Speed is Life

This photo totally took my by surprise. I had taken about 200 shots of my son for a montage (yeah, that's about how many it takes for me to get 6 or 8 shots I like, but I'm trying to develop my eye) and I saw this scene and had to take the snapshot. Then I played with it for a while introducing different colors, which wasn't too difficult since the photo setting was monochromatic already.

Yeahh! We Got Our New Camera!

Our New Camera: The Canon Powershot G10

We just ordered our new camera. And I'm so excited I did the chicken dance in the living room. Okay, not really, but I did an imaginary chicken dance. We decided to splurge and buy an SLR-like camera instead of a true point and shoot from the popular Canon powershot series of cameras. I've been tossing around the idea of starting a photography-only blog about my experiences with the new camera. I love photography but on Fotolia (See my small portfolio here) where I was submitting my photos and getting paid for some, but a lot of my shots were rejected on image quality, due to my old Cannon Powershot A95 being a digital dino.

We narrowed it down between the Canon Powershot G10 14.7MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and the Canon Powershot SX10IS 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

In some ways I know we were comparing apples to oranges (or maybe even kumquats), but we both knew we wanted a really high-quality camera that would take great images without paying another few hundred dollars for the digital SLR price. My husband wanted the high level of digital image quality offered by the 14.7 MP of the G10, and I wanted to use the camera to learn all about ISO settings and aperture and such before delving into an even pricier true SLR camera purchase. We both liked the heftier feel of the SX10 and the lower price was also much more appealing, but ultimately the deciding factor was the megapixels, since at this level we figure the optical technology is very similar. Time will tell if we made the right choice. I also like the fact that the screen is a lot more durable than the flip screen on my old Canon A95, though my daughter V is chomping at the bit to get her hands on that camera for taking her own pictures on vacation next week.

About 8 months ago we looked into replacing our camera but life circumstances prevented the purchase then. I'm glad we waited because the camera we chose is a a lot more flexible than the lower-level Canon Powershot cameras we were looking at before. I can't wait to get started using my favorite subjects. Z of course will be my test subject for action shots, and V and EV will help me with my closeups!

Bruised, Broken, Torn for Us

Again is a day to remember our soldiers. Thank goodness for patriotic holidays like Veteran's Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day, or truthfully, they might be forgotten altogether. My family is replete with veterans, some who died protecting and serving without ever having the chance to raise their own families. Holding my precious babes in my arms and knowing they are mine drives home the complete and utter sacrifice of our country's soldiers.

To quote the timeless words of the hymn, Jesus of Nazareth...

Bruised, broken, torn for us
on Calvary's Hill.
Thy suffering born for us
Lives with us still.

Every day is Veteran's Day in a military family. I remember when my father, who enlisted in the Air Force to join in the Vietnam Conflict in 1971, saw his first official war. He had seen plenty of conflict and perhaps some bloodshed, and he worked a very dangerous job, dropping tanks out of the back of airplanes. He was the man who shoved them out the back door. One false move and he was going down with them. It was 1992 and my dad's tour of duty was close to an end, but not before he served in the first Iraq War. I was naive and in college and having been sheltered quite well hadn't had these very deep thoughts yet. And I was watching a movie, around Veteran's Day, with my bohemian boyfriend. And the movie depicted soldiers in a bomber in combat. All of a sudden I was freaking out and my boyfriend didn't know what was going on. I said "what if that's my dad?" I knew that was a Hollywood depiction of war, and I had this terrible awareness for the first time that my dad was facing grave danger when he left us.

With the Iraqi Conflict dragging on in its unpopularity, I hope everyone will remember their soldiers and say a prayer for them and their families, so that they might have the same joy I experience with my own children now.

Click Here to Read My Essay "Why I Stand For the American Flag"

Evangeline Announcement

At the Park

My camera has been on the outs for awhile. Here's a recent outdoor shot we took on a park excursion. EV was asleep when we got there but woke up when I moved her from the car. We brought Z's wooden trike, which he is much too big for. The park is a small pocket park in an "older" neighborhood (after all, what does OLD mean in suburban hell?). One thing I especially like about this park is the grass and the wide sidewalk that circles around the perimeter. There's a slight incline near the play equipment, and Z settled into a routine of going backwards down the hill on the trike. Daredevil!

In mid-October we attended a fall-themed school carnival at V's new school. It was hot as blazes and we were one of just a handful of families who attended this event. When V walked away from her bingo game with a pirate hat and prosthetic hand, pictured above, she was HOOKED on the idea of being a pirate for Halloween! We were going to dress Z like a parrot, and buy several feather boas to make the costume. Then reality set in and we decided that since Z just loves to copy his sister, that it would be fun if he could be a pirate too! V decided she was in charge and who could dispute a one-eyed pirate with a, um, frightening hook? She walked around saying "Ay me hearties, you're going to walk the plank" followed by much giggling.


Here's V and Evie (pronounced EE-V) on October 29, 2008. I thought it a fun coincidence that the coordinated in such a cute way there.

I've been assigned to lead the music at my church. It terrifies me. After 16 years of not playing an instrument, I am drawing on innate abilities that aren't so innate.

Leading the music isn't something that should terrify anyone, so I guess that feels sillier than the fact that I'm not too good at it. I do put my heart into it, but I have to confess that my level of enthusiasm isn't what it should be. Maybe I'm more afraid of the transparency of my commitment instead of my actual abilities.

Ahh. And then my husband is working at a Musical Instrument Museum. I suppose we had better start becoming passionate about all things musical.