quote:

---

> I've mentioned several times that I pay for a newsreader
> so that I can get to my treasured graphics groups. One of
> my favorites is all about folks who post their photos- from
> vacations, from their gardens, cool shots of bugs and critters,
> etc.
> So I'm looking at all these and thought, "I take photos as
> good as these". I hauled out my newest Mavica a couple of
> evenings ago to the yard to get some macro shots of the
> desert blooms.

quote:

---

> Bobdamn, that macro feature SUCKS on that camera!!
> It's worse than a fixed-focus point & shoot camera. Plus the
> shutter is unbearably slow on "Autofocus" mode, so if it's
> breezy fuggeddaboutit!

quote:

---

> Crap.
>
> So I'm on a mission this weekend to find some good print
> film for the SLR, but I'll bet I have to settle for ISO200.
>
> "WHERE'S MY KODACHROME?!?!?!?!?!?"

quote:

---

> Ahhh... Kodachrome 64... it's been years... decades even, since I saw
> that stuff.
>
> That's for slides though.

quote:

---

> Yes, I know- my scanner has an adapter for scanning slides.
> :D

quote:

---

> I've mentioned several times that I pay for a newsreader
> so that I can get to my treasured graphics groups. One of
> my favorites is all about folks who post their photos- from
> vacations, from their gardens, cool shots of bugs and critters,
> etc.
> So I'm looking at all these and thought, "I take photos as
> good as these". I hauled out my newest Mavica a couple of
> evenings ago to the yard to get some macro shots of the
> desert blooms.
>
> Bobdamn, that macro feature SUCKS on that camera!!
> It's worse than a fixed-focus point & shoot camera. Plus the
> shutter is unbearably slow on "Autofocus" mode, so if it's
> breezy fuggeddaboutit!

quote:

---

> On 2 Jul 2005 10:29:53 GMT, Miracle Smith wrote:
>
>
> Gl with the shots then.

quote:

---

> Check to see if you can set it to shutter priority mode, instead of
> fully automatic. That'll let you set the shutterspeed and let the
> camera take care of the aperture.

quote:

---

> Shutter and aperture priority modes also let you muck about with depth
> of focus, which is nice for shooting plants.

quote:

---

>^,,^< Miracle

quote:

---

> Oh yeah- the pictures. I'll forage around and see if there's any
> leftover print film in one of my camera bags. I'll take the digitals
> to AnnieMae's for the 4th. Ross promised to take some pictures
> of me in the cool hat I made to celebrate the 4th. It's totally
> *awesome*!

quote:

---

> And I succumbed to female vanity today- I bought some non-
> permanent hair color to cover my grey hair with. Maybe I'll play
> around with it and put in neat streaks or something.........
> But nothing stupid like old-lady bright orange or midnight black!

quote:

---

> I got a plain light brown so I'd look like myself before going grey.

quote:

---

> Oh my gosh, I gotta tell you about this bird I saw today. We
> were near the pet store where we got Zasu & Uda, so we went
> in to see the babies. There were kittens and puppies and wee ferrets,
> 2 giant desert turtles, and cute bunnies, and a new bunch of birds.
> There was only one larger one, and she's just 4 months old. She's
> actually a parakeet, but looks like a parrot, mostly green. She's going
> to be a large bird like an African Grey when she's all grown up.
>
> So, she was raised by one of the store employees, to be hand
> tamed by the time she ready to be sold. So the girl at the store takes
> her out and hands her to me, and I fell in love.
> Ross asked how much she cost, and when the girl said $500.00,
> Ross said, "Sorry honey."
> When I went to put her back into her cage, she looked at me,
> right in the eyes, and *whimpered*. My heart just fell to my feet.
> She wouldn't let go of my hand, so the clerk had to pick her up and
> put her back into the cage.
>
> I turned to leave the room, and I swear that she cried. Ross heard
> her, too. I looked at him, and he said, "Yes, I heard her." Then she
> whimpered again, much more loudly. Augh.............................
>
> The hardest thing I've had to do in a *long* time was to walk out
> of that store.
>
> I gotta scrounge up some bucks. I *must* go get her. I think I have
> about $375 in my savings account, so I only have to find another $150.
> She can use the other cockatiel cage until I can get her a bigger one.......
>
> Oh, you had to hear her- and her eyes are so big and intelligent. I
> know it's just stupid to spend that kind of money on a bird, but........
>
> <sigh>

quote:

---

> Oh, you had to hear her- and her eyes are so big and intelligent. I
> know it's just stupid to spend that kind of money on a bird,
> but........

quote:

---

> Yep, I found the User Manual last night, just haven't had a
> chance to read that section yet. It's got so many other bells &
> whistles, surely it must have a manual override.

quote:

---

> Oh yes, I'm well aware. That's the major drawback to all
> these autofocus cameras- some of them have no options when
> it comes to adjustments for strong backlight or the need for a
> faster shutter speed.

quote:

---

> On 3 Jul 2005 10:10:01 GMT, Miracle Smith wrote:
>
> "Hats for bats".
>
> Er... forget I just said that.

quote:

---

>
> Aw man, not even the amazing technicolour "blue rinse"?

quote:

---

>
> Rather you than me. I have no desire to fake my hair colour. If it
> goes grey, it goes grey. If it recedes, it recedes (no "Bobbie
> Charlton" rakeover or transplants, thanks very much).

quote:

---

>
> That's nice dear. Now, weren't you looking for slide film?

quote:

---

> No way, Jose. <puts hands on hips>
>
> So, you think of me as an old "bat", eh?

quote:

---

> Nah, I'm just too much of an old hippy to look like something
> unnatural walking around.

quote:

---

> <sighs> I was the same, but some irrational need overcame
> my common sense. It's not permanent, it will eventually wash out.
> Sometimes I have to give a nod to my female side, I suppose, what
> with being an old bat.

quote:

---

> <gives Mr K serious stink-eye>

quote:

---

> Yes, but after the pet store we were hot and getting tired.

quote:

---

> On 3 Jul 2005 11:07:44 GMT, Miracle Smith wrote:
>
>
> +----[ http://www.garnersclassics.com/qleague.htm ]
> +----

quote:

---

>
> Sounds like you have common sense too.

quote:

---

>
>
>
>
> I can give as good as I get, btw.

quote:

---

> Oh my gosh, I gotta tell you about this bird I saw today. We
> were near the pet store where we got Zasu & Uda, so we went
> in to see the babies. There were kittens and puppies and wee ferrets,
> 2 giant desert turtles, and cute bunnies, and a new bunch of birds.
> There was only one larger one, and she's just 4 months old. She's
> actually a parakeet, but looks like a parrot, mostly green. She's going
> to be a large bird like an African Grey when she's all grown up.
>
> So, she was raised by one of the store employees, to be hand
> tamed by the time she ready to be sold. So the girl at the store takes
> her out and hands her to me, and I fell in love.
> Ross asked how much she cost, and when the girl said $500.00,
> Ross said, "Sorry honey."
> When I went to put her back into her cage, she looked at me,
> right in the eyes, and *whimpered*. My heart just fell to my feet.
> She wouldn't let go of my hand, so the clerk had to pick her up and
> put her back into the cage.
>
> I turned to leave the room, and I swear that she cried. Ross heard
> her, too. I looked at him, and he said, "Yes, I heard her." Then she
> whimpered again, much more loudly. Augh.............................
>
> The hardest thing I've had to do in a *long* time was to walk out
> of that store.
>
> I gotta scrounge up some bucks. I *must* go get her. I think I have
> about $375 in my savings account, so I only have to find another $150.
> She can use the other cockatiel cage until I can get her a bigger one.......
>
> Oh, you had to hear her- and her eyes are so big and intelligent. I
> know it's just stupid to spend that kind of money on a bird, but........
>
> <sigh>

quote:

---

> My brother has an African Grey. The bastard just got a job that leaves
> him out of the country for a few weeks at a time, meaning the creature
> will be staying at our place. Gah. Noise and mess producers. Keeps
> tossing about with his food, whistling and annoying the hell out of
> me, and just when you're ready to grab him by the neck and throw him
> through a window, he starts getting *cute*.

quote:

---

> Parrots live to be 80 or so, which means they'll outlive you and
> anyone else, and who really needs a parrot in the old-folks home that
> can do fart noises? (my fault; I had a 'comedy' birthdaycard which
> had a fart-noisemaker in it, which I repeated a zillion times for the
> bird. Worked a charm).

quote:

---

> Frank van Schie wrote:
>
>
> LOL I'm very familiar with that- Zasu will scream to be let out
> of their cage, and when I holler back at him, he'll say "I love you!".
> Little bastage hates most themes to TV shows, so when the show
> starts going to commercial, and the music plays, he screeches his little
> freaking head off.
> Ross will end up getting up and fetching him out, then he'll say
> "Pretty pretty birdie!" As if to say, "Ha! It worked again!"

quote:

---

>
> I have started repeating "XXXX you!" around Zasu. I can't wait
> until he finally blurts it out in front of Ross (I hope). LOL
>
> Ross and I talked about the big bird today- her lifespan is
> 25 to 35 years. I'd hate for both of us to croak and leave her
> to goodness-knows-what. Or who.
> That's a really big drawback, so I'm trying to forget about her,
> but oh goodness I want that bird. <sigh>
>
> So, maybe I'll finally get another ferret. Or wait awhile and
> try to find a puppy.

quote:

---

> But it's not all gloom & doom- Annie's finches had babies, and
> I'll be bringing some of them home with us tomorrow night!!
> They make the *most* cheerful little "beeps". Hard to hand tame,
> I hear, but it wont stop me from trying!

quote:

---

> Miracle Smith wrote:
>
> Now see, that is actually soothing sounds. And they flutter around in
> their cages, too.

quote:

---

>^,,^< Miracle

quote:

---

> Frank van Schie wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Well, I'm home with my finch babies, *and* their parents!
>
> AnnieMae pulled a fast one on me. She made sure to remind me
> before we left the house today to bring a cage. Now, I was under the
> impression that she wanted to give me 3 or 4 babies. Turns out when
> we arrive, not only are there *6* babies, they're still too young to be
> separated from their parents.
>
> So I've got 8 finches. 2 adults and their 6 kids. Man, I gotta hand it
> to Annie, that was *smooth*..........

quote:

---

> The babies are so *wee*!! They're just as cute as can be. Annie
> showed me how to tell the males from the females when they get older,
> and as we left she laughed and said "Oh by the way, they're like rabbits!"
>
> I thought Ross was gonna make me leave them! This is the second
> batch of babies since May! Frank, you want some finches? LOL

quote:

---

> I thought Ross was gonna make me leave them! This is the second
> batch of babies since May! Frank, you want some finches? LOL

quote:

---

> Miracle Smith wrote:
>
> ROFL.

quote:

---

>
> Bird? Aieee!
>
> Wait, how are they with deepfried and with ketchup?

quote:

---

>^,,^< Miracle

quote:

---

>*cough*
>
>http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/cutebirdy.html
>
>*cough*
>
>*dives for cover*
>
>"Miracle Smith" <miracle@spamcop.net> wrote in message
>news:42c7b979$1_3@galaxy.uncensored-news.com...

quote:

---

> *cough*
>
> http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/cutebirdy.html
>
> *cough*
>
> *dives for cover*