I am so ready for Spring.

no.

I am so ready for Summer.

and I'm so ready for the weekend.

not that I have any particular plans... but perhaps I might venture outside into the sunlight to take some pictures. Oh, who knows... I have nothing interesting to report. Life goes on as usual, with just me, myself, and I marching along alone with regular long distance calls and emails to individuals elsewhere.

I've finally found a stand alone RSS reader that solves my problems of cross platform synchronization. It's not perfect, but it's free... and it has lots of keyboard shortcuts that make my life easier. Google Reader has been become really cumbersome and my Bloglines account is a little sluggish on my little white beast and it lacks the bells and whistles that I want from an RSS reader.

So as of today I've switched to BlogBridge which is free, java based reader and looks equally pretty on my Dell as it does on my Mac (well not my Mac, but the Mac I have to use until June). I was able to easily import my bloglines subscription maintaining my categories... and it was really simple to export from BlogBridge to an OPML file (which I used to set up my reader on my second machine, I didn't figure out how to have BlogBridge automatically setup my feeds on the second machine, I guess the synchronization feature doesn't allow for that). Anyhow, the beautiful thing is that if I make any changes to BlogBridge on one computer, like if I delete a feed or add a new feed or guide... when I synch up on the other machine it will recognize the change. It doesn't seem to show you what feeds you've already checked (which seems odd, but I'm sure that's coming, might be in the next build... I'm using v2.13 which is the most recent stable build), but it's really easy to mark feeds as read (which bloglines allows you to do, but google reader does not which is so infuriating).

There are some other cool features, like the ability to view flickr photostream feeds in a photo album view as compared to the basic text view.

Photo Album View



Basic Text View



But then I like to read the photo descriptions... but in the cases where I don't I guess I have another option.

time to geek out...

update: I sorted out my sync process... BlogBridge does keep track of the feeds you've read already. This program just keeps on getting better and better.

I wonder... how often do we fall into the stereotypical pattern of expectations of our gender?

Read this article and think about it.

Sometimes the most ridiculous things make me upset... like having to designate specific protocol for placing a phonecall... establishing specific times to talk... so things can be "civilized". Why must I always feel like I'm intruding on people's time and space whenever I want to communicate with them? Were we designed to spend our days in solitary confinement and whenever we wish to break our usual silence we are required to must get permission to do so?

I don't want to world to bow to my every will... but it bothers me that my foolish attempts to try to converse when I am actually wanting to (as in I'm not so exhausted that I start babbling on about nothing) are sometimes responded to with such patronizing "not now... why not later" attitude. People should not be expected to continually compromise, especially if the compromise doesn't work for either party. It has to be a blend of all three methods, which is not as a pretty as saying let's meet in the middle... it's not always possible to meet in the middle, sometimes you have to go back and forth between either extreme. Maybe this is just me drudging up old baggage relating to all those times when I was snapped at and told to shut up when I wasn't saying anything...

Perhaps I'll just go back to my long winded blog posts, that way I'm not intruding on anyone's space or precious sleep. I can stand on my virtual soapbox in the blogosphere and indulge in performance art. People can walk by and drop in their dollars and pity the girl who violated the unwritten rule of telephone correspondence and placed a call at 10am on a Sunday. Many people will disagree with me, but I think there are worse things than being woken up by a telephone. Try being the one admonished for making that phonecall... try feeling guilty and shamed for something so dumb. Did I wake your sickly baby? Did I disturb your prayer circle? Did I tie up the lines and prevent you from learning the news that you had won the lottery? I did none of these things... all I did was try to extend myself beyond my dungeon of a bedroom and try to have a little human contact because I was in a good mood and I wanted to share it.

but it doesn't matter in the end anyhow. I always end up waiting and adapting because that is what I do and that is what I've always done. My sisters call me doormat for a reason.

I just discovered Flickr Leech, it's a good addition to the suite of flickr apps on FD's Flickr Toys

in other uninteresting and consumeristic news... I just rerouted my iTunes library from my external hard drive. This limits me somewhat when and where I can listen to my music, but one day I'm hoping that I will have an iPod which will solve my portable music woes (tip to my friends and loved ones... you can all pool your funds and get me a pretty black ipod to match my medium sized bag which has a perfect slot to hold such a device - a nano would be most adorable, but the large storage capablities of the video iPod would not go unappreciated).

Patience is a virtue that I do not possess. I tend to forget this from time to time, especially when I come up with a brilliant idea for conversation and I want to leap into it immediately and I am faced with the obstacle of time.

Case Study: This morning I woke up feeling particularly industrious and I located a website that I was waiting to be sent the link to. After reviewing the website I wished to discuss the contents in more depth, so considering the schedule of the individual that I wished to discuss things with... I ate my own breakfast and then placed my call, only to find that I had grossly miscalculated what would be an appropriate time to call. Methinks that my exuberance and verve for an 11:15am start time was not much appreciated. I will admit that I was a little pouty (but in a good natured way) when I heard the news that I would have to wait several hours to have my desired conversation, since the other party would be busy with morning activities relating to personal hygeine and nutrition. 

My impatience was not received well. In fact it received a terse respone. But I meant no harm... all I wanted was an informal conversation, to somehow mimic what one could have in a face to face environment. Instead I must wait several hours and mentally prepare myself for a somewhat formal (although somewhat improvised) presentation by teleconferece.

may our breath be bated by all this waiting...

lunchtime is looming... and I can't wait.  I happy that it's Friday because I'm ready to spend some time editing photos that I've put off all week because I've been exhausted beyond compare. I am actually in the mood for a bit photo excursion... if only it weren't so miserable and icy outside.

I can't believe it is Wednesday already. The days fly by... I suppose that is one of the benefits of a job that a person can enjoy, the time passes by quickly. I will admit that I'm always happy to go home at the end of the day though.

More photos from my Edmonton photoshoot will be forthcoming. I didn't get as many photos edited during my week away as I would have liked - and these past few evenings back in Fort St. John have been pretty low key.

but we will survive... and the frequent blog posting may begin again.

On a whim Wade and I stopped in a Goodwill store yesterday evening. Much to our surprise we both left with two blazers for under $12 each. I'm very pleased... mine are both 100% wool, and despite being men's blazers they look like they've been custom tailored for me. My blazers are airing out on the balcony as we speak... to lessen the scent of the Goodwill.

more photo editing today, followed by dinner downtown and then an evening at the Art Gallery. My life is so high class.

It's currently day four of my spring break excursion to Edmonton. My days have been jam packed with activity... I've already taken in a musical matinee, dinner, dancing, and a big photoshoot (with models/assistants galore). I was feeling sick on the evening I arrived and the first full day in the city and I was afraid that my tonsilitis had returned, but I don't seem to be experiencing any symptoms today so I am hoping that my health will remain at this balanced state.

I don't have anything in particular planned for the rest of the week... I'm spending my days editing photos from the big shoot and trying to catch up on some reading. I'll probably report on my exact activities in more detail eventually, but now I'm just itching to get back to my editing so I can add more to my photoset on flickr.

stay tuned...

must finish packing and then I'm off for 10 days of photographic wonder and spending time with my beau and chum of all chums.

if only I weren't so tired of travel. I don't know how some people do it.

Happy International Women's Day!

I'm excited because there's going to be a big themed photo shoot on Saturday evening when I'm in Edmonton.

one student loan down... one line of credit to go!

I got into a ridiculous conversation about a unibrow last night. It really was a dumb topic of conversation because it was destined to go nowhere... as both parties involved are extremely stubborn to a point of "mule-ishness". The conversation did make me think about my photo editing processes though... because I do edit a lot of my work (the majority of which I post online anyhow)... editing which sometimes involves simple levels or curves adjustment and may include skin retouching to create a flawless complexion or *gasp* the removal of stray eyebrow hairs that have taken over the bridge of a nose (and I still stand by my humourous claim that a unibrow causes snoring as a result of the pressure to the sinuses). Anyhow, I remembered reading an interesting explanation of the editing process from one of my flickr contacts. I really liked how he had described things when I first came across his photostream because it captured a lot of what I felt about editing and photography.

Many people have asked about how I arrive at the image that gets shown and I think it's important to make a distinction about at least one thing. I post process almost everything.

I am working towards an image not a purist ideal. I will edit where I see an edit and change where I see a change.. until the image is what I see in my mind. I feel strongly that you aren't coming here to see a picture of a tree in my backyard in the literal sense, or I could give you my address and you could see it for yourself--rather that you are coming to see my view of the tree. The way I wrap my experience, tastes, biases and baggage around a tree, as it were.

Following that line of thought to its logical end means I post process as an extension of the camera, not a pollution of it. The image is the point not the camera.

I believe all photographs are inherently lies. There is no more truth in an ansel adams sky than mine. Neither truly reflect the subject as it existed and both accurately reflect the feelings and beliefs of the photographer

If I offend you by altering the colours of a photograph or giving you flawless skin or space between the eyes... well I don't know what to say. For me photography is a multiple part process... as much love and energy goes into taking the photograph as it does in the editing process. And the process is always different. I don't edit every photo as a rule... sometimes I am very happy with what I am able to achieve just with the camera alone, but don't think that photo hasn't been edited... it has, just perhaps with my lens(es).

three more sleeps until Spring Break!

I swear I'm part feline... as I can nap like the best of them. This evening after dinner I felt absolutely exhausted and I lay down for a moment to rest my eyes and fell fast asleep. I didn't sleep for too long though, as I was woken by the sounds of two very loud teenage laughs... and by that I don't mean just "ha ha"
rather two voices laughing loudly.

I had a good day at work today... I think it helped that the weather was fantastic (very mild and wonderfully sunny) and nearly all the students seemed to be in good spirits. I'm hoping that it stays like this all week. It will make the days go by faster.

In other news... I'm trying to figure out a better method of dry skin therapy. The combination of weather and hard water in the north is really terrible and I would like to figure out some kind of moisturizing method that is very effective. Anyone have any secret creams, lotions, or emolients that they would like to share? I'm currently trying a trick that one of my sisters uses... the classic Vaseline. The other day I was experimenting with Vaseline with my photography (reflections of light and such) and I noticed that my skin stayed incredibly soft... so I thought why not throw caution to the wind and combine small amounts of vaseline with my current lotion and see if that helps retain some moisture in this dry climate. My limited online research suggested that this particular method of dry skin combat might be successful, but I thought I'd pose a general query anyhow... perchance someone might have some advice to share.

I'm just off to bed after a relaxing night of photo editing accompanied by an evening of Mozart on the CBC and checking for progress of the Academy Awards on the internet.

Today I heard the an excerpt of a most interesting rendition of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir, performed by a cello quartet led by Matt Haimovitz. It's on a cd called Goulash, that unfortunately has a really unattractive cover.

anyhow... must sleep. One more week and it is Spring Break. I'm hoping not to be sick during the 10 day vacation... bon nuit.

I'm up far too early for a Saturday. I should be sleeping in but I woke up before 6 this morning and have been tossing and turning since then. I am on my second last day of antibiotics and I'm anxious to finish them. It's odd, but it seems that the better I get the more difficult it is to actually swallow the damn pills. But that's just a casual observation of me - don't pay any attention to it.

My chum of all chums is having an Oscar party on Sunday... It saddens me slightly that I cannot go as I am in another city entirely... but also because I am a not-so-secret (another mennen product) pop culture fan, and I would like the opportunity to soak up a lot of useless knowledge about the cinema and hollywood for use in future games of Trivial Pursuit - Pop Culture Edition. It's not a time sensitve issue I guess, since in the game you can't be asked questions relating to events that happened after the game was released to the masses, but I've got the future in mind.

I laughingly considered this morning while reading my RSS feeds that had such a thing as a VOIP/Skype speakerphone exist (and such a thing does in some parts of the world) I'd be raring to be patched in to the "meeting" through teleconference. It wouldn't be much different than if I were actually there you know, I'd be antisocial and listen to everyone else... and occasionally mutter something slightly funny to me and the one or two people with hearing good enough to pick it up.

okay, I think I can sleep some more again. 5 more pills until the antibiotics are done, and 6 more sleeps until Spring Break.

Today I'm trying to learn about colour temperature in an effort to understand white balance more.  

I will also be spending the evening trying to enhance my photoshop skills.

ask me about the state of today's educational system... if you dare.

please be advised that I had a long and lengthy meeting this afternoon and that my response will be coloured by this event.

I need a relaxing soak, alas I have no bathtub.

This morning the class I work in/with went to a presentation by BC Hydro. It was a pretty informative session and nicely balanced. The BC Hydro rep had a lot of information about the different types of energy sources that are available - and gave excellent explanations of the benefits and negative qualities of the various types of energy generating sources... I was rather pleased with the information that he had to present to the students and I thought how there are so many people in this area (and province) who have no idea how their power is generated and really have turned a blind eye to any possible problems that we might face regarding our consumption and generation of electricity.

The Hydro rep introduced the class to the concept of NIMBY... the ever so popular "Not in My Back Yard" response that people tend to use regarding the development of any new power generating projects. It was refreshing to hear this coming from BC Hydro directly, as this area has been caught up in the controversy over the proposed Site C hydro electric dam for many years - and there have been many people arguing for the benefits of alternative forms of power like wind or tidal energy, or the development of electricity generating stations in other parts of the province (dam somewhere else they say). However, merely pushing energy generation to another part of the province doesn't really solve our problems. The Rats of NIMBY have proliferated everywhere... we all want power, but how many of us are really willing to mar our landscape with another dam or row upon row of giant windmills?

back at work... would rather be at home going for a full recovery, but a girl only has so many sick days, although technically it is a new month. I must weigh my options.