Head Tale

Until I figure out an automated way, let's do it like this…

N(ow) P(laying): “You and the Candles” – Hawksley Workman


…from his new CD “Treeful of Starling” which I picked up today
at Masonville Mall.  It's been a fairly commerce-enabled day – I
also finally broke down and ordered a digital camera, a Canon PowerShot A610
after years of wanting one (a camera, not specifically this one) but
never taking the leap as they price would always come down a bit more
or another new model would be released or whatever. 

This appears to be a good mid-to-upper range camera from what I've seen
and read.  It's not the Powershot Pro that I almost bought in
Calgary at a massive electronics sale (I even had the box in my hand
before putting it back) but it also didn't cost me $1000+ like that one
would have. I really like Canons for some reason and think I'll be
pretty happy with this one for the time being.  It cost just under
$500 and that includes an accessory kit with everything I could
possibly need – 1GB memory card, a wide-angle and a telephoto lens, a
couple other lenses (UV, PL and FLD and we'll just pretend I know what
all of those abbreviations mean), two tripods
(one full-sized, one travel one), a battery recharger kit, a USB card
adapter and a carrying case.  Pretty good deal for somebody who's
an amateur but has ambitions to become a more skilled photographer
eventually. 

I'm also on the hunt for a guitar as the one I left at home never did
get shipped here (at the time, it seemed silly to pay $50 for shipping
when that's what I paid for the guitar itself!) I guess I could still
get it shipped but I'm jonesing pretty bad to play a guitar, sneaking
into music shops and quietly strumming a couple chords before hustling
away, not wanting anyone to hear me (did I ever mention that I'm not
very good?)  I figure if I buy one here, I can always sell it
again at the end of the year and get my money back out of it.  Or
keep it and retire the $50 one.  (Does a more expensive guitar
make you sound better?  I know that having an electric with an
effects pedal definitely does!)

N(ow) R(eading): I usually have 2-3 books on the go at once and right now is no exception:

The Book on the Bookshelf – Henry Petroski
– heard about it via Jessamyn's 4x4x4 meme post then went to the library and there it was.  I love when coincidences like that happen. 

Dismantling the Public Sphere: Situating and Sustaining Librarianship in the Age of the New Public Philosophy – John Buschmann
– how's that for an engaging title?  But it's cool that I'm coming
across many of the “names” of library science and am also now on
listservs where they're active participants.  This was a loaner
from my student mentor, Sabina, and the awesome 2-for-1 deal I got via
the student mentor program deserves its own entry some day.  (By
the way, I gave her Revolting Librarians Redux
in return so that's a fairly equal exchange in my opinion.  I've
also turned on a few other classmates to that book so if I can stop one
library student from saying “customer” instead of “patron”, I'll have
accomplished something here.)