One of those guys

I have become one of those guys. One of those guys that wonder how long they have to wait until their REI dividend check shows up.

I’ve hit pause on my GAS this year. A moratorium is in effect. No new camera bodies until 2017 rolls around on the calendar. There is one exception, but it is something I was looking at buying last year and I never found a good one. I’m not going to identify what it is, since every time I say “I want X” the price of X triples. Also, lenses are OK to get under this rule, so I can still exercise that particular demon. But this year I’m concentrating on two other things.

First, I’m getting out there more. And making that happen is going to need some new gear. Namely, it’s time to retire the unbranded mystery tent of great crappyness. Although, that tent has been a good lesson on what not to buy. It has a lousy rain fly, it lacks ventilation, it’s heavy. It was cheap when I didn’t have a lot of cash, and it has a good vestibule, but that’s all I can say about it that’s positive. So this year, a new place to crash in the back country will make getting out more fun.

Second, I’m turning a more critical eye on the work I am producing. On both ends of the process. I am going to choose where I shoot with more forethought. While there’s nothing wrong with happening on to something by accident, I’m going to stop counting on that happening. It’s caused me to come home empty-handed more than once. I’m also paying more attention to my development, changing my agitation strategy and paying more attention to temperature control. And as for scanning, well, I’m using the same scanner, but I’m changing almost everything else.

So, the refusal to be stagnant this winter is turning in to a full-time job. But I’m not only going to get good things from it, I’m going to come out on the other side in far better shape and ready to run though spring at full throttle.

Creation over consumption. Not just a plan, but action.

One of those guys