FWIW Mike I love these stream of consciousness blogs. On that vein I'd like to relate a photo experience. I was recently thrown out of a cafe... well asked to leave in a authoritative manner. The reason it seems is because I was taking photos in the cafe without permission and making patrons feel uncomfortable. The thing is that the camera I had on the table, and was accused of using, was a Canonet QL19 loaded with FP4+. I had been taking pictures in the park and had finished the roll. The film was rewound back into the cassette in the camera, and I was fussing with it. I showed the manager, an impressively assertive young lady, that this was the case, but it made no difference. I was accused of using my phone to take pictures as well. I looked around at everyone else looking at their phones and wondered how she could tell, but by then I had decided to move on. I'm glad I did not show anger... despite feeling that way. On the way out I noticed the lady in the corner breast-feeding her child and suddenly I figured it out. I *do* look like Harvey Weinstein, and then I felt bad that she might have felt intruded on enough to complain. Of course I was not taking photos of her with either the Canonet or my phone but these days who can tell. Apart from being irritated that I had to find some where else to get my coffee and cake, no harm was done. I did then spend some time ruminating on the actions of middle aged men that have made others fear us. I don't think that there is much we can do about it except continue be good, what ever that means. Brian

Have you always had the superman curl? Or are you really Clark Kent's secret identity? Happy Holidays ;) [One thing I can never claim is being super! Walter Mitty maybe. --Mike]

I picked up 2nd hand D7200 for $US350. It was perfect. I suddenly discovered that my old film Nikon lenses had CA and were not as sharp as I remembered ;) Love this camera. Takes me back to an F4. Talking about the F4, the last generation Nikons and Canons would be my pick for film AF with the Canons like EOS-1 and EOS-3 probably being the best?? I am/was a Nikon guy but was jealous of the Canon AF sometimes. If you just want a focus point AF... i.e no real smarts then a 8008s or F90x would do. Love the 8008. The first camera that I bought new. As for 4/3; the in-camera post processing capabilities seem interesting. i.e. great 5ax stabilization, post capture re-focus, high res mode, etc. I am a fuji guy(XE3/XT20/X100v) and have just bought a X-S10 'cause I love the lenses, but I'd love some of these CP features in the next gen X line.

Mike, its not quite the same topic but the following book had a big effect on me. Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Art making. David Bayles & Ted Orland. eISBN : 978-0-961-45472-2 I read it when ever "whats the point? i'll never be Mozart" gets too loud in my head. Thank you for all you do. Brian