[23/365] farewell land of snow

I've never gone on a hot holiday to get away from winter before. I haven't even left yet and I am already loving the idea.

I actually don't mind snow that much, but it's the -50 weather with the gloomy skies that really bothers me. I hate how the sky isn't all dark at night either. It's got this purpley colour to it... which sounds kind of weird but it's not that nice pitch black like it is in the summer where you can see all the stars.

Oat and I are getting away from this dreary  first thing in the morning tomorrow... 

Cancun Mexico... here we come!

[22/365] the sun is two days away

I really like how Mexican money feels kind of plasticy.. makes it seem more durable. It makes me think of Canadian money with how colourful it is. I can't wait to have real Mexican food. It's a tough call to say whether Japanese or Mexican is my favourite cuisine.

[21/365] more buns

 

 Mama Bear made more buns! This time green onion ones. They were fun to eat because they had lots of "strands".

[20/365] delicate

del·i·cate/ˈdelikit/

Adjective:	Very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality.
Noun:	A delicate fabric or garment made of such fabric.
Synonyms:	adjective.  tender - dainty - fine - nice - frail - subtle - subtile noun.  regale - dainty

[19/365] catching up... part 2

Another night of catching up... with my nursing girls over Thai! Dinner was tasty at Sukothai, although rather overpriced for what you got compared to other Thai places in the city.
The conversation ranged from engagement, to buying houses, and babies. Such grown up conversation... when did this happen! 

[18/365] catching up

 

The weather is back to what is normal for Winnipeg winter (-40 with windchill). It's been pretty slippery out and there have been more and more accidents. A really sad one happened where a lady flipped over the rail of a bridge due to the slipperiness. Poor lady was in critical condition and then lady passed away due to her injuries. She was only 19!

The bridge was closed for most of the night. Seemed like the accident reminded the whole city to drive with caution--it was backed up everywhere! I took a different bridge that would normally take 5 minutes to get over but it took me 20! 

I was finally meeting up with L, an old high school friend after many failed attempts over the past year. We had fun chatting it up over some Viet food. So glad we finally got to catch up!

[17/365] char siu bao

 

Mama Bear loves to make all sorts of food from scratch. On the menu today was streamed char siu bao (BBQ pork buns). 

[16/365] vitamin C

 

Oranges are full of vitamin C... which I really need to help boost my immune system. I have this horrible cold that I have a week to get over. Oat and I are visiting Cancun in a week. How crappy would it be to go on a hot holiday with a snotty nose! I am determined to be better by then but my way too active brain has been keeping me from a restful night of sleep for a couple of nights already....

[15/365] wishes

Catch a falling star ... and put it ... in a jar.

[14/365] snow

Winter is here again.

[13/365] ice cube

Mushroom shaped ice cubes?! Only at Grace Cafe. Suzie and I caught up over M&M mochas and other yummy drinks.

[12/365] kitty kitty

This is the first time that Fatty here has sat by the fridge. HAH.

 

[11/365]

I want to get more practice using MF.

[10/365] home time

It felt good to be going home after night shift instead of going to work like most of the rest of traffic.

[9/365] hickory farms

Don't want to think about what is really in sausage... 

[8/365] circus is in town

I've only ever been to the circus once... a long time ago... This was a totally different experience though. The Manitoba Museum currently has a behind the scenes exhibit--"Circus--Science Under the Big Top". It was awesome--the best exhibit I've ever been to at the museum.

We got to try tight rope walking, which was a little more nerve-wracking than I thought it would be! Oat was brave and walked without holding onto the ropes on the way back on the rope. I just couldn't do it...even though I was strapped in.

We got to dress up.

... best of all... we got to do bungee flips!

[7/365] sling backpack

 

After a couple of trips of carrying my camera equipment in my purse (don't worry it's padded!), I've learned my lesson. Yes camera bags are kind of ugly, but my shoulders will thank me for it! Last trip to Vegas, my collarbones were red from the straps rubbing against them and my shoulders were super sore... I can still feel the pain when I think about it. 

So today, RyBread and I drove to Selkirk to buy a used Kata 3n1-10 sling backpack. What the heck is a sling backpack? Well the most awesome thing ever! You can wear the bag as a right or left sling or a backpack.

 

Left: sling         Right: backpack!

 

I love how one strap has a red underside but the other side is just black.  It's got this cute little bag (on the right of the photo on the flap) to put SD cards and its great because it velcros onto the inside of the bag. I'm glad I got the bag, but figuring out where to the foamies to best work for me gave us quite the headache!

[6/365] vaccine

Oat and  I are hoping to go to Mexico in a sort of last minute trip in a couple of weeks. Thank goodness the hepatitis A vaccine provides protection in approximately two weeks, but I still felt rushed to get it. I finally got the prescription after a long wait in the walk-in and the doc even gave me both doses to be given a week apart instead of the normal six months apart because I was leaving so soon. After the prescription was filled, I wasn't going to wait another hour or two for the doctor to give me the injection--well that and I was too cheap to pay for something that was so easy of a task. I considered going to work to get one of the other nurses to administer it, but I knew it was a busy day at work so decided against it. I asked RyBread if he'd do it for me if I showed him how. I was confident that he'd do a good job (perhaps more confident than he felt himself).

RyBread is the kind of patient that usually looks away when he gets a needle...

But he was a trooper and went through with it! 

[5/365] Winterpeg melting away

 

I was lying in bed listening to the water draining down the gutter on the side of my house this afternoon when I awoke from my nap after my night shift. The beginning of January... in Winnipeg of all places (where we get -40 degrees celcius with windchill weather during our regular winters), and the snow was melting! It reached a high of 7 deegrees today. I know global warming is bad, but this winter has been so nice with the mild weather. I am usually frozen during these winter months and avoid going outside, but I have actually enjoyed being outside lately!

Free Fonts

 

 I'm always on the lookout for free fonts for my scrapbooking and photo post processing. Dafont has great free fonts, but it never seems like there are very many new. Here are a few from MyFonts-- which is different from DaFont in that most of the fonts are actually paid. You'll need to make a login for the site. Nashville Serial. Novecento Wide (have to scroll down to the bottom to get the free font). Deftone Stylus.

[4/365] 35mm lens, my love

I love my Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM lens. When you first pick up the lens, you can tell it's a quality lens. It's smooth black exterior with that sexy red ring has got me all caught up. It's my first brand new L series lens (I got my Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM macro used). I know people call the 50mm's the "nifty fifty" but I'm sure they really only mean that if they have a full frame camera. The focal length of the lens on my crop camera is perfect when I'm out with friends and want to snap a photo of someone across the table. I don't have to back up a whole lot (if any, really) with the 35mm compared to the 50mm. Next, the awesome aperture makes for great low light photography. My other best friend in low light photography is my Canon Speedlite 270EX, but let's not take the spotlight away from the 35mm. Apart from that, the creamy bokeh gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Look at it wide open (above), I mean, just look at it. There are no words for it.

My default lens used to be my Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS so I was used to having the luxury of zoom (with a not so great aperture sadly) and I thought that shooting exclusively with a prime lens would be a difficult adjustment. I was proven wrong! I don't even carry my zoom lens with me anymore. Just my 35mm and 100mm. I haven't gone on a photowalk to see if I'll eat my words, but so far, over the holidays, my prime babies have served me well.

When Oat and I first went to try this lens, we hummed and hawed at purchasing the most expensive lens we had yet to spoil ourselves with... but deep down, I knew we were meant to be... We even tried to fill that empty spot inside with the 35mm f/2.0. We just weren't feeling it.

It's been less than two weeks, but I think the 35mm is definitely a keeper!

[3/365] friday

I love taking photos of animals, especially the peacocks at the zoo. Their colours are so vibrant and I always have fun chasing them around trying to capture a good photo. I've never actually been to the zoo in the winter, but I imagine that the peacocks aren't around.

My fat cat Friday will just have to do until then. He doesn't like to be cuddled, is very difficult to photograph, and likes to sleep in places he isn't allowed to... but I love him anyway for his laid-backness, warm and fuzzy fur, and those very rare moments where he wants to sit on my lap.

[2/365] hunting for the men of winter

RyBread and I went on a snowman hunt this afternoon, but to my disappointment, most of the ones that had been around must have melted last week with the nice weather. We came across once rather large lumpy sorry excuse of a snowman. He was kinda cute in his own way.

[1/365] new year and a farewell

So here we go again. A new year, a new start... to 365. Hopefully I'll make it through all the way this time! Taking a  photo a day sounds easier than you may think! While I was doing this, I thought I'd try Blogger this time, hey, why not, right?

I cannot even believe that it is 2012 already. 2011 went by in a flash! It was one of the best years yet! I got to travel a lot more than ever (although still not as much as I'd like), I have learned a lot more about photography (and got a few lenses along the way!), I made more time for my creative side with scrapbooking, card-making, and trying to accomplish my 23 list, best of all, I've become closer with the people in my life and made some new friends too.

There are so many things I want to do this year I don't even know where to begin! Actually, it'll begin in my bed--I definitely need to catch up on sleep! Between holiday festivities, work, and trying to fit everything else into my schedule, sleep has been put on the back burner.

New years day was spent saying goodbye to the Chik. After a holiday filled with good times, she was going back to Amsterdam. We endured the harsh cold winter wind (compared to the mild December weather) and went to Joey's. 

After having the fish tacos at Luxalune this past summer, I had to try Baja Fish Tacos that everyone raves about. They were good, but definitely not as tasty as the Luxalune ones. My mouth waters just thinking about the fresh lime and cilantro goodness.

I'm sad that the Chik was leaving, but visiting her in Amsterdam is on my list of places to go this year. I'm excited to do all the things I have planned for 2012!

Cheers to the new year!