Life in the age of Social Distancing - what are you up to?

There is a long thread about the Coronavirus with stats, links, news and discussions about all of those. I'm avoiding all the stat conversations. It really does not interest me because I can't do anything about it. I do respect everyone's interest and input. I follow the John Hopkins link/s and follow our authorities recommendations. I base that on this.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Photography.

I'm revisiting a video series I purchased from wildlife photographer Steve Perry for NR using both LR and PS. He has a very cool technique to send two flies from LR to PS, use layers and make composite for optimal noise control for both the subject and background. $15 and well worth it. I have no affiliation with him or the site.

https://backcountrygal​lery.com …se-reduction-using-lr-ps/

I purchased Affinity Photo for %50 off even if I don't plan to use it right away. I had some issues with Topaz and deleted it all but since I had paid for Studio 2 and Denoise AI I decided to try it again. Wow. I may not be going to DXO for high ISO editing for a while.

I have a 5K retina screen. I like to preview my files after exporting for screen and before posting at sites. Mac's Preview is not 5K compatible so images have jaggies. PS shows the image at ½ the size (Affinity Photo as well) so it is hard to judge. Trying to find a 5K compatible viewer or create a process.

Personal.

Since the gym is closed we are doing a 1hr power walk every day. My Cancer Care volunteer driving gig program has been shut down as of today. I was supposed to drive last week but I declined because I was not past 14 days post travel. I was supposed to drive this Friday but that is done. We are finally going to paint the interior trim and doors. We did the walls last year. Getting a lot of use out of Netflix these days and forums are helping chew up time. My wife loves to cook and she is good at it. We are going to order out every 4 days to help the local businesses while we can.

digital paradise wrote in post #19033304
My Cancer Care volunteer driving gig program has been shut down as of today. I was supposed to drive last week but I declined because I was not past 14 days post travel. I was supposed to drive this Friday but that is done.

Curious to learn more about the above, as I have had a bout with the 'Big C', and I know what value a volunteer driving service can have to transport patients to where the treatments are done.

I understand you pulling yourself offline as a driver, with a self-quarantine period. But your statement makes it sound as if the whole program is no more, and the only reason for that would seem to be 'no more cancer treatment' due to staff/patient infection cases. Is that what happened? I am familiar enough to know that cancer treatments do not simply get suspended in the middle of 7 weeks of radiation or months of chemo. So what happened, where you are.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference

Well said.

The stay at home order my state has issued does not apply to me, as I work for a large transportation agency. I'm consider an essential employee.
When I hired in I took an oath to keep working in an event of a disaster or city-wide emergency. I'm at a vulnerable age for the virus, so I take
precautionary measures seriously. Since I can't stay at home, I've been taking more vacation time off. This has given me a little more time to myself.

Photography related...

I also bought Affinity late last year at a great discount. Now is the time to get started with it, and reading the tutorials.

I'm really big into aviation photography and air shows. But many shows have been cancelled, and I think many more may be cancelled.
I may shift my photography to cityscapes and around-town subjects. I also have my eye on the Olympus E-M1 III camera. Thinking of
renting or buying it. One more thing...I need to go through my many thousands of photos on hard drive. Keep only the best, delete the rest.

I have a few cameras that need to be sold. But with so many people being out of work, and the economy taking a hit, I'm not sure this is
the best time to be selling.

Edit: I have also been ordering take-out food from local restaurants, to support small business owners.

Wilt wrote in post #19033405
Curious to learn more about the above, as I have had a bout with the 'Big C', and I know what value a volunteer driving service can have to transport patients to where the treatments are done.

I understand you pulling yourself offline as a driver, with a self-quarantine period. But your statement makes it sound as if the whole program is no more, and the only reason for that would seem to be 'no more cancer treatment' due to staff/patient infection cases. Is that what happened? I am familiar enough to know that cancer treatments do not simply get suspended in the middle of 7 weeks of radiation or months of chemo. So what happened, where you are.

In the last few weeks dispatch could only schedule 3 people per van. Each could hold 6. As of today the driver program has been suspended. Patients were informed last week to organize their own transportation for their treatments so that continues.

This entire volunteer program was postponed a few weeks ago. I don't know what connection the driver program has but there are daffodils on the vans. 4 are sponsored by the Mason's and 2 by separate care dealerships.

https://www.cancer.ca …onth/volunteer/​?region=mb

I don't much about the Mason's except for what I saw on Fred Flintstone. The Grand Poobah. I think the the next level up are the Shriners. All I know about them is they can fit a lot of clowns in a car. l know they of a lot of good work.

I have been busy restoring old family photographs. Right now I am working on some badly damaged photos from 1959.

Perfectly Frank wrote in post #19033454
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference

Well said.

The stay at home order my state has issued does not apply to me, as I work for a large transportation agency. I'm consider an essential employee.
When I hired in I took an oath to keep working in an event of a disaster or city-wide emergency. I'm at a vulnerable age for the virus, so I take
precautionary measures seriously. Since I can't stay at home, I've been taking more vacation time off. This has given me a little more time to myself.

Photography related...

I also bought Affinity late last year at a great discount. Now is the time to get started with it, and reading the tutorials.

I'm really big into aviation photography and air shows. But many shows have been cancelled, and I think many more may be cancelled.
I may shift my photography to cityscapes and around-town subjects. I also have my eye on the Olympus E-M1 III camera. Thinking of
renting or buying it. One more thing...I need to go through my many thousands of photos on hard drive. Keep only the best, delete the rest.

I have a few cameras that need to be sold. But with so many people being out of work, and the economy taking a hit, I'm not sure this is
the best time to be selling.

My neighbour works for transportation as well. He trains semi truck truck drivers which is considered essential so he is still working. My hat off all who are out on the front lines.

I have been thinking about the salary cap and wondering what trades to make to for the new stuff coming but I agree, not the best time.

I'm also into aviation as well but I don't get to enough airshows. I have been wanting get to Oshkosh some day. I found a civilian service road near Faro airport in Portugal so I go there several times when I'm there. No fun jets but still fun

HOSTED PHOTO
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gjl711 wrote in post #19033461
I have been busy restoring old family photographs. Right now I am working on some badly damaged photos from 1959.

That's a great activity and well suited for us when we must stay at home. It's time consuming, but now we have time. The results will probably be of great interest for those who follow us.

digital paradise wrote in post #19033467
My neighbour works for transportation as well. He trains semi truck truck drivers which is considered essential so he is still working. My hat off all who are out on the front lines.

I have been thinking about the salary cap and wondering what trades to make to for the new stuff coming but I agree, not the best time.

I'm also into aviation as well but I don't get to enough airshows. I have been wanting get to Oshkosh some day. I found a civilian service road near Faro airport in Portugal so I go there several times when I'm there. No fun jets but still fun

Love the small airport in Faro. We spent a week in Almancil last year. One day my daughters wanted to shop at the Mall in Faro, so I dropped them off there and spent a couple of hours walking and exploring. Ended up walking down past the train station onto the pier. Got some lovely shots of planes landing and taking off. Do you live in Portugal? (Asking since your location says Canada)

I really haven't touched my camera in a while. I am spending a lot of time painting and playing bass.

digital paradise wrote in post #19033467
I'm also into aviation as well but I don't get to enough airshows. I have been wanting get to Oshkosh some day. I found a civilian service road near Faro airport in Portugal so I go there several times when I'm there. No fun jets but still fun

Hosted photo: posted by digital paradise in
./showthread.php?p=190​33467&i=i201349862
forum: The Lounge

Beautiful image!

digital paradise wrote in post #19033304
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..... what are you up to?
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I actually have a pretty big trip to pack and prepare for!

This came about suddenly. . Yesterday a friend called me and said that since his business has slowed down so much, he has very little work, and what little there is can be done by his employees. . So he thought it'd be a perfect year to do the spring trip for lekking grouse photography that he's always wanted to do, but never had the time for.

I called the folks who run the federal land that we are headed for, to ask if the land is open to public use. . They assured me that it is, and will continue to be, completely legal - and even encouraged - for folks to come use the land. . The guy at the regional headquarters told me over the phone that they think it's good for people to spend a lot of their time outdoors, away from other people. . That's precisely what we plan to do, as the area is incredibly vast, there will probably be no one else anywhere within miles of us, and we will be camping in the remote areas away from everything and everybody.

I feel relieved that we can go do what we want to do without the worry of getting in trouble, or having to modify our plans in some inconvenient fashion. . It gives me peace of mind to know that the authorities in the area where we'll be going approve of us being there, and approve of us doing what we will be doing.

And so I thought I would be cooped up in my home state for weeks on end, and then all of a sudden I have an awesome photo trip to pack for, and a week or two of adventure and good photography ahead of me ...... woo hooooo!

The irony of this is that it is only because of the coronavirus that this expedition is happening - if things were normal, my friend would not have the time to go on this trip because there would be so much work that he would need to be doing. . And I wouldn't be doing any such trip on my own because this has been a down year for me financially and I can't afford to do anything like this unless there is a buddy to share expenses with.

And so, oddly enough, the main effect that the coronavirus has had on me, personally, is that I get to go on a great trip that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise. . I love how something good can come from something bad ...... things are never completely negative. . No matter how bad they are, there is always at least a little bit of good to be had somewhere in the situation.


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RhodyPhotos wrote in post #19033486
Love the small airport in Faro. We spent a week in Almancil last year. One day my daughters wanted to shop at the Mall in Faro, so I dropped them off there and spent a couple of hours walking and exploring. Ended up walking down past the train station onto the pier. Got some lovely shots of planes landing and taking off. Do you live in Portugal? (Asking since your location says Canada)

No I don't. We starting winter there. Last 3 years, 4 to 6 weeks. We drive past Almancil regularly. Im getting to know that whole area so well we only used the GPS maybe 3 times this past February. If you ever go back I have some suggestions.

digital paradise wrote in post #19033456
In the last few weeks dispatch could only schedule 3 people per van. Each could hold 6. As of today the driver program has been suspended. Patients were informed last week to organize their own transportation for their treatments so that continues.

This entire volunteer program was postponed a few weeks ago. I don't know what connection the driver program has but there are daffodils on the vans. 4 are sponsored by the Mason's and 2 by separate care dealerships.

https://www.cancer.ca …onth/volunteer/​?region=mb

I don't much about the Mason's except for what I saw on Fred Flintstone. The Grand Poobah. I think the the next level up are the Shriners. All I know about them is they can fit a lot of clowns in a car. l know they of a lot of good work.

Thanks, I now have a lack of understanding with a greater degree of enlightenment!

Interesting to hear about fewer patients wanting rides.

• Fear of ride sharing?!
  
• Or pushing off cancer treatment until things settle down?!
  
• Or not wanting the compromised immune systems thru cancer therapy?!
  

Some of us would like to go, and we would maintain 6' distance, although doing that in one car would be difficult!

Wilt wrote in post #19033536
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Some of us would like to go, and we would maintain 6' distance, although doing that in one car would be difficult!
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There's always the trunk


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