Saturday, August 09, 2008

Look Who's Back


This is the first time I've seen the moon since the last picture I showed you, about eleven days ago. Around here, it clouds up and rains in the afternoons, and often it remains cloudy the rest of the night. So I haven't been able to spot the moon for a while. But tonight, as I sat at the computer recording some more Christmas music, there she was. So I ran outside and got you this shot. Enjoy!

No Haystack Necessary

I finally went out and got myself a new needle for the old turntable today. I think it's been over four years since I got the last one. Well, I think I actually bought a pair of needles last time, so it really hasn't been four years since the last new one. I changed it up and recorded a few things (you'll note the Christmas LP counter is up to 12 at the moment), and I don't think it's really made that much of a difference. But better safe than sorry. The backs of all my old albums constantly tell me the horrible things a worn needle can do to my records, so sometimes I get a bit anxious. But now I'm good for a while. Just for the record, you can get needles at most musical instruments stores. Mine came from the local Sam Ash. They've usually got a DJ department, and that's where they keep the needles. Just take the old one in with you.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

BOOM!


So, I'm sitting here at my computer desk, recording some Christmas music, when I hear some thunder outside. I keep working. I hear more thunder. Keep working. But something is gnawing away inside my head. I should be doing something else. Then I realize I don't hear any rain. And it's after sunset, so it's dark. And there's thunder, which means lighting, and it's dark, and it's not raining. I should be outside trying to get a picture of some lightning! I haven't done that in probably five years, and at least three cameras ago. So I grab all my stuff and head outside. I set up the camera, set it to a wide-open shutter for some five second exposures and try to shoot. But the camera won't auto-focus. I try to set it to focus on infinity, but I can't see anything through the lens to see if I have it right. I waited too late to go outside, because the storm seemed to have moved away. But, I got one shot out of about fifty. It's out of focus, there's water on the lens, but it's lightning! Pretty cool, eh?