Hi John,
what an excellent article, summing up a great career and life.
My best wishes,
Chas
John Pytlak Health Update
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CHAS
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Hi John,
Would you be happy to attend a 35mm screening of that "Halogenuros" reasearch short-film ? If so, let me know, and I could send you a 35mm print, so that you could see the film and may be share it with your friends at Kodak. Then the idea could be that this print to travel to Europe. (Aaton / Arri).
Good luck anyway.
Regards,
DHI
Would you be happy to attend a 35mm screening of that "Halogenuros" reasearch short-film ? If so, let me know, and I could send you a 35mm print, so that you could see the film and may be share it with your friends at Kodak. Then the idea could be that this print to travel to Europe. (Aaton / Arri).
Good luck anyway.
Regards,
DHI
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audadvnc
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Hi, John. I was reading the article about you and had to chuckle when I read about your AM radio transmitter. Back in the early 70's I and my electronic gearhead friends acquired a surplus WW2 Navy AM wideband transmitter, and got the idea we'd run a pirate radio station from the friend's bedroom, playing our favorite tunes, etc. This worked fine for about one afternoon, until one of us happened to look outside and saw an unmarked, olive-green bread truck with a top-mounted rotating dish antenna drive by on our street. Holy cow! It's the feds! (Back in those days you could still use phrases like that) 
Off went the transmitter, never to sound again on that band. We didn't get caught, but learned a little bit about the reality of FCC regulations that day.
Off went the transmitter, never to sound again on that band. We didn't get caught, but learned a little bit about the reality of FCC regulations that day.
Robert Hughes
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John_Pytlak
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Fortunately, we operated our drive-in transmitter with the underground wiring as the antenna, limiting the radiated power output to fall within the FCC Part 15 guidelines.audadvnc wrote:Hi, John. I was reading the article about you and had to chuckle when I read about your AM radio transmitter. Back in the early 70's I and my electronic gearhead friends acquired a surplus WW2 Navy AM wideband transmitter, and got the idea we'd run a pirate radio station from the friend's bedroom, playing our favorite tunes, etc. This worked fine for about one afternoon, until one of us happened to look outside and saw an unmarked, olive-green bread truck with a top-mounted rotating dish antenna drive by on our street. Holy cow! It's the feds! (Back in those days you could still use phrases like that)
Off went the transmitter, never to sound again on that band. We didn't get caught, but learned a little bit about the reality of FCC regulations that day.
John Pytlak
EI Customer Technical Services
Research Lab, Building 69
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922 USA
EI Customer Technical Services
Research Lab, Building 69
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922 USA
Hello John,
Interesting topic. The biggest savings with the radio was the cost of speakers boxes. They were lousy car stereo speakers but a few still managed to go on walk-about every friday and saturday night and never returned. They still show up on garage sales and auctions around here years after the theater closed. The theater is long since closed, a victim of the video rental store and changing lifestyles. The theater went to FM but never got Stereo FM before it closed. There were some complaints with the FM as some of the 60s & 70s cars still in use had AM radios only, but there were always speakers. The speakers were kept in the front rows near the end so the projectionist could watch for drive offs and copy down plate numbers. A valiant but worthless gesture in the end. I just scrapped out the speaker posts two years ago, pieces of old boiler pipes. I still found a rogue post with the tractor this past week while mowing with the brush mower. The roof on the ticket booth fell in last year, and the snackbar is crumbling but still in one piece. I am trying to restore the old theater marquee by the highway just to do it. It still has a sign under it that says "Now in Color" for the switch to color movies. The original owners still have the in town theater, handed down three generations. The in town theater owner opened a third screen this summer, which is a big deal for a small town. We used to be two to three weeks for a new release here in town, but now get them the same time as most major chains. Times have changed. There used to be a traffic signal to let out the movie with all of the cars there. They all honked the car horns as they left every night. Now it's just a field of weeds with a rusty chain across the gate. There still is an open drive in here and there in our area, but they have a pretty short season up here, about 3 months tops weather permitting.
Interesting topic. The biggest savings with the radio was the cost of speakers boxes. They were lousy car stereo speakers but a few still managed to go on walk-about every friday and saturday night and never returned. They still show up on garage sales and auctions around here years after the theater closed. The theater is long since closed, a victim of the video rental store and changing lifestyles. The theater went to FM but never got Stereo FM before it closed. There were some complaints with the FM as some of the 60s & 70s cars still in use had AM radios only, but there were always speakers. The speakers were kept in the front rows near the end so the projectionist could watch for drive offs and copy down plate numbers. A valiant but worthless gesture in the end. I just scrapped out the speaker posts two years ago, pieces of old boiler pipes. I still found a rogue post with the tractor this past week while mowing with the brush mower. The roof on the ticket booth fell in last year, and the snackbar is crumbling but still in one piece. I am trying to restore the old theater marquee by the highway just to do it. It still has a sign under it that says "Now in Color" for the switch to color movies. The original owners still have the in town theater, handed down three generations. The in town theater owner opened a third screen this summer, which is a big deal for a small town. We used to be two to three weeks for a new release here in town, but now get them the same time as most major chains. Times have changed. There used to be a traffic signal to let out the movie with all of the cars there. They all honked the car horns as they left every night. Now it's just a field of weeds with a rusty chain across the gate. There still is an open drive in here and there in our area, but they have a pretty short season up here, about 3 months tops weather permitting.
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John_Pytlak
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John Pytlak's "Near Death Experience", July 25
Hello to all my friends here on Filmshooting.com! I've just had a "near death experience":
I just spent two days in the hospital (Thursday and Friday, July 26-27) after a very scary event on Wednesday evening.
Our older daughter Katie had been spending the week in Rochester from Boston with us to help out. I had purchased a new Toshiba notebook computer system (with Windows Vista Home Premium) that was delivered earlier in the week, and had unpacked it. I was getting ready for bed at about 10:00pm Wednesday, and noticed some of the empty boxes were still in the side hall. I took one small box into the garage through the swinging storm door and down two steps. No problem, although my legs are getting quite weak and wobbly from loss of body mass, especially since mid May (down to 115 pounds from a pre-cancer weight of 172 pounds). The second empty box was large and bulky, so I decided to gently pull it backward through the swinging door. The last thing I remember is pulling on the box as I backed through the door. The next is the Ambulance EMT crew strapping me to a flat board with a neck brace, and shining lights into my eyes, probably 7-10 minutes later.
Katie heard the crash, and was the first to find me, flat on my back, totally unconscious on the cement floor of the garage. She says I was not breathing, and she began gentle chest compression and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Younger daughter Annie helped too, while my wife Betsy called 911 for the ambulance. Katie says I started breathing on my own in 30-40 seconds, and after a few minutes was groggily talking to her. The back top right side of my head was bleeding profusely from a deep ragged gash where I had hit my head during the fall backward onto the garage floor. I also had some bruising and abrasion along my back.
The Ambulance EMT crew was great. Our neighbor is an EMT, got the call, and ran right down to our house. After securing and checking me out, the ambulance crew rushed me to the hospital where I have been going since my illness began last September. Betsy rode in the ambulance, and our good neighbors gave Katie and Annie a ride to the hospital. At the hospital, they cleaned the head wound. It took six stitches to close the ragged gash. They took x-rays to look for rib or back injury, and a head CT scan. The head CT scan showed some fluid buildup on the right side of the brain, and there was a bit of weakness and tingling in my left foot. They prescribed a strong cortisone type drug to help reduce the brain swelling, and I spent the next two days
in the hospital to heal, build my strength, and recoup a bit. Katie's husband Jim and our grandson Ben drove in from Boston, and visited me in the hospital to cheer me, along with the constant daytime presence of Betsy, Katie and Annie in shifts. Before being released, I had some PT to be sure I could walk with the help of a walker, and even climb stairs with rails. Even though I can walk and climb stairs slowly, my muscle weakness and the weaker left side (I drag my left foot a bit) require that someone walk with me to steady me and be sure I don't fall down again.
I came home from the hospital late Friday afternoon (July 27). Saturday, a visiting home nurse checked my vital signs and redressed the head wound. Then a physical therapist gave me a home evaluation of my capabilities with a walker and stairs, and agreed that until I am more steady on my feet, I need someone to walk with me. It looks like I will still be able to travel to the local cancer clinic for my regular IV hydration on Tuesdays and Fridays. Everyone agrees that I not try to do too much on my own, especially never stairs into the garage or basement, lest I take another bad fall.
My sister and her husband visited Saturday, while the nurse and PT were here, and then spent most of the afternoon. It was an enjoyable visit, making Saturday a very full day. Katie, Jim and Ben drove back to Boston Saturday evening, as Jim has to work at his high school's summer retreat starting Sunday evening and for the week, and Katie is working half time at her campus ministry job at Boston College.
I am getting back on a normal schedule. I am able to have a "clear liquid" diet, which includes water, fruit juice, Jello, broth, and other clear liquids without bulk. Unfortunately, the complete intestinal blockage precludes more calorie-rich liquids like Boost or Ensure or soups. So at most, I am getting only about 500 calories per day, and likely to continue losing weight and strength. Fortunately, last week after several days of severe vomiting, I was prescribed Protonix to stop stomach acid, and it has somehow also helped greatly reduce the vomiting that I had been having to throw up digestive juices. So I am able to hold down these clear liquids and my medicines. For now, I am sleeping downstairs, in a fully adjustable hospital bed set up in our family room, right next to a comfortable recliner, both facing my new HD television -- a pretty cozy setup. (But I still miss getting to see movies on a big theatre screen). Annie has been comuting each evening from her job in Buffalo, and plans to sleep downstairs if I need any help during the night.
I also spend time at the computer. Jim was able to set up my new notebook computer, and transfer most of the files and set it up on a wireless home network, and my plans are to complete the transfers from my old (Windows ME) system during the next week. In five years, I've accumulated over 5000 Kodak digital photos, that are now backed up to a separate USB hard drive, and tranferred to the new computer. I've always been a "pack rat" like my Dad (my basement is still filled with hundreds of boxes and files), and my computer files are no exception.
Well, as you can see, I've had quite a week! Katie jokes that she intends to write a book about her father's "nine lives" of experience since last September. In reality, everyone's prayers and good wishes have seen me through alot, and cheered me along the way this past year. I've gotten to see and play with my wonderful first grandchild Ben many times, I've just celebrated my 59th birthday, I still am able to help my friends on the Internet Support Groups, and now I've survived a near death experience (no, I didn't "see the light"). I'm ready for death, but life is certainly still worth living. Like the Engergizer Bunny, I keep on going.
Please keep those prayers and good wishes coming. Miracles don't always result in a "cure", but in lots of daily blessings to help though a severe illness.
8)
I just spent two days in the hospital (Thursday and Friday, July 26-27) after a very scary event on Wednesday evening.
Our older daughter Katie had been spending the week in Rochester from Boston with us to help out. I had purchased a new Toshiba notebook computer system (with Windows Vista Home Premium) that was delivered earlier in the week, and had unpacked it. I was getting ready for bed at about 10:00pm Wednesday, and noticed some of the empty boxes were still in the side hall. I took one small box into the garage through the swinging storm door and down two steps. No problem, although my legs are getting quite weak and wobbly from loss of body mass, especially since mid May (down to 115 pounds from a pre-cancer weight of 172 pounds). The second empty box was large and bulky, so I decided to gently pull it backward through the swinging door. The last thing I remember is pulling on the box as I backed through the door. The next is the Ambulance EMT crew strapping me to a flat board with a neck brace, and shining lights into my eyes, probably 7-10 minutes later.
Katie heard the crash, and was the first to find me, flat on my back, totally unconscious on the cement floor of the garage. She says I was not breathing, and she began gentle chest compression and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Younger daughter Annie helped too, while my wife Betsy called 911 for the ambulance. Katie says I started breathing on my own in 30-40 seconds, and after a few minutes was groggily talking to her. The back top right side of my head was bleeding profusely from a deep ragged gash where I had hit my head during the fall backward onto the garage floor. I also had some bruising and abrasion along my back.
The Ambulance EMT crew was great. Our neighbor is an EMT, got the call, and ran right down to our house. After securing and checking me out, the ambulance crew rushed me to the hospital where I have been going since my illness began last September. Betsy rode in the ambulance, and our good neighbors gave Katie and Annie a ride to the hospital. At the hospital, they cleaned the head wound. It took six stitches to close the ragged gash. They took x-rays to look for rib or back injury, and a head CT scan. The head CT scan showed some fluid buildup on the right side of the brain, and there was a bit of weakness and tingling in my left foot. They prescribed a strong cortisone type drug to help reduce the brain swelling, and I spent the next two days
in the hospital to heal, build my strength, and recoup a bit. Katie's husband Jim and our grandson Ben drove in from Boston, and visited me in the hospital to cheer me, along with the constant daytime presence of Betsy, Katie and Annie in shifts. Before being released, I had some PT to be sure I could walk with the help of a walker, and even climb stairs with rails. Even though I can walk and climb stairs slowly, my muscle weakness and the weaker left side (I drag my left foot a bit) require that someone walk with me to steady me and be sure I don't fall down again.
I came home from the hospital late Friday afternoon (July 27). Saturday, a visiting home nurse checked my vital signs and redressed the head wound. Then a physical therapist gave me a home evaluation of my capabilities with a walker and stairs, and agreed that until I am more steady on my feet, I need someone to walk with me. It looks like I will still be able to travel to the local cancer clinic for my regular IV hydration on Tuesdays and Fridays. Everyone agrees that I not try to do too much on my own, especially never stairs into the garage or basement, lest I take another bad fall.
My sister and her husband visited Saturday, while the nurse and PT were here, and then spent most of the afternoon. It was an enjoyable visit, making Saturday a very full day. Katie, Jim and Ben drove back to Boston Saturday evening, as Jim has to work at his high school's summer retreat starting Sunday evening and for the week, and Katie is working half time at her campus ministry job at Boston College.
I am getting back on a normal schedule. I am able to have a "clear liquid" diet, which includes water, fruit juice, Jello, broth, and other clear liquids without bulk. Unfortunately, the complete intestinal blockage precludes more calorie-rich liquids like Boost or Ensure or soups. So at most, I am getting only about 500 calories per day, and likely to continue losing weight and strength. Fortunately, last week after several days of severe vomiting, I was prescribed Protonix to stop stomach acid, and it has somehow also helped greatly reduce the vomiting that I had been having to throw up digestive juices. So I am able to hold down these clear liquids and my medicines. For now, I am sleeping downstairs, in a fully adjustable hospital bed set up in our family room, right next to a comfortable recliner, both facing my new HD television -- a pretty cozy setup.
(But I still miss getting to see movies on a big theatre screen). Annie has been comuting each evening from her job in Buffalo, and plans to sleep downstairs if I need any help during the night.I also spend time at the computer. Jim was able to set up my new notebook computer, and transfer most of the files and set it up on a wireless home network, and my plans are to complete the transfers from my old (Windows ME) system during the next week. In five years, I've accumulated over 5000 Kodak digital photos, that are now backed up to a separate USB hard drive, and tranferred to the new computer. I've always been a "pack rat" like my Dad (my basement is still filled with hundreds of boxes and files), and my computer files are no exception.
Well, as you can see, I've had quite a week! Katie jokes that she intends to write a book about her father's "nine lives" of experience since last September. In reality, everyone's prayers and good wishes have seen me through alot, and cheered me along the way this past year. I've gotten to see and play with my wonderful first grandchild Ben many times, I've just celebrated my 59th birthday, I still am able to help my friends on the Internet Support Groups, and now I've survived a near death experience (no, I didn't "see the light"). I'm ready for death, but life is certainly still worth living. Like the Engergizer Bunny, I keep on going.
Please keep those prayers and good wishes coming. Miracles don't always result in a "cure", but in lots of daily blessings to help though a severe illness.
8)
John Pytlak
EI Customer Technical Services
Research Lab, Building 69
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922 USA
EI Customer Technical Services
Research Lab, Building 69
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922 USA
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MovieStuff
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CHAS
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Re: John Pytlak's "Near Death Experience", July 25
What an experience. Glad you are still with us, John.
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http://westsiderfilm.com/
http://westsiderfilm.com/
Wow-- I'm so sorry to hear of this latest setback, John. As if you didn't have enough troubles! I'm sure the gradual loss of abilities and increased reliance on others can be maddening, but only if you let it. Your body may be breaking, but don't let the same happen to your spirit!! Your family is obviously wonderfully supportive and you're blessed to be able to spend time with your grandson. We here are all privileged that you continue to take the time to update us, allowing us to share and learn from your experiences. Enjoy that new laptop and HD TV, and know that we continue to think about and pray for you.
Derrick
Derrick
The energizer bunny never did so well. Thank you for taking the time to update all of us. Just think of the advantages of watching movies at home. You don't have a beehive hairdo seated in front of you and your shoes aren't stuck to the floor. 
I hope you manage to be an armchair referee for quite some time yet. Stop in here again soon.
I hope you manage to be an armchair referee for quite some time yet. Stop in here again soon.-
Andreas Wideroe
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Thanks for sharing with us. Glad you didn't get to see the light... Hang in there John! Your in our thoughts and prayers.
All the best,
Andreas
Hang in there John! Your in our thoughts and prayers.All the best,
Andreas
Andreas Wideroe
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