The Coffee House

[Gary A.]

Buenos Dias Coffee Hosers. 61F right now, should top out at 75F today. I think Leo is sleep keyboarding. Yesterday, The Cook and I went to the Pet Store and picked up two more Koi for the pond. Now that Kujo-Jaws is out of the pond, the occupants seem much more relaxed. I'm likin' the improved waterfall, sounds more soothing, less splash. I'm doing some serious thinking about starting my own coffee house ... a fer-reals 3-D one ... coffees, teas, beers and wines.

DO IT!
You should name it for us--TPF Hosers House of Coffee. AND, you can feature OUR photos on the walls. I mean, pictures we've taken, NOT pictures OF us. Don't wanna do that to anyone before they've even had a good dose of caffeine. Or liquor.

LOL ... Maybe a TPF table. You guys can all have chairs/stools with your names on them.

 

[Gary A.]

You women with all your headaches ... maybe you females really do get headaches ... and all this time I thought it was just me ...

 

[limr]

I was in an enlisted man's club on a base. There was a sergeant I knew at the end of the bar standing up, eyes open with one hand grasping a beer. I grab a beer and mosey down to chat. But his eyes were vacant and his responses were slow and seemed to come from somewhere else ... a different time-zone or dimension. It was all rather spooky. The next day I asked about it ... he just laughed and said he was asleep ... and he does that all the time, weird.

Mine wasn't that obvious.

My first job out of grad school was at a language school on the Upper West Side. I taught two 2-hour classes back to back from 6pm-10pm on M-Th and one 4-hour class on Sunday from 10-2. Weekdays, I took the 4pm train to Grand Central and came home on the 11:03 express that got into my station exactly an hour later. For the Sunday class, I had to take the 8am train.

Shortly afterwards, I got a class at the college that I'm teaching at now. It was an all-day Saturday ESL program. I technically had two separate classes - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I was teaching from 9-3:30 with a 45-minute break.

After the first evening session was over at the language school, I quit because it was a horrible job, though I did still have Sunday classes, and for some reason I'd agreed to do a second Sunday session. I also was going to start evening classes at the college. And I started waitressing. So at one point, I was teaching M-Th evenings 6-9:30, waitressing Friday and Saturday, 5-11, and teaching on Sunday 10-2.

One Sunday, I was standing at the front of the classroom, writing something on the board. Suddenly, I woke up with a start to see words on the board I didn't remember writing (there's that secret talent again!) Luckily it was only for a couple of seconds and I was facing away from the class.

 

[minicoop1985]

Ugh, my glasses were stretched beyond repair. Had to get new ones. I liked the old ones more, I think.

Why does one stretch glasses? One wears glasses, perched upon ears and nose ... glasses are not to be stretched.

I have no idea how it happened. Must have been too small for my face.

 

[tirediron]

Ugh, my glasses were stretched beyond repair. Had to get new ones. I liked the old ones more, I think.

Why does one stretch glasses? One wears glasses, perched upon ears and nose ... glasses are not to be stretched.

I have no idea how it happened. Must have been too small for my face.

Washed 'em in hot water again?

 

[limr]

I want new glasses.

I'm also hoping that sometime this year, I can finally see about getting some Invisilign braces.

 

[otherprof]

Hmmmm.

So I've been finding a few plagiarists here and there. Some of the students are a bit more adept at trying to hide their cheating.

Others...well, it's kind of obvious when they're copying from Francis Bacon.

Doesn't sound kosher!

 

[limr]

Hmmmm.

So I've been finding a few plagiarists here and there. Some of the students are a bit more adept at trying to hide their cheating.

Others...well, it's kind of obvious when they're copying from Francis Bacon.

Doesn't sound kosher!

Talked to the student yesterday. It is not the kind of thing that I normally expect from him, and sure enough, he said he didn't realize he needed to quote because he thought anything over 100 years was public domain. And that wasn't a line of bs from him - I can tell when someone is trying too hard, but this guy is not like that. I said yes it was public domain, in the sense that he didn't have to ask permission and he could get his work for free, but he still had to give credit when using a quote. He was very apologetic and asked if he would have a chance to fix it. It was kind of the typical response I'd expect from someone who was sophisticated enough to know he was quoting Francis Bacon but just didn't know how to do it properly.

 

[snowbear]

Good afternoon, peeps.
I'm certainly glad you are still in one piece, Sharon, and the rag top, as well. I hope you get better rest tonight, Leonore. My lovely wife get headaches but they miraculously go away if I leave the apartment! I guess my opening the door brings in some fresh air and that fixes it for her.

Went to pick up the truck from the shop - it is a beautiful day, though we are expecting heavy rain later on. We picked up some plastic eggs so the kitties can have an Easter egg roll.

Well, got to head back out in a few and pick up a couple of picture frames. Groceries are just about put away.

Later.

 

[limr]

Well, if March is going out like a lamb, then that is one pissed off, bada$$, mother-jammin' lamb.

It's not bothering me, of course, but it is certainly an odd thing. And yes, not that clear but that is definitely snow.

 

[Gary A.]

For a different forum-

This is the first report on my hands-on review of the HandleVision, 40mm, f/.85. The lens is designed in Germany and manufactured in China. This review will be coming in pieces as I am extremely underwater with work. But, I want to get this started. Firstly, I'd like to thank B&H for sharing this lens for a review.

Quick Specs:
Fujifilm X Mount
Aperture Range: f/0.85 to f/22
60mm (35mm Equivalent)
For APS-C Image Sensors
Concave Front Lens Element
250° Manual Focus Throw
Ten-Blade Circular Diaphragm
Metal Lens Barrel & Integrated Lens Hood
Minimum Focus Distance: 2.5'
Filter Thread: 67mm

 

[Gary A.]

First impressions:

The lens is a beast.

I am a guy who is more concern with the IQ than camera size. In a different life I used to walk around all day with a pair of 1Ds and a bag full of lenses and not complain ... but the first thing I noticed was the heft. It is heavy, it feels like a solid piece of glass ... or maybe Kryptonite, whichever is heavier.

The HandleVision 40mm, (with rear cap, hood and no filter), at 1156g or 2.55lbs, is heavier than the Fujinon 50-140 which comes in at 1096g or 2.42lbs, (with rear cap, lens hood, tripod ring, filter and AF motor).

I will be comparing the HandleVision 40mm to the Fujinon 35mm ... as those two lenses share a similar focal length ... so I think a comparison is fair. The Fujinon 35mm, f/1.4 weights in at a mere 208g/.46lbs (with rear cap and hood).

The HandleVision 40mm is approx. 5-1/2 inches, with rear cap and the hood retracted (139.7mm).
The Fujinon 35mm is approx. 2-5/8 inches, with rear cap and sans hood (64.8mm).
HandleVision takes a 67mm filter and the Fujinon filter size is 52mm.

The Fujinon's aperture is indexed in 1/3rd stops.
The HandleVision aperture is indexed in full stops.

Equally as important as the specs, I'd like to make this perfectly clear ... I am not the right person to review this lens. This lens is, by my estimates, best used in a studio and should be reviewed by a studio type photographer. As a former photojournalist ... I hate this lens.

 

[Derrel]

Cripes on a cracker--that thing is monstrously sized for a 40mm...I bet the optical performance was the overriding design parameter, because "compactness" was clearly nowhere on the list of parameters! Looking forward to hearing more about this exciting optic! And,well, just wow--f/0.85!!! SMOKING FAST!!!

 

[Gary A.]

This is a Manual Focus lens only. No lens information (as in aperture) is saved in the EXIF. In a studio environment, shooting stationary subjects, it will be slow but quite manageable. Critical focus is best attain wide open then the photog has to manually readjust the aperture to the desired f/stop. This adds significant time when shooting non-stationary subjects. When not using a tripod, keeping the camera to your eye and counting clicks helps retain the focus.

 

[tirediron]

What friggin' monster!!!! What's the sticker price on that beast for us mere mortals who have to pay for our glass? I honestly can't say it looks very appealing; it would have to have IQ out the wazoo for me to even consider it.... looking forward to seeing you put it through it's paces.