September 1, 2004

• 

  
  

  The first camera I ever owned was one of those Kodak cheapies which took 110 film, and the processed photos were square 3″x3″. I got a 35mm camera in the 70s, with telephoto and wide angle lenses, but hardly used the sucker. In 1987 I bought my first videocamera, and for many years my “photos” were simply stills from the videocamera. VHS stills are pretty atrocious. The purchase of the JVC digital videocamera in 1998 saw many videos made “around town” and it is the JVC I took with me on vacation in Nantucket, and New Mexico in search of love which first presented itself on the internet. The photos below are still pictures “captured” on memory stick from old digital video tapes.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Marilyn Monroe: capture from computer website.	Marilyn Monroe: capture from computer website.
  Camelia Blossom: Huntington Library: JVC Digital cam 2002	Azalea blossoms: Huntington Library: JVC Digital cam 2002

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Calico Schoolhouse: JVC Digital cam 2002	Camelia Blossom: Huntington Library: JVC Digital cam 2002
  Malcolm the cat:Going outside in a bit: JVC digital cam 2002	Yours truly lit only by the light from the videocamera, which is reflected in my puter screen. 2002

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  	Huntington Library Art Gallery: JVC Digital cam 2002	Huntington Library Art Gallery: JVC Digital cam 2002
  DIGITAL CAPTURES Sometimes I like to go through my early (1998-2002) digital tapes and take a few still captures as photos. The resolution is 640×480 and although the images are certainly not as nice as the 1 Megapixel images I get from the Sony DCR-PC105, they do come out rather nice viewing on a computer screen. These 10images were “snapped” as stills from video footage recorded on DV mini digital tape. In December 1998, when I first got the JVC (the size of which seems like a monster now sitting next to the Sony) hardly anyone I knew had any idea what a digital videocamera was. People were astounded by the size of the tape, which is about 2″x1″x1/2″. Although the cassette holds the images, just like VHS, these images are recorded digitally, so there is no loss of resolution. Hope you enjoy these latest images from the camera of MikeVideo. I took the images of Marilyn for part of the Cultural Blender website, but forgot I took them, until I viewed the tape from which I culled these images. By the way, you should be able to view the full size images by clicking on the thumbnails above. All these images (and lots and lots more) are featured in the “Potpourri” folder on my Webshots Gallery part of the AllThingsMike universe. This post was supposed to be a “catchall” post, and I’ve now spent over two hours tweaking the HTML before putting the dang thing online.

  
  

  A few Tidbits, news, and notes: My Health. After a bout with a pinched nerve that almost kept me bedridden for a half of the week before, my arm and shoulder are finally getting a little better. I’m practicing my own “physical therapy” with stress balls, and free exercise, and although there is still no feeling in most of my left hand, the incredible pain has pretty much gone away. I still don’t have a lot of “muscle” or “grip” in my left hand. Like, for instance, when I pull my wallet out of my back pocket, or write with a pen (I’m left handed) I’m pretty weak. With time, the strength will come back. Thanks to everyone who wished me well. (Note to myself: Stop drinking so much. I’ve gained back 10 pounds really quickly because of the God Alcohol. It’s almost 10pm, and I didn’t drink tonight. I didn’t drink on Monday either, but last night I socked away five beers in a row. Those Coronas taste so good, but I know this isn’t good for me! ) My finances. Still suck. But I went into Hollywood Video today, and didn’t buy any more previously viewed tapes. I’m still overdrawn at the bank, and the overdraft protection account is growing larger. I think I might take another 401k loan out, just to get some of the credit card debt down. I’m not spending as freely as I have done in the past, and really want to get myself out from under this burden. My Car: I’m parking it across the street from the housing “project” because no kids scratch it over there. I pull it into the driveway once or twice a week so none of the neighbors starts taking it for granted they can “steal my space”. But everytime I do, some kid (and I never see the kids doing the damage) gets his greasy hands all over it, or another scratch shows up. I wish some automaker would get the message and begin making a convertible hybrid car. I’d buy one! Gas is “down” to $2.07 a gallon.

  
  

  I’ve been reading some rather bleak Xangas about people who are lonely and can’t seem to make any connections with “the right people”. This makes me sad. I want so much to say to everyone that it’ll be all right. I’d like to meet a lot of the people I see blogging on this service. If they’re anything like their “online” alter egos would have me believe there are some rather keen (betcha haven’t heard that word in a while, if ever) folks in this world. Someday none of us will be as lonely as we are now. I’m always willing to “talk” to anyone, older, younger, it doesn’t matter. We’re all in this thing together, trying to make sense of the senseless, trying to get a clue to our mortality and existence.

  
  

  Whether we believe in Jesus, Allah, Zeus, or practice Wicca, Voodoo, or any other sort of ”religion”. Whether we are male, female, or confused. Whether we are alone, or bombarded by too many family members and friends at times, we are here, together, in this wonderful world. I’m open to the possibilities. Are you? Hope you like the pictures. As I gain new readers, and as I travel the roads of the world wide web in search of more readers, I feel happy, special, and remarkably at ease with the world and with my sense of humanity. Sure, a lot of my friends are dead. Sure, I haven’t had sex in four years. Sure, each week goes by faster than the last, and sometimes it all seems useless. But nothing is useless, in the greater scheme of things.

  
  

  When it seems useless, then I look at some of those flowers like the pictures I posted above, or the full moon, like tonight, or the glorious clouds in the sky, and the resistance of existence seems moot, and glory reigns in my psyche again. I find that I’m happy. I’m satisfied, and I’m living that charmed life all over again. I wish each and every one who reads these words happiness and serenity, and to let you know I will listen, learn, and hope, pray, and wish for every one to get their wish in life, and to find peace and happiness. Until next time, folks, I remain,

  
  

  Michael F. Nyiri, poet,philosopher,fool  

  • 11:45 pm
  • 8 Comments