Apparently, I joined Flickr.com back in June, which I don't even remember doing, but at least I remembered my login and password. Ben mentioned it to me again earlier today, so I had another look.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gailontheweb/
I've added 11 photos so far, but I'll keep adding, so check back later.
I think Flickr has gone through a lot of changes, because I don't remember it being this feature-rich when I first looked into it. Their uploading tool is a winner, as well as the Organizer. You can read their FAQs yourself, so I'm just going to point you their way, and do add me as a contact (gailontheweb) if you decide to join. I've got photos on Multiply, .node (dotnode), and Orkut, but I really like Flickr's interface and I've discovered they're also a local company (the office is within walking distance). I even recognised some of the names of Ludicorp principals (the development company), from Orkut!
Friday, September 10, 2004
Thursday, September 09, 2004
No Two Sunsets Are Alike
Tonight while I was working at my computer, I caught a tree-filtered gleam of a gorgeous sunset. I grabbed the camera and managed to capture some rays of fading light on English Bay. (Click on the photo at right to see the unusual light patterns -- golden and mysterious.) The sun rises and sets every single day, I thought to myself. Yet, I keep looking out the window at the ocean, I keep taking photos, I keep trying to capture the moment, not wanting it to slip away into oblivion. I am always very easily impressed by nature. The ocean has the same mesmerising effect on me, and I am forever taking photos of mountains. I am surrounded by all of this, every day, and I never tire of it.
This is still one of my favourite sunset photos. It was taken a few days into 1999, on a Dutch beach called Zaandvoort. I had just rung in the New Year on the Reeperbahn (the famous Red Light District of Hamburg) with Berit and Ansgar and went a bit overboard. From Germany I returned to Amsterdam (where I'd flown in on Christmas Day) to recover and meet up with Lucy, who was visiting me for a few days from England. Fedor, who was living in Hillegom at the time, drove us to Zaandvoort, where we frolicked in the sand, buffetted by a stiff January breeze. Every time I look at this photo, I remember that day. Feeling a bit rough (New Year's Eve in Hamburg was quite the blur), but that beach and that sunset are burned into memory.
This is still one of my favourite sunset photos. It was taken a few days into 1999, on a Dutch beach called Zaandvoort. I had just rung in the New Year on the Reeperbahn (the famous Red Light District of Hamburg) with Berit and Ansgar and went a bit overboard. From Germany I returned to Amsterdam (where I'd flown in on Christmas Day) to recover and meet up with Lucy, who was visiting me for a few days from England. Fedor, who was living in Hillegom at the time, drove us to Zaandvoort, where we frolicked in the sand, buffetted by a stiff January breeze. Every time I look at this photo, I remember that day. Feeling a bit rough (New Year's Eve in Hamburg was quite the blur), but that beach and that sunset are burned into memory.
Maria, Full of Grace
I saw Maria, Full of Grace earlier this evening and felt tense throughout the entire film. There were parts I found difficult to watch, even though there was no real gore shown, no scenes of a graphic nature, or anything truly objectionable. Have a read of the premise, and you'll get an idea of why I was squeamish. However, I wasn't squirming at the specific situation; rather, it was the moments of desperation that gripped me. If you have ever felt a heart-stopping moment of desperation, a sheer panic, a time when you asked a Higher Power to save you, then you will know what I'm talking about. Without spoiling the film, I can tell you the lead character gets into trouble, and -- at least for me -- there are moments when you could practically see the spike in electrical activity in her brain. This film troubled me without excessive drama, because in my mind's eye that was me so, so long ago, running in the darkness, looking for a way out.
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
I Need a New Computer
Oh YEAHHHH.....
For the record, my desire for a new computer has absolutely no correlation to the launch of the new iMac G5. None whatsoever. It is mere coincidence that Apple launched their newest Mac as a sleek, space efficient machine that happens to fit nicely in my space-challenged apartment.
I'm still on my first computer, a workhorse of a Pentium III 733. It's never turned off except when I'm on holiday, and when someone is staying here when I'm gone, it's still chugging away. I had it custom-built with additional bus speed, and the office added a CD-burner, another 256MB of RAM, it's on its second fan, second video card, second OS, and the other weekend Karl added 80GBs of disk space and a Firewire/USB2 card, for a grand total of 100GBs. My iPod has 20GBs, which matched what I had on the machine previously, and it was taking forever to synch up the iPod to the computer using a regular USB connection. But I run A LOT of programs simultaneously (I telecommute), and this machine is getting really slow and sluggish. I'll still keep it mostly for storage/archiving, but I'm going to need something much faster very soon.
For the record, my desire for a new computer has absolutely no correlation to the launch of the new iMac G5. None whatsoever. It is mere coincidence that Apple launched their newest Mac as a sleek, space efficient machine that happens to fit nicely in my space-challenged apartment.
I'm still on my first computer, a workhorse of a Pentium III 733. It's never turned off except when I'm on holiday, and when someone is staying here when I'm gone, it's still chugging away. I had it custom-built with additional bus speed, and the office added a CD-burner, another 256MB of RAM, it's on its second fan, second video card, second OS, and the other weekend Karl added 80GBs of disk space and a Firewire/USB2 card, for a grand total of 100GBs. My iPod has 20GBs, which matched what I had on the machine previously, and it was taking forever to synch up the iPod to the computer using a regular USB connection. But I run A LOT of programs simultaneously (I telecommute), and this machine is getting really slow and sluggish. I'll still keep it mostly for storage/archiving, but I'm going to need something much faster very soon.
Labour Day Outing: Last Trip to the Waterpark!!
Monday, September 06, 2004
Men in Uniform
A rare early morning, so I went to a cafe for breakfast before heading off to Safeway. There was a fire truck parked across the street, which I noticed but didn't think much of until I walked into Safeway and found it overrun with men in uniform. I couldn't stop staring at them. What is it about men in uniform, anyway? The entire produce department was filled with rows of dark blue issue Vancouver Rescue short-sleeve button-down shirts and navy trousers. I was so distracted by them, I couldn't even think of what fruits and vegetables to buy. Instead, I found myself circling the aisles... around and around, self-consciously averting my gaze down to the containers of tomatoes-on-the-vine that were on sale whenever I thought one of them caught me staring. Is it just my imagination or is this entire crew off a film set of actors who were supposed to be rescue workers?? Can there be such a high ratio of good-looking, buff men working for the rescue brigade? There are stations all over the West End; surely if I conducted an independent survey, I wouldn't find this ratio in real life?
What were they all doing at Safeway, anyway? I found several of them discussing what would be the cheapest such-and-such to buy. I almost blurted out a cheer when one of them tossed fruit to another guy holding a basket who missed the grab, but it hit him on the chest and fell in the basket. Eek--must not draw attention to myself, while feeling particularly UNglam on a Monday morning, hair unkempt and my glasses obscuring my eyes, I thought. So I just sauntered by, surreptitiously sneaking in one last look before moseying over to the household items aisle.
What were they all doing at Safeway, anyway? I found several of them discussing what would be the cheapest such-and-such to buy. I almost blurted out a cheer when one of them tossed fruit to another guy holding a basket who missed the grab, but it hit him on the chest and fell in the basket. Eek--must not draw attention to myself, while feeling particularly UNglam on a Monday morning, hair unkempt and my glasses obscuring my eyes, I thought. So I just sauntered by, surreptitiously sneaking in one last look before moseying over to the household items aisle.
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Where's Gail???
Yeah, I realise it looks like I've dropped off the face of the blogging universe, since it's been a full three weeks or so since I've written a proper entry. Reality bites, and it has bitten me hard on the ass... I've been rather busy! Between lots of projects, socialising, and seeing the kidlets on weeknights, I've not been posting much on Blogger. Also, I was dogged by a cold for the last week or so, and I'm still trying to stave off the remnants of it -- niggling runny nose, and all that. I downed a lot of vitamins and such last weekend, as I was hosting Karl and attending Erich's wedding (and playing photographer). Seems that the arsenal of chemicals staved off the symptoms long enough to get me through those days, but I crashed hard last Sunday night.
I'm working on bringing the blog up to date, so just bear with me while I try and wrack my brain to remember the past few weeks!
I'm working on bringing the blog up to date, so just bear with me while I try and wrack my brain to remember the past few weeks!
Eliza, the Crazy Cat Lady
I was over at Eliza's for fondue that Kristin brought back from Switzerland. After drowning ourselves in cheese, we took to taking photos of the cats. Eliza's got a fancier camera than I do, but as we discovered, I have a lot more manual features that allow me to control exposure, aperture, flash, and shutter speed.
Tako is tough to shoot as he's a black cat...
... also because he's insane and can't keep still.
Tako is tough to shoot as he's a black cat...
... also because he's insane and can't keep still.
Friday, September 03, 2004
Michael Turns 4
It was Michael's 4th birthday on Thursday, and apparently he was adamant about celebrating on the actual day instead of waiting for the weekend. Cheryl says he's learning his days of the week and the months of the year, so he knows exactly what day he was born. Besides, knowing Michael's proclivity for remembering EVERYTHING, he would keep reminding us that Thursday was his birthday, anyway. So, it was important that I make it to Surrey on Thursday night, even if it meant hightailing it on the 5:15pm ferry from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay after a short day at the office. Disappointing a 4-year old, even with a good excuse, well, can't be excused. I distinctly remember the look on Michael's little face when he said something last year about Uncle Alvin missing his birthday, and, come to think of it, Uncle Alvin has missed ALL of his birthdays... I really couldn't bear it if Michael said that about me... when you're only 4, every birthday counts.
Michael's Birthday - Ofoto photo album
"Michael, show us your blue tongue!" -- he was only too happy to comply.
Michael and Maddy
Michael's ready to pounce on his Bob the Builder loot!!
Pure glee! There's nothing more delightful than watching little kids open presents. Even if you wrapped a box full of toys they already own, they would be ecstatic!
Maribeth
Maribeth
Megan
Michael's Birthday - Ofoto photo album
"Michael, show us your blue tongue!" -- he was only too happy to comply.
Michael and Maddy
Michael's ready to pounce on his Bob the Builder loot!!
Pure glee! There's nothing more delightful than watching little kids open presents. Even if you wrapped a box full of toys they already own, they would be ecstatic!
Maribeth
Maribeth
Megan
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