February 17, 2012

I think I found the best place in my neighbourhood. Down by the river there is an outdoors paintball arena that sits entirely abandoned in the winter. They’ve got everthing — planes, trains, and automobilies. For real.

Ryder’s favourite is the big school bus. She’s all about public transportation.

[ More photos ]

February 12, 2012

I don’t always write about camera gear because that shit’s boring… but it’s not every day that I get a new camera.

I’ve been salivating after a Fuji X100 since it’s been announced: it looks fantastic, has a large SLR-size sensor, and a bright f/2.0 lens. “It can replace my SLR,” I thought. “I’m could to take this baby to the top of mountains,” I said.

Last week I finally tracked down a used X100 for a semi-reasonable price, and I was just about to trade in my clunky old gear in exchange for this pretty looking thing.

Good thing I didn’t.

The x100 and I have spent a lot of quality time together, and despite its good looks it’s a deeply disappointing camera.

There’s nothing wrong with the images — they’re just fine. The X100 takes pretty pictures of things that are standing still like chunks of metal, shower curtains, my cold, cold heart. It’s just when things get interesting and there is some movement that the camera just can’t keep up.

The focusing is atrociously slow. The shutter lag ensures you’ll only capture the moment after the moment. “May all your people pictures be full of awkward,” Fuji seems to be saying. I must have been spoiled by my SLR, but this camera takes me back 10 years to the first Fuji I ever owned — operationally they’re not far apart.

Fuji, things could’ve been so much better.

But on the plus side, the camera does fit into most of my pockets. I wear manclothes!

[photos from the beast]

January 28, 2012

Today I traded in the regular coffee maker for a Chemex. Rather than drinking six mediocre cups of coffee each morning, I’m cutting back to a single good cup of coffee.

My counter is now as empty as my heart.

January 21, 2012

Because I like to be nostalgic about the past, here’s a look at 2011 in pictures, a time when we were younger, happier, and Corwin’s hair was still blowing in the wind.

January 09, 2012

Sunny day! It seemed like a good idea to drive down to the beach today.

Unfortunately, the beach was taken over by waves. And the wind, god, the wind was so cold it took your breath away.

For most of the day the wind howled and Ryder howled right back. We had a very howl-y day.