Addicted to Starbucks
Uhh… Hi, my name is… uh… Alan Howard. And ummm… I'm addicted to Starbucks.
I blame my friend Garry, who started me on this path some years ago, when we first started getting together and discussing my Star Trek: Rebellion game. We'd get together a couple of times a week, and he'd be my sounding board as I came up with ideas for developing and maintaing the story and the website.
Ever since then it's just been getting worse. Now I come here by myself, not needing the presence of any friends to join me or provide an excuse. I sit here alone, drinking that insidious chai latte, watching the asian babes – ahem, the people – walking past and writing for my blog/s.
9 January 2003
I've decided that this year is going to see me really improve on my photography interest. One of the biggest annoyances I've had with film photography is the cost involved in buying new film and development costs, accompanied by the hassle of not knowing how your shot turned out until you get the film developed.
After conducting some research on the net yesterday and today for a good digital camera, I've settled on:
http://www.digit-all-cameras.com/olympus/olympusc730.html
I organised purchase of it today, and it'll arrive in the country around January 15th, so in about 1 or 2 weeks I'll have it in my hot little hands.
The reason I decided on this is because:
– 30x zoom
– rechargeable batteries
– manual and auto features equivalent to a professional SLR camera
– flash
– USB connection for image downloading
– fast reaction to pressing the shutter button and refreshing for another shot
– ISO settings up to 800 (which means I can take nighttime shots)
Travelling to a wedding in Canberra
I've just completed catching up with this website, making sure that I've updated it with the story of my Queenstown trip and adding photos as well. Click on Previous (below) to read all about it.
The latest news is that it's been confirmed – I have had my contract extended for another month at work, so I'm pretty happy about that. I'm hoping they'll love me so much that they'll extend it forever… or take me on permanently.
Michelle and I have been having a few rough spots lately, mainly with communication problems, but we're sorting that out. We're too important to each other to let go so easily… I'm pretty confident that things are just going to get better and better, especially since it's so obvious to both her and I that we are completely committed to each other, and to making things work between us.
Hunting for guns
Wellington is certainly wild and woolly today… there's gale force winds here in excess of 120 kmh!! It's been raining buckets as well. I've got one of those lovely storm-views outside of my window. The harbour is full of white-capped waves, and the storm clouds are racing by at a great speed… wish I had a video camera.I went hunting for a gun today with a friend who's introduced me to indoor rifle shooting (it's like indoor cricket, but more exciting). We went to a gun shop owned by a friend of his who regularly lets him borrow rifles. We picked out a rifle for me to use tonight. It's only a .22, 'cause you can't shoot a heavier calibre indoors (but I'd LIKE to make that target disappear in one shot!), but it has a scope and everything… Last time I went shooting I was using a semi-automatic. The rifle I borrowed today is a bolt action. Apparently the trigger is a lot lighter and makes it more accurate 'cause the pull is lighter… so I'm seeing how I go.
