Digital Cameras

Should I bring a digital camera to Europe?

Originally, Alex and I thought it would be cool to take pictures on disposable cameras. We'd fill up the camera, find a post office and mail it home. We wouldn't have to worry about an expensive camera breaking or being stolen. We wouldn't have to worry about charging the camera, either. But the more I think about it, the more buying a real camera seems like a good idea.

As far as I can figure, the average low-budget Kodak disposable can cost anywhere from $4-$10. Developing said disposable will cost anywhere from $7-$12. Let's meet in the middle - that's something like $16 per camera. Each camera contains enough film for 27 shots. Touring Europe could be a little bit camera-intensive, but I'll be modest - 27 shots might last two days at best. We'll be there for thirty. That's fifteen cameras at $16 a piece. Do the math: that's $240! Not counting the cost of airmailing disposables from France to Ohio!

As far as I can tell, I'd probably be better served taking that $240 and actually investing in a digital camera. Almost any digital camera I buy will take better shots than a disposable camera would. So now I have a new dilemma. Do I actually invest in a snazzy, feature-rich, top-of-the-line ultracompact - the kind I would buy for myself post-trip - or do I just cut costs, buy a cheapie and be spared the worry?

I have my eye on a few cameras, but I'm mainly considering the Sony CyberShot DSC-T9 or DSC-T30. They're super tiny and have that stabilization pseudo-gimmick that I'm really interested in. I don't know, though... I just don't know.

The Big Move

Alright, so there was a big lapse in my relatively regular posting. Fortunately, I have a justifiable excuse. Over the past week, I've...

• Made 8 trips to and from Doylestown to help set up and attend my graduation party.
• Graduated.
• Moved most of my furniture out of my house.
• Packed up everything I own and fit it into the back of my car.
• Drove my sister to the airport at 4:30 in the morning.
• Consumed a respectable amount of Mad Dog.
• Watched the Lost and 24 season finales. (OMG!!1!)
• Drove to Ohio (~10 hours).
• Unloaded, etc.

So now I'm back at home with the parents and my sister. I'm re-adjusting to non-school life. It's strange. I still feel like I'm going back in the fall. I'm sure when work starts in August, I'll surely wish I was.

Apple Store

Okay, how awesome is the new Apple store in New York City going to be? Because I've heard some absolutely ridiculous things about it.

If you don't already know, Apple's opening a huge retail store this week in downtown Manhattan. The store's almost entirely underground. The entrance, however, is a huge (three story) glass cube with a staircase and elevator in the middle. You walk into the cube and travel down on the stairs or elevator to enter the store itself. The cube looks pretty awesome - there's even a huge, illuminated Apple logo suspended in the center.

The store itself is 20,000 square feet in area. Holy. Crap. That's enormous! My house is less than 3,000 square feet. My ENTIRE house. It doesn't seem like Apple really makes that many different products that they would need that much showcase space. Can you imagine 10,000 square feet devoted to iPods? I love iPods and all, but... unnecessary.

As if the size wasn't enough, Apple has announced that the store will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will never close. Whaaat?! Why does an Apple store need to be open at 4:00 AM? I know New York doesn't sleep, but that's just over-the-top. I've even heard rumors that some rather popular band will be making a surprise performance at the grand opening tonight.

If you ask me, this whole thing - the store, the cube, the size, the hours - all adds up to Apple showing off it's incredibly successful few years. With the iPod, the company has truly turned around. It's a veritable powerhouse now. And with the new products on the horizon that I've been hearing rumors about, their newfound empire is only going to grow. And grow. And grow.

Cleaning House

I spent most of the day packing my belongings and organizing the house. My four housemates and I all have to be out by June 1, but I'm leaving shortly after graduation. There are only a few things I have left to take care of. This house look so strange now. There are no banners or posters on the walls. There's nothing on the shelves or countertops. Yes, it's sad, but in a way, it's also very relaxing. Everything I own has either been thrown out or packed into one of a small handful of boxes. I'm now living almost entirely out ofa large backpack. I feel... streamlined.

I'm going to spend most of the summer living out of this backpack. In a few weeks, I'm heading to Europe with two friends for over a month. We have our tickets there and our tickets home and no obligations in between. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this trip.

I've only been to Europe once and that was on a very structured tour. This will be much more relaxed. We're only bringing what we can fit into our packs, and we can't fit much. We're not bringing anything valuable - a changes of clothes, a toothbrush, and a pair of shoes. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to weigh us down, physically or mentally. We're not even bringing cameras; instead, we'll be buying disposables and mailing them off at various points during the trip.

Where will we sleep? What will we eat? Where will we go? What will we see? I don't even know yet. And I suppose that's the beauty of this whole thing.

Strange Weather

The past few days have been very strange. They've all started off dark, rainy, and cold. The weathermen all project the entire day to be just as miserable. But like clockwork, as soon as 4:00 rolls around, the sun breaks through the clouds and it's suddenly a beautiful day.

The past two evenings have been especially nice. There's no humidity yet, but with the rain we're finally getting, grass and leaves are flourishing. All I can hear in the afternoon is chirping birds. I can't help but relax.

Headless Chicken

Most of this week was spent running from place to place and trying to get all of my affairs in order. Alex and I are trying to organize and plan our trip across Europe. At the same time, I'm trying to move my belongings out of this house - the lease ends at the end of the month! My parents are planning a graduation party for next Sunday. Lindsay is in the process of moving out, too. I guess May is just a busy time.

All sorts of things are going on, but you know what I'm looking forward to most? Next Saturday. My family's coming out for my graduation and the party, yeah. But my father's bringing his bike along. I'm going to show him some of the incredible routes and rides there are near here. I can't wait. Dad's been a cycling enthusiast since before I was born - I regret not sharing his passion until only recently. I've only gone for a handful of real rides with him, but they're always great.

With that in mind, I've been trying to get into some form of shape before next week. I don't want to hold him back! I've jumped at every chance to ride, logging longer-than-usual rides of between 25 and 35 miles. Last summer, it was an event if I broke 20 miles. This would normally be a good sign... except next Saturday's only seven days away and I only have six rides under my belt this season.

And another thing... the forecast looks terrible. They're calling for rain all day on Saturday! Maybe it's a a little too far to predict, but I'd rather it rain on my graduation than on Saturday morning. I really can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this ride.

Awesome

Last night was... random. I was about to go to bed when I got a call from some swimmers. There was a full keg sitting in my basement and they wanted in on it. I told them that it was warm, but they didn't seem to care - they were coming over. I wasn't much in the mood to entertain - my housemates and I all seemed quite content to have a quiet night after the hurricane blew through on Saturday. As soon as we turned on the music, though, that all changed.

I told Alex, "There are only three more Mondays. You're going to go to bed before midnight?" This got all of them up. We all rose to the challenge - drink this warm, stale beer, and be merry. And it was sweet. We've all really come together a lot in these past few months. We're all very different, but we each have our own quirks and trademarks that compliment everyone else's. It's almost as though we're in a band - each of us plays a different instrument.

Six or seven swimmers showed up and we had ourselves a grand old time. Scott and I played air guitar most of the night and the whole party ended in another fitting climax, House of Jealous Lovers-style. We went from almost turning in at 11:00 to making macaroni and cheese at 4:15. It was another night I hope I never forget. I don't know why I had so much fun. I love this house. This place is awesome.

Hurricane English

We had another big party here last night; it was phenomenal. I managed to get most of the swim team to come over and partake in the festivities. This one was the 'encore' to our last party - the infamous 471 Shakedown of two weeks past. It definitely lived up to its billing. I'll briefly gloss over the highlights:

• Our landlord, Dennis, came over and played a game of beirut with us. This officially makes Dennis the coolest landlord of all time.
• I've never been much of a 'rut player, but I was on point last night. Mike and I ran the table pretty early on. It was sweet.
• Scott and I broke our George Forman grille with a few well-placed drop kicks and a hammer. Similar treatment was given to our wall clock and our TV remote.
• Sean 'Hurricane' English lived up to his reputation, verbally abusing every female guest at the party, singing loud songs and drinking more than his share of vodka.
• Gilbert did a keg stand, Gene teared up, and many pitcher relays were completed.
  
• He proceeded to flying-elbow-drop our coffee table (at my request) until it collapsed and then went into a berserk rage. He destroyed several glass objects, one chair, his own shirt, and flipped nearly every piece of furniture in the family room.
• He also tried to bench-press the sofa and passed out on the floor.
  
• Scott, Alex and I made some sweet macaroni and cheese at three or four in the morning
• The main floor looked like a warzone. I'm not exaggerating.
• Ryan slept through the entire party AND the clean-up the next day. When he walked down the stairs, it was as if nothing had ever happened the night before.
• It was awesome. I love college.
  

Decisions, decisions...

I mentioned a few posts ago that I was waiting for a response from a particular company regarding a job opportunity starting this fall. Even though the interview(s) went very well, I was beginning to have doubts. Well, they finally called me back! And yes, they will be extending me an offer. Woo!

Now comes the hard part; the decision-making part. I have a few days to really sit back and contemplate the two offers that are on my table. I have to consider every pro and every con for both positions and finally make a selection. And it may not be as simple a decision as I had originally thought.

Perhaps someone out there in webspace can offer me some advice. I'll post a brief description of each position and my hypothetical pros and cons with as little bias as I can manage. I'd like to keep the companies confidential, so we'll call them Company A and Company B.

Position

Company A. I was accepted into a rotational program with this company. Essentially, I spend my first three years rotating into different positions and roles; one role per year. I would work with different people on entirely different projects with each assignment. At the end of those three years, I would 'roll off' into a regular position of my choosing. While it may be challenging, the work would definitely not be very interesting.

Company B. The position available with Company B is in consulting. I would be assigned to different short-term (4-24 month) projects. Every Monday I would fly to the company that I've been assigned to, do work for them, and then fly home on Thursday evening. I am not exactly sure what kind of work I would be doing, but it wouldn't be as desk-oriented as Company A's work.

Location

Company A. I would be living here, near school and close to Philadelphia. This is good for a few reasons - proximity to friends, school, and family, as well as a multitude of excellent bike routes. To be honest, the bike routes near Company A's campus are second to none.

Company B. So long as there is an airport within driving distance, I could live anywhere I wanted.

Compensation/Perks

Company A. As I mentioned before, company A is very close to some incredible roads for riding. The atmosphere is very pro-cyclist. The company has a group of riders who go out every day at lunch. That's really neat - I'd be able to ride all the time, here. I'd be right here at school so I'd still be able to hang out with my team mates and probably go to a lot of swim meets. It's also a great place to raise a family - the school system is very good. The retirement plan is very good and the pay is probably a little below average for the qualifications that I have. Two weeks of vacation per year for the first five years.

Company B. As a consultant, all of my work-week expenses will be paid for. Flights, hotels, even food and gym memberships. That's like a big monetary bonus right there. With all of the flying I'll be doing, I'd be racking up hundreds of frequent flyer miles... great for vacation. Not only that, but I don't have to fly home, per se, but I could fly just about anywhere I wanted every weekend, provided I had a place to stay. The company's name is more well-recognized; it would look much better on a resumé. The pay is a higher than average, not even counting that expenses-paid stuff. Three weeks of vacation per year for the first nine years.

Drawbacks

Company A. Boring, boring, boring. The company bores me. The town bores me. Some of the people annoy me. The pay isn't as great, and the work is just mind-numbing. Ugh.

Company B. Travel. Flying twice a week will definitely wear thin after a while. Also, I wouldn't be able to ride my bike nearly as much as I could at Company A, and definitely not on roads as nice.

So there you have it. If you have any thoughts, please let me know. This issue will definitely be on my mind all weekend - I want to have an answer by Monday morning. I know I could be in a much worse situation, but blarg!

Juice

System of a Down's Daron Malakian announced today that the band will be going on 'extended hiatus'. In layman's terms, this means they're breaking up for ever. If they do get back together, they'll put out one or two totally craptastic albums and call it a day. Rest in peace, System of a Down. You had a good run.

Flea, the uber-bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, got wind of news that their forthcoming album, Stadium Arcadium, had been leaked on the internet. He wrote a long, rambling passage to members of the Chili's fan club, claiming that his heart had been broken by the people who've downloaded their music illegally. I felt bad for the guy until I clicked back to his previous message, in which he extolls the virtues of a certain (still living) painter and recommends 'looking at some of his stuff on the internet'. Flea, you're a fucking cool dude... spare the hypocracy.

Finally, Radiohead tickets go on sale this Saturday! They're doing a short, smaller-venue tour at the beginning of the summer and I'd really love to catch a show. Fortunately for me, they're playing TWO dates in Philadelphia. Hell yes. Now if only Tool had done the same...

No Phone

Sometimes I find myself wishing cell phones didn't exist. Today was one of those days. I'm waiting for a response from the firm with whom I interviewed on Monday. They were supposed to call yesterday. I've been on pins and needles since that interview, jumping every time my phone rings. And over the past two days, my phone has been ringing a lot. And it's killing my nerves.

It doesn't help matters much that I'm in the middle of exam week. Rather than focusing on my tests, I find myself just... waiting. Anxiously. By the time I wrestle my attentions back to my studies, the phone rings. This happens without fail. Every time I jump. It's awful. It's like the satellites are taunting me. If I have to deal with much more of this and I'm going to go insane.

I think I'm going to start weening myself off my cell phone. Today really made me feel physically ill. Sure, cell phones are a wellspring of convenience, but with that convenience comes stress, irritation and brain tumors.

Impossible Dilemma

Am I going to go see Mission Impossible III?

Like almost everyone on this planet, I'm pretty sick of Tom Cruise. He went from all-around cool guy to huge, annoying prick in less than three public appearances. Perhaps he's in the midst of a mid-life crisis. If I was divorced by Nicole Kidman, it'd plunge me into a mid-life crisis, too. The whole Katie Holmes thing creeps me out too. She has to be brainwashed or something. I don't think she speaks any more.

On the other hand, there haven't been many Tom Cruise movies that I didn't like. He always plays the same character, but that character's always pretty cool. The supporting cast of MI:3 isn't too shabby either; you'd be hard-pressed to find a bigger Philip Seymour Hoffman fan and I think I've had a crush on Keri Russell since her Felicity days. J. J. Abrams directed the movie. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

So back to my original question. Will I see this movie? Probably. It can't be as bad as MI:2, can it? Wait, don't answer that.

Lunch Break

If there's a fast food chain in need of a new advertising campaign, they should probably send a few camera crews down to Philadelphia around noon. I had the opportunity to walk through Center City today right around lunch break. I've never seen so many different people eating so many different things. People from all walks of life were out, sitting on benches or standing at street corners, waving their hands and consuming dollar hotdogs and value meals. There were construction workers hanging from rigs and businessmen chatting on cellular phones. There were bicycle messengers and tourists and students and even an old person or two.

I was down in the city for an interview - a big, important interview in a big, important building with a big, important guy. That being said, I was there in a new suit, with a tie and freshly-shined shoes; you know, the works. For the first time ever, I got to walk around the city with all of those important people in their blue blazers and spiffy shoes and try to blend in with them. For the first time ever, I was in a place where young (and old) professionals walk around and talk about big, important things. And I was wearing the right form of camoflage!

I think I stuck out like a sore thumb. I felt more "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" than "Boiler Room," that's for sure. It's not that the city makes me uncomfortable - not many places do that, any more. I guess I just don't feel old enough. I feel like I did when my dad indulged me on Take Your Son To Work Day in elementary school. I don't know what it is... maybe my suit's too big.