All up and running... with one exception

Windows 8 upgrade went fairly smooth. Didn't have all the hug issues I had with it last time, as the update was Win 8.1 not just v8. Still had a bunch of updates to install and set up.

The one thing I had a problem with, again, with the Native Windows Copy/Paste crashing Windows Explorer. I uninstalled all the 3rd party file managers, but to no avail. Copy/Paste still crashes when I try to drag and drop, or right click/copy/paste.

There was also the issue of Win8 desktop colors... to say they're hideous is insulting hideous, IMO. I managed to find something to help with that. Less eyebending color theme.

Wing didn't understand why I did this. The thing is, this laptop was Windows 8 ready, but was one of the last ones shipped out with Windows 7. I l also kept having boot up BSODs with it running Win 7. No amount of tweaks, driver updates, driver roll backs, hardware removals fixed it.

Installed Win 8 and must have rebooted at least 20 times, and not one boot up BSOD, which leads me to believe that upgrading to Win 8 on this particular computer was a good idea.

"All chickens coming home to roost"...

To say the past few weeks have been stressful, would be an understatement.  It's caught up to both Wing and me.  Feel emotionally and physically wrung out.  Trying to rest hasn't been a simple matter of closing eyes.

Going to go try now, early-[ish for me tonight.

Now the real hurt starts

It's not the funeral that rips you apart. It's the realization that now you have to deal with the pain of loss, the feeling of being gutted and to be there for others who may need a shoulder to lean on.

Platitudes just don't cut it.  I will miss Sue, my "Mommy Down Under".  I have an empty space where she used to be.  I know it will get better, but right now..... not so much.

Once more unto the breech...

First, my Canon 5DMkIII kept draining batteries within hours. Turned out to have a short in the battery terminals. I sent it in to have just that fixed.  When I got it back, the repair sheet said you also fixed a 'light leak', something I didn't have an issue with. After I got the camera back, I, and one of the techs, at Camera Electronic noticed a 'squiggle' of dust in the view finder. I figured it was just one squiggle, and ignored it.

I shouldn't have because more dust motes showed up to the point it was impeding my vision through the viewfinder.  I brought the camera into Camera Electronic, thinking the sensor or mirror needed to be cleaned, and it turns out that somehow dust is getting sucked up into the prism. It didn't have this problem all the months prior to the battery terminal/light leak repair. And that includes trips to the Pinnacles,  Trigg Beach, and other sandy environs.

As this camera is barely past the 12 month warranty, and this wasn't a problem prior to them dismantling the camera to do the 'light leak fix', I should not have to pay to have it fixed yet again. Or maybe just have it replaced as it seems to be a lemon.

Of course, when I explained this to the Canon Repair Rep, I was told "we'll look into it, and review it", which I take to be the politest "Kiss off, we're going to soak you for some more money."

If I wasn't so heavily invested, I would jump ship to a different brand, because I seem to have the worst f**king luck when it comes to high end Canon gear. Two L series lenses needing repair, now the 5DMkIII needing a 2nd repair? 

I really don't need this shit right now.

Dear Adobe, pull the other one. It has bells on it

I got only what I can call a 'propaganda' email from Adobe titled "What are the common myths about Adobe Creative Cloud?", singing the praises of how just wonderful Creative Cloud is.   All I can think is that their move to mandatory subscription only isn't taking off as they thought it would. And some of the myths they listed, I've never heard.  All I can think of is people who are really tech naive would have said these 'myths'.

Other than that, Adobe still doesn't address certain things that users have asked about.

If I don't want to rent anymore, how do I open or access the files? 

You're still stuffed and stuck paying rental/subscriptions fees in perpetuity if you want to use your images/work, if you don't have an older working copy of Photoshop that isn't cloud based.

So far, if I want to keep using the same tools/plug ins that I use with CS6 46bit, I will have to us CC 32bit. So, I will be staying with CS6 (and I still have CS5)

Enervating and exhausting

We had the meeting at Wing 's mom's house, with the doctor and nurse. Her depression is as obvious as the rising sun. She is, no joke, crippled with it. Turns out she was proscribed anti depressants.. took 2 pills, said they made her dopey, and then stopped taking them, and didn't tell her GP.

It was heart-wrenching to watch her worrying about every little thing as if it was a matter of life and death. Her house is so clean, an anal retentive Marine drill instructor would be proud. But to her, it's a slovenly mess, something that she she strip cleans every day, starting from the top to the bottom.

If there is heavy rain with wind, she might get an overflowing gutter, with MAYBE some water dribbling into the house. But to her, it's falling down around her ears. She obsesses over the slightest thing, until the point of full blown agitation/hand wringing/constant pacing. She's worried about being a burden. Wing told her that the only way that would happen is if she didn't do anything to treat the depression.

The goodish news is we might have gotten through to her, and got the ball rolling on getting her some assistance. We have to get her eating regularly, and better nutrition, sleeping better, and feeling better. Possibly a companion to drop in on a daily basis, even if it's just for a cup of tea and a natter.

Bells Rapids Photoshoot

Photoshoot in Brigadoon W.A. Absolutely beautiful spot for photography, but as one person described walking the trails as "The Death March". Both Wing and I climbed one hill, saw another even steeper hill, looked at each other and said "nope". Between his knee and my left leg, there was no way would could climb the hill and be able to walk today.

Got some great images using ND and Polarizer filters, giving water both a glass look, and a misty look.













Monochrome Version..............................................................................Color Version