On HVAC and photography
Some updates about recent matters:
1. About a week and a half ago, our central AC unit failed. Earlier this season, while dealing with a minor repair to Mom's AC unit, we discovered a reputable repair service we could trust, as opposed to our former one. The new service found that in addition to the AC repair, the exterior electrical disconnect box really needed replacement, and that the former repair service had screwed up the installation of our furnace on multiple levels (it's a long story, believe me). So we had this new service definitively fix everything. Doing this cost us a few thousand dollars, but we should be in good shape for decades to come. Some of the existing work had probably not been updated since the house was built. Now everything is so much more efficient, as they also replaced the old paper and fiberglass duct insulation as well. We'll see over the coming months how sharply our usage dips, but already it seems the unit isn't kicking on as often, and the airflow is sufficiently greater as to cause the metal return grates to "sing."
2. So, Memphis' last photo store is no more, after being a family business for 109 years. I honestly don't see how they stayed in business, but I'm not going to openly question their business decisions or suggest how they might have done things differently. That's not my prerogative. I visited them a few times over the last couple of weeks and cleaned them out of what I felt I could use that was still within my budget somewhat. Some of the highlights included two Leica MR shoemount meters (one of which I've just paid a bundle to have refurbished, as it matches my M3); their film changing darkbox; a densitometer; their film sleeving machine; some Kodak, Nikon, and Leica signs, books, and other "swag"; and one of their tables, which is just the right size for my mat cutter.
3. I'm still available for customers who need developing and scanning: 35mm, medium format, or 4x5; B&W or C-41 (no E-6). I've just started playing last week with some Kodak Vision 500T motion picture film I bought from a local photo buddy. It worked out rather well, except much more blue (from the tungsten balance) than I thought it would be. So I have the requisite correction filter on order already and I'll see what that yields.
1. About a week and a half ago, our central AC unit failed. Earlier this season, while dealing with a minor repair to Mom's AC unit, we discovered a reputable repair service we could trust, as opposed to our former one. The new service found that in addition to the AC repair, the exterior electrical disconnect box really needed replacement, and that the former repair service had screwed up the installation of our furnace on multiple levels (it's a long story, believe me). So we had this new service definitively fix everything. Doing this cost us a few thousand dollars, but we should be in good shape for decades to come. Some of the existing work had probably not been updated since the house was built. Now everything is so much more efficient, as they also replaced the old paper and fiberglass duct insulation as well. We'll see over the coming months how sharply our usage dips, but already it seems the unit isn't kicking on as often, and the airflow is sufficiently greater as to cause the metal return grates to "sing."
2. So, Memphis' last photo store is no more, after being a family business for 109 years. I honestly don't see how they stayed in business, but I'm not going to openly question their business decisions or suggest how they might have done things differently. That's not my prerogative. I visited them a few times over the last couple of weeks and cleaned them out of what I felt I could use that was still within my budget somewhat. Some of the highlights included two Leica MR shoemount meters (one of which I've just paid a bundle to have refurbished, as it matches my M3); their film changing darkbox; a densitometer; their film sleeving machine; some Kodak, Nikon, and Leica signs, books, and other "swag"; and one of their tables, which is just the right size for my mat cutter.
3. I'm still available for customers who need developing and scanning: 35mm, medium format, or 4x5; B&W or C-41 (no E-6). I've just started playing last week with some Kodak Vision 500T motion picture film I bought from a local photo buddy. It worked out rather well, except much more blue (from the tungsten balance) than I thought it would be. So I have the requisite correction filter on order already and I'll see what that yields.