Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Shopping For A Boat


Shopping For A Boat, originally uploaded by ashwink.

We're shopping for a new car. (My husband was involved in a car accident last Friday, but that's a different story.) We're at the breakfast table discussing car models. Car-mileage and reliablity are, of course, on top of the list. We've been happy with some Japanese cars in the past and come up with some popular names. Yeah, we're a rather predictable and boring family that way.

"We could buy a Hyundai car", chimes in our 4-year old, AKA Mr. Auto-complete. He loves to get involved in all matters of importance.

"Hyundai?", we both look at him.
"Yes, a Hyundai car, that's what we need to get."
"Well, that's not what we had in mind, Bud."
"Let's get a Hyundai Jeep then. I'd like a Jeep."
" We don't have a Jeep.", he persists.
"Babe, we don't have a boat either, you know...", I say slyly.

The wheels go click-clack, click-clack, click-clack (a little like 'Jeopardy' theme tune) in his little head before he blurts out triumphantly, "We could buy a Jeep and then hitch a BOAT behind it!!"

Sarcasm is completely lost on Mr. Auto-complete.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

NOT On My Couch!


NOT On My Couch!, originally uploaded by ashwink.

It requires special talent to put on a sunny expression, suppress your utter horror and let the budding artist blossom as he enjoys his queasy paints. "Oh, that is wonderful, babe! Sure, let's try that black paint now..."

(What I'm really thinking: NOT on my Couch! No, don't touch the floor! Only on paper means ONLY on paper!! Mind your shirt! Finger painting is not an Art form, so could we stop and try crayons now?... )

Except for some paint on the hardwood floor which came off easily, yellow on his chin which required some scrubbing, blueish-green under his toes which I completely missed, and some brown under his nails which I chose to ignore, the Art project went smoother than expected. I might have missed a few heart beats but I'm okay with that.

The final masterpiece looked quite different; a dirty brown color, bolder strokes, heavier layer of paint but just as precious.

Now, it was a completely different story when we went out for Ice cream that evening and he had his very first cone. Let me just say we shouldn't have let him pick that bright blue-colored stuff with cookie bits in it.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

A Macro, A Macro!


A Macro, A Macro!, originally uploaded by ashwink.

So, I bought a new macro lens (Tamron 90mm). Of course, if you buy a macro lens, you need to do the customary flower shot, the rite of passage as it were, and stick it in all the macro and flower groups on flickr.com to congregate with 3.68 billion other flowers out there, swaying, caressing and and vying for your attention. Once there, the flowers will mingle together, say "hi" to each other, compare their DOFs and show off their color and sharpness, and maybe even flirt with a few of those butterflies who sneaked in.

Unfortunately, God forgot about our little neighborhood and dumped 5" of heavy, wet snow on us, snuffing out any little chance that those sleeping tulips will ever peep out this year. Yeah, blame it on Him, instead of global warming. So, I used the excuse of having company over the weekend to buy flowers and test my new lens. :-P

Ta-da! May I present to you - my flower MACRO!

You say that you've seen 3.31 million shots identical to this one? Oh, I doubt any of those is as loved as this one! (Shhh! You want to make a newcomer feel special, don't you?!)

Monday, February 26, 2007

One More Time!


One More Time!, originally uploaded by ashwink.

Dear God Almighty, can I ask one more time?

Oh, please, please, please (in red, bold, uppercase, 3D, underlined, glowing, glittered, neon, lavender scent, and in dolby stereo), let the Chicago Bears win the Super Bowl in Miami tomorrow (Feb 4th, Sunday evening)!

This football game is making me a believer!

It worked last time!

Edit: Monday morning. We lost.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Winter Be Gone


Winter Be Gone, originally uploaded by ashwink.

I know it's January and summer is a long way, but I start my winter rants early.

December is wonderful! There's a spring in my step, my mood is sunny even as the air is chilly, the holiday lights are cheery, the shops are merry, the snowy blanket is oh-so-pretty .... and then it's all over, it's downhill from there.

The roads are slushy, the snow white is now muddy and dirty, roads are messy, clouds are gloomy, people are surly and I just can't wait for summer anymore! Brrr!

I saved this photo from last summer for exactly this kind of wintery day. Stay warm, everyone!

About the photo: I like the paper-like translucence and texture. The imperfections and water drops amid the symmetry make it for me. Simple post-processing involved 1-click conversion to selective coloring using Picasa. I bumped up the saturation and cropped a wee bit.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Go Chicago Bears!!!!


Go Chicago Bears!!!!, originally uploaded by ashwink.

Today, at 2:00PM, the Chicago Bears (our American Football team) will be hosting the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game. If we win this, we go to the Super Bowl to win the ultimate trophy! The last time that happened was more than 20 years ago, so it's huge!!

It isn't going to be easy. Thanks to a media-led frenzy, the *rest* of the country is rooting for the Saints who have had a Cinderella-like story this year, a miraculous comeback after a devastating hurricane Katrina hit their city last year.

The only support we have right now is the Bear country weather here in Chicago - snowing and utterly cold, making for slippery conditions, perfect for the grizzlies. We hope. :-)

Now, did the Saints have to have 'Saints' in their name?! Oh, dear God, we may not be saintly, but, please, please, please, let us win! I want Chicago to celebrate!

I want the Bears to go to DISNEY WORLD!!!

Edit:
We won the game, 39-14.
Miami, here we come! It's the Bears against the Indianapolis Colts on Feb 4th for the Super Bowl . Woo-hoo! :-)

Can You Hear Him Now?


Can You Hear Him Now?, originally uploaded by ashwink.

Most photo-shoots end when he makes an appearance... Sigh! But it's his toy I was playing with, so we're even.

It took us about 10 minutes to regret this purchase. First-time parent mistake.