New Blog: Serendipity Now

So I've started my new blog up and running.
After hearing Megan rave about Wordpress and how it's god's gift to bloggers, I thought I'd give it a try.
I'm still going to be posting here for a bit, but eventually that will stop and I'll be fully moved over to the new site.
I like the look better. It's cleaner, I think.
Let me know what you think...

serendipitynow.wordpress.com

Good for a laugh

So I was doing something disgustingly nerdy Friday morning (reading random articles from Merlin Mann's website - - seriously, how someone with such a TERRIBLE name can become so well known is freaking beyond me) when I discovered a new blog/website: "5ives"

I don't consider it a blog, because for me, blogs feel just much more personal than this (but maybe that's because I primarily read personal blogs). But that doesn't mean it's not incredibly entertaining.

Premise: random lists of five, anything from "Five Web 2.0 ways to break up with your boyfriend" to "Five terrible fake names for villages in England"

And I think my personal favourite?

Five terrible fake astronomical pickup lines
March 13th, 2008

1. Ever wonder what’s happening under Orion’s belt?
2. Hop in my van, and I’ll show you something else that’s constantly expanding.
3. Was Democritus the first one to postulate your mysterious Milky Way?
4. I’d like to Sagittarius your Pisces, and that’s no Taurus.
5. How about we go outside and discover Uranus?

The new template

Wow.

So things look a little different around here eh?

As I think maybe you remember, I was pretty happy with the old theme. I felt it was just sooooo "me" it was disgusting. Not bad disgusting, mind you. Good disgusting.

Like Wendy's fries with mayo. Yum.

But over the weekend something bizarre happened. I think the Photobucket account that hosted the images for the template expired or something. Or I used up all its bandwidth or something like that. I don't know. All I know is the images were all wonky on Monday. And may or may not have given me a seizure.

So I had to change it. Fast. And I temporarily switched to good ole trusty polka-dot template in the meantime. That is, until I could find a suitable replacement. I spent ALL YESTERDAY AND ALL TODAY* coming up with this one... and customizing it "just so".

And of course, as soon as I had done that, I found another non-corrupted version of my old template.

So because I'm incapable of making a decision on my own... LET THE VOTING BEGIN!





*Yah right. I love my blog, but I have a life and a job. Get real.

Sink your teeth into a good book

Townie wrote a post the other day about some of the insanity surrounding the Twilight series. For those who aren't familiar with the books, it's a super-popular (think Harry Potter) series for young adults. As Wikipedia puts it...

Twilight is a series of four vampire-based fantasy/romance novels by the American author Stephenie Meyer. It follows the life of Isabella "Bella" Swan, a teenager who moves to Forks, Washington, and finds her life turned upside-down when she falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen.

The part of Townie's post that caught my attention was the criticism surrounding the series. Stephen King has been quoted as saying that the difference between the Harry Potter series and Twilight (besides the subject matter - we're talking fan obsession here) is that the Harry Potter books are actually well written. And Meyer can't write worth a damn*.

Now... I'm not sure about that. Stephen King himself can be hit or miss. Sure he's got a number of best-sellers... but you don't find any of his books on Time's "Best Books of All Time" list. I like some of his novels (The Green Mile and Hearts of Atlantis to name two) but you'll not catch me reading Cujo any time soon.

But I think critics are missing the point. There will always be waves of "teenage trash" novels. When I was in elementary school it was the R.L. Stine and the Goosebumps** series (yes I am that young, shut up). For my sister, it was Sweet Valley Twins and Gossip Girl (yes it was a book first :P) and countless other books our parents may-or-may-not have "approved" of***.

We were both readers, and I still am. Danielle's in her last year of university these days, so if she's anything like me, I'm sure she hates books right now - - but she'll get back in the groove eventually. The point is that from a very young age both of us (but more noteably, Danielle) would save our money to buy books. Not video games (not that we had a Super Nintendo until I was in the 12th grade), but BOOKS. On trips off-island, there were no two ways about it. We were going to Chapters, and DD was going to spend 2-3 hours there, and she was going to spend all she could. That was just the way it was.

So really... who CARES what they are reading. If kids are devouring books, that's what matters. If they seek books out as a choice, they'll stick with it. Anna Karenina will come, in time (maybe... I still haven't gotten around to that).

And on a totally disjointed note: Go read The Glass Castle. Best modern book I've read to date.


*I should clarify that I have NOT read the books. I don't really intend to read them (no matter how many times amazon.ca recommends them). I'm not really a vampire kinda gal. The only think that appeals to me is the covers. They look pretty neat.

** Which, by the way, I never read. Actually that's a lie. I read the first chapter of one about bees and a roller coaster when I was in grade 3 and thought it was dumb. So I gave it back to my friend and never cracked another. I don't know why I felt the need to defend myself, haha but I did.

*** Their concern, of course, was the two of us were reading below our reading level. Which was true. But they didn't stop us. They let us read/be.

Eating cash

So sometime yesterday I got lost in the maze of Macleans.ca. I think it started with a funny "how to keep your job" article... and somehow I ended up on this bit about how to cook "good" meals for about 50 dollars a week.

Heh. 50 dollars a week. I remember when I used to live on that. Granted I was living with three other people in Ottawa and we all probably contributed that much a week. We ate like kings. It was great.

Now I live alone, in Nunavut, and probably spend three times what I did back then. I'm cooking for one most of the time, which means more waste and fewer options. And it gets complicated when disaster strikes (like it did this week) and food mail is delayed by 2 or 3 days because the planes have gone mechanical. You end up with dregs in the fridge and no staples (I've been without margarine for days, but I have it coming on food mail... and I know the moment I buy margarine the flight will land in Rankin and I'll have doubles of all the things I spent way too much on at the Northern. Frustrating.

Then I came across this blog. Premise: three friends (Tracey, Jeff, Jennifer) started a challenge called "The Working Poor Diet." If you've heard of this idea before, I'm not surprised. I understand it's been done for fund raising purposes in other places. Basically, each of them had 80 dollars for the entire month of February for groceries/food.

The rules: No free food (that means office snacks and free samples are out). No skipping meals. You must start from scratch - - no cupboard stocks. And the meals should match daily recommendations by Canada's Food Guide.

Holy crow. Not easy.

Honestly, if I lived down south, I really think I could get by on 50 dollars a week no problem. I never really ate out much when I was a kid... and to date prefer to cook my own meals. If it were just me, I'd probably eat out maybe three times a month. And that includes fast food meals.

But 80 bucks for a month... without pantry buffer? I don't know if I could do it! Well, that's a lie, I could do it, but I probably never would because I would prefer to have more variety and I like to dazzle my tastebuds from time to time.

Anyways, while I don't think I'll be giving that one a try in the near future... especially when I live in the north (though it would be interesting to see how long 80 bucks would last up here. I'm thinking a week and half), but it would be interesting to try a food budget. We say that the costs are basically twice what you pay in the south... but that really varies according to item. Some things, like milk and bread (I know, I know, how many times am I going to whine about the price of milk?) are about three times the price of what you'd pay in the rest of Canada. And I tell you, I certainly don't get paid twice what I did in Quebec.

But maybe it's time to figure out exactly how much it costs me to eat up here. I'm thinking it's a pretty gross amount.

Why people need blogs

Not too long ago, I was lurking around Megan's blog and came across what might be the ABSOLUTE LONGEST COMMENT SECTION OF ALL TIME.

Okay, vast exaggeration, but at the end of it all (I think, I hope we've reached the end) there were FIFTY TWO comments. And not to discredit Megan's post, but I don't think she thought that's where her little photo and 40 words of text would spark such... debate. Yes. Debate.

Now I wasn't really all that interested in the topic. I didn't really want to debate the merits/ethics of various fanatic religious groups. I'm not sure if you noticed, but that's not really my thing. I'll leave that for others who have more experience and more passion to discuss.

But I DID make a snarky comment about one of the OTHER commenters, something along the lines of:

I know you love your readers, but "C" can really suck the life out of a could-be-funny comments section.
Sigh.

Get the man his own blog.

Now maybe it was a lame thing to do, especially the first bit. That was probably kind of petty. But I meant the second part. The commenter had left like 10? 15? posts? He obviously had something to say on the subject.

So, like I said. Get the man his own blog. It sounds like he needs it*.

This is not the first time I've had the "dude, that person NEEDS a blog" thought. It hit me during that whole "25 random things" phase on Facebook (is that STILL going? I keep getting tagged!). I had no desire to write 25 random things about me because I write 25 million random things about me on my blog EVERY DAY.

So I now have this theory that people need blogs. In reality, that theory should probably be altered to say that "people need outlets" and blog is equalifnotgreaterthan an outlet. Because it seems like the more time we spend on our computers or in front of the tv or just squashed in our little homes, the more we DESPERATELY TRY TO FIND WAYS TO EXPRESS OURSELVES.

Harper's new haircut? I HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT!
CBC handouts? OO! OO! LEMME TRY!
The future of the world as we know it? I'M AN EXPERT!

I'm not saying people should stop commenting on mine or anyone else's blog. Especially Megan's. That would be rude, wouldn't it? But I find having my own webspace helps me deliniate between what is "mine" and what is "yours."

I could have written this entry in the comments section of Megan's blog. The she'd have 55 responses to her 40-word post. But the way I see it, if my comments are getting rambly I probably have enough material for a post. And there's no need to outstay one's e-welcome.

But that's just IMHO.

* And I'd argue he needs it more than many... he works in the media industry and I think that people who spend their days writing what other people tell them to write about... or who write what HAS to be/NEEDS to be written (instead of having the liberty to yammer on about whatever topic they like) are inherently creative individuals who can use an outlet. This goes for newspaper people, tv people, radio people, speech writers, communications people... and whoever else out there falls into the "creative but maybe not getting all the release they need" category.

Save the date Jackie-style!

So I was going to wait until I had plane tickets and/or a hotel room booked, but I let the cat outta the bag when I was talking with TB Thursday morning (no, we don't just call one another to gossip - though there was a LITTLE bit of gossip shared - it was primarily about WORK!) so what's the point of keeping it quiet now?

Anyways so....

I'm coming to Iqaluit!!! Not for long, just for a weekend, from the 13-15th of March (probably coming back on the 16th... I'm not sure, as I said, the flights aren't booked).

So some kind of social gathering is most likely in order. I haven't been to the I-dot in ... oh wow... like a year and a half. I'm not entirely sure how much time I'll have. I'm going for Nunavut Curling Association meetings, so I'm sure there'll be lots of dry days, and hopefully not-so-dry evenings :)

So Iqaluimmivut (sure, why not?) if you wanna have a little bloggy convention or drinks or eats or ... snowman building... or whatever you crazy kids do in the territory's capital... let me know. I'm game!

Brr, my veins

Nothing chills my blood like the words "consolidating local stations"

According to Mr. Lacroix, if CBC fails to meet their multi-million dollar shortfall... the options to deal with that include:

• Introducing more American programming into television schedules (currently 100 per cent Canadian from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.)
• Downgrading or selling parts or the whole of TV or radio services.
• Increasing advertising on the air.
• Shrinking geographic coverage of the country by consolidating local stations, which would reverse the current investment CBC is making in building regional coverage.

Ugragh. I don't like that ONE BIT. I don't like it on buttered toast, I do not like it with a roast (detect a theme today, folks?)

I wonder if severence packages include moving down south costs? I hear KIA is looking for a communications person, and all they need is a high school diploma. I'd be a shoo-in....


In other, much more humorous news, I am now Scott Feschuk's new biggest fan. He does witty commentary and whatnot for Macleans which at times could possibly go down as the world's DRY-est magazine (I used to subscribe, but stopped reading because I was perpetually bored).

Here's his "Seven habits of highly not fired yet people". If you like kinda snarky, very witty, somewhat pop-culture-y writing WHY ARE YOU LEAVING THIS BLOG! YOU GET ALL THAT HERE! No, I lie :P Check out HIS blog here, and that article above. I definitely got a chuckle or two.

Liveblogging a cold: the best use of web 2.0

Blogger confusion

Can someone tell me what this means?
In my piddly little mind, it means that you guys wrote something *related* to my post. But that doesn't seem to be the case. So what DOES it mean?

Your hopelessly clue-less blogger,
Jackie S. Quire.

LOL dogz

This one's for YOU Mongoose (and Tinky-Winky of course)


Of course, you can't read my witty comment, unless you click on the photo to make it larger... but it says

"cumoonahcaitchun: yer dewinz eet wong"

I'm so funny

You guys freakin' suck

I go away for ONE WEEK, and THIS is what I get when I return??

Screw you bloggers, screw you.

:P

Foto Filler

I don't normally DO memes... (where the hell did that name come from anyways?) but as my access to internet will be sporatic, I'm caving and doing a "Kennie-tagged-me-in-a-meme-but-it's-now-a-scheduled-post-that-will-not-be-timely-anymore-because-its-a-week-after-getting-tagged"

Here it is:


This is a photo that a friend of mine took at the Beaumont-Hamel Memorial in Northern France. I worked there from May - August 2006, and hopefully will go back some day soon. I lucked out when I was there, because it was the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme... a ceremony and a landmark event I will never ever forget.

My room-mate at the time went back to work a second term the following winter. He was actually there for the 90th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. I was |---| (< href="http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=feature/bh_somme2006">here
From Wikipedia, click here

Oh, and I'm pulling a Tina and saying that I'm not "tagging" anyone, but this is actually a neat little exercise, and encourages you to write something that you otherwise wouldn't talk about. At least that's how it worked for me.

The rules are:

1. Go to your documents. (or if you are a mac or vista user, go to your pictures folder, )
2. Go to your 6th folder.
3. Go to your 6th picture.
4. Blog about it.

Last chance

To vote in the Nunavut Blogging Awards...

Head on over to Clare's site: kiggavik.typepad.com!!

PS, I'm totally losing so go vote for ME! What other blogger is begging for votes while in MEXICO??? (And yes, this is NOT a pre-scheduled post. I left the beach to write it. I'm dedicated).

Basic blogging questions

Non-reader asks: So... what IS a "blog"?

So I was sitting at the Kissarvik Co-op, enjoying one last meal with friends before three of us fly away to different parts of Mexico... when the topic of my blog came up. I didn't MEAN for it to become a topic of conversation, but it did. I was saying what I was doing in Yellowknife, and one of my friends asked "So, you have friends in Yellowknife?" (somewhat aghast, because if I did have friends in Yellowknife, she'd be sure to know - I'm a talker, what can I say?)

I hemmed and hawed and finally spat out "Well, they are blogging friends"

And they all laughed.

One person even joked, (nearly choking on his french fry, I might add) "are you having a BLOGGING SYMPOSIUM"

My response: Yah, absolutely we are.

Then his girlfriend asks "Okay, but what IS a blog?"

Dun-dun DUUUUUUUN!

I've discovered the only thing more difficult to explain than "I *know* such-and-such a person through their blog" is "What IS a blog."

Because blogs aren't the same thing to everyone who writes them.

Some people write for themselves, and only themselves. These rarely see the light of day, and may-or-may-not include the intimate details of a person's life that they may-or-may-not share with others in their non-digital existence.

Some people write for family: I liken these to a less-invasive mass email update - - I had one of these once, when I was in France.

Some write for a "small" audience: Targeted ramblings like a "Recipe blog" or photoblog...

While others write for a wide audience: I think a lot of the Nunavut Bloggers have seen their blogs reach this category... we started out writing for ourselves or our families... but now we have widened our scope. Now we even write for other bloggers, people looking to move to the North, people who want to live vicariously through our writing...

And that's pretty cool. But it's not an easy thing to explain. Neither is:

"So, what do you write about?"

But that's another post. :P

Bloggers unite! (and then tie-one-on?)

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I used to have a running tally/casual competition with a fellow blogger/friend re: how many of the Nunavut bloggers we had met in person/"knew" (and by "knew" I mean... outside the Facebook/blogspot domain).

At the time I think my tally was... five? Maybe six? Not many. And most were unintentional... and either through work or my month-long-stay in Iqaluit.

Well, all that's about to change.

Tonite, is the inaugural "Name of Town Withheld" blogging symposium. It is to be held at one of the finest establishments NTW (also known as YK) has to offer... complete with food NOT from the Co-op Inns North (where your food is guaranteed to be over-salted and under-cooked)... AND BEVVIES WITH DINNER!

For those who have never been to Rankin, there's something you should know: we don't have any bars or restaurants that serve alcohol in town. We have the legion that is (sometimes) open on Friday nights, but beyond that you have to supply your own liquids (and not from a normal liquor store either, you have to order over the phone or in person from Churchill or Iqaluit).

Now I'm not a CRAZY HUGE drinker, but sometimes a girl just wants a pretty drink. Or a mojito. Or an icy brewski. Mmmm or a daiquiri.

Okay, I'm getting a little carried away here, I'll have plenty of time for that (and more) in MEXICO, but I'm really crazy pumped for our blogging dinner.

Can't wait to meetchas all!!

And also, I may or may not have decided that Megan is the grown-up version of me. I hope you're not weirded out by this (*creepy creepy creepy* - you have to say that in a sinister voice, while drumming your fingers on your lips, all creepy-like. Just so you know) but that's the truth.

So yah, because the older version of me won the NWT BLOGGING AWARD FOR BEST BLOG... you obviously should go VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE NUNAVUT BLOG, HERE!

**Finally, not sure how much internet access I'll have in Mexico. I'm trying to avoid taking my laptop etc. so I've set up some random posts and if I have internet I'm sure I'll be able to find something to write about**

Nunie update

Just so you know, the voting for the Nunies will wrapup January 20th at 11:59 PM EST.

So get your votes in, NOW!

:D

Nunavut Blogging Awards... 2008!

So it's every Nunavut blogger's favourite time of year again... the NUNIES are up and running for the second year in a row. Aren't you excited??? I am!

Okay, I'm a *little* bit excited. Why? Because we've got a really cool thing going on up here (wa waaa). Something that's a little unique, and a lot interesting.

I have started and more or less abandoned 4 other blogs in my lifetime. Two of them were for my time in France (I actually thought I needed to have two one that was parent/family-safe and one that was for friends) and while I had some people comment, neither really ever took off and both ended when I left France. No biggie. Also, I wasn't really very good at the blogging thing at that point. I wrote REALLY long entries that would recoup all the events of the past week's travels etc. It was my first go at it, what can I say. The other two I abandoned more-or-less for the same reason. No one read them. And if I didn't want people to read my writing, it might as well be in a journal under my pillow.

And that's why I think the Nunies and our little Nunavut-blogging-community is so great, so important. We are an active part of one another's lives. We give advice, we lend an ear - even though we may live thousands of kilometers away. And that's pretty darn neat.

Like all the other bloggers have said, there are a lot of really great writers up here. And this year's is going to be a stiff competition, I'm sure. Some (like mine) have "graduated" from New Blog status, and have joined the ranks of the senior blogs (wow, write the word "blog" enough and it loses all meaning...).

But I digress.

Because just about all the Nunavut bloggers know the contest is on, I'm actually writing this for my southern readers, because they likely don't follow the same blogroll, and don't know the "rules" for the nominations.

So this is the deal:

There are two "rounds" for the blogging awards. The first is the nomination round. Any person, anywhere in the world can nominate up to five blogs in each of the two categories (Best Blog and New Blog). The blog MUST be written by a current or former Nunavut resident and/or be ABOUT Nunavut. If you are nominating for the New Blog category, then it has to have started up in 2008. My blog is NOT eligible for the New Blog category.

BUT only the TOP FIVE NOMINEES will actually get to the second round, the voting round. So if you like a blog, and you want to see it compete against other Nunavut blogs for the crown, SEND YOUR NOMINATION TO... nunavutblogs@yahoo.ca

You can send nominations up until the 12th of January (that's next Monday, folks). Shortly thereafter the voting will begin.

One last thing:

There's a small change in the Best Post category. A blogger nominates what they think is their OWN best post from 2008. Only the blogger can nominate a post from their OWN site.

Here's where I'd like some input. I've written a disgusting amount over the past year. 300+ posts, and frankly... I really can't remember most of them haha. I plan on going through my archives, but I wanted to ask YOU, READERS, if there is anything I've written that stuck out in your mind. That you remember in particular. That would make this whole self-nomination process a lot easier for me.

So, thanks to you, the readers, thanks to Clare, for the contest, and thanks to the many dedicated bloggers out there who tap away at their computers day in and day out, giving me ample material to read, think about and write on my own blog.

You rock.

Rationalization, smashionalization

And the moment you've all been waiting for... the winners of the NWT Blogging Awards!! Our panel of judges (Kennie, Clare, TB, Jen, Tina, Kara and myself) have been working like crazy monkeys over the weekend, electronically battling it out for our favourite NWT blogs. Nothing was going to stop us this time. Blizzards, power outages, viral infections and fetuses arriving ahead of schedule were no match for the determination that burned inside the judging panel (no, not as a result of the viral infections, yeesh guys).

So without further ado (what IS an ado anyways....) I give you the WHYs behind our winners.

Enjoy!


First, I give you the NWT's BEST BLOG(s)


Thoughts and praise for Reflections in the Snow-Covered Hills

“Megan has a wonderful variety of postings. Her posts are easily read and very witty at times. She is the modal blogger, posting frequently”

“She never seems to take herself too seriously and you never know what you are going to see up there from day to day. Never a boring read.”

“Every post is like a box of chocolates - you just never know what you are gonna get. Always a good read.”

“Granted, the fixation on The Hoff is deeply disturbing, but Megan is funny, controversal and never shy from backing down from a fight if someone wants to be starting something with her. The fact that she's a top notch and engaging writer certainly helps.”

“Reflections in the snow covered hills is very consistent in both its delivery and its posting. Certainly the best written of the bunch it is blog out of the top 7 that I most consistently visit. Combines humour, incorporates video, responds to its readers.”

Thoughts and praise from the judges for Alex Up North:

“He cracks me up with his humor and witt.”

“Alex is terribly amusing. A lot of the content is about living in the north”

“Alex is Up North is the most humourous of the bunch. It is an enjoyable read that also takes us into the writer's world with in the NWT (probably the most local content of all the nominated blogs). Could post more often for my taste.”

“Posts that make me laugh, just wish he would post more often! I like a good sense of humour.”

“Alex is just hilarious - blog is multi sided, photography, comments, thoughts.”

“The writing isn't bad, although a touch too meandery. He also needs to update more often. This is more of a friends and family blog than one that will attract a larger readership.”

Thoughts and praise from the judges for the Failed Mommies Club

“Personal writing and talking about your family can be a delicate minefield to navigate. It can get boring and navel-gazing in a hurry, so that only family and very close friends would have even a passing interest. But the writing is good and there are clever takes on every day things that keep things engaging.”

“A parenting blog that doesn't take parenting itself too seriously. I like the tone of the postings, though admittedly, I'm a new reader. I like how it sometimes interweaves with the Snowcovered Hills blog.”

AND, FOR BEST BLOG POST.....

Thoughts and praise from the judges on Getting over my Heterophobia

“Great post; very thought provoking and can be applied to a variety of circumstances here in the North that many of us face”

“Solid writing about things working out differently than expected. It's a pity he doesn't appear to have done more writing. I'd like to read it.”

“This post makes me want to get to know its writer. I notice he hasn't posted again, here's hoping our comments encoruage that!”

“I feel the same way about the north sometimes being small and charming and nonjudgmental...at times anyways...lol I think we have all been discriminated against up north at one point or another. But that most people are brought together in a similar situation and forced to forget any previous labels they might have had while living in the south.”

“A well written post that made me think about stereotypes and acceptance in the north.”

“Quite a thoughtful read. I was surprised to learn that Yellowknife is a tolerant place. Well thought out, and written. Fairly recent blog, only two posts. Again possibly too esoteric for a larger audience but who knows.”

Thoughts and praise from the judges on The Sunshine Club

“I was just happy to see that there are good people out there who do good things expecting nothing for themselves in return. Inspiring!”

“Very nice combination of personal story and philanthropy. Reads well.”

Thoughts and praise from the judges on Death and Dying

“I just couldn't stop laughing while reading this post.”

“Having my own small rodent pets dying story, I can appreciate a good one, which this one is.”

“This is exactly why I like this blog. It looks at parenting from a realistic and humourous perspective.”

Photos and shop

So I got a bitchin' camera for Christmas.

Lookie:
Jealous? Well you should be. Mwa ha ha.

I still haven't really figured it all out yet. Apparently - according to the reviews I've read online - this little baby is like a digital SLR camera, without the detachable lenses. And I had been toying with the idea of buying a beginner DSLR for a couple months now, as my little Canon got a grain of sand in its lens (or so we think) in Greece. So My Little Canon is now probably being repaired (cross your fingers the warranty will cover it)... and in the meantime now I have Mini Spy-Camera (all rights reserved to Mongoose :P).

Which brings me to my real point. As part of the casual judging I'm doing for the NWT Blogging Awards, I have been checking out a lot of photo blogs. There's nothing more wonderful than oogling a well-composed photograph... I've become addicted, believe it or not... clicking "next post" for hours on end, oo-ing and ahh-ing at each subsequent photo.

But now I'm feeling disillusioned. Turns out many of the photos I just drool over are doctored in Photoshop. And I'm not sure if I like that.

Granted, Photoshop allows you to take a photo like this and (if you have the skillz) morph it into something quite different. And that's pretty darn cool... but now I have become jaded. Every beautiful photo I see now, I wonder if it's genuine! Am I the only one left who doesn't doctor their photos before posting on the web?

Now don't get me wrong. I can acknowledge that a photograph is just an illustration of a moment in time. To capture that moment, the photographer often takes many different factors into consideration before snapping the shot. Light, composition, focus... all altered to please the eye. It's not "real" even if it looks "unscripted."*

And I'm okay with that.

And its not like I'm a total photo-purist. I crop my photos before I put them on my blog. But maybe it's because I don't know how, but I've never really done any post-production altering on my photos. It's not really my thing. And I feel it takes away from the genuity of the picture.

But that's just IMHO.


*The exception being photos taken by small children when given a disposible camera. But then few of those shots would be widely considered "awe-inspiring" - BUT beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz.


UPDATE: More bloggers have joined the discussion! Who knew one little "musing" entry would spur so much excitement haha. See allmycke's blog, Mongoose's blog, and KC's blog for more discussions on this topic.