The TOTAL Newb from California would be ME!

[Bemoc]

Hello! My name is Jia, and I've been fringing here for a very long time. It CAN be nerve-wracking for an actual newb to hear intros like: Hi, I've never done this, I just work with zooplankton and purplish mold spores, have for three decades, all microscopically... sheesh. However, I was a scientist full-time from age nine until 22, when a Chem professor in college burst my Madame Curie bubble. I became an artist instead - not so different really. Now, I am retired, if "retired artist" is not an oxymoron, and do little else with my time now than pursue great microscopes, the few I might know what to do with, and that do not come in kits. I never said "Hello!" here before, because I felt certain that I would soon learn enough about diatom spearing and DICphots and of course I'd need to know how to collinate and all first, but in the meanwhile my questions just grow in every way, and my microscope collection is getting ridiculous. I'll save that for the "What microscope do you use?" department - which I am avoiding because I know there is a space limit and I'd hate to use it all up in my intro. In addition to buying and dismantling (read: "Improving") hot microscopes, I torture Thinkpads of bygone days similarly, I draw or cartoon the people around me every day, and lessee, I dream of the day when I will make my own perfect Leicapad. Or maybe Thinkkon....

[Javier]

Hi Jia,

Good to hear from you. I'm a total newbie, although I have been working with zooplankton and purplish mold spores for three decades, all microscopically...

Just kidding, I know nothing...

Javier.

[PeteM]

I'm another fan of those old Thinkpads. IBM was a client ages ago and I had a chance to advise on a couple details. A bit sad to see them spin off to Lenovo, and then sell it entirely -- though the new owners are doing well with the brand. What sort of art do / did you do? Many micro images are works of art in themselves, IMO.

[Bemoc]

Hi Pete! I am also N. CA - are you South Bay? I ask because of IBM; how were you connected there? I share your Lenovo regrets. I liked a few things about the originals, such as they always looked so un-cool, in that same way, year after year; I liked that I could easily work on any of them; and I loved their indestructability because I sure did put them through it. I have yet to find a microscope as forgiving. But, like microscopes, I liked that they could be so outrageously priced for about 2 months, then at the thrift stores on the third month. RE: the type of artist I was, I was the kind I'm almost certain nobody ever heard of, because I did privately commissioned fresco work, encaustic -- ceilings, some walls - all the archaic techniques and as archaic of subjects - for the Pacific Heights crowd. I spent 19 years in about six square blocks over there, I think.

YES, so much of what I see posted here, and what I am able to see through the microscope, is so gorgeous. And because my work was so technical as an artist, it doesn't stretch me toooo far.... but enough. Color, contrast, movement and surprise - It blows my mind, and I am really pretty excited about it every day. I think -- I am convinced! -- that I saw some diatoms today. I really think so. To me, at the 400x I was using, they look like 60s art. Happy day for me, microscopy-wise! Sure enough where I tend to find my daily moments of bliss right now. A great day, that is, until I tried to flop my mechanical stage, because it has drop-down controls, one knob above the next - which hang smack dab in front of my fine focus knob. I am working like the devil to just put it back the way I found it tonight, because by morning I know I'll never remember just exactly how it went.

[Ergot]

Did someone actually say that they were a newb, but that they had been working with zoo plankton and spores all microscopicly for decades???

Sounds like you have quite a bit of experience to a newb like me; tinkering with scopes, a microscope collection etc.

Guess I m even more of a newb than i thought!!!