life in the old lane

I am wearing worse than “Mom Jeans”. I am wearing “Granny Jeans”. Oh well, Granny I am. 

The new Pen F worked great. A couple of residents thought it was an actual Olympus Pen F ca 1962. They wondered where I got film for it. No film was harmed during today’s photoshoot. 

Dinner tonight in the Formal Dining Room. Our guest was a lady who moved in today. Her mother had lived here. She pointed out that where the soft ice cream machine is – in her mother’s day – that had been when you queued up for the cafeteria line. 

Actually, everyone stops off at the ice cream machine. Residents, staff, visitors, the letter carrier, the UPS guy, construction and repair folks, even the ambulance crew members will sneak a cone while they are collecting a patient. 

I am tired and tomorrow is another day on The Last Great Photo Shoot. So, it is off to bed for me.

 

 

 

As promised, the camera arrived. Set it up in my preferred  aperture priory mode. ISO 1600. Recording mode jpg… Which is what I was using for all of my interior available light shots with the dead camera. Up and shooting again tomorrow morning.

As a car-free person I have lots of options to and from work. I took the 3 bus option this morning. The 16 – 41 – 51. This minimizes walking. No matter how I go – it takes 45minutes. Well, unless I decide to walk the entire way. Then it takes 55 minutes.  Hospital is 3.2 miles away. Mostly up hill. 

Think I am starting to get things back together. No electronics broke today – YET. And, I got the doctor’s office mix up fixed up with no problem. And the vampire was able to suck three tubes of blood out of me. 

Tomorrow: work, yoga, play with Pen F camera… Then use said camera for photos on Wednesday and Thursday.

Back to work on Friday. At least that is the plan.

I decided to include the therapy dogs in the Last Great Photo Shoot. We don’t have therapy cats. Just dogs and birds.

Today’s photos – all from Shamu the Phone.

A friend loaned me her camera today. Her camera is a near relative of mine. Until I actually used it – I would have considered it. It is a little smaller than mine. When our camera’s were new – hers was cheaper. But, I bought mine used. (Except for underwater cameras – I always buy used). 

A new version of my camera costs 2K. A new version of her camera would be $900. These a updated models. BUT, and this is a huge BUT. BUT, neither her camera, nor the new version of either camera will autofocus my legacy 43rd’s lenses. And they are my most expensive and best and favorite lenses. The only camera that will autofocus the legacy lenses is the old OMD EM-1. So, as far as I am concerned – it has to be repaired. Off it will go one day next week.  (Legacy lenses is the main reason to fix this camera. Other reason is – I love it. My fingers know where everything is. For me, it just works.)

In the meantime – an Olympus Pen F will be arriving for my playing pleasure on Tuesday. It will not utilize my vintage glass either. But, it is drop dead gorgeous. And, I am hoping it will allow me to complete The Last Great Photo Shoot. If I love it, I’ll keep it. If not – back it goes. But, I have always been a sucker for cameras that a more for show than for go…

Tomorrow’s hassle – getting blood drawn. It is supposed to be done at my doctor’s office at the hospital. But, the computer thinks it is being done at the doctor’s other office. The other office is a mile from the asylum, but 4 miles from the hospital. And, I am going to be at the hospital slaving away over a hot computer at the appointed hour. Hopefully, I can get this untangled. If not I guess I’ll Uber over and when I get there – my blood will be boiling!

At this instant, I know  of several people who have stopped eating and drinking so they can die. It is damn uncivilized that we have to do that. 

That might be the very last shot that my beloved Olympus takes. It took this picture of our salad bar…and…the shutter froze. Solid frozen shut shutter. Nothing will budge it. 

I was trying everything I could think of to get it going again. No luck. THEN I remembered – my SD card. I have some good shots on that card. Quickly pop that card out. Continue trying every thing – even giving it a good wack or two with my hand. 

Of course, I have to get a camera to use to finish The Last Great Photo Shoot. It’s not that big a problem. It is a problem that can be solved with money. And, at this stage in my life – that is the best kind of problem. 

And earlier in the day, I managed to get my web hosting account suspended. Too much storage used. Easy enough to fix with a little cash. 

But still… I don’t need this hassle.

I was shooting Leo the Pet Therapy Dog with the camera crapped out. Shamu the Phone had to finish the job.

Shabbat is over. Time to get those nice Jewish Boys cracking on a replacement camera before they shut down for Rosh Hashanah.   

Went to a memorial service for my across the hall neighbor this afternoon. Carlton, you would have liked the reception. They had 5 gallons of vanilla ice cream – and chocolate sauce. Plus wine, cheese, fruit and fine hors d’oeuvre. But no coffee.

I suspect that memorial services here at the asylum are a wee bit competitive. BUT, how do you know how you did???

This is one from the vault. Way back when I was one of the boys and we all read John Molloy’s “Dress for Success”. So it was after 1977. 

Didn’t do much today. Went to work and got some rest. I’ll hit the bricks and do some more photos tomorrow. Also going to a memorial service for my across the hall neighbor. She was the first person I met when I moved in. She was already fairly old and frail then. She made it to 92 – give or take a year. She was an airline “stewardess” back in the 40’s and married one of her passengers. She told me that was her plan. Always good when plans work out.

 

And I, gotta go back to work tomorrow to get some rest.

But, got more photos to take… A distressing number. Well, that is why I get paid the big bucks!

And then, there are the rest of us. 

Worked on my photo project this morning. Had “open house” or “open one large room that I live in” this afternoon. 

After the open house,  I opened beer and set off putting names in the photos – when I could still read  the scribbles in my log book. 

Tomorrow is another day of shooting.

Don’t know what I was thinking. Thought I could walk a mile to the shuttle bus. Work. Go to yoga and then walk home. By the time I hauled my sorry ass up the hill and on to the asylum grounds – the green lawn was looking all soft, cool, inviting. I wanted to just lay down on the lawn. Well, fortunately, fortunately… I didn’t. Laying on the ground at the asylum usually results in a trip in an ambulance. Or a transfer to the locked unit – known as “The Terrarium” 

Tomorrow. Up and rolling. Taking pictures for The Last Great Photo Shoot. Then stop for second breakfast. More pictures. Stop of a little lunch and spiff up the old bat cave – because at 2pm the Old Bat Cave is being used as a “model unit” on the Asylum house tour. Since we at 100% occupied – the only way they can show units to prospective replacement residents (remember – no one gets out of here alive and it is a Ponzi scheme) the  sales staff has to show off occupied units.  My unit is pretty funky. I can not see that there will be much interest in it. Not to mention – it is the only one. And it is occupied by me.

Hoping to be able to report much progress in tomorrow’s post. 

Sixteen years out. Took these on my walk from from the hospital today. Yet another lovely day. 

About that to do list. Started on it today. Taking two days off work to free up some time knock out some big chunks of work on the Last Great Photoshoot.

Back in September of 2010 I was taking pictures of the sunrise every morning from my terrace. 

This morning – before the sun came up at about 0600 hours – there was a big boom and flash of blue light – then no lights at all. Then a small boom and smoke. And, we had no electricity until almost noon. But, the Asylum has a most excellent generator. Water pressure was maintained, the elevators elevated, the halls and lobbies were fully lighted. AND – breakfast was served like nothing was amiss. Oh and snail internet continued. 

I rather enjoyed doing origami and reading the Sunday papers. Oh and I listened to  my new old school “transistor” radio. Glad I got it.

I have heaps of shit on my to do list. Starting tomorrow — I will stop putting things on the list and start knocking stuff off.

 

 

Found a dead mouse in the stairwell. I wonder how long it will take for anyone else to remove it.

A third lovely day in a row. Walked to a couple of thrift shops  and got a few accessories. Love accessories. 

Just got back from a little party. Beer, wine, salmon, asparagus, apple pie, walnut bourbon pie, ice cream, coffee. Good company. Good booze. Good food. Good times. 

Meanwhile in the asylum lobby…