Bored? Ever Do This?

I saw this in a Google + site by Linda Lawrey.
She got it from someone else but I couldn't resist re-posting here.
(Yes, and it has a grammar error to boot! A real plus for me!)

And for the record - I still do it!

The Good, The Bad, and the ....(Huh?)

I find most graffiti to be an eyesore. I'm talking about the tagging that seems to be on every surface in the downtown core. Alley walls, sides of panel trucks, utility boxes and especially mail drop boxes are targets of this persistent and ubiquitous marking. I do, however, appreciate 'wall art'. Merchants and building owners might even pay someone to paint modern art in vibrant colours on the walls of their establishments. One such example is the wallpaper I've chosen for this blog. I spotted it in Montreal a couple of years back and found it quite appealing and unique.

But recently I was taking a shortcut around an abandoned hotel near the downtown area of Sudbury and this bit of wisdom attracted my attention. 'The Good, The Bad and The *****.' Clint Eastwood's spaghetti-western of the same title springs to mind, but that word is not 'Ugly'. What the heck is it anyway? I can't make it out. If someone is going to take the time and expense to leave their mark on the wall of a building at least make it legible. They wanted to make a statement for all the world to see and they mucked it up! More wasted words!

If anyone has a guess let me know; or fill in the blank with your own word.

I've Bin There

I find it difficult to capture creative and unique pictures at weddings and receptions. I'm not the official photographer, just a guest with a camera. After the usual snaps of folks adorned in their finery I was looking for something to catch my eye. Didn't have to go to far as it was right in front of my nose. The bottle of white wine on our table stared back at me. As a reveler at lucky table #13 I had indeed 'bin' to this party. Cheers! And best of luck to Ryan and Crystal, too!

Odd Name

I saw this tombstone whilst strolling through an old cemetery in Madoc, Ontario. I know nothing of the people or their family and mean no disrespect towards them. It just seemed like an odd name. Perhaps not a fellow you'd go to for investment advice. Just sayin'....

High * * * * Cranberries

While out for a walk near Maley Drive in Sudbury we came upon some bright red berries. They were hanging off what looked like dead vines just off the edge of the walking trail. I took a couple pictures just because they looked so alive and beautiful on an otherwise dull and dreary day.

Later that evening I uploaded this image to The Weather Network website as an interesting picture from the Sudbury area. I checked back a few hours later to see if in fact the picture had been accepted and added to the website. To my delight it had! And even better, there were a couple comments added. One comment reads as such; "These are high ***** cranberries." Another reiterated; " My wife and I walk this trail daily and we see many of these "High ***** Cranberries." 

I was confused. High ****(what?) Cranberries? After a quick Google check I arrived at the conclusion that the ***** is for the word bush. For some odd and unexplained reason the Weather Network has determined that the rather innocuous English word 'bush' is offensive enough to ban it from appearing in the comments section. I find that more humorous than offensive and can't wait to see what other dangerous words are not allowed to the purveyors of weather information.

Say Hello To My Little Friend!

I bought a Fuji X100 about 2 weeks ago. It's physical presence evokes memories from days gone by and the wonderful little pocketable rangefinders that erupted in the market in the 60's and 70's.  More recently the Leica M8 and M9 are digital rangefinders with full-format sized sensors. But their worth is way out of my affordable price range. This little gem is affordable ($1200 CND)  and has a decent sized ASP-C sized sensor. Hopefully my experience with Pentax DSLR's will assist me in using this wonderful new tool.

 I bought a few accessories from Ebay and Lensmate . The official Fuji X100 case cost $130 but this Oriental knock-off was a mere $20 shipped to my door. There are a few more goodies to arrive but at least I can pocket the camera without fear of scratching  or otherwise damaging it.

Now I need to take some pictures!

Only The Beginning

It's only the beginning, but it's nearer the end than I'd like to admit. I'm just a little sad that I can't redo some of the better moments. I should be happy that I've finally reached retirement but it's an illusion. Actually, I try to explain my lifestyle as 'semi-retired'. And that's being positive! Someone at work called me a 'double-dipper' as I have a pension and I work. She made it sound like I was greedy, having two incomes. However, the reality is far scarier. Desperation was the great motivator that brought me to work in my 'golden years'. Like most folks, young and old, I have debt - therefore I work. But money wasn't the only motivator that brought me to this state. My former job was really depressing me. With 30 years behind me and not much to show for it I took a pension and walked away from a well paying position. A break was what I wanted and I never got it. The day after I retired I started a new job. It paid less than half of the previous one but had a lot more challenges. That was the pay off. So now here I am, 2 1/2 years later. Still working. But I'm happy. I guess.