Zippy Hendirez 3.0

Friday, January 23, 2009

 

Of Things Old And New

Welp, new president, and we're all still here. I voted for Mr. O, but really, I'd have been okay with McCain.

Currently trying to figure out what piece of camera equipment to upgrade next. There's only two left that I'm actually seeking:

1. Canon 40d camera. Wait, you (might) say, doesn't Canon make a 50d now? Indeed they do, and I have no interest in it. 10 megapixels and 40% cheaper is fine by me. Then my 30d can go into backup/second camera mode, and I can give Squeaky the 20d (She's always wanted a "good" camera, and she did help pay for it, back in the pre-Xander days)

2. Canon 70-200 f/4 image stabilized zoom. This is tougher because a) I have a 55-250 image stabilized lens now and b) the thing's about $1000, even used. Mainly because it's considered to be one of the sharpest and best lenses Canon's ever made. The 55-250 is good...but I think the 70-200 would be better.

Of course, purchasing both those items would probably mean that I'd be an official "serious" photographer. That's scary in its own right.

I have four more wedding meetings in the next week, plus at least one other not scheduled yet. Perhaps the new Web site is doing its job? I've debated dumping it ($300 a year) for a Wordpress site or something, but it seems to be getting out there on the search engines better than I was doing alone with a Blogger site last year. Way more response this year.

The ants have returned to Casa Hendirez, and they're being sneaky. I cannot find their entry point. They're showing up in the bathrooms, living room and front office...but they're not coming from any of their regular spots (i.e. cracks and furnace vents)

I even inadvertently brought some to work on my backpack this morning. But when I got home and looked where the backpack was sitting...nothing.

So, one task this weekend will be Operation Bug Hunt. Wherever I spread the diatomaceous earth (see previous bedbug battle), they seem to stay away for quite a while.

In other news, grandma's in the hospital for, I think, the sixth time since her meningitis/encephalitis. It's so damn hard to go see her because she doesn't react to me. She looks at me, but I can't tell if she registers who I am. This, of course, brings back bad memories of the last years of my other grandmother.

Zippy 4:35 PM

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

 

Have You Seen Me Lately?

Yes, I know, it's been a while. I apologize to the four of you who read this, but life's been, well, craptastic lately, so I've just kinda avoided everything.

But, things are getting better, slowly but surely.

Let's see:

1. Grandpa's funeral was nice, if the prerecorded "Taps" bugle at graveside was cheesy. Xander was an exceptional boy, and Squeaky helped me (and I helped her) get through it.

2. Work is ... well, work. The station hired a digital executive producer who oversees my site and the HS sports site. Which means I don't have to go to meetings anymore -- he does. Sales calls and bugs him, not me.

On one hand, I'm unhappy to have a "boss". But this guy knows his stuff, is very easy to work with ... and did I mention HE goes to the meetings?

3. My wedding photography business (I might as well admit that's what I do -- I've only been hired for two "events", and one canceled due to weather) is going pretty well. I've got four lined up between March and June, and for only advertising on Craigslist and a Web site listing on Google, that's not bad.

Currently aiming to get two more pieces of equipment: a Canon 40d for my primary camera and a 70-200 f/4 IS to replace my 55-250 IS lens. And at that point, I'll be done with equipment. I'll have two cameras, four main lenses (two backups) and three flash units with umbrellas and stands. I think I can handle most of my gigs with that combination.

4. Xander's still cute as all get out. He's got dry skin on his face around his lips, so he constantly looks chapped. And he is, I'm sure -- he just doesn't really care. I replaced my desktop computer after five years, and now that one's his. Keeps him off my laptop, at least.

5. Squeaky and I still live together, though as of last weekend, we're in separate bedrooms. I've no idea when she'll be at a point where she can move out, but frankly, I'm not going to shove. I suspect she'll leave as soon as she's able because, really, I don't think she likes being here very much anyway.

6. Diabetes...yeah, we won't go there. Suffice to say, I've gained back half the weight I lost, and I don't test my blood with any regularity. It doesn't help that I can't get into a pattern of life, so some days, I can test at 4:30am when I get up. But two days in the last six, I've been going to work _before_ 4:30am, which throws everything off and ... anyway, I'm going to do better. I just can't say precisely when yet.

I have, at least, found a non-sugared pop that I can stand -- Coke Zero. Also diet A&W Root Beer, but that's not quite as good in my book.

7. Therapy goes okay. I don't know where my therapist is going with me at this point. I don't know if he knows. I'm going to see a psychiatrist next month to examine my anti-depressant and possibly switch. Supposedly, this guy practically wrote the book on anti-depressant use in the last decade, so we'll see. The Welbutrin works to keep the general anxiety in check ... but the docs keep telling me that a different AD might help me focus better, get more energy, more "gumption" as my grandparents call it. That's the part that still drives me nuts -- a near-total lack of motivation. Been like that since the Celexa, really. So we'll see.

So, I think that's everything that's happened lately. I didn't promise it would be exciting, of course. But it's me.

Zippy 9:37 PM

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