So... I'm In San Francisco

Yeah. Title says it all, really. I didn't explain in my last post that one of the things that cheered me up on Friday was the decision very late Thursday night, after the disastrous work day, to fly out to the SF office for a week. I used frequent flier miles, I was so desperate to get out here and see my colleagues. So far it's helping; I'll have a better idea of where I'm at when I return to Philly and see if I can keep it together.

Today's actually Work @ Home Wednesday on the Dreamweaver team, so aside from two other colleagues who came in because it's quieter than at home, I'm here by myself. Not that different than working at home as I usually do, except that there's more room to roam around, and it's only the Dreamweaver team that works at home on Wednesdays. I can go visit my friends on the Flex team across the hall if I get lonely. Mostly I'm trying to use the quiet time to do some intensive bug-fixing that's hard to do when I'm in face-to-face meetings all day.

Because my body clock is a little messed up and I don't have the regular schedule I do at home, I've been walking/MUNIing to work in lieu of my normal morning walk at home. I've of course been taking photos while I walk, so my morning walk and about town: san francisco sets have been growing. My plan this morning was to finish up the roll of expired 400MAX that was in the Vivitar on my way in, drop it off at the Walgreens on Townsend for processing, continue on to work, and then pick up the CD and negs at lunchtime.

Sadly, however, it was rather dark when I left the hotel at 7:18am (I checked the time when I realized the streetlights were still on), and the low clouds meant that it hadn't brightened much by 8am. I knew I wouldn't get much, as the Vivitar doesn't seem to do well in low light—something I'd mostly chalked up to the expired film, but without really knowing why. Then Bob said something in the comments on this photo about a pack of expired film not even coming CLOSE to its stated speed rating, and I had an "aha, that's the reason" moment. I wouldn't be surprised to find that the expired 400MAX is more like 100 or 200 at best.

So anyway, as predicted, the shots I took with the Vivitar this morning did not come out. Or rather, I can tell in most of them what I was photographing, but they're otherwise unsalvageable. The ones I took on Saturday at the Beaner's school picnic came out relatively fine (with a couple double-exposures), as did the ones I took here yesterday. The only problem was that the photo guy at Walgreens clipped the black mask out of the frame. It never occurred to me that he'd do that, so I didn't think to specify NO CLIPPING.

doesn't want to leave clock tower evan kicks the ball

I'm now trying to decide whether to put the last roll of expired 400MAX (which I brought with me) into the camera, or whether I should buy a fresh roll to shoot with and compare. I could also test-shoot the camera I bought for the Beaner this morning for $8; it's a film camera, and every time you bring the film to Walgreens for processing, they reload the camera with a fresh roll. I think that'll make more sense to him than the disposable camera I gave him when we went apple picking; he keeps asking me, "where's my camera? you gave me a camera, mommy." He doesn't understand that we exchanged the camera for the prints, and now he won't have to.

Oh, and I also brought the Finepix with me. As much as I love the 10-D, it's quite nice to have only pocket-sized cameras to manage.

leaving for work stand-in for paul
out the window of the MUNI T train commute mini bollards

Posted by Lori in me, me, me and photography and travel at 6:41 PM on October 17, 2007

Comments (4)

Maybe this help to cheer you up: Do you know what National Holiday (ok, it should be a national holiday) is a week from tomorrow?

I'm actually more excited for you than I am for me. That is so sad.

Also, I need a trip to SF as well. Hook me up, yo.

Lori [TypeKey Profile Page]:

Could it be.... National Those Born on October 26th Day??? :-) You, Hillary, and I should get together and Par-TAY!

And I need to get my drivers license renewed. Woo!

Josie [TypeKey Profile Page]:

I'm sorry you're feeling out of sorts! I hate those moments in life - most times, for me, it's my diet that is out of whack. I hope SF rejuvenates you! Oh, and I was counting on not going to class on 10/26 (you know, national holiday and all), but now it looks like I'll have to...bummer!

Lori [TypeKey Profile Page]:

I've no doubt that if I were off sugar now, as I was last year, I'd be coping with the stress better. I'm in the process of getting myself sorted, however. It starts with telling people what you want/need.

Thanks for the support!

Comments

Maybe this help to cheer you up: Do you know what National Holiday (ok, it should be a national holiday) is a week from tomorrow?

I'm actually more excited for you than I am for me. That is so sad.

Also, I need a trip to SF as well. Hook me up, yo.

Posted by: Heather B. at October 18, 2007 10:34 AM

Could it be.... National Those Born on October 26th Day??? :-) You, Hillary, and I should get together and Par-TAY!

And I need to get my drivers license renewed. Woo!

Posted by: Lori [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 18, 2007 1:29 PM

I'm sorry you're feeling out of sorts! I hate those moments in life - most times, for me, it's my diet that is out of whack. I hope SF rejuvenates you! Oh, and I was counting on not going to class on 10/26 (you know, national holiday and all), but now it looks like I'll have to...bummer!

Posted by: Josie [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 18, 2007 4:19 PM

I've no doubt that if I were off sugar now, as I was last year, I'd be coping with the stress better. I'm in the process of getting myself sorted, however. It starts with telling people what you want/need.

Thanks for the support!

Posted by: Lori [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 18, 2007 9:56 PM

Comments are now closed.