The High Heeled Ruminations Of Melrose Plant

[mlroseplant]

Not that I care that much anymore, but it is interesting to note that I received my first ever compliment from a man on my shoes recently. It's a been quite a while, but I have received quite a few jabs from men about my shoes, and the most memorable of these jabs occurred at the same place that this recent compliment occurred--Costco. Coincidence? I'm not a big believer in fate.

[mlroseplant]

Since there is nothing much going on here, it seems like a perfect time to share a not-so-great picture of me in my last Sunday's church outfit. I have the correct purple colored tie to fit the liturgical season, which is Lent. For those interested, we will switch to red for Holy Week, then white or gold for Easter up to Pentecost, red again for Pentecost, then green for the rest of the year up until Advent, known rather boringly as "Ordinary Time."

I would like to point out that the main item of interest in this picture is not my tie, but rather my silver sparkly mules, bought fairly recently on a whim. I wondered where I would ever wear them, but I guess I am less self-conscious than I used to be, so I wore them to church. I did not receive any comments on them one way or the other. I am not totally sure what was going on with my shirt in this picture, but I didn't notice until later, and I was not inclined to drag everything back outside to retake.

[Jkrenzer]

Interesting combination.

Honestly, you're just the guy in heels and have been fully accepted as such. I'm in the same place. I can't pull off the open toed mules, but every bit the femme thin heels and love it.

Lot's of rules over the colors based on the biblical season.

[SF]

Nice sandals.  Summer is coming, summertime = sandal time!!  

And yes, there is not much activity here lately.  I am guessing 20 or less regular contributors.  Too bad.  

Anyway, enjoy or silver "bling" sandals....   smile   sf

[Pierre1961]

for sure no much activity going on here lately! 

On my side I am still wearing heels ( nearly) everyday. Still traveling in heels. Doing my own stuff! 

I would post much more often if my pics were not always rejected as too heavy. Even if I reduce the resolution and the size. Any tip?i notice some members are posting nice pictures. I am using an IPhone. 

No matter if it makes me feel a moron 

[Jkrenzer]

1 hour ago, Pierre1961 said:

for sure no much activity going on here lately! 

On my side I am still wearing heels ( nearly) everyday. Still traveling in heels. Doing my own stuff! 

I would post much more often if my pics were not always rejected as too heavy. Even if I reduce the resolution and the size. Any tip?i notice some members are posting nice pictures. I am using an IPhone. 

No matter if it makes me feel a moron 

When i post images i use my very old g3. I then have to email to myself allowing 90% reduction. Seems to work with decent enough quality.

[Pierre1961]

Thank you! I will try that. 

[SF]

ha ha.....   Then I must be a moron too!!  I try and post pics and most of the time do not succeed.  I get some sort of an error message that I don't understand.  I am a low tech guy living in a high tech world.  And I love it.  Still have a flip phone, does not even do texts...  

And I too try and wear heels every day, it's fun!!!   Smile....   sf

[Cali]

3 hours ago, SF said:

ha ha.....   Then I must be a moron too!!  I try and post pics and most of the time do not succeed.  I get some sort of an error message that I don't understand.  I am a low tech guy living in a high tech world.  And I love it.  Still have a flip phone, does not even do texts...  

And I too try and wear heels every day, it's fun!!!   Smile....   sf

Your files are too big.  I normally first crop in a photo program and then shrink them by 80% in Paint.  There's nothing wrong with flip phones, I have one.  But you need HIGH heels.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Cali

[Puffer]

5 hours ago, Cali said:

Your files are too big.  I normally first crop in a photo program and then shrink them by 80% in Paint.  There's nothing wrong with flip phones, I have one.  But you need HIGH heels.

Yes, I am pretty useless when it comes to managing phones and PCs but that technique using Paint works for me too.

[mlroseplant]

17 hours ago, Pierre1961 said:

for sure no much activity going on here lately! 

On my side I am still wearing heels ( nearly) everyday. Still traveling in heels. Doing my own stuff! 

I would post much more often if my pics were not always rejected as too heavy. Even if I reduce the resolution and the size. Any tip?i notice some members are posting nice pictures. I am using an IPhone. 

No matter if it makes me feel a moron 

My wife also refers to large file size photos as being "heavy." It's quite charming!

I do the same thing that Krenzer does. I email the photo to myself, and it gives me a choice of file size. In this way, I am able to get it under the limit easily without having to worry about any editing, and there is very little reduction in quality, at least for the purposes of viewing on a normal computer screen.

[SF]

What is "paint?"  Some type of computer program??  I'm sure you are not referring to the stuff you apply to walls.  Like I said, low tech guy in a high tech world.  Smile....   sf

[spikesmike]

mlroseplant : You have posed in front of your garage door in previous photos . Not a reflection from a mirror. So, Do you use a camera on a tri-pod, or doe's a family member take your photos ?                                                                                                           Keep your heels and standerds high.       Mike

[Pierre1961]

Heavy is a direct , literal translation from French. We use that world” lourd “ if many pixels for a better resolution. I don’t know the proper English world. 

I tried to download Paint. But it seems that Microsoft and Apple are not a good match. 

Here is an attempt with the maximum pixel reduction. I may try with a little less 

[mlroseplant]

19 hours ago, spikesmike said:

mlroseplant : You have posed in front of your garage door in previous photos . Not a reflection from a mirror. So, Do you use a camera on a tri-pod, or doe's a family member take your photos ?                                                                                                           Keep your heels and standerds high.       Mike

Mike, I use a tripod with a phone holder attached to it. I no longer own a traditional camera. If I could stop buying shoes and musical instruments, I could probably afford a decent camera again. The phone holder came with a Bluetooth remote control, which tells the phone to "take" the picture. This has been handier than I thought at first.

Side note: I either need to fix that truck or junk it.

[Cali]

On 4/9/2022 at 11:26 PM, Pierre1961 said:

Heavy is a direct , literal translation from French. We use that world” lourd “ if many pixels for a better resolution. I don’t know the proper English world. 

I tried to download Paint. But it seems that Microsoft and Apple are not a good match. 

Here is an attempt with the maximum pixel reduction. I may try with a little less 

You may want to try multiple (sequential) applications of this process.  Try looking for a photo app that uses the word "Canvas" and scale it with that program.  I don't have Apple any more.  Years ago my publishers forced me (paid me) to use a platform that was not compatible with Apple.

[Shyheels]

That is very odd for a publisher to use a platform not compatible with Apple 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Shyheels

[Cali]

I write science textbooks among other things. I use a very special software that can handle very complicated symbols.  It then can be translated in LATEX if need be. But LATEX is too unstable for what I write.

There isn't a large enough market for them to create an Apple version.

And I write for multiple publishers.

[Shyheels]

I write and shoot for magazines and have done for 35 years. Apple is universal in my world. 

[Puffer]

4 hours ago, Shyheels said:

I write and shoot for magazines and have done for 35 years. Apple is universal in my world. 

That makes you sound like William Tell!   But Cali, lacking an Apple, is not Isaac Newton.

[Cali]

I've had many Apples since the late 70's.  But had to switch for the $$$$$. Been an author for almost 40 years.

[mlroseplant]

Best choice or not, I have been an Apple Guy since the IIe, and that's been a while ago. I did stray from the herd for a short period, but you can hardly blame me, given the times. When I did stray, what I wound up with was a Windows '98 Box. That was not a good experience, either.

On the other hand, it was on that Windows 98 machine that I discovered Jenny's High Stiletto Heels website (on dial-up modem), and well.  .  . here I am today! I could not have predicted at the time that I would graduate from a high heel admirer into a high heel wearer.

[at9]

If you want to get an Apple but need to run Windows stuff that what Parallels and/or virtual machines are for.

If you run Linux (just about any variety) then a lot of Windows software will run using WINE. Otherwise a virtual machine. I've certainly run XP under Linux Mint using VIrtualbox. For that matter I've run XP under later versions of Windows when I 've had to use software that won't work on W7 or later.

The performance hit for using a VM on modern hardware is minimal.

[mlroseplant]

2 minutes ago, at9 said:

If you want to get an Apple but need to run Windows stuff that what Parallels and/or virtual machines are for.

If you run Linux (just about any variety) then a lot of Windows software will run using WINE. Otherwise a virtual machine. I've certainly run XP under Linux Mint using VIrtualbox. For that matter I've run XP under later versions of Windows when I 've had to use software that won't work on W7 or later.

The performance hit for using a VM on modern hardware is minimal.

It's funny to talk amongst ourselves like this, because our talents are so varied. When I turn on my computer, I just want the damn thing to work. I really don't know that much about it, in the same way that many people view cars. I personally drive old, crappy cars, so that I am free to spend my money on other things, like shoes! I can fix the cars when they break, but I can't tell you much about computer problems.

[Puffer]

20 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

It's funny to talk amongst ourselves like this, because our talents are so varied. When I turn on my computer, I just want the damn thing to work. I really don't know that much about it, in the same way that many people view cars. I personally drive old, crappy cars, so that I am free to spend my money on other things, like shoes! I can fix the cars when they break, but I can't tell you much about computer problems.

I quite agree!   I find any detailed understanding or management of most computery a challenge, and one that regularly defeats me.   That is why I produced two sons who are skilled in such matters and invariably sort out the old man's problems for him.   In return, I spend many hours renovating and improving their properties.   Horses for courses ...

[at9]

I would much prefer not to muck about with computers. Most of the time all I need is a web browser and office stuff. Unfortunately I've had to learn far too much in order to support my own work requirements. Being self employed I either have to pay somebody to help or do it myself. I'd rather rely on my own efforts.

[Shyheels]

As far as my prose output goes my MacBook is pretty much a glorified typewriter, but photo editing is another matter. Although I am no computer geek I have to have a general proficiency in Photoshop and Lightroom

[mlroseplant]

1 hour ago, Shyheels said:

As far as my prose output goes my MacBook is pretty much a glorified typewriter, but photo editing is another matter. Although I am no computer geek I have to have a general proficiency in Photoshop and Lightroom

Interestingly enough, my 22 year old son has gone the opposite direction in his interests, and has discovered actual film! Obviously, he doesn't make a living at it, but I thought you might get a kick out the following picture. He's taken it THAT far. He's drinking the hard stuff now.

2 hours ago, Puffer said:

I quite agree!   I find any detailed understanding or management of most computery a challenge, and one that regularly defeats me.   That is why I produced two sons who are skilled in such matters and invariably sort out the old man's problems for him.   In return, I spend many hours renovating and improving their properties.   Horses for courses ...

I made an impromptu deal with my older son last week. I would do his tax return (it is THAT time in the U.S. of A.), if I didn't have to deal with any of the computer stuff. Tax returns do not scare me for some reason. OK, I used to be a tax preparer 20-some-odd-years ago, of course, they don't scare me. I told him very calmly in advance, if this blankety-blank computer will not print out this tax return when I am done with it, I will throw the thing out the window. He took care of everything from that point on.

[Shyheels]

I’m old enough that I learned on film and loved the hours I used to spend in the darkroom. I also went for medium format - a Mamiya 67 and a Pentax. Having said that there is no way I’d go back to film. I know it is now sort of retro-chic, especially with millennials, but digital has far outstripped film. I’ve a full frame DSLR with which I can shoot useable fine grained images at ISO 3200 with no trouble at all - something that is utterly impossible with film. And with instant results you can see where you are, in real time, in the field. And the resolution is better as well. No comparison.

I know some people like to think the colours are better or more interesting in film, but there again with Lightroom or post processing software from DXO you can mimic the effect of any film type imaginable.

I am glad I learned on film and as I say I loved the time I spent in the darkroom but I am quite happily digital now.

[mlroseplant]

18 hours ago, Shyheels said:

I’m old enough that I learned on film and loved the hours I used to spend in the darkroom. I also went for medium format - a Mamiya 67 and a Pentax. Having said that there is no way I’d go back to film. I know it is now sort of retro-chic, especially with millennials, but digital has far outstripped film. I’ve a full frame DSLR with which I can shoot useable fine grained images at ISO 3200 with no trouble at all - something that is utterly impossible with film. And with instant results you can see where you are, in real time, in the field. And the resolution is better as well. No comparison.

I know some people like to think the colours are better or more interesting in film, but there again with Lightroom or post processing software from DXO you can mimic the effect of any film type imaginable.

I am glad I learned on film and as I say I loved the time I spent in the darkroom but I am quite happily digital now.

Yes, you pretty much have him pegged there, but I don't know, there's a thousand other worse things he could be doing than spending his time and money on film photography.

In reply to the second bolded sentence, I suppose it's no different than the black box you can now buy which can basically emulate ANY guitar amp ever made, and do so convincingly. It's becoming more and more difficult to justify spending a lot of money on a traditional guitar amp these days.