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September 22, 2006

Fried Egg

It's been a while since the last time I waxed poetically about anything here. All I can say is, oh well. Seems my brain was willing but the fingertips were not. *shrug* That's why I refer to my blog as writer's block and logorrhea -- it's always one or the other. I recently changed my blog description to like a wobbly tightrope hanging over a windy canyon -- it seems fitting at the moment. :-)

Another reason why I've not deposited sparkly new gems here is in part due to that weird thing that continues to happen with the track button of my powerbook G4. It got so bad (click it twice and nothing happens) that I began pounding it with my fist. Of course hammering one's laptop in absolute frustration isn't the smartest thing to do. Thankfully I'm not a big burly guy; just imagine the damage I could do to this machine.

Yesterday I had the brilliant idea of actually referring to the manual that came with the laptop to see if there were any pearls of wisdom in there I could put to use. Sure enough (duh!) there was a bit that informed me that I could actually double click the trackpad -- whodathunkit? -- never did THAT before. Like, duh - (having a Paris "I'm not like that smart" Hilton moment.) Anyhoo, trackpad clicking has proved, uhm, interesting. It slows things down considerably, especially when I use Photoshop and attempt to do things like use a horizontal guide for an image -- it's just not happening, and when it does it's after numerous repeated attempts. *sigh* Any day now I'll be throwing this high-priced piece of crap against a wall. (a 3-year old laptop should NOT have problems like this.)

In better more perky news, (I've been accused of writing depressing posts to which I respond pleasantly, TFS... if you don't like what you're reading then don't stop by here,) some friends thought I could use a day out on a lake. It helped that the weather was splendidly warm and sunny and I needed a new spot to take some photographs. The excursion also involved fishing, and it's been quite a while since I last had a fishing pole in my hands. Guess who caught the most fish? (insert image of me raising my arms over my head bellowing YAY ME! on a lake devoid of any other boats but the two my friends and I were in.) Say what you will about fishing, but it actually helped to wipe any concerns/issues/pressing matter from my brain. I found myself consciously focused and meditating on the fishing line floating on the surface of the lake, following it all the way up to the tip of the fishing pole, just willing that pole to begin its bend and subsequent yank by the fish that found its way to the bait on the hook... and it did, six times. YAY ME.

As far as photography is concerned, try using a weighty 200-500mm zoom lens without a tripod in a boat that is bobbing left and right. Try it, I say. This is no small feat, given the lack of control over a boat that's drifting and swaying to and fro. (sp?) Other than the flora and fauna of trees beginning to change into yellow, orange and red fall attire, there was also the added bonus of a lone Blue Heron on the banks of the lake. 179 shots and a couple of hot-motored boat pursuits later and I had some definite keepers. You know, shots of the heron in flight, miraculously vivid, sharp and devoid of blur. (Perhaps the heron will appear in a Friday Feathers at a point in the future... or not. I'll think about it.) It was a neat trick if I do say so myself, steadying that cumbersome lens on a boat rocking back and forth and managing a clear shot. YAY ME. ;-)

We interrupt this moment of blowing sunshine up my own butt for a reflection on two fascinating but interesting (to me) things. While on my temporary 48-hour vacation from things that weigh heavily on my brain, I observed some moments of nature I've yet to have the chance to research further. One was watching, in split-second time, a small woodpecker flying and smashing itself into a glass door, bouncing off the door and right into the clutches of a hawk that swooped down out of nowhere and grabbed the poor woodpecker. I didn't need to witness that but hey, that's nature for you. The villain (aka the hawk) subsequently lurked nearby for some time later on, and that's when I saw the second interesting nature-at-work moment. Two small woodpeckers were busy feeding on a cage of suet and I was watching them (of course with camera at the ready) when suddenly the swinging cage came to an immediate standstill. Both woodpeckers FROZE, not blinking, not moving, just statue-like in their perch on the cage. I didn't realize it at the time but the villain was observing the woodpeckers and the birds sensed the hawk's presence. Too bad I didn't have a shotgun handy; damn that hawk for picking on those small birds.

Other than the above, life goes on and there's a wedding to attend this weekend. Another week here and then I'm headed elsewhere for a month of work which should be very, uhm, adventurous. I get to see how self-sufficient I really am whilst living in a very rural area. It helps that I have friends who live nearby but still... I'm more than up for the challenge and look forward to seeing how I fair. It also means dialup but at this point in time that's the least of my concerns. Never a dull moment in my neck o' the woods!

One more thing. When I returned to my homestead I found a lovely Christmas card waiting for me in a stack of mail. Yes, I wrote CHRISTMAS CARD. At a time when little things mean so much to me, (like having friends drag me out to a lake to decompress,) the surprise card from John and Martin in the UK was wonderful. I can't tell you how much it made me laugh and was indeed a welcome chuckle. Thanks you two! :-)

And that concludes today's deposit of brain dust. Have yourselves a lovely day!

Cindy

Comments

Brain matter deposited by: Kat on September 23, 2006 4:10 PM

Brain matter deposited by: Cindy on September 28, 2006 7:21 PM