Vagabond Jim

 "Asides" will be occasional series; my ramblings on subjects that are dear to me and of importance to the blog but not a destination.   Modern photography is amazing.  The computational stuff has made it VERY easy to get a stunning exposure. Whereas on used to have to think about how and how much light to let hit the film, no one needn't.  All.  The move away from chemicals to pixels made that not just possible but inevitable.  The old trade of was to choose between a fast burst through a wide opening (a small aperture (f-stop)  = large opening) or a long exposure (slow shutter speed). Short exposures with a wide open iris would stop motion - think sports. Tiny apertures with long exposures would create amazing depth of field (how much of the picture is in fine detail, moving along an axis away from the film) - think Ansel Adams.  (And his colleagues in the f/64 club.) Assuming that was done right, there was still room to screw up.  In the dark room.  I never played ther

+ Styptic pencil (nicked an artery shaving - who knew one could? - 5 hours of bleeding.  They have no idea what one is in Quito.) + Kindle (I miss reading.) + Earbuds (long sleepless flights suck.) + Crystal Lite Packets (water is dull.) + Camping utensils (Too many bad plastic utensils in market food courts.) + Better Luggage (travel backpack is a go; sling for daytime wear is better than a small backpack if sans camera gear. 3l may be OK - carrying layers and can serve as 'personal item' aboard flights.)

Quito '23 Across the street from my room.  I laugh several times a day when I look at it. The sign reads: "That which cannot be seen"  Ha!  I want to stop seeing it

I have always had a gimlet eye.  Like Marlowe and Holmes.  Don't like these observations?  Just remember they are offered only as such.  These are not commentary; they are statements of fact.   OK?

02Jun21, Quito (Iñaquito) See that sign in the background?  ...In case you cannot... (Come and create  incredible Selfies, Reels, Tiktoks in SELFIE WORLD...more than 15 cabins.) No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Fuck off "Influencer Society," just fuck off!!!   Go away!  Now!!!  Let people just be OK with themselves again, OK?   Love,  Jim P.S., Credit where credit is due: this was a nice use of "Usted" instead of "tu."

This will be an ongoing post.  I hope it amuses you as much as it does me.  31May23 My Spanish/Castilian is horribly bad.  But funny.  Today I told a pharmacist I needed something to deal with the "bloody and dried monkeys in my nose."  I meant boogers.  Mono = Monkey; Moco = Booger.  Yes, I did know both words a priori ...honestly!  Thankfully, the monkeys have been dealt with.  And the nose specific monkeycide salve with aloe works.  Those were some nasty and crusty monkeys.  I'm glad to be rid of them. I realized this 12 hours after the fact.  No wonder they looked confused. [Added 01Jun23.  Today at breakfast I tried to recount the episode to the manager as we ate breakfast.  I literally said "Yesterday, I 'am telling' the (using the wrong gendered article) pharmacist (horribly mispronounced) ..."  Tenses are a gaping hole...everything is in the present.  Even that gets bungled frequently.] Re the monkeys that fly from my butt, please read: https:

 Mistakes happen.   I make them more often than most.  I acknowledge them when I am aware of them. And, a record of them matters.  So when I make a mistake here: It will be acknowledged. The original post will stand as is. A new post with the new information will be created. Both the corrective post and the original will be noted with a link to the other. Both will also link to this page. Fixing and editing solely for clarity will not be noted.  This is about material facts. if you find a mistake, please let me know so I can correct it. Thanks, Jim