots;fine&ldots;when I finish cleaning it up&ldots;though it looks clean. 1626hrs&ldots;Done deal&ldots;And am now online&ldots;bombed on the first two&ldots;but hit it on HOUSE&ldots;it was that (3rd) seasons last&ldots;but more to come. I need to do some searches online&ldots;I keep forgetting to do them. But this time I’ve written them down&ldots;good thinking huh? Velence&ldots;May 16th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0729hrs&ldots;A Cup. Winds are from the west&ldots;and gusty&ldots;could mean something. Cloudy&ldots; 0844hrs&ldots;Got to get my act together&ldots;shower's next&ldots;then hit the far store&ldots;cash point&ldots;etc. Did four prints yesterday&ldots;should work on a few more images. I need to confirm some dates regarding date of rank and the A1C to SGT change. It looks to me that HWL should have indicated SGT&ldots;not A1C. I mean that that was a big thing&ldots;I would have thought&ldots;no? Or at the least mentioned it. It would have meant going to the NCO club&ldots;not Airman‘s. And come to think of it&ldots;there would have been a hella of drop in club membership&ldots;down by a good percentile. [He was only about three months behind me...so he may not have come under the new scheme after all.] Had to light the heater again&ldots;there was some warm water&ldots;though not hot enough for this guy. 1132hrs&ldots;Back for a bit. I hit Jutka’s after the cash point&ldots;but the front door was locked&ldots;went around to the back and peeked in&ldots;no lights&ldots;so I left. Did the far store afterwards. It seems that I failed to close the freezer door&ldots;and had to pay a price to recover. 0920hrs&ldots;Done deal. 1048hrs&ldots;Getting close to leaving&ldots;in a few mins. 1717hrs&ldots;Just finished printing another one&ldots;That’s three so far today. While the printer did it’s thing&ldots;I policed the kitchen. Looking out the side door&ldots;I see that Istvan has uprooted a dead tree. It was an interesting tree nonetheless&ldots;and the woodpeckers used it to break open almonds&ldots;hence a good location for me to get shots thereof. No more! One frame of Estelle one of Delores&ldots;and one unknown. About par for the course. Admit it&ldots;Claudette Colbert was HOT! Printed a shot of Laura McA. It was taken that first day when the two girls came&ldots;instead of just Karol S. The last time I saw LM was at Jim Buss’ hair salon&ldots;where Roberto worked also. It was my understanding that she was in some way hooked up with him. He had what was described as an effected English accent&ldots;fake. She looked pretty bad to me. Worn out&ldots;as it were. Sad really. Life in the fast lane&ldots;I guess. Print’s done. She had a real nice body&ldots;that I never got around to shooting properly. Could have done a whole lot better if I had&ldots;with both of them&ldots;come to think of it. I base this on a few frames that I took&ldots;when she said&ldots;at one point&ldots;that she wanted to take her cloths off. It was a bit of a strain in light of the fact that there were four of us that evening. This was because I had singled out Karol as my paramour&ldots;exclusively&ldots;leaving Laura by herself. She fixed that by bringing along her own&ldots;"date" for the evening’s&ldots;"entertainment". It was all pretty dumb&ldots;as I think about now. Though I got two good shots&ldots;one of each for the exhibit. This in 1971...summer. 1947hrs&ldots;Printing the last one for today. This one is of a girl I call Saulius’ Girl&ldots;as in I don’t have a name&ldots;but one that SP sent me for a shoot. I don’t think that she was a model&ldots;but cloths hung well on her. Tall and skinny&ldots;you know she was. This will be her second print. I have more shots of Jan&ldots;but there are enough of her now. I need to write an email to Rick Chinn&ldots;as in I should have done it long ago&ldots;and gads&ldots;one to Steve Swift too&ldots;and a reply to Bill. I was online in the morning&ldots;but not since. And I guess I should get one off to HWL also. 1956hrs&ldots;Print’s finished. Shut off the printer. How I need to find a place for five A3 prints &ldots;to "dry". Velence&ldots;May 17th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0519hrs&ldots;A Cup&ldots;slurp. Sun’s not up yet. Had an interesting dream. 0917hrs&ldots;Up again&ldots;had gone back to bed&ldots;after having breakfast. 0955hrs&ldots;Showered. It’s windy out there. Yesterday I stepped outside&ldots;and there was Cila and Istvan&ldots;cutting roses for the graves. Took a few frames of them. As they were about to leave&ldots;Cila&ldots;took a step&ldots;not realizing that her foot would not touch the ground at the same level&ldots;and hence took a tumble. I admonished her not to fool around&ldots;like that&ldots;and we all had a good laugh. The ground was not level just there&ldots;as a result of Istvan’s sense of "landscaping"&ldots;not. Istvan beat her to the punch&ldots;saying that Cila would blame him&ldots;which in the end&ldots;she did. 1200hrs&ldots;Whitecaps on the lake. 1533hrs&ldots;The winds continue. 1645hrs&ldots;It’s turning into another slow day. Getting nothing done. I’ve looked at my images&ldots;seeing if there is another one ready to print. The answer is that there are&ldots;but only as seconds to the one’s I’ve already printed. OH&ldots;I keep thinking that there ARE more negatives that I’ve not yet found&ldots;I’m sure of this. And not the faintest idea where they would be. And&ldots;I don’t know why I’ve not been working on getting those last few pages published. OH&ldots;yeah&ldots;The wide page problem&ldots;that will mean redoing it&ldots;unless I can figure out how to fix it. It could take a hours to redo. Not my idea of fun. It’s just a pick and shovel job&ldots;mindless. 1741hrs&ldots;Printing one more of Laura&ldots; 2034hrs&ldots;Reading my downloads&ldots;The SAGE system history. Interesting stuff. Earlier Istvan dropped in to deliver some Hungarian pastry&ldots;that Cila had baked&ldots;ate them all soon after. Later I mention to Istvan that I’d eaten them all&ldots;and they were good&ldots;to which he states that he kneaded the dough. 2038hrs&ldots;Istvan just dropped by with more of the same. Will go well with coffee tomorrow morning. 2130hrs&ldots;SAGE cost an estimated 8-12 Billion dollars (1964)! It was the largest, heaviest and most expensive computer system ever built. It consumed 3MW of power. Today...my laptop would run circles around it&ldots;and play Solitaire as well. Velence&ldots;May 18th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0714hrs&ldots;Slurp. Overcast. 0906hrs&ldots;Time to hit the shower. The Sun is winning a bit. 0910hrs&ldots;Well&ldots;that was either one hellava fast shower&ldots;or&ldots;and there is always an or&ldots;there was no hot water&ldots;should have looked at it sooner. So I now wait. 1108hrs&ldots;About 15 mins ago&ldots;Jutka called&ldots;lunch&ldots;1300hrs&ldots;ok. Have showered at last&ldots;and while so engaged&ldots;the printer spit out some business cards. I’ve done it two ways&ldots;the original with border&ldots;(new)&ldots;and in color with border&ldots;new also. I have still not put down a phone number&ldots;on the cards&ldots;too confusing as yet. 1212hrs&ldots;Dressed ready to leave&ldots;in about what(?) as I look at it now&ldots;maybe 30 mins&ldots;don’t want to get there too early&ldots;as in lunch is not ready. 1707hrs&ldots;Just back from Jutka’s. Lunch was not served until 1400hrs. Talked&ldots;same stuff&ldots;pretty much. Water’s on for a second cup. We had a bit of lightning and some much needed rain. 1741hrs&ldots;Istvan’s out there beating up the "grass". This will be his second shot at it&ldots;having done about half earlier. Should fire up the laptop&ldots;and check out the world&ldots;pardon my back. Oh&ldots;failed to mention that Jutka presented me with two&ldots;I repeat two jars of PB(!)&ldots;which I would have been happy to pay for&ldots;but in light of fact that she had walked off with 20GBPs just before she left&ldots;I didn’t even offer to do so&ldots;taken as understood. Velence&ldots;May 19th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0850hrs&ldots;Slurp. Sunny. It was about 1910hrs&ldots;yesterday that Jutka called telling me of a program on MTV1 that might be of interest to me&ldots;so it was hello ok goodbye. Turned on the TV and started to watch it&ldots;when the phone rang again. 0922hrs. Right(!)&ldots;The phone rang&ldots;and I thought it would be Jutka again&ldots;but it was Istvan inviting me over for dinner. Didn’t get back until nearly 2330hrs. I then watched TV till past 0033hrs. It was a historical flick about the Mongols&ldots;the Khan. Interesting I thought. I have lots to read again&ldots;downloads. 1155hrs&ldots;Have just remade the bed. Found another sheet&ldots;and will chuck the old torn one. Reading more stuff off the web. It’s also getting warm out. 1856hrs&ldots; 1937hrs&ldots;Finished reading some downloads&ldots;but I seem to have misplaced one. Earlier I hit the far store. Coming out I ran into Istvan. We talked about the work taking place at Bela’s&ldots;and I took off&ldots;while Istvan went into the store. I was on Kemping street when I thought I recognized Cila on a bike heading toward home. I caught up to her just as she turned in. Talked&ldots;and I asked her to take a document to Pityu about Gorbachev. She mentioned that she was in possession of some documents regarding my citizenship. Good. She tried to explain it to me but it went over my head. She’ll tell me later. Counted out the number of my latest prints&ldots;10. Half a box! Velence&ldots;May 20th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0614hrs&ldots;Slurp. Raining! I woke up to the sound of thunder&ldots;while I was dreaming/thinking about last night’s discovery!! My mind is reeling! I mentioned that there was one printout gone astray&ldots;and as is usually the case I found it the last place I looked. It was a web page that I found as a result of a GS on "tuba river"&ldots;as the prime target. I read through it quickly online and sure as hell there it was&ldots;something about "on the banks of the Tuba River"&ldots;blah blah. Printed it and then misplaced it. It was also the only page(s) that I’d not read. So once I did find it&ldots;I looked to find that line of text. THERE it WAS&ldots;on the third page printed. The text got me close to a location&ldots;so I grabbed my Britannica Atlas&ldots;which I had had the presence of mind to have brought over from storage some time ago. Gads! Why had I not looked for any reference to TUBA long before? I knew about Tuba City in Arizona for years&ldots;which of course was listed. BUT&ldots;YKTD&ldots;there they were&ldots;not one but two references to Tuba. One was a City/Town&ldots;the other&ldots;a river! Postdated 9 October 2009: Reference to Tuba City AZ is only for completeness, and not germane to my quest. It was a misnamed original and hence not...NOT Tuba as such. I have yet to read fully the actual text for context&ldots;but will do so soon. The main point of interest is just the fact that there is a City/Town&ldots;and River named Tuba. This is a major find. There are so many questions&ldots;The major one is&ldots;are there Tuba’s in Tuba? Simple! 1039hrs&ldots;Showered. The rain has stopped for now. Dressed. The neighbor to the east is here&ldots;and is cleaning up. Lots of bottles being tossed out! I recognized Istvan&ldots;but there was another man too. So&ldots;where was I? The quest for name (Tuba) identity seems to have narrowed in my opinion. That the name Tuba came from the instrument is ridiculous and hence moot. Then came a city in Syria&ldots;old at that and in the right location&ldots;but&ldots;what(?)&ldots;not out of the running&ldots;but not favored now. Then there was Medieval Latin&ldots;for a long horn&ldots;from which came the name of the musical instrument I believe. BUT&ldots;YKTD&ldots;now I think I have the most likely source&ldots;in reach. The name is obvious&ldots;the location is VERY good. There is both a City/Town and a River with the same name. They are 550 miles apart. The City/Town is north of modern Mongolia proper&ldots;and east of the Tunguska River. I have another atlas&ldots;in storage that delineated languages&ldots;and I seem to remember that there was a small pocket in east Siberia. I will look online since I’m not about to go looking for the atlas as yet. It would be amazing if in fact the map showed coincidence&ldots;Tuba the City/Town and Magyar speakers. And there is the question that I raised at the beginning&ldots;Tubas in Tuba? 1637hrs&ldots;Back from the close store&ldots;while it drizzled a bit. Reading some of my unread papers. Velence&ldots;May 21st 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0832hrs&ldots;Slurp as I write. Well not at the same time&ldots;I type a bit and then I slurp&ldots;type a bit and slurp&ldots;and type some and slurp&ldots;like that. Overcast&ldots;and it rained overnight&ldots;this is good. The plants really need it. 1009hrs&ldots;Out of the shower&ldots;just enough hot water&ldots;at the start&ldots;but by the end it was borderline. 1926hrs&ldots;Doing dinner as I write&ldots;See above for details. Two piss offs today. Both came early one after the other. I decided to print a shot of Perk&ldots;that I had already done some work on&ldots;and from the look of it was close to printing. I did some additional work nonetheless and set it up to print. Click&ldots;click&ldots;and click&ldots;and let the printer do its thing. Later as I see the paper clearing the gate&ldots;OH shit&ldots;the border is not correct. Thought about it and there was just one possibility&ldots;I forgot to click the border units&ldots;to points. Nothing for it&ldots;I would have to print again&ldots;and proceed to do so. The ink supply graphic showed that I was about to run out of light magenta&ldots;NO problem says I&ldots;and proceed to locate same&ldots;with every expectation of finding one&ldots;as in I just bought some&ldots;right(?)&ldots;WELL damn&ldots;That which I thought I bought should have been light magenta&ldots;was of course not. So I’m shut down again&ldots;with enough magenta to last till the end of the year. 2315hrs&ldots;Yeah&ldots;I know! I was about the pull the switch when I thought I would take a look at ISS passes&ldots;and there was&ldots;one&ldots;at the time&ldots;17 mins out. So the rest is history. It looks like I have some good frames&ldots;that I’ll work on tomorrow. I had gone across the street and shot from there. Focus was good. Velence&ldots;May 22nd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0607hrs&ldots;Clear&ldots;sun’s up. Fired off the water heater&ldots;now that’s thinking! 1210hrs&ldots;Water’s on. I eventually went back to bed and practiced my virtual dreams. It went well&ldots;did lots&ldots;and was able to continue them after a stop. I knew what was happening. When I did in fact stop&ldots;I would think through the "dream"&ldots;so that I could recall them. 1216hrs&ldots;Slurp. 1243hrs&ldots;Yesterday I reread a page about "Clock Performance" which ended with the first understandable explanation for calculating the "Allan Variance"&ldots;that I’ve so far read. Amazing really&ldots;in as much as it’s just two pages&ldots;and had the text size been smaller&ldots;it would have fit easily on one. Anyway&ldots;I put the example data onto a spreadsheet&ldots;and of course it worked just fine. Now that I understand it&ldots;I just need to figure out how to best use the mountains of readings that I took of my Rubidium Standard&ldots;years ago. Across the way&ldots;they’ve "DONE IT"! They put a gate at the small portal. So what you ask? Well&ldots;anyone wishing to drive in will need to dismount. 1306hrs&ldots;I will need to hit one of the stores today. 1402hrs&ldots;Well&ldots;I’ve run the number re AV&ldots;and I have nice slope. What’s lacking now is "unit time". The last "number" is 1.58...but is meaningless&ldots;not given "time". I have the times that the measurements were taken&ldots;hence need to normalize them. I also need to go online and order ink! Hate it. 2158hrs&ldots;Shot the ISS&ldots;NBD. Thought about using the C-8 2000mm&ldots;but in the end it was the MTO 1000mm&ldots;again. Velence&ldots;May 23rd 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0645hrs&ldots;Slurp. 0921hrs&ldots;Out of the shower&ldots;had to do the fire trick again. Across the way they’re erecting a fence&ldots;in effect blocking access to the lakeshore&ldots;at that point. This leaves one place only&ldots;from which I‘ve shot before&ldots;once. Funny&ldots;this will also block those with houses on the second row back&ldots;and they’ve lost view already. So much for lake front property. Yesterday I tried to order some ink&ldots;same problem as before&ldots;you just can’t get there from here&ldots;as the saying goes. Plan "B"&ldots;order some from Office Depot and hope that it doesn’t take another three weeks! Velence&ldots;May 24th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0844hrs&ldots;Nearly finished with my first cup. Forgot to log in first thing. A bit groggy this morning. Got back after 2200hrs! Yesterday Pityu came over&ldots;to ask if the antenna on my car could be removed since they wanted to cover the car with a tarp. I walked over with him. Cila was outside as was Istvan&ldots;and I decided to pass along the news about "finding" the source of "TUBA". Soon I needed to come back here for the documents that I’d printed&ldots;and the atlas&ldots;and a magnifier. While engrossed with that&ldots;Istvan mentions that Pityu has a problem with his keyless entry system&ldots;adding that someone has already looked into it&ldots;in as much as changing out the battery&ldots;but still not working&ldots;and would I take a look&ldots;yes say I. Then Pityu and Istvan disappear&ldots;while Cila and I continue to read and talk. Sometime later they return&ldots;having gone up to the Tuba Wine Cellar&ldots;for some wine. Slurp talk&ldots;slurp talk&ldots;and like that it went. At one point the tarp was unfolded and draped over the car&ldots;when Cila asked if it shouldn’t be turned given that it looked to her as though the long axis was wrong. After rotating it 90 degrees the lads threaded some cord through the holes and cinched it tight. The drama over&ldots;I went back into slurp talk mode&ldots;but at one point asked to see Pityu’s car key. I asked for some tools&ldots;to open the unit. It looked ok and then asked for a voltmeter to check the battery. I was informed that Bela had one&ldots;but they did not. I came back here and grabbed the Fluke 73. 0923hrs&ldots;Just in from being out&ldots;and caught Istvan coming back from somewhere&ldots;talked a bit. Dragon Boat racing at 1100hrs. Anyway&ldots;take the Fluke back&ldots;measure the battery&ldots;checks ok. While here I also checked to see if my scanner covered the frequency of the transmitter&ldots;433.92MHz. It did. So I brought the unit back&ldots;fired off the scanner&ldots;and confirmed that it was in fact transmitting. I think it was off frequency&ldots;but there was nothing I was going to do about it...then. So&ldots;back at Pityu’s&ldots;I ask to see the manual for the car. I have Istvan read down the long list of fuses. There&ldots;at the very end&ldots;the last fuse seemed to be the possible cause of the problem. The manual states that said fuse is located on the back of the module that held a large number of other fuses and relays. There is a scramble for more tools&ldots;and eventually the unit is removed&ldots;but cI ould not see the fuse in question. Back to the manual&ldots;and another location for fuses&ldots;these under the hood. We find the fuse box&ldots;but not the fuse we are looking for. Back to the manual&ldots;which states clearly that the location&ldots;is on the back of the interior fuse box&ldots;which is still hanging there by the wiring. I get down on the ground next to the open door&ldots;for another look. THERE at last I see&ldots;underneath the bundle of stiff wires&ldots;the yellow color of what would turn out to be the fuse. I moved the wire over as far as I could&ldots;and was able to actually see the fuse element. I did a double take&ldots;thinking that I could actually see that it was burned open. It took another few second to extract it. Taking a close look confirmed that it was in fact open. I then held the fuse up&ldots;which Istvan took and he looked at it too. Pityu looked at it&ldots;and made tracks to locate a replacement. Not knowing if he would eventually find one&ldots;I asked for the spare keys to my&ldots;now wrapped up car&ldots;thinking that I may well have fuses in the truck. Thinking about it now&ldots;I had a key on me. Istvan returns with the key&ldots;when Pityu says that he has a fuse. I take it&ldots;and insert it. The rest is history. 1146hrs&ldots;Back for a bit from Anci’s. One atlas though not the one I’m looking for. Two each volumes of SciAm. A portable tape recorder. Some plates. AND&ldots;wait for it&ldots;the digital shaft encoders for the old C-8 mount. 1233hrs&ldots;I’m going through some boxes of negatives&ldots;that I’d brought back&ldots;thinking that there were some 35mm negs too&ldots;but it turns out that it’s just 2-1/4s&ldots;anyway&ldots;I find two frames of&ldots;wait for it&ldots;Arlie&ldots;one of which is full face. It’s him alright! 1310hrs&ldots;I also brought over a book&ldots;The Western Heritage&ldots;From the Earliest Times to the Present&ldots;Third addition&ldots;1970. Should be interesting. 1522hrs&ldots;Have just fitted the shaft encoders. All I need now is to dig out the display unit and find a 9V battery. I have also taken photographs of the four old photographs Cila came up with. The only problem is the lack of light magenta ink! The reading continues well&ldots;and interesting&ldots;more so than I had thought it would be. 1609hrs&ldots;Reading. From the look of it&ldots;we may be in for some pyrotechnics&ldots;as in lightning&ldots;before the day is out. 2010hrs&ldots;Just printed one of the photos that Cila wanted. I thought about it&ldots;and wondered if the printer would allow making a print lacking a color&ldots;given that I would not be needing it&ldots;as in black and white. Well it worked&ldots;but it now says that the light magenta is not just super low&ldots;but out. Not sure if it will allow another print&ldots;but I will not try again today&ldots;since I want to do some more work on the photo&ldots;having done a bit so far. I also want to ask Cila if she needs/wants the other photos too&ldots;as in at the same time as the one I’m sure of and have done. Velence&ldots;May 25th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0632hrs&ldots;Slurp&ldots;Sunny. This is something that I can do at the same time since it doesn't require any complicated sequencing. I can slurp...and determine that it's sunny..at the SAME time! 1040hrs&ldots;Well now&ldots;.early on&ldots;there is a knock on my door&ldots;.Istvan asking for my help&ldots;in loading up a rowboat. I was still in a bathrobe&ldots;and had to put on some clothes&ldots;which went well and without incident. Once we had the boat loaded&ldots;it was obvious that my help would be required at the other end. It was then that I found out that said boat was destined for a location some distance away&ldots;not just here. I was in fact asked to provide said help&ldots;and off we went to the other side of the lake. Back here I instructed Pityu to drive straight to his place on the High Street&ldots;whence I would walk over&ldots;through the three gates. I ended up being invited in for a "shot". Hungarian Paint Thinner&ldots;damn! Cila had been in bed when we left&ldots;was now up and about&ldots;and we sat down for a chit chat. Talked to Jimmy the Puli&ldots;and walked back&ldots;.without drama. I hit the shower straight away. And am now doing a second cup of Joe. I expect to be invited over for dinner&ldots;.some time later&ldots;with the time normally an unknown. Velence&ldots;May 26th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0919hrs&ldots;Up for a about 30 mins&ldots;slurp. Reading last nights downloads. Some really good stuff. Talked late&ldots;with Cila and Pityu. And checked on the Mars probe&ldots;as well. It had hours to go&ldots;so I won’t know till I get online&ldots;soon. 151hrs&ldots; Back from Pityu’s&ldots;I had gone there and then walked to the near store&ldots;back to Pityu’s&ldots;by which time Cila was there too&ldots;showed them my printouts&ldots;talked. The subject of lunch came up&ldots;and it was decided that they would go into Feharvar on business&ldots;and that we would have lunch afterwards. 1230hrs&ldots;Just offline. Not much new to report. OH! The Mars probe landed successfully&ldots;and has already sent back images. It’s been on the surface for over 10 hours now. Looks good. Velence&ldots;May 27th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0504hrs&ldots;Slurp. Clear. Supposed to be hot today&ldots;hope not. Got back at 2100hrs last night. I would normally not have been at Pityu’s&ldots;on a Monday&ldots;except for the fact that there had been an overabundance of food Sunday&ldots;hence the rest to be consumed. It was to have been lunch&ldots;but since they came back late from Feharvar&ldots;it turned into dinner. The topic was more of the same&ldots;Tuba ethnology. Went well&ldots;Cila was taken by&ldots;Tuba&ldots;the word&ldots;in reference to the Qur’an&ldots;the meaning of TUBA. 1006hrs&ldots;Just out of the shower. Had a call from Cila&ldots;stating that I need to go to her old place of work to sign some documents. Time&ldots;about 1100hrs&ldots;dependent on Pityu returning. Slurp. I need to find some Post Its&ldots;to mark pages in my atlas that Cila will copy. So far no luck&ldots;though I know I have some&ldots;somewhere. Velence&ldots;May 28th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0725hrs&ldots;Slurp. Clear&ldots;and it will be another hot day&ldots;30°C! 1032hrs&ldots;Have been to the far store and cash point. Forgot OJ&ldots;but I had some. Had been online prior to hitting the store&ldots;and printed a few pages. I will read them soon. On the way to the store I detoured down to the lakeshore where I used to go and photograph the wildlife&ldots;just to check it out. NBD. OH! I’ve fired off one of my large fans&ldots;a world of difference&ldots;almost civilized. Too damn hot&ldots;I’d say. I had hoped to find highlighter at the store&ldots;but no luck&ldots;so I really need to find the one I know I have here! Well&ldots;restacking all the papers on my desk&ldots;has turned up some Post Its that was looking for&ldots;also a small LED light that I could have used last night when I was photographing the ISS pass&ldots;but no marker as yet&ldots;.oh&ldots;and a pencil&ldots;which IS a big deal&ldots;believe me. Oh&ldots;yesterday I signed documents that led to a certificate stating that I was in fact a citizen of HU Land&ldots;which has taken close to year to get&ldots;even though&ldots;in a sense it was a formality&ldots;given that I never renounced it in the first place&ldots;and that I had a birth certificate stating that I was born here. This is a big deal&ldots;and done. There are still a few more things to be started/finished. The main research project continues&ldots;the etymology of the word/name "Tuba". It’s been getting deeper&ldots;the closer I get. I did not think that I would have to read into religious works&ldots;but that is the case. The Bible and as of now specifically the Qur’an. I do this not for religious enlightenment but as a source of historical information. I had been approaching the problem from a false premise&ldots;thinking that all I had to do was to find an old connection between "Tuba" the word/name and Magyar&ldots;the people and language. Wrong! I am now more or less convinced that "Tuba"&ldots;the word is NOT Magyar (Hungarian) at all! "Tuba" it now seems is (1) a language dialect&ldots;(2) which is connected to a tribe (people)&ldots;and (3) a place name&ldots;as in a number of towns/cities&ldots;a river or two&ldots;a lake etc. And is mentioned in the Qur’an a number of times&ldots;the context of which makes the connection to the above list. "Tuba" is also an Arabic female name&ldots;the meaning of which is maintained&ldots;and reasonably congruent. The immediate question is&ldots;which came first. When and where exactly was the word "Tuba" defined as it was? 1324hrs&ldots;Water’s on. In the sun it’s 41.6°C! Reading now. 1532hrs&ldots;Well&ldots;in what must be as yet an oversimplification&ldots;I have a date fixing the present&ldots;written&ldots;version of the Qur’an to the year 651AD. While the first revelations themselves are dated to the year 610. These revelations were at first exclusively committed to human memory. It was not until after the year 633 that a written version was started. Hence for now&ldots;until found otherwise&ldots;the written word (Tuba) first appears in the Qur’an after 633. So at the least&ldots;it’s no younger. The obvious question of it being older&ldots;surely&ldots;is as yet not known. But since I’ve just started this avenue of thought&ldots;i.e&ldots;the Qur’an&ldots;I can not say if that’s the end of it or not. I now need to overlay historical name, places and events to try to discover&ldots;when, where and how the word (Tuba) expanded out into the vast reaches&ldots;or did it&ldots;the word&ldots;come in from those distant places? 2014hrs&ldots;Have had dinner&ldots;reading at the same time&ldots;out on the balcony. It was a bit windy though&ldots;out of the east for a change&ldots;and I thought that any second my plate would go flying off. It happened again&ldots;Thomas Black is heading in my direction&ldots;from the west&ldots;on Kemping&ldots;I see him&ldots;and I watch. The last time&ldots;I saw him coming&ldots;I pretended to be absorbed in my reading&ldots;which by the way he would have no way of knowing&ldots;but the message was that I wasn’t aware of him&ldots;and what does he do(?)&ldots;he beeps me with his horn! I did this because in all the past drive-bys&ldots;he would not just not look my way&ldots;but would actually turn his head away. You following this? So just now I kept my eyes glued on him. SAME THING&ldots;he sees me in a glimpse&ldots;and then for a bit looks straight ahead&ldots;and then&ldots;wait for it&ldots;looks away. It was guilt that forced the last bit of movement. I await the next encounter. I shall set a trap&ldots;methinks&ldots;he said with a maniacal grin. Velence&ldots;May 29th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0755hrs&ldots;Slurp. Sunny&ldots;clear&ldots;wind out of the east&ldots;and it’s cooler this morning. Failed to mention&ldots;that for the last three days&ldots;there can be heard multiple sonic booms in the distance&ldots;southwest mostly. This was the case last year&ldots;but then it was later&ldots;July&ldots;or later. Searched back&ldots;I guess I didn’t write about it. 0901hrs&ldots;I shall now&ldots;read. 0933hrs&ldots;Dressed&ldots;winds out of the north&ldots;much cooler&ldots;and(!)&ldots;found the bloody marker in plain view! 1048hrs&ldots;I can hardly see&ldots;having just come in. The sunlight was so bright on white paper&ldots;that I’m blind. 1101hrs&ldots;Back outside. 1137hrs&ldots;Just finished an interesting forum&ldots;which mentions "Tuba" as a name of someone&ldots;that "established order" in the Altai region&ldots;after returning from China during the "Five Hus" period! I see that I will need to do a GS on that combination. The tribe of "Sak"&ldots;also. 1541hrs&ldots;Have had lunch&ldots; 1912hrs&ldots;Have been reading&ldots;and downloading more pages. Caught Istvan coming home. He showed me some flowers that he’d picked at his mother’s house. I mentioned the sounds that I had been hearing&ldots;and he said that in fact it was artillery fire. Well fine then&ldots;it was not the sonic boom of aircraft as I had thought&ldots;which was based on the same sounds that I heard a year ago&ldots;and was told then that it was aircraft. I shall say no more! 1924hrs&ldots;OH! At 1745hrs&ldots;I was out on the balcony reading&ldots;I really was engrossed&ldots;when I heard a beep and looked up at the source. You guessed it&ldots;Thomas Black&ldots;AND&ldots;wait for it&ldots;he actually looked up at me&ldots;nodded&ldots;which I returned. Backing up a bit&ldots;it did strike me as odd&ldots;that had it been aircraft flying supersonic&ldots;that I never saw them&ldots;in effect taking up more sky&ldots;hence over flights of this area. NBD. 1949hrs&ldots;On third thought&ldots;last year I did in fact hear sonic booms&ldots;now that I think about it. The sound rattled the windows. NOW&ldots;I shall say no more. I’ll read one more article and call it a day. "The Presence of Mitochondrial Haplogroup X in Altaians from South Siberia." Velence&ldots;May 30th 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0744hrs&ldots;A Cup. Hazy. Track 6 playing. 0820hrs&ldots;STS launches tomorrow. Amazing&ldots;it’s another one of those days where except for two games&ldots;you can’t win. 0900hrs&ldots;Have fired off the heater&ldots;again. Have just read "Aspects of the Relationship between the ancient Turks and Sogdains -Based on a stone statue with Sogdian inscription in Xinjiang"&ldots;by Takashi Osawa. "Tuba" mentioned along with others as a place where stone statues were also found. In some ways there are more references to "Tuba" that you’d think that I was "almost there"&ldots;but that’s not the case at all. 1216hrs&ldots;Just back from Spar&ldots;with Jutka&ldots;she’d called. Bought some AA batteries for the RS scanner&ldots;.some markers&ldots;four colors. I need them to ultimately markup the maps. Forgot Postits. The RS scanner covers 433MHz. Still need to find the damn antennas. Velence&ldots;May 31st 2008. Daylight Savings time. 0809hrs&ldots;Slurp. Did not sleep well. Don’t know why. Kept waking up&ldots;for no apparent reason. 0925hrs&ldots;Showered. It’s getting warm out there. 0934hrs&ldots;Time to get dressed&ldots;and police the disaster area&ldots;my desk&ldots;and beyond. Mostly printouts. 1223hrs&ldots;Doing lunch. Istvan is out there gardening. 1536hrs&ldots;Just in from out. Istvan is still out there&ldots;creating kindling. Jimmy was running back and forth behind the second gate&ldots;and after some time&ldots;Cila appeared&ldots;and ultimately came out. We talk about the project&ldots;and about the last printouts that I sent over with Istvan. 1553hrs&ldots;Time to get some things done&ldots;Where to start? 1635hrs&ldots;Making progress&ldots;AND&ldots;wait for it&ldots;I finally hooked up the scanner&ldots;as in the USB cable. The flatbed scanner. Too many "scanners". The RS scanner(s) is a radio type scanner...just to clarify. 1649hrs&ldots;WELL&ldots;there is one little problem. I hit the on button&ldots;no go! Took a look on hands and knees&ldots;NOT plugged in. Why I hear you ask? Because there are no UK sockets free&ldots;that’s why not&ldots;had there been one&ldots;it would already be plugged in. I had not really needed the scanner because I have been doing it quick and dirty using a camera. Not really the same&ldots;but there are advantages&ldots;with the camera method. None the less the scanner is there after all&ldots;so it should be of some use. The problem right now is that I don’t know&ldots;just by looking&ldots;which plug goes to what piece of gear&ldots;hence I’ll wait till later and shut things off&ldots;and rearrange things&ldots;assuming that I can find a UK extension&ldots;power strip.
Continued: STBlog20082
Copyright © Steve Tuba 2003-2010. Photography Copyright © Steve Tuba 1999-2010. |