Hello internets! I'm still alive although you may not have noticed it. I'm not on my
blog, seldom on my
other blog, rarely here, and barely lurking on Facebook (not that I'm very active there anyway). Come to think of it, my most active online presence recently has been on
GitHub (Warning: pretty geeky link).
And that's because of my Monday to Friday 9-hour day job. Also largely the reason why I'm quite active at
GeekHub GitHub is that it's the only personal online activity I can pass off as work. But then again, where I work now it's pretty lax and DA, FB, and blogging won't be really frowned upon. But well, it's just not me to stray out of focus.
So well, to fulfill the title of this post, I'm telling some stories regarding the words on the title of this post...
Lenses
Lenses! I've been meaning to buy a new lens since April. I've been debating with myself on Macro vs Zoom and ultimately decided to settle scouting for zoom lenses. I wanted to use it for the graduation because Eng'g (for the Eng'g rites) did not permit students to bring cameras in the graduates area so I had to surrender my camera to my sister. I scouted for a SAL75300. I, being a diligent and wise consumer, did my research beforehand of course and knew that it is quite a so-so lens. But, well, it fit my budget that time and I thought it gave me focal length for money (longest focal length I can find without going heavy telephoto).
What I didn't know is that it's an old model. I think they released it around the same time as A100? So, they probably don't stock that anymore? Anyhow my order was left enqueued and unfulfilled but I don't think I'll get it if they ever stock again.
So, a few months later (around August), armed with more money, I go scouting again. I was no longer looking for Macro vs Zoom but, rather, decided for a nice all-around lens. Maybe, I'll go scouting for Macro vs Zoom the next time I go on vacation but for my location right now I really just want a nice all-around lens.
The SAL18250 caught my eye and I ordered. As luck would have it, the time I was inquiring at the store, there's one at Gateway (the one at Cubao) and, as Sony stores do, they can get it from there...only it was already reserved! Sigh. Signed up for an order again but they haven't followed up yet. I'm looking at it again, one of these days...
Sketches
(This part subtitled: Or, what do I do with my DA now that I'm waiting for photo-ops and new lenses.)
Yeah sketches. I do sketches you know. I'm not half bad at it but I'm not very good at it either. I can name lots of people who'd make me look third class but I'm talking at my own DA blog so they don't really matter so that's beside the point right now. Hehe...
So, okay, maybe I'd put up sketches here soon. But there are some things I'd like to say ahead before I do.
First, I rarely have time for full blown sketches so they'd most likely be all studies. And, being drafts, they'd most likely not have meaningful titles or flavor texts. I have a code for labeling my studies and I'm thinking that's what I'd use for titles. But I've no idea for flavor text. Maybe, how much time it took me and the media I used?
Next, I don't have a scanner. Or, rather, I no longer have a computer compatible with the lone scanner I have access to. Our scanner, you see, was only compatible with Windows XP (and below, AFAIK) and the XPs at home are no longer functional enough for it. Not broken, just not functional enough
.
"But you have a bloody 16MP camera!" I hear you say. Maybe I can use that? But I'd have to consider a lot of lighting and positioning issues. Or maybe, I'd post-process finally to make up for it. Let's see...
Misc
(Warning: Geekiness for the last stretch ahead. I'm just putting this up here as quick notes for myself. Don't ask.)
This Christmas, I'm also planning to buy a new laptop. The one I'm using right now is still serviceable but is slowly failing; I've missed some geek events due to it already like day 2 of PyCon PH or this year's WebGeek Dev Cup. I'm slating it for this Christmas because (1) prices will be hopefully lower (Christmas sale!) and (2) I'd have heard enough of Windows 8 by then to decide if it's for me (though I plan to immediately hijack it with Linux).
I'm planning to get a VAIO (ed's note: I was a fan of VAIO before I was fan of Alpha) but if I settle for a Windows 8 box, I might not go for the recently-unveiled VAIO Duo 11. One, I don't like the form-factor and, two, I'm not comfortable with solid state storage. (Yes geeks, I know it's blazing fast but HDs are still longer-lasting given enough care---and I'm very careful enough---though slower; I'm still all for HD when it comes to the primary machine where I'll code.)
But given how Microsoft packages Windows 8, I doubt if I'll find a good one not using solid state. My primary use for a laptop is for work and some mouse-and-keyboard play; hence, I'm not looking at the tablet side of Windows 8.
Other alternatives are Razer Blade MK2 (droolworthy specs but I'm not sure I can handle the price, and is this sold here at the Philippines?), Asus G75 (almost as droolworthy of Razer Blade MK2 but significantly cheaper) or one of those MSI gaming laptops. (But, oh, will they have Windows 8?)
That's all for now. See you soon... ^_^