One day＠Kabukicho #DAY180 - I was celebrated for my birthday.
A few days after my birthday, one day, my usual friend said "I want to celebrate!". Well, I'm happy that she celebrates in her own way. So yeah, I was totally expecting to be celebrated, and I went out into Kabukicho this day.
誕生日から数日経ったとある日、いつもの友達が『お祝いしたい！』と。まあなんだかんだあれぞお祝いしてくれるのは嬉しい。というわけでこの日は祝ってもらえる気満々で歌舞伎町の街へ繰り出した。
Even though she said she would celebrate with me, with everything going on with my health and work, we just haven't had a chance to meet. It ended up being about a month late, but she finally celebrated with me.
せっかく祝ってくれるって言ってくれていたのに、自分の体調やら仕事やらのせいもあってなかなか会える日がなくて。なんだかんだで一ヶ月遅れくらいになっちゃったけどお祝いしてもらってきました。
As part of the celebration, I got some gifts and other nice things, and while I'm really grateful, I can't help but feel a bit awkward about it. I mean, seriously, I am super grateful, though! I don't really know much about that stuff, but my friend gave me a set of madeleines from a famous shop that she recommended.
お祝いにプレゼントやらなんやらもらったりと、なんだかありがたいんだけど恐縮してしまう。いや、めちゃくちゃありがたいっすよ？自分はそういうのに疎いからよく知らないんだけど、友達オススメの有名店のマドレーヌのセットをいただきました。
Well, it's not only being celebrated, but I also need to take photos as usual. Do I have to? Nope, I want to. By the way, although it doesn't appear this time, the camera that occasionally appears, the Leica Q (first generation), finally finished paying off last month or this month. It took a long time. The Leica M-P Typ 240, which I use to take photos of Kabukicho, will be fully paid off around this fall.
まあ祝われるだけじゃなくって、いつものように写真も撮らないと。撮らないと？いや、撮りたい。そういえば今回は登場しないけどたまーに登場するカメラ、Leica Q（初代）の分割払いが先月か今月かでやっと終わりました。長かったー。歌舞伎町の街を撮るのに使っている Leica M-P Typ240 も今年の秋頃に分割払いが終わる。
Yes, you may have noticed that I bought both cameras on a 5-year loan. Well, I mean, I got them both second-hand but they were priced like buying a small car each. Of course I would buy them on a loan. The total amount would be the same whether I paid in full or went with a 60-month loan, since it had 0% interest.
はい、お気付きかもしれませんが、2台のカメラは5年ローンで買っていたのでした。いや、どっちも中古で手に入れたけどそれぞれ軽自動車が買えるくらいの値段だったんだもん。そりゃローンで買うでしょう。どっちも60回払いは金利0%だったから一括で買ってもローンにしても払う額一緒なわけだし。
Well, in the past few years, I haven't really been interested in buying new lenses because I already have most of what I need. But after getting my M-series Leica, I was able to buy lenses with cash for a few years instead of taking out a loan. Thanks to that, I ended up getting a 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm Summicron or APO-Summicron, all at f/2.0. I also have a few other lenses lying around, although I hardly ever use them. Selling them is also an option, but I'm not sure...
まあここ数年は使うレンズもほとんど決まっているから、新しいレンズを買おうかみたいな興味がなくなったから全然買っていないけど、M型ライカを手に入れたあと数年はローンじゃなくて現金払いでレンズも買っていたもんなぁ。おかげで 35mm、50mm、75mm はどれも f/2.0 の Summicron か APO-Summicron を手にすることになりました。それ以外にも数本レンズが手元にあります。使うこともほとんどないんだけど売るのもなぁ・・・。
That said, even though I don't use it as often as the Leica M-P Typ 240, the Leica Q is still absolutely essential to me. I always bring the Q with me on family trips with my father and my brother's family, which happen a few times a year. I usually have a 50mm lens on the M-P, while the Q has a fixed 28mm.
ただし Leica M-P Typ240 と比べると使用頻度はそこまで高くないけど、Leica Q は絶対に必要なんだ。年に数回行く父や弟家族との旅行には必ず Q も連れて行く。M-P の方にはいつも 50mm つけているけど、Q は28mm。
When it comes to street snaps, I feel like having just one of them is usually enough. But on trips, having both makes it much easier to capture a variety of expressions from everyone. My father has fully stepped into his "grandpa" role with my nephews, and while I never share them publicly, I really love the photos where all three of them are smiling from ear to ear. And when I try to fit all three of them into the frame in a ryokan room, where there isn't much space, the 28mm on the Q really comes in handy.
ストリートスナップとかなら別にどっちかひとつあればいいかなーって思う程度なんだけど、旅行の時は両方あってくれた方がみんなのいろんな表情だったりが撮りやすいんだ。父がすっかり甥っ子たちのおじいちゃんなんだけど、3人が満面の笑顔で写っている写真とか・・・公開することはないけど、実はすごく好き。そしてそんな3人を旅館の部屋とかで画角の中に入れようとすると、距離もないから 28mm の Q が大活躍なわけです。
Nothing special, just everyday scenes and people, but I love this kind of stuff. So, I think I've taken a lot of photos like this before.
なんてない景色と人々だけど、こういうの好き。だからこういう感じの写真、過去にもいっぱい撮っていると思う。
The last photo this time, by some strange twist of fate, is of a cigarette, even though it's been almost six months since I quit smoking. I don't smoke anymore, but I feel like I've ended up drinking more coffee on weekdays instead. I guess I'm still trying to figure out how to find little moments to reset myself throughout the day. Also, I didn't really have a drinking habit in recent years, but lately I've started drinking whiskey almost every day. But lately, I feel like I've been drinking a bit too much. Maybe it's time to cut back a little.
See you then.
今回最後の写真は何の因果か吸わなくなってもうすぐ半年になるタバコ。タバコは吸わなくなったんだけど、その分平日はコーヒーを飲む量が増えた気がする。日常の中で気分転換するタイミングをどうにか手探りで探している感じかなぁ。あとここ数年は飲酒習慣なかったんだけど、ウイスキーもほぼ毎日飲むようになった。でも最近飲み過ぎな気もするから・・・少しは節制しますか。
ほなまたー。
