Travel with 10 legs

      People who know me nowadays know I'm a loner.  I've very seldom go out with a partner.  Let alone a group of people.  I'm still shy when it comes to photographing in the presence of another photographer.  Especially if said photographer is much more experienced.  Maybe it's more avoiding the lectures and sometimes condescending tips.  It's not that I don't want to learn.  But it's more wanting to move forward from the regular lectures of Aperture over Exposure over ISO, that they seem to keep telling in the very beginning.  So yeah, I expected that from one of the group at least... I was wrong.

       Saturday night, I was hoping to get some sleep that night but as always, I didn't.  Time passed by so fast, I didn't realize it's 6 am already.  A little bit of editing my pictures and such and I didn't realize it's 9 am already.  Damn!  I was supposed to buy a tripod bag at 10 am.  Finally got it though.  There's still some time for whatever before the group walk.  I was looking for a cheap motel but spending time looking for that motel, and ending up going to a farther but familiar one.  Good thing I didn't check in.  It was already 2:30 pm!  C'mon!  Can't a guy catch a little break here?

Goodbye, dear friend.

       I know I get sentimental on my stuff.  I have 2 old computers that I don't really use much.  I have an electronic keyboard that I played only three times.  I have a saxophone that I haven't even touched.  George (my first motorcycle) that someone wanted to buy but I just couldn't sell him like that.  A playstation 2 that's just standing beside my 2 computers.  A playstation 3 that's just layed flat beside the others, collecting dust.  I got cable tv and don't watch.  These are aside from my small gadgets.  I could've easily disposed of them all but I've had good memories with them that I hold dear.
       I expected to feel the same way with my new laptop but I really hated it when I had problems with it, along with the fact that the screen resolution isn't 1080p.  So I resented it but had no choice but to use it for the meanwhile.  I really can't go back to editing pictures with my tv.  Time passed and I fell fond of the laptop.  For whatever I was thinking that time, I posted an ad on craigslist selling it.  I can't even remember why.  I got responses but they're all offering a bit too low from my asking price.  I could lessen my asking price down to minus $50.  But not more than that.  Everyone's asking me to lower it down to minus $100.  Now, if this was done earlier, I might've taken the offers.  But it grew in me and, to be frank, I wished none would offer.  Now came a guy named Paul.  I didn't took him seriously but I had to be courteous enough to respond to his inquiry.  He didn't haggle.  Instead, asked the state of the laptop.  I should've known that's a good sign for sale.

Cropping out the fat?

       I'm a bit overweight but I'm okay with that.  I'm a care-free person who mostly just go with whatever I have.  So I don't really mind whether I go thin or not.  It's all up to whatever comes natural.

       On my past blog, I posted some current pictures of me to illustrate what the 50mm kit lens could offer, as John taught me one night.  I received some compliments with regards to the pictures:

"It looks good."

"Nice portrait."

"What is this?  A night selfy?"

"Your pictures look better on that site.  Keep it up."

All are good comments and I'm more than glad to receive it.  But what caught my attention was when I was asked if the picture I posted are current.  Of course it is!  I looked at the pictures to see what the deal is... and I agree.  There were some changes.  I looked like I lost weight.

Evolving

       I'm mostly self-taught so my progression is slow.  I'm okay with that.  My goal in photography is not so high.  All I want is to make pictures worth looking at, or to be more specific, at least be considered worth displaying in the living room.  I don't intend to go commercial or aim to sell my photos.  More like just want to show them off and people go "wow" in an instant.  That's my goal.  I have no reason to hurry up and gain money to get back what I've spent.  That's not how my mind works.  Of course photography burns a lot of holes in my pocket.  In fact, it burned my whole pants.  But as soon as I handed out the money, I've already accepted it as gone for some exchange.  Never thinking of getting it back, instead, thinking of how it'll satisfy me to the extent of forgetting the cash.  As for that cash, I could always just keep my day job and wait for next month's pay.  That's how I see it.

       At first, I was enthusiastic.  I get to finally try out those Aperture and Shutter thingy people are talking about.  I get to take pictures just as how I take them with my digicam, only manual.  Composition didn't bother me much.  Framing, rule of thirds, horizons, lines, whatever those things are, they're all out of consideration since I didn't know those

The one-on-one

       I ran out of space on my flickr page and not having a pro account is really bugging me.  I'm cheap and very rarely pay for these things but I'm starting to enjoy what flickr's giving.  So I considered being a paying customer.  The problem is the payment.  Should there have been other means than a credit card, I'd have sent the money already.  Or if they would accept local credit cards (like Samsung or something), I'd have asked my boss to pay for me.  I have one last person to ask but I really don't want to talk to her for now.  I have not asked my family any favors for a long time.  Sure, anyone of them in the U.S. could do me a favor.  But really, I don't want to talk to them... long story.

       I first asked some of my friends in other countries, hoping they'd help me out.  Unfortunately, they too don't have a credit card.  Last idea I have is to ask for a favor from any American in here.

       Saturday night, I met