Detours of a south east asian prairie girl

I think the title says it all. My heart is still pounding. If you’ve missed this, you’ve gotta see it when the DVD comes out.

Exquisite storytelling at its best. Period.

BSG as a whole takes the human decision-making process to a whole new level. The last time I’d seen such a smartly written series was the earlier years of The West Wing. There’s no doubt as to which side of the battle I am on, and I love how BSG questions the existence of our humanity and the treatment we willfully exert to what we have created.

So say we all, soldier, what is your imperative?

My life’s been side-swept this week, literally. Wiped out on my bike early Tuesday morning. It was icy from the near zero temperatures that we’ve been having in Vancouver (a novelty!). Came around a corner – next thing I knew, my bike’s on the other side of the road and I’ve hit the tar, whap! My hip landed first with an impressive bruise a couple of days later. My head snapped sideways and you don’t need me to say how grateful I was to have my helmet on me. Whack!

Well, that was Tuesday to kick off the week. Could barely move my head and neck for a couple of days. Then came the nausea late yesterday. When it hits, it hits.

Finally went to the chiropractor this morning, who kindly informed me that nausea came from mobility. In other words, it didn’t come earlier because I wasn’t moving my head and neck earlier. The muscles were so tense that they blocked some signal to the brain (I don’t understand how it all works) and when mobility came back, the dizziness and nausea came with it. He also said that I had a concussion but I’m not sure about that!

So, I’m still sore and slept for 4 hours this afternoon (napping is generally not a part of my life). I don’t feel so good. But E bought me pecan pie and we’re gonna have it with ice-cream later. I should hope to feel better after that.

Bags, that is! Here’s what happened over my weekend:

Outgrown my current small camera bag, I have. It only holds my DSLR with lens attached, with no room for another lens or battery pack. So I get this idea that because I cycle-commute year round, and I do see the same scenes with all sorts of different lights in all sorts of calm and stormy conditions, that I’d really like to be shooting.

So many times I would pass a scene and say, “shoot, if I only have my camera with me”. So why not buy a new camera bag that has enough room for everything? I use a small shoulder bag that’s pretty hip now anyways, I can just get a new one more suited to adding the camera and gear. Plus I could use it travelling too, so everything for the day is in one “satchel”.

So, after much research, I settled on the Aussie-made Crumpler whose tag line is a great photo bag which doesn’t look like a (geeky) photo bag.

Drove out to the west side to check them out. They come in various sizes, from 1 million dollar home to 7 million dollar home (I know, the naming is not cool). Really really liked them. They are hip and beautiful and so lush that never mind the camera, I could sleep in them. I set my mind on the 7 million dollar home, msrp $135. Ouch!! But compared to the others in the store (LowePro, National Geographic, Kata, Billingham), it’s my favourite.

Next, I went home, full of ideas of how to scheme and save to buy the bag. Went on and on to a patient E, who nodded and said that of course, I should get the bag. She’s so nice.

But then! Someone in a discussion forum suggested of all things, using a diaper bag! And it makes sense! Most diaper bags are already waterproof, come with compartments for bottles etc. as well as padding to put the baby on, and are already shoulder-style! AND they don’t cost an arm and a leg, how great is that! Had a quick look on the net and sure enough, they come with similar dimensions to the Crumpler at a third of the price. Hpmmmmh.

They even come in lots of designer styles, not just with winnie the pooh or flowers.

So this week, my little tush is heading over to BabiesRUs to look at diaper bags. Anyone want to join me?

6 am: on treadmill. Music: kenny chesney and tim mcgraw. Why: because if you haven’t figured it out, I’m a downhome prairie girl at heart.

However: there’s nothing more I want right now than to sit on a sloped and sloppy verandah over the Mekong. Shaded.
In hand: an ice-cold beer lao.
Music: matters not. the sound of children chattering is enough fun.

Alternative: taipei, saipan. bangkok, steamy busy bangkok. kauai, north shore on anini beach with a cool coconut smoothie, that would be nice.
Crave: the crush of people lining up for supreme beef noodle soup. delicate dim-sum in crowded hongkong.
Reason: to feel the weight and to be lifted by life elsewhere.

Path: alongside migrating wildebeest in the serengeti. i would be the fly on the wall where a wall doesn’t exist.
In hand: my beloved camera
In mind: a prayer for life right here, right now

Me: Are you gay?
E: I don’t know, lemee think. Are you gay?
Me: No, I’m buysexual. You buy and I’m sexual.
E: Ha ha.
Me: No, seriously. I’m so gay already that I wouldn’t wear a “I’d go gay for Shane” T-shirt.
E: I would so wear a “Jenny made me straight” T-shirt tho.
Me: Yah me too.

Sometimes the world begins,
sets you up on your feet again
and oh, it wipes the tears from your eyes
How will you ever know,
the way that circumstances go
always gonna hit you by surprise
Well, I know in my past
you were there
In everything I’ve done
you are the one

– blue rodeo, five days in may

The fog bank descended on Vancouver early this morning. I wasn’t early enough to shoot the best of it, but did manage to run home after the gym and grab my camera. Running out the door, I snapped a few pictures just in time as the sun came out. This particular flower was shot with the sun’s natural spotlight, then manipulated with Picassa software. Not much was done; I simply increased the fill light and added warmth to the picture. The result, as you can see, is something else altogether.

There are purists like my brother who insist on shooting on film and capture what was there, never to be changed. The truth is, even with film, image processing has always been done. That is why there are darkroom techniques. I love film and there are things that film will allow you to capture that a digital sensor won’t. And someday, I will get to the point where I will go back to basics with a film camera.

But I like to think that just as there have always been darkroom secrets, there’s gotta be leeway for doing the same things on a computer. Eh?