fun times with the new camera…

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So, I broke down (it doesn’t require a lot to make that happen) and bought the new camera I’ve been wanting for forever. Well, kind of wanting for forever. I’ve wanted a new camera ever since I purchased one for the ex-fiance for his birthday, because it was so small and light-weight and my point and shoot is kind of a beastly dinosaur. So, I’ve been looking. But the other day, when I saw the pictures KP shot with her camera, I decided I really wanted a digital SLR. So, I did it. I am the proud new owner of a Nikon D40 SLR and I am so excited. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m loving it. After watching the AC photo shoot today (they were using my house for the back drop), I realized that a) I have a long way to go and b) I am excited to stage some pics and see what it can do (or what I can do with it). Here are my first attempts. Nothing too impressive, but I had a good time.

pretty purple (and blue and green) butterfly…

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If I had one wish (besides the obvious “World Peace”, I would wish that I could be a professional hobbyist (not to be confused with lobbyist…a profession that would require way to much commitment on my part). I would be so super successful. Between the voice lessons, cooking, cake decorating, running, writing, blogging, music listening, reading, photographing (I’ve decided, after drooling over KP’s camera yesterday, that a digital SLR will be my next big–correction–huge investment), hiking, scuba diving, traveling, makeup applying (although, I did do that professionally for a while), etc, etc, etc, I would never run out of things to do. Is there such a thing as a professional amateur? Hmm, how could I market that? Better question, how could I finance it?

In any case, here’s the first attempt at cake decorating…at least in a class setting. I must admit that I was quite pleased with the results.

Before…
And after…

I have to thank Jen for letting me borrow the cake pan and other supplies. And I must thank my mother for the countless occasions on which she baked dozens of sugar cookies, whipped pounds of powdered sugar and shortening into frosting and let us (and often several of our friends) make a mess decorating our hearts out.

Oh, another hobby/amateur profession (yep, I know that’s an oxymoron) for the list…award acceptance speech writing. Ha ha ha! Do you ever write something, then read it and think, “Wow, I’m an even bigger dork than I thought I was”?

productively procrastinating…

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I am sitting in front of my computer right now (obviously) thinking about all of the things I should be doing rather than doing them. I came home and did the dishes. That’s something. And my friend, Catherine, will be here any minute so that we can go exercise, but I just can’t seem to get myself to do all of the things I need to be doing. I’ve been up until 2:30 the past two nights…productively procrastinating.

I baked a cake for my cake decorating class. I selected new pieces to work on in my voice lessons. I discovered that I lose all of my vocal inhibitions when I have a microphone in my hand, or anything else I can feasibly utilize in place of a microphone; last night, it was a round brush. And yes, I guarantee you that you wish you had a picture. Even just thinking about it makes me laugh.

I am getting caught up on my journal writing. I downloaded my pictures from Vegas. I unpacked from my trip only to repack for another on Thursday. I hung up my new clothes from Banana (outlet shopping on 30% off weekend with a 50% off coupon makes what I am going to say next okay) as motivation…I need to drop about five pounds for them to fit perfectly. I organized all of my cake decorating tools. I did my dishes (I live in a dishwasher free apartment over the garage). I discovered a new band that I am enjoying. I am almost finished with Genesis.

Somehow my productivity level ceases with folding laundry, though…so that has yet to be done. But I am getting desperate and running out of productive things to do in an effort to avoid my two papers, lecture (on DVD) and quiz that all need to be “worked on” before I go to bed tonight.

Catherine better get here soon, or I may have to succumb to the beast I call “Clean Laundry”. Perhaps I should start writing a paper? Huh, something to think about. Maybe I’ll contemplate that while I wait for Catherine to get here.