You might think it’s not the same as printing in a darkroom, but it is in that they are both tactile experiences, compared to the digital version. They require a certain technical skill quite different from tapping at a keyboard. If you’ve ever been in a darkroom, you know there’s something a bit magical about first watching an image develop from nothing in a pan of chemicals under a red light. If you’ve ever cleared a developed print in stop bath, you know there’s a certain “stickiness” to the texture of the paper that tells you the developer is fully neutralized (or lacking it, that your stop bath is exhausted). And, yes, if you’ve spent much time in the darkroom, you probably feel that tongs are preferred, but there simply are times your fingers have to dip in the chemistry. Like I said, it’s a tactile experience.

- Reid Stott

I jettisoned my enlargers, my trays, my canisters, my tongs, my chemicals, my red lights — long ago; before this marriage, even. But they were ditched only in the firm knowledge that they could always be replaced and I could spend days inside the atmospheric chemical soup making my crappy dodged and burnt pictures show up on paper in my hand. I despair, though, that I will never, ever set up the bathroom darkroom again. Something inside me balks, severely, at that. Thus proving that I am so far over the hill as to be a speck in the distance.

Man, what’s next up for making me obsolete? The only thing I can think of would be Marlboros. Or boots.. Hopefully, pickups will hang on for a while longer.

One of two things has happened here: Either

1. I took three pounds of pecan-smoked pulled pork back to Dallas last weekend, and haven’t laid eyes on it since then (nor have I eaten it)
2. My brother and the family stray came over to the deer camp cabin, raided the refrigerator, ate three pounds of pecan-smoked pulled pork, and have not returned the Tupperware yet.

It is certainly possible that an armadillo snuck in here and dragged the container to his hole and is enjoying my pecan-smoked pulled pork as I type. Or perhaps I only dreamed that I left three pounds of pecan-smoked pulled pork in the refrigerator of my eensy rock cabin. Potentially, I had an out-of-body experience and gifted my brother and the stray with three pounds of pecan-smoked pulled pork and just plumb don’t remember it.

But the bottom line is that I no longer have three pounds of pecan-smoked pulled pork in the refrigerator that resides in my deer-camp cabin, which I was counting on for having a nice Miracle Whip/Stubb’s sandwich this evening, and now I’m forced to eat moldy cheese and random Oreos. I could have stopped at the Sonic for a couple of foot-longs, had I been aware of this deficiency earlier. The bottom line, though, is the bottom line. Mold only grows on the outside of cheese, and Oreos are pretty good food. Still and all, the Tupperware will tell the tale. I can’t wait to see where it turns up. Dallas, or sneaking over here in a tub full of other dishes from the locals.

Of course, as always, I have a plan (I made it to Star Scout before being distracted by the distaff side of the house). I have another 5 lb. frozen block of pecan-smoked piggie that only needs thawing and warming before it becomes a 3 lb. Tupperware container of genuine pecan-smoked pulled pork. And all will be right again in the Land of The Fat Guy.

If there is one (1) of my readers who can empathize with my little web buddy Francis, I will buy you a cigar and a shot. First, decode this: RDMA FibreChannel driver in my comments to begin the qualification process.

The man is a saint, friends. Politics and morals and ethics are, shall we say, a piece of cake, compared to that scenario. Alpha Geek, my behind…that’s some false modesty from The Curmudgeon.

“I sucked out on him in a big pot. I’m embarassed,” TJ said to his wife on his cell phone a minute after he won.

Yay, old dudes!

More good backstory from FlipChip, too…

Two masters, exchanging tips

Quick note for you, if you’re following the China discussion: The Myth of China Rising

I’m still interested in getting my arms around the China question, but you know…work, life, sleep. Why doesn’t someone give me a $1,000,000 Hayseed Grant to sit around and read all this important globo-politico stuff and report back what it means to the regular dude & dudette? I’ve got PayPal if you want to drop it in there…

From my long-lost, recently-resurfaced, cricket-loving pal Garth down in Oz…