A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
I’m getting the hang of this new camera. It’s simplicity makes taking great shots almost as simple as point-n-click. On my Nikon N60, I had never really learned how to use the controls like I wanted. The frugal part of me didn’t want to waste film with experimentation, so I never really got good with … Read More “Playing with the Camera” »
This week has been the perfect storm for consumerism, at least as far as electronic gadgets are concerned. Last Saturday we got new cell phones, mid-week it was the Blackberry surprise, and today I finally got a digital SLR camera. I’d had my eye on the Nikon D50 for awhile, now. First, it’s one … Read More “Nikon D50” »
Day before yesterday my boss walked in my office and dropped a brand spanking new Blackberry 7250 on my desk to replace my worn-out Nextel i205. So, now I’ve got a gadget dilemma. The Blackberry has most, but not all, of the same functions as my Palm Life Drive. Do I stop carrying the Palm? … Read More “Crackberry” »
…and right on the heels of Confederate Memorial day… It never ceases to amaze me what some people do to their vehicles. In addition to the ever-so-lovely Confederate flag with trite saying, this truck sports an animated deer with a target on its belly. When the brake lights are on, the deer moves its front … Read More “Auto Decorations” »
This week began PACT testing in South Carolina. This is the high-stakes testing that every child in grades 3-8 have to look forward to because of NCLB. Except… There was no testing today. It’s Confederate Memorial Day in South Carolina, so all state offices are closed, including the State Department of Education. And if the … Read More “Confederate Memorial Day” »
One of the most frustrating things for Google Earth users is that most of the country is in low resolution. This includes the majority of South Carolina, and almost all of Greenville. The folks at GE have built in a temporary workaround by allowing users to add image overlays to GE. However, image overlays can … Read More “Google Earth – Using Image Overlays” »
It was a cool, gray, rainy day for spring – great to reading and relaxing. We discovered that SciFi was having a marathon of Ghost Hunter episodes. It would make a nice background as we cooked dinner, did laundry, and worked on other things. I love a good ghost story. I especially like those that … Read More “Haints and Haunts” »
I think it’s terrible that they handicap those race horses. Our good friends Chris and Vicky have a Derby Party each year. Once a year, my interest in horse racing moves beyond just reading Dick Francis novels. Could be three times a year, if there is a true Triple-Crown contender, but I don’t think that … Read More “Derby Day” »
It seemed like a good idea at the time. The Piedmont Plant Festival was happening this weekend at the Greenville Farmers Market. Despite the crowds, I was looking forward to the interesting wares, and particularly one wonderful baker that shows up for this festival. I had forgotten about the plants themselves and what that might … Read More “Farmers Market” »
Ohh, those to most conflicting of emotions – the love of gadgetry versus miserly tendencies. The internal battle raged as I tried to select a new phone. Turns out that unless you get the most basic model, you can’t get a cell phone without a camera, at least with our carrier. This is a problem. … Read More “The Ultimate Gadget” »