Hi, everyone.

As I write this, I still have not settled yet on which flatbed scanner I will get next. All I know is that I need to get one pretty soon. Currently, my scanner can only give me scans from prints (and not scans from film, which are now being marred by a very discernable black line). Even then it seems touch and go: to make the reflected scans from prints that I’ve done the last few days, I have had to turn the scanner on and off several times as I keep getting a flashing red light rather than green. I’m just afraid that one of these days that green light won’t come on at all and then I’ll be out of luck.

Even if I purchase one this weekend, I’ll probably opt for the free budget shipping option – meaning that it may take a week or more to get to me. Still, I do have plenty of 8x10 prints on RC paper (I guess I made a lot of those in my earlier printing days), so as long as the green light on my current scanner eventually goes on, there should be no shortage of photos to post here.

When I do order a new scanner, I just hope that I can get it shipped by a method other than Fed Ex, which always tries to deliver packages here during the middle of the day when I am at work – which forces me to waste my time by driving over the the nearest Fed Ex depot where I may have to wait a long time (over an hour last time) for them to find it and give it to me. I much prefer UPS or the postal service.

The other need-to-get item that I may have mentioned is a new camera bag. I was thinking of going after work today to B&H, the big camera store in Manhattan, to look for a new bag. Ultimately I decided not to, as I’ve been feeling very tired lately (perhaps due to not sleeping well the last few nights), so I came straight home from work. Besides, I have this blog posting to write, too!

On the positive side, I have booked my next trip to Asia, which I will be embarking on sometime during the next few months. This may well be my one big trip of the year. After getting comp time for having put in a lot of overtime at work recently, I think I actually have time now to make a second big trip – but I may need to use my time to take care of some other things, and with two trips money is a big factor, too.

As for my art nude photography, I have not photographed a model since July of last year and I’ve been feeling like it’s time for me finally do so again. Unfortunately, that money factor is always present. A model who’s been recommended to me will be coming to New York from Canada in a few weeks and I would really like to work with her, but with the cost of the scanner and the new camera bag likely to equal at least $500, I’ve been forced to say no to her. Like it or not, I just have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to cost – but hopefully I’ll be able to get started again with the nudes before too long.