The Times They Have A-Changed

Posted on August 2, 2016 by mfna

One of the benefits of being single, employed and aging, is that one can pursue pastimes and interests without feeling guilt. As I have posted here, I’ve re-engaged in my photography interest, have enjoyed traveling extensively, and started an interest in the shooting sport.

So, once again, the bug has bitten, and out of the depths and shadows, I’ve begun playing guitar again. I taught myself to play guitar back when I was in high school, after feeling stifled that I had to go to the basement of my parents’ home to practice piano for eight years. I paid my best friend $10 for a beat up old Kay (Sears brand) guitar that had a bit of a warped neck, but it was all I needed to be able to “carry my music around.”

In college, I bought a brand-new 12-string guitar, made by Framus. I was in Germany at the time, so buying a local product was decidedly more cost-effective. Several years later, I traded a co-worker a set of four stereo speakers for a 1957 Gibson ES-225. I still have those guitars.

By my estimation, I played avidly for about 22 years. Then, I broke my left elbow at my daughter’s fourth birthday party (that’s another story), and due to having my arm immobilized for several weeks, combined with feeling stagnant, put the guitars away. And left them. For nearly 30 years!

All of a sudden, I’ve pulled them out again. I’ve dusted them off, changed the strings, and even took them to a luthier for some professional adjusting. Thinking I would need to leave them for a bit, I purchased a new guitar, to be used as a “beater” (I hate that term; perhaps “carry-and-practice” works better). It’s a Taylor, a brand I knew nothing about (FYI: they were founded in 1974 and are now the #1 manufacturer of acoustic guitars in the USA).

Searching for an appropriate “beater” guitar, I came across a site called Sweetwater. Wow! Photographs of the ACTUAL instrument (one can select among inventory), superb customer service and knowledge, and pretty soon, my order was in. Here are some of their photographs of MY guitar, which is scheduled to arrive tomorrow:

The guitar purchase includes a “gig bag,” a soft carry case used to tote it to “gigs.” I may get a hard case, but I want to see how this one works out first.

I’ll post more after it’s arrived. I have a few other surprises in store, too!

45 Years, Give Or Take A Few Months

Posted on May 27, 2016 by mfna

In the summer of 1971, between my freshmen and sophomore years of college, three friends of mine and I took the summer to make a looping trip through the countries of western Europe. I was attending the University of Maryland, Munich Campus at the time, which was central to our trip, and the starting and endpoint of it.

One of the first cities we visited was Copenhagen, Denmark. To this day, I still feel this is one of the nicest cities I’ve ever visited, and Denmark itself refers to Copenhagen as “Europe’s Friendliest City.”

Given the opportunity to take some vacation travel time, I chose to re-visit Copenhagen, and see how it had changed in the 45 years since my last visit.

The wonderful thing about European cities is that the new never replaces the old; it adds to it, enhances it, and sometimes alters it, but centuries-old culture and tradition do not go by the wayside.

https://flic.kr/p/GuqACp

As has been my wont for the past few years, taking photographs is a driving force to my travel-planning decisions. So, I packed my (recently repaired) Nikon and its assorted lenses and off I went.

Walking from the central train station to my hotel (a walk of about two city blocks), my first sight of the hotel nearly filled me with dismay: McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Hard Rock Cafe and 7-Eleven were all situated next to the place I was going to call home for the next week.

https://flic.kr/p/HgpYn7

However, my dismay was quickly dismissed, as I soon found out the hotel was 100% Danish, and that I was under no obligation to eat, or even look at, the Americana that abounded.

The week was spent walking and riding (a bicycle as well as buses) around the city. The original weather forecast called for cloudy, rainy weather, but I was delighted that the entire week was partly sunny with temperatures in the mid-60s. Perfect weather for sightseeing and photographing!

Herewith are some of the photos. Of course, no trip to Copenhagen is complete without a visit to the famour Little Mermaid statue, so that’s up first.

https://flic.kr/p/Guqp4T

Other scenes are noteworthy: Tivoli Gardens, Rosenborg Castle, Christianborg Castle, Christiania, Nyhaven, and more.

https://flic.kr/p/HmUAJU

https://flic.kr/p/GCcSGN

https://flic.kr/p/HgpUCy

https://flic.kr/p/GuqrmD

https://flic.kr/p/HgpVvW

As I go through my photos, I may upload more. This is just a teaser: Copenhagen today is every bit a nice and friendly as it was 45 years ago!

The Armory

Posted on February 4, 2016 by mfna

I don’t profess to be a Constitutional scholar, but I do proclaim to be a Constitutional adherent. This means that I believe the Constitution is and was the document that described how the United States of America should be governed; that neither the Constitution nor the government grants rights to the people, but rather enumerates the rights bestowed upon man by God, and limits the government’s ability to restrict or revoke them.

Thus, I believe the Second Amendment was presented in that order to demonstrate that the First Amendment’s protections of free speech, free assembly and the free exercise of religion was backed up by the force of arms, should the government ever become tyrannical. To that end, I am part of a “well regulated militia.” As a gun owner, I attend classes, train regularly, clean and inspect my firearms, and do not break the law or behave in a manner that would draw attention or disdain.

Much of the reason that I behave the way I do is because owning and carrying a gun is a tremendous responsibility. Because I have the means to defend myself with deadly force, and understand the repercussions of doing so, I prefer to avoid confrontations or situations where I would have to use my gun. Pulling a gun is the very last resort; it means that I am in a position of having to defend myself or someone else from lethal harm with no other recourse.

Years ago, the very idea of carrying a concealed weapon was so far from my mind that I would have rebelled at the thought. That was before the growing incidences of “active shooter” reports and the shadow war that is being waged against fundamentalist terrorists. Knowing that the police are not legally obligated to protect anyone (see Warren v. District of Columbia, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. Ct. of Ap., 1981)), it becomes clear that the Constitution affirms a person’s right to defend himself.

Thus, I am now a gun owner. In fact, I find I really enjoy going to the range and learning how to shoot. I’ve started a small collection of guns, and appreciate their mechanical engineering and their aesthetics. Here then, are some photos (incorporating one of my other interests) of my weapons.

Sig Sauer P938 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol

My first gun. A Sig Sauer P938. This is a subcompact 9mm (caliber) semi-automatic pistol that is modeled after the Browning M1911 that was the standard issue sidearm of the U. S. Armed Forces from its introduction in 1911 (hence its name) to 1986. The 1911 is still favored by a large number of gun owners today.

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro C.O.R.E.

Next, is a Smith & Wesson M&P (designated for “Military and Police”) 9mm Pro Competition Optics Ready Equipment (C.O.R.E.) . This is a full-sized handgun, and on it I’ve mounted what is known as a “red dot” sight. The sight adds a bright red dot that lines up with the gun’s sights and lets the shooter focus on the target quickly and accurately. Red dot sights are becoming the standard in competition shooting.

Springfield Armory XD-S .45 ACP 3.3″

Wanting to go to a larger caliber, yet stay in the compact (i.e., carry-able) size, I added a Springfield Armory XD-S subcompact pistol in .45 ACP. With a 3.3″ barrel, this little handgun can pack a terrific punch!

Physics would suggest a .45 caliber round would produce too much recoil for a weapon this size to handle, but I’m happy to report Springfield has managed to make this a very “shootable” gun!

Here are some group shots.

Trio of Pistols

The trio posing together.

Second Amendment

Not “Tacticool,” Part 2

Posted on February 3, 2016 by mfna

I titled yesterday’s post “Not Tacticool” and then didn’t explain why. Here’s why:

“Tactical” is word that appears on just about every web site and in every magazine dedicated to the shooting sport. Tactical gear is recognized by the plethora of pockets, zippers, tabs, loops, buckles, snaps, compartments, and the like. Take for example, the 5.11 Stryke Pants. Whatever one’s opinion of the fashion statement, there is no mistaking these pants for upscale, casual khakis. And thus is born the concept of “tacticool.”

There are some (okay, perhaps a lot) folks who are so into the gun culture that they adorn themselves with tactical pants, tactical shirts, tactical belts, tactical boots, etc. They equip themselves with pocket knives, flashlights, concealed-carry holsters, extra magazine carriers, and enough gadgetry to make Batman envious.

But here’s the rub: These “tacticool” people are so obvious by how they dress, that if there were ever an active shooter situation, of the kind we’ve heard and read about so much lately, these folks stand out as if they’d painted a target on themselves. A target that says, “hey, look at me – I’ve got a concealed handgun. You’d best shoot me first!”

The truth is, for me, that I’m a jeans-and-tshirt kind of guy. I don’t want to go “tacticool” and look so out of sorts everywhere I go. That’s why I’m being “not tacticool.”

Not “Tacticool”

Posted on February 3, 2016 by mfna

It’s been a while since I posted anything here, so this is an attempt to make up for the lack.

First, at the end of December, I “officially” retired from running. The struggle I’ve had over the past several years with knee and hip issues finally led me to realize that I no longer had the wherewithal to put on the shoes and grind out 100 miles a month in pursuit of a thinner waistline and more ribbons and medals that I’m not even displaying anymore, anyway. Not that I’ve stopped running (although the winter weather has halted things for now), but I’m not going to approach it with the same dedication I’ve had for the past 25 years.

Not content with being a couch potato, I’ve actually found a new interest that’s attracting a lot of my time: Shooting. More specifically, handgun target shooting.

Introduced to the sport by my son-in-law and daughter, who both own guns and shoot, and learning I have a five-star range halfway between home and work, the fit seems perfect! Since my first foray at the range last November, I’ve taken a number of courses, purchased several handguns, and have applied for a concealed handgun permit (CHP).

Why this last? As odd as the answer may seem, it’s not to be a swaggering, gun-toting macho man. The simple answer is that I want to be legal. Here’s the oddity: Virginia is an “open carry” state. That means anyone, without needing a permit, is free to strap on a holster and carry a gun openly, except in certain prohibited areas (schools, government buildings, etc.). However, if one’s open carry gun somehow becomes obstructed from view (say, by putting on a jacket and thus covering the gun), one is breaking the law without a required permit. So, since I have to carry a gun between my home and the range, I decided a CCW (concealed carry weapon) permit would make me legal.

Owning guns is a responsibility second only to raising kids, in my opinion. I’ve taken safety courses, and practice, practice, practice. I take to heart the cardinal rules of guns:

Every gun is always loaded. Never assume a gun is unloaded, or believe someone who says it is. Never. Always clear a gun before you handle it.
Keep your finger off the trigger. A gun will not discharge if the trigger isn’t pulled. So only place your finger on the trigger when you’re ready to pull it. This is known colloquially as “keeping the booger hook off the bang switch.”
Never point a gun at something you don’t want to destroy/kill. Not in jest, not by accident, not even with an empty gun.
Know your target and its environment. This means not only being sure of what you’re shooting at, but also being aware of what’s behind it and in front of it.
Keep the mechanical safety engaged until you’re ready to shoot. Not every gun has a mechanical safety, but if it does, use it!

I’ll post more here shortly. With some severe winter weather, I’ve found myself indoors a lot, so I pulled out my other “shooter” and have taken a number of photos I’ll share with you.

Recognition? Or Robbery?

Posted on September 3, 2015 by mfna

I received an unsolicited email this morning that, due to filtering on my email account, went into the “junk mail” folder. The only reason I was even aware of it, was that when I went to empty the folder’s contents, I saw the subject line: “Still Time to RSVP – Running From Office Book Signing and Panel Discussion.”

Excuse me? I never wrote a book.

But two women, affiliated with the American University’s Women & Politics Institute School of Public Affairs did.

NOT my book – Running From Office

I won’t claim “prior art,” but I will state for the record that this site’s name predates the publication of the book, which is published by Oxford University Press and is copyright 2015 (link to Amazon here). I will also state for the record that I have no interest, commercial or otherwise, in either the book, the authors, or the school.

My intent in posting this “disclaimer” is that if you found this site through an online search for “Running From Office,” and you were looking for information on the book, thanks, but you’ve landed on the wrong page. On the other hand, if you’re looking for personal observations on running, technology, photography and general philosophy from a snarky, opinionated, aging geek, then welcome – this may be the site for you!

Photo Resources

Posted on July 22, 2015 by mfna

The Internet can be a wonderful thing. Oh sure, there’s a lot of spam, malware and general lameness online, but I’m awed by how much it has added to my personal wealth of knowledge!

When I returned to photography after what now seems a millennium, the entire field of digital photography baffled me. After realizing that basic concepts about light, composition, depth of field and so on, still held, the how was still a bit of a mystery.

Enter the Internet. There are videos galore on YouTube and Vimeo. A plethora of web sites, both professional and amateur, exist to lend guidance, support and inspiration.

Here then, is a brief list of web sites I find useful for a wide range of photographic information:

Photography Life – one of the first sites I found. It covers reviews, tips, news, and more.
Digital Photography School. As the name suggests, mostly tutorials and tips.
Picture Correct. Techniques and tips. There’s always an annoying pop-up when you first visit, but dismiss it and enter the site.
iPhotography, an online (for pay) course in digital photography.
ON1 Tutorials. ON1 makes the nifty Perfect Photo Suite of photo processing software, but these tutorials are free for all (with an emphasis on PPS, of course).
Light Stalking. Tips, downloadable tutorials, more.
Camera Labs. Camera and lens reviews.
Digital Photography Review. Camera and lens reviews. Very popular.
Snapsort, compare cameras (features, prices, capabilities).
Ken Rockwell, a professional photographer reviews and opines.
Photzy – sign up and receive a “digital locker” where you can download and store free (and paid) content.

And of what value would these sites be without a place to store and view our photos? Here are some sites and programs I use:

Dropbox. A free account (which includes photo syncing) of about 5Gb. Pay for more.
Copy. Like DropBox, with a 20Gb account.
Flickr. Owned by Yahoo! Gives you 1 terabyte of storage and an online photo editor.
PictureLife. Much like Flickr. Maybe some developers left and started this? You gain space by referring others. Contact me. 🙂
Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Yes, you’ll need to be a subscriber, but at US $9.99/month for full, current versions of PhotoShop and Lightroom, this is a pretty sweet deal: 1 TB for your creative efforts.

There are many, many more. I may revise this list from time to time, or add another. For now, this is a quick “bookmark” for ones I use frequently.

gEeeking Away…

Posted on July 6, 2015 by mfna

It must have been nearly six years ago that the “netbook” craze came into vogue. This was before the iPad and tablet computing. As one who travels frequently, I bought into the craze, looking for something lightweight but powerful enough to carry with me and allow me to check email, browse the web, review work, and generally keep me online.

So I bought an Asus Eee PC 900A.

Asus Eee PC 900A

Admittedly, it was underwhelming. Powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270, 1 GB RAM and a meager 4 GB SSD, it was plain from the beginning that this machine wasn’t going to replace even a bulky laptop in the long run.

It ran a custom version of Ubuntu Linux called Eeebuntu. At the time, it was a serviceable OS on a miniaturized laptop. The keys were tiny (even for someone whose fingers aren’t that large to begin with), but everything worked.

Then the death knell began to toll. The first sign of the end was that Eeebuntu was discontinued. Well, there was an attempt to evolve it into something called Aurora OS, but to my knowledge, a finished product (even an alpha or beta) never saw the light of day.

As tablets came into prominence, I relegated the Eee PC to storage.

About eight months ago I came across this little machine while I was renovating my home office. After doing some research on DistroWatch and other sites, and having a plethora of USB sticks, I decided to use the thing as a ‘sandbox’ to try out light, nimble Linux OSes.

By this time, even most Linux distros had become large (bloated, some might say?) and would not install on the meager 4 GB internal drive. Fortunately, I came across Puppy Linux. It was perfect! It installed entirely on the internal SSD (Asus included 3 USB ports and a SDHC card reader for additional storage). It was loaded with utilities, links, and features. However, it was not without bugs: many windows would not size to the somewhat abnormal screen dimensions (1024 x 600), and while useful, some of the programs and utilities were just downright ugly! Help was also confusing. So, while I used Puppy for a while, I always felt there must be something “better.”

I let things rest to let life get in the way, and just recently returned to this “project.” Once again, I searched and researched. I downloaded numerous 32-bit lightweight Linux distros, such as Lubuntu, Bodhi, LXLE, Mageia. Manjaro and Peppermint OS. None of them quite fit—they either didn’t load, or the interface just wasn’t to my liking. Finally, I came across Simplicity Linux, which is a Puppy derivative. What makes Simplicity Linux appealing to me is that

It’s currently being developed and supported (Puppy’s original creator discontinued work on it)
It has an interface I like. In some ways, it’s Mac-like, in that it has a configurable “dock” on the screen that contains shortcuts to frequently used programs.

The version I’ve been using is a beta: 15.7. As such, there are still some rough edges and bugs. But it too, installs on the internal SSD, loads into RAM (for faster execution), and may just keep my Eee PC alive for a while longer!

An Uncritical Look At The Apple Watch

Posted on June 8, 2015 by mfna

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for quality timepieces. When LED watches first came out, I bought a Pulsar, and then several other “multi-function” watches. As I matured, gimmickry gave way to elegance, and I moved to Cartier, Movado, and Omega.

More recently, I’ve gone more to the sport watches, including several iterations of Garmin’s GPS watches, which I use to track my running activities.

But, as an Apple aficionado, when the folks at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino announced they were releasing a watch, I was fascintated.

At first, I said to myself, “No, I’m not interested in another watch. Even if it comes from Apple.” Then I convinced myself that I would wait to see how the one-dot-oh release fared with the early adopters.

Yet, I found myself at midnight on April 10 on the Apple web site, curious as to how the “pre-order” process was going to work. After minutes ticked by, I realized that “midnight” meant Pacific time — a full three hours later my time. No way I was going to stay up. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Somehow, for reasons I can’t explain, I found myself waking up in the pitch dark (I was staying at my daughter’s home at the time — that’s another story, for another time). Fumbling for some light, I tapped my computer keyboard, and up sprang Apple’s pre-order web site. Curious, I selected a watch (38mm stainless) and a strap (leather classic buckle) and hit the “order” button. Wow! Order accepted.

I thought nothing of it until later that morning. I heard on the news that pre-orders for the watch had sold out in something like 15 minutes. I guess the combination I ordered didn’t sell out as quickly, as I was a good hour “late to the party” as they say.

Nonetheless, my watch arrived on April 24, as promised. Good thing, too, as I was heading out on vacation the following day (I’ll post something about my vacation later). The first “test” of my watch came as I used it to have my airline boarding pass scanned (passed!). I also used the Map application in conjunction with the watch to help me find destinations I had never before visited.

To cut to the chase: An article I read spoke about the value of the Apple Watch is in “glances.” There is no point to having a full-blown app that you navigate on a tiny screen. What makes the Apple Watch valuable (for me) is that I can pick up data (message, news headline, map instructions, etc.) through a quick glance at the watch, which doesn’t require me opening an app and pointing, clicking, swiping and otherwise getting distracted.

I’m not always an early adopter, but at this point (which, ironically, is on the same day Apple has announced WatchOS 2.0) I’m very pleased with my choice.

(Postscript: I have since added two more bands to my watch. My experience has shown me that during hot and humid days, my perspiration causes a lot of wear on leather straps. Since bands are easily interchangeable, I added a Sport Band and a Milanese Loop. I keep the leather band stashed away for “dress” occasions!)

Traveling Man

Posted on February 13, 2015 by mfna

The late Rick Nelson once sang about being a traveling man:

I’m a travelin’ man who made a lot of stops
All over the world.
And in every port I owned a heart
Of at least one lovely girl.

Well, except for the lovely girl in every port, I can certainly relate. I grew up in a traveling family, and the bug to move around has remained with me.

Realizing I haven’t updated this site in months, and that I’ve been doing a lot of traveling of late, I figured a short post ought to keep the site from growing too many cobwebs.

In fact, I think I’ll add another post after this one, to describe what I’ve been doing in the world of photography. But, that’s for later.

It’s only February, and already this year I’ve traveled to San Francisco, Boston, and Denver.

View of Denver Train Station Terminal

This weekend I’ll be headed to Florida. And, because I’ve found that I almost have to take a vacation, I’ve booked a trip to Hawaii in April. Will I find myself somewhere new in March? Time will tell.

Sadly, I haven’t been able to photograph as much as I’d like. I thought the trip to Boston might yield some good shots, but I wound up arriving just before the first (of many) blizzards hit New England, and forced me to remain largely indoors. I caught a cold just as I was leaving for Denver, and by the second day there, just didn’t feel up to exploring. The Rockies will have to wait for me another day.

It looks wet, but it’s not. I call it “Spilled Milk.”

I almost expect that I won’t get many shots in Florida, although my camera will be with most. At least most of the time.

Stay tuned.

Running FROM Office

everyone is entitled to my opinion

Author Archives: mfna