Perhaps I should have made this known some time ago.

But for those who know me, this might explain a number of my quirks and tendencies.

In a nutshell: my senses are predominantly gone. And always have been gone.

1. Sight
I am mostly color blind. I passed various LE tests because I am clever. I am more clever than those who tested me and more devious and ingenious than the tests themselves. I know how to make distinguishing decisions. I know my colors. But I know them differently from you. I passed these tests in a Trifecta: on federal, state and local venues. Because I am that sharp. These tests make me larf to this day.

This tendency translates into color saturation. I don’t like photos they way I may have originally “seen” them — I make them translate into heavy colors. With some exceptions, I take the photos I post here and on my trainblog and then work them over in PhotoShop. I “sharpen” them and then I adjust their “saturation” UP. I like my colors VIVID. Back when I shot 35mm film, that’s why I predominantly shot Fuji Velvia.

2. Hearing
I not only worked in AM and FM radio for years, I also attended concerts from the Big Groups. I’ve seen concerts from Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Primus, Foghat, CCR, AC/DC, and hundreds of others. I wore headphones for many hours in radio and, further, attended these concerts where my ears were completely unprotected. The sharpest damage I believe I suffered was during a Rod Stewart concert at the Fillmore West. Ron Wood’s guitar was piercing because, after all, I was standing below his right side stacks. Tetsu Yamauichi also kicked my aural ass.

Today, I can hear sounds when they are isolated. When people speak in groups, in restaurants, in meetings, with other ambient noises, I am predominantly fucked. When I try to isolate conversations I am stifled. That’s just the way it is, with my history.

3. Taste
I haven’t possessed a sense of taste since 1968. I remember that I had some kind of flu that year. Since then, my “taster” has been flawed. If I want to “taste” something it has to be, literally, “over the top.” I have to experience massive amounts of sugar. I have to experience massive amounts of salt. I like to attend movies because I insist that my popcorn be saturated with “butter” and then I apply huge amounts of seasoning or salt.

I don’t have senses.

I am a living example of “over the top.”

BZ