Quote o' the Day: Kate Sweeny

"Unfortunately," said Kate Sweeny, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, "studies show that anticipatory dread only increases as waiting drags on. Quite a lot of research suggests that the worst is yet to come as far as anxiety." (Professor Sweeny specializes in the psychology of waiting.)

—Quoted in
"How Long Is This Going to Take?
Americans Settle In to Wait"
by Sarah Lyell, The New
York Times, Nov. 3, 2020

I don't know about you, but I'm going to watch a pool match or two on YouTube and an old episode of "Da Vinci's Inquest" on Amazon Prime Video, and go to bed.

I showed Andrew yesterday's post this afternoon, and he seemed pleased. I asked him about the live-edge table now in his showroom, the one in my pictures. He created it on spec. With six matching chairs and a matching bench, It's the most expensive piece he's ever offered, at $8,000. It's for sale. The black "river" in the middle is epoxy resin, which he could only pour a quarter inch at a time! He had to stay up all night during the pour to keep adding more resin. The cherry spice rack cost $100.

By the way, I was pleased that I didn't get any comments saying the post had nothing to do with photography. Several of the photo-essays I've posted over the years have drawn comments to that effect, especially the one about my old pool table going together. I suppose I could take such comments as compliments, of a sort, because they indicate that the pictures must seem "transparent." I grew up on photo-essays of a similar sort in LIFE magazine and National Geographic. I like doing them. I wish I had an excuse to do more.

Be of good cheer, friends—

Mike

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Comments

[Aaron J]

You seem to me to live in an interesting place. You should do more of these photo essays about it—towns close by, history, geography, people, etc. In principle, you’ll always have access to material.

[Dillan K]

I think the whole world is stressed about this election. It's not my business; I'm Canadian, but I am worried. I hope this election is peaceful and fair. I am comforted by the fact that America, of all nations, understands the importance of a fair election. You've been proudly voting for longer than any other nation. I can't imagine that America would allow politics to corrupt the system now. The America I admire would not allow it.

[Albert Smith]

My plan was to avoid all media today so that I didn't have to listen to the "experts" tell me what was going to happen, like they know.

That plan backfired when I got a text saying that the hurricane that is hitting Nicaragua is forecast to travel to Florida. I totally ignored all news today and that hurricane had no possible impact on my state yesterday. Ignorance is bliss, until it isn't.

Now I get to play the anticipatory dread thing for something that I never anticipated. And the damn election. Can't wait to do my blood pressure tomorrow.

[Larry Angier]

You don't need an excuse to create these stories. You just need the courage to create them and post them.

[Jim Arthur]

The final image of your photo-essay is the kind of thing Andrew needs for his showroom. I think potential customers would appreciate seeing framed pictures of his work installed in a well-appointed home.

[Grant]

Talk about anticipation. The old pool table post was one of the best. How many years have I been waiting for a repeat? Too many!

[Neil Partridge]

I love seeing the off topic articles, whether it be pool tables or woodwork. I enjoy your writing style regardless of topic, plus I like to read about unfamiliar subjects to broaden my mind.

As you said a few weeks ago (months? Lockdown has distorted time!), is there much more to say about photography these days? Perhaps not, in which case write about whatever "floats your boat".

Oh, just to add... I still enjoy the photography related posts, but from my perspective don't bust a gut to churn them out if you'd rather tell us about dogs/tractors/weather.

Stay safe and sane.

[John Robison]

Maybe Andrew would be interested in a special run of cherry 4X5 pinhole cameras. A TOP special if you will.

[Romano Giannetti]

I am really impressed by the prices you commented here --- as craftmanship goes, they seem really a bang for the buck. It's a pity I live on the other side of the pond and that I should buy a new house before... I think that Andrew could sell that table at that price in almost no time.

[Thomas Mc Cann]

Do more !

[Rob Campbell]

I understand the psychology, Mike. In times of great stress, during which we feel ourselves powerless to prevent some great evil from visiting us, we have little recourse but to find solace in distraction. For you it's a little spice rack, for others a new camera they don't need, or an exotic lens that turns out to be too heavy to carry around with comfort and, thus, remains at home for special occasions that almost never arrive.

As you face your election results so do I face the results from 1/1/2021 onwards of Brexit, which leave Britain in a weaker state and, ironically, more externally dependent than ever as it dangles on the string and whim of the US and me, personally, in a similar state as did the banking crisis of the winter of 2008, wondering how on Earth I'm going to come out the other side with my shirt still wearable.

In a vain effort to ward off the new year I almost did go the camera comfort route a week or two ago, but staring at the Purchase Trolley, just couldn't bring myself to commit, knowing it was a useless gambit that served no purpose but to make me that little bit the more poor. In fact, perhaps any comfort comes from realising that, to my surprise, I must still have my full set of marbles. At least a spice rack has an obsolescence-proof future.

Isn't life fun!

[Neil A]

If you are interested in learning more about it, there are plenty of YouTube video which show the process of making one of those epoxy river tables. Quite mesmerising to watch.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Please -- spend as much time as you like in Mennonite woodshops (not just Andrew's), and bring a camera along.

Looking at the working drawing of your spice rack, and at the workshop layout with lots of clamps, a square, and no tape measures or rulers in sight, I wonder -- is he a numbers guy or a cut and try guy?

[Luke]

This has nothing to do with photography!
And I enjoyed it as much as all that other stuff.
Thank you.

[Robert Roaldi]

Not sure that the topics that you refer to as not about photography really are always not about photography. Maybe the delivery of the shed wasn't about photo gear, but I liked the photo of it. Maybe the woodworking shop story wasn't about the gear that you used to shoot pics of the woodworking shop, but the pics were interesting. So, aren't those posts then photo-related, since you used photos to tell the story.

If we limited photo discussions to either gear or "Art", we'd miss a lot. Sometimes it's good to read a story accompanied by photos of a decent neighbour down the road. Maybe that's more magazine than photo site, but who says you can't do both? Maybe we miss not having more "magazines" that do that. There are no rules, so far as I can see.

[Michael L Stockhill]

I have done enough woodwork to know that you got an absolute steal from a fine craftsman.

[Clayton]

I keep thinking of Morty Seinfeld, condo president.

[Craig Beyers]

Photo-essay = Great! Off-topic? Well, not really, as it shows the practical application of photography to illustrate a story...so it's on-topic. Nice work by both of you. Thanks.

[Herman Krieger]

You felt good talking about pool tables?

[Graeme Scott]

I agree that you should do more of these photo essays. You seem to have plenty of source material in you locality.

[emptyspaces]

I got through it watching old Top Gear episodes.

[Bandbox]

If thinking about the election makes you anxious, I recommend The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. There's a little anxiety when the clock is running down on the contestants who are scurrying to complete their baking challenges, and a little dread before the losing baker is announced, but overall the show is happy and calming. About what you'd expect from cool and unperturbed Brits.

[Kye Wood]

Expectation management (stay with me on this) - just what exactly is the point of paying for polling data when it isn't seemingly better than a coin toss? To be fair, the exact same issue regarding polling data being completely inaccurate occurred in Australian politics at the last federal election. A landslide was predicted by all polls, but the opposite occurred.

If it was me and my money, I'd be wanting a refund. The popular vote always goes to one party but quite a margin, but most times the other party is elected.

The expectation from the polling data was not met. And many (more than half the country) were made even sadder by the result because their expectations weren't met.

[Jeff Markus]

Mike,

Loved watching "Da Vinci's Inquest" when I lived in British Columbia. I would love to be in Canada watching it now.

One of things I've always greatly appreciated about Canada was the peace of mind I had while living there, something that I've never felt here in my native US. It's not just due to the effects of the current election/pandemic, but I believe that we live in what is generally a much more highly pressurized society than those of the other western and wealthy nations.

Another show from up north that I would highly recommend is a comedy/satire about the television industry called "Made in Canada", distributed in the US as "The Industry".

[Bill Tyler]

To Dillan K, it's not quite true that the election is not your business. For better or worse, the United States is still the dominant world power, and what we do affects everyone worldwide in a way that, a Swiss election or a Canadian election does not. It especially affects Canada because of our long shared border and all that goes with it. So you're entitled to stress, and I hope with you that the results are fair and that we remain peaceful.

[Henning Wulff]

I would love to see more photo essays, especially about your area and what the people do in it. If you're connected to any events or projects, so much the better. It comes through in your photos as well as your writing and both are better for it.

[Dennis Ng]

The anxiety like many people in Hong Kong has been also very deep. I guess you have no influence on something and you will be impacted by it is the problem.

Even if he, we outsider do not know exactly the path due to his character.

Even if not him, we have to wait up to 2 years (as usual; 3 years for him) for what the policy will be on the ground for foreigners.

I guess change management has to be deal with in 5 stages. Let us just denied first.

There is nothing happen this week.

[Don McConnell]

That furniture is a work of art and high craftsmanship, so it seems fitting to me that you should talk about it. Personally, I find your occasional posts about your Mennonite neighbours fascinating. I’d love to see a photo essay about them, although ironically I don’t think photography is generally approved of by the order?

I seem to recall reading an article about such a project a while back, but I can’t recall if it was here or in another blog.

Either way, please do continue with your varied and interesting output. There’s more to life than photography!!!

[Al Gardner]

Hmm.
I try to live my life like this:

The search for Nirvana, like the search for Utopia or the end of history or the classless society, is ultimately a futile and dangerous one.
It involves, if it does not necessitate,
the sleep of reason.
There is no escape from anxiety and struggle.

- Christopher Hitchens

Granted, it ain't easy.

[Ed Kirkpatrick]

If you are looking for another great show by Chris Haddock, try "Intelligence". It takes place in BC as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_(Canadian_TV_series)