Fuzzy-math

At Horseshoe Curve. (Photo by BobbaLew.)

Over a year ago, I happened to put together a calendar at the Kodak Gallery web-site of my own train-pictures.
The cover of that calendar is illustrated above.
My intent was to replace one of my seven calendars.
These calendars are written up in my monthly calendar reports on this blog.
Usually my own calendar appeared first, because I was so impressed with it. The pictures were pretty good too.
Seven calendars might seem extreme, but to me they aren’t really calendars.
What they are is wall-art that changes every month.
No dates or appointments are kept track of thereon.
My wife does a separate calendar-printout that lacks art.
I happened to order one version, and was so impressed I ordered at least 10 more.
I figured I’d send ‘em around as Christmas presents.
I happened to send one to Mike Kraynyak (“CRANE-eee-ack”), the proprietor of Tunnel Inn bed-and-breakfast in Gallitzin (“guh-LIT-zin”), PA.
All the pictures were taken along the old Pennsylvania Railroad mainline over the Allegheny Mountains near Gallitzin in central PA.
Mike was so impressed he suggested I do more calendars he could sell.
I suggested a 2011 calendar with most of the photos in my 2010 calendar, plus a few others.
I also suggested a better calendar, with snow scenes for January, February and December, and a fall-foliage scene for October.
Back to Kodak Gallery, finessing a 2011 calendar.
I also happened to take pictures in the Allegheny Crossing area last February after a heavy snowstorm.
I managed to put together a 2011 calendar, so ordered one for Mike for display.
75 calendars since last June; he needed 75 calendars.
Tunnel Inn is a fabulous railfan hostelry. It’s right next to the old Pennsy tunnels at the top of Allegheny Crossing.
He’s always getting railfans, so the calendars sell themselves.
I tried 75 calendars on the Kodak Gallery web-site, and got $1,372.46, 75 times $14.99 each, plus tax and shipping.
Kodak Gallery had some “free-shipping” promotion, but you had to plug in a coupon-code, or so it appeared.
$975.58; that’s better.
I called Mike last night (Thursday, December 2, 2010) and told him $975.58.
I tried Kodak Gallery again after our phonecall, and this time I got around $919.
Hmmmmmmmnnnnnnn...........
Even $975.58 divided by 75 isn’t $14.99 per calendar. It’s around $12.77.
FUZZY-MATH ALERT!
I’ve had trouble with the Kodak Gallery web-site before.
Last June it insisted I was a new customer because I was using my new computer.
I ended up ordering from my old computer.
My wife also tried the 75 calendars from her computer, a PC (I drive a MAC), and came up with another total.
“Who is updating this site?” she cried. “Every time I get a different total!”
Never did either of us come up with $975.58.
So now Mike is sending me a check for $975.58, and I have no idea if it will be right.
It may be too much, or not enough.
There also is the likelihood the free-shipping may come off before I order the 75 calendars.
We never were able to pin it down — first one date, then another.
And I don’t wanna order the 75 without proofing my single calendar-order first.
Last June a flurry of e-mails was exchanged with Kodak Gallery’s Customer-Service.
What I got was boilerplate, and it sounded like it was from India.
Kodak Gallery’s web-site was perfect, flawless, and without error.
No matter it seemed to be changing with every visit.
So if $975.58 is not enough, I figure I’ll just eat it.
Order the 75 calendars, and hope for the best.
I told Mike it was just a hobby. I’m retired and not in it for the money.
He promised a few free visits to his bed-and-breakfast.
Kodak Gallery’s final product is worth the hairballs.

• I’m a railfan, and have been since I was a child.
• Allegheny Crossing is the location of Horseshoe Curve, west of Altoona (“al-TUNE-uh”), PA, by far the BEST railfan spot I have ever been to. Horseshoe Curve is now a national historic site. It was a trick by the Pennsylvania Railroad to get over the Allegheny mountains without steep grades — the railroad was looped around a valley to stretch out the climb. Horseshoe Curve was opened in 1854, and is still in use. —I’ve been there hundreds of times, since it’s only about five hours away. The viewing-area is smack in the apex of the Curve, so trains are right in your face. Train-frequency is also high — wait 20 minutes and you’ll see a train. A scenic railfan amphitheater!
• “Pennsy” is the Pennsylvania Railroad, no longer in existence. It merged with New York Central Railroad in 1968 as Penn-Central, and that tanked in about eight years. “Pennsy” was once the largest railroad in the world. The cross-PA Pennsylvania Railroad line is now operated by Norfolk Southern Railroad.
• “My wife” of almost 43 years is “Linda.”
• Every time we visit Allegheny Crossing, we stay at Tunnel Inn.