- I had what I think is a meaningful exchange with a friend on the Birdsite; they were wondering if a small camera like a Canon G7X is worth it when we all have cameras in our pockets. Putting aside the old saying that the best camera is the one you have with you, I would say that if you’re not getting paid for your work, your phone camera is often better than an SLR any day of the week. Plus, and this is by no means necessary, Moment makes a case and lenses for your phone. I generally shoot videos with a CPL and an ND 32 filter attached. I have a telephoto and wide-angle lens, but I rarely need to use them. Also, while I have a DJI Osmo Gimbal, I rarely use that. If I’m shooting a video, I use my mini tripod as a handle with a phone clamp. If I’m shooting photography, I don’t need anything else. But, again, I’m not a professional, and what works for me may not work for you.
- My SLR has taken up residence in my studio in a locked-down position, and I’ve just bought a teleprompter system that uses my iPad for the scripts. We used something similar when I worked at Canon, but I was in the market for something that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Next up, lav mics. I might still have one somewhere; I’ll need to dig around and test it. Finally, perfect world, I want a boom mike on a stand.
- While caring for the wife, I give a moment of praise for the ability to get groceries delivered and the gig workers who bust their asses to deliver them. I did it for a while, so I know the wear and tear they put on themselves and their cars. I also know what a treasure it is to have those 2-3 hours back so I can do other things. If you use a similar service, please take the time to thank them and tip them as well as you can.
- A handy tip for those who feel compelled to pick the low-hanging fruit tweets of some of our more colorful wingnuts: Don’t. You’re being baited, and too many of us take the bait. More engagement boosts it in the algorithm. They cry about being shadowbanned when they don’t get the engagement they think they deserve. With Elon being Elon, now is the perfect time to follow the screenshot method. Screenshot the post, crop it, post that picture with your response, and do not tag the OP. Let them cry to Elon. Hell, let them cry, period. We do not have to engage these people. We can point and laugh at them while they melt down, though.
Tag: Groceries
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ZPM Diary, October 30th, 2022
I don’t want you to get excited, but I’ve made two podcast episodes this week.
I KNOW, RIGHT?
Here’s the deal. The two podcast episodes I’ve made are on Patreon. The main feed will receive its next episode next Saturday or Sunday. But the plan, for now, is that I will be doing one show a week on the main feed and at least one show a week on Patreon. I expect to do more, but I’m only committing to one. Any other bonus content I put on there is sauce for the goose, as they say. Also, I’ve erased the two higher tiers; there’s just one 5 dollar tier. If I’m going to offer a Patreon and promote the fact that I have one, I need to be able to deliver on what I’m offering. The other thing I will commit to is to create episodes through the week before Christmas, take a break for the end of the year, and then return after Jan 1st and run through at least the endi of July 2023, and break for August. That’s the plan for now
The other thing I need to tell you is that there isn’t going to be a format for this podcast. I hope you’re coming for this show’s personality (or personalities) if you’re coming here. I just hate structure and format. it’s too binding for me. I can promise you’ll get Roley and all that comes with me.
Sunday mornings are for groceries; you might do something similar. I might need to change that because with the world supposedly returning to normal (it isn’t), more and more people show up earlier and earlier at the grocery store. I once expected that there wouldn’t be dozens of people in line and only one or two registers open. That ship has sailed. I might need to insist on delivery if I want to resolve this to my satisfaction, but the pushback I get from that is, ‘well, when would we leave the house?’ Two years ago I would have said something like “I don’t WANT to leave the house, that’s the death thing, and the death thing isn’t good.” Today, I haven’t a problem with leaving the house, I would just rather be for something other than groceries. Literally anything else.
You see, for some reason I can’t wrap my head around, it takes between two to three hours to get shopping done. I can either go pick it up and they load it in the back of the CX-5, or they deliver it. Either way, that is time I get back. I will happily give you all the money to get my time back. I’m that guy, and it’s not because I don’t want to go anywhere to do anything, it’s because I would like to do something else with my time.
Oil change issues: Seems I can’t find anyone who can break the oil plug on the CX 5, and now I know why. I got under the car myself and found that the plug comes off with an Allen wrench, and the fuckers at the place where I got it, and anywhere else I’ve taken the damn thing, they’ve been trying to get it off with the normal way. IT’S ROUND ON THE EDGES. It does look like someone has tried to take it off with an allen wrench at some point, and it looks like it could be stripped there as well. I did manage to get an Allen socket in there, but I lack the ass to break it. So I need a little leverage, like pretty much everything else.
Lesson: Don’t take your car to one of these jiffy 5 minute places. They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.
See you next week, check out the Patreon Podcasts if you’re so inclined, and next week we got a new main show for ya. See ya then.