.: bistan.net :.

No, this isn’t a post about the law school’s new camera, which I talked about in my last post.  For a long time, I’ve realized that I need a subcompact digital camera to complement my bulky SLR.  It’s impossible to run with the SLR or take it to an amusement park and I’ve been sent back to the car with it at more than one “No Cameras Allowed” events.  It’s just not possible to sneak something that bulky inside.

I’ve spent hours and hours reading about the different models, playing with them at electronic stores, and asking people about their experiences with their respective models.  Unfortunately, one caveat that I can’t seem to get around is shutter lag.  Its a processor thing.  There is pretty much nothing you can do to avoid it on the smaller cameras (except learn how to shoot pictures better).  Some cameras will do a better job than others.

So what camera did I choose?  The Blue Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.  It is currently the second highest rated camera by Consumer Reports (The first was 3x as much money).  And of course, I got it at my favorite online retailer: Amazon.com.  I’m sure you will see pictures taken with it soon.

Beginning tomorrow, December 1, this blog will feature “A picture a day“.  Although the linked article recommends doing it for 365 days, I plan to do it for a month.  Although I will be taking and featuring a picture from each day of the month, don’t expect to see a post each day.  I know some days will be combined into a single post because I plan to be out of town during Christmas — most likely without internet access.  More on Christmas plans in an upcoming post . . .

On another partially-unrelated-but-always-on-my-mind subject, I WANT AN IPHONE!!!  I’m holding out until January, hoping that Apple and Verizon will announce a partnership at Mac World 2009.  If not, I will probably jump over to the dreaded AT&T.  Everyone I talk to is on Verizon and I love being able to talk to them without minute counting, but I am willing to trade a few phone calls to friends for the iPhone.

This afternoon begins a LONG weekend, it’s a nice day out, and I have custody of the law school’s newest toy until Monday. It’s a Canon EOS 40D, which is a nice step up from my Digital Rebel.  It also has a Speedlite 430EX Flash, which I’ve been eyeing for my own camera.

Now, I just have to find something interesting to shoot and some time to do it.  And we have to hope that the weather stays nice.  And if that’s not enough to hope for, I have to figure out how to use it.  There are more buttons on just the flash than I have on my entire camera!  I do need to learn it since I’m the “unofficial photographer” here at the law school.

Then again, I guess I could just use my camera with the Speedlite . . .

I’ve always thought that almost all holidays are pretty much pointless (except for the obvious time off from work).  I don’t need a special day on the calendar to remind me that a battle was fought or a soldier died.  I don’t need a special month on the calendar to remind me of the contributions of black people.  I don’t need a certain 40 days designated to remember that Jesus died for us.

That being said, I do immensely enjoy Christmas.  Although I’ve always known what Christmas means religiously, after I was about 16 I didn’t really care for the rest of the season until I had kids of my own.  (I’ll post more on that later in the season.)

Out of all of the holidays ever created, I think that Thanksgiving is the worst.  Don’t think that statement means that I’m unthankful.  I am certainly thankful for everything . . .  from the big deal things like my wife, children and job to the little things like the CVS Extrabucks in my wallet and the coupons that Mr. Pizza sent me in the mail yesterday.  I just don’t think we should set aside a day to be thankful.  In some ways, forcing people to be thankful that one day of the year makes them apathetic the rest of the year.

As for the traditions and rituals themselves, I usually don’t care to eat food prepared by people who I barely know (like extended family members who I was forced to spend Thanksgiving with as a child).  In fact, when I was younger I looked for excuses to get out of going to church pot-lucks and I currently refuse to participate in covered dish activities at work.  Also, if I’m not at work, I don’t want to see turkey unless we go somewhere like Firehouse Subs or McAllister’s Deli because 90% of the time I take a turkey sandwich for lunch.

As for the family, my mother is gone, my dad is married to a Jehovah’s Witness (and out of respect for his wife no longer observes holidays_ and Kimberlie’s parents aren’t in the picture.  So all that is left is extended family, who I only see around funerals and um . . . things like Thanksgiving.  When I was in college, I remember hiding out in my room during the whole meal trolling AOL to find someone to chat with so I wouldn’t have to go downstairs.

So up until now, we’ve always done the traditional Thanksgiving thing because my mother was around to pretty much hold everyone together.  Last year, as she was falling victim to cancer, I even hosted the event at my house.  I just hope that wasn’t a “passing of the torch” type thing because I am blowing out the flame.

This year, we plan to do something completely different.  After Kimberlie gets off of work (she works every holiday except for Christmas), we are going to go out to eat.  We might search for traditional Thanksgiving food at some buffet like Ryan’s or we might do something completely different.  

There isn’t a shortage of invitations.  We’ve been invited to four different Thanksgivings — 3 different extended families and 1 friend.  But we have politely refused them all and we are going to have a nice meal out — without having to cook or entertain or wash the dishes or be somewhere at a certain time to eat food we don’t like with people we don’t like.  And then, we will come home and go to bed so that I can get up in the wee hours of the morning Friday and get a good deal on a new drill at Lowe’s.

The worst part about the entire thing is when people ask what we are doing for Thanksgiving and we tell them our plans.  The heavens open up and the pity party rains down. “Oh that poor Davis family.”  It’s like I’m committing a crime or something by deviating from tradition.  Surely if there weren’t others like us, the restaurants wouldn’t be open.

I’m not sure if we are establishing a new tradition this year.  If the kids were older, I would take them and volunteer somewhere feeding the less fortunate.  I’ve always wanted to do something like that, but seeing how I am day care on Thanksgiving, it’s not happening with a 2 year old.

Since I’m approaching 800 words in this blog post rant, I’ll end it now.  I’m sure I’ll post something before then, but anyway, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

This week was homecoming at Mercer.  Of course, I was off for 3 days lounging around the house with Mackenzie, but since I signed up to run the 5K this morning, I decided to give it a shot.  What the #@%& was I thinking?  It was 25 degrees outside for the start of the race.  I pretty much had no physical activity (training) this week.  I don’t have cold weather running apparel.  I currently have a sinus headache/couch/etc.

How did I do?  I got my first DNF.  That’s a big Did Not Finish.  3 weeks ago I get 3rd place for my age group in a 10K, but this morning I couldn’t even finish half of a 5K.  Very depressing.  The weather was beyond miserable and every step on the pavement caused my head to throb.  When I got to a point along the course close to my car, I just left.

I did return with my family for the Georgia Tech vs. Mercer basketball game.  This was my first college basketball game ever and I enjoyed it.  Mercer was ahead until 14 seconds before the game ended and then Tech ended up tying up the game and winning in overtime.  Again, I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t recommend going to a basketball game with a throbbing headache.

Hopefully the headache will be gone tomorrow!

Monk in front of a banana tree.

Meet “Monk”.

Tristan won Monk playing a carnival game in the basement of the Excalibur, a Las Vegas casino, on June 23, 2007.  Since he already had one that he won the week before playing the same game, he gave it to Mackenzie.  She took to him immediately and hasn’t put it down since.

In the last year and a half, Monk has had an adventurous life and he’s lost quite a bit of weight stuffing since we got him.

He not only serves as a toy, but also as a friend, a comforter, a pillow, a napkin, and even a tissue at times.  Sometimes he wears shoes or a hair bow and other times he spends time under a blanket.

He has been on an airplane, a cruise, a few trains, several boats, the subway, and more than a few buses.

He’s been to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, our nation’s capital, and even The Bahamas.

He’s personally seen the Hope Diamond, the Space Shuttle Discovery, a bicycle race through Callaway Gardens, SpaceShipOne, rode Thomas the Tank Engine, met many Disney characters, and has even had a partial amputation performed by a dog.

He’s been on a safari, stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and in front of the White House, visited Camden Yards, and toured Babyland General Hospital (home of the original Cabbage Patch Kids).

He’s been to daycare countless times, many doctors appointments, and accompanied us to church all but once — the day he was still covered in Cheeto dust from the night before.

But tomorrow Monk is off for a new adventure.  He’ll be going into the operating room, to accompany Mackenzie as she gets a myringotomy, tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy.  But don’t worry. I’m sure Monk will be fine, as will Mackenzie.  For the next few days though, he’s booked solid — devoting all of his time towards love and comfort.

One year ago today (actually, it was November 17 — but it was a Saturday) Oprah Winfrey taped her show in Macon and I was there.  

I had learned a few weeks before that she was filming a show here and that only her biggest fans were going to be selected.  I could care less about her and her propaganda, but Kimberlie watches her every chance she gets.  Of course I wrote in to try to convince them to let me surprise her with tickets.  Some how, we got picked.  

Long story short, it ended up being her Oprah’s Favorite Things episode.  She chose her Macon viewers to shower with gifts because more TV sets are tuned to her show in Macon than in any other place.  Sad statistic for Macon — good for us.  We each left with about $10,000 worth of stuff each.

One year later, I have sold most of the duplicate items on eBay, Amazon, etc. and used the cash to buy and pay down the CR-V.  Yes, the same CR-V that got “boomed up” (but I have it back now).  The Target gift cards and overpriced (but really good) cupcakes are long gone.  The KitchenAid Mixers are in my closet, because we don’t have enough counter space in our kitchen.  We love our refrigerator and High Definition Camcorder.  We have watched some of the DVDs and occasionally Kimberlie will wear the fancy boots.

A lot of people say that something big like that will change your life.  It gave us some things that we wouldn’t normally have bought, but other than that and maybe a little bit of attention, it really didn’t impact us that much.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am extremely thankful.  I don’t even bash Oprah anymore, but maybe I’ll win the lottery one day.

I snapped this photo through a rainy windshield while driving down Mercer University Drive in Macon:

You can’t help but wonder if the dent in the right side of his tailgate was caused by someone following too closely.  Probably a cop following too closely.  What idiot leaves all of those chocolate donuts out in the rain anyway?

I’ve been tagged by Greg.  I usually don’t do these things but there is NOTHING on TV tonight and its raining (can’t run).

4 Random Things I Like About My Significant Other:

1 – She puts up with me.
2 – She supports me when I get into crazy new hobbies.
3 – She lets me have the remote.
4 – She loves me!

4 Jobs I’ve Had: (none of these were my official job title)

1 – Hot air balloon wrestler
2 – Sign artist
3 – Rooftop photographer
4 – Litter-box cleaner

4 Movies I’ve Watched More Than Once:

1 – Catch Me If You Can
2 – The Shawshank Redemption
3 – The Goonies
4 – Silence of the Lambs (or any of the other 3 in that series)

4 TV Shows I Watch:

1 – LOST
2 – Parking Wars
3 – Prison Break
4 – 24

4 Favorite Foods:

1 – Chicken & Dumplings
2 – Bar-b-que
3 – O’Charleys loaded potato soup
4 – Chocolate

4 Places I’d Like to Visit

1 – Alcatraz
2 – New York City
3 – Disneyland
4 – Space

5 Things I’m Looking Forward to in the Coming Year:

1 – Mackenzie getting potty trained (5+ years straight of changing diapers is getting old)
2 – Disney Marathon
3 – Tristan starting Kindergarten
4 – Change (ha ha ha)
5 – Going back to school

4 People I Tag:

Sorry, I don’t think there are 4 people who read this blog.

Wow . . . Alcatraz, Prison Break, Catch Me If You Can, The Shawshank Redemption, Silence of the Lambs . . . It looks like I’m fascinated with being incarcerated.  I guess if I’m ever on death row, at least I’ll get my 4 favorite foods!

Tristan had a great 5th Birthday yesterday . . .

Here is a run down of the gifts that we bought him:

• A 2 pack of Nerf guns
• Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera
• Fisher Price: Imaginext™ Adventures Jungle
• Power Rangers and Transformers
• Army men play set
• Go Diego Go Extreme Cave Rescue Adventure

We are having his real party Saturday afternoon at Stevie B’s Pizza where his neighborhood friends, family and a few school friends will join us.  We usually don’t do THIS much for our kids’ birthdays, but last year we didn’t have a party for him — we rode Thomas the Tank Engine instead.

Here’s a life lesson straight from Tristan’s preschool class.  I captured it on video while delivering cupcakes for his birthday.  I think it appropriately applies to countless situations.