Wednesday, November 21, 2007

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice

And you know how to finish that statement, Gentle Reader.

Ah, and there’s the rub. “Nice” has been sort of an endangered species around El Casa Móvil De Pennington of late…almost to the point of non-existence. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to find something…anything…about which to comment upon in a positive manner. It’s all well and good to rail on about politics, but politics gets old after a bit. Especially in this, the extended-play version of an election year that began waay too early and will go on well beyond the point where we’re all sick to death of it. I’m beginning to believe we’re stuck in a Groundhog Day-like version of politics, wherein we repeat the same ol’, same ol’ to the point where we’ll all just throw up our hands and say “Frick It!” Your mileage may vary, of course. And my attitude most certainly will change, of which I have no (real) doubt. But for now?

Frick It.

I know this has been around a while…but it still makes me smile and, well…‘tis the Season! Snowglobe! (h/t to SJS for the resurrection)

And…given as how we’re scraping the bottom of the blog-barrel…I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, Gentle Reader. I’ve decided what my annual self-gift will be this Christmas. And, in so doing, I’ve also made my one-and-probably-only New Year’s resolution. First, the self-gift:

OK, sez you, WTF is it? It’s a Canon 9950F scanner…for prints, negatives, and slides. The box is extremely well-reviewed (a PC Mag’s Editors Choice back in ‘05), albeit a bit pricey. But I want/need something that does a good world-class job and handles prints, negatives, and slides…of which there are many thousands in the archives. Which brings us to the resolution.

I’m going to retrieve the photo archives from SN2’s custody when I go up to Omaha for the holidays. And, upon my return to Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park I’m going to scan them into digital form. I’m thinking this project will last much longer than a year and will severely test my perseverance.

Ah, but going public only serves to reinforce my resolve. And…think of the blog-fodder! Embarrassing baby pictures! Amateur travelogue pics! Motorcycle racing pics! Isle of Man TT pics! And so much more…

Makes me want to jump in the car and head out to Omaha right this minute. But you can’t rush the holidays, and that’s the chief reason I’m making the trip this year. The archives are just a pleasant and useful by-product, in the final accounting. Still and even: I'm getting ALL excited!

8 comments:

  1. Buck. You seem kind of down. I have always thought it was a good thing we all say "Frick it" to politics at different times. Right now I am maintaining my political junkie status, but it is going to be hard to keep engaged constantly for nearly another year. Anyway, you will get your political groove back ... and we NEED you out here posting about it! Hang in there.

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  2. Had a similar day the other day and on the way home came to the revelation that we needed to find the snowglobe and shake the snot out of it ;) Nice therapy...
    - SJS

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  3. That scanner will be soooo cool!! You'll have fun with that and taking a trip down memory lane.

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  4. How many slides will it do at once?

    I sure could have used help when I set out to copy all my 'Nam slides, before the crud at'em!

    I could do 4 at a time on my scanner...a labor of love.

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  5. Great choice of self-gift.

    The Buck stops here!!

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  6. Buck, I admire your ability to have stayed enthused this long. I think I caught a bad case of jade quite a few years back.

    Hope you have a great day tomorrow!

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  7. I've been in the same state regarding domestic politics for quite awhile now...it's why I've more or less stopped blogging over at The Liberty Papers. I just can't find the energy to talk about stuff that seems so stupid, especially compared to what I consider the big meaningful stuff of geopolitics.

    I've got a post up at my place detailing what I'd like my self-gift to be...you all are more than welcome to contribute. ;-)

    Oh, and coming up to Omaha? I just might be around in that time frame as well.

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  8. Towanda said... Buck. You seem kind of down.

    Don't let anyone tell you you're not perceptive, Towanda. It's just the "Holiday blues/blahs." Happens every year for the past nine or so, without fail. But they pass. As Bobby D. said: "No reason to get excited (the thief he kindly spoke)..."

    SJS: True, dat! (The therapy bits...)

    Jenny, Mushy (12), David: Yep...looking forward to this scanner thingie, I am!

    Lin and Mike: You may find this hard to believe, given my past performance, but I was essentially apolitical in the past. Firstly, as a military guy I was "encouraged" to be apolitical. Secondly, I was so danged busy building my (ahem) career after the military I simply didn't pay attention. I've sorta over-compensated the last five years or so as a result. But this crap wears one out, psychologically speaking, after a bit.

    And Mike...we'll have to have a holiday beer or three while I'm up in Omaha.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.