My Cracked ViewMaster

Fun weekend with a new camera

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:04:07 GMT

Hammer Throw, Highland Weekend at Renaissance Festival

So.. the new camera... as you can see it's the bomb. I've been having a lot of fun taking pics with it, and as you can see I put it through it's paces this weekend. 500 pics and I only really like 25 of them.

Last night I went with the future brother in law to see The Action Sports tour at NKU. I have a newfound respect for these guys- putting their necks on the line for us performing. Some of the tricks they did were insanely good.

Also, as the picture above eludes to, we went to the Renaissance Festival today. It was such a wonderful day for the festival- 78 degrees, blue sky and no clouds or wind like the last time. Plus, the eyecandy was the awesome.

I only uploaded a few pics but the whole set is here on Flickr.

EDIT: I just added 19 more pics to the set- it's the wind up and toss of two of the contestants.

Scouting for lunch.

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:37:32 GMT

There's a Fatburger opening in Cincinnati on Monday.

Madison Rd and Appleton in Oakley, east of Oakely Square.

I"m just sayin', just in case you like burgers.

The only reason I know this is because on my way to Meijer in Oakely today, I decided to scout for new places to lunch at when I'm at work. First, I went to Whole Foods and I had to get Sushi.... Spicy crunchy shrimp roll.... very good. Then, I stopped at Fresh Market on Madison in Oakley. Wow, did they have HUGE chicken drummies. Just a great selection of food waiting to get snatched up and eaten.

So, on my way to Meijer I saw Fatburger. I pulled in to the lot and asked when it was going to open. They said Monday, 10am.

i think I may try it for lunch on Monday. It's literally 5 minutes from work.

Lenses

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:02:52 GMT

Ok all you camera shutterbugs / photo mavens....

I have a question.

what lens are you using on your DSLR? I have the craptastic stock 18/55mm IS lens that comes with the Canon XSI and a 70/300MM telephoto (you gotta love bundled product). I'm already not liking the constant lens switching.

I need opinions and hands on reviews. what's the best all around / All-In-ONE everyday lens that should be used for an SLR?

help plz????? kthnx.

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:57:14 GMT

well, I did it.

I got a Canon EOS Rebel XSI. I've wanted one of these since they were announced and I decided to finally get it. It was bundled with this 70/300 telephoto lense so I think I got a good deal on it.

I can't wait to start really using the camera and posting the pics.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:46:08 GMT

Wow... First WaMu fails... now Citigroup buys Wachovia's assets.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:35:29 GMT

We haven't had the AC going for about two weeks. The windows have been open, it's been cool at night and comfortable during the day.

I can only imagine what the electric bill is going to be this month. *prays for under $75.

phone nerd...

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:55:02 GMT

So.... Blackberry decided to announce that their new touchscreen phone will be called Storm and sold exclusively by Verizon Wireless in the United States. Here's a bit of info from Engadget.

3.2 MP camera
3G speed
HTML browser
high resolution screen
..... ok.

So, I decided to return the LG Dare and I'm back on the EnV so I can get the Storm when it comes out in November. From what I hear, it's going to be an incredible device.

oh yeah... arrrrgh.

The new Face of Obesity.

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:43:51 GMT

Chris surprised me the other night and bought a WiiFit. After trying it out, inputting all the information it asked for- my age, height and weight - I am considered very OBESE.

Riiiiight.... that's what I thought too. Obese? that's not possible. I'm 37, 6 ft tall and according to the WiiFit, I weight 270 pounds. I'm self conscious about my body, slightly neurotic about my weight but I didn't think I was obese. I can still fit into clothing off the rack at Target.

Flashback a couple weeks. I'm visiting my folks in Toledo and Mom, out of the blue, tells me that my brother had high cholestrol, high triglycerides and high blood pressure. She said he was borderline diabetic. Pretty much, his blood counts were like that of a 60 year old. That's what she said. She was kind of worried about it, and after some promising, I told her I would go to the doctor to get myself checked out.

Flash ahead a couple weeks. An friend of a friend (met him once, really nice guy) passed away suddenly due to a burst appendix. As awful as it sounds, this was the catalyst that made me make a doctor's appointment. Not the feeling tired and run down all the time. Not the recurring acid reflux. This.... a man I briefly met, a man that was very athletic, dying suddenly due to an appendix. So, I made my appointment for yesterday. Physically, I'm good. Blood pressure is normal, lungs sound good. good reflexes. No mysterious lumps on my body, aside from what looks like the beginnings of a hiatal hernia (my belly button has a very small bump). He ordered bloodwork and I awaited results.

Well, today the results of the bloodwork came back. My cholesterol is at 390 (apparently this is sky high) and my triglycerides are over 800. From what I've read, this has the beginnings of heart disease and diabetes written all over it.

So, I guess I can say I am obese. Now, weight loss is no longer a neurotic weight issue caused by fashion magazines and circuit queens and wanting that size 32 waist. This is now a life or death issue. If I don't do something about this, I'll keel over with a coronary or even worse.

I have a doctor's appointment on Monday to begin treatment.

0905081955.jpg

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:12:21 GMT

0905081955.jpg
Originally uploaded by decibeloh

Mmmmmm.... sushi rolls at sake bomb. nom nom nom nom nom

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:04:52 GMT

It's really bad when on America's Got Talent the best acts of the night were a baton twirller and a Carrie Underwood wannabe.

*pyew*

Attempt #3

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:27:48 GMT

Attempt #3, originally uploaded by decibeloh.

Ok... 3rd attempt on posting a pic to LJ mobily.

Testing... testing..... testes.....

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:26:36 GMT

Testing... testing..... testes.....

test

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:08:16 GMT

testing again. keep moving along...

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:09:09 GMT

Wynonna loved her big brown beaver and she stroked him all the time.

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:44:34 GMT

I normally don't do viral email but I thought this was clever. So, I have to share!

clicky clicky then press play

Camping and Cars...

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:21:05 GMT

I think I've officially gone into Lurker mode.

oh wait, I'm posting... well that blows that theory out of the water.

Just like a few of you out there, I haven't had the urge or inclination to make any entries. Why? I think it's because I just feel like I don't have anything really poignant to say.

It's like I haven't had anything to post about... my life has been very busy and full lately. to Recap:

kybigstew and I went to Camp Buckwood over the 4th of July weekend and we had a blast, even with all the rain that poured on us. Met up with Carl & Jimmy and Shannon & Steve and just partied. The rain cleared eariler on Friday and it was perfect weather for the fireworks and Saturday afternoon was perfect weather for lounging at the pool.

OH, Stella Artois is tasty. I'm just sayin'.

I did have a geek out moment that weekend. Saturday night, while totally hammered, I saw shiny lights in the darkness. Upon closer inspection, it turns out it was a couple guys "fighting" with replica LightSabers.. red and blue blades. I, of course, became as giddy as a schoolgirl and went up to them to talk. they said if I like them then I would love this... one guy walks away and pulls out the Darth Maul dual saber. It was bliss just holding it. I wanted to see these guys go into the woods where it's really dark and then start dueling so the only thing you could see are the blades.

I know... nerd. get over it.

Anyway, aside from the geek-out moment, it was a terrific holiday weekend. Chris and I want to go back again this summer.

My car has been in the shop a few times. I took it in for a major tune up and to fix this wicked shimmy in the front end. I couldn't get above 55 without feeling like I was in an earthquake. So, after an oil change, new plugs, wires, rotors, brake pads, front end alignment, wheel balance, new bearings and two o2 sensors, it ran like a dream. It felt like my Mazda had it's Zoom- Zoom back.

Until it started stalling out at stop lights.

I took it back in and they said that there was a vaccum leak in the top of the engine. I asked why this wasn't caught when it was in the shop last week, and they couldn't give me an answer. anyway, they're taking off a bunch of labor charges for this and it went back in on Friday. I get a call on Saturday stating that they were finishing up my car and it's ready for pick up. Well, I was in the middle of a pool and they were closing in 15 minutes, so I couldn't pick it up until Monday.

Flash ahead to monday, i get there at 7:30 when they open and the car is still in the garage with the hood up. Turns out, after they took it out, it was still losing vaccum and they needed to replace the injector and O-Rings. they were waiting on the parts and it should be ready in a couple hours.

Oooo-kaaaay..... so I waited.

The mechanic that was working on my car came out with a pissed off look on his face. Yaaay, this is never good. He told me that the O-rings that are needed to seal up the leak were rings that were connecting the injector to the engine, not to the other end where they thought the problem was. Oh, and the rings are available only through the dealer and they needed to be dropped-shipped to them. So, I still didn't have a car and wasted three hours at the repair shop.

My car should be ready today. Hopefully.

Let's see what else they can find that's wrong with it.

Vintage Coleman Camp Stove- Dog not included.

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:57:13 GMT

Back in May when I went to my folk's place for my Niece's church confirmation, I noticed this box in the garage. Apparently, my Dad got this from his Aunt Jean's estate after she passed. It was a Coleman Camp Stove. I asked if they were ever going to use it,and they said probably not. So I asked for it and they said take it.

Yesterday, I broke it out to take a closer look at it. I compared it to the current model and there's surprisingly very little difference in it.

What really got me was the vintage instruction manual and how cartoony it was:

EDIT: Wow, I found a .pdf of the instructions on the Coleman Site...

And the registration card. it was on an IBM punch card.

I'm half tempted to send in the card to see if I could really register this. But then again, this is vintage documentation and I should just keep it.

Also, here's a few other pics from the past few weeks.... nothing too spectacular:

* Went to WestFest this year... man can these people drink! Also, I wasn't expecting it to be really packed as it was.

*Moist. That's how everyone in Chris's office described Chris' Streussel / Coffee cake.

* and i'm just playing around with lights at Ikea.

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:42:50 GMT

Coming home yesterday from Chris's Grandma's place, we spied this on I-75 north:

Knitting on the back of a motorcycle.

All I can say is dayam... she's got skills.

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:54:23 GMT

So in the package of flyers this week we got a special offer for a 12 month subscription of Playboy for $12.

....uumm....yeah..... because I'm all about reading the articles.

srsly.

*shred*

Chess news....

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:25:12 GMT

Apparently last month, there was a performance of Chess The Musical in Concert in London with Josh Groban as Anatoly, Idina Menzel as Florence and Adam Pascal as Freddie. From the youtube shots that I've seen of it, it was amazing. Also there's a DVD of the concert coming out later this year.

This is Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis singing "I Know Him So Well".

Hockey and photos... woohoo!!

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:04:45 GMT

So we went to see a hockey game tonight. Turns out, it was Game 6 of the ECHL Championship. Cincinnati won the Championship and The Kelly Cup (the ECHL equivalent to Lord Stanley's Cup in the NHL) in front of a sold out crowd at US Bank Arena. I think it was the most attended game they've had in years.

It was an awesome game. I should really go more next year.

Also I decided to take part in a photo project called Capture Cincinnati. I've put some of my photos on there already.... I'm wanting to upload a lot of my Fountain Square pics too. I think that would definitely get people's attention. Vote for me and maybe I'll get in that book they want to publish!!

Damn. / UnDamn.

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:30:21 GMT

Clinton To Concede Race

EDIT:

At the time I originally posted this both CNN and MSNBC were saying the same thing. Now, this was updated about 1215 ET:

Clinton Won't Concede

living room and hallway... Check!

Thu, 29 May 2008 22:03:42 GMT

When we last left our intrepid home dwellers, the living room looked like this:

Sandy blah blah color on the wall and ceiling, dark navy blue on the woodwork and doors.

With a little bit of determination (and a whole lot of fuckin' primer and ultra white paint) we now have this:

the color is Prairie Dance and we painted everything that was navy blue to ultra white. 3 coats of primer and 3 coats of ultra white, also did that on the ceiling. Now, what looks like crown molding at the ceiling is actually part of the wall. We took the ultra white down about three inches, then taped up the corner of the ceiling to create that faux molding.

We took the colors up the staircase and painted the second floor hallway as well. Plus accessories from ikea.

I think it looks soooooooo much better.

For Jeremasaur...

Wed, 21 May 2008 03:03:52 GMT

For jeremasaur....

Calves courtesy of kybigstew and kybearfuzz. and yes, that' from left to right.

Voice Post

Sun, 11 May 2008 16:59:51 GMT