Cats, Vulcans and Toys

First - toys. I just picked up an absolute bargain Sigma SD9; any of the camera nerds on my flist curious about Foveon cameras might want to keep an eye out for these. I got a 1500-exposure SD9, 3 lenses (the early Sigma lenses for the SA film cameras feel so... insubstantial. Talk about progress) including a slow early 24-70 and the usual 18-50 and 55-200 kit lenses, and the non-Super EF-500 flash. £100 for the lot, delivered next day. This means I now have the full set of Sigma digital cameras and will be producing a quick article charting the progress of Foveon and the Sigma DSLR range. It's interesting, the SD9 taken in context - 2002 - was actually a fantastic and seriously underrated bit of kit. People may laugh at the 3.34Mp output file, but the D1 was only producing 2.72... and nothing touches Foveon for colour and ultimate sharpness.

It's a shame that the technology hasn't really progressed much since, whilst everything else has sort of zoomed past this point.

I am determined to move Morticia down to Birmingham this weekend. It will make everything a lot less stressful for me, though it will also make being in Hawick very more lonely and crap. I'm simply too tired and disinterested to pursue the "practical car" stuff so I'm just going to see what i can pile into the Ignis - not much for this trip as I sold the mixer etc.

Lots of people talking about the Vulcan flying - where can I find all the dates it will be out and about? If there's something "not too far" from Berkshire/North London sort of areas, then I've got a big ol' lens to test and it might be the perfect subject - thing is, I'm not keen on doing too much trekking about, but need to review the scary £16K Sigma lens at some point. I'll also have - possibly next week - a 300-800mm Zoom for the D3, which is going to be ideal for this.

Music Meme

QuikLok bits arrived. The Made In China stuff is dreadful, hopefully it will be workable, otherwise I may consider the effort of sending it back as unsuitable.

sarcaustick tagged me for the 5 songs meme with J, so here it is, and naturally, get tagged here!

( This meme is brought to you by the letter J )

1. reply to this post and I'll assign you a letter
2. List 5 songs you like that start with that letter
3. Post them to your journal with these instructions.
4: Optionally, you can give me a letter and I'll reply in comments with some tracks for that one, and as suggested by prosperine, if you've already done it but want another one, tell me the letter you had already :D

Tripidation

Okay. Car is loaded and has no space except for me and the cat now. Due to the need to cover the MPA seminars, I can't head up to siani_hedgehog's quiet flatwarming, which is annoying. I'm going to head down tomorrow, not delivering anything, and get Morticia settled in Birmingham - then deliver the mixer on Sunday. Cat will have her tray, water and food in the car, but I'm hoping she can go 4 hours without needing her tray. It's unlikely, as I rarely manage the full drive without a stop.

I may miss Doctor Who. Please, PLEASE do not tell me anything about it.

Monday and Tuesday are seminars. Depending on workload I may write them up the same day.

Wednesday (I suspect) run down to Herts. and do a few things, collect lens and stuff.

Thursday... unplanned. Work, I suspect.

Friday... unplanned.

Saturday... airshow, then drive up to Glasgow if I am capable of it to attend Jennie & Aidan's combined birthday party.

What might make Saturday easier is if I investigate something which appears to allow photographers entrance to the airshow to watch rehearsals on Friday. I will check if the Vulcan might be there (I doubt it). Otherwise, I need to be up BLOODY EARLY to get to the airshow in time to get a good place - it starts at 7:30am. Which really means I want to be there an hour earlier probably, because I'd be competing with a bunch of white-lensed annoyances similarly keen amateurs with big lenses. Who might have been there before and know what they're doing.

As usual I'm loading myself with so much stuff I may not get to relax, but the significant difference here is that once the cat is in Birmingham I DO have that flexibility, as the house in Hawick can be unattended. Week after this, though, I'll have an electrician and plasterer (yes, I did arrange it), then I think it's just a couple of weeks until I'm off to Florida with nowt but a camera and some clothes, unless I get paid for my new job soonish. Or sell the bloody MR2, which I keep getting enquiries about, but no cash.