Alone & Out of Focus

After Cali, I slept for two days and then went to CT to see the family. The whole team was there and we had a great time. I really hated to go.
Generally, I like living alone. The only times I feel lonely are after I leave from a visit. Then I miss them and feel lonely. As I drove North I was acutely aware that I wouldn't see them again until after India and that I was headed into one of the most isolated stretches of my life. India is going to be an adventure, but it's going to be one where I'm going to be alone in a crowd for two full months.
Work is changing badly too. Today they announced another layoff. By the time I get back from the road, many of my friends will be gone or in different jobs. With my promotion, the things I liked best about my job I do less and less now.
And I've been away so much that things that should seem routine and comfortable, like my office and apartment, are alien. In general: I'm out of sorts and I need to straighten up in a hurry.
The shots above are from the Hartford Science Center. Dark place. I try to use the 1/mm size speed minimum rule. So using a 200mm, I try to shoot at at least 1/200th. This was around 50mm so I shot at 1/50th. I'm open up to f2.8 and 400ISO.
Should be perfect, right?
Problem is, people move. This place is full of activities; things move, jump around, everyone is constantly in motion. 1/50th plus a crazy shallow depth of field and jumping peoples means that I missed a bunch of shots. Look how soft the faces are in the second shot. Curses. In retrospect I go back to high ISO and dealing with the grain. I have to get over it.