Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
Sure, I planned to take pictures of rain. Been planning that all week.
Developing a poor attitude about the volunteer job… Been really really tempted to ask “Exactly when did your lack of planning become my emergency?”
Lightroom. I am missing my 30 day free trial. A legit copy costs $299. I could impose upon my friends and family and get an “educational” copy for far less. I could wander off into the dark parts of the internet and snag some “warez”.
But, I have moral issues with either of these approaches. I earned a nice living building software. I am enjoying a nice retirement off Carlton’s money. Money that Carlton made from renting people who wrote software. I have made investment profits from software companies.
And, I do enjoy riding around on my moral (but atheistic) high horse.
So, I will either get over wanting Lightroom or do the right thing and buy it. Because, thanks to the money I have made off software – I can afford $299.
The new lens arrived on schedule. It is nothing special. Basically an inexpensive prime lens. The film equivalent of a 50mm lens. Since my Panasonic body with the kit lens and battery weighs over a kilo – I was mostly after a light weight lens. And now I have one. Optically the half kilo kit lens is vastly superior. And, the 70mm macro lens is more fun. But, I think this one will be more useful.
Right now I am missing Lightroom. But, I am not missing it $300 worth. Yet.
Remembering when we dared to go where no man (or woman) had gone before. I watched this from the Kunia Tunnel on Red Hill on Oahu. Kunia Tunnel was supposed to be atomic bomb proof and it was TV/Radio/Shortwave proof. But, one of the electronics techs ran an amplified signal from a TV antenna on the outside. Violating all manner of security regs. But, on that day – it didn’t matter.
Spent way too much time yesterday ripping audiobooks from the library into my iPod. I am willing to pay $10 to download a nice fat audiobook. But not a cent more. So, I check them out of the library as CD’s and stuff them into the iPod. I am happy to support the audiobook industry – but refuse to pay more than paperback rates for an audiobook.
Tomorrow my Olympus Pancake 25mm f/2.8 lens is supposed to arrive. That might quell my toy lust for a week or two. Maybe.
Pardon me whilst I take an old woman’s mental trip back to the summer of 1969. Things were not all wonderful then. Our president had been killed, our boy friends, sons and husbands were being killed in the jungles of South East Asia. The evil empire had control of at least half the world. And don’t get me started about the role of women in those days.
But, we were going to moon. And had every intention of getting back alive. What have we done lately? Where is the adventure. Of course, there was the evil empire – spurring us on. Can’t we go to the moon and beyond – just to find out what there is to see? Must there be an enemy to get us to do anything except eat and hone our video gaming skills?
Now, Apollo 11 – that was real reality TV.
Step away from the computer and go to the stars, boys and girls.
Still becalmed in the middle of summer. Volunteer, lounge around the pool. Life could be worse things.
So, what’s for dinner? Jalapeno sausages, zucchini and eggplant – with maybe some quick marinara sauce.
I have noticed over the past few days that the recession is starting to change little life patterns in our urban village. I see young men in the elevator – in years past they would be taking their expensive shirts down to the laundry. Not any more. The young men must have discovered that there is a washing machine in their units.
One sees fewer Minute Maids. And dog walkers. I haven’t seen the grocery delivery van in weeks. Nor have I seen the “in home dog grooming” service recently. DIY is taking on new meaning.
Another do nothing kind of a day. Volunteer, see the doctor, hang out by the pool.
Yep, the doctor gave me a boat load of “see the specialist, get more tests, come back and see me in 3 months”. Nothing I wasn’t expecting to hear. Nothing I wanted to hear. But, no surprises.
Just ordered a new lens for the Panasonic L1. It is a brick of a camera – but, I like it. There wasn’t an L2. It was an experimental camera. An evolutionary dead end.
My budget for pedicures is nil.
Absolutely nothing going on. Which is not a bad thing when you are an old person. Most of the things that “happen” when you are old are not good things.
Tomorrow, I go back and see the doctor at the clinic. She will tell me to take more drugs and get more tests. And most likely, I’ll ignore her advice. Which when you stop to think of it is pretty silly, since she has 4 years of medical school, one year as an intern and one year as a resident of experience. One would hope she knows more than I do.
As I was walking into the hospital this morning I noticed Carlton riding his bike – on the sidewalk – back home. (Peggy doesn’t serve breakfast – only lunch and dinner – so Carlton’s solution is to eat at the hospital.) Bikers on the sidewalks are a pet peeve of mine. I guess I feel about bikers on the sidewalks same as drivers feel about bikers on the streets. Maybe it is time for meaningful bike ways in Arlington.
Speaking of bikes. Lance remains in 3rd place 8 seconds back.
Last word about LightRoom. It was easy to get my new pictures out of lightroom and into photoshop elements. That alone is making me like Lightroom more. But, there is still the $300. And the “How is having Lightroom going to make my life better” question.
In case you thought that I forgot about Le Tour this year…
I still don’t give Lance much of a chance of winning – but heck – I didn’t give him a chance of even starting. Maybe I should go to Paris – just in case?
I decided to take a pass on LightRoom – for now. It works great and the interface is oh so elegant. But, I had no answer for the “How is paying $300 for software that is incompatible with the $100 software that has 6,683 images cataloged going to improve my life?” After I finish the cataloguing task – yeah right – like never – or when Adobe provides a migration path – then I’ll reconsider. But for now, thanks for the 30 day test – but, I’ll catch you later, LightRoom.
On my glide path into real old age – I am trying to keep things simple and uncluttered. Not cheap or even inexpensive. Just simple. If I have one of a thing – most likely that is enough. If I get a new thing – then I get rid of at least one thing.