NG event - Maastricht/NL 5 June

[the solitaire]

Ok, it's sealed. We'll be there tomorrow.

Before we get there, I want to say a few things about the woman I love. Kristina suffers from a social anxiety disorder. That means groups of people make her uncormfortable. She will still come with me tomorrow, but it might mean that we will take one or two moments leave for ourselves to join the group afterwards.

This social disorder also means that she prefers not to be addressed directly. Again, as long as I'm there, just act normal and you will hardly notice. This disorder is very hard to cure with therapy as the anxiety also or especially includes anxierty around therapists that sit in small rooms and ask uncormfortable questions in an attempt to determine how you are and how they can help you. We're working on that and on a full integration into society but that is a long and difficult path and as far as pour path together concerns, we just started.

So we will be there, and I'll just write down a few phone numbers so I can ask where you all are when we needed a time-out from social interaction

[Harald]

Hi Buddy,

fine that you both will come.

Harald

[Frank Fremerey]

OK, Buddy. I can cope with that. I know a lot of different people including myself. I mean --- very different people --- and cats. and goats.

[Jakov Minić]

Buddy, glad you could join.

[Joost Bollens]

First (and most difficult) hurdle already taken: deciding what to put in my bag...

A french poet once wrote: "partir, c'est mourir un peu" ("having to leave is like dying a little bit").

I for one rather would say: "choisir c'est mourir un peu" ("having to choose is ....").

See you tomorrow!

Joost

[the solitaire]

Joost, you're definately on top of the situation. I have not yet figured out what to bring and what to leave behind.

I decided on the cameras to bring.

The Nikon F is coming along
The D3 will be there as well.

Lenses, 105mm f2,5 Nikkor-P of course
5cm f2 Nikkor-S maybe/most likely
The 20mm f3,5 UD Nikkor will be there as well as the 16mm f3,5 K series Nikkor to round out the wide end of my kit.

Now I'm undecided on the long end. Do I bring the ultrasharp 200mm Nikkor-Q.C or the 80-200 f4 Ai-S which has yet to prove itself in the field.

Lumi preparing the camera bag

[John Geerts]

Same 'problems' here. In Utrecht I kept it simple with the 45/2.8P and the 80/2.8.  Now something different I guess

[Frank Fremerey]

I chose one DSLR with one lens and the X100T as backup. The rest of my weight budget is on spare batteries

[the solitaire]

The SLR is an F5? Or why else would you bring 5 kilo in spare batteries?

[the solitaire]

Getting ready



PS: The text on the mug reads: "You know what killed the dinosaurs, Whateley? We did. In one barbeque."

It's a quote from Neil Gaiman and is a playful reference to the Cthulhu mythos by Howard Phillip Lovecraft

[Thomas G]

Countdown counting... 15 min until launch.

[Bruno Schroder]

Lunch in Maastricht

[Akira]

Tha's a nice "the calm before the storm" scene!  I'm concerned about the current rainfall and flood in France and Germany, though.

[the solitaire]

Please do not mention anything about rain yet. We're still stuck in Aachen. The only "progress" is that our car is locked away, we didn't get a rental and we're now waiting for a kind and close friend to pick us up in Aachen on his cost (I promised him my kingdom, knighthood and lunch at an establishment of his choice for his kindness) because the ADAC did not get their act together.

That said, the morning and lunch were great, company was pleasant and kind and I hope to be there on a next meeting. That time we will bring both dogs however because poor and brave Amy has been alone at home for over 10 hours now

[Thomas G]

Good Luck, Buddy! It was nice meeting the 3 of you.