"Baby steps" Bill. We can work through this together, mum was a huge part of my family life, not a soulmate like you/your wife but it still hurts deeply. Finding things to fill your time does help... The loss never goes, but it gets easier to deal with.
Really awful news has been delivered to my wife and I
- Thread starter Bill16
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It looks like I will get one last deposit from my wife's retirement and the tax returns should be the normal amount. Then I will just be living off my disability income.
So the retirement deposit will have to go to pay the taxes on my house. The tax returns might be my only chance to get a 14-24mm, if nothing else requires the money for more important needs.
I think I will likely cancel my sites, to save the small monthly payments. Though I will keep the creative cloud subscription. I will likely have to cut down my Time Warner cable plan. I may or may not be able to keep my car, depending on the requirements on the house.
I have to wait on the death certificate before I will be able to find out what can be done for sure on any of it.
So the retirement deposit will have to go to pay the taxes on my house. The tax returns might be my only chance to get a 14-24mm, if nothing else requires the money for more important needs.
I think I will likely cancel my sites, to save the small monthly payments. Though I will keep the creative cloud subscription. I will likely have to cut down my Time Warner cable plan. I may or may not be able to keep my car, depending on the requirements on the house.
I have to wait on the death certificate before I will be able to find out what can be done for sure on any of it.
We dropped our DirecTV subscription over a year ago and went to an antennae. We get 77 channels and don't miss the monthly bill at all.
I'm not sure I can do that even if it was just my tv involved. But I also have phone and wifi through Time Warner. I need the wifi and phone especially since I don't have cell phone right now.
I guess this is another thing I need to look into and find out what will be best on my much lower income vs my requirements.
I guess this is another thing I need to look into and find out what will be best on my much lower income vs my requirements.
Some cable companies offer subsidized plans for low income homes. You should check with Time Warner to see if they have any options for you.
I did a pretty big gamble today. I took my wife's last retirement check and used it to buy the nikkor 14-24mm lens before any automatic payments could be taken out, putting off paying my house taxes until until I get the tax refund money.
So soon I will have the wide angle lens I was wanting, and I will need to start learning to use it. I want to do it not just for me, but for my beloved's memory, as it was that wonderful lady who got me started in photography and was my biggest fan.
The lens should be here within a week and I will start my wide angle journey in the memory of my beloved wife.
So soon I will have the wide angle lens I was wanting, and I will need to start learning to use it. I want to do it not just for me, but for my beloved's memory, as it was that wonderful lady who got me started in photography and was my biggest fan.
The lens should be here within a week and I will start my wide angle journey in the memory of my beloved wife.
I have been sitting here thinking about my photography and gear, and I just realized that I got a lot of money rapped up in portrait gear. But I mainly had it for portraits of my beloved, and now I have no subject to help make use of this great gear and processing tools.
So I need to rethink things and find a way to get subjects for portraits, without triggering my panic attacks and stress issues. Either opportunity location portrait shots or find a way to create a studio. I will be making room as I thin things out, so plenty of space for a studio will be available eventually.
Back drops and lighting will be what costs.
So I need to rethink things and find a way to get subjects for portraits, without triggering my panic attacks and stress issues. Either opportunity location portrait shots or find a way to create a studio. I will be making room as I thin things out, so plenty of space for a studio will be available eventually.
Back drops and lighting will be what costs.
I'm sure she'd approve
Back drops can be simple sheets and portrait setups are also good for still lifes. And it would be useful to get back to your photography as soon as possible. I use simple work lights and foam board reflectors when I need extra lighting.
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I believe it might have been Don who said he bought some type of tarp material or painter's cloth at one of the big box home improvement stores to use as a backdrop. Those cost much less than buying backdrops from photography companies. Of course you'd still need to get some type of stand to hold it.
Wide angle isn't good for portraits unless you are far enough away--it is good for group shots, but probably closer to the 24mm end of the lens you will be getting. The reason why is because if you are standing close to fill the frame with a head and shoulders shot, you will get a lot of perspective distortion such as elongated noses and distorted faces. For head and shoulder shots, 85mm-135mm tend to be the norm on FX.
For portraits I would use my 85mm. But I am not going to shoot portraits too much for a while.
I plan to try and shoot mostly landscape and buildings using the 14-24mm lens for a while.
I plan to try and shoot mostly landscape and buildings using the 14-24mm lens for a while.
@Bill16 I think you have the personality to set up a very successful photography business for yourself off-site locations shooting perhaps prom pictures /youth baseball softball teams = many options for somebody as friendly and kind as you. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if that's what your wife had in mind for you when she sent you on this journey!
Thank you very much for the complement buddy. But I'm not able to be even nearly so out going in person. My disability issues would also make that not very doable for me.
But I'm not able to be even nearly so out going in person. My disability issues would also make that not very doable for me.After falling apart this morning with grief, I'm starting to see that things will be much tighter even if things go well with settling my wife's estate. But I can't see how tight things will be until I can get the death certificate, so I can see what can be done.
I must admit I am worried, but I'm going to do all I can to keep my beloved's and my home first and formost. She didn't want me to be homeless ever again, and talked about that even while she was in the hospital this last time.
I must admit I am worried, but I'm going to do all I can to keep my beloved's and my home first and formost. She didn't want me to be homeless ever again, and talked about that even while she was in the hospital this last time.
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You need to check on her social security. If she was receiving it, you might be entitled to receive something. And if she was receiving a pension payment, she might have been offered an option that carries over to spouses. Again, you need to look into these. Legal aid might be able to give you some info. At least call them to see if you qualify for their help. And as I said earlier, contact Time Warner to see if you qualify for a reduced rate based on your income.
Maybe you can take in a boarder who will pay rent? Or despite the fact you say you have a disability, perhaps you can receive training through an employment agency--you might be able to earn some type of income. Sometimes employment agencies will offer training.
You will need to find out the cost of property/school taxes and set aside an amount of money monthly to be sure you don't lose the house. Before you lose the house for a lack of money, at least sell it for the money. You don't want to fall behind on your taxes and lose the house altogether.
Again, Legal aid might be helpful for advice. You need to put your photography gear desires on a back burner for now, Bill. There are more important things that need to be addressed first---food, health, and housing--which are the basic staples in life. Please, contact Legal aid to see if they can help.
Maybe you can take in a boarder who will pay rent? Or despite the fact you say you have a disability, perhaps you can receive training through an employment agency--you might be able to earn some type of income. Sometimes employment agencies will offer training.
You will need to find out the cost of property/school taxes and set aside an amount of money monthly to be sure you don't lose the house. Before you lose the house for a lack of money, at least sell it for the money. You don't want to fall behind on your taxes and lose the house altogether.
Again, Legal aid might be helpful for advice. You need to put your photography gear desires on a back burner for now, Bill. There are more important things that need to be addressed first---food, health, and housing--which are the basic staples in life. Please, contact Legal aid to see if they can help.