Elsa's Live JournalElsa's Live Journal - LiveJournal.comPatriotism- February 26, 2008 Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.-- John F. KennedyOK, I'm writing this because I'm annoyed by the "flag lapel pin" non-controversy. Really... NON-controversy. If this is the best the opposition can come up with, Barack Obama is a shoo-in.Obama doesn't wear a flag pin. So MSNBC and CNN start asking "Is he patriotic enough to be president"Stupid question. There is no greater act of patriotism than to put yourself out there in public, suffer the...http://elsaf.livejournal.com/459989.html Snow!- February 26, 2008 Pretty... but I've got to get outside and shovel it now."Hey! My yard's all covered up in this yucky snow!""I shake and more flakes just keep falling on me. MAKE IT STOP, MOMMY!"ETA: Shoveling is done. There are two ways to get the snow off the walk. 1. Me and my shovel. 2. Kids come to the door. Today it was me and my shovel.http://elsaf.livejournal.com/459567.html New camera- February 9, 2008 I got myself a new camera (on eBay) this week. It arrived yesterday afternoon.I've been using a Kodak Easy Share camera for the past year. I think I'll still use it for some things. It has many nice features. However, it's always been inadequate for closeup photography. I've been frustrated with it as I tried to take pictures of the flowers in my garden, because it won't focus closer than about three feet.I chose this new camera because it has a very good macro function. It focuses down to .75..http://elsaf.livejournal.com/458337.html Winter is back- February 7, 2008 What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, I was heralding the first sign of spring -- crocus shoots. Today ... It rained most of the day -- nasty, cold, just short of freezing rain. Then, late in the afternoon, the rain turned to snow, and it kept coming down. There were four inches of heavy, wet snow on the ground before it was finished.Here's my arbor. It was covered in yellow climbing roses until mid-October.And here are my bird feeders:I did my shoveling after dark. (I'm home from work this.http://elsaf.livejournal.com/458062.html Spring is coming- February 5, 2008 The rain today melted all the snow off my flower beds. It's supposed to turn cold again tonight, but it doesn't matter. It's still early February, and winter weather in Michigan generally persists through March (and sometimes into April), but it doesn't matter. I may have to drive home tonight in freezing rain on slick roads, but it doesn't matter.The crocus I planted last fall are poking little green shoots through the ground out into the light. That's right, on Feb. 5, with at least six more..http://elsaf.livejournal.com/457958.html Offered just because it's cool- February 3, 2008 Full disclosure: I'm an Obama supporter, at the moment. I'm not totally committed -- that is, if Clinton gets the nomination I will switch over to her with very little problem. I think they both have strengths. But that's not what I wanted to talk about right now.Most people have probably already seen this, but I'm going to link to it just because I think it's the best political video I've ever seen -- for ANY candidate. I'm told it has even been posted on Republican blogs (along with "Why...http://elsaf.livejournal.com/457662.html Animated films- February 1, 2008 I've seen several mainstream animated films recently that surprised me with their dramatic quality.In 2006, I saw several animated films that convinced me that the leaps in animation technology were leaving storytelling behind. In particular, "Robots," which was really mediocre, and "Madagascar," which had some good ideas, but ran out of steam more than concluded. I'm of the opinion that "Madagascar" would have been much better if they'd focused on the penguins.I saw "Shrek III" over the...http://elsaf.livejournal.com/457326.html |