With this upcoming Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” photo shoot on my mind, the last thing I want is a malfunctioning or misfiring camera. I also want my gear to operate at tip top shape. So I’m doing a test right now. And that “test” is to break out my Nikon F2S camera (“Nikon Athena”)…
Read MoreI got punished for paying off my car loan two years early
I’ve worked very hard over the years to improve my credit score. It was not easy. But through much hard work and perseverance, through self-sacrifice and grit, I was able to get my score up to what is called “very good.” “Very good” means that I can apply for loans and receive a much lower…
Read MoreThe Saturday Blogroll Recap, May 2 2026
Beautiful weather outside … if you happen to be a duck. It’s raining in the Albany area, and it looks like rain for most of the day. Wonderful. 😦 Doesn’t stop me from doing stuff today, though. And it shouldn’t stop you either. But before you go outside with your umbrella and wading boots ……
Read MoreSubmitting for the ultimate gallery goal
Someday, if the planets align perfectly, I’ll have one of my artworks hanging in a gallery in New York City. That would be an amazing personal accomplishment. Then reality sets in. And so does disappointment. At one point in time, I was happy when one of my artworks made it to the walls of an…
Read MoreThe Magnificent Marble Machine – The pinball game show
There are some fantastic, long-running game show concepts. An elaborate version of the children’s game Hangman is the framework for Wheel of Fortune. A giant version of tic-tac-toe evolved into The Hollywood Squares. But sometimes the concept just doesn’t work when you turn it into a game show. And for that, I bring you The…
Read MoreSo the Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” Eastern tour schedule is …
Well, I now have confirmation of what will happen with the Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” train as it crosses the Eastern time zone. And … well, here’s the New York stretch of this trip. So what am I looking at here? Well, there’s plenty of opportunities to photograph this monster steam engine as it…
Read MoreThe 50-year-old latch hook rug, completed
So … last month, I ordered a latch hook rug kit from eBay – a 1977-era rug kit from Bernat. The kit contained one canvas and some vintage mimeographed instructions. The rug colors requiredf or this project were not available; I had to source other yarns for the project. The rug yarns were sold in…
Read MoreThe secret message at the Chinese Buffet
Sunday morning. Time to do Chuck chores, which include taking care of my laundry. I’ve blogged in the past about finding a decent laundromat for my clothes, and I think I found a good one in Watervliet. So Sunday morning meant bringing a bag full of dirty clothes to the wash ‘n fold, walking over…
Read MoreYour eyes do not deceive you. I updated my blog photo.
Many years ago, I had a professional headshot session, and the photos looked fantastic. And I used one of those blog photos as my “avatar” for this blog post and for other social media platforms. The other day, however, I felt that the photo didn’t represent my current look any more. First off, that photo…
Read MoreThe Saturday Blogroll Recap, April 25 2026
Yes, this recap is a touch early this morning, but only because I have a full Saturday planned. I’m going up to the north country this morning with Nikon Athena (my Nikon F2S film camera) for the Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson train ride into Hadley for the “Maple in April” festival. Yum-o. Later in the…
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Chuck The Writer 
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