Monday 14^th November – Silas, Curry & Evil Headlamps

Day

Things and stuff, varied to taste.

Evening

Evil headlight changing attempt—half an hour and many dirty fingers later, one headlamp changed.

For some time now I’ve had one blown headlamp. It’s not really been a problem as I mostly drive during the day, or in Brisbane where they’re busy wasting the earth’s dwindling resources lighting every road. However, after the second one blew last night, it rapidly became a problem—as every hour drew closer to dark, in fact. So, brushing aside my nonchalant, typically Aussie “she’ll be right mate” attitude, I figured I’d best go buy some new bulbs and put them in. The buying part was easy—a kind gentleman climbed up a ladder and found me the last two they had. According to the box, they’re 30% brighter. Then, assuming they’d be easy to install, I went back to work and didn’t think about it until it was time to leave and—with Bronwen waiting for me in the city and Silas waiting for me to take him to dinner and then the airport—I figured I’d best pop in the bulbs. Half an hour and many dirty fingers later, covered in sweat and multitudes of different types of grease and oil, I had one headlamp changed. I think the other one can wait until this one blows.

Night

I rushed into the city (at roughly exactly the same congested speed as everyone else) and picked up Bronwen, then on to where Silas was staying, and from there to Racecourse Road, where we had a curry dinner, and from there to the airport, where Silas didn’t miss his flight—though apparently it was already boarding when he got there.

Tuesday 15^th November – Too Much Pesto

Day

I worked hard, and late.

Night

Bronwen and I bought and ate pizza, but it had too much pesto. I also decided I should photograph boring—but mildly unusual—things around the house, such as the media centre (apparently some people still watch TV… such a quaint concept, and how they put up with the ads I’m not sure) and my server (it does a fantastic job, considering it lives under a table and would be too embarrassed to be seen by a “real” server)

Wednesday 16^th November – Seven Years

Day

I worked.

Night

Today is Bronwen and my seventh anniversary—or technically, the seventh anniversary of the day I met, and chatted to, Bronwen in the labs—subsequently getting an invite to her birthday party. I bought Bronwen some flowers, and we had a quiet night at home.

Thursday 17^th November – Chez Tessa

1:44am

It would appear to have got late, somehow. Bronwen is staying at her parents’ place, and I’ve gone off to Maz’s—picking him up from work and going to Chez Tessa for the usual uni-style dinner. The night-before-last-exam insanity was leeching out of the people around us, but fortunately we’re immune. After dinner we drove back to Maz’s and spent a while experimenting with our cameras. I was trying to ascertain the best noise reduction methods to use for low-light long-exposures, and also the best way to handle high dynamic ranges.

Friday 18^th November – Battery Grip

Day

I worked. I also phoned the lens repair place and found that my lens had been repaired, but that the mobile number he had for me was wrong.

Evening

I drove into the city and Bronwen and I had dinner at Govinda’s before going for a walk around the city to test my newly repaired lens—which seems to work brilliantly again. After dinner, we met Maz at King George Square, and drove back to his place—where he found that his new lens hadn’t been delivered as no one was home to sign for it—and then on to Bronwen’s parents’ place, then home.

Night

I got home to find that my camera battery grip had arrived, so I played around with it for a little bit. It makes the camera very large and I’m not sure it really helps taking portrait photos that much.

Saturday 19^th November – Caravanserai

Morning

I had a lovely sleep-in.

Afternoon

I drove to the bakery at Rosalie, where I met Maz and ate food, before driving in to the city and going for a walk to the Botanic Gardens—via Maz’s work—where we found that what used to be a publically accessible park is now the Harvest Festival, which was a bit annoying. We’d planned to take some random photos to test things with my new camera and Maz wanted to play around with my extender on his lens, but due to the inconsideration of others and their festival-going ways, we had to be content with taking photos of yachts on the river.

Evening

I drove back to Maz’s and played around with HDR-making software, before driving home, showering, and driving back in to West End, and Caravanserai, where I had dinner with Bronwen and her parents, for Bronwen’s birthday tomorrow.

Night

After dinner we drove up to Bronwen’s parents’ place, and had dessert and a chat. Bronwen has stayed there, and I’ve now driven home, where my coffee and I are currently lacking motivation.