[UPDATE: The answer is in the Featured Comments below. Look for Joel Entin's comment. —Ed.]
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I spent yesterday posting some stuff on Craigslist and eBay. Trying to raise a little cash to help offset my taxes a bit before the big hit. (This is always a challenging time of year for the self-employed.)
I'm wondering how many people "get" my eBay handle. Probably not very many. You know how sometimes you'll see a car with a personalized license plate that seems to mean something, but you can't figure out what? I used to stop people and ask them. Sometimes the meanings were an "inside" secret, like a family nickname. My cousin used to have the plate "CSWY GRL" because Barry Manilow, the singer, customarily chose an audience member to join him onstage so he could sing "Can't Smile Without You" to her, and at one concert my cousin was the chosen one. For many years the plate drew numerous comments from other "fanilows," the name for Manilow's fans, out in public. But of course nobody who wasn't a fanilow would know what the plate meant.
Anyway, my eBay handle is:
txind76121
Anybody know what it means? Hint: might help if you're a former darkroom rat.
Mike
Original contents copyright 2021 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.
(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
Daniel (partial comment): "Pretty sure it is not your North Dakota Taxi drivers license number."
Mike replies: No....
MikeR (partial comment): "The d76 part may refer to Dektol 76."
Mike replies: Nope! Dektol was a print develop and didn't have numbers.
Ian Hunter: "FP4INID11!"
Mike replies: Made me laugh :-) . You must be from the UK.
Ian Hunter: "I am indeed from the UK! I have a fridge full of FP-4, ID-11 in stock and a darkroom with three enlargers. I am a bit of an eccentric I admit."
Mike: The good kind.
Emil Aaltonen: "If it weren’t for the hint, I would have guessed it was a reference to a taxation index...."
Mike replies: Right, it isn't that.
Dan Khong: "I'm guessin' tx = TriX in = in d76 = D76 developer 121 = 12 minutes, single use.....or perhaps this fellah Mike's assets in US$ millions!"
Mike replies: Close but not quite on the first guess, and as for the second, all my assets are intangible, damn it. Things like kindness to animals, the wisdom of many years, and my taste in B&W tonality.
Joel Entin: "Hello Mike, As a former darkroom rat as well, I couldn't help but chuckle at your eBay handle of txind76121. Has to be Tri-X film developed in D-76 diluted one-to-one. Most of my black-and-white film photography was with Plus-X film developed in D-76 diluted one-to-one at 68 degrees for 8 minutes. I still have the negatives from the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s."
Mike replies: You got it (as did a lot of others as well).
Working with students as young as seventh graders, I never used the x:x format for ratios...I always wrote "1-to-1" and if the numbers were different I always specified which one was water; for instance, "1 part developer to 2 parts water." Always on the lookout for possible ambiguity so as not to confuse....
c.d.embrey (partial comment): "Best California vanity plate I've seen recently was CLOKWRK. It was on an Orange Honda."
Mike replies: Funny. Just as it happens I was watching YouTube videos about Kubrick last night until late. Someone made the point that critics never liked his films when they came out but usually by the end of a decade they had reversed position. One said that Kubrick himself had made a chart logging various critics' changing reactions to 2001: A Space Odyssey over the years. On one side were pasted the original negative reactions and on the other side were later appraisals calling it a classic and a landmark and a masterpiece.
I never did see A Clockwork Orange. I was scared off by people calling it "shocking" and "violent."
Malcolm Leader: "Best plate I ever saw was UEVOLI—which only makes sense in the rearview mirror."
V.I. Voltz: "Tri-X film in D-76 developer diluted 1+1. It is quite arresting how quickly this has gone from being something anyone who is interested in photography would know to an esoteric piece of arcana."
Mike replies: I'll second that.
Mani Sitaraman: "It's brilliant, Mike! But, I must confess, the second it clicked in my mind, I was hit by a giant pang of nostalgia, in the original Greek sense, of a sharp pain felt for something left behind. I don't know why; I do miss it all. The formulas, the sometimes exhausting long sessions in the darkroom, the sense of slight disorientation when you emerge back into the rest of the world. I must be bonkers."
Mike replies: If you are, then I am. I have that νοσταλγία and it never goes away.
Luke: "Barry Manilow has fans?"
Mike replies: A great many, mostly women, most middle-aged, and many very devoted. I'm not one, but I could tell you stories, via my cousin. She paid $3k to meet him for 15 minutes, for example. And that did not include the plane ticket. That is far from the most extreme example.
Mike Plews: "Great idea. I may start going by txpinhcb."
Mike replies: Wouldn't that have to be txpinhc110b?
Well, it's Tri-X in D76 1:2....but I'm blanking on the last "one"....
Posted by: Tex Andrews | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 01:44 PM
Kodak Tri-X film developed in D76 mixed 1:1?
Posted by: Jeff Hohner | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 01:55 PM
TriX in Dektol. 1 to 1.
Posted by: Jeff Lansing | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 01:58 PM
Tri-X in D-76, 1-1.
Posted by: Marshall Arbitman | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 01:59 PM
Good nick to remember :) Kodak TriX in D76 1:1. I prefer 1:3 and Ilford, though.
Posted by: Jerzy | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:01 PM
That's what I used.
Posted by: Dave Levingston | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:02 PM
TMax in D76 developer diluted one to one.
Posted by: Len Salem | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:05 PM
Tri X in D-76 one to one dilution, LOL
Cheers
Posted by: Rusty | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:19 PM
Tri-X developed in D76 diluted 1:1 with water.
Posted by: Joel R | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:19 PM
txind76121
Tri-X in D76 diluted 1:1
Posted by: John Custodio | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:26 PM
TriX in D76....for starters, former darkroom guru.....
Posted by: John Berger | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:35 PM
Tri-X developed in D76 at a ratio of 1 to 1
Posted by: Tony McLean | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:36 PM
The d76 part may refer to Dektol 76.
Tri-X in Dektol-76 12 minutes, agitate once a minute?
(Even if that's wrong, I like it)
Posted by: MikeR | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:37 PM
Ha! Film, developer, dilution. I remember it fondly, sometimes. :)
Posted by: Ken Bennett | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:40 PM
TriX in D76
But I didn't get 121
Posted by: Kjell | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:42 PM
TriX (developed) in D76 1:1
Posted by: Bob Curtis | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:42 PM
I can get most of it. Tri-x in D76 1:2 but the final 1 stumps me.
Posted by: Weekes James | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:46 PM
@1 to 1 ..... and Bob's your uncle !
Posted by: John Berger | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:47 PM
Everyone knows you always did TRI X in D76!
Posted by: Malcolm Leader | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:50 PM
Tri-X in D76 developer - but not sure of dilution or time? Maybe 12 minutes at 1:1 dilution?
Pretty sure it is not your North Dakota Taxi drivers license number.
Posted by: Daniel | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:52 PM
Yep. Used that a lot myself (especially in the college photo coop darkroom, where we didn't use any developers that got reused since we felt that might be a bit risky with that many users).
Posted by: David Dyer-Bennet | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:58 PM
Txind76121: I get part of it, I think. "Tx" is tri-x film. "In D76" that's the film developer. The "121" throws me. Sorry. In the 60s I spent countless hours processing film, especially Tri-X. But 121 still throws me after a long think. I'll probably kick myself when I read the correct answer.
Posted by: John Krill | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:59 PM
Ratio, that is ! We're done here.
Posted by: John Berger | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 02:59 PM
There are 2 editions of this book by 2 publishers.
Posted by: louis mccullagh | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:01 PM
TX must be a kodak black and white film. d 76 is a kodak film developer. 121 must be a dilution (but i didnt use kodak film or chemicals back then so i do not know if it means 1 part d76 or 12)
ps. i was just a darkroom novice, that era ended and i never became rat.
Posted by: GRIGORIS | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:08 PM
Tri-X in D76 at 1:1 ratio
Posted by: Roy Pataro | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:09 PM
i just thought that maybe 2 in 121 is just "to" so 1 part d76 and 1 part water.
Posted by: GRIGORIS | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:11 PM
Trix in Kodak D76 diluted equal parts stock developer & water.
Posted by: John | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:14 PM
Tri-X in D76, at 1 to 1 dilution.
Yep, my favorite combination(as well.)
Posted by: Omer | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:15 PM
Well, it took some thought, but yes, Tri-X in D-76, 1:1. We thought that would be the story of our lives, but then...
Posted by: Greg Heins | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:17 PM
Looks like "Tri-X in D76, 1:1," to me, but I've only had limited darkroom experience.
Posted by: Derek | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:18 PM
Mike,
Too easy. :)
Tri-X in D-76, 1:1 mixture.
Posted by: Dave | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:20 PM
Tri-X in d76 1-to-1 (dilution from working solution I guess).
Easy enough after the big hint that it's a darkroom thing. Nice puzzle for a rainy Sunday.
Posted by: robert e | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:23 PM
Tri-X in D76 1:2
Easy-peasy.
Posted by: Bill | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:23 PM
Tri X film in D-76, 2 to 1
For negatives to be scanned, I used D-23.
1 to 1.
Posted by: Herman Krieger | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:25 PM
Tri X in D-76 1 two 1 or (1:1)
Posted by: Peter Komar | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:27 PM
Tri X in D76. don't know what 121 means. Size??
Posted by: John Daw | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:29 PM
Hello Mike,
As a former darkroom rat as well, I couldn't help but chuckle at your eBay handle of txind76121. Has to be Tri-X film developed in D-76 diluted one-to-one. Most of my black & white film photography was with Plus-X film developed in D-76 diluted one-to-one at 68 degrees for 8 minutes. I still have the negatives from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Posted by: Joel Entin | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:30 PM
Could it be Tri-X in D76 (developer), 12:1? Hmmm...I'm nerding out this week on photography, music, and guitars! It's wonderful!
Posted by: Craig Beyers | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:34 PM
I'm guessing I may not be the only one to think it means Tri-X and D76 diluted 1:1. It is making me nostalgic for the darkroom my dad built in the cellar when I was a kid.
Posted by: Fred | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:35 PM
Tri X in D76 one to one. And I ain't no lab rat ;-)
I used an accountant who specialized in entertainment. And I always got a refund. Taxes are complicated, and the rules are ever changing—an excellent reason to use a specialist in your field.
Best California Vanity Plate I've seen recently CLOKWRK. It was on an Orange Honda.
Posted by: c.d.embrey | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:45 PM
Tri-X in D-76 diluted 1:1? Those were the days!
Posted by: Ed Bacher | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:47 PM
Looks like Tri-X in D76 but can’t work out the 121, 12.1 minutes seems a bit long (right?), maybe you were going for 120 as in the format but that handle had already gone so you had to bump to 121!
Posted by: Mike | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:50 PM
Tri-X in D76. Were you using a dilution of 1:21? That seems extreme. . .
Posted by: Alan Whiting | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:53 PM
Tri-X in D-76 1:1
Posted by: Roger | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:56 PM
Tri X in D 76 1:21
Posted by: Tim Mcgowan | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:58 PM
I've got Tri X in D76, but not the 121.
Posted by: Frank Gorga | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:59 PM
Tri-X (film) in D76 (developer) diluted 1:1
Posted by: Christer Almqvist | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 03:59 PM
TriX in D76 (1:1) - ah, I remember it well!
(Have been lurking on your blog for years. Love your style and share your outlook on life - though I’m not plant based! Just based in UK.)
Posted by: Alan Mynett | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:13 PM
Huh! I think I see tri-x in d76, but 121 has me a little flummoxed! Could that be a amount of time?
By the way, if I’m right, do I win anything?
Fred
Posted by: Fred Haynes | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:13 PM
TriX in D76 1:1 maybe? I can smell it.
Posted by: Richard Gonet | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:16 PM
Tri-x in D-76 diluted 1:2 ?
Posted by: David Kaufman | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:17 PM
Hi Mike. Tri-X in D76, one-to-one.
Easy for photographers of, shall we say, a certain age.
Posted by: Mike. | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:19 PM
Ha, I used diafine but yeah, I get it;
Tri-X developed in D76 diluted 1:1
What do I win?
Posted by: Robison John | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:23 PM
Tri-X in D-76 1:1.
Shaken, not stirred.
Posted by: John Shriver | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:26 PM
Tri-x developed in D76 at 1:1 strength
Posted by: Andrew Bearman | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:27 PM
My guess is that "txind76121" means Tri-X film ('fast' black and white) developed in D-76 developer, diluted 1:1. (I don't think that "121" refers to the film size/format, because that was discontinued in 1940 which doesn't match your age or that Tri-X was not introduced until a decade later.)
Posted by: Rudy | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:34 PM
Trix developed in Kodak d76 diluted one to one
easy peasy :-)
Posted by: Steve Makin | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:36 PM
I’m guessing Tri-X in D76 but the 121 beats me as 12.1 minutes makes no sense, neither does 1.21 minutes or 121 minutes!
Posted by: Stuart Pratt | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:47 PM
Well, Tri-X in D-76 is clear enough. Not sure about the '121' yet.
Posted by: DB | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 04:56 PM
unfortunately, the only darkroom experience I have had was in a community college night class, but maybe Tri-X in D76... and some dilution/time numbers?
Posted by: Wayne Taylor | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:01 PM
Tri-X in D-76, 12:1 dilution
Posted by: Mel | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:03 PM
My guess: D76 stock (1:1) was your preferred developer with TRI‑X 400 film.
Posted by: Arthur Locke | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:08 PM
I'll take a guess: "Tri-X in D76 (1 to 1 dilution).
Posted by: Rick Popham | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:11 PM
Tri-x, developed om D-76 mixed 1 to 1: A piece of cake
Posted by: Lyle | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:13 PM
Took about 5 seconds to work out. Oh dear, I'm old. :(
Posted by: Hugh | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:18 PM
txind76121 Stands for Tr-X in D76 1:1.
Posted by: Robert Gordon | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:19 PM
Tri-X in D76 ... ? Not sure what the rest means.
Posted by: Pritam Singh | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:21 PM
Ah! think the 121 is 1:1 dilution.
Posted by: Pritam Singh | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:24 PM
Mine would be:
d400ind76121414min
:)
Posted by: David Elden | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:24 PM
Tri-X in D76 developer stock diluted 1 to 1
Posted by: Michael J. Perini | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:25 PM
I'm guessin'
tx = TriX
in = in
d76 = D76 developer
121 = 12 minutes, single use.....or perhaps this fellah Mike's assets in US$ millions!
Posted by: Dan Khong | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:29 PM
Tri-X in D76 1:1
Posted by: Dave Millier | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:35 PM
Tri X in D76 1 to 1
Posted by: Barry Cross | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:37 PM
Tri-X in D76 12 minutes 1:1 Dilution ??
Don
Posted by: Don Spady | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:39 PM
You shoot tri-x film in D76 full strength, or 1:1
Posted by: Jim | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:40 PM
Tri-X in D76, diluted 1:1. A formula I used myself, for many years.
Posted by: Tom Montgomery | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:47 PM
Tri-X film in D-76 developer diluted 1+1.
It is quite arresting how quickly this has gone from being something anyone who is interested in photography would know to an esoteric pieceor arcana.
Voltz
Posted by: V.I. Voltz | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:49 PM
TriX in D76 1:2:1
Posted by: Dan Meyers | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 05:51 PM
Tri X in D76 1:2
Posted by: George Pappas | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 06:00 PM
I know what it means, but if you were an Englishman, your Ebay handle might have been HP4inid11121 instead.
: )
Posted by: Roger Bradbury | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 06:06 PM
TriX in D76 [diluted] 1:1
Posted by: Nige | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 06:08 PM
Tri-X in D76 something.... Doesn’t appear to be time, so?
Posted by: Dave Richardson | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 06:13 PM
Neighbor's plate was YRFTOC
Finally asked him... Was short for You're Following TO Close
Posted by: Greg | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 07:15 PM
Minnesota (like most states) censors vanity plates. One that slipped through. and made it into a newspaper column, was something like XE5LAR0 which, seen on the front of a car, in your rearview mirror, said "ORALSEX. Well, I was aghast.
Posted by: John Camp | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 07:19 PM
TriX developed in D76 with 1:1 dilution. Obviously. Or if not obvious, at least plausible.
Posted by: Bill Tyler | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 07:29 PM
Another comment: when I first saw the headline, I read it as "Darkroom...Rat-Riddle" rather than "Darkroom-Rat... Riddle."
Posted by: John Camp | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 10:28 PM
That was pretty to figure out. Know you've been a fan of both.
Personally, not a fan D76, even less of one of Tri-X. Tri-X and I just did not get along.
For me it was FP-4 and highly-diluted Rodinal.
Posted by: Stephen Scharf | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 10:57 PM
It's a particular kind of violence that replaces a word's meaning. It took me a strangely long time to realize "darkroom" in your title did not mean the app: https://darkroom.co
Posted by: Yoshi Carroll | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 11:16 PM
I saw a good one some years ago - a personalised number, as we call them. It was white letters on a pink background and it said BLONDE with several of the letters reversed. Made me chuckle.
Posted by: Peter Jeffrey Croft | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 11:31 PM
Seen on an automóvil (Spanish for car) in California: PAN 8. In Spanish 8 is pronounced Ocho. Google panocha. Seems like a vato (Spanish for dude) beat the vanity-plate censors 8-0 In my part of SoCal Anglos (non Hispanic whites) also know a lot of Spanish—especially the naughty words ;-)
Audios, I have an early Doctor appointment tomorrow.
Posted by: c.d.embrey | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 11:41 PM
I use 1+1 notation. No ambiguity to me ;-)
Posted by: Richard Man | Sunday, 11 April 2021 at 11:56 PM
Tri x in D-76 dilute 1 to 1
That's how I processed as well.
Posted by: Dominick Mistretta | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 08:35 AM
While I get the photographic reference, I'm wondering how many eBayers will be trying to figure out the "IND" part about the Texan they're contracting with. TX is the postal abbreviation for Texas, of course, but 76121 is a zip code associated with Ft. Worth, too. It's a very Texan handle, even if it wasn't meant to be!
Posted by: Christopher May | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 10:32 AM
Reminds me of a vanity plate for a Saab: CAAR.
Posted by: Robert Hudyma | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 10:57 AM
There is a new (2020) edition of Leonard Freed's book out now. Reproduction is much better than the 2010 facsimile edition.
Thanks Chuck. I fixed this. --Mike]
Posted by: Chuck Albertson | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 11:07 AM
I never worked in a darkroom (my loss), but I do some day plan to have the license plate eccl1:2 if it is still available.
[Sounds meaningless to me. :-) --Mike]
Posted by: Yonatan Katznelson | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 11:49 AM
I got the Tri X D-76 1:1 handle. I'm going to guess the D in D-76 stands for developer, and it was the 76th formulation that they decided on. Which is similar to how WD 40 got it's name. It stands for Water Displacer and was the 40th formula they tried. WD 40 is a great product, but it is not a lubricant.
Fun Fact: the D in D-Day stands for Day.
When I lived in Los Angeles, I once saw a car w/ a vanity plate FILMOYL. I verified w/ the owner at a stop light that he was, in fact, an editor.
Patrick
Posted by: Patrick Perez | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 12:01 PM
Late to respond here - I would have said Tri-X D76 @ 1:1 - so all I can offer is my favorite vanity plate. COQAUVIN on a brown Ford minivan.
Posted by: Doug Anderson | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 12:11 PM
Just looked at that and it can't be right. Only seven characters were available. Must have been COQxVIN where x was probably O.
Posted by: Doug Anderson | Monday, 12 April 2021 at 12:15 PM