Cacti

Here are the last pictures from my early April trip to Arizona. I had fun using some of the SLR features of my new camera, especially the one where I can do manual focusing. When I am taking close-up pictures, a auto-focus often chooses something other than what I want as the main object to focus on.

With the manual focus and the interchangeable lenses of the DSLR, it feels just like taking pictures with a "regular" camera, except that I am not wasting film if I take 15 pictures of the same thing as I try different settings.

I missed that flexibility with our other digital cameras. That, and the viewfinder. I don't mind the viewing screen, but I prefer to use it as a post-picture check to make sure I got what I was trying for. Somehow, it never felt quite right not to have the camera up to my eye while I was shooting.

But I do love not wasting film. Since, I like my father, take way too many pictures at every opportunity, it is really nice not to have to pay to develop all that film just to get a small batch of good photos.

Bear with me...

I still have a day's worth of pictures from Arizona, and some of my garden (from a month ago), and now I have a whole camera full of pictures from Bellevue and Seattle. But I didn't get home until 1 AM on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, and zombie-walked my way through the day yesterday. Today I am more awake, but I just haven't gotten my brain into composing mode. Maybe tomorrow.

I haven't actually signed up for the 5K yet, but here is the race I plan to do: the Paws on the Pavement 5k for CARE for Animals. You can walk it too - hint hint to anyone out there who needs something to do on Saturday, June 4th. I intend to run the entire thing, assuming I get my training ramped up in time. I am still trying to analyze my reasons for doing this, but I guess it doesn't matter. Anything that gets me moving and gives me a challenge is a good thing.

We didn't have any damage from the recent storms, apart from some small branches that fell out of the oaks in the backyard. If you want some information about where to give to help, check out my work blog.

Anyway, sorry for the silence this week. I promise to try harder next week.

OK, I am going to do it

Not a marathon, not yet, but I have decided to run a 5K. There is one in June that is a fund raiser for an animal rescue charity in Little Rock. Benjamin has promised to run with me. I think I can get up to running a full 5K by then - I did more than that on the treadmill yesterday, but that was with walking intervals interspersed.

I'm not sure why I have a desire to do this all of a sudden, although I am sure reading about Chris's runs are part of it. And a need to keep pushing myself. Whatever the reason, I am sure I can do it - heck, I was hiking a 5K into the beach with a 45 pound pack when I was 12. Surely I can run a 5K now!