A New Toy for Me

I am always excited when I get to play with new technology. I am more excited when I get to own the technology. Due to a tax return, I am doing my part to stimulate the economy and purchased a new digital camera. It was a steal! I have been looking for a while and coveting for a long time. The Costco coupon confirmed my desires and I am now the ecstatic owner of a Nikon S52c. It was over $100 off the Amazon price, plus I got a leather case and 1GB memory card for free! My good friend Hilary and I were both recipients of this Tech Deal of the Day. And even though we both wanted the sleek red version and had to get the black due to availability, I call it a win all the way around.

There are some very cool features that this camera has that I never thought would even be available on a camera, but are now found on mine (which was only released 3 weeks ago). I can fix red eye in the camera before I make prints or load the pictures onto my computer. When I am on vacation and take that picture of the very important land mark because the tour guide tells me to, I can record a 20 second voice over to the picture so that when I get back from vacation I will remember why that very strange building is important. All of the optical zoom is inside the camera itself, so it never protrudes beyond the 0.9 inch width of the camera. It has all the bells and whistles for shooting that a modern camera should have.

However there are two features that are the COOLEST I have ever encountered. I can create slideshows with pictures and movies, with background music, in the camera. And the one that I thought was totally unimaginable is that I have wi-fi in my camera!!!! Yes, you read that right. All I have to do is plug in my camera, to the electric source and it will automatically charge my battery and download my pictures to the wireless source I have designated! How cool is that!?!?

So you can look forward to some awesome pictures to come from my new camera. I hope to be able to share slideshows and features and the joys of technology ownership.

An Emergent Visit

I was on my way to a Girls' Camp Meeting when Caitlin (my sister) called in hysterics. She had, "sliced part of her finger off in the meet slicer" at work. In about 20 minutes from the slicing of the wrong kind of meat we pulled up to the best parking I have ever had at the St. Vincent Memorial Emergency Room. In fact, now that I think about it, I don't think better parking exists unless you have a red flashing light and a siren.

It was still bleeding when we arrived. But five shot, four pills and three stitches later, she was ready to go. On the below picture you can even count the three stitches. That'll be fun for Margaret!

Caity, who is also known as Landy in Portland, only cried twice. But oh that I could have had a video of her receiving the injection before the stitches went in! I have never seen anything so funny in my life...except for maybe the "Windy City Marshmallow Game" on The Ellen Show. All in all, it was an enjoyable and productive trip to the ER. We were in and out in roughly 75 minutes...perhaps a new record!

Life is better living thru chemistry...maybe.

I have the joys of taking this wonderful drug three times a day. Amoxicillin, aka-Trimox, will hopefully cure the woes of my dual ear infection. I have watched every episode of Law and Order I have recorded, seen far too much TLC in a 48 hour period, and am finally back at work. My ear still hurts, but the fever is gone. I wish I were still in my PJs...but life goes on. Oh well.

Unfortunately the status of my clean house has suffered due to my illness. I will reinstate the 50 cent rule tonight and the house should rectify itself swiftly.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Well, it was my first official Mother's Day. It was a very enjoyable day indeed. Chruch was fabulous; I received my consolation geranium with pride. I had a bouquet of fresh flowers on my clean kitchen table. I talked to my mom. I opened the cheesiest card with the hand-written part starting, "This was the last card at Safeway's, I would have gotten you something more exciting." I unwrapped my first legit gift. Although to use the word "unwrap" is a slight exaggeration. There was a piece of newsprint paper declaring it to be fancy wrapping paper, but I could see right through it...quite literally. On the inside of said "wrapping" was this:This immersion blender that I have desired for quite sometime features:

• A robust motor and durable blending attachment that includes a premium stainless steel blade
  

AND

• Variable speeds provide greater processing control that adjusts to handle a variety of foods, beverages and soups

We made berry sorbet; it was DELICIOUS!!! The day ended with a wonderful dinner with La Familia Barney (our cousins who live right here in the 'Tron). It truly was a day to be remembered.

Another Wedding...still not mine.

My little brother just announced that he is getting married!!!!

Little Zach is marrying Danielle on July 18th(ish) in the Logan Utah Temple. Danielle (whose picture is coming) is also a student at BYU-I in Rexburg, ID and is originally from Mississippi. I have met her and she is really nice. I am excited to have another sister in the family.

My Jane Austen Heroine

Take the Quiz here!

The last time I took this quiz I was Elizabeth Bennet. I admit freely that I know very little about the heroine, Anne Elliot. This is what the quiz says of Anne Elliot:

You are Anne Elliot of Persuasion! Let's face it; you're easily persuaded, particularly when friends and relatives try to use "the Elliot way" against you. But this doesn't mean that you don't have conviction. Actually, your sense of duty is overwhelming. And though you won't stick your neck out too often, you have learned to speak up when it counts. To boot, you know how to handle sticky situations. You love deeply and constantly.

I don't think this is me...I don't think I am easily persuaded. Though I have had the unfortune of partaking of buttermilk, vegetable oil and clam juice....so maybe I am.

It's a Girl!!

Arriving August 1, 2007 120 lbs. 64 inches!

Many of you may not know that I am a foster parent. The attached Asian is now more permanently attached. Gabi came to live with me last summer. She was a student of mine for two years before she move in. Now she calls my wee house, "home."

Gabi is Korean, no I mean actually from Korea. Born and raised in South Korea in the Capital city of Seoul, she speaks perfect Korean. Luckily for me her English is pretty fantastic. Since my good Cousin Scott only taught me one word in Korean this is especially good, otherwise she would be answering my questions of, "why" or "weyo" at all times. She is a senior this year and will graduate in less than a month, yikes!! We are deeply entrenched in the process of getting into college. She was just accepted to University of Oregon, which is exciting, but she is holding out for the true university of Oregon, Oregon State (Go Beavers!).

Now for the dirt, parenting is the most interesting, hard, fun, rewarding, weird thing I have ever done. My little sis, Caitlin (aka-Lola, Landy, Caity, Clayton, George), moved in this year too. The house has been full, and dirty. The new 50 cent rule should help with the latter. (Each item left out in the front of the house is 50 cents, eg-pair of socks=two items.) I never imagined that my life would have ended up here, but here it is and I wouldn't have changed anything...except for that one sunburn that one time....oh well. I love my life and my little family here in "The 'Tron."

My new love affair...

...is with this man, Sondre Lerche. My newest favorite movie, Dan in Real Life (which makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it), was scored by this unassuming artist from Norway. His music makes me happy. I hope it will make you happy too...be prepared to be surprised. Also, he is cute.

New Glasses

I picked up my new glasses today. I was astonished when my doctor called to tell me that they were finished. I just ordered them on Tuesday, yet here we are less than four days later with new specs. I like them a lot. I am not yet sure I will like the prescription filling the frames, but so far I have no major complaints.

As many of you know...or don't know...I have had the grand pleasure of wearing bifocals since early in my high school career. As you can see, or not see as the case may be, I now have bifocals with no line. This is very cool and expensive. Although not as expensive as the non-glare finish I had put on these lenses for a cool $70. However, I now get the pleasure of viewing the world as though there were no broken piece of glass between me and everything else.

Welcome to my World!!!

I've always thought that my life should be a sitcom. The title would decidedly be Smalgina's World. But since I don't have any offers from any major (or minor) networks to film my life, I turn to the world of blogging. I admit it is an interesting move for me. One that has enticed me for awhile now, but since I am lazy didn't really want to make the commitment to posting my thoughts and goings on for the world wide web to see. So here I go making no promises, except to update this fortnightly at worst.

Today I am wearing a mu'umu'u to school. It was Heritage Day to celebrate our heritage. Since I am truly a mutt, I wore my mother's traditional oversized, floor-length nightgown with aloha flair. I admit it is likely the most comfortable thing I have ever worn to work. I went completely local style and picked a flower on my way to the car for my ear. I wish I lived in Hawaii for a variety of reasons, however today it is that I could wear a mu'umu'u every Friday....at least.