I just "killed" an old habit today!!

[ericantonio]

I dream of retirement when I can spend time on interesting things. I live in the same state as Bostick, so I'd love to spend some time up there on some of their workshops.

I'm not looking forward to a 13 hour drive from SoCal but nothing in life is perfect. It would be nice to incorporate a week there. I haven't been to Santa Fe since .... 1986. Taos at that time was still "no photography" allowed. Most of my friends went to St. John's College.

[ericantonio]

It is good to split your work between standing and sitting with a little moving around now and then. After many decades it has become obvious that, since my but is much larger than my feet, I should mostly work sitting down.

Totally true. That's what a lot of ergonomics people are saying. These days, my "darkroom" for large format is me, kneeling by the tub, trays in the tub, 2 sets of blackout drapes at the door, (should get another for inside the door). I pretend I'm a monk and I'm doing my chants. I should get floor contractor's knee pads....

[ericantonio]

In recent years I’ve had to bring a padded and wheeled shop stool into my DR because a bit of sciatica has set in. However, I do alternate spending time on my feet and sitting, and while standing sometimes do specific stretching movements taught to me by my physical therapist.

Oh your darkroom is big enough for that. That's awesome. Do you think those backless chairs would work? What do therapists say about those? You know the ones that you kinda kneel down?

[ericantonio]

For some reason, when loading, unloading film holders, developing reels...I always close my eyes.

Ha! Yah, I think I do same.

[ericantonio]

Yes! What's even funnier is I can't load holders or developing reels unless I take my glasses off! If I try, my eyes keep trying to see in the dark.

OMG, we all have CRAZY habits! That is pretty funny to take glasses off in the dark!

[Tin Can]

Nope, I keep them open but always think I see light leaking

My first DR as some may recall, I was chasing REAL light leaks

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/sympt...ashes-of-light

I no longer worry about my third and last ever DR, it is DARK

out damn spot

For some reason, when loading, unloading film holders, developing reels...I always close my eyes.

[ericantonio]

It is better for your body if you are standing. Sitting kills an awful lot of senior citizens, and I suppose, younger ones. I am 92 and have never sat in the darkroom as a matter of practice.

You are amazin!!! 92!!!!

[JMO]

Oh your darkroom is big enough for that. That's awesome. Do you think those backless chairs would work? What do therapists say about those? You know the ones that you kinda kneel down?

I use a wheeled shop stool because I need to slide along my DR sink as the print goes from one tray to another, so don't know anything about the backless chairs you describe. I coated my poured concrete DR floor with the chemical-resistant acrylic epoxy coating, so the stool slides easily across it. I have to be careful that the stool is right under my butt, and I'm balanced, so it doesn't slip out from underneath me - but so far, so good, and it helps a lot to reduce the sciatica issues during day-long DR sessions. I'm 7 years fully retired now, and very much enjoy my time in the DR. Just today I made up 3 liters of D-76 to develop about 25 rolls of B&W 120 film (with JOBO CPP-2 processor) that I brought back from a vacation trip out to Maine and RI, and look forward to seeing how those films come out.

[esearing]

I went to 3 minute agitation cycles so now I walk a few laps around the interior rooms of the house. Also helps me stretch my eyes out the windows now and then. I agree with Abruzzi 10+ hours in front of the computer a day is soul sucking not to mention seat widening.

[Robbie Bedell]

For some reason, when loading, unloading film holders, developing reels...I always close my eyes.

Peter. I find that amazing. On my first newspaper job (in the 1970s) I worked with a great photographer who did the exact same thing. He said he could not help it. One day he showed up at my desk with a drawn expression on his face and he told me he had loaded his film with the lights on and did not realize it until he closed the lid on the tank and went to turn on the lights and they were already on. He was a mentor to me and had really been around the block.