A quick user's guide to the blog.

Sometime in the recent past I put up some images, that I took using the Panasonic fz 1000 camera, here at the blog. Now, as long as I keep the images at 2100 pixels and smaller I don't have to pay anything for the storage, and they upload faster, so I've pretty much settled on making my image files that large for posting. What this usually means is that the pictures are down sampled from 16, 20, 24 and 36 megapixel files to 2 megapixel files. It's inevitable that some information gets lost. But the devastation doesn't stop there. No. The files that mostly started life as glorious raw files, gliding through Adobe products as sleek, fat, RGB tiffs also end up being converted to much more compact Jpegs with harrowing amounts of compression used to stuff them into themselves. Why? Because Jpegs are one of the few file types that Blogger supports.

If you look at the gallery on your big, calibrated, 4k monitor you are seeing image windows that are less than 900 pixels wide. Betcha won't see the same detail you might have if you were sitting next to me as I worked on the full sized files! But, at least you'll have a fighting chance seeing what the images kind of look like if you click on them and go into the "gallery" mode. In that mode you'll see the 2100 pixel (max side) images instead of the even smaller than 900 pixel images.

Here's how it works. I load one image or multiple images into the blog post. When you open the blog post the images are in-line with the (very, very important) copy. If you use your mouse, pen or finger on a touchpad, to click directly on any of the images it will enlarge the image up to the maximum size I've loaded into the system, in a separate window. You'll also see a series of thumbnails across the bottom of your screen. You can either click on the big image in the new window to go to the next image in line or you can click down in the thumbnail strip at the bottom to move to another image. When you get tired of looking at my pictures big (Yes, I know, it sounds improbable...) you can click the little "X" in the top right corner of the separate image window to return to the blog format you already know and love. 

While you are marveling at technology you might also be inclined to click on one of the Amazon.com ads at the bottom in a mad rush to pick up my novel, The Lisbon Portfolio, before it sells out. One click on the ad takes you straight to the hallowed halls of commerce where you are free to spend your hard earned money with abandon. Amazon stockholders will be thrilled. I'll make a small amount for the referral. I'll probably just spend it on coffee or modest red wines...

When you read the blog and/or look at the pictures you may be moved to make a comment or agree with some insightful sociological assessment I've made. You may just want to let me know what a good job I'm doing entertaining you each day. If that's so you can go to the "comments" at the bottom of each post and click the "leave a comment" hyperlink. There you can write all kinds of stuff. Except for stuff that pisses me off because if it pisses me off I will moderate the hell out of it. 

This blog doesn't cost you anything so don't expect much. If you are despondent about the shallow subject matter or the lugubrious and tortured writing style; good luck! Don't expect it to change. 

Hope you are having a great Monday. I need a little challenge so I think I'll try the support phone line at my health insurance company. That should be uplifting....

Hey, I'm thinking about starting a kickstarter campaign to buy one of these systems (but the newer one) and fly to Asia for several months of art photography and meditation. 

I'm thinking I'll need a couple hundred thousand dollars to do it right. 

I certainly don't want to use my own money, right?

So for everyone who contributes more than $10,000

I'll send you a  personalized camera strap. 

I'll be happy if you must send less and if you send any money at all you can lie and say you know me personally and I won't actively contradict you. 

It should be exciting and fun (until someone pokes an eye out).