Happy Thanksgiving And A Letter To Santa!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Thanksgiving used to be my very favorite holiday of the year - it was a huge family reunion at granny's - good food - aunts, uncles and cousins - and sometimes company from the 'old country' where my grandparents were born or came from (Georgia, USA). Christmas was never quite as much - we didn't get a lot of presents - well there were new clothes and maybe one toy.

Let me be Frank, or somebody, I don't care much about either holiday anymore - as I've gotten older - there's just the two of us - too few to fix more than a sandwich - so we go out, maybe, or go on a picnic if the weather is really nice on turkey day. Christmas - all a glitter about spending too much money - a tree that only we might appreciate - a lot of trouble to put up and take down - gifts - we gift each other all year 'round - or we buy what we want when we see it - seldom pretty packaging needed.

Turkey day this year will either be Hardee's for hamburgers or maybe the Cracker Barrel - their food is supposed to be edible. Christmas - who knows - it's still a month away.

My wishes for Michael are a new camera or any other hearts desire, and the same for each of you. Enjoy this season - try to be thankful on Thanksgiving, and for certain be joyful in the season of Christmas. Remember it's not YOUR birthday - and by now you should probably already have gotten your gift from the real birthday boy. think of ways to bring joy to those who may not otherwise have a joyful Christmas.

So sorry to hear about the demise of your camera, Michael. Is the lens still usable? I know how you feel, since buying my SLR I no longer want to use a point and shoot, no matter how fancy they are. Since you are a good boy you will probably get a new and even better camera! It may look dismal right now but be patient.

I'm probably like you, athletic (I saw those moves in your video!) and a quick person. I'm generally not deliberate in my movements and have to have a rock crystal bezel on my watch or I will scratch and break it within a year!

The more you use a camera the higher the chances are of it dropping it. You may want to consider a Pentax SLR if your lens is no longer fixable. I believe all of the SLR models still have steel housing and are waterproof. You can buy a two or three year old K-5 DSLR, top of the line of the pro-sumer camera for $400 or less (retailed at originally $900 discounted) with high ISO and all the bells and whistles.

Pentax is known for high ISO. I bought my camera used, it is six years old and I love it! I have dropped it on the wood floor and it works perfectly, although if dropped on concrete it may jar the inner workings and need to be fixed, the outer shell is like a tank, heavy like a pro camera. I like the extra protection. Most of the lenses made for Pentax DSLRs through the years fit all models and are known for being sharp although third party lenses are good too.

Here is the Pentax forum members market should you want to take a look (members are happy to answer any questions and normally give the number of clicks in the description along with other information, you know what you are getting).

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/

Neither are my holidays either but I wish for all of you a glorious season and that you find the essence of their purpose.
I am personally thrilled that my credit cards don't get maxxed out and that I don't have to fight the maddening crowds in the stores.
I make it a point every year to stay out of the stores, as my gift to those who need to be there.

Michael - I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved companion. I know how much photographing means to you - & how much you enjoyed your Nikon.
But I know you better.... every time life hands you a struggle ... you emerge triumphantly . Like a Phoenix rising you are .

This year (even more so than usual ) I am deeply grateful for a warm safe roof over my head, for myself & family and friends too.
Buffalo NY & the surrounding areas have suffered so greatly with this past storm. People are stuck in their houses with the walls & windows submerged in snow. Roofs are collapsing on them with the weight of the snow, & people have frozen to death being stranded in cars when ER personnel could not reach them.

As far as Christmas goes, I am not one for much fuss & fanfare. I enjoy a simple quiet Christmas, décor being based on what Nature provides - not glittered store bought items. I am not interested in shopping - but love spending time out strolling the little shoppes in Bethlehem PA - for that old fashioned Christmas feeling.
I am sure often thought of as the Scrooge or Grinch - I try to remind people the spirit of the holiday. The three Wise men did not give gifts to each other. They bestowed gifts upon an infant. An infant to me clearly symbolizing one who is in need - & can not provide for self.

Whether it is a human, or an animal - the gift of food or warmth is always the greatest need that we can provide for.

Warm joyous holidays to all - with cherished moments to reflect upon.

@Janine, accidents happen and it will be ok, next time I will carry insurance, and I still plan on shipping the camera to the manufacturer and perhaps it will be less to get it repaired than buy a brand new camera, as you mentioned there are so many less fortunate and I am thankful for what I have. I too prefer the rustic, vintage traditional holiday over the glitzy.......Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.......

@Marlene, I too avoid the stores also I stopped a long time ago, I have always made fresh breads, cookies, sweets, this year I will be making Irish Soda Bread as well, I recently incorporated with the family recipe from Ireland and use plan yogurt. I had an Irish aunt who would come live with us for a few years and make the journey back to the family farm in Roscrea, other family members have gone to visit and its on my bucket list, the Irish farm is one of the largest in that area.I had thought of going to live on the farm for a year would be great....i......I remember when I was very young, my parents would mass produce a holiday fruit cake which was passed down for generations.....we would all have a task to do making them weeks in advance of the holidays. My parents would give them out as gifts, then one year orders came in and individuals would pay my parents to make the family recipe loafs.....Being a chef I took the family recipe and produced fruit cake drops, and add before wrapping each individual drop a teaspoon of whiskey, and would include those with my other homemade baked gifts.....my father was an excellent baker chef and he created the formula for mass production of the family recipe passed down over generation. The kitchen pantry closet would hold close to 100 loaves he would pour whiskey and let them set. You can just image the aroma when the door was opened to the panty. Even today with my busy schedule I keep I manage to make fresh breads twice a week, a friend comes over and gobbles up my soda bread that is his favorite. I use raisons, currants, caraway and my personal preference is to use wheat germ in my receipe.

@Suzzane, thank you so much for the link, I have been reviewing it, my lens did not crack but the metal body around the edge smashed,,,,I am sure Nikon will be able to replace it and my cost to have it repaired will be minimum......and then again the impact may have damaged the electronics its digital......I have over the years took a break from photography, just like artist when you return you find yourself amazed at the new creativity.....and then again being away you notice it more than doing it day in day out......when I made the transition from SLR to digital which I have used now over a year I will be putting away funds to purchase an advanced model.....have a Happy Thanksgiving and thanks again...


@Roy its so true, as we get older I do not miss the hoopla or fuss.....and like yourself have gone out for Thanksgiving.....because my birthday time to time lands on Thanksgiving Day I will have family and friends over....this year all is quiet, I have been invited to friends house but then again I may be on a movie set.....that sure will be different.....there are a couple of options to work on Thanksgiving Day have not committed to the schedule yet.....thanks for sharing your thoughts.......wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving as well.