New Year's resolutions

[skyrider]

1 minute ago, RantMachine said:

maybe it could be tasty

[RantMachine]

If nothing else, there's probably enough empty space inside the false fuel tank to stash a chocolate bar.

[Bender]

4 hours ago, MarkW said:

I never make New Year resolutions, but I do usually make a list of things I'd like to do or achieve in the next 12 months. My 2020 list included taking the family to California for the Monterey Jazz Festival, to Rotterdam for the North Sea Jazz Festival, getting a couple of lessons with a Dutch jazz drummer whose band I love, and to get out gigging again after a two-year lay-off.

That all turned out well... 

I was in Monterey, it's not somewhere I would return in a hurry, admittedly there was no jazz festival, there was an old vet with a plastic tub percussion section and a guitar he held a good beat but the smell kinda kept you from donating anything.

[MarkW]

16 minutes ago, Bender said:

I was in Monterey, it's not somewhere I would return in a hurry, admittedly there was no jazz festival, there was an old vet with a plastic tub percussion section and a guitar he held a good beat but the smell kinda kept you from donating anything.

It's a something-and-nothing place, isn't it? I liked the aquarium, but I think the one in La Rochelle is still my favourite. I also had a fantastic night at a Jeff Bridges gig while I was there! 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

18 minutes ago, MarkW said:

It's a something-and-nothing place, isn't it? I liked the aquarium, but I think the one in La Rochelle is still my favourite. I also had a fantastic night at a Jeff Bridges gig while I was there! 

I was shocked when I heard Jeff Bridges because he’s not your run of the mill actor using their acting fame to promote mediocre musical skills or a ‘meh’ band, he’s good. I seem to remember he’s a good photographer too. 

[MarkW]

3 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

I was shocked when I heard Jeff Bridges because he’s not your run of the mill actor using their acting fame to promote mediocre musical skills or a ‘meh’ band, he’s good. I seem to remember he’s a good photographer too. 

He's very good! His band (The Abiders) are no slouches either!

He's also a good photographer - my wife bought me one of his books for my birthday, and there are some nice images in there. He uses a Widelux, which is a panoramic film camera with a little panning turret in front of the lens, and it captures a unique perspective.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

16 minutes ago, MarkW said:

He's very good! His band (The Abiders) are no slouches either!

He's also a good photographer - my wife bought me one of his books for my birthday, and there are some nice images in there. He uses a Widelux, which is a panoramic film camera with a little panning turret in front of the lens, and it captures a unique perspective.

A panning turret camera?! 
I love a good photograph, might have a look at that. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Hmm ‘Pictures’ volume one on Amazon £122 ... volume two it is then 

[MarkW]

'Volume 2' is the one I've got. I have a bit of a problem where photography books are concerned: I've been buying them for 30 years and we've long since run out of shelf space at home to put them on, so now they're migrating into the office!

[skyrider]

12 hours ago, RantMachine said:

If nothing else, there's probably enough empty space inside the false fuel tank to stash a chocolate bar.

and a packet of crisps

[Bender]

12 hours ago, MarkW said:

He's very good! His band (The Abiders) are no slouches either!

He's also a good photographer - my wife bought me one of his books for my birthday, and there are some nice images in there. He uses a Widelux, which is a panoramic film camera with a little panning turret in front of the lens, and it captures a unique perspective.

I will stick to thunderbolt and lighfoot, I like photography but my camera has more settings than I can remember how to use

[MarkW]

44 minutes ago, Bender said:

I will stick to thunderbolt and lighfoot, I like photography but my camera has more settings than I can remember how to use

Same here: I've got a 5D mk III, but as it spends all its life in fully manual mode all the fancy bells and whistles are completely wasted on me! I still use my first SLR - an Olympus OM20 I got in 1986 - but my weapon of choice is usually a medium format Mamiya 645.

Edited December 16, 2020 by MarkW

[RantMachine]

5 hours ago, skyrider said:

and a packet of crisps

Maybe even a Curly Wurly if you're really lucky. Handy if the bike breaks down and you need something of equivalent value that you can trade for a Bandit or Fazer to get you home.

[Gerontious]

just had  my account statement from Klarna for the luggage I bought for the bike interest free. and happily have just made the final payment. So, will add that to next years overpayments for the bike. Ive done the sums and doubt i'll manage to pay off the loan next year, but should be rid off it inside 18 months.

[Guest Swagman]

4 hours ago, Gerontious said:

just had  my account statement from Klarna for the luggage I bought for the bike interest free. and happily have just made the final payment. So, will add that to next years overpayments for the bike. Ive done the sums and doubt i'll manage to pay off the loan next year, but should be rid off it inside 18 months.

Just in time to trade it for a new one.

[rennie]

I don't make resolutions! I know I'd break them so no point 

[Gerontious]

5 hours ago, Swagman said:

Just in time to trade it for a new one.

I don’t want a new one. What new one is there? I’m not going backwards to a standard manual bike. I’m completely smitten by the DCT. Another Honda? There isn’t one that appeals. And the new 1100 is no good for me as they made it physically smaller. Lower seat height.

[Guest Swagman]

2 hours ago, Gerontious said:

I don’t want a new one. What new one is there? I’m not going backwards to a standard manual bike. I’m completely smitten by the DCT. Another Honda? There isn’t one that appeals. And the new 1100 is no good for me as they made it physically smaller. Lower seat height.

Well if you like what you got be like me and keep it, it’s as you say what is there out there that would suit you better, it’s great to find a bike you like.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

I like a resolution. A few of them have been very helpful, stopped smoking (unless fairly inebriated and surrounded by other bad people and even then I mostly manage not to), stopped swearing so much (that one can be a bit hit n miss tbh and I do find it a useful tool for filtering out prigs before they get too close), decided to stop being late cos it makes for a stressful journey and it annoys other people (that one has been good) and the best year was the one when I went through all of my friends and acquaintances and anyone who’s company I found unpleasant, annoying or too time consuming I ditched. Shockingly that move left very few standing, best thing I ever did. 

[learningtofly]

On 16/12/2020 at 13:01, MarkW said:

Same here: I've got a 5D mk III, but as it spends all its life in fully manual mode all the fancy bells and whistles are completely wasted on me! I still use my first SLR - an Olympus OM20 I got in 1986 - but my weapon of choice is usually a medium format Mamiya 645.

I was a Bronica man. Started on a Yashica-Mat, though!

[Tiggie]

9 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

when I went through all of my friends and acquaintances and anyone who’s company I found unpleasant, annoying or too time consuming I ditched.

 

Is that why you left the forum last year? 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

22 minutes ago, Tiggie said:

 

Is that why you left the forum last year? 

Umm hehehehe 

That resolution was 10/15 years ago and has had marvellous life long effects! 

[MarkW]

10 hours ago, learningtofly said:

I was a Bronica man. Started on a Yashica-Mat, though!

The Bronica looks nice - wouldn't mind one of those myself! Never had a TLR either, although I came close to having a dalliance with one after watching a Vivian Maier documentary.

I do love my 645 though!

 

[learningtofly]

4 minutes ago, MarkW said:

The Bronica looks nice - wouldn't mind one of those myself! Never had a TLR either, although I came close to having a dalliance with one after watching a Vivian Maier documentary.

I do love my 645 though!

 

654 was/is a wonderful format, and both the Mamiya and Bronica systems were solidly built and superbly functional. I had a spell shooting weddings and a bit of commercial stuff, and it made everything affordable for those of that that could only dream of Hasselblad.

 

TLR's are a bit of an anachronism now, of course, but the beauty of them (IMO) was the way in which they forced you to approach every image as if it was a military manoeuvre. The absolute antithesis of point & shoot.

[skyrider]

12 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

I like a resolution. A few of them have been very helpful, stopped smoking (unless fairly inebriated and surrounded by other bad people and even then I mostly manage not to), stopped swearing so much (that one can be a bit hit n miss tbh and I do find it a useful tool for filtering out prigs before they get too close), decided to stop being late cos it makes for a stressful journey and it annoys other people (that one has been good) and the best year was the one when I went through all of my friends and acquaintances and anyone who’s company I found unpleasant, annoying or too time consuming I ditched. Shockingly that move left very few standing, best thing I ever did. 

go for quality rather than quantity eh