Thursday, October 13, 2011

Camera Upgrade En Route



























Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V

My white Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T70 has shutter focus issues and is spazzing out/shaking. Apparently, this is a problem not uncommon to the T-series cameras.

Too bad mine isn't a T20 and too bad it is past July 2011 when it could have been fixed for free.

Either way, I've managed to get myself a lemon. It's a little over 3 years old now and it had an OK Optical zoom. This new camera has potential to be amazing for $160-ish at a retail of approx. $350. It's last year's model and it looks pretty cool. If it doesn't live up to its reviews and isn't much of an upgrade from my T-70 AND my T-70 manages to get fixed (Josh is working on it) then this new camera is going back. But for now, here are the important specs:

Superzoom
10 MP
Optical Zoom 10X
Geotagging
Awesome panoramic capabilities
Good low-light photos
310 shots on one battery

I'll describe it more once it arrives. Hopefully, because it is getting delivered to my door...
Hopefully, this requires a signature... last time it didn't and it ended up at the wrong house. And I've had packages stolen from my doorstep if I don't get home in time.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Back tracking to my awesome Caving Adventure! and forward into present.

So this past weekend we went CAVING! I left work early, got to Oxford, hung out for about an hour and drove back to Eaton to get the camping equipment from Josh's parents. Took forever to find stuff... couldn't find the specific tent he wanted... had dinner there...continued looking and found it in his backpack. Hoorayyy!!! Got back, got ready, and headed to Declan's house where Declan, Cameron, Josh and I left for our adventure! by then it was like 8pm-ish. Declan did the driving to Mammoth Cave. The drive was pretty fun.

Set up camp pretty late, the neighbors at the camp site were a little obnoxious. It was a COLD night. Woke up to children yelling and running around. It was still cold. Had breakfast in the cold, Josh was still pretty sick...went to fill up the car and came back in time for the tour.

CAVING IS SO AWESOME.
Crawling, Climbing, Squirming...

"This is the life of an ordinary earth worm" -- Josh

That is how it felt. Although, I am sure earth worms don't get this bruised up.

There were so many cool entrances and "feats" we would have to do. Like groveling on our stomachs while our heads could only face one direction. I thought my helmet would get stuck as I blindly propelled myself forward wondering when the tunnel would end so I could at least crawl...

I think Declan almost got stuck, lol. He also originally had his helmet on backwards... Oh, Declan...

There were some parts where I wish I was taller... canyon crawling and climbing up rock ways without stairs (duh) that required me to stretch out my limbs to pull myself up through a hole while turning my body and then getting myself to a flat area ... It required a little help sometimes but it definitely forced me to push myself and to not think fearfully as it required me to reach out and grab various rocks that were a real stretch to get to with a large drop underneath me. This was very physically challenging in so many ways...flexibility, endurance, cardio, strength... SO FUN. Lunch was delicious (in the snow ball room cave in between various passageways). Saw cave spiders, crickets, and beetles! So happy to see critters. I guess there was a bat but I didn't see it. We were so efficient as a group that we got to go on extra paths than usual... one of which only two other groups before had gone into! "The cave less taken" (hehe). If rocks fell it would be from our own doing as some would break out from under our feet... hopefully not on somebody's head. I love head lamps.

Josh progressively got sicker and by the end he was so exhausted and when we stopped at a gas station later he looked awful and clammy. Good thing I packed meds and a new pack of kleenex...

By the next day he had a full blown sinus infection... awww...

Took him to Urgent Care early sunday morning and I let him nap as my dad checked out the car while I played with Luke and caught up with my family. Josh and I had delicious dinner and I had to drive home when it was quite dark... I was exhausted and it was a major struggle getting home. Thought I wouldn't make it.

I was in pain (SUCH PAIN) from Monday until... Yesterday, Wednesday. I could barely walk. I was covered in bruises. And I felt slightly sick... not full blown but I've been working on avoiding that. I also got bruised knuckles from Tae Kwon Do 1 yesterday from punching and some girl told me I was her "comic relief" which I find a little offensive because I am far from the most incompetent in class. I do pretty well in class. Oh well.

Today was OK. work was alright, EHS exam was annoying because it is hard to understand the question and the professor will not be at any of our exams. Tonight was fun though. Went to CPH picnic, walked in the rose garden, petted puppies, ate comfort food, killed a fly, went to the playground ... then went out for some good company and a drink. Now I am very tired. I am very excited to hang out with Josh though! we have been together for 2.5 years now :) HOoray!

Quotes of the week:

F - What is the format of the HBHP exam?
M - They are all multiple choice but it's like A-B-C-D-E-F-I-G
F - What? that's not right.
M - I think I forgot a couple letters in there or something

M - How can you tell a duck from a goose or swan?
F (googles photos of swans as demonstration)
M (points at photo) - isn't that pretty small for a goose?
F - That's a duck.

F-Where do acorns come from?
M- Acorn tree?
F- No
M - Pine tree?
F- No, they have Pine Cones.

T - I'm a mutt.
F - That's good for genetic variety and health, at least you're not inbred.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Awesome first week of class

Lots of work from school, from my job and plenty of social interaction. I've been getting exercise, enjoying sunshine, being productive...all sorts of fun.

I am also not sure when I will actually be graduating... may not be until June... seeing as there is new potential data to work with for my culminating so by the time I come up with a proposal, there wouldn't be enough time to work on the culminating itself. We'll see how that goes...I meet with my advisor on Monday.

Tonight we went out to Happy Hour at Bernards and met some of the new Public Health kids...so fun! delicious food, good drinks, and good company. I'm excited to hang out more this year.

Next weekend is Caving! woo

Monday, September 19, 2011

Traffic

Top 10 States Notorious for Writing Tickets:
1. Ohio
2. Pennsylvania
3. New York
4. California
5. Texas
6. Georgia
7. Virginia
8. North Carolina
9. Massachusetts
10. Connecticut

Yep, got my first speeding ticket.  A very hefty one. Bye Bye money, Hello raised premiums. :(
Need to be more careful.

And I thought my life was boring...that is certainly not boring :p.

Otherwise, I had a greeaat weekend! Lots of sleep, great music, good food, and enjoyable time at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati! :)

Gotta take the good and the bad in life. Today I spent like 5 hours individually calling satellite agencies at work for the data...I called about 15? I have 20+ to go...I'll deal with that Thursday.  Until then? work at Columbus PH, homework, chillin...CLASS!!! eeeeeeh! TAE KWON DO WITH MAY AND TRISH! should be fun :) Certainly interesting!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Summer is Almost over

It hasn't been super eventful lately but there have been some good times! May is back from the Philippines and she came back to Columbus yesterday.  I "dragged" her around to various stores to search for potential boots for the upcoming caving trip.  I wasn't sure if I was going to purchase a new pair of boots as I love my current hiking boots...the problem is that I am not sure my current pair will pass height requirements to allow me to continue on the tour.  After going through various stores I decided on a pair at Dick's Sporting Goods...for a better price than Gander Mountain! May and I enjoyed ourselves as we went everywhere.  I am not positive I will keep them but I figure if they don't accept my original hiking shoes while I am there, I will have a pair they WILL accept.  I've walked around inside with them and they don't need breaking in so I should be good to go regardless.

Today was pretty productive, stretched for half an hour and walked/jogged for another half.  I need to get exercise in before the trip.  Reserved our four tickets yesterday....although originally I accidentally booked the wrong day so I called right away and had it fixed.  It's a different date than anticipated because two hours after Josh checked about the tickets (4 available)...only 3 were available.  There are  4 of us for sure and Josh already had to turn away other potential participants because the tour for the days are VERY limited and are now officially full.  I AM SO EXCITED! I hope I can cope with it.  It'll be super strenuous and I'm gonna need to whip myself into shape ASAP. I got like two-three weeks to do this, lol.

Hm, I am almost done at CPH and I'm trying to figure out how to continue with the CAP to have deliverables of my practicum as I write it to get my credits for it.

Tomorrow, after work, I hope to get in exercise...and then a movie with Melissa! this has been a good week. Hopefully I see Josh soon.

Happy sore :)

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Neglect

"Indifference and neglect often do more damage than outright dislike"--J.K.Rowling

It's like those little white lies...you don't think they do much damage.