Lens Love, Stories, School

I have not had much time to get out and shoot with my Rebel XT, which was given to me by my husband for Christmas, but I have been loving the little bits of shooting time when they come. It's been a long time since I've shot in the snow though, and I needed to spend some time reading tips on the Internet about how our cameras perceive the drastic lighting, and what I, as a photographer, need to do for compensation. Thank goodness for photo editing software! PhotoShop Elements, paint.net, and picnik have saved quite a few recent shots from the feared recycle bin. I would like to rely less upon fixing the shots afterward, and be able to set things up right the first time. It's going to take time to relearn.

There was a one and a half hour intermission for story time with husband and daughter. We talked about our days, and M told us about her "How To" story was how to buy a cat. We pointed out to her that not all cats are bought, which lead DH to tell the story of finding and raising our baby Wooter, then i told her about the birth of old Roofus. After that I read the books M checked out from her school library.

I'm also playing around with the Auto Exposure Bracketing feature in my shooting. It's really interesting to me to see how adding and taking away light from the image can really change it. There is a Time-Life series about Photography on my bookshelf. The copy of "Light and Film" must be read when my next school break happens.

Speaking of school, things are going well. It looks like I will be getting a "B" average for now. This quarter consists of Perspectives, a study skills oriented class; Technical Writing, which focuses on grammar and writing in the technical style; and Medical Terminology, which is learning lots of words needed in the future as a student and out in the field as an official Veterinary Technician. Next quarter will have Chemistry and Medical Math for me. I am only attending classes part time and it will take me twice as long to earn my degree but I am glad to have the extra time for focusing on classes and family time easier.

That's it for now...

Thorns and Crystal Balls

Recently I had a "light bulb moment" regarding why I view my computer as such a thorn in my side, especially when doing homework is concerned. I believe it is because, my computer is viewed as a toy rather than a tool. I've spent so many years primarily gaming and web browsing that when I sit down at my desk, I have the idea of fun so deeply engraved in my brain that it's quite difficult to switch gears and write a paper. The only application which can be running is the word processor or else something will pull my thoughts away. Changing how I view my computer is something to be molded over these next couple years. I also need to de-clutter my desk. But that tale of woe is for another night.

If you had a reliable, accurate, crystal ball what would you use it for? Right now I wish I had one to know how much longer our old cat Roofus will be with us. We are considering I-131 radiation, a rather pricey treatment, for him and it would be nice to know for sure if he'd live long enough to make the cost of the procedure "worth it". We can continue to treat his Hyperthyroidism (HT) with medication but we've spent as much on the meds so far that we would have spent on the treatment. The decision does not need to be made immediately. His meds are stabilizing his HT fairly well. It sure would be nice if we did get the I-131 done though. It would mean no more meds for him, far fewer trips to the Veterinarian, and his body could function normally again after so many years of being out of sorts.