A slightly bizarre feeling

My 5DMkIII is getting its yearly service (remove any and all dust from sensor, viewfinder, check for any problems) so I am using my 7D. What's strange is this: I have to go back to checking my Cliff Notes on how it works. The layout is similar to the 5D, but just enough different to make me look like a noob when I'm trying to adjust things.

Funny, I used to operate the controls on it without looking. Now, I can see myself frowning trying to remember what does what.

Once again; it's like learning how to speak Spanish, then going to visit Italy. So close, so similar, but... nope.

Out of bed at 5am... again

I tried to get comfortable, tried to find a position to sleep where it didn't feel as if someone was shoving an icepick into the small of my back. But alas, it wasn't to be. Part of it's due to weather, but I know the majority is because I overdid yesterday.

Just wish the Purr Kids would understand that one of their humans (well, two, because Wing 's back is bugging him, also) will be a bit slow today.

The art of polite complaint

We bought some eggs, well before their expiry date. 4 out of the dozen were bad. I called the business/farm that supplied the store, and left a polite message explaining that having 1/3 of a dozen eggs be off just would not do.

I just got off the phone with a rep from the company. She was glad that I called, asked me for my details, and the info on the egg carton (I saved it just for that purpose). I will be receiving a voucher for a dozen eggs. :) She said they will have a rep stop in at the store where they were purchased and instruct them about rotating old stock out with a bit more alacrity.

More "Bonfire of the Vanities"

In a way. I've been going through areas of the house, and pretty much throwing 3/4s of what I find away. And I keep saying "If you can tell me what I threw away without looking, I'll admit we needed it.

it's not so much pack ratting, but putting things aside for later consideration/sorting. Tossed out were outdated warranty paperwork, old magazines, and hardware boxes.



Only things up there are my George W Bush Voodoo Doll, The Two Towers s/Gollum, an Enterprize, Scrabble Game and one box filled with software CDs/DVDs. No longer looks like a soon to be falling over Jenga game. I'll probably put the box with the software somewhere else, but at leasts

Watching a frightening movie on Hulu

It's called "Jesus Camp"... Mao Tse Tung would have been proud of the indoctrination/brainwashing this "children's minister" is doing. She brags how she gets these kids preaching to other kids, to 'bring them to Jesus'. They encourage these children to 'speak in tongues', and have seizures, because SHE HAS THE TRUTH!

This movie is example of why I say "I have no problem with Jesus... it's his fan clubs that scare the shit outta me!".

Redressed the wound on Alan's foot

Scrubbed hands, got normal saline, Bactine, a thick towel, and first aid kit.

Propped Alan's foot on the footstool and unpinned the gauze and started unwrapping it. The little shit gasped as if I hurt him, then grinned at me. I came >.< this lose to stabbing him with the saftey pin for it. He apologised.

Cut the water proof dressing from the top of the bandaging. Unwound the gauze holding the gauze pad in place. Very little blood seepage on the gauze.

Soaked the gauze with saline a few times and removed the pad. It seems my pressing the flap of the ball of his foot back into place, and securing it with bandaging worked great. No redness, swelling, well scabbed over.

Flushed it with saline and Bactine again, and re-dressed it.

And other good news, he didn't break his toe. It just hurts like hell.

Gotta love HBF bureaucracy

Wing got a phone call this morning (the morning after Alan was hurt) saying since Alan is now 25 (actually, no, not yet, he was born on the 19th in the US which would have made it April 20th here *chuckle*) so is being booted off our health insurance.

Have him signed up for a singles plan, now.

I can so relate to this

Dammit

While doing something for me, Alan stubbed his toe hard, tripped and sliced the ball of his left foot, like paring an orange peel, about 2cms long, 1cm wide about 1/4 cm deep.

He came in, I immediately got clean wet cloth, Bactine, normal sailine, and the first aid kit. Cleaned around the wound with the wet cloth, flushed the wound with the saline, making sure to get any and all particulates and dirt out of it. The came the Bactine to disinfect and relieve pain. Then put a sterile dressing on it, pressing the section of skin back into the divit. Then wrapped the foot with sterile gauze wrap, pinned it into place, then placed a dirt proof/water proof dressing over the area of the wound only to prevent dirt from working its way through the gauze.

It took me less than 3 minutes to get everything done. Fed him a few ibuprofen, because I know it's going to start throbbing pretty soon. Will keep an eye on it for any swelling or redness not associated with the wounding aka red lines or infection.

Yes, I have made first aid skillz. And I need a new bottle of Bactine

Someone want to wring out the air, please?

Dayam, who set the humidity so damned high? I actually have the AC on, set to dehumidify. Feels like I could wring water out of my clothes! I did try using small fan, but that didn't do a thing.

Another Photobook arrived today

This is the small A4 size. It's a strange-ish feeling seeing my photos in print, even in a self made book to be printed.

Shopping around pays off

I've been doing some more macro photography, but can't seem to get those really up close and personal images. Did some research, and found out what was needed are macro extension rings, and for ease of use, ones that retained auto-focus.

So, First thing I did was check out reviews of specific brands. Some were dismissed due to not having auto focus capabilities. Then a few more dismissed for reviews starting at dismal to mediocre.

I ended up selecting Aputure, as they had consistanty good ratings. This is where the shopping around paid off. Most of the prices were $80 to $100 for a set of three. I kept looking, and found them on sale for $39.95 + $7.50 shipping. Have placed order. :)

I also looked for extension rings for Wing 's Olympus OM-D macro lens. I could have gotten 5 sets for what it cost to get one set for his OM-D. I think it's probably because his camera/lens kit is much newer. Canon EOS has been out there for a while.

I woke up to the news

About a cowardly bombing in Boston. Some sick bastard, or bastards planted two bombs near the finish line, and detonated them at the 4hr mark, when the sidelines would be packed. A small child and one adult was killed (destroying my hopes that the sick bastards that put the bombs there were victims their own malice).

Then I read the "our prayers", and "are praying". Screw prayers.. they do nothing but assuage the feelings of the one DOING the praying. They don't help with the treatment of injuries, the caring for the wounded.

Massive kudos to the Boston PD, the EMS and the doctors/nurses in the runners first aid tents. They ran towards the explosions to do what could and needed to be done.

Just keep swimming, swimming.. or in my case

Keep walking. I did 25 laps, and then just kept going until my left leg started getting wobbly and the limp started in. Now I have the twitching thigh muscles. :) Feels good to have a routine where I don't have to worry about sniggering or rude comments.

The two hard to find books I ordered arrived, and in perfect condition, too! Might have to tag team read them with Wing . Ahh, that brings back memories. :)

Pleasant evening out

Just back home from dinner out with Jean-Paul and Angela. (Massive hat tip to Ju for suggesting/recommending "The Cavern". Great server, great noshing!)

Was wonderful to catch up with JP. Angela is always good company. After 'zert', I asked to be excuse to visit "The To Whom It May Concern Room", only to have sneaked off to pay the bill. :) JP was in our back yard, so he felt more 'guesty' than dutch. :D

Been a long day, compliments of Loki pouncing on me before sun up. *sigh* Time to brush, floss and head off to sneepyrand.

In defiance of the weather

And due to the new-ish pergola, I did 25 laps today. I think the next few times, I'll keep it at 25, and then increase it again by another 5.

Most because I don't want to put up with snide comments

I've put myself on an exercise regime... in my back yard. I pop in my earbuds, start up an audio book, then do as many laps walking in the back yard, without limping, as I can. It's a quick walk, not a meander, but a brisk pace. Wing reckons the back yard from end to end is 20 meters, so 40 meters per lap.

The first day, 10 laps. Second day, 15 laps. Third day, 15 laps but managed to do them quicker. Today, 20 laps. Tomorrow, I'm going to try for 25, which will make it a full kilometer round trip.

I'm doing it about the same time every afternoon, when i start feeling a bit drowsy. Then I feel energized for the rest of the day, and, as a bonus, sleeping much better at night.

I will never get back to being able to dance like I used to, but if I can at least get physically fit, I'll be happy.

The Shipping of Damaged Goods, part II

Although I sent photos of the damaged Blu Ray case, showed that the postal envelope wasn't folded, bent, spindled, stepped on, and only asked for a small rebate to make up for my having to get a replacement case for it, the seller is still trying to foist it off to poor handling by the Post Office. She said she can't give a refund for items not purchased at her eBay store, and hopes I'll 'understand'. My reply (with photo attachments. I took the paper label/insert out so the damaged parts could be clearly seen.)


No, I don't understand. I'm asking for a rebate due to my receiving damaged goods. Your excuse of Australia Post damaging it doesn't work as the item's shrink wrap was intact. I've worked at DVD and computer stores, and have shrink wrapped items. The wrap wasn't dimpled, warped, stretched which would have indicated the DVD sustained damage AFTER it had been packed. The shrink wrap was the only thing holding it place. There was NO fold, bend, smudge, dirt, footprints or other soft of damage on the postal envelope, AND seeing how far down the back of the case the damage was, had it been stepped on as you claim, the discs would have been damaged and they WEREN'T. But as you wish, you sent damaged goods, and refuse to even give a small rebate to compensate for me having to go out and get a new Blu Ray case.

What's with packing damaged goods?

Seriously. This is the second time in a week that I've opened a parcel, an undamaged parcel, only to find the purchased item was damaged. Seeing as there's no damage on the shipping carton/package, it means the item was packed for shipping, regardless that it was damaged!

My old "5 Million Years To Earth" dvd wouldn't play all the way through, so I ordered the remastered blu ray version. Opened it up, thought that maybe a disc had come loose because I could her something moving. Removed the shrink wrap from it only to have pieces of the disc case shower down. The damned thing was actually damaged before it was shrink wrapped, fer gossakes! I took photos of the damaged case, and sent it to the seller asking why waste my time sending an obviously damaged item?





The good news is the discs themselves weren't damaged. I have ordered a 2 Disc Blu-Ray case, and I will see if the seller of the damaged case blu ray will at least refund me the cost of the case.

Last of Con Clothes washed

Velvet coats are currently being laundered. The labels say "Hand Wash", but I'm going to put them in laundry bags, machine on 'woolens' and drip dry rather then spin dry.

Now it's time to kick back, relax, do some serious non-interrupted reading.

Not what I normally use US Drop mail address for

I ordered a few books from Amazon. Not expensive books (one was $10 the other $7). I hit the tally, and my jaw hit the desk. Including shipping it was $85?!

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?

So, changed address to US drop mail address. $25 including shipping. Even with the $30 shipping charge from there, it will end up costing me less.

Yes, I know it's 'subjective'

But when a judge at a photo 'exhibition' is so inconsistent in what criteria/element of the image is wrong/right/correct, I get confused. Couple that with the judge dismissing a carefully planned, timed to almost the second, photo a fortuitous, and I get disgusted.

My B&W image was sharp, clear, leading lines, and yes, it had REFLECTIONS of people's legs, not people, in the photograph. That was the ONLY complaint from the judge. That being said, he had no problem critiquing other peoples photos that had people full on in them but they got silver or bronze? Or awarding gold (which to me signifies a perfect image) and then say "cut this, brighten this" or some other edit/

And the more I think of the dismissive "fortuitous comment, I get angry. Especially when the judge this time around is introduced as someone who believes in planning and then taking just one image. That's what I did, and it was dismissed as a lucky accident, like a happy snap.

And no, it's not a case of 'sore loser'. I enter to learn, not get confused by inconsistency.

Beginning to agree with Wing about these re-branded as 'exhibition' competitions.