I completed an escapade today: learn to use a darkroom. And it's promptly been replaced by another escapade: own a darkroom. I developed pictures all day and then snuck back in there after dinner to develop some more. I'm obsessed.

If it wasn't for the fact that it's not actually my darkroom, I'd still be in there. I wouldn't sleep! I'd just make pictures. As it is, having a darkroom right down the hall will now torment me. Every time I walk into the garage to do my laundry, there it will be. Tormenting me with possibility.

In case you've forgotten, my roommate Leah is a professional photographer. Her darkroom is on the bottom floor of the house, as is my bedroom. I've been wanting to try darkroom photography for a long time, but never got around to it. But this semester, I was assigned an immersion project for one of my classes: immerse myself in some subject and then write poetry about it. So I chose photography, and Leah and I set up a day for me to try it, which was today!

At first, I intended to go take some pictures around the city, but my schedule didn't permit that. (My schedule barely permits me to take showers, so no surprise there.) So I popped a roll of black and white film into my camera and brought it to class with me, and took some pictures of my friends.

Leah had me take the roll to a lab to get the negatives developed because of her "too much work, too little fun" philosophy of negative developing. So we skipped straight to the part where we make the contact sheets and print the photos. She showed me how to do it-- how to use contrast filters and vary the light and exposure settings and everything-- and then she left me alone with the darkroom, and I developed my little ass off.

I wish I could show you my favorite one. I took a picture of one of our new students-- and the print is high contrast, which I did for deliberate effect. It came out so well. But I can't post it without her knowledge, so, oh well.

I tried not to stress too much about being exact with the chemicals. Fortunately, Leah has more philosophies about that, along the lines of, "Thirty seconds. Or so... whatever... just do what you feel!" As a result, I didn't make too many mistakes (only two or three pictures didn't turn out at least reasonably well) and I was pretty pleased. I feel like I have a knack for it, although what do I know.

I am amazed at how much of the "magic" happens in the darkroom. I didn't realize how many variables that go into printing photos, and how much instinct is required to get it right. It makes me look at photographs with a whole new eye for what must have gone into making them.

So now, I want to take more pictures. Maybe learn to mix chemicals and do fun things like "burn" photos, which we didn't get to. I don't want to take advantage of Leah; although she didn't want any reimbursement for the paper I used today, I'm not going to make a regular thing of using her paper and chemicals for free. I will have to ask her if there's any way I can use the darkroom occasionally in the future.

Also, I want to read books on photography, and get my manual camera fixed, and go to exhibits-- a new interest with which I can fill my copious amounts of spare time.

Freaky and Squeaky are doing fine.

In fact, we've had a little breakthrough. I never know what goes on in their miniscule brains, but all of a sudden when they see me coming, holding a spray of millet, they don't always fly away in terror. Sure, nine times out of ten. But that tenth time, when they stay put: that's progress!

So yesterday, the birds ate some millet seed out of my hand. Even Pigwidgeon ate some, which is wholly unprecedented. He's always been scared of me, despite the fact that I've never done anything to him except call him Captain Ahab once or twice-- but I swear, there's a strong resemblance.

"For some bizarre reason, I was talking to myself in an obnoxious French accent, the whole way there. I say talking, but I was really yelling loudly in the close quarters of the car. 'I muzt ztay between zee lines on zee street!!!' Giggle giggle. 'It is a very leetle distaunce, after all!! Tres, tres leetle distaunce. Iv I just ztay between zee lines, I vill get home zafely!! Zo I muzt!!'"