Looking Back
Current mood: awake
Category: Travel and Places

This isn't all the travel blogs, to read them, check out my website:

http://www.marktisdalephotography.com/blog

but here's today's entry:

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Trip More Or Less Sorted
Category: Travel and Places

All in all, when I travel, I like to stay in a given place a few days. Much of my selection of the Intrepid trip I chose to Egypt earlier this year was that every night was not a different city. If I had longer than two weeks, I would have waited to languish even longer in some of those places. I could have spent a week alone on that Red Sea beach, and I'm not a big beach person. It was just a place where we were so thorgoughly disconnected. Funny to type that on my laptop, that I enjoyed being without connection to the world. Ha!

At any rate, my latest trip plans are anything if languishing in a given spot. It just worked out that I will not spend more than two nights in any given place. I arrive and spend a night in London. The next morning, I'm on my 4 day Cornwall trip. This translates into two nights in Newquay and a night in Bath before getting back to London in the evening. I spend another night in London and get up bright and early for a 5:30am train to Paris. Two nights there before returning to London for two nights before coming back to the US. This, I think, is my version of plantes, trains, and automobiles.

Paris was sort of an afterthough. I had a few days and I didn't want to spend them trying to get somwehere. And believe me, I looked at everything from the northern isles of Scotland to the reaches of Italy for a side trip. Paris is one of those places that I always figured I'd go see but never had concrete plans or mainfest desires. Hence the short two days there. Just enough to get a taste. Since then, though, as I've read and looked at photos of Paris, I've wished I had been able to toss another day or two in, so if the actual city leaves a lingering impression as I'm told it will, I may be back that way one day.

And yet, I'm also so looking forward to my days in the old city of London again. Over lunch today, I looked at the lists of events that I could check out my first day there, and there were 60 PAGES of things to do. Well and truly a ton of stuff, and so much of it, museums and galleries, free to boot. As I poured through my options, it was with much sadness that I can't spend longer there. Alas, my remaining vacation time off and the exchange rate does not encourage it right now.

This weekend will be spent home with the folks, hopefully a bit of relaxation before my whirlwind through Southern England and Paris.

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Adobe Customer Service Graded

A few weeks ago, I got a macbook pro, as previously mentioned, and partially left the world of windows (my media center PC is still a PC). I found out (before I made the switch) that Adobe will allow you to swamp from windows or mac when you chance PCs if you already own their software (considering the price of photoshop, this was a big factor).

So, sure enough, I contacted them and spent about half an hour on the phone taking care of the swap. I had to fax a "letter of destruction" to them after the call and the cost of the swap was only the cost of shipping the new software to me. All and all, at this point I was fairly happy.

I faxed the form saying that I would destroy the windows copy of my software and waited for the new software. Two weeks passed… No word… finally, I went online and submitted a request for an update on the status. Four days passed, and I received an e-mail response that they needed an order number and the Serial for my software. I had givent he case number for previous call in the status request… I sighed a bit and replied back with the extra requested information.

Before I got a response, literally the same day, the software arrived. There was never any communication to let me know it was coming. I had to sign for it and yet had no idea it was coming. If I didn't work at home, of course, I would have missed it.

So, kudos to adobe for allowing me to trade in my windows copy for Mac, but you get a C for communication.

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Travel ADD & Other Adventures
Current mood: distractable
Category: Life

Well, first to follow up on my post about the old laptop, yes, I bought a mac. I splashed out on a macbook pro, but I bought a refurb. They carry the mac warranty (and I used the savings to get the three year Apple Care, so I'm well covered). The refurb looked completely new. Who knows what horrible thing it got returned for but it's dreamy for me so far. And if it goes bad in the next three years, back to Apple you go sir.

It's taking some adjustment. If I hit the control key when I want to copy and paste a few more times, I may scream. But it seems to be taking to my brain somewhere considering I started getting all confuzled on the work laptop (IBM thinkpad - lousy picture but a workhorse, I give it that - the lousy screen doesn't sell to my photog side). Kept trying to click the wrong keys, etc.

I took a two day photoshop class on Saturday/Sunday with ye olde laptop one last time. I have a licensed copy of photoshop CS3 on it. I started the ball rolling with Adobe on the cross-platform thing. They will allow you once to swap out for the cost of shipping. Adobe for the mac is on its way but not before the class. Well, the smart part of my brain didn't point out to me until Sunday night that I could install the 30 day trial on my mac while I waited for the new software to arrive... duhhhh... At least the old Fujitsu didn't embarass me by calling it kaput during class. It threatened a lot in the past week.

My trip to the UK is now less than a month hence. In fact, a month from now, I'll be getting back into London from 4 days on my Cornwall Crusader trip. And from there, I officially have no clue. The time back into London is evening and an approximate time, which makes it hard to plan the next step. I've thought about just hopping straight onto a train bound for... uhm... that's the hard part. But does it matter when you're not realy sure what the arrival to London time is? So maybe a night in London before moving on to other parts? Still where is an excellent question. I've toyed with Paris either via train or perhaps a Ferry from Dover to Calais and then working my way down before heading back up to London. I've thought about Ireland but keep thinking it should be a a trip unto itself some day, not a few days squished in betwixt coming and going. I've thought about heading to North England, maybe seeing York, which I've read good things about. Then the brain turns further northward inexorably to Scotland. I love Edinburgh and there's still some of the Highlands I'd dearly love to see. I will return to Skye some day, and I want to see the other islands. And again, is this really the right trip, unless I take a sleeper train ($$$), killing days of my trip coming and going. I've also pondered getting a Britrail just for the south and maybe hugging the southern coast for a few days before back into London. I know I could spend all the rest of my time in London and just see the sights there and take in some day trips as well, but this is the 4th time I've been to London. As much as I know there is to do and that I've yet to do, I feel like I need to get out a bit.

Where does ADD come into this? I swear, I must have it if nothing else for travel. No sooner than I sat down to do research on my options, I found myself looking at Latin American options for New Years this year. I haven't finished this trip yet and I'm already down the road on the next one! Just sad!

And then to further compound the momentary distraction, I wrote this post!

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One Month With The New iPhone
Current mood: amused
Category: Web, HTML, Tech

After the post about considering a mac, I feel like I'm confessing to  a religious conversion here!

Yes, I was one of the sheep who stood in line on the day the new iPhone 3G came out.  In my (admittedly slim) defense here, I have had the same old motorola V400 for 4 years.  I haven't been under contract to AT&T for two years!  I resisted the urge for a new toy because I was out of contract and that made me feel all giddy inside.  I could drop AT&T anytime I wanted.  And yet I didn't.  So, it was kind of a moot point.

The iPhone appealed to my inner geek.  It does cool things and it goes wherever I go, and no, I don't have to have any of them, but you live once.

A month later, not a lot positive or negative to report.  It does what it's supposed to.  It's a good phone.  I can check my e-mail on the go.  I can pull up a map and find places I need to get to.  Even get directions to get there from wherever the heck it is I am now (love that).  In time, it appears an app will come to make it a true GPS navigation device (if the rumors hold out).  I'll have to see the prices before I decide how much that means to me.  Right now, I don't travel enough here in the states to worry about it. 

The only bummer is that when I travel overseas, if I use any of the data services (web, e-mail, maps, etc), I will pay out the nose for them.  I mean, literally, hand over an arm to read a few emails if I don't get wifi access.   I've considered popping the sim in my old phone just for that possibility (i.e. don't carry temptation wth me).

For the record, I only stood in line an hour.  My timing (between work and dinner) was perfect and I missed the early and later crush of people.  The truly amazing thing is I was at Nortpoint mall on Saturday, and there's still a line!

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Will My Windows Become History
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Web, HTML, Tech

That's something I never thought I'd say.  I'm actually considering a mac.  I don't mean that in a negative way, just that sometimes I'm a creature of habit, and I've spent over a decade using Windows based PCs and most recently laptops. 

I've had a fujitsu for nearly three years now.  I still love the picture on this laptop. It's incredible, when it's not crashing.  And the bad thing is I'm fairly certain it's the integrated graphics that's giving up the ghost on it.  I won't bore with too many details, and after I mended from the hard crash this morning, I thought maybe I could delay it awhile longer, but I just had another abrupt crash that's making me think maybe I shouldn't be so optimistic.  I've burrowed my way through the lists of laptops.  Mostly looking at the ones I halfway liked when I looked for this one, and I"m not finding any windows based ones that are saying anything to me. 

I'm really seriously thinking about a macbook pro.  How nuts am I?  The only thing I need to look into more is the possibility of getting  a license for CS3 which I bought last year for the mac.  Supposedly it's possible.  I also need to look into what the mac equivalent of MS Money is... 

5:53 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Doing It The Hard Way
Current mood: animated
Category: Life

This past Saturday was the first time inages that I've gotten out with my camera.  It really has been that long.  I came back from Egypt and less than a month later made a quick weekend dash to Boston as art of a business trip. I came back and edited photos until April.  Can I say again that Egypt was SO WORTH IT.  A trip of a lifetime.  An incredible place and people.  And yes, I said it again without permission.  So sorry!

I digress (as usual, you know me).

Anyway, months have passed with only a few minor camera moments.  Much else has been on my mind.

Sunday, I had to go over Marietta way in the afternoon to pick up a print that was in a show.  So, I figured why not get out in the morning?  I drove way out to Douglassville to check out Sweetwater Creek State Park.  I'd seen some photos of the ruins there that looked interesting and there's some walking trails.  Sounded nice.

And it was for the most part, but I can tell the knee is going to have to be seen to before long.  Steps are not my friend.  The trail starts out innocent enough.  The worst part was a handful of bridges that required stairs.  And there are lots of small falls and rapids to keep one amused.  It was also not yet scorchingly hot.

So, even after I had passed the really cool ruins of a mill burned during the civil war, I kept going.  The path began getting more treacherous.  Probably not as much so if you have two good knees and you don't have  a camera bag over one shoulder and a tripod over the other.  But if you fit that description, it's a little harrowing.  My knee complaind much, but I want credit for not falling or stumblng.  I may not have broken any land speed records, but I maneuvered over every rocky outcropping…

Even those I didn't have to.  That's when I realized that I tend to take the path of most resistance.  It's not like I'm looking for adventureor want to cross bulky rocks.  I just sometimes don't map out what's the better way and fling myself forward.  I guess it makes life interesting, but I'm still not sure how I feel about that revelation!

I'm not sure how long the walk was in distance, but in time, I was there nearly 3 hours.  At the end, I went to check out the snazzy newish "environmentally friendly" welcome center.  My goal was a very small one. I wanted a refrigerator magnet.  This is something that started on my trips abroad but I'v since added to my visits to Georgia Parks, a magnet is a nice small momento.  And they had none.  They had t-shirts and hats and books and stuffed animals, but no magnets.  I asked and they said they'd have them next time…  hmmm… maybe the fall…  Those rolling waters and some fall color could be nice…

I've yet to edit a single photo from this trip…

5:43 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Sometimes Life Is A Yo-Yo
Current mood: happy
Category: Travel and Places

It's been a few weeks now, but British Airways posted a pretty good deal to 20+ European cities.  I was feeling the need (note NEED not desire) to get away for a bit.  I pondered all the different routes I could take, but scheduling the places I wanted was hellacious because of the timing of flights to London, which was the only route available from Atlanta.  Places I really wanted to go like Turkey, involved 24+ hours of travel to get there.  And I decided those places would wait for better opportunities.

And in true irony, in the end, I'm not even going anywhere on BA.  Because when I searched for flights to the UK, Delta was matching that particular fare.  As much as I like BA (awesome to fly), all those frequent flier miles on Delta mean free trips.  In fact, I should have one coming after this next trip.

To London...  yes, for the 4th time, I'm going to London (the 5th time I've been to the UK all told).  Yes, I know there's this whole big wide world out there, but I seem to have a yo yo thing going with Great Britain.  Back and forth I go.  And in the end, it's about going places that make me happy, so I'm not really caring.  Somewhere more exotic next time maybe.

I have about 10 days this time.  I'm going in early September.  And I have still only mapped out the trip partially.  I'm taking a backpacker tour of Cornwall (four days on a Haggis bus, which name wise made more sense in the Highlands of Scotland, but was great fun so I'm doing it again).  That takes place the first full day I'm there.  I've yet to make a decision on the balance of the trip.  The arrival back into London is somewhat uncertain which makes it hard to schedule out that night (which is what I want to do).  I've thought about Ireland, Paris, and even Scotland once or twice.  Or maybe I'll just try another part of England.  I don't know yet.  I'm sucking at these decisions right now and don't have a ton of time to make them.  In the end, I may just spend the rest of it in London and take a pile of day trips out.  Don't know!

But London here I come again! 

5:26 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Updates Are Coming
Current mood: lazy
Category: Life

Okay, I've had news of one type or another (nothing overwhelmingly earth shattering or anything), but have just been a complete slacker lately.  I could write one overwhelmingly long post and bore everyone to death, or attempt to break it into smaller more digestible chunks.  I'm going for the chunks route.  At least then news someone might find interesting isn't buried.

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Long Awaited Updates - From DIY to Entertainment
Current mood: busy
Category: Life

Okay, I can only guess at how long they've been awaited, but I have been very MIA of late.  Nothing super exciting, but I suppose I should do a bit of updating here.

The biggest thing of late has been re-doing my kitchen.  I moved in to my current abode nearly 8 years ago.  The kitchen at that time was little changed from 1988, when it was built.  All the same appliances, but the burgundy paint was probably not so original.  That was the only thing I changed then.  Repainted the walls and moved on to the rest.

Over the intervening years, for one reason or another, I've replaced everything save the 1988 over-the-range microwave.  That's next…  And I replaced all the cabinet hardware sometime ago with something that was, if nothing else, not brass and worn out.  But the kitchen looked tired.  The counters were worn out.  The sink was dingy.  And the paint colors I picked on the fly were less and less cheery.

A month ago, I decided it was time to move on with my long delayed plans to do something about that room.  I don't enjoy working on kitchens and baths because if you dawdle at all it's inconvenient.  But at least I have more than one bathroom.  Not having a completely functional kitchen for a month, even for some one who cooks minimally, is a nuisance.

At any rate, in a month, I ripped out the old counters and replaced them with stone-look laminate counters from IKEA.  I put in a new cast iron, porcelin enamel sink.  I put up a new subway tile back splash, repainted the walls (and ceiling and trim for that matter but not new colors), and added halogen spot lights under the cabinets.  It's a marked improvement.  It's not the same as a complete remodel, but the cabinets are in solid shape and the next owner will have to decide if they want to dump those.   I've got a new album for these diy projects for any one who wants to see the kitchen progress.  I don't feel like digging up the old photos, so the before and after is lost on anyone who hasn't visited before.

 

Next up is probably a little freshening up of the dining room which has been beige for 8 years now.

As always, I can never have just one project going.  The secondary project being the continuing digital evolution of my life.  It began as previously reported with converting every CD to MP3 and emptying 3 shelves of CDs into two albums in the bottom of my wardrobe.  The next step has been a similar purge of the shelves of DVDs.  Now, DVDs take up a lot more space digitally and even though terrabyte drives are out there, I think it will be a little bit before I go entirely digital, but I did decide that I didn't really need all those cases.  I've kept (for the time being) the boxes my box sets came in, but all the rest I pulled the covers and put them in an archival box and dumped the cases.  The DVDs are arranged in a couple of hanging file boxes for CDs/DVDs.  I am digitizing some of it.  I've ripped my entire Doctor Who collection (I am so geeky) in full resolution.  Hence the need for a terrabyte drive in my media center PC.  I'm also ripping selected others and some of my more watched will probably be ripped to xvid.  That's an ongoing task as I get the energy to continue with it.  But in less than a year, an entire shelf emptied and moved out.

And the purge continues, I have a stack by the front door to go to Goodwill soon.  It's really a struggle sometimes.  I am from generations of pack-rats.  I pick things up and they bring back memories.  It's very hard sometimes to separate those memories from those objects, but I find more and more that I can win and empty a few more shelves or a few more boxes.

The hard drives continue to fill, though!  2007 alone was 40 gig of photos.  And the music collection continues to grow - 30 gig right there (and I doubt I'm up there with massive music aficionados).

Speaking of music, I probably have a lot of albums I should talk about, but the most recent will win out for the moment.  Last week, two new albums came out.

One I had been looking forward to for ages, the latest from The Fratellis, a band hailing from Glasgow, Scotland.  The funny thing was I was supposed to see them at the street party on New Year's Eve at the conclusion of 2006, but there was bad weather.  I went to Scotland having heard nothing of them.  I left having heard bits and pieces of their first album on the radio and having stood in a music shop on Princes Street and listened to the CD before purchasing it.  That CD, Costello Music, was in heavy rotation on my return, along with the Automatic's Not Accepted Anywhere.  The Fratellis sophomore album, Here We Stand, is of a similar vein, a lot of fast tempo, fun songs.  I'm still digesting the the songs, but already genuinely love it.     Other than the first single, Mistress Mabel, the song I find myself already singing along with is Acid Jazz Singer.  Ask in a few weeks and that may have morphed to other tracks.

You can listen to most of the new Fratellis album online.

The surprise album last week was a solo effort by Jakob Dylan (lead singer/song writer for the Wallflowers, and, yes, son of Bob Dylan).   I have long been a fan of the Wallflowers. Bringing Down The Horse (1996) went through many road trips with me, and each subsequent album has pretty much been an instant purchase.  For me, some albums have had more fav songs than others, but none of the Wallflowers songs were stinkers.  That said, it wasn't until 2002's Red Letter Days that I found an album from the group with as many favs as Bringing Down The Horse.  Anyway, I digress, just setting things up a bit.  I had heard nothing of the upcoming solo album from Jakob.  I found the bulk of the album could be previewed on myspace and after a couple of listens, I went ahead and downloaded the album.  I'm very impressed.  I drove home for Father's day this past weekend, and on a 2 hour drive, both ways, Seeing Things was my only choice of things to listen to despite an ipod crammed with options.  I don't do that with many albums, but I could for this one.  As much fondness as I have for the Wallflowers, and I do hope there's more to come from this band, this new album has the song writing I love pared down to an acoustic format, a very awesome side bar if not the first of more solo work for Jakob.  So far, the single song on this album that I enjoy the most is All Day And All Night, no good explanation of why, just the first song I really latched onto, but the next strong second place song is This End Of The Telescope.  I found out Jakob Dylan will be playing at the Variety Playhouse tomorrow night, so guess where I'll be.

Okay, where else can you go for photography, DIY projects, and music?  I ask where?

Ha - I'll try for more focused rambling next time.  Hopefully I can soon get more focused on photos again!

Currently listening : Seeing Things By Jakob Dylan Release date: 2008-06-10

8:42 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment