Picture Day - Water-proof

Last year I bought a new water-proof camera. I had it in my mind that I could get all these amazing shots that I was missing out on if only I had a camera that didn't make me run away from water. So after some looking around and a bit of research I came away with a new camera and high hopes. Instead what I get in reality is photos that usually end up looking like this one:

Whee I got bubbles. Artsy some may say but not very memory capturing. I won't deny that I've gotten a few nice pictures from this camera but it's fallen way below my expectations.  OK, so actual underwater shots may not always turn out well (and boy do people make funny faces holding their breath) I can get some nice shots in a pool area without panicking my camera is going to get wet. Right?

Then again maybe not.  Problem number two with a water-proof camera, water spots. unless I'm constantly clearing off the lens water droplets tend to make pictures a little...well spotty. Yes these are my toes, don't you love the nail colour?   

Long story short I've gotten some nice pictures from this camera in settings I wouldn't dare take a regular camera but until I go somewhere outdoors with great lighting and crystal clear water I think I should give up on actual in water shots.  Out of all those I've taken so far this is the best under-water picture I think I've taken so far.

In Today's News - Whining

Winnipeg is either going through an extremely slow news period or else the tendency to focus on the insignificant is just the way things are going.  It seems we have become a society of whiners.  The smallest complaint is news worthy and somehow it always seems to be someone else’s fault.

What’s brought about this line of thought is two specific news stories broadcast during last night’s evening news hour. 

The first was a number of people complaining about the snow left behind by street cleaning and the fact that they would have to shovel their own walks.  Hate to point this out but its Manitoba if you weren’t expecting snow you’re an idiot. My driveway is 100 feet long, I get tired of shoveling the snow and the remnants from street clearing and yes I do complain from time to time but it’s really not newsworthy.

The second I can no longer remember, what can I say the ole’ memory is slipping….wait I remember. It was complaints about store reward cards and that not all deals on their websites are available in all markets.  Well different markets have different availability seems like this should be a no-brainer.  It seems like something that you may grumble about to a friend in passing but it’s not really newsworthy.

To me it just highlights what seems to be an ever growing epidemic, rampant whining.  Every issue we face seems to be blown out of proportion, annoyances are now considered to be actual issues that someone else needs to step in and fix.   

I think this is where it really rubbed me the wrong way that not only did these individuals feel the need to complain in such a big way but that they seemed to expect it as a right that someone else should fix what they perceived as an issue.  

For the issue of snow clearing Manitobans pay enough taxes without more of our tax dollars going to clear snow from peoples walkways.  If you want to own a home you need to understand that it comes with certain maintenance requirements and that yes snow shoveling is one of those.

As for loyalty cards market differences are just that market differences not a personal affront and if you disagree with a company’s practices don’t shop there it really is just as simple as that.  Crying it’s not fair that one person is able to get something you are not is rather on the childish side.

I suppose this post could also be considered whining but hey it’s my blog I can whine if I want to. I think the difference is that I’m also not going to try to get it on the 6 o’clock news.

A gorilla, Gaston, a hippo and Duffy.

I think this may be my final post on our December Disney trip - it just seems "old" at this point.

This video clip includes some of the animals we saw at Animal Kingdom.  It was pretty cool to see an enormous hippo swim underwater (through a window).  The gorilla exhibit was also great - one of the gorillas was hanging out directly in front of the glass-enclosed viewing area!

When you watch the gorilla video clip, listen for the cast member (CM) saying "...you will have nightmares for the rest of your life!" Some kid went under the rope and climbed up on to the ledge of the window, which was a definite NO-NO.  And, despite more than a couple of stern warnings by the CM for the kid's parent(s) to get him out of there, the CM basically warned everyone that if the gorilla gets mad, ALL of us will be sorry and "have nightmares for the rest of our lives".  I believe him.  The kid's parents finally pulled him away from the window....

Also in this video is Gaston, albeit briefly.  He surprised us we were having a snack outside of Gaston's Tavern so I wasn't able to get it all on video.  He did comment on the fact that Anna was focused on sipping her lemonade though!

The Longest Walk

As per my new reading list I am currently making my way through The Lord of the Rings (here-after known as LOTR) which I have begun jokingly referring to as the longest walk ever. It is after all a very long journey, two thousand eight hundred and fifty-one pages in my edition, never mind the multiple appendixes tacked onto the end.

I first began calling it the longest walk ever while part way through The Fellowship of the Ring and I think the moniker is quite apt.  The first book is in particular a little slow moving and while the pace does pick up sections here and there continue to make me think “just get on with it already”.

Although LOTR is separated into three books it is one story not a trilogy and I think this is likely the reason why it does at times seem to be almost endless.  It really does go on, and on, and on.  Its saving grace however is that while the pages and story may be long it does continue to hold my attention and I am anxious to complete the story.  It truly is an engaging and wonderful tale of adventure and a well deserved ruler of the fantasy Genre.

I have not previously read the story although I have read The Hobbit and do have a dim recollection of attempting to read LOTR in my early teens giving up on it amidst the slower moving sections of the first book.  With the recent release of “The Hobbit” and my growing affection for the fantasy genre I felt it was time to give it another shot.

“The Hobbit” is really what prompted my interest in the full series and like many other films which have a written counterpart from which it was adapted I often find the written story to be my medium of choice.  I enjoy exploring my own interpretation of a story although it does not dim my interest in seeing another’s interpretation of it as well.   

As I draw ever nearer to the end of this tale even knowing what is to come having seen the film version I’m no less anxious and have come to love the characters within. 

My favorites by far are Merry and Pippin while my least favorite would be Éowyn.  I find that Tolkien tends to give readers fairly basic character development leaving much of who each character is to the readers own devices. While I think this works quite well for most I’m unable to get a grasp on Éowyn.  To be honest I think it may be a fault with Tolkien’s female characters in general.      

The descriptions of middle-earth are where Tolkien really shines however giving a fantasy land a life that can be imagined easily and brings to mind settings which are well suited for the story and to each of the fellowships journeys.  You can almost imagine that middle-earth must exist in reality somewhere yet to be found.

All in all I think Tolkien really did create a masterpiece of his genre here and I understand why this story has become so enduring and treasured by so many.  It is a world onto itself that exists in the minds of people across the world, now in my own as well.

I am now off to continue the journey to the land of shadow and mount doom with Frodo and Sam.