Holidays

Oct. 28th, 2009 10:31 am
fairyrune: (Default)
This is the first time in a long, long time that I haven't been excited for Halloween. I didn't have the time and resources to get my costume made. Our Funkin* is sitting on the dining table, un-carved. Rich is going to be working most of the day and into the night on Saturday; I don't feel like traveling terribly far on my own, so I probably won't go to any of the parties to which I have been invited.

We don't get any trick-or-treaters, so there's no candy in my house. I shall have to pilfer from my parents before they run out. (Translation: before Dad finishes it all.)

Maybe I'll go take some photos in the cemetery if it's nice enough out. I haven't done that in a few months, and it's appropriate for the holiday, no?

The post-Halloween holidays, on the other hand, I am stupid-excited about. Even though Thanksgiving in my family is traditionally held at my parents' house, and our apartment is way too teeny to host the event, I'm looking at festive table linens rather wistfully. (Hm. The one that would fit my table is only fifteen dollars. I just got a five dollar coupon, too...)

I have Plans for the biscuits this year, even though my mother nixed my bacon-biscuit idea. (Perhaps I shall do half plain and half bacon? I think this may be an excuse to perform some experiments. Delicious, delicious experiments!) I'll get to break out my super-nifty potato peeling device, as well.

Then there's Christmas. Cannot. Wait. I've already got a pretty decent wishlist going, (I like to put a lot of stuff on my wishlist, so that I may still be surprised when gift-opening occurs. If there were only one or two things on it I would know what I was getting before I opened any of the packages, and that would not be fun!) and have been harassing my family members to provide me with theirs. Mom wants a TV; Dad is usually the most difficult, but I have a bit of a plan for him. That leaves Steve. He tends to buy himself a lot of stuff, which limits my gift-giving options.

I'm going to pull out our decorations the minute Thanksgiving is over, and start getting the apartment in holiday-mode. (Unless, of course, we end up moving. Or something.) The lights, the garland, the scented candles, the festive table linens, the holiday movies...

I guess Halloween just seems sort of inconsequential when compared to the feelings that the other holidays elicit. Not that it's not fun, but I'm just more in the mood for that homey feeling these days.

This may have a lot to do with my desire to start shopping for a house to buy. To me, and I think to many people, the holidays mean home. We already know that our little apartment won't be "home" for too much longer. If we can get a mortgage, we'll be buying a house, most likely on the other side of the Hudson. If that doesn't happen, we'll probably move anyway when our landlord raises our rent. For what we'd be paying if that happened, we could get a much nicer, bigger place. (Preferably with a dishwasher and laundry facilities. A girl can hope!)

Part of the problem is that I get bored at work, and start looking at real estate listings online. I keep seeing adorable little houses that we could totally afford! In fact, according to the little calculators on the real estate websites, (which may or may not be accurate,) the mortgage payments on some of those homes would be less than what we are paying in rent right now!

Methinks I must learn some patience. It will happen soon, just not necessarily as soon as I would like.

Also, I really really REALLY want a LensBaby. They just released a fisheye optic! How freaking cool is that??

In short: I'm really sort of "meh" when it comes to Halloween this year, but I want the rest of the holidays to get here, darn it!

*A Funkin is a carvable fake pumpkin. We got it for two reasons: 1. I kept hearing about pumpkin shortages due to fungus, and 2. we don't have an appropriate porch to store a Jack O'Lantern on, so last year we put it on our table. It went moldy and gooed all over the place. It was gross.
fairyrune: (Default)
-I continue to remain free of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, impending blindness, and dental cavities. Woot woot!

-The eye doctor gave me some new contact lenses to try. He told me that the Focus Monthlies I had been wearing were top-of-the-line...in 1985. I currently have a pair of Accuvue Oasys in, and other than the fact that I can see, I can't tell they're there. And boy oh BOY can I see! Evidently my astigmatism isn't bad enough to require the astigmatism version, which is fine by me. It would also seem that the prescription in my glasses is a bit stronger than what I actually need. This surprised me, as I was quite certain that I'd turn up blinder. I pick out new frames next week! I tried on a few today, and while I didn't find something I love, I did have the doc put three pairs aside. We also have three more drawers to get through, but alot of it is super-trendy. I want something I'll be able to wear for the next five or so years, especially considering how much these things are going to cost me.

-There were DOGGIES at the eye doctor! Two poodles, one standard and one toy. The standard, Charlie, is my New Best Friend because I played tug with him.

-Today I gathered up all of the cash that was sitting in my room from various holiday and birthday gifts. All told, I deposited almost enough to by myself all of the Lensbaby stuff I want. Instead, I'm sticking it in my savings account. The holidays are coming, and I always hate it when the people I love buy themselves nice things right before the holidays. It makes shopping for them SO MUCH HARDER. My brother almost never fails to buy himself whatever I'm planning on getting him for Christmas right before I do my shopping. At least he gets it before I spend my money, but still! So I'm holding off on buying any of that in case someone wants to get it for me for Christmas.

-I'm feeling peckish, but not dinner-hungry. I was hoping the grocery store would have some hot soup, but they only had chicken noodle and I already have some of that in my fridge. (Home made from scratch by Yours Truly, might I add.)

-I've been feeling somewhat disconnected lately. How are YOU?
fairyrune: (Default)
For some time now, I've been contemplating buying this lens for my DSLR.

I read a review of it the other day which said, in short, "Eh. It's ok."

Then I realized that since I already have a 18-55mm lens, and a 75-300mm lens, the only real advantage to spending five hundred some odd dollars on that one is that I'd have to change lenses less often.

Now I'm thinking that maybe I should just keep saving my money for a fisheye lens some months from now. That one retails for about seven hundred, so I should be good to go some time after Holidaymas.

Or do I want to buy something else entirely?

Why did I get into this hobby again?

Oh, right. Grandpa. Also, it's fun.

There's also this flash I want to buy, but that's a matter of considerably less angst, as there are far fewer choices when it comes to Speedlites.
fairyrune: (Default)
Today is so totally fired. I refuse, R E F U S E, to do someone else's work all the time, simply because I was nice a few times. Do not, do N O T, try to take advantage of my good nature. That will piss me off more than anything, as evidenced by a conversation that is going to occur between a certain person and their supervisor when said supervisor returns from vacation.

It feels like it should be Friday tomorrow. I may cry when the alarm goes off, and it isn't.

Friday means leaving for DC! ::wiggle::

Gonna see the baby panda! ::wiggle::

I got a new camera bag! ::wiggle::

It holds EVERYTHING, even my super shiny new lens, all at once! ::wiggle::

I made delicious delicious pasta with BACON, cheese, and tomatos tonight. ::wiggle::

I love my Rich, and he loves me. ::super happy wiggle::

Oh! Speaking of Rich, I had the strangest dream last night.

As if the baby dreams weren't enough, last night I dreamt that he proposed to me, sans engagement ring, on a Saturday. The following Tuesday, I was very excited, for we were to be married on Thursday. Not freaking out, not panicking. Just overwhelmingly happy and excited. I told my mom, "I'm going to be a Mrs.!" Then I woke up.

Rich and I agreed later that we won't do it that way when the time comes to do it for real.
fairyrune: (Hammy!)
Mom, Rich, and I are going to Washington DC in July. There is a baby panda at the National Zoo. I wish to photograph the little mite with my super spiffy camera, but alas, the standard lens, while sufficient for every day use, is not as super-spifftastic as I wish it to be for animal photography. (ie, I can't get really close to the baby panda, but I want good shots.)

So I did some research, and came to the conclusion that I'd be spending about three hundred dollars on a telephoto zoom lens. After further research, I decided on this lens. Nothing too fancy, since I don't have a whole lot of experience with zoom lenses.

I found it for two hundred twenty dollars at CompUSA, available immediately. Staples had it for two hundred with free shipping, and I happened to have access to a twenty dollar off coupon. Problem was, they didn't have it in stock, and they couldn't tell me when they'd be able to get it to me. Unacceptable!

So I did a Froogle search, and found this place, where it was about one eighty. Problem is, they charge twenty bucks for shipping.

Enter Mommy. Mommy not only found it for one hundred forty four dollars here, but she ALSO found a ten dollar rebate from Canon! So I'm spending roughly HALF of what I originally planned on spending!

Since I saved so much money, I also picked up one of these babies, so my nose doesn't smudge up my LCD screen any more. When you add in a lens cleaning kit and shipping, my total STILL came to less than the lowest price I found for just the lens!

The website I ordered from has gotten great reviews, and they're located in Edison. My new toys should be here by Wednesday, at the latest. (Damn federal holiday...)

Now I just need to find a camera bag that will fit my camera and the extra lens, and I'm golden.

I must have Mommy teach me the ways of the Bargain Hunting Ninja. I have much to learn...

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