tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336324402024-03-12T22:34:41.501-10:00Join My HaremTaking over the world one bishoujo at a time.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-38636897232200183182012-07-20T18:45:00.000-10:002012-07-20T18:51:48.344-10:00Mirrorless Cards Revealed<span style="background-color: white;">On Monday, Canon will formally join the EVIL mirrorless camera category. Every major manufacturer will them have cast their lot into the fight for the post-SLR era.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">On the one hand, I really like the direction they took with the EOS M body and the EF-M 22mm f/2 pancake set. It basically looks like an S100 with a lens mount, which is a good form factor to aspire to, in my opinion.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTCGz4X4TtU6-Lhqna-9o2g4iKSZX5l2h-joxMGccqwcltRmtAJB76O-iBj8jRVoLwKMyBcuDKNTrmgKBwO2YczumOAQD7QsjNHqTdjeNPAkSJaco3C2YMrhR8UlQW_js4-l3/s1600/canon_mirrorless_f1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTCGz4X4TtU6-Lhqna-9o2g4iKSZX5l2h-joxMGccqwcltRmtAJB76O-iBj8jRVoLwKMyBcuDKNTrmgKBwO2YczumOAQD7QsjNHqTdjeNPAkSJaco3C2YMrhR8UlQW_js4-l3/s320/canon_mirrorless_f1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lookit the sexy smallness. Like a loli, though not quite DFC...<br />
(from <a href="http://www.canonwatch.com/">Canon Watch</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;">But when I look at the EF-M 18-55mm IS (unknown aperture, but most likely f/3.5-5.6), I see the problem with choosing APS-C - the zooms will always be hideously big. This standard zoom does not appear to really gain any size advantage from the new mount, and that makes me sad.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0thKK3taK9fOqwG_k5UXzyuPk5PzPKP_YGiDMe_stdzTGhtrEpAT9RR86fIg4JraM_jAe9fe3wp9BcOe75ZdezYlWfMWnNozPcrItmC_hQOAMqiYuaMf37szecHUyYZL8Dnm6/s1600/1855-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0thKK3taK9fOqwG_k5UXzyuPk5PzPKP_YGiDMe_stdzTGhtrEpAT9RR86fIg4JraM_jAe9fe3wp9BcOe75ZdezYlWfMWnNozPcrItmC_hQOAMqiYuaMf37szecHUyYZL8Dnm6/s200/1855-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and XL busts don't look right on lolis for a reason.<br />
(from <a href="http://www.canonwatch.com/">Canon Watch</a>)
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;">Haven't Samsung </span><a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/topic/nx-system" style="background-color: white;">already built</a><span style="background-color: white;"> the system Canon would be making? Don't get me wrong, Canon's ecosystem is preferable, but still, shouldn't a small system actually put more effort into being... small?</span><br />
<br />
I want beautifully compact lenses beyond the pancake prime, like these in the micro-4/3 system:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005J5TZVG/" style="background-color: white;">pancake zoom</a><span style="background-color: white;">!</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">An </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00843ERMW/" style="background-color: white;">f/2.8 zoom</a><span style="background-color: white;"> that's the same size as an APS kit lens!</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">And a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IKLJVE/">usual standard</a> pancake prime.</span></li>
</ul>
Part of me really does wish Canon went with the G1X 1.85-crop-factor micro-4/3-esque sensor. Then perhaps we could have seen truly smaller lenses. It is fully possible that Canon can pull some unexpected optical tricks in the future (collapsible standard zoom?). But while I would gladly eat my words on this, I'm not holding my breath.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-33786607012148016062012-02-14T20:39:00.000-10:002012-02-14T20:39:25.579-10:00VW!(Valentines & Waifus!)<br />
<br />
Among the single nerds/geeks/weirdos/outcasts, I think otaku are the only ones who seem to actively celebrate Valentine's Day. Figure.fm is flooded with celebratory posts.<br />
<br />
Personally, I can't really get into the idea of buying a ridiculous amount of expensive perishables (flowers, cake, candy) for a waifu who can't use it anyway.<br />
<br />
... But I can understand an INexpensive perishable. ^_~<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhXBP9nhSStbwZp62KQXxS0h2GOeZv5ogpZtFPRp4yTyPFUgUr1cjW0oa1sUpymqSaLjGIDCKFonN10aT9hLDK29jiOQ___5m7ulWQf3wjRRidk9UygTjJUEuwmmuNoz4fAxV/s1600/estel_valentine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhXBP9nhSStbwZp62KQXxS0h2GOeZv5ogpZtFPRp4yTyPFUgUr1cjW0oa1sUpymqSaLjGIDCKFonN10aT9hLDK29jiOQ___5m7ulWQf3wjRRidk9UygTjJUEuwmmuNoz4fAxV/s400/estel_valentine.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Happy Valentine's Day!gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-80522501246962386522011-03-18T19:10:00.019-10:002011-03-18T19:19:57.149-10:00Real Life uses Reality Check! It's super effective!Thanksgiving is a special holiday to me. We Americans use this day to reflect on the good things in our life. We give big ticket thanks--for life, health, friends & family--as well as small ticket thanks--for mp3s, dolls, internet & porn. Then we gain 10 pounds from one meal.<br />
<br />
[Insert fat American joke here.]<br />
<br />
For me, Thanksgiving came a little early, at least the serious reflection part. I am grateful for my health and the safety of the people I care about, when many in the world do not have these luxuries.<br />
<br />
As everybody knows by now, Japan has been hit with one of the worst earthquakes in recorded history. I am not in Japan, nor am I from there, but I feel great affinity toward them. I have Japanese friends. I appreciate Japanese sensibilities. Almost all my hobbies originate from or are produced by them.<br />
<br />
This post is meant to be a list of possible ways to show support those affected by the tragedy. As a (former-ish) economist, I believe that the forces of greed and competition are neutral in nature, and can be harnessed for good. If you are less greedy than I, you can simply donate to the Red Cross <a href="http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_src=RSG000000000&s_subsrc=RCO_NewsArticle">Japan relief fund</a> or other <a href="https://www.paypal-donations.com/pp-charity/web.us/campaign.jsp?cid=-12">organization of choice</a>.<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://donationdoubler.org/?category_name=japan-tsunami-earthquake">DonationDoubler.org has a list</a> of "promotions" from companies that are matching donations. They cover other causes besides the Japanese relief effort, so pick your antidote.</li>
<li>Manga Gamer is <a href="http://mangagamer.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/help-support-japan-buy-eroge/">donating all proceeds</a> from the sale of some of their titles up to March 31.</li>
<li>HLJ is <a href="http://www.hlj.com/redcross.html?utm_medium=slide&utm_campaign=TOP_page&utm_content=top/hlj-red-cross-carousel.png">donating 4%</a>, also until March 31.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.jlist.com/home">J-List</a> is donating 5% and will last through April. (May I suggest some <a href="http://www.jlist.com/product/DRK019">Morning Rescue</a>?)</li>
</ul><div>This is just what I caught wind of. I also received offers from my credit card providers (to donate reward points) and from airlines (to donate points or provide point incentives), so if it hadn't occurred to you to look at those, you could check your relevant accounts as well.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I wish Japan all the best.</div>gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-53120187549378369722010-09-20T18:00:00.004-10:002010-10-27T14:12:58.509-10:00RE: Migrations and Archive FailUPDATE: Finally, it works. Moving on then.<br />
<br />
If you care, the fiction posts have been moved to another blog, <a href="http://prismatic%20angels/">Prismatic Angels</a>. I think the separation can only be a good thing considering the differences in subject matter.<br />
<br />
So my archive is broken. Just this blog's archive, mind. Google's customer support feels like it is in name only, even worse than India's. At least I can get a human to pretend to care about my concerns rather than just getting straight-up ignored. So until then, the blog will just have to do without. At least the rest of the blog works (for now).gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-3001920266708942542010-09-10T23:59:00.000-10:002010-09-10T00:05:34.829-10:00[Done] Figure sales are posted!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h45ujuTOfGZZO0su8t3CE4Aw8APGIejvZAKjlQ_vqEl9MMI8t2VTAWJeQ4Os6gLdbyQBYkJuYx1ZdQdA2HoLf6K9GM6-d4oFyof80V2xVpO417cHS4rw7QhdfsyBLYc6_Fkx/s1600/big+sale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h45ujuTOfGZZO0su8t3CE4Aw8APGIejvZAKjlQ_vqEl9MMI8t2VTAWJeQ4Os6gLdbyQBYkJuYx1ZdQdA2HoLf6K9GM6-d4oFyof80V2xVpO417cHS4rw7QhdfsyBLYc6_Fkx/s400/big+sale.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
UPDATE: The eBay listing fee promo is over; no more eBay listings for now. List of unsold items follows. Please contact me if interested.<br />
<br />
<br />
---OTHER---<br />
Maburaho manga vol.2 (limited ed.)<br />
<br />
---BEAT---<br />
Yours [defects, email for details]<br />
<br />
---DAIKI KOUGYO---<br />
Iroha<br />
<br />
---E2046---<br />
Haruhi Suzumiya (Gothic Lolita ver,)Wai Fung<br />
<br />
---GRIFFON---<br />
Saber (bikini ver.)<br />
<br />
---HAPPINET---<br />
Youko<br />
<br />
---HOBBY JAPAN---<br />
Kanu Unchou (ADESUGATA ver,)<br />
<br />
---MAX FACTORY---<br />
Kasumi [defect, email for details]<br />
<br />
---YAMATO---<br />
Mizuho Kazami (pink wedding dress ver.)gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-79735185429391834762010-08-12T17:00:00.004-10:002010-08-12T17:00:00.388-10:00SLR Basics 4: Starter LensesSo you found a brand that makes bodies with the features you want and the lenses you want, all at a price you can afford. So what to buy?<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Beginners should start with these 3 lenses, for they are the cheapest available yet also among the sharpest. Micro 4/3 will have different focal lengths (mm) but have similar offerings.</div><div><ol><li>Standard zoom: 18-55mm or similar (~$100, "kit lens" often sold with new entry-level cameras)</li>
<li>Telephoto zoom: 55-200mm or similar (~$200, often sold with the above as a premium option)</li>
<li>Fast prime: 50mm f/1.8 (~$100, sold separately) [m4/3 seems to lack this right now]</li>
</ol><ul></ul><div>Cheap, light and good characterizes the beginner lenses. Every lens besides them will be "worse": they'll cost more, be bigger and heavier and possibly even be less sharp. (I'm simplifying, of course.) What the kit lenses excel in is accessibility--they are affordable enough and capable enough that you can shoot many types of photos with only them--truly ideal for a beginner. I suggest these 3 to start with if you have no idea what you are doing. You will be able to gain photographic experience without spending much money.<br />
<br />
Manufacturers and retailers often bundle the first two zooms with a basic camera body in promotions. I would say that's the best value overall for camera + lenses.<br />
<br />
Premium kit lenses (those sold with more expensive cameras) are variants of the standard one, typically expanding the focal range of the lens; the 18-55mm is only 3x after all. As implied, the premiums both cost more ($300-1000) and are heavier. "Superzooms" with extreme zoom ranges (e.g. 18-200mm, which is 11x) give up sharpness too. But you may wish to use a premium standard zoom and no telephoto zoom at all, so the choice is ultimately yours.<br />
<br />
I would caution against using kit lenses intended for full frame cameras. These do not go wider than 24mm, and on an APS camera (i.e. most bodies under $2000) you <i>will</i> miss the 18-24mm range. (If you know better, then you know better. If you don't, just take my word for it.)<br />
<br />
Some recommended accessories:<br />
<ul><li>At least two memory cards. SLRs use SD or CF, sometimes both. Sony models also take MS. I prefer 2 smaller cards over 1 larger card, even for the same total memory. This gives you backup--cards do occasionally malfunction, usually only temporarily but always with poor timing. If that was your only card, you're S.O.L. unless you reformat the card. But if you had a 2nd card, you can swap, keep shooting and recover the bad card on your PC later. (~$10-100)</li>
<li>An extra battery. Same reason as memory cards. I prefer OEM (branded) batteries--a camera already comes with one and I only need two anyway. Others use 3rd party batteries, which are often cheaper with higher capacities. YMMV. (~$20-80)</li>
<li>Bag. For travel and event shooting. Belt, shoulder or backpack, whichever you prefer. As long as you can easily remove equipment from it and find it comfortable to wear for hours at a time. Don't go overboard in capacity though--carrying too much slows you down and tires you out sooner. Neither helps your photography. (~$10-100)</li>
<li>Tripod with 3 or 4 segment legs. For stars, landscapes and studio work. Get one tall enough to reach close to eye level without extending the center column. Shorter than that will force you to bend over a lot. (~$10-40)</li>
<li>Remote control. Recommended for tripod. Touching the camera mounted on a tripod will make it vibrate, which can make images blurry. Remotes let you trigger the shutter without touching the camera, avoiding the problem. Corded remotes let you shoot "bulb", where you manually control how long the shutter is open. Wireless remotes let the photographer be in the picture, but cannot shoot bulb and are less convenient for tripod use since the wireless receiver is on the camera's front. (~$10-50)</li>
<li>Lights. For studio use. A kit of two fluorescent lamps and a diffuser for each is sufficient, perhaps with an extra reflector as well. Homemade/DIY is a popular option here. Lets you shoot sale photos, portraits, still life and macro. Flash variants cost more. (~$20-200)</li>
</ul>With photographic gear, the sky is the limit, so keep in mind that you can sink a lot of money without much effort. There is always something better out there. Don't go overboard.<br />
<br />
Especially if on a budget, hold off on buying beyond your starter kit until you've shot a few thousand frames. After that, you should know what types of shooting you primarily do. You can then invest in equipment specially designed for your needs. Experience will let you make more informed and relevant choices about your future gear.</div></div>gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-73970848618541716242010-08-05T11:30:00.002-10:002010-08-06T09:11:08.870-10:00Reclamation of TableA long time ago, I had a table in the corner of my room. I had no camera or lighting so I used it as a work surface. I put that table away when I needed space for boxes of stuff.<br />
<br />
Things have changed. I have musume and a camera now. I will be buying a lighting setup sometime before Christmas to shoot Christmas cards. Also, eBay is offering free auction listings this month at any starting price--necessary since no way would I list a niche item for $0.99! So I have reinstated the table as a photo space. And am selling off figures that don't fit in my collection. Sales will go toward the lighting equipment and a <a href="http://dollsoom.com/eng/shop/item.php?it_id=1255516342">new musume</a> (soon to be discontinued).<br />
<br />
I will be placing listings on eBay, posting a notice on figure.fm classifieds, possibly craigslist (ick) and the Kawaii Kon message board, and posting a total list here. There's a LOT of figures on the auction block, all still with original packaging, with most never removed from their boxes at all.<br />
<br />
I have spent several days compiling and photographing them. Everything (including the auctions themselves) should be up no later than Saturday.<br />
<br />
Please look forward to it!<br />
<br />
EDIT: Did near-final inventory of sale items. Almost 50 figures! Holy crap.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-55176541192734873302010-07-23T08:00:00.382-10:002010-07-23T08:00:01.917-10:00SLR Basics 3: Choosing a BrandSo you want an SLR after all. So what to buy?<br />
<br />
First of all, any of the major brands will perform well. So while it may not exactly aid the decision process, rest assured that there is no "wrong" choice. You will be able to take great photos no matter what you buy. With the basics taken care of, the real competition in your brain will be about details.<br />
<br />
This will be the longest entry by far, but you need not read all of it. I have ordered the sections roughly by how important I think that quality is, the most important being first. If one of the factors is enough to drive a decision, stop reading--that's your brand!<br />
<br />
(Technically, I'm covering interchangeable lens cameras in general, not strictly SLRs. This means I will mention the new mirrorless models, which I think are similar enough to real SLRs as far as my intended audience is concerned.)<br />
<br />
<b>Ergonomics</b><br />
<br />
If the camera is uncomfortable to hold, you will avoid using it. If it is too big and heavy, you will avoid carrying it. If it is too hard to control, you will simply give up on it. There should be as few obstacles as possible to using the camera.<br />
<br />
There is no substitute for physically holding an SLR in your hands. Go to a retail store and try several models out. Manufacturers generally design their cameras similarly, so if the latest model isn't on demo, try last year's model. The layout will be more similar than not.<br />
<br />
Specific things to look for:<br />
<ul><li>Too small. Cheaper SLR bodies and mirrorless bodies usually have less switches, are made of plastic, and use a dimmer pentamirror. If you have large hands or weak eyes, you may find these bodies uncomfortable to handle.</li>
<li>Too big. Upscale SLR bodies tend to be made of metal rather than plastic, have a top LCD, and a glass pentaprism. This makes them bigger and heavier all around. If you have small hands, are physically weak, or plan to travel long distances with the camera, you may find these tiring to hold.</li>
<li>Switch placement. Can you reach all the buttons without having to shift your grip or removing your eye from the viewfinder? Is the wheel(s) comfortable to use? </li>
<li>Viewfinder: Is it comfortable to see through? Is the shot information laid out to your liking? If you wear glasses, is the eyepoint far enough that you don't have to mash your face and glasses right up against the camera (too badly)?</li>
</ul>In fact, ergonomics is so important that if you happen to find a brand that fits you like a glove, choose that and ignore the rest of the article.<br />
<br />
<b>Durability</b><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">Do you carry your equipment on a cushion of crushed velvet? Or do you drop them on the ground and kick vigorously just in case?</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Impact and weather are the enemy. Bodies range from unsealed plastic to sealed magnesium alloy. If you are a typical tourist more interested in Disneyland than the Middle East, plastic will work just fine. When going on a desert adventure or to the tundra, you will probably benefit from dust and water resistance.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Every brand offers weather sealed bodies, but generally they are high end models. Pentax is an exception, as some of their cheaper bodies are sealed as well. But sealed bodies must be paired with sealed lenses, or the lens mount just becomes a giant leak.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Weather-sealed does not mean waterproof. Buy a dedicated waterproof camera or waterproof housing if that is what you are really after.</div><div></div><br />
<b>Connections</b><br />
<br />
Did you know your friends and family may have already decided for you?<br />
<br />
SLRs are most useful with a library of lenses to fit a shooting situation. Building from scratch even a modest collection of (hundred- to thousand-dollar) lenses can be quite expensive. So inheriting a system or knowing a photographer who would be willing to loan equipment is a very strong incentive to use the same brand. As long as you can stand that brand's ergonomics of course.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Mirrorless?</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Sony E and micro 4/3 cameras do not have a mirror. This means they can omit the mirror assembly and optical viewfinder, which makes them slimmer and lighter. You will only have the LCD and/or electronic viewfinder for framing. The framing lag will make following action much more difficult. The backlit screen may not be bright enough to use in broad daylight. Conversely, its brightness may impair your night vision when operating in low or no light. (Also, try spotting a constellation on an LCD...) Whether the trade off is worth it is highly personal. I will simply say that SLRs are more all-purpose.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">For speculation, Nikon will likely be releasing their own mirrorless line, which will likely need a new mount to deliver on smaller total size. Canon announced their own intention to release a small body of comparable size to mirrorless cameras, but avoided saying that their product would be mirrorless also. (Historical note: Canon once made APS film SLRs of similar size as modern mirrorless bodies.)</div><div></div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Anti-Shake Systems</b></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Anti-shake systems are known by many names: Canon's IS, Nikon's VR, Sony's SteadyShot INSIDE, Panasonic's Mega OIS, Pentax's SR, etc. Such systems today are of two types: they either move part of the lens or move the camera's sensor.</div><ul><li>Canon, Nikon and Panasonic use lens systems. You will benefit from it only when using a specific lens designed with this feature, usually at extra cost. Kit lenses generally have this as standard. The optical viewfinder and autofocus system will both benefit from it, as the lens corrects the image before passing it to the rest of the camera.</li>
<li>Sony, Olympus and Pentax use sensor shift systems. This is usually standard in their bodies. You will benefit from this when using any lens. However, because it is installed on the sensor, it only works when the sensor is in use. It will not stabilize the image for the viewfinder or autofocus system. Mirrorless cameras are an exception because they use the sensor full-time.</li>
</ul><ul></ul></div><b>Lens Selection</b> <br />
<br />
Companies are not created equal. The systems they create are not equal either. Each manufacturer offers a slightly different selection of lenses to set their brand apart.<br />
<br />
While I emphasize unique and distinctive lenses here, I will point out that these are niche lenses targeting enthusiasts and professionals. The far more popular and useful "general purpose" lenses are made by every manufacturer. This comparison is largely academic.<br />
<ul><li>Canon is the market leader. They offer one of the largest lens selections around, including specialty lenses such as the tilt-shift lenses, an extreme macro lens (1-5x life size!), a "budget professional" f/4 lens series, and the largest selection of super telephoto lenses (over 300mm focal length).</li>
<li>Nikon is the other market leader. They offer the other one of the largest lens selections around, including their own tilt-shift lenses, an unequaled wide angle zoom lens (14-24mm), and a pair of unique portrait lenses ("DC" for distortion control). Among their discontinued fare is a dedicated astrophotgraphy lens and a macro zoom lens capable of 0.75x magnification.</li>
<li>Sony is the new Minolta. Their selection is smaller than Canon & Nikon but is still large, notably including a compact autofocusing 500mm mirror lens and an even more unique portrait lens ("STF" for smooth transition focus). Sony recently released a mirrorless camera line to compete with micro 4/3. There are only 2 lenses so far fitting this new E-mount.</li>
<li>Olympus and Panasonic share the 4/3 ("Four-Thirds") mount and thus can share lenses. They are focusing on their new mirrorless cameras, which use the micro 4/3 mount. Micro 4/3 lenses are more compact than SLR lenses. Both standard and micro 4/3 have a more limited lens selection than Sony A and Pentax.</li>
<li>Pentax is owned by Hoya, a major optical glass manufacturer. Their lens selection is comparable to Sony's. They are known for weather sealing even low grade lenses (other manufacturers force you to buy the professional lenses) and their compact and well-built "limited" prime lenses, among them a few exceptionally thin "pancake" lenses.</li>
</ul><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Miscellany</b></div><div><br />
Because of their physical design, mirrorless cameras can accept adapters for many lenses from other manufacturers, including those designed for long dead/outdated cameras. You will lose automated functionality, but for some applications (macro and video come to mind) this would still be acceptable. Old manual focus lenses might actually be preferable, as their focus mechanism is designed for hand focusing rather than compared to autofocus lenses.<br />
<br />
Similarly, Canon cameras can be fitted with adapters for other manufacturers' lenses as well, though the selection is far less. But notably, Nikon lenses will fit. As with mirrorless cameras, you will lose automated functionality.<br />
<br />
Except for their high end models, Pentax cameras accept AA batteries natively. Other brands use proprietary lithium ion batteries and need external camera grips to accept AA.<br />
<br />
If you care about what the pros use, Canon and Nikon currently split the professional market and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. This trickles down to the SLR market as a whole. Consequently, these brands' secondhand, rental and dealer markets are much larger and more accessible than the others.<br />
<br />
So... got a brand or at least some candidates yet? How to choose specific models of equipment is next.</div>gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-6034212753735967342010-07-19T23:59:00.004-10:002010-07-19T23:59:00.925-10:00SLR Basics 2: System MentalityYou are not buying a camera. You are not buying megapixels, ISOs, autofocus points or even video recording. Buying an SLR is buying into a system and this is the biggest change from shopping for a compact.<br />
<br />
Lenses are more important than the camera. Your camera takes no images without a lens painting one upon the sensor. Lenses determine the subject matter you can shoot and the conditions where/when you can shoot. Everything you do with the camera passes through the lens first.<br />
<br />
Tripods are more important than the camera. The camera needs a stable platform, whether shooting still lifes in a studio, a grain of rice blown to more than life size, landscapes at dawn, birds in detail at 100 meters, stars under a clear sky or making mist out of moving water. Long shutter speeds, long focal lengths and the highest sharpness possible all require that camera movement be eliminated, stability that the human body simply cannot provide for more than a fraction of a second. Image stabilization helps at the borderline, but will not help past a second. A blurry photo is beyond saving.<br />
<br />
Flashes and lighting are more important than the camera. ISO is no substitute for good light. Sometimes the light simply sucks and it is easier to just bring your own. Photoshop takes expertise and labor to do its magic. A homemade light tent and pair of 60W bulbs will do more for your eBay photos than an any SLR ever could. Learning how to manipulate the light is as important as learning how to shoot in every condition.<br />
<br />
The camera body is a part of a system. It is an important part, but still only one part. Do not neglect the rest of the system, especially when starting from scratch with a limited budget. If you end up doing an hour of Photoshop to fix each photo, you may as well have stuck to a compact. Getting great results straight from the camera is a tricky and rewarding skill that requires a team effort from your whole system. Lenses especially should not be neglected, for they are the real core of an SLR system.<br />
<br />
Stop thinking about camera specs. This works somewhat for compacts, but for SLRs it is an expensive distraction from more important issues. The camera cannot and will not do it all.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-22172451402233935382010-07-16T18:00:00.024-10:002010-07-16T18:00:03.938-10:00SLR Basics 1: Why an SLR?Now for something a little different. This won't really describe anything new or rare as far as online info goes, but I felt like writing a tutorial and so a tutorial you will receive. (In explaining to others, you also explain to yourself.) Perhaps I can rephrase enough in ways that will help a few others "get it". This is a series.<br />
<br />
<hr /><br />
SLRs are bulky and heavy. Their lenses are sold separately and can be prohibitively expensive. They are less forgiving of operator error. In fact, they will likely give worse results than a cheaper automatic camera for an unskilled user. So why bother with them at all?<br />
<ul><li>You want to learn more about the technical aspects of photography.</li>
<li>You want to take specialized pictures, e.g. stars, small objects, formal portraits.</li>
<li>You want to take pictures of moving things.</li>
<li>You are willing to carry several pounds of camera to accomplish the above.</li>
<li>You are willing to sink hundreds to thousands of dollars to accomplish the above.</li>
</ul>If none of these describes you, save yourself a lot of hassle and just buy a compact, preferably with face detection and image stabilizer. It will be easier to use, lighter to carry and is usually cheaper. And to be honest, their images will be perfectly acceptable, especially for common web sizes (1600x1200 and smaller). Seriously. Camera tech is quite amazing at every price level.<br />
<br />
Still interested? Because you have a long way to go.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-51096636473236294552007-08-18T20:22:00.002-10:002010-01-13T22:44:57.989-10:00Windows XP-tan wallpaperHow disgraceful of me. I talk all about my upcoming computer in my last post but barely mention my current one. Her name is Lysandra. (Why yes, computers are female. Interpret that as you will but for me it is very much positive.) I love her very much. Boring stuff: Intel Mobile P4 1.8GHz, 512MB RAM, Radeon Mobility 7500 16MB, 40GB HD<br />
<br />
Lysandra is very reliable and hardworking, requiring no hardware repair, the first computer I have owned with this distinction. We played lots together. Mostly Guild Wars toward the end. Unfortunately for some time, games became too difficult for her, being bloated pieces of software that can barely run on "minimum" requirements. And she's been sick for... oh, a year. I've been too lazy to back up everything to make her feel better with a fresh reinstall. <i>(OhandIlostmyWindowsXPCD.)</i><br />
<br />
Despite my naming her, I never really had any sort of mental image of Lysandra. Until a few months ago. I had stopped using wallpaper since Lysandra got sick since I needed all the performance I could get, but I badly needed to display this pin-up girl. Hopefully, you'll see why.<br />
<br />
Meet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OS-tan#Windows_XP">XP-tan</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_anthropomorphism">moe personification</a> of Windows XP Professional. (Why, that's what I'm running! Really!)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgTP-2-60Pd5jnIfUhdiDAUk5mtyJ3S_ABX3DMUU-89r8OTJPyijzdMpWI7hcR4XIZpKFzMuweN8IT-dkE_kCPIYQ-FHDSgVh9CRDFmAqonV2uCNaHfYQxTztAX9eabWKzXod/s1600-h/XPtan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100286600637088994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgTP-2-60Pd5jnIfUhdiDAUk5mtyJ3S_ABX3DMUU-89r8OTJPyijzdMpWI7hcR4XIZpKFzMuweN8IT-dkE_kCPIYQ-FHDSgVh9CRDFmAqonV2uCNaHfYQxTztAX9eabWKzXod/s400/XPtan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
XP and XP-tan just have bad publicity IMO. As an OS, I liked XP Professional a hell of a lot more than 98 or 2000. Less crash and more game respectively. That XP-tan is so wonderfully easy on the eyes is just a lucky plus.<br />gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-27310463656393451362007-08-16T16:09:00.002-10:002010-01-13T16:20:17.302-10:00Assembly LineNerds (or geeks, if you prefer) tend to have some degree of cross-training. That is to say, someone who focuses on console gaming may also have interest in sci-fi or fantasy. Or a videophile may also branch out into computing. And regardless, they likely have a decent working knowledge of classical mechanics, i.e. Newtonian physics. Well, at least my nerd friends are like that. And myself of course.<br />
<br />
Nowadays I pigeonhole myself as a figure otaku. This status is relatively recent, as the obsession only started about November of last year. Prior to that I was primarily a PC gamer, and before that a console gamer. The whole time, I've been collecting anime DVDs and Magic cards.<br />
<br />
None of these interests, primary or secondary, have really gone away, merely waxing and waning over time, usually tied to some real life change. My console gaming days were largely numbered when my sister left for college; no consistent audience/partner. My PC gaming days passed by as my laptop's <i>wonderful</i> Radeon Mobility 7500 could no longer run anything made in the last 2 years; it was a small miracle KOTOR 1 & 2 could crawl along enough for me to finish them! And even now, I can see my figure otaku days being numbered as the increasing cost and decreasing living space both crunch down on me.
My laptop will make 5 years old next month. I love little Lysandra very much, but it is time for me to move on. It's a pretty good time to be getting a new system, as multi-core CPUs are now mainstream and can be had on the cheap.<br />
<br />
I've missed playing Guild Wars also; the graphics upgrade implemented in Nightfall murdered my playability. But instead of a preconstrct, this time I am venturining into the wonderful world of computer self-assembly. Naturally, I am an all-or-nothing person, so I'm going to make it harder on myself and do two machines at once: my average gamer's machine and my sister's budget gamer's machine. Being new and really paranoid, no overclocking is planned at all until pretty well into the lifecycle (i.e. when it starts to really suck). No aftermarket coolers for now.
Acronyms aplenty follow.<br />
<br />
My parts:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>CPU: Intel C2D E6550</li>
<li>MB: MSI P6N SLI Platinum</li>
<li>RAM: 2GB OCZ</li>
<li>GPU: 8800GTS 320MB</li>
<li>HD: WD Raptor 150GB</li>
<li>PSU: Silverstone ST75ZF 750W</li>
<li>Case: Cooler Master Elite 330</li>
<li>OS: Windows Vista Ultimate</li>
<li>Other: Lite-On 20X DVD Burner Lightscribe, Scythe S-Flex fans</li>
</ul>
Sissy's parts:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>CPU: AMD X2 4600+</li>
<li>MB: MSI K9AG Neo2-Digital 690G</li>
<li>RAM: 2GB Patriot</li>
<li>GPU: 8600GT 256MB</li>
<li>HD: WD Caviar 500GB</li>
<li>PSU: Antec 380W (included with case)</li>
<li>Case: Antec NSK 4400</li>
<li>OS: Windows Vista Home Premium</li>
<li>Other: Pioneer 16X DVD Burner</li>
</ul>
I know for a fact that my PSU is currently overkill, but the price difference with 500-600W models was pretty small and I plan to use this computer for around 5 years. Consider the excess an allowance for age. Connections permitting, it may even be usable in the next build with the "green" computing craze for low-power parts.<br />
<br />
These parts are already ordered. If FedEx delivers a miracle, it'll be here tomorrow. More likely it will be Monday.
I'll solicit reactions anyway and post the results of the build when they're done.<br />
<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(No RMA, no RMA, no RMA, no RMA, no RMA, no RMA...)</span></i><br />gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-37312229824129985972007-08-14T15:50:00.002-10:002010-01-13T16:09:11.157-10:00Bedroom Bondage<span style="font-style: italic;">(Well a long time ago when I was a wee teenage young'un, this was a website dedicated to uh... "the activities of consenting adults". Anyway, they're still around cuz I just Googled it. Nice to know. *ahem*)</span><br />
<br />
Anyway, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakimakura">dakimakura</a> are all the rage among otaku it seems. Or at least certain types of 'em. They depict the standard bishoujo variety, the <a href="http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10055939">busty</a>, the <a href="http://www.hlj.com/product/CSP24088">loli</a>, the <a href="http://www.hlj.com/product/CSP24940">meido</a>. (NSFW) Weird perverse types like these sorts of things.<br />
<br />
So I can't leave that stone unturned. Of course, I've joined their ranks.<br />
<br />
Ryomou-chan, say hello to the nice people. (She's my first!)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwfHqVOw8MJD5mexnNQ6hj4MHLvss41Q4FO9CgtAUyhf12_fFHAiqNvoPfywZs0Q1F1-bJP84oqTOcUpMBRBD3mrXdIfqrhbFuwSWAJvydhmHfCKOC-iMpKg1_Bf81ctSXwe2/s1600-h/ryomou1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098743721206327298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwfHqVOw8MJD5mexnNQ6hj4MHLvss41Q4FO9CgtAUyhf12_fFHAiqNvoPfywZs0Q1F1-bJP84oqTOcUpMBRBD3mrXdIfqrhbFuwSWAJvydhmHfCKOC-iMpKg1_Bf81ctSXwe2/s400/ryomou1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
I once heard that once a character flaw has become sufficiently bad, it eventually becomes twisted into becoming a point of pride. I think I've reached that point. =D<br />
<br />
I most likey the side on the right:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcm1G7IO_sgihYJajwlAObTKSQ1SgQZUnTzCiK-OX8epIP0vo3nr9yUtUWMyi8SlU3ARRrSkWhVBnvdlGgwsxKUU2FMZ17StbZX7lFLYqaBKn8F-_tsf_oDW4-PEgruCYAY4D/s1600-h/ryomou2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5098744532955146258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcm1G7IO_sgihYJajwlAObTKSQ1SgQZUnTzCiK-OX8epIP0vo3nr9yUtUWMyi8SlU3ARRrSkWhVBnvdlGgwsxKUU2FMZ17StbZX7lFLYqaBKn8F-_tsf_oDW4-PEgruCYAY4D/s400/ryomou2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
I got a cheap body pillow from Sears for $10 some months ago in anticipation for this moment. Unfortunately, I stashed it out of the way since I didn't expect to use it for those some months and I'm too lazy to fish it out. Not to mention that I haven't thought of an appropriate place to store her. My collector side won't tolerate the *ahem* risks inherent with "storing" her on the bed...<br />gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-59557120027329045112007-02-03T23:17:00.001-10:002010-07-29T00:48:52.348-10:00Manifest Destiny (pre-prototype)I have come to realize that a simple blog is insufficient for what I would like to do. In the interest of experimentation, I have started a Wiki... which seems to be closer to what I want, but is still not quite it. Currently the future of the harem is there, but its present not so much. I imagine both to be part of a greater whole. The harem lives! <a href="http://joinmyharem.pbwiki.com/">Take a look.</a>gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-33822199666952144462006-10-05T13:55:00.002-10:002010-07-29T00:49:33.068-10:00Developing EotPI like to lay out my ground rules. I'm very lawful neutral you know. Except when I'm true neutral. Or chaotic neutral. Usually neutral in some way though. I'm noncommittal like that. I make-a de rules and I break-a de rules. I should arrest myself; I'm so corrupted.<br />
<br />
I am seeking a digicam. Lacking this item is yet another great shame of mine. It makes no sense to me to have a site dedicated to my harem and yet have to show off pictures that are not of <i>my</i> girls; that are not of the very same girls I <strike>fondle</strike> admire frequently <strike>in various states of undress</strike>. After procuring this vital piece of technology, I expect posts to pick up significantly. Otaku cred is taken seriously here, yo. But not that seriously. I'm broke you know. All those girls are expensive. Like, for real.<br />
<br />
Also, I have been wondering how I should approach anime series reviews. I actually don't watch all that many series so if I were to only log what new stuff I see... well, I think continental drift may get more headlines or maybe even the Harry Potter saga would finish! (Below the belt, I know. Thank you, you're too kind.) Okay, maybe not that bad, but it would be definitely lacking quantity and me ranting about my girls only carries so far. (I think...) On the other hand, if I include the old stuff, it would take a while to get it all out there and well... they're <i>old</i>. Maybe not Speed Racer or even Sailor Moon old, but in a fast moving world, 5 years is an eternity already. I'll probably do the retroviews when I <strike>seriously lack material</strike> feel like it.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-1157089298669229262006-10-04T23:10:00.005-10:002010-07-29T00:50:11.856-10:00The Wolf, the Wizard and the Dice BagMy great shame is that I honestly have never had much interest in actually <i>playing</i> in a gaming session. Mostly due to a lack of compatible manpower in the islands. I mean, right off the bat, Hawaii is split up into 4 main population centers (Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Big Island), so we have a disadvantage right there. Even counting that most people live on Oahu (including myself, fortunately), that's only an isolated population of around 1 million.<br />
<br />
Most of those people are not weird; they enjoy the normal island pastimes of fishing, swimming, shopping, golf and many other things that involve visiting the beach or getting some sun. Why not? We're Florida but with 90% less hurricanes and 100% less Disney World. I only have two friends that are not co-workers that I will actually hang out with. The third and fourth ones moved away some years ago after various graduations.<br />
<br />
If I go to a meeting of other nerds of whatever persuasion, they just don't mesh with me. Either they are too nerdy and offend my normality (and/or my hygiene) or they are not nerdy enough to keep up with me; i.e. almost a normal person. The true problem is probably that <i>I'm</i> the one not nerdy enough to assimilate. Or perhaps more accurately, that I spread my nerdiness thinly that I give a (false?) reading of "normal" to the nerds around me, who are likely more specialized and committed.<br />
<br />
All that said, I do find pen & paper systems to be very fascinating. Some go rules-heavy and try to spell out rules (and rolls) for everything. Then there are those that are rules-light and encourage participants to just go with the flow. And then there's LARP. (We won't go there.)<br />
<br />
The first of my friends that moved away was into the World of Darkness. This was my first meaningful exposure to pen & paper. The rest of the roleplaying world I think just reacts with "VAMPIRE" when confronted with White Wolf. Which essentially guaranteed a split in the WoD community between Vampire players and everybody else. But that's neither here nor there. At the core of the World of Darkness is the Storyteller system. (2nd edition, if you must know.)<br />
<br />
As I later discovered, it's fairly rules-light. I thought (and still think) that it was a rather simple and flexible way of viewing character statistics. My favorite of all was Mage: The Ascension, which separated schools of magic into broad "spheres" and encouraged free mixing of them to create custom-made spells for any situation. Training in combat skill was totally unrelated from the state of being a mage (no character classes). Freeform, fast and loose. "Surely," I thought, "this is why tabletop is superior to computer gaming."<br />
<br />
So imagine my surprise at being a D&D 3rd edition newbie some years later:<br />
"Wow, that's a lot of numbers on the character sheet."<br />
"Wait... we gotta depend on dice rolls for our stats?"<br />
"Only even attributes have meaning. Why have them in the first place if only the modifier matters anyway?"<br />
"What the hell is all these types of AC?"<br />
"Level means everything, huh?"<br />
"Wizard spells are prepared how now?"<br />
"God I hate rolling only one d20 to determine success. Just assume I failed already."<br />
<br />
The whole time I was reading the rules, I couldn't help but think that while it is certainly a solid core game, it really would benefit tremendously from having a computer crunch all these tedious numbers for you. I've gone through the dice-rolling combat-addicted newbie stage with White Wolf. Doing nothing but roll dice for combat maneuvers over and over quickly gets old. It becomes like a Final Fantasy battle: just spam fight and keep your HP up. Why not just use a computer for that?<br />
<br />
I wasn't "born" playing a rigid class system so like every newb, I was drawn to multiclass. Turned out that such a thing is not to be taken lightly, with pretty tight level planning and a whole lot of potential suck if you want to be a caster. Did I mention prestige classes? I eventually went through a micromanagement phase where I mapped out characters' career path fairly extensively before I even started actually, you know, playing. Seriously. And people accuse Final Fantasy for being a spreadsheet disguised as an RPG.<br />
<br />
The main offense to me was actually pretty simple: the order in which you gained class levels matters. I mean, unless you are beelining for a prestige class, why the hell should it matter? A character's capabilities in each field are roughly measured by level already. Why add this temporal interaction that just slows everything down? Combined with the wizard class only "sort of" remembering their own freaking spells and all the preparation and bookkkeeping, it seemed like the whole game was plotting to make me not play and just plan and plan and plan.<br />
<br />
Spells per day... gah, one good fight and I'm out for the rest of the day. The fighters just keep going, though I'm told fighters are weak compared to other classes at high levels. Great. Honestly, I don't think I can stomach playing long enough to the point I have to worry about it.<br />
<br />
As you can probably tell, I never really got into it. The most I've "done" in d20 are the 200+ hours I sank into KOTOR 1 and 2. Ah, those were much better: fewer classes to worry about, class level order is set, and the computer rolls all the damn dice for you. Famously inconsistent d20 results are still there, but 3 out of 4 ain't bad. Add a good plot and you have Good Times.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">(Since SW EP 4-6 got re-released, I kinda want to play them again. I never did buy the last boxset--I was one of them purist holdouts that disowned Lucas's old age corruption of his own work. I'm disappointed in the letterbox widescreening of the original theatrical versions but oh well. At least Han shoots first. And yes, that matters.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"></span> So I am essentially back to where I started. I haven't even gone back to White Wolf since flavorwise I didn't like the reset they pulled on the WoD, especially with the re-arcaning of mages. I am slowly getting interested again, especially since I saw that the current WoD character sheet has marked differences from what I was used to. Otherwise, my tabletop phase died before it even got out of the cradle. I still buy core rulebooks from time to time (Exalted was pretty nice), but that's really because I like to read the systems.<br />
<br />
Why yes, I'm a rules lawyer. I passed the bar and would like to be a judge or maybe even a lawmaker someday. Why do you ask?gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-14783756031480730172006-09-03T09:27:00.002-10:002010-07-29T00:49:06.899-10:00What's old is new again... and HaruhiGiven that I started blogging late in the game, there's been a kind of nagging in my head. Do I just post the new stuff I've been exposed to, or do I also post catch-up material for the stuff I've already seen? Thing is, I actually am not exposed to all that much. What I know or see is just a drop in the ocean. You really realize this when you have a Japanese friend. My bubble of experience is as insignificant as the crowd in Haruhi's baseball stadium.<br />
<br />
That said, I am committed. (And I love phrases with multiple interpretations.) So in an effort to keep myself <i>not</i> bored, I am going to include the older stuff. Otherwise I just may end the world and make a new one. Ah, the sacrifices I make for you people.<br />
<br />
To the <i>observant</i> ones: yes, I just finished watching <i>The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi</i>. I plan to watch it again in the near future in chronological order. Initial impression from 1st viewing: my taste in women stands--I like my girls spunky and nuts. Am I weird? Now if only she kept her long hair... <br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/4280/4105/1600/haruhi_longhair.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/4280/4105/320/haruhi_longhair.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/4280/4105/1600/haruhi_longhair.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/4280/4105/320/haruhi_longhair2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/4280/4105/1600/haruhi_longhair3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/4280/4105/320/haruhi_longhair3.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></center><br />
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</div>Ah... I get goose bumps just looking at long-haired Haruhi-sama.gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-1157072826065643032006-08-31T13:37:00.002-10:002010-01-13T15:31:53.705-10:00Even in luddite mode I'm tech-friendlyAbout a month ago, through my own stupidity, I got bitten by some pretty nasty adware. Its ability to cripple my work has been off-and-on, how I imagine a computer version of an STD outbreak would be like. Back in high school & college, I would format/reinstall Windows roughly every 6 months. Basically, whenever it slowed down enough to be noticeable. I held this pattern from my time using Windows 95 and 98. In comparison from the age of high performance, my current install is about 2.5 years old.<br />
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My student job in college was telephone tech support. Those in our office would often bring in personal laptops for (ahem) <i>homework</i>. What I noticed is that those doing tech support will often tolerate problems in our own machines far beyond what we are called upon to fix. I was no exception, except this time I let it snowball a bit too much. I <i>would</i> have reinstalled XP but I seem to have misplaced my CD. Argh.<br />
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On an unrelated note, a Seagate 200GB hard drive I bought decided to die on me. It's still well within its nice 5 year warranty (even a 1 year would have covered it actually...), but I haven't gotten around to exchanging it. Mostly because I haven't totally given up on the recoverability of my <strike>pr0n</strike> files. On another unrelated note, the MP3 player I bought on clearance from CompUSA decided that its real calling was cosplaying an oversized bug. I'm not quite sure why it thought this, but that's what it showed me on its display after a few hours of use. Returning it was a royal one-hour pain. And on yet another unrelated note, a rebate offer from CompUSA was having difficulty processing. "Transaction not found," my eye! (I <i>think</i> it's resolved now.)<br />
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All of these mishaps happened within a 2 week span of time. I was not a happy camper. So I rebelled. And by rebel I mean, "ceased to buy PC hardware and software." You know, downgraded to normal. I am still in luddite mode actually. It has pushed me into restarting my bishoujo figure collection, which is now obvious to me as a more expensive hobby than being a sometimes-PC-enthusiast/gamer. Since I ought to include more images of actual bishoujo in here, I will include another widely-available-online picture of the last figure I bought before my hiatus from this type of fandom. Incidentally, I bought it during Kawaii Kon earlier this year. I believe Asuka needs no introduction. <br />
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<center><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3699/3695/1600/asuka_wedding_pink.0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3699/3695/320/asuka_wedding_pink.0.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" /></a></center><div>
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Actually, it was part of a (closeout display) set of four: Asuka pink and white versions, Rei blue and white versions. I like my women spunky and a bit nuts. Oh, and long-haired... oooh yes. So I favor Asuka out of the two. I'm beginning to want my digicam more and more with every post. It may be what breaks luddite mode. (As if starting a blog didn't.)<br />gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-1157055082811953302006-08-31T08:59:00.002-10:002010-07-29T00:50:42.345-10:00Shipping to HawaiiI would like to think that I have greater than normal access to the objects of my desire. After all, Hawaii is geographically and culturally more similar to Japan than the rest of the Union is. One of my economics professors who specialized in tourism, once claimed that our economic performance tracked that of Japan about as much as we tracked CONUS (that's CONtinental United States for you hippies). And we are in the middle of the Pacific, a "natural" gathering place for all people in the Pacific Rim.<br />
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Unfortunately that last bit illustrates the simple problem with this "island paradise": freaking <i>everything</i> must be imported. We don't grow our own food, we don't manufacture our own clothes and, most important, we don't produce any entertainment or merchandise worth a damn. Unless you count tourist bait, but us locals don't as by definition, that stuff is for the tourists. (Please come! We need your money! I'm only half-joking.)<br />
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Basically if ocean shipping died tomorrow I'd start planning cannibal hunts, if only to get the jump on my prey before the 3rd-world famine arrives.<br />
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I hear that commercial shipping rates to outside Hawaii are actually pretty cheap, since most of the ships/planes involved in hauling stuff in are leaving essentially empty. That's just what I hear though. Anyway, a personal consequence of this everything-must-be-imported reality is that I really <i>really</i> pay attention to shipping charges. Being an otaku on the mainland is fairly simple, you order from anywhere else in CONUS and they UPS ground it or something to you on the cheap. Because neither ships nor airplanes are involved, it is fairly fast and inexpensive. Not so here! Many companies that offer "free shipping" promotions simply do not respect it for Hawaii and won't even extend a consolation discount. Of course, a few even decide to screw us over one extra step and count Hawaii as outside the US. (How insulting!) Don't even start me on eBay, where some will simply refuse to ship here at all.<br />
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Granted, these discriminatory policies are not as common as I might imply. If anything, the situation has improved substantially over the years. (Thank you, <a href="http://www.usps.com/">USPS</a>. I love you.) Still, shipping rates can differ substantially from one seller to another, being anything from free to $30 for <i>one</i> item. This obviously affects the way I shop. Eventually it stops being about logic and starts being about principle.<br />
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Thus, I heavily favor anybody with free shipping to Hawaii. <a href="http://www.rightstuf.com/">RightStuf</a>, <a href="http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/">Deep Discount DVD</a>, <a href="http://www.yesasia.com/">YesAsia</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a> are all on my "favored" list; if I'm in the market for something, they get first crack at it in roughly that order. Yes, I'm aware RightStuf is slow as hell and, yes, they require paid membership (which I have) for their best prices, but they offer free shipping! Like I said, eventually it stops being about logic.<br />
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To compensate for now <i>huge</i> time lags, I have pretty much stopped caring about it--things arrive when they arrive. It's just as well anyway; I'm in a state of perpetual backlog (electronic games and anime): <br />
<ol><li>I have over 5 games (RPGs no less) I haven't even started since I bought them 6 months ago. </li>
<li>I still have at least 3 boxsets where I have not even watched the first DVD. </li>
<li>I am dreadfully behind in training up my <a href="http://www.guildwars.com/">Guild Wars</a> characters; I haven't even cleared the Factions campaign with <i>any</i> character yet.</li>
</ol>(As an aside, you can roll a mesmer in GW that really looks like a gothic lolita. So naturally, I rolled one, but she doesn't have the right armor to get the proper look. So if anything, I will have her progress to the end of the campaign first.)<br />
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Anyway, the point is that I love USPS. The only business the government gets something approaching to right. USPS >>> allgaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-1157015004880381882006-08-30T22:24:00.001-10:002010-01-13T15:16:43.324-10:00Lack of camera and Driving Miss SaberBeing somewhat behind in the technology curve, I lack a digital camera. Nay, I lack any camera. The last time I needed a camera, I bought a disposable model. I didn't even use up all of the film.
Then the other day I saw Wal-Mart selling really low end digital cameras in those annoying blister packs. You know, the packages that are completely thermal sealed at the edges such that it forces you to destroy the packaging to gain access to the goodies inside.<br />
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Well, I still don't have a digital camera--I don't buy obvious crap. (Accidental crap is different.) But it opened my eyes; they could actually be quite affordable. Eventually I shall buy one... just not now. Otaku-ness is expensive, you know.<br />
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Ah, but what does this mean? I will be unable to post pictures of the actual product I acquire. Which is a shame. But! As a cop out, I shall post my most favorite recent acquisition (now in widely-available-online version!), the beautiful Saber from <i>Fate/Stay Night</i>.
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<center><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3699/3695/1600/saberfigure.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="Admire me!" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3699/3695/320/saberfigure.jpg" /></a></center><div>
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Admire her splendor. Admire it, dammit!<br />gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33632440.post-1157012064648825662006-08-30T22:02:00.002-10:002010-07-29T00:49:19.838-10:00IntroductionI am the bone of my [CENSORED].<br />
Cash is my flesh, and <i>moe</i> is my blood.<br />
I have admired over a thousand girls.<br />
Unknown to hate.<br />
Nor known to love.<br />
Have withstood debt to purchase many figures.<br />
Yet, those thoughts will never hold meaning.<br />
So as I pray, "Unlimited Bishoujo Works."gaiaswillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00749521874119305537noreply@blogger.com0