Entries from February 21st, 2007

Canon Rebel XTi

February 24th, 2007 · 9 Comments

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I finally just caved in and bought the Canon Rebel XTi. I have been wanting it for years and now seemed like a good time with vacation upcoming. Also, I justified it by reviewing my photography income spreadsheet from last year and realizing that I could pay for it and accessories with the money I make from selling random photos here and there. It’s always unexpected money anyway, so why not stick it back into the hobby instead of just spending it willy nilly? Also, Amazon was having this amazing deal on the Canon Rebel XTi and not only that, but I got a free Canon Pixma photo printer with it. Along with a book and a UV filter and a case, I still paid about $60 less than the price of just the camera at a local camera store I was at last weekend.

So now I have a week less than a week to learn how to use my new camera before vacation! The good thing is that I’ve been using Canon cameras for years so much of the interface is familiar. I’ve been sitting down with this book every night just to get comfortable with the controls and things.. and big thanks to Tien, who’s patiently answered all of my questions and only laughed at me once, and that was at an unrelated issue.

We were talking about lenses and Tien brought up that I should probably be careful where I take my camera in Hawaii, since I’ve had a tendency to fall a lot. I got sort of peeved and told him the story about how last Friday Dallas was telling everyone how I fall down all the time. I got peeved then too and was yelling about how I haven’t fallen down for two whole winters! Then the next day we were walking to Kitsch’n for lunch and I went from standing to on my back in one second. It didn’t hurt so much as it happened, but was the kind of thing where I immediately thought “ohhh, that’s going to hurt later.” And it did. I’d landed right on the top of my bum/bottom of my back and had also caught my wrist and messed it up a bit. This was the part where Tien laughed! He said he didn’t but I know he did.

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Indoor Forest

February 23rd, 2007 · No Comments

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Plants, Roscoe Village, Chicago

I gathered all of the plants around the apartment into one space to make it easier for Danny, who is the lucky friend we asked to come over and get the mail and water plants while we are on vacation. We watched his and his sister Cory’s dogs while they were in CA in the fall, so I guess he owes us. I think he came out ahead on the deal!

I guess I have about a dozen plants including one we got for a housewarming gift from Killian and Liz, two avocados I grew from the seed, basil for cooking, a plant in a planter that was a takeaway at a wedding (just the planter, not the plant), and one that was a memento from my grandpas funeral (the really big one).

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Walk in the West Loop

February 23rd, 2007 · No Comments

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West Loop, Chicago

One day last fall I was walking around the West Loop and saw these interesting doors. And Lou Mitchell’s. It’s the first time I’d happened across the diner. I thought it looked like a good place to try out.. .but I hear it’s packed all the time.

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Warm & Cozy Bed

February 22nd, 2007 · 10 Comments

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For Christmas Dallas and I didn’t get each other gifts. Instead we put our money together and bought a brand new bed.

We had been sleeping on an old full-sized mattress that I had bought in a tight pinch when I lived in New York and just needed something to sleep on. I didn’t think it was too bad for a long time, but it was starting to show it’s age. It was tilted and one side hurt my back if I slept on it. Plus, it’s not much space for 2 people.

I remember getting fleeced pretty bad from Sleepy’s over that mattress. When I moved out of my corporate housing in New York and into my first apartment I just needed a bed, so I went to Sleepy’s. I had no money, so I had to sign up for their financing. I had good credit, so it was no problem, but I remember paying on that thing forever before realizing that I’d never even touched the balance. I was just paying finance charges. I ended up rolling it into something else, but I was so mad at Sleepy’s!

So, this winter when we went to look at new beds, we had no idea how much they’d be. We found out quickly that mattresses are expensive! The first time we went we just left without buying anything. The sales people were being kind of sleazy in a used-car-salesman sort of way. And they wouldn’t let us talk it over. They kind of seperated us up. So, we just left. Then the second time, we actually went to the same place, but we had talked, talked about a max price, and kenw what to expect. We ended up getting a really nice Sealy Posterpedic that will last a long time and got it for a price we agreed beforehand to spend. Yay.

For Christmas my parents got us a dual-control heated mattress pad that is like heaven on these cold nights. Also, Dallas’ sister got us a new comforter and sheet set.. so all new bed for Christmas.

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Published in The Oregonian

February 21st, 2007 · 6 Comments

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I had pretty much given up hope of ever getting a copy of this, but today I was surprised by a package in the mail. Back in August, The Oregonian purchased the rights to use a photo that I took in Hoboken, NJ for a piece they were doing in their travel section. This was the second time I had that same photo published, actually.

Update: I just noticed that this is actually the same exact article that was in the Washington Post. Weird. I never realized. I definitely negotiated the use of the photos separately.

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