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The One in Which Slices of Time Beget Nine

When you write a weekly journal, life imitates art. All of a sudden, all you do adheres to a theme. This week’s theme is getting stuff done in slices of time. Examples. Working on my Five Pillars of IT Peace of Mind while on hold. Writing The Courage Run before braving the world on Saturday morning. Solving a mystery in Eagle Rock with a tech in Georgia (the Republic), who I found through a colleague in Orlando.

The new kit is almost complete. Two identical camera bodies so I don't have to remember even slightly different menus or button positions. A 24-70 and a 70-200 for events. A fast 35 for day to day. Wireless triggers for flash. I tested the flash on Joe the Cat last night. He was unimpressed, of course, but wow, the triggers are flawless and look super cool: black, round, and tiny. Rechargeable!

The guy who bought my beloved Monochrom reached out. He wanted the original sales receipt. The damn thing worked great for a few days, then developed a system error and won't boot. He sold his first Monochrom and regretted it. Doesn't want me to buy this one back.

Regret nothing. Don't look back. Course correct if you have to. Take the leap. Didn't look first? Oops.

There is nothing in this world like a Leica. The build quality, the simplicity. The history. Once you've been a part of that world, do you ever leave? I'm shipping out one last lens today. I still have a few bits and pieces, like boxes and bags. They're not in the way of anything. And of course there’s the Leica Gallery and all the friends I've made who are Leica shooters. I wonder if they'll think of me differently.

The Nikons bring a different passion out of me. They're workhorses, extremely capable and easier to use in fast moving situations. They're the right tool for the job at hand. They're fun. They make me feel like a working pro.

I used to be the guy Hugh Brownstone referred to as “for whom the M tolls,” the M being Leica’s classic, all manual rangefinder. No automatic anything. Am I still that guy? Not so sure! I'm also drawn towards medium format, with the crazy colors and gorgeous detail. But that M? Wow. Pure photography you have to slow down for.

You see, just like humans, cameras do best when they don’t try to do it all. And we certainly shouldn't try to do it all at once. Find those slices of time and squeeze in something you need to do. And use the right tool to do it.

Romeo’s Theme

Since we’re on the topic of themes, what’s the first song that pops into your head when I shout the word “theme!” at you? Besides the one I planted in your brain? Oh. It’s not Romeo’s Theme, it’s Romeo’s Tune. Or did it get renamed somewhere along the highway of history, from when Steve Forbert first performed it in ‘79 to when Keith Urban did his version? I’m sure I’ve added it to at least one previous playlist, but I don’t know when or where. So we’ll spin it up again and see where it goes.

Bobby Ogdin, a Nashville session musician best known for his work with Elvis Presley, performed the memorable piano work that's central to the song. The original album sleeve declared that “Romeo's Tune” was dedicated to the memory of the late Florence Ballard, a founding member of The Supremes.