New camera

I picked up a new camera to replace my old Canon Powershot S2 IS with its 12X zoom lens (after four or five years, the zoom was a little wonky and the focus occasionally acted up). My new camera is a Panasonic Fz35. It has an 18X zoom lens. I agonized for months over whether to go with another Canon Powershot or the Panasonic. The deciding factor was probably the fact that the Panasonic is about 5 oz lighter. For traveling (or even walking around all day with a bunch of stuff in my backpack), that is an important factor. Of course, the new cameras have so many features that I really need to study the manual.

Yesterday, I got home and noticed a cool little praying mantis near my front door, so I grabbed the new camera and tried to get a shot. The fact that no picture is posted is a testament to the fact that I haven't gotten to the part in the manual where I can turn off the "smart" focus. The camera focused on various parts of the floor and the wall and just about everything else except the little insect about a meter away that was dead center in my shot. I will figure this out, but the manual is 300 pages long and probably doesn't explain everything.

I will learn how to use this camera. That is my pledge to myself.

A night on the town

I had a night out on the town on Friday night. I went to the Mall of the Emirates and had a really great dinner at Salmontini. The restaurant has a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere and a view of the ski slope. My friend and I both had salmon on mixed shredded vegetables and wild rice. The salmon steak was huge, juicy, and very tender. The meal was perfectly cooked. Topped off with a nice glass of Italian Pinor Gris it was a great way to start the evening.

After dinner we went to a Sharq Orchestra concert (Essence of Arabia) at the Dubai Community Theatre. It was really wonderful - Mohamad Hamami leading a full western style orchestra playing Middle Eastern themed music. A friend was playing the saxophone and flute so that was an added bonus.

I haven't been getting out much for cultural events but now I see what I have been missing, so I'm going to keep an eye out for other interesting events. There's a lot going on in Dubai.

I think I might start blogging again. Work has become a strange place to be.

So...I'm starting my Mandarin lessons. I'm going to use Fluenz Mandarin for the oral/aural part and Arch Chinese for the writing part. I had a New Years resolution to do one hour a night. That didn't happen, but I'm starting again. Tonight, I start again.

To distract me from work, I'll do the Mandarin for an hour or two each night and I'll continue my walks (4-5 times per week / 5.8 kilometers each time) around the outside of the university.

I've been listening to Jon Kabat-Zinn CDs as I walk. It takes me about one hour to walk and each CD is about one hour.