Did you know the zoo is 14 minutes from where I work ? I didn’t know that either, but now that I do…
I stopped by the Memphis Zoo Friday and spent a few minutes snapping photos with the Minolta AF2. Oddly, it took really crappy pictures and I decided to shelve it. However, after thinking about it, it makes a very capable Lomo camera with it’s odd focusing, dark corners, and soft images. So I put another roll of Fujicolor in it.
I also used a roll of Film Photography Project’s RetroChrome 320 that I had rolled earlier this year. It’s a great film to cross-process – giving the photos this retro 70s faded look that I happen to like very much. I shall be ordering a 100ft roll of it this fall if it’s still available. It’s a slide film , but works great pulled one stop and cross processed in C-41.
I only had a short time (30 minutes) to wander, so I didn’t hit the whole zoo, of course, but I tried to hurriedly speed-walk through the big parts. It was super crowded and really hot. They had the sprinkler fans on full blast and every kid from every school was apparently there for field trips. Kids were actually sitting on the ground under the shade by the Big Cats exhibit eating sack lunches. I remember those days. Bad memories.
May is officially over if you happen to ask the weather. Summer wants in on the action, so the muggy 90s are here already. We’ve already had our pool up for two weeks, and that’s about 3 weeks earlier than usual. Jen and I are having to fight the lawn already. It grows so thick and green it’s ready to cut every three or four days.
Upon returning to work, Memphis in May parking troubles were in full swing. I hate BBQ Fest. It really puts a strain on parking and trashes up Riverside Drive, Beale Street, and all parts in-between. Add to it a bunch of folks practically running over me on those dumb scooters, it’s just no fun. When I got back to work I found there were no parking spots in any of the three available lots downtown. I ended up working from home for about an hour before I tried again and was able to steal a spot as somebody was leaving the parking garage. Yay! I’m glad May is over. It’s the crappiest month in Memphis due to all the lame festivities.
But Memphis has it’s good points. Besides the Zoo (coolest zoo in the Country according to Memphians) , we have the Pink Palace, Children’s Museum of Memphis, AutoZone Redbirds Stadium, Fedex Forum, Dixon Art Gallery and Gardens, Memphis Botanic Gardens, the River Bluff, etc. Lots of good stuff to do here. Of course, if we keep boarding up buildings and spraying crappy folk art on the boards, we’ll just be another derelict city. Maybe we should address it by demolishing these old buildings and building new, modern buildings that new businesses can occupy. But I digress. Lunch is over, back to work!
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