Fancy Schmancy

So I bought myself a Canon 7D last Saturday. I have been thinking about buying one for about a year now. Finally I actually got around to getting it.

It's a very nice camera. Too nice for someone as unskilled as me. I got it for it's video capabilities, which are pretty sweet for a camera of it's price range. It's a DSLR camera so it's not primarily designed for video stuff. But it does do very good stuff.

When I was in the shop the woman showed me everything I needed to buy. Thousands of dollars worth of camera, lens, bags and filters. She said "Is there anything else you need?"

"I just need to know whether to buy it today or not." I said.

"Tell you what, if you buy it today I'll throw in a free dvd."

So I bought it. Who can resist a free dvd?

I went and played with it on Sunday. Me and one of the kids in the youth group made a video. I pretty much shot the video with the settings on straight out of the box. It's not a very good video but I learned a few things. Firstly I need to work on my focusing skills. Secondly, colour correction, better dynamic range and getting a good ISO is also important. But I'm looking forward to improving, which I'm sure I will.

Anyway, this is what we made.



This morning I was waiting to get picked up by Dan and April and spied some good mist, so I went and photographed it. This was one of the better ones I think. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm pretty happy with the camera.

Tom's Jungle Adventure

Being teased for this shirt by colleagues. I can't see why.

Photoshopping

I've been spending many hours at work in Photoshop this past week. It's been quite fun. I've been making posters and bookcovers for the ministry resources we put out. Sometimes, when I get carried away, I start to fancy myself as a real graphic designer. And then I look at size of my 14" display and remember that I wasn't hired for my photoshop skills, but my Jesus-skills. And Jesus workers doesn't need 30" displays.

Speaking of skills, let me show you one of my youth evangelism designs that didn't quite make the cut:

Big Hair

I'm pretty sure it's time for a hair cut.

And some hair plugs.



"Advanced hair, yeah, yeah."

Photo Log

I thought I might clean out the photos on the iPhone. All the photos I take and think "I'll blog that." So here they all are.

Photo One

Ever wondered what Time Crisis 2 was all about? Well the secret is on the side of the machine:



This is what it says "Time Crisis 2

There's another plot for the world in 1998

Mission: Prevent the launch of and enemy military satellite!

We have no time to be lost!

With your partner, shoot all enemies!

Is the evil "Wild Dog" still alive?"

I'm so glad we made it through 1998 ok. A better video game blurb I have never heard.


Photo Two

The other day my work mate when out to buy us all crazy Asian ice creams. She asked what we'd like. I asked for something crazy. So she came back with this:



I can only guess that the Korean says something like "Frozen Polar Bear Blood"

Turns out polar bear blood tastes a lot like chocolate. There's a survival tip for when you get lost in the Arctic.

Photo Three

I injured my nose trying on a jacket at SDS the other day. I had trouble working the zipper and it got me on the nose. Most people were too polite to ask what happened. I had to wear the scratch to the wedding. It looked much worse in real life.




Photo Four

I was on my way to the cinema the other day and discovered this piece of culturally relevant advertising by Sultana Bran:



As you can tell they have their finger on the teen pulse.

Photo Five

I was setting my alarm the other night, looked at all the various times stored in my phone, and noticed this:



I really do value that extra few minutes sleep.


Photo Six

One day, before the Witteveens left the country, they peer-pressured me into sticking pegs on my lip. Then they they went to Europe to peer pressure French women to hang coat hangers from their underarm hair. Now they're back and I'm not getting attached to any handy, household implements no matter what they say.




And thems are the photos.

News from the Home Front

I signed up to get some internets today. Fast internet. Good-bye wireless broadband! Hello ADSL2 and superfast Justin Bieber downloads!

I also went and door knocked my neighbours again and gave them invites to our house warming on Saturday. I feel like a Mormon. I reckon they're going to get sick of me soon. "Oh gosh, here comes that guy from Unit 5 again. Here to give us chocolates or another freakin' invite. We just want to relax! We have a security door at the front to keep people like him out!"

Oh and I'm pretty sure my flatmate is a wizard. I think he might even have a Pensive because he stores his memories in a box:

Room Duck Dust

I'm in my new place. This is my new room. It had two picture hooks. Now it only has one.

I've been a little too busy to blog. Travelling all over Sydney preaching to school kids, which isn't that impressive because they have to be there.

Here's a duck that joined me for lunch in Picton the other day. As you can see it was so excited to be eating lunch with me it pooed.




And this is the vacuum cleaner before I vacuumed my previous room:



And this is it after:



As you can see, either I'm very good at vacuuming or very bad.

There is currently a girl asleep in our lunch room. She may be a homeless person or she may be a housemate's sister. It was dark so I didn't investigate. If she is a homeless person maybe we're turning our place into a single women's refuge. That'd be a great way for three single guys to meet some ladies. If we're not already doing it, I might put the idea to the boys for consideration.

Crazy Hat Party

We went over to Dee and Mark's for dinner. It was all very normal till the end of the night when my father asked to borrow a Hat from Dee. With that more craziness ensued than at an afternoon tea of Episcopal bishops.

Mannequin Shenanigans

While we're displaying iPhone photos, I took this on Australia Day morning.



I have the feeling he was getting into the Australia Day festivities a little too early.

On the QT

When I had my Quiet Time this morning, this is what I saw.



As you may have noticed, things at our place are a little disjointed.

I may have to do a little more work on my iPhone panoramic photography skills.

See it very large.

Fireworks

I went and watched some fireworks down by the harbour last night with a bunch of Australians and Guatemalans. It was nice to be back watching the fireworks.

I didn't take any photos of the fireworks. But I did take a photo of Anmol, so that'll have to do.



Happy New Year

Poo Fashion

There is a tree over our washing line in which Rainbow Lorikeets are currently loving to sit and eat the flowers.

On Sunday Jenny brought in my clothes from off the line. This was the collection of clothes I discovered when I got home.



Freakin' birds.

Spread the News

This shows why you should always pick up your Hornsby and Upper North Shore Advocate off your driveway quickly. After 5 weeks it becomes somewhat unreadable.

Dance Dance

I saw this poster the other night when out with the Bennetts:



Seeing as that looks like such a winner I've decided to run my own event for people with special needs. I'm going to call it:

Retardance Party
Get downs on the dance floor

Productive Day

I had a very productive day today. I had holographic peace talks with Kim Jong Il. We talked about sailing, this unseasonable weather and the musical Cats.

We're working towards a better world.

Pink Lemonade

In follow up to the last post: We did meet at the pub, he wasn't over 18 and I bought him pink lemonade. As you can see he was pretty angry I wouldn't buy him Jägerbombs.

Ma and Pa

"Argh." These are my parents. I like them.

I stole the photo off my Mum's current Facebook photo uploading extravaganza. Thanks Ma.

Live Blogging at Cafe Barista

Currently this is what I see as I blog just of Antigua's main square. I ordered my drink almost all by myself. If I was my mother, I'd be so proud.

The Day of LA

You can tell I'm on holidays because I'm writing long blogposts again.



Post Qantas lounge blogging, I stocked up on food and Dad, because he's a business man, talked on the phone and refused to invest in my life like the high-powered, high-flyer suit that he is.



My Father neglects his son while on the first day of holidays together

Once our flight was called we bundled ourselves, our carry on bags, and the wedding cake onto the A380, and it managed to fit all of us and our gear plus about 3,000 other people. We lifted off into the skies metres of runway to spare.

The A380 is a lovely plane. Being downstairs is like being on a new 747 but you have to remind yourself that there is a whole second story of people more elite than you upstairs. Then it feels big. It's also new. And shiny. And you know it's important because instead of saying "Welcome aboard", the flight attendants all say "Welcome aboard the A380." I wonder if they'll still be saying that in 20 years.

Anyway the flight isn't much to comment on. My TV broke early on and I was worried I would be forced to watch the frozen launch screen of a video game for the entire 14 hours, which would have made it the worst flight ever (I only fly for the entertainment), but the Lord had mercy via a flight attendant who reset it for me. Praise Jesus. I got to watch Last Chance Harvey with Dad (it was about an inept man going to his daughter's wedding overseas, I think it made Dad cry small tears). I also watched the first two episodes of Season 2 of Flight of the Conchords. I know you're all jealous.

We did learn on the flight that the Americans have made a new rule for any plane flying to America that passengers are not allowed to congregate on the plane in groups, especially near the toilets. When you've squashed 500 people into a metal tube in the sky and then making a rule for them not to congregate is like sticking five people into a Mini and making a rule that they mustn't sit near each other. Suffice to say, we did see multiple incidents of people congregating near toilets. I can only guess how our flight didn't end up in the side of a building somewhere attacking freedom.

When we arrived in LA, due to the A380s flux capacitor, it was 3 hours before we left Sydney. I managed to leave my passport on the plane and had to get a security man to retrieve it for me. He did and didn't beat me around the head with his Homeland Security batton, which was very gracious of him.

Customs was long and a tad silly, as is to be expected, but they allowed my suspicious looking 7kgs of icing sugar through no worries. And then we were in glorious LA.

We caught a taxi into LA where I promptly hid a special treasure for my friends Pip and Caleb to go find when they get here in a few weeks time. It's an international treasure hunt and I'm excited.

Dad and I followed our pirate like booty concealing with lunch in the most American place we could find: Showbiz Ribs. There was lots of food, free soda refills, and people of hefty proportions. We couldn't have asked for more.



I didn't realise I look like that in profile. I'm going to get cosmetic surgery to the side of my head

We wandered around the city, discovered the Disney Concert Hall, which you may remember from such films as Get Smart and Sketches of Frank Gehry. It is kinda cool.



Disney Concert Hall



Dad in some garden with some architecture

We also found the famous City Hall. You may know it from films, but I can't think which ones.



Dad and the World Travelling Wedding Cake at City Hall

We went in, were given visitor's passes and given free access to LA City Hall. It was great. We wandered deserted corridors looking at pictures, through empty reception halls, and looked out at the empty look out. If you're in LA, go to LA City Hall. It's the best thing to do Downtown. I know because I did Downtown today.



Bored in LA. Probably not the best bored shot ever.



LA should be famous for it's ugly art, because that's the only art we saw today.

We finally headed back to Union Station to catch a bus to the airport. You may also know it from movies but I can't remember any of them either. It had comfy chairs.



Still neglecting his son



Union Station Sign Hack. Sweet.

Now I'm in the ReLAX lounge. It's like the Qantas lounge only less posh and you can get in if you pay money. It has the most comfy chairs. Dad just left to go and catch his plane. I'm all alone till 1:45am when my flight will take me on to the Guate.

This place is full of Australians. I wish it wasn't. I want to listen to Americans. I love Americans.



If you look closely you can see a plane out the window

Why Procrastination Makes the Task More Satisfying