Technology

My husband spends an awful lot of time abroad with work (65 days in the first 6 months of this year), which leaves me missing him desperately.  In the last two weeks whilst he has been away we have discovered the joys of video calling via FaceTime on the iPhone 4.  It is fantastic.  Provided that you both have a wireless internet connection (and an iPhone 4!) you can video call each other for free.  This has completely changed the experience of my husband being away for me.  It now means that if I have bought something new I can show him, he can talk to the dogs (sad I know) and it feels like we are properly staying in touch rather than just having a fraught telephone call whilst I am busy rushing around.  I feel like a teenager sneaking home at lunch to get my half an hour video call to chat to my husband over the wireless internet.  I was even able to chat to him whilst I had a Starbucks one lunchtime using their wireless internet. Isn't technology just fantastic!

Fuji FinePix F80 EXR - Review

So, I have now had the time to have a play with my new digital camera and here are my brief thoughts. 

It has a lot of automatic settings which, whilst they are a good gimic, are a waste of time in my opinion.  If you venture in the manual settings you can get much better results.  I am not keen on the method of zooming i.e. there is a wheel around the shutter button which you push from left to right and I don't like it.  That being said however a 10x optical zoom on a small digital camera is impressive.

When venturing into the manual settings it does take some really good pictures and I have to say that for the bargain price of £99 (from Fuji's refurbished online shop) I am suitably impressed.  I would definitely recommend it.  Here are some of my results from my first outing:

My gorgeous little boy, otherwise known as "Trouble":

My beautiful (and well behaved) little girl:

They love nothing more than playing on the field:

Photography

Hi All

Long time no posting.  As you may had gathered if you have read any of my earlier posts, I am a keen photographer.  I have today purchased a new compact digital camera.  I have a DSLR which I use if I am going to events but quite often when I am out and about, maybe just walking the dogs or driving somewhere, I see something which I feel would make a good photograph.  I am therefore going to carry this camera with me to keep a record of any moments of inspiration which I may see in my day to day life.  As I go along I will try to share some of my favourites with you.  I am by no means a professional but I have learnt a few things along the way, which again I may share as I go along.

If any of you are interested, my new puchase is a Fuji FinePix F80EXR.

Wish me luck :-)

My Birthday Treat

It was my birthday last month and as a treat my husband bought me these shoes. I am absolutely in love.  I know that this is a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a pair of shoes but I work really hard and all the money I have I have earnt so I do not feel any guilt about this whatsoever.

Lots of people have said that they would never spend such a vast amount of money on a pair of shoes but each to their own I say!

Music

I absolutely love music.  If I could only take one inanimate object to a desert island with me it would undoubtedly be my ipod.  If I had to choose tomorrow between only ever being able to watch tv, read books or listen to music again, I would choose music.

I think music invokes thought and emotions and also affects my mood like nothing else can.

I am especially giddy this year as I am going to see many live gigs which I know will be amazing including Kings of Leon in Hyde Park, Foo Fighters (supported by Biffy Clyro!) and I am also going to Leeds festival (despite the fact that my best friend told me last year that I was too old for festivals).

They have just announced the line up for Leeds festival and I am very excited about it.  Last year I went to Leeds festival for the day as an introduction and this year I will be there for the whole weekend for my first proper festival experience. I am a bit scared and am not prepared to rough it in a tent yet (having seen people's tents on fire as we left last year!) so I have booked a PodPad - exciting! After the event I shall give you a full report!

What does everybody think about music??

Valentines Day

So it is soon to be Valentines Day, the day to declare your love to the subject of your desires. 

Well not for me! I have instructed my husband not to waste any money on Valentines Day this year. So am I total miser - you decide!  I just feel that Valentines Day is commercial clap trap designed by card company's to make a killing.  If you want to buy flowers they are twice the price or if you want to go for a meal (if you can even get a table) everywhere is packed out with an expensive Valentines menu on offer.  It is not that I have no romance but I would far rather my husband sent me a card to tell me he loves me just because the urge takes him, not because society tells him he should.  If a bunch of flowers happen to land on my desk for no reason other than to remind me how much he loves me that feels so much more genuine.

So what are your thoughts - is my romance dead or am I right to take a stand against commercialised love?

I love Chocolate

After reading a magazine article my niece recently told me about possibly the best website ever and I feel I have a duty to share this with you all. www.choccywoccydoodah.com has the most amazing looking creations on there EVER – fact.

I have been desperately thinking of events to justify one of these cakes. It is only 3 months to my birthday so I figure I NEED one for that... right! I am not sure that I could justify the solid chocolate skull to go with it though and since I am so in love with that I am going to have to keep patiently waiting until Halloween!!!

Revisit to Blogging

I have not blogged for a while as my interest in it seems to have faded away.  Today however as part of my job I spent the afternoon with a graphic design agency and have been inspired.  So I have decided to start making more of an effort with my  blogging and come up come up with some interesting thoughts for you all to contemplate.

I have lots of interesting things coming up this year and I am going to share my journey with you so expect scuba diving, tattoos, UK holidays, a new baby (not mine), house hunting and lots of gigs (including my first proper festival experience!).

Assuming of course I remember to include you all on my journey....