It was down to the PowerShot S95 and the Lumix LX5. I was already leaning towards the Lumix, but I didn’t know if I could get used to it since I’ve been a Canon user all this time, and let’s face it, change can be annoying. But after getting the thumbs up from an old friend, I was convinced.

Everyone, meet Raul. Isn’t he retrolicious? ;)

(Yes, in case you’re not in the know, this 29-year-old still names her stuff. My 40D’s called Ramon. My Mac’s called Rusty. My MacBook’s Rusty Jr. And it’s pure coincidence that they ALL start with the letter R. Seriously.)

So what I really like about this is that it has full manual control, a nice 24mm lens, goes down to f/2.0 and it has a good weight to it. I don’t like my equipment too light because it makes me feel like I’m holding on to nothing, so with Raul weighing in at 271g, I find it to be just right. My only complaint is that I need to buy a lens adapter if I want to get the wide-angle conversion lens. Seriously?! Otherwise, can’t wait to start playing with it. :p

. . . . .

Song of the Day is more like an entire acoustic set. Enjoy!

Iron & Wine 4AD Session

You know how you cut out pictures from magazines and put them in scrapbooks, as some kind of idea folder? That’s exactly what Pinterest does and I am having way too much fun with it.

When my colleague first introduced Pinterest to me, I wondered how was this any different from Tumblr. And to be honest, it’s not entirely different, but what I love is that you get to create different folders or “boards” which helps you to categorise your various “interests”. It then becomes this supremely organised online folder which is not only easily accessible, but highly addictive too. You’ll keep wanting to pin everything you like. Pinterest also has an app for iPhone/iPad users so you can pin and repin on the go.

I’m currently using Pinterest mainly to consolidate ideas for my future (dream) home, and also for anything else that inspires me. Signing up for an account isn’t immediate. You’ll actually need to wait for them to email you back with a code, which can take up to a week, I’ve heard. But if you’d like to get one right now, just leave a comment with your email and I’ll send you an invite. Feel free to follow me once you’re in. ;)

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Soul To Squeeze, by Red Hot Chili Peppers

SO TRUE.

(via Bob Loblaw’s Law Blog)

#2

I’m inspired to start my own iPad band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAllFWSl998

#3

Are you playing Words With Friends? If you are, feel free to invite me to a game. I’m completely hooked! :p Username’s allysont.

#4

I thought Community’s Halloween episode was seriously good.

Zombies + Abba + Lady Gaga + George Takei + Star Wars reference + Flying Cat = TOTAL WIN.

I really wish more people would watch it so it won’t run the risk of being prematurely cancelled.

*fingers crossed*

#5

Today was a good day. I had a nice, leisurely morning at work, then I enjoyed an afternoon relaxing and watching some TV. The cherry on top? A glorious evening with my girls.

What a blissful Friday. :)

Aside: I’m honestly quite annoyed that language today has been watered down to mere abbreviations. Apparently, it is more important to type fast than to convey meaning?

Over the years, I became more aware of my own usage of haha and I realised that this seemingly insignificant word (if it even is a word) can also connote feelings of condescension and frustration, even though it would almost always be interpreted as an expression of laughter by the other party. Here’s how I’ve incorporated the humble haha:

1. That’s freaking hilarious! I’m totally in guffaws here!

2. I get you’re trying to make a joke, and I don’t exactly find it funny, but I’d laugh with you anyway.

3. I can’t believe you’re foolish enough to believe that, so I’m totally laughing at you, rather than with you.

4. I’m not really paying attention, but I’m saying “haha”, cos you said “haha” first.

5. Wow. You actually said something so un-politically correct? *nervous*

6. I really don’t want to ruffle any feathers here… But I need to say it anyway.

7. You’re being a complete idiot. But I can’t be bothered to argue with you.

8. In your face, suckerrrr!

9. Something is seriously bothering me but I just don’t want to talk about it. So let’s move on, shall we?

10. I really don’t know what else to say to you, so let’s hope this conversation ends soon.

How do you use the haha?

So how am I liking the iPad? Well, allow me to share with you the whole unpacking process first:

Sitting unsuspectingly in the box…

And the iPad is unveiled!

Unwrapping the contents of the box…

Aaaaand here it is!

My initial thoughts after playing with it for 10 minutes? I’m glad I didn’t get the iPhone. Even on the iPad with its much bigger screen, I had difficulty typing. Imagine me texting constantly on the iPhone with those itty bitty buttons. I would’ve yelled at the screen countless times. Nonetheless, the interface was stunning and I was really liking the mobility it provided me.

I started downloading apps next (but of course). It was quite exciting finally being able to access these apps that many iPhone users around me have been raving about. But I later realised that many did not appeal to my interest. So I started deleting them one by one, and focused on apps for Social Networking (Flipboard, TweetDeck, TumbLiking), reading (Marvel, iBooks), and other online media and sites that I usually indulge in (BBC News, Vanity Fair, eBay, IMDB). I did also find some games of interest, and started playing around with those too. I then realised I was simply going to use iPad as a more mobile option for days where I don’t need the power of a desktop for work, or when I don’t need to work out of home. In fact, I’m also most likely never going to blog from my iPad, what with my inability to type fast enough on the touchscreen (I’m typing this on my iMac right now).

A couple of days later, my mum asked if she could use the iPad, so I got her to play Sudoku on it. She was engaged for 3 solid hours and only stopped cos we needed to have dinner. I then taught her how to work around the interface and she’s almost working it like a pro now. See, that’s what I love about Macs. They’re just so darn easy and intuitive that any one can use it without major problems (Inside joke moment: Alas, Dia, I’m sure cats still won’t know how to work it. Heheh.) So I may use the iPad mostly for entertainment, and if I had to choose between this and my MacBook, I’d pick the MacBook without hesitation. But the accessibility it gives me is undeniable, and I can’t wait to find new ways to incorporate it into my life.

Allow me to admit right now – I don’t know why I need an iPad. I just know that I want one, and I want it BAD.

And see, that’s the thing. I believe the iPad wasn’t created to fill a need that the tech industry overlooked (to an extent, I believe many of us think of it as a glorified tablet). It was developed so it can give us an additional layer of convenience that people would appreciate, but can also do without. It was developed so we can get information on the go, and not have to squint our eyes while we’re at it. It was developed so we can surf the web easily while lazing in bed, cos seriously, don’t we all want to do that? But will our lives be greatly hampered without such convenience? Certainly not. Slate wrote a great article about this, which I encourage you to read, especially if you’re considering getting one yourself.

With the device finally launching in Singy this Friday (23 July), I now face the dilemma of deciding exactly how much I am willing to spend on the iPad, and if I really should get one at all. At S$728 for 16GB (no 3G), it’s hardly spare change. And if I get one with 3G, that’s gonna set me back another S$200 more. And is the 16GB even enough for the kind of user that I am? Am I gonna kick myself when I see the improvements Apple will make to the 2nd generation?

So as a quasi-technophile who has a love for pretty things, I decided to draw up a list of uses. Bear with me here, especially if you don’t care for the iPad, but if you know me personally, please read on and tell me if I have a case.

1. Surfing
I’m more than happy with my iMac and MacBook, and I’ve more than often snuggled in bed with my MacBook. Unfortunately, it is cumbersome and I’d have to sit in a certain way, which isn’t all too comfortable after awhile. With the iPad weighing in at under 1kg, I can easily take it everywhere around the house (and outside too), and tweet, view recipes, share content with others.

2. Reading
As much as I love reading (whenver time permits, at least), I really don’t have room to store any more books, what with all the DVDs and CDs I already have. With eBooks, I do feel that I can still indulge in this pleasure and not have to worry about storage space. Then there’s all the international magazines/publications in the world I can subscribe to, without having to fork out ridiculous amounts for shipping. Besides, have you seen the Marvel app? SO GORGEOUS.

3. Games
I don’t play a whole lot of games as it is, but because the games developed for the iPad/iPhone are so intuitive and made for me, the casual gamer, it’ll provide me with endless hours of fun. Something that’s extremely welcomed after my daily 10-hour grind at work.

As you can see, I’d be using the iPad purely for entertainment. I did consider mentioning that I’ll be using it for work too, for when I show my classes all the fancy FrontPage presentations and what not, but I figured I probably won’t be using that feature as often when I really get down to it.

So now that you know my main uses for the iPad, should I even get one? If I do, should I get it with 3G or without? Will 16GB be enough? Help?

- – - – -

Edit: THIS. This pretty much gives me another reason to get an iPad.

I finally caved and got an iPod.

I never saw the need to have thousands of songs. It was all a bit excessive if you asked me. I always reasoned that I’m never on the road for such an extended period of time that I’ll need to have an entire library of songs at my fingertips. I was also very happy with my Sony Discman (yes, I still buy CDs although the frequency of that has dropped drastically) and I had a functioning Samsung MP3 player, with a mere capacity of 512MB, which was really more than enough for my needs. So, no. The iPod was never on any of my wishlists.

Of course, all that has changed after 8? 9? years, since this tiny music device was first launched. Mostly because:

1. I now have the financial capacity to buy my own tech toys.
2. I’ve recently replaced my old Sennheiser headphones and they are begging to be used.
3. This new iPod nano has a nifty video recording function which kinda looks good.
4. I’m starting to miss listening to music as I travel from place to place.

Allow me to explain point number 4: You see, work is a mere 15-20 minutes away, so I’ve not bothered to listen to any music as I travel to and fro over the past few years, choosing to spend my time on the commute catching up with news/tweets on my BlackBerry. To me, music is an experience that needs to last wayyy longer than 15-20 minutes. Cutting it short just seems… wrong. But yes, because I’ve not been listening to any music outside of home and the office for at least 3 years, I’ve really come to miss it tremendously. There’s just something special about walking through a park, or taking a long bus ride while listening to music that speaks to your soul, y’know?

So there’s the product shot of my new iPod nano up there, which has been projected to arrive at my doorstep on May 13. I was originally gonna go with either the yellow or the black, but seeing as the red one was tied in with (RED), and I didn’t mind the colour, I picked this one instead. Anything to support a worthy cause, no? ;)

(Hands up if you just copied that move.)

Then I also reasoned: Every now and then, someone doing a Google search stumbles upon this blog and who knows, one of my posts might just provide a high school student or some random person with information that is deemed valuable or interesting enough to share with friends, but she doesn’t wanna have to access her email to share this post… that’s just too much of a hassle… oh, lookie here! Whaddya know? There’s a Like button right there! Now, thanks to this button, this person can just click on it, and share it with all of her friends on Facebook. Now, wasn’t that easy? That, my friends, is what I call FORWARD THINKING.

I know. I’m incredibly thoughtful.

Even if you’re a small-time (and sporadic) blogger like me, go ahead. Let’s all embrace Facebook’s Like button. Let’s be thoughtful together. ;)

I came across this today and thought it might be quite interesting to do. Not only does it keep me Tumblr-ing more consistently, it also helps me take that little step to achieving the perseverance to see through a whole web project. Goodness knows how many times I’ve failed at that! Anyhow, be sure to check out my Tumblr to see if I emerge victorious, or crash, like I usually do. :p

And to make this challenge more um, challenging, I’m going to continue blogging here as often as I’ve been doing the past few weeks. *gasp* I know right! How exactly is she going to keep this up? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. Heheh.

Part of me is envious that she’s able to so easily choose the simpler life. I know many people who yearn for that (myself included), but have never taken that bold step to abandon the globalised world and go back to basics. And as much as I’d love to be free from the stress of living up to societal norms, I really don’t know if I’m able to forsake the convenience and accessibility of life as I presently know it. For instance, just spending a day without my mobile phone can be somewhat disorienting. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not surgically attached to my phone. I simply can’t see myself choosing to go without it for an extended period of time. Especially not after I’ve experienced the type of ease it avails to me. Can you?

It really is quite hard to let go now that I’ve sunken my teeth into the technological fruits (Apple & BlackBerry). Perhaps when I’m older, and less in need of staying so “connected”, will I be able to retreat into my quaint little abode. But before that, please don’t judge me as I continue to be sucked in to everything that is the 21st century.