If I just had to pack one camera…

Right now it would be a Sony RX100.

I’ve currently got the 7th generation but I’d recommend any model. They haven’t changed much over the years and everything I said about the 4th generation (in 2016) still pretty much holds up.

The good:

  • Super compact
  • Fast start-up
  • Solid lens with a really great zoom (24–200 mm)
  • Articulating LED (with touchscreen I turn off)
  • Pop-up viewfinder
  • Enough access to control important bits with the control ring or back buttons

Room for improvement:

  • Connectivity to phones (for shooting or image transfer) only works sometimes
  • USB-C would be nice (Mini USB cords are annoying)
  • Capturing GPS data somehow would be swell

Sony used to update this little camera with frequency, but this version has been lingering since 2019. I’d love to see it updated with better connectivity, but as it stands, it’s a delightful way to capture moments.

Things will be quiet around here

I regarded this gift packing material in the recycling bin as the sun shone brightly — a rare thing of late.

Outside of this moment, I stacked my todo list and accomplished exactly 85% of the tasks.

Things will be quiet around here while I tend to the remaining 15%.

I’ll likely mirror my “look back on this day” exercise from Threads to this journal over the next week.

Working in the same room

After a few levels of Super Mario 3D World with Clara, Heather and I transitioned to the dining table to tackle client work. Today’s task was to zhuzh up a deck about AI that contained approximately 300 templates with different typefaces. I spent time weeding all that out and Heather reminded me no one will ever know or see this effort, but she couldn’t stop me.

It was nice to be working in the same room.

I’ll take whatever moments

It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen my friends after they moved to one of the Carolinas. And though I see Heather many times a week through a screen, it is just not the same — not one bit.

So it was lovely to have them over for dinner and catch up while they breezed through town. I only wished our place was way bigger or their accommodations were next door because we could have kept going. Even if we exhausted trains of thought there could have been a board game component of the evening.

But I’ll take whatever moments I can get.

Also, their daughter is now into video games and that opens up so many doors to connect. She’s still of the age where my skills are impressive — this may be a narrow window in the scheme of things!

The (tiny) stories on my desk

I was reading this post by James titled What stories are on your desk? and I looked at the things accumulating and saw this as a great opportunity to recognize them and clean things up!

(Plus I knew there wouldn’t be much of interest to photograph this dreary day, which I realize is presumptuous.)

In the end my stories are so brief they’re bullet points.

15 things on my desk

I couldn’t find raisins

Needed to pop into Whole Foods to pick up a thing for Edie which turned into an attempt to collect ingredients for dinner. I’ve come to the conclusion that their (newly remodeled) store layout is very confusing.

The first part with produce and Amazon counter ends with non-alcoholic beer and cheese.

A half aisle of frozen foods also has canned tomatoes.

Currants are past dairy at the other end of the store.

I couldn’t find raisins.

We cut our losses and left with partial ingredients at the ‘urinal close’ self-checkouts.

Ring Fit Adventure

“Your sweat is so shiny and beautiful!” blurts the guide from Nintendo’s Ring Fit Adventure when you finish a level. I was definitely sweating, probably shiny but I’m sure I looked ridiculous.

This game and peripheral came out at the end of 2019 but I was working out with my trainer Larry and we switched to virtual when it became clear the pandemic was sticking around.

I picked a copy on sale in late 2021 and it sat collecting dust until today.

I moved the living room coffee table, slid the left controller into a sleeve that wraps around your leg and snapped the other one in this ring and fired it up.

Between jogging in place, squeezing that ring apparatus to interact with the environment and all the floor exercises, I was downright woozy from a really great workout.

The IR port on the controller even measures your pulse between sets and it‘’s pretty darn accurate with readings on my watch.

So day one with this thing is in the books. I’m hopeful this might get me moving on the cold days!

Following up

Edie had a followup visit with the vet yesterday. We were concerned about lethargy and unusual eating habits (She was never one to turn down a Temptation treat, until now. She’s also being extra cuddly, but that’s welcome.

This visit was to consider an x-ray and catch up on shots.

We introduced new food and treats and her appetite and energy levels started to rebound, so we decided to hold off on the scan and see how she does over the next 3 months.

She did much better on the trip overall — even with the needles — but was happy to get back home.

like, a lot of time

As I inked up a date stamp for a cursory card for 2024 goals, I lament not capturing a summation of the year that passed.

I used to make galleries of favorite photos from the year back in the day. It’s a lovely exercise and a fun way to jump into a flood of images. But when I look back at photos from 2023 (warning, loads slowly) I can’t choose favorites anymore.

Admission, there are some (really) boring snapshots. But they commingle with others of import and all end up cherished.

So what were the highlights? What did I accomplish or learn?

All I can say with confidence is that:

  • Life is short
  • Sometimes there are doldrums to shake
  • Eat as many good and healthy things as possible
  • Save room for dessert
  • Move your body
  • Minimize passive consumption (news / social media)
  • Never hesitate to let someone know you are thinking about them
  • Make time for loved ones — like, a lot of time

Fourplex

Took a similar photo after the new year recently of some multiplex apartments. Maybe it was another instance of resolutions inspiring outdoor activity.

I almost didn’t get out as it was the first day back to work and UGH—the piles of emails and meetings and tasks!

But I forced myself to break away while there was still precious light out and MOVE.

It was invigorating.

Back to this fourplex, the thing about these are you can get them with a residential loan, in theory.

Happy new folder

Took down the Christmas tree and decorations much to Edie’s chagrin (and mine for that matter). Schlepped boxes to the garage and spent the afternoon de-potting seasonal plants, tidying up outside and storing the last of the patio furniture.

I’ve a resolution of sorts: Get outside every day and move.

It’s a low bar but a place to start!

On the topic of new years, it’s time for a new directory to contain all the photos for 2024! Here’s what I shared on Mastodon:

Just made a new folder.

No idea what exactly it will contain, but I hope it will be chock full of folks and experiences and animals and places and music and laughter and being intimidated while trying some things new.

@glass

Chuck’s reply made me grin and became the title of this post. Happy New Folder indeed!

I very much hope I can get out there and post more photos consistently*, learn how to focus and maybe finally nail color balance in 2024.

* attempting a pingback to celebrate birthdays and blogging