As you all know, I discovered this great web site www.wickedstitchdesigns.com who make camera bags that look like everyday bags. Great for the avid traveler, like myself, who doesn't want a bag which screams "Expensive Camera Equipment Inside!"
This month they are providing an opportunity for fans to win one of their designs! Since November is my lucky month - not only is my birthday November 18, but there is also Thanksgiving, it is near the end of the school semester, and it is fall - I have decided to try my luck at winning the bag. Because you can never have too many camera bags!!
You can have the same opportunity. Just follow the link, follow the instructions and voila!
::Wicked Stitch Designs - November Give-Away::
I look forward to posting many photos soon!
03 November 2009
Why is it so difficult to find a DSLR camera bag that doesn't scream "STEAL ME!"
Some of you know I have recently inherited an amazing digital SLR camera from my aunt and uncle in Connecticut. I'm lucky to have an uncle with no children and a love of photography - so whenever he gets a new toy occasionally I get the old one! Which is AMAZING since I am a poor college student who can not afford that pretty Nikon D90...boo... ONE DAY! (First - Ducati 999, then - Nikon).
Now I am the proud owner of a Minolta Maxxum 7D SLR, which I play with daily and imagine all the fun I will have with her in the future! (Those of you with dirty minds - clean them!) This gift has become, in a sense, a life saver for me. After graduating and before the infamous USA Road Trip Stephanie and I are planning, I was hoping to have my digital SLR to photograph the amazing trip. However, looking at expenses and plans to move to Seattle some time after the trip, it was a dream of mine once again getting pushed off. Then, this amazing gift falls into my hands. I hope my aunt and uncle will understand the gravity of how much this has changed my life. Hopefully the long thank you note I am putting in the mail tomorrow (along with my absentee ballot for mayor) will give them a good idea! This may seem silly to some, but it is a dream come true for me.
Since my 22nd birthday is coming up in a few days (16 exactly!), naturally my familial birthday gifts have been directed towards equipping the DSLR. Off of Ebay, I bought two new lenses for $30 each which is pretty amazing for lenses. I was planning to spend roughly a hundred for just one! Then my mother made the comment of buying a tripod for Christmas. However, I realized what with buying the lenses and other material items I am going to need a way to carry all this stuff around. Thus begins the 4 hour hunt for a camera bag!
Now you must be thinking, 4 HOURS! Good god Diane, don't you need to do some reading on Spartans? Technically, I should be, but I got caught up in the world of mass manufactured camera bags. I initially began looking at the traditional sort of camera bag: black, boring, huge, and if anyone saw you carrying it on the street they would know exactly what was inside thus the bag screams "STEAL ME!". This is a situation I definitely want to avoid. We all know I have the travel bug which means the camera is going with me EVERYWHERE. I don't want a camera bag that essentially has written on it in big red letters "EXPENSIVE CAMERA EQUIPMENT INSIDE!" One would think finding a bag that looks like any other bag, minus the logo and bulky size, wouldn't be difficult. I can't be the only photographer with this problem!
Well apparently I'm not, I just happen to be one of the few that care though. After hours of searching Ebay, Amazon, Google, Yahoo even AskJeeves for a clue I just kept finding the obscure label only available in the Philippines and a designer bag that looks exactly like a bowler bag, I nearly gave up. Then along came a blog, posing the same problem I am describing here which linked me to my new best friend - etsy.com. Apparently it is a web site that features art and crafts by people trying to make a profit. Looking around the site I discovered a designer - Wicked Stitch Designs - who specializes in custom camera bags in which the buyer can select his/her choice of fabric and make a personal bag for you! HOURS OF SEARCHING FINALLY BECAME WORTH IT - including the eye strain!
So - I wrote this note in part to get this all off my chest since my roommates are hiding in their rooms/at work and also to spread the word to friends who might know others in the same predicament. Now - I am going back to my school work before passing out!
This is a great start to November!
http://www.wickedstitchdesigns.com/index.htm
PS - look forward to amazing photos with my new camera after Thanksgiving through the rest of my life!
Now I am the proud owner of a Minolta Maxxum 7D SLR, which I play with daily and imagine all the fun I will have with her in the future! (Those of you with dirty minds - clean them!) This gift has become, in a sense, a life saver for me. After graduating and before the infamous USA Road Trip Stephanie and I are planning, I was hoping to have my digital SLR to photograph the amazing trip. However, looking at expenses and plans to move to Seattle some time after the trip, it was a dream of mine once again getting pushed off. Then, this amazing gift falls into my hands. I hope my aunt and uncle will understand the gravity of how much this has changed my life. Hopefully the long thank you note I am putting in the mail tomorrow (along with my absentee ballot for mayor) will give them a good idea! This may seem silly to some, but it is a dream come true for me.
Since my 22nd birthday is coming up in a few days (16 exactly!), naturally my familial birthday gifts have been directed towards equipping the DSLR. Off of Ebay, I bought two new lenses for $30 each which is pretty amazing for lenses. I was planning to spend roughly a hundred for just one! Then my mother made the comment of buying a tripod for Christmas. However, I realized what with buying the lenses and other material items I am going to need a way to carry all this stuff around. Thus begins the 4 hour hunt for a camera bag!
Now you must be thinking, 4 HOURS! Good god Diane, don't you need to do some reading on Spartans? Technically, I should be, but I got caught up in the world of mass manufactured camera bags. I initially began looking at the traditional sort of camera bag: black, boring, huge, and if anyone saw you carrying it on the street they would know exactly what was inside thus the bag screams "STEAL ME!". This is a situation I definitely want to avoid. We all know I have the travel bug which means the camera is going with me EVERYWHERE. I don't want a camera bag that essentially has written on it in big red letters "EXPENSIVE CAMERA EQUIPMENT INSIDE!" One would think finding a bag that looks like any other bag, minus the logo and bulky size, wouldn't be difficult. I can't be the only photographer with this problem!
Well apparently I'm not, I just happen to be one of the few that care though. After hours of searching Ebay, Amazon, Google, Yahoo even AskJeeves for a clue I just kept finding the obscure label only available in the Philippines and a designer bag that looks exactly like a bowler bag, I nearly gave up. Then along came a blog, posing the same problem I am describing here which linked me to my new best friend - etsy.com. Apparently it is a web site that features art and crafts by people trying to make a profit. Looking around the site I discovered a designer - Wicked Stitch Designs - who specializes in custom camera bags in which the buyer can select his/her choice of fabric and make a personal bag for you! HOURS OF SEARCHING FINALLY BECAME WORTH IT - including the eye strain!
So - I wrote this note in part to get this all off my chest since my roommates are hiding in their rooms/at work and also to spread the word to friends who might know others in the same predicament. Now - I am going back to my school work before passing out!
This is a great start to November!
http://www.wickedstitchdesigns.com/index.htm
PS - look forward to amazing photos with my new camera after Thanksgiving through the rest of my life!
09 February 2009
I blame college and papers on ancient Roman coins
I am making an oath, right here on this blog...
I promise to post a blog however minor, dumb, boring or short every week!
I can't promise everyday because I have to much school work for that.
I will try to pick a theme to focus on like movies, books, television or tattoos or whatever the hell I feel like talking about that day.
Sometimes I might even make the smallest reference to some cool tidbit of information I have come across during the day.
So, what does this mean for you viewers? Well it might mean an easier way to keep in touch with the widespread information out there on all the above topics.
I am also open for conversations, debates, arguments and straight up slugfests! Okay, maybe not a fight... I'll leave that to the posts on IMDB...
Today's topic: tattoos and piercings
This weekend I will work on writing a full blog about what to expect when getting a tattoo/piercing, questions you should have about them, myths to be explained, and fun photos to laugh at!
I have an amazing circle of friends. All of whom are very close to me and know my obsession with tattoos and piercings. Currently I have 15 piercings all located in my ears: 5 on each side straight from the earlobe up, the rook and tragus piercing on the left and three piercings in the helix portion of my right ear which will soon be connected with a spiral barbell. The latest piercings have been ones I have wanted long before all my other ones. I also have two (or four depending on how you look at it) tattoos. I was a blue bird on my right hip and a ring of cherry blossoms on me right ankle. So I know what I am talking about when it comes to tattoos and body piercings... I even have my piercer on speed dial!
Now this amazing circle of friends sometimes make my life miserable for one vital reason. They talk about getting their next tattoo and/or piercing every single day. Do you know how hard it is for me to resist the urge to jump into my car, drive down to my local tattoo parlor and say "HEY! Just pierce/tattoo something!!!" I am hoping this weekend, my Valentine's Day gift to myself, to go get my spiral barbell put in my ear. My roommate recently has been talking about going to get her next tattoo ASAP! We might do both at the same time.
However, my other friends are talking about getting their next tattoo/piercing possibly by the end of March. Now, this is bad because I am going to have to go with them. Laura and I call them "Piercing Parties". I really want to get my bellybutton pierced. Not because I have the nicest stomach, lets face it I'm no twig but I love my body the way it is. I do love bellybutton jewelry though! Sometimes they are so cute!!!! So I plan on that being my next project.
I am very excited! I think I like piercings/tattoos too much... hehe!
However, like I said, this weekend I will post a long blog on tattoos/piercings. I am really looking forward to focusing on this blog! Now I am going to go watch HEROES!!
I promise to post a blog however minor, dumb, boring or short every week!
I can't promise everyday because I have to much school work for that.
I will try to pick a theme to focus on like movies, books, television or tattoos or whatever the hell I feel like talking about that day.
Sometimes I might even make the smallest reference to some cool tidbit of information I have come across during the day.
So, what does this mean for you viewers? Well it might mean an easier way to keep in touch with the widespread information out there on all the above topics.
I am also open for conversations, debates, arguments and straight up slugfests! Okay, maybe not a fight... I'll leave that to the posts on IMDB...
Today's topic: tattoos and piercings
This weekend I will work on writing a full blog about what to expect when getting a tattoo/piercing, questions you should have about them, myths to be explained, and fun photos to laugh at!
I have an amazing circle of friends. All of whom are very close to me and know my obsession with tattoos and piercings. Currently I have 15 piercings all located in my ears: 5 on each side straight from the earlobe up, the rook and tragus piercing on the left and three piercings in the helix portion of my right ear which will soon be connected with a spiral barbell. The latest piercings have been ones I have wanted long before all my other ones. I also have two (or four depending on how you look at it) tattoos. I was a blue bird on my right hip and a ring of cherry blossoms on me right ankle. So I know what I am talking about when it comes to tattoos and body piercings... I even have my piercer on speed dial!
Now this amazing circle of friends sometimes make my life miserable for one vital reason. They talk about getting their next tattoo and/or piercing every single day. Do you know how hard it is for me to resist the urge to jump into my car, drive down to my local tattoo parlor and say "HEY! Just pierce/tattoo something!!!" I am hoping this weekend, my Valentine's Day gift to myself, to go get my spiral barbell put in my ear. My roommate recently has been talking about going to get her next tattoo ASAP! We might do both at the same time.
However, my other friends are talking about getting their next tattoo/piercing possibly by the end of March. Now, this is bad because I am going to have to go with them. Laura and I call them "Piercing Parties". I really want to get my bellybutton pierced. Not because I have the nicest stomach, lets face it I'm no twig but I love my body the way it is. I do love bellybutton jewelry though! Sometimes they are so cute!!!! So I plan on that being my next project.
I am very excited! I think I like piercings/tattoos too much... hehe!
However, like I said, this weekend I will post a long blog on tattoos/piercings. I am really looking forward to focusing on this blog! Now I am going to go watch HEROES!!
07 September 2008
True Blood S1 E01 Review
HBO's True BloodSeason 1
Episode 01: Strange Blood
Original Air Date: September 7, 2008
Episode Review::
If you had asked me a month ago, I would have told you how skeptical I was about this show. I've been a fan of the books for about a year and I was immediately drawn into Charlaine Harris' world. Then I heard the news that HBO was turning it into a television series. At first I was like, "I don't know about this." Then I thought, "Hold on, its HBO which means censorship will not be an issue. But will they at least be slightly faithful to the series?" That was left to be seen.
I can happily say that Alan Ball did stay faithful and I want more!
Episode 01: Strange Love gives us a great opening to the series and the characters. Anna Paquin has Sookie down. Small mannerisms and facial movements really made me believe she was this character. Jason's character was shown to be the horn-dog he is with maybe a little to long cut up sex scenes. Tara has been changed comparatively with the novel. In the tv series, she plays more of the pivotal best friend character with a big mouth and a strong point of view. Some times I felt she was a little over the top, but over the series I see her calming down. Sam was also perfect, the sweet, protective, 'other' guy. Can't wait for more of his inspiring talks with Sookie! And of course...Bill. Now, I am Team Eric all the way so I will try not to be judgmental. Bill was... Bill in all his brooding, country boy turned vampire angst. Ball seems to be bringing Bill's darker side out a little more in the series which might be a good thing... we shall see.
This episode introduces us to many other minor characters, but the story itself submerges us into this small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, out in the middle of no where. A place where everyone knows everyone, the internet is not readily available, and the local watering hole aka Merlotte's Bar and Grill is where everyone congregates at the end of the day.
Overall, the episode was a good first episode, but I would have cut one of the sex scenes and added in more background on Sookie. But they ended the episode at the right spot, so I can't wait for next Sunday.
Grade: B
03 September 2008
When you become a history major, reading for fun takes a step back
I'm into my second week of my third year at USF. My first two years were spent as a biomedical sciences major. Lets just say, my academic career was in the shambles and my personal life was suffering. Then from the advice of my mother (who knows me better than any one) and my best friend Stephanie (who is my other half), I decided to give up the war and change my major.
I will forever be grateful for the that day. The day I was sitting in my car, waiting for my Chemistry 2 class to begin. We had a test that day and I was cramming. Did I also mention this was the third time I was taking this class... and now at a community college where it was supposed to be easier? I guess not. I ended up calling my mother after I bombed that test to tell her I was changing my major to history. Her response was, "FINALLY!" I've never regretted it since.
Now I am an ancient history and classics double major. Which means you have any questions about Spartans 300 didn't cover or questions about gladiators Russel Crowe forgot to portray, I'm your girl.
However, my change in major has also changed the amount of reading I have to do for my classes each night. Lets just say, its a lot. Which, in turns, means I am going to have less time to write and read for myself. When I have the time to spare, I have a lot of reviews I need to write up.
For instance, I finally finished the Southern Vampire Series starring Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris. It was eight books in all and I managed to finish them in a week. What can I say, I'm a fast reader.... a book a day reader. I hope to have that finished and up soon. With there being eight books, its going to take some time. Below is the cover of the last. Click on the image to be linked to the official web site of the writer Mrs. Harris.
It is also the beginning of the fall television season which means... (drum roll please) New episodes of Bones, Heroes, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Prison Break and completely new shows like Fringe, My Own Worst Enemy, and True Blood (and HBO show which happens to be based on the first of the Sookie Stackhouse novels... awesome right!). Thus, Sunday-Wednesday nights I shall be glued to my television (or Jenna's) to watch an hour or more of these awesome shows.
Now writing... well... since I've been reading so many vampire and supernatural novels naturally I have my own supernatural world forming in my head. I originally started writing from the perspective of my male character, Noah, but after a while I found my female character, Cornelia, was taking over. Maybe because she is the more dynamic character and is turning out to be a lot of fun? Possibly. But as they say, you write what you know and I know vampires and sarcastic women. Lets face it... I am one! I'm still in the developing stages, but its turning out to be very interesting.
Tune in for more... when I get around to it... probably next weekend when I am at home and never do homework... hum... I have a plan!
I will forever be grateful for the that day. The day I was sitting in my car, waiting for my Chemistry 2 class to begin. We had a test that day and I was cramming. Did I also mention this was the third time I was taking this class... and now at a community college where it was supposed to be easier? I guess not. I ended up calling my mother after I bombed that test to tell her I was changing my major to history. Her response was, "FINALLY!" I've never regretted it since.
Now I am an ancient history and classics double major. Which means you have any questions about Spartans 300 didn't cover or questions about gladiators Russel Crowe forgot to portray, I'm your girl.
However, my change in major has also changed the amount of reading I have to do for my classes each night. Lets just say, its a lot. Which, in turns, means I am going to have less time to write and read for myself. When I have the time to spare, I have a lot of reviews I need to write up.
For instance, I finally finished the Southern Vampire Series starring Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris. It was eight books in all and I managed to finish them in a week. What can I say, I'm a fast reader.... a book a day reader. I hope to have that finished and up soon. With there being eight books, its going to take some time. Below is the cover of the last. Click on the image to be linked to the official web site of the writer Mrs. Harris.
It is also the beginning of the fall television season which means... (drum roll please) New episodes of Bones, Heroes, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Prison Break and completely new shows like Fringe, My Own Worst Enemy, and True Blood (and HBO show which happens to be based on the first of the Sookie Stackhouse novels... awesome right!). Thus, Sunday-Wednesday nights I shall be glued to my television (or Jenna's) to watch an hour or more of these awesome shows.
Now writing... well... since I've been reading so many vampire and supernatural novels naturally I have my own supernatural world forming in my head. I originally started writing from the perspective of my male character, Noah, but after a while I found my female character, Cornelia, was taking over. Maybe because she is the more dynamic character and is turning out to be a lot of fun? Possibly. But as they say, you write what you know and I know vampires and sarcastic women. Lets face it... I am one! I'm still in the developing stages, but its turning out to be very interesting.
Tune in for more... when I get around to it... probably next weekend when I am at home and never do homework... hum... I have a plan!
02 August 2008
INITIAL NOVEL REACTION: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
I’m a very quick reader, which is handy when you have homework to do which requires a lot of reading. However, not so useful when reading an 800 page novel because you can’t put it down and thus end up not sleeping for a night.
I’m not quite sure how I feel about Breaking Dawn. On one hand I couldn’t put it down. I was so engrossed that I didn’t notice my grumbling stomach empty for over 24 hours or the weight of my eyelids trying to impair my reading. It took me a few chapters to really get into the book. But, this is typical of all novels.
I was finally interested when Meyer decided to reveal Bella’s “condition”. And then I had to remind myself that this writer knows little if anything about vampires. This is a romance series that just happens to have vampires and werewolves in it. If you have read the previous novels in this series, then you know Meyer has taken the vampire and werewolf mythology and thrown it out the window. Then adapted it for her world. Which I am all for. I love when authors re-create or re-imagine tales or stories we find so typical nowadays… like vampires. So, when I found myself scratching my head and wondering ‘wtf?’ seven or so chapters in, I had to find out how the hell Meyer was going to pull this off.
As I finished the book I felt a let down. I was expecting big sacrifices, epic throw downs with vampires and werewolves, plot twists I was never expecting, something to make this book stand out amongst the hundreds in my collection. Well, it only stands out as the biggest in sheer volume next my translation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey in hardcover. I really need a healthy does of vampire gore. Some blood, guts, flying limbs, innocent deaths, fearful power that leaves me shaking in my boots, and an epic vampire war. I get none of this in Meyer’s PG-13 world. So I have to judge Meyer’s world on teenage romance, life threatening and difficult decisions, character development, and plot.
It was horrible, fantastic, compelling, annoying, dragged on at times, didn’t have enough in others, and as I like to say, “Craptastic.”
More detailed review to come after second reading…
01 July 2008
So much to say... give me time
I am working on putting together a few blogs about various things. I've been reading A LOT, which is fantastic. Its summer break from college, while I am still taking classes I have the time to read so I've been punching out a book in two days. I find myself reading mostly vampire novels and/or related to demon hunting scenarios. Thus I promise to post my opinions and reviews on them.
For any Doctor Who fan out there: I am going to reviewing each episode since the first season (we are currently near the end of season 4). I'm not as hard core as some fans out there, but it's fun for me to state my excitement over this amazing show. I wish it was more popular in America! It takes time to edit my video recordings with the actual show clips.
As a friend requested, I am also going to post tattoo/body piercing questions with answers both from my own opinion and the opinions I have read/heard out in the ether. Its a serious decision which I think should be thought about by any one considering getting a tattoo. Because as they say, it lasts forever!
So look forward to lost of posts and fun videos. Today I am going to post two videos I found on YouTube that made me laugh.
Anyone see the Llama song video? If not -> watch this video: Llama Song
These are the Doctor Who versions of this song. The first one below is based on the character The Doctor and the second is based around one of The Doctor's nemesis, the Daleks... ENJOY!
PS- These videos do not belong to me. They belong to the creative people who made them.
For any Doctor Who fan out there: I am going to reviewing each episode since the first season (we are currently near the end of season 4). I'm not as hard core as some fans out there, but it's fun for me to state my excitement over this amazing show. I wish it was more popular in America! It takes time to edit my video recordings with the actual show clips.
As a friend requested, I am also going to post tattoo/body piercing questions with answers both from my own opinion and the opinions I have read/heard out in the ether. Its a serious decision which I think should be thought about by any one considering getting a tattoo. Because as they say, it lasts forever!
So look forward to lost of posts and fun videos. Today I am going to post two videos I found on YouTube that made me laugh.
Anyone see the Llama song video? If not -> watch this video: Llama Song
These are the Doctor Who versions of this song. The first one below is based on the character The Doctor and the second is based around one of The Doctor's nemesis, the Daleks... ENJOY!
PS- These videos do not belong to me. They belong to the creative people who made them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
