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[Rick Waldroup 217]

I have not been active on this forum in quite a while.  For the better part of 2020, the wife and I have stayed pretty close to home.  With our age and underlying health issues, the Covid virus has hampered our everyday movements.  A trip to the grocery store every now and then and that is about it.  However, I recently started hitting the roads looking for things to shoot.  And one thing that I did during our lockdown was make a firm assessment of my photography gear and the way I shoot and  I made some huge changes.  Sometime in about the middle of summer, I sold very bit of gear I had.  At one point I went a month without owning any type of camera at all.  I  had not gone this long without a camera since I was in high school, a million years ago.

 

I eventually settled on a new camera system.  I am still in the m4/3 world.  I am now shooting two GX9 bodies with only three lenses- the Pana/Leica 15mm 1.7, the 12-60 zoom kit lens, and a Sigma 60mm 2.8 Art lens.  That's it.  The GX9 is one of the best street cameras I have ever owned.  And the three lenses more than cover the kind of stuff I shoot.  

 

I plan to be much more active on the forum in the future.  One day, we will be back to normal.  We just have to hold on....

 

 

The Pink Pug - Granbury, Texas - December 12, 2020

 

 

 

My Back Porch - December 1, 2020

 

 

 

Hwy 580 - Fort Worth, Texas - October 2, 2020

 

 

Kickapoo Car Show - Lipan, Texas - October 16, 2020

 

 

 

 

Better Days -Fort Worth, Texas - February 29, 2020

 

[CarreraS 248]

I just love 'Eat the Rich ' .. 👍😉😊

 

cheers, Maurice

[Dallas 3,160]

Good to have you back, Rick. Great photos too, as always. 

 

I also have that 60mm Sigma. Incredible lens. It makes me wonder about needing to keep the 75/1.8 Olympus, but then I suppose when the lights go down the 1.8 comes out. I really need to do some personal photography again. 

[Rick Waldroup 217]

Thanks for the replies.  Dallas, a couple of years ago, I played with an Olympus 75/1.8 at a local camera store.  I came close to buying it.  I did not, because of the size and the cost.  Great lens, though.  I was really pleased the first time I mounted the Sigma on my camera.  It is extremely sharp, even wide open, and the quality is superb, based on how much it costs.  It is a really nice lens and I use it more than I thought I would, as I am primarily a wide-angle kind of shooter.

[CarreraS 248]

Oh, I meant to say 'Pink Pug' is obviously a tribute to the great Porsche 917 'Pink Pig' Le Mans car - the pink livery was sectioned into named joints of Pork and might have caused the 'Porker' nickname for Porsches in general .. just thought you'd like to know !

 

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/history/917-20-sau-10894.html

 

[Rick Waldroup 217]

Thanks for the video, Maurice.  That was pretty cool.

[rbsinto 440]

Rick,

Glad to see you back and contributing again. Your work always makes me think.

I too have been out of the photo loop for a while now, for a number of reasons, but am hoping to get back into street shooting when things calm down and return to some semblance of normalcy.

Stay safe and be well.

Robert

[Rick Waldroup 217]

Thanks for the comments, Robert.  Yep, one day we will all be back to normal.  At least I hope that happens.🙁

[Dallas 3,160]

I got news this morning that a dear Aunt of mine passed away from this vile thing early this morning. I have had all the wind taken from my sails going forward into next year. I was a naysayer. Now I just feel stupid. Please take care you guys, don't want to lose anymore people in my life at this time.  

[Rick Waldroup 217]

Dallas, that is terrible news.  You have my sincere condolences.  Both my daughter and son contracted the virus and fortunately, they survived.  Our inner strength and hope is what will get us through this.  We just have to stay strong.  Sorry about your loss, Dallas.

[Hugh_3170 498]

Sorry mate.  My thoughts are with you & your family.

 

 

19 hours ago, Dallas said:

I got news this morning that a dear Aunt of mine passed away from this vile thing early this morning. I have had all the wind taken from my sails going forward into next year. I was a naysayer. Now I just feel stupid. Please take care you guys, don't want to lose anymore people in my life at this time.  

 

[Anthony 1,150]

I am sorry to hear this Dallas. I know several people who have had this disease, but all were young enough and survived well. The latest was my youngest daughter, who was allowed out of isolation a few days ago. Her sense of taste is gradually returning.

 

The new variant we have here (and I suspect elsewhere) is driving a worrying increase in cases. For the last three days the daily increase has been over 50,000 new cases on each day. Yesterday we had 964 Covid related deaths. Germany, which did well in the first phase, reported over a thousand deaths in a day a couple of days ago.

 

Our vaccination program is progressing, but it is a huge logistical effort. In the meantime, please, everyone, stick to the rules and stay safe.

[CarreraS 248]

Very sorry to hear this, Dallas.

 

Here in darkest Herefordshire we have been in 4 tiers of criticality in a month, 2>1>2>3, with infections doubling every week. I could walk into tier 4 Wales, so its no wonder!

 

They actually spotted the 'New Variant' in September, so I think its a(nother) failure of our system that tracking did not spot its virulence until it was widespread. Closely related to your (SA) new strain, I understand ..

 

cheers, Maurice

[Anthony 1,150]

14 minutes ago, CarreraS said:

Very sorry to hear this, Dallas.

 

Here in darkest Herefordshire we have been in 4 tiers of criticality in a month, 2>1>2>3, with infections doubling every week. I could walk into tier 4 Wales, so its no wonder!

 

They actually spotted the 'New Variant' in September, so I think its a(nother) failure of our system that tracking did not spot its virulence until it was widespread. Closely related to your (SA) new strain, I understand ..

 

cheers, Maurice

 

It is not about track and trace, it is about genome sequencing.

 

The new variant has been reported in a number of countries, with the latest report indicating it was in the US in October.

[CarreraS 248]

Anthony, I understand that, what I was commenting on was that, once a variant is spotted, it would be only common sense to keep track of it to see if things like virulence or severity alter with the variation. I wasn't referring to Dido's collossal failure to get an £18 Bn Track and Trace to work effectively.

 

Happy Days, cheers, Maurice

[Dallas 3,160]

Unfortunately the whole thing has been politicised and as a result we all suffer, regardless of which side you're on.  

 

A friend of mine who currently lives in Dublin came home for Christmas, was supposed to go back to Dublin on Boxing Day, but tested positive so couldn't fly back. He has had no symptoms up until yesterday when he realised he had lost his sense of taste and smell. I didn't get to see him this visit, which is both fortunate and unfortunate as we've been mates for over 30 years. 

 

I've been mostly isolating myself (can't stand wearing the mask, so I just stay indoors) but my wife has been going to work right through the whole pandemic. She works in banking so is essential services. Fortunately none of us have exhibited any symptoms. 

[rbsinto 440]

Dallas,

My sincere condolences to you and your family on the loss of your aunt.

I know how terrible this disease can be as my wife and I both contracted it late in March, and while we did not require hospitalization, we were both very ill for a number of weeks, with my wife having residual long term symptoms that lasted for months.

We were both lucky as it could have been far worse, but I beg everyone to take the necessary precautions to keep from contracting the virus.

Everyone be well and stay safe.

Robert 

 

[Dallas 3,160]

Thank you. I am very glad that you and your wife were able to overcome the illness, Robert. I am hearing of many people now who are suffering with it.