North49th

Sunset pics from the @Palm Pre 2

I really like how the Palm Pre 2 handles colour and lighting.


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Filed under  //   Palm Pre 2   pictures  

Pics using LG Quantum

Initially I wasn't too impressed with the camera on the LG Quantum but its actually pretty good.  Here are a few examples.

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Filed under  //   pictures  

Coolest Movie Monster Ever?

My vote for coolest movie monster goes to the Balrog in Lord of The Rings.  Easily.

Fog Rolled in with the New Year, 2011

Today got VERY foggy here in Ontario...

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Learning how to use my camera

For Christmas this year I got a Canon Powershot SX30IS camera and am loving it!  It's sort of a step before DSLR and has a fantastic lens, processor and other great features.  This is actually my first camera with settings I can mess with rather than all auto.

There is a LOT I would need to learn to really properly use all these settings and I don't expect to really get the hang of it for quite a while.  But I'm having a fun time at least figuring things out.  I actually really love snapping shots, so this should be my favorite toy for a while. ;)

Here's one of my first eureka moments with camera settings.  The first shot is with full auto settings on while the second is by playing around with aperture settings.  I'm sure a pro would point out problems with it, but I'm just starting to learn it...so back off!!  [breathe in...]

  

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Filed under  //   pictures  

Goodbye 2010

In all honesty, I can't say I am sad to see 2010 left behind.  While there have been a lot of great stuff there has been too much 'other' stuff (vague enough?).  I suppose I shouldn't sound so negative about the year but it's just been a crazy roller coaster, more so than other years.

Anyway...

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!

Bring on 2011!!

I wish you all a great time bringing in the new year and a happy and prosperous 2011.

Documenting my Diet

It's been a while since I posted much of anything on this blog and figured I should do a bit more, starting with my diet.  I'd like to look back on this info at some point just to see where I've been. 

For quite a while I've known I was overweight and like most people I just didn't feel enough motivation to stop eating yummy food.  Its way too easy to eat a cookie...or four and was it down with a large glass of Coke.  That's just after having the chips, of course.

Technically speaking, anyone can loose weight, its just a matter of taking in less calories than you normally would.  Of course, it isn't that easy because we want to cheat just a bit.

I really don't want to get way ahead of myself here 'cause I've only been at it for a month.  But I will say that I am finally motivated to lose the weight enough to pay the price of changing my eating habits. At this point it feels like it will be a permanent change but I'm not so naive as to think it will be easy long term.

Even though my weight had crept up to 230 pounds I didn't actually feel overweight.  Sure, I knew I was "technically" but it was such a gradual weight gain that I didn't really feel it was too bad.  Once I realized just how bad that weight was on me I jumped into the new diet.

I'm not following any particular diet at this point.  Maybe I will need to once I plateau but for now I am just cutting out ALL junk and almost all carbs.  I'm eating a lot of veggies and fruit and snacking on raw almonds and more veggies.  I have one scrambled egg for breakfast (done in the microwave) and have chicken whenever.

My goal initially was to get to 190 but in one month I have been able to lose almost 25 pounds, so my new target is 180.  I know the next 25 pounds will be MUCH harder than the first, but again, I'm motivated to do it.

While it feels great to have lost this first 25 pounds it isn't very noticeable, mainly because...uhhh..I'm still 206 freakin' pounds!  :P  Another 15 to 20 pounds should show though.  Here's hoping.

Anyway, that's it for now.  Lets see how we do going forward.

Filed under  //   Getting in Shape  

My very own "Twas the day before Christmas"

Twas the day before Christmas and all around work,
Not a creature was stirring, except for one jerk.
From speaking too loud on the phone with his spouse,
To surfing all day, clickity click went his mouse!

I in my boots, long johns and cap,
Put down my head to catch a quick nap.
My co-workers sleeping, slouched down in their chairs
In hopes that 2pm soon would be there.

When out of the boardroom there arose such a clatter,
Out strode the bossman to see what was the matter.
The snoring was deafening but his roar louder still,
"Sleeping on the job! All your hands in the till!"

The light of fluorescent bulbs did but show,
His anger smoldered, face lit from below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature twinkle to appease my deep fear!

That little old bossman a taskmaster may be,
But on this one day his face lit up with glee!
More rapid that eagles his executives came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blizten!
To the second boardroom! Just down this hall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
(what a coincidence with those names!)

As dry leaves that before the wild hurrican fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So on to the boardroom, his minions, they flew,
With folders full of paper and a veggie tray too.

And then in a twinkling I heard all around,
My co-workers stirring at the retreating sound.
Their eyes filled with sand, blinking from the bright light
Wipe away the dried slobber and strech to full height.

Back in came the bossman with fur head to foot,
His clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. (ya, no idea why)
A bundle of envelopes were clenched under his arm,
If that was our bonus checks I could buy a new farm!

His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
He must have been drinking, his nose like a cherry!
His drool, it sat on his chin like a tear,
We sat staring at it with boatloads of fear.

The stump of a check he held tight in teeth,
His combover as usual, did look like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
His cackle would cause it to shake like old jelly.

I was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed at the mirror, in spite of myself!
Not at that moment, in the mirror I spied.
Excuse me for straying, that was an aside.

The bossman ignored the blatant lack of work,
We all looked so happy, except that one jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
A loogie went flying after three or four blows.

He sprang to his limo with his team close behind,
He left no bonus, it probably slipped his mind...
But I heard him exclaim, with a backward glance,
"Happy Christmas to all. Where are my pants?"

Filed under  //   silliness  

Changed password for Exchange; Windows Phone vs Android

I had to change my password for Exchange at work and subsequently had to change it on my Windows Phone and Android.  

Windows Phone prompted me as soon as I opened the client with a password field.  Just had to enter the new password and good to go!

Android (ver 2.1) had a message at the top that password was incorrect but no button to jump to the password field.  I had to press the menu button and select "Accounts".  Once there I had to long-press the account name and go to the Account settings and finally to the "Incoming settings" under Server settings.  Once the password was changed (and checked) I had to back out of all that to get back to the client.

Ya, I think Windows Phone wins that round.