I have a problem…

It’s getting serious.  I’m awake at 5:30am like a kid on Christmas Eve who can’t sleep out of excitement.  Only, it’s not Christmas Eve.  It’s far, far worse.  I just found out the new Freestyle catalog came out.  It’s the most addictive thing ever to a strange, analog, weird-o art photographer.
First, I break out the Fall Catalog, because I like shopping for things in print.  I can draw on the book.  See that headline “Holga Craze!”, that describes my life.  Only, add in Dianas, pinholes and other random Lomo cameras.  Also, the Arista photo paints.  I crave those daily.


Then the pdf of the new catalog is sitting in the browser where I will casually browse until Freestyle gets it in the mail.  There are dreams of new Holga filters, and Diana lens adapters for my Canon.

Then this new, and expensive, Fujifilm 120 folding rangefinder has me heading over to Ebay, where I’m mildly obsessed with buying vintage outdated cameras.  I blame my mom for giving me my grandpa’s Whittaker Micro 16 for my birthday.

Only after about 2 minutes of shopping for Kodak Duaflexes, I open my watch list and remember the crazy Lomo cameras I added around Christmas time.  A black and pink star camera with 2 lens that shoot serial double frames.

A waterproof 35mm toy camera.  Even though once upon a time, I spent $300 so I could have the Canon waterproof D10 that does just about everything except manual control.

It’s so cute.
Back to the catalog.  I am really into shopping for film.  Look, Infrared film, “specialty films”…

Nevermind that I have this box of film, full of expired and wonderful Kodak 35mm… and slide film… and Infrared film… and Ortho sheet film, 120 color and black and white film, and enough Arista black and white to last me at least until June.

Did I mention they have positive paper for pinhole photography.  And Cyanotype kits?

This will positively be the death of me.  I have a shopping list that is one page long and a to-do list for experimental things to try that is 7pages long.
If you happen to read the photo section of my blog, rest assured it will never be boring or cease to have weird photo tutorials.
If you’re just here to read about my life, then you should send help.  I’m on a downward spiral of photo window shopping.  Send help.  On second thought, just send cash.
Shasta Betty

Local Arts

I’ve been involved with the Weed Arts Council for almost a year now, a member of the board since September… and I couldn’t be more proud of a group of people than my fellow WAC board members.  We freakin’ rock!

It all started for me with an art show in a refurbished box car at the Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture.

Above is a photo of a musician playing in said boxcar, where the walls are covered in comic art.  I love that place.

Then, there was an ART ATTACK!

A Friday the 13th show in August.

A breast cancer event in October

A whole slew of other WAC good times I can’t seem to remember.

We also cleaned up trash on our adopted highway.

We have a weekly event called Brewgrass at the Weed Brewery on Thursdays.

And now, we’re putting together our 2nd annual Hot Winter Night in Weed… which is a huge event and party IN THE SNOW!  Well, we’re hoping there’s snow out there.  Lately it’s been uncharacteristically sunny.

So, if you live Nor Cal and like any of the following:

Fire Dancers

Belly Dancers

Dancers in general

Or dancing yourself….

Country music

Old West Themed Art

Beer

and Food

or having fun…

Then you should come out to the Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture on February 12th from 2pm to 2am for the 2nd Annual Hot Winter Night in Weed.

It’s only $10 at the door or $7 if you buy presale tix at Brewgrass.  That’s not a lot of money for a 12 hour event with 4 bands, 3 dance troups, art and major fun.

Event info HERE.

Shasta Betty

That Sky

That sky and that moon that makes you feel so small.

The mountain and the trees that make the air feel so clean.

The pink and blue clouds – that only He could paint that make everything seem so beautiful.

It really is amazing here some days.

Shasta Betty

Organized Chaos

I have my own office.  I have had it for 5 years at various houses.  It’s entirely necessary, because I’ve accumulated and will continue to accumulate a huge amount of stuff.  Here’s a virtual tour…

(You can click to bring up bigger photos)

I just noticed there was a pink fishing pole in that photo above…

If you can handle the tiny font, I make promises to teach you wonderful things in the future…

It needs a place to go I guess…

Not shown:

The sewing desk, both my sewing machines and the huge sewing mess that surrounds them.

My yarn cart.  It’s just shameful.  I should knit everyone I know a hat and I might have an acceptable amount of yarn.

My full bookshelf.  Full of junk.

The couch where the cat and dog lay around and don’t help me work.

The TV where I watch movies during all night quilt-a-thons.  Sometimes I will sit on the couch and watch movies, but not often.

To tell you the truth, the couch is only in my office because it’s pink and Will won’t let me put it in the living room.  Just sayin’.

Sooo, are your offices as messy and full as mine are?  Do you have more art supplies than your little house or mind can handle?  I want to know.  Please don’t leave me alone in this!!

Shasta Betty

Tech and Education

One of the favorite topics I’ve explored while getting my Masters in Education, has been the use of technology.  Most parents and schools have computers and various educational games. 

However, I’ve found my favorite “tech ed” resources are made by Nintendo.  First, we have a Wii with the fit board.  Will also has a Wii in the after school program he works for at our local elementary school.  Sometimes he borrows our games to bring down.

Wii is a great system for physical fitness, learning sports and music.  All those Wii sports games including golfing, Frisbee, even archery; teach adults and children alike some of the rules and motions behind sports.  I also like that they’re more interactive then say, Madden on your PS3 (though Will does own that too).  There’s something about getting up and doing something that goes beyond normal video games when it comes to education.

Wii also has a lot of the music related games, such as Rock Band.  I learned to play the drums (to a small degree) playing Rock Band.  The older versions aren’t 100% accurate to real instruments, but they teach rhythm.  A friend of mine owns a guitar lesson business and can instantly tell which kids have played Guitar Hero and which ones haven’t.  Now they even have new games with real guitars, which teach chords as well.  It’s just amazing.

I’m also desperately in love with my DS.  The DS has even more great educationally oriented games.  When I bought it, I started with My French Coach and some of the cooking games.  Of course I bought Super Mario Bros, but the fact that I have logged just as many hours learning French as I have jumping on turtles says something.

The thing that makes these games so playable is they’re fun.  I’ve learned more French playing the game that I ever did in college language classes.  I’ve also remembered more of it.  The games are interesting and they keep you playing.  For kids or adults, the ability for an educational tool to hold attention is crucial.

You can see here (please excuse all the dog hair, I’m dying from shame), we have great cooking games, Brain Age and the Walking game - which included 2 pedometers and will meter your daily activity, store it in the game and set activity goals.  I was surprised how much walking you’ll do with a day at the mall, or just around the house.  It even has a feature for using the pedometer on your dog.

Finally, one of my favorite games lately, which I’m really impressed with has been Art Academy.  While I consider myself a talented photographer, I have zero ability when it comes to drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.  This game starts you off easy, introducing different pencils, paints, brushes and techniques until you build up a decent understanding of art.

You see that wave below?  I painted it!  Me.  You have no idea how shocking and amazing that is.

I also drew this pepper using my fancy little stylus.  I could have never done this without a little on screen guy explaining the process and showing examples.

This program also has a free paint feature where you can use photos taken with a DSi as reference.  I only have a DS Lite, but it makes me want to upgrade.

I’m so impressed with what I’ve learned, I feel so confident I even went out and bought real canvases and paint.

If you have kids, teach, learn, I suggest spending the time to invest in either a DS or a Wii or both.  They are just amazing, and at $10 and $20, a lot of the educational games are fairly inexpensive.

Shasta Betty

I don’t work for Nintendo.  They don’t give me anything for writing about this.  Other than my Club Nintendo membership, they don’t know who I am or that I’m writing this blog.  I just really like their stuff and I think it was worth talking about.

Artsy Weekend

This weekend was artsy.  It’s my favorite kind of weekend.

I went to a gallery opening for the Female Creature show at Liberty Arts in Yreka, CA – where I grew up, fun fact.  Beautiful pieces.  Lots of people there too!

I didn’t take photos of any of the art, because I feel weird about that.  I really liked 2 canvas wrapped photo prints by one artist.  Now I want to canvas wrap all my photo prints.

On another note, it was crowded.  So so so claustrophobic.

Then we went dancing, which is also an art form.  You know what else, these girls are art.  I heart them and they’re beautiful!

Here’s some singing, which is art.  The lighting in that place was an art too.  I love good lighting.

Stained glass window art.

Mosaic art.

Taxidermy art?  I liked watching the kids at church check out the display. 

I also endeavored on some little art projects myself.  I took a bunch of night shots.  I also bought some wrapped canvases because I think I’m going to start painting even though it will be totally laughable.  On Wednesday, I start taking Art 11b at College of the Siskiyous, which is Intermediate/Advanced Photography, and this is the 4th time I’ve taken it, and from January to May, I live in that darkroom.  On Friday I’ll go to a Weed Arts Council board meeting.

Okay.  Went too far.

I think I’ll go play Art Academy on my DS.

Shasta Betty

A Happy Canon Girl

In case I’ve never told you, I shoot Canon cameras.  I would say exclusively, but that would be a lie because I also have Holgas and vintage TLRs, but all my SLRs (film and digital) are Canon.

Moving on, because this is not a photography post.  Or it would be in the photography section.  This post is about something that makes me happy in my life, and that is memory card slots for CF memory cards.

Not to get too technical, because ya’all would realize I only think I know what I’m talking about (I feel all smart for about 2 seconds until someone points out that I still have a lot to learn); but both my Canon DSLRs have Compact Flash (CF) memory cards, which are not like SD memory cards that are in most cameras.  They’re bigger and less common, but are faster than SD.

Until now, I suffered through computer after computer that had slots to plug in SD cards, but not CF cards.  Argh! 

Here’s my laptop with an SD slot.

Here’s my old (thus why it’s buried) printer with an SD slot.  My new printer doesn’t even have media card slots.

And here’s the CF slot on my camera.  Looks like I’ll be getting out the USB cable…

But wait!  Here’s the media slots on my new desktop, with both SD and CF!! 

Oh, Dell, you’ve made me a happy girl!

I could kiss you, but you look rather dusty so I think I’ll pass.

Shasta Betty

PS.  Yes, I still use PCs, yes I realize photographers should use Mac.  Yes, I can use a Mac, my husband even has one.  I just don’t.  Sorry if I disappointed you.  Please go read some nice posts about my dog and we can be friends again.