Down Payment

So, I’ve finally reached the goal amount I was saving for a down payment on a car, a Honda Civic to be exact. But now I’ve started to think about getting a different car. The Ford Edge 2011 Limited has really grabbed my attention. The price however is substantially higher, so I’ll have to save for quite a bit longer. I think the wait will be worth it. Gas mileage will be about the same if not a little better for the Edge than my current car and ’95 Toyota Camry. But the real improvement is cargo space and passenger comfort. I do a lot of driving with others in my car, and I would be nice to take them around more comfortably. The extra room for cargo is a big advantage, because I tend to take a lot of equipment when I go on trips (camping, etc.). The interior features are pretty nice too; it has a sophisticated entertainment and control system that definitely interests me as a tech enthusiast.

Depending on how long I have to save up for the down payment, I might even be able to get a used model and save a big percentage on the value of the car. That would be perfectly fine with me!

A Disney Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving week my family (including Aunt, Uncle, Cousins, and Grandparents) went to Disney World in Florida. I have a good time, but I don’t see myself returning to Disney World for many years, or until absolutely necessary. It’s a park designed for kids and Disney fanatics, neither of which describe me. Though it was a lot of fun to see my younger siblings and cousins have so much fun.

On the drive to Florida, we were able to take a detour through George, so now I’ve been to a total of 30 states! It was good to take a vacation with the family again. Now I’m looking to February to go see one of the last shuttle launches.

Camera Envy

So I’ve only had my Canon Rebel T1i DSLR for one year, but I’m ready to move up to a higher quality camera. I’m getting frustrated with the noise in the pictures. I’ve also been fighting discolored tint within pictures caused by different lighting. I’m also on the lookout for a higher quality zoom lens; the current one I use is slower to focus and I’m getting more blurry shots than I’d like.

I have absolutely no budget for these, so they will just have to wait. The heart wants, but my wallet is in control. I have other more pressing purchases coming up (car, house, etc).

I think I’m going to save up for a EOS 5D Mark II or its replacement model. Not quite top of the line, but pretty far up there. It will unfortunately be a couple years before I’m going to take the plunge and upgrade, unless a bag of money falls in my lap.

Photography

Someone recently told me they didn’t get into photography because they didn’t have a good camera.  That took me aback.  Yes, a good DSLR takes great pictures, but it is more about the person behind the camera than the camera itself.  From 2002 until 2009, I was using the lower end Kodak snap and shoot cameras for all of my pictures.  I have so many great pictures from those years.  The quality of the photo (grain, resolution, focus, exposure, etc.) may not be superb, but for most of the pictures it doesn’t have to be.

This picture, for example, isn’t of the greatest quality, but it conveys a feeling, an emotion.  The photo’s job is done. Photography is the art of conveying a story, feeling, emotion, or event to others visually and empathetically.

Another thing she said was that she didn’t have the artistic skill to take good photos.  That may be, she might not be the next Ansel Adams, but you don’t have to be.  With the abundance of digital photography, most people taking pictures aren’t going to be great photographers.  But the pictures you take have meaning to you and the people you are with.  That is what’s important. Does your picture remind you of the emotion of the moment?

The picture below is probably my favorite picture I’ve taken recently.  It’s not that great a picture, but when I look at it, I’m flooded with memories of my Dad and the opportunities we have to share going forward.

So, no matter your skill or camera, get out there and take some pictures!  Because they are for you and your loved ones, it doesn’t matter how good they are!

Plinking Gun

So, it took several months but I finally purchased a .22 caliber pistol.  It is a Smith & Wesson 22A model: 107412.  I was able to go shoot it this weekend.  I quite enjoyed the semi-automatic rapid fire!

Smith & Wesson 22A

The main purpose for my purchase of this gun is target practice.  I wanted an inexpensive gun with inexpensive ammo to go plinking.  We have a wooden snowman setup on my Dad’s Back 40 to use as a target.  He’s pretty hole-y at this point.  .22LR, .30-06, .338, and 12-gauge ammunition have all be fired at the snowman.  (I’ll take a picture the next time I’m out there.)  I plan to bring some cans the next time I go.  The should make for a more satisfying target; maybe some water balloons, too.

I’m not a terrible shot, but I definitely need some practice.  I bought 1575 rounds for about $60 when I got the gun, so this is a relatively cheap hobby.  I’m looking forward to the cooler temperatures of autumn to go out an practice more regularly.

Summer

Summer doesn’t seem to be so hot this year.  Not that it is cool, but we haven’t had our 100°F+ days.  Maybe they will come with August.  I’m not complaining; I much prefer winter to summer.  It is just interesting to notice.  Also, summer seems to be progressing faster.  I’m sure this is just my perception of time speeding up.  The longer I’ve lived, the smaller the percentage of time a day will be within my life.

There have been no major hurricanes as of yet.  It will be interesting to see if the oil spill will have any effect on the Gulf’s ability to evaporate, there by release heat.

I’ve been trying to eat better food for the past couple months.  I’ve successfully reduced my soda intake, increased vegetable and fruit consumption, and decrease my primarily meat dinners.  As a result, I’ve felt better and leveled out my weight gain at a healthy level.

I haven’t take a lot of pictures lately.  Maybe I’ll have some material to shoot this weekend!

I’ve been a little burnt out lately.  I think I may be take a vacation very soon.

Luna

The Moon has a special place in my heart.  It inspires serenity and tranquility.  Because of its silvery appearance, it evokes neutral feelings.  In my opinion, it  is the most beautiful object in the sky.  I even think it far surpasses sunrise or sunsets.  It is the only other gravity-inducing body that we have visited.  My dream is to retire on the Moon, or at least visit it before I die.  The 1/6th gravity and the “magnificent desolation” are the biggest draws for me.

I took this picture from my parent’s house to get a clear shot of it without light pollution.  Smugmug and Flickr.  I want to get better lens to zoom in further and get a clearer shot, but until then this is the best photo I’ve taken of the Moon.

Texas Reds Festival

Last weekend I went to the Texas Reds Festival in Bryan with a few friends, Joseph and Lauren.  Lindsay was going to show up, but took a nap instead.  It was a lot of fun.  We listened to a concert by Kelly Austin Curtis, ate funnel cake, and tasted a few wines.  I didn’t find any that I was a fan of, maybe next year.  More photos can be found at Flickr and Smugmug.

The festival’s theme was steak and wine.  There were local vendors selling crafts, clothing, jewelry, and food.  A grape stomp took place throughout the day.  There were things for kids to do.  Admission was free, wine tasting was a buck or two (select versus premium wines), and we got engraved souvenir wine glasses.  The weather was quite good for a Texas summer day, but I wouldn’t mind if it had been a tad cooler.  If you are in the Bryan/College Station area, make a point to go next year.  It is a neat local event.

Washer & Dryer

You know you’re entering a whole new world when shopping for a washer and dryer.  I’ve joined that world.  June 28^th, I will no longer have my apartment’s rented washer/dryer set.  Therefore, I am on the lookout to buy a new appliance duo.  The decision lies with choosing between a pair of cheaper, older models or more expensive and efficient front-loaders.  I am leaning toward the cheaper pair, but each time I look I get tempted by the flashy appearance and “economic/ecological” marketing of the newer, front-loading models.  This purchase is neither fun nor inexpensive (with which ever models I go with); it is a strange utilitarian acquisition I must make.  I would really like to get the most efficient models I can because I plan on keeping these for a very long time, but will the efficiency savings pay off the price difference in a reasonable amount of time in comparison with the time value of money?  I will post an update when I make up my mind.

Nothing to Say

What does one say when inspired to write, but has nothing to write about?  That is where I am at.

There are so many things in life to enjoy, but oft we fail to even appreciate the most obvious.  The beauty of nature, the flavors of fresh food, a good strong wind through your hair, a clear starry night sky, a long hot shower, the love of one’s family, the company of friends, God’s unending blessings.  We’ve been given taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing, and our minds  to observe the world around us, experience it, learn it, use it, and understand it.

There are times when I get caught up in the day to day and loose track of when it is.  April has just disappeared.  I’ve just let it disappear.  I need to make a change and appreciate everything and every moment God has given to me.  Life is a wonderful, one-time only experience; I want to make the most of it.