[Leica] Study: How bourbon affects the focussing ability of Leicarangefinders.

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

Neil Beddoe OFFERED:
Subject: [Leica] Study: How bourbon affects the focussing ability of 
Leicarangefinders.

>>>> To be fair, it might not have been the bourbon.  It was probably the 
>>>> martini that preceded it.<<<<

Hi Neil and all,
A way way back long long ago there was a book about a northern Canadian 
amateur photog who won a photo contest for a shot at a job with a big news 
magazine in New York.

He was flown in with all the official meets and greets about the new rising 
star. He was given several assignments which apparently he did a more than 
adequate shoot and it looked like he was well in to making the cut for the 
job.

However, there was one final test he had to complete that no one but the 
Chief Photographer, art director and Photo Editor knew about. They set the 
test rules just in case he was given a social type assignment.  READY? :-)

He had to drink 7 martinis with lunch and make it back to the office on his 
own still vertical & breathing! :-) By 2pm.

He was last seen crossing the border looking for his Huskies and sled to 
return to his home on Baffin Island. :-) No he didn't get the job! :-( The 
test? "Could he handle his booze while covering a socialite coming out 
party?" Just in case he had a drink on the job?

I can attest to these results simply because? The first time I ever drank a 
Martini. It was on assignment! :-(  I only knew the name, not what was in 
them! Tasted nice, interesting flavour, quite easy to intake! The first was, 
"truly followed by 6 more!" Others in the assignment crew kept count. Of 
course they enlightened me the next day of the number saying they were 
surprised how I  knocked them back as though I were drinking water or a 
beer! This while I lay in bed feeling like a "Martini train hit me sometime 
during the night, then backed-up over me to make sure it did a good job of 
teaching me ............. "do not drink Martinis like they were beer!"

Did you know under these recovery conditions the shutter sound of an M 
camera sounds like "155mm Howitzer" firing twenty feet from your head? Oh 
me, oh my! It hurts so much you just want to lie down and die quickly to rid 
yourself of the pain and thunder in your ears? Head? Or wherever else your 
body hurts! :-( Damn it surely was one of the worst hang over's I've ever 
encountered!

I must admit when covering the Olympics or like events, it is quite easy to 
find yourself relaxing with a tad tooooo much liquid refreshments, 
particularly when your day has gone just super and you've caught a few great 
keeper images.
And as much as you swear it wont ever happen again?  Don't believe it! WHY? 
Well when you are basking in a moment of joy of a successful shoot........ 
your brain forgets completely the aches and pains of imbibing one or two too 
many! :-)  And life goes on until the next one! ;-)
cheers,
ted.