New Camera / Milk

I got my new camera. It is officially the coolest thing on planet earth and exactly what I wanted.
The best feature is it can automatically recognize faces. How does it know what is a face and what isn't? Magic?
Some pictures from my new camera:

This girl is far away:

The camera is useful for taking pictures of people far away without them knowing. I'm not sure why it only focused on her and the rest are blurry. I have to read the manual.
Pierre:

Outside my subway stop:

Diane:

I am now piss poor but I have some cruise clothes.
I got this from Priape:

I've been looking for a shirt with snaps for about a year and this one is awesome. Check out the fraying on the bottom. Cool.
I noticed after I bought it it has some stuff on the back.

This t-shirt is from Andrew Christian, fits me perfectly so I can never wash it or wear it until the cruise but it makes me look 10 pounds lighter. A miracle garment.

Here are my short shorts. This is the style I wanted. They are small and tight and I asked the shop guy to tell me honestly, are they tight because they're too small or because they're supposed to look like that? He said they were on purpose tight and my butt looked good so I instantly bought them.

And this is the funniest shirt I've ever seen:


After shopping I went to see Milk with my dad and Linda. It was very good, powerful and moving with great acting. I loved all the gay liberation moments, they made me cry often. Seeing 30,000 people shouting "Gay rights now" is very moving to me. I feel gays don't have much documentation of their civil rights struggles and few watershed moments so this was great.

There was a line, something like:
"I have had 4 serious relationships and 3 of those men tried to commit suicide because they were gay. You are fighting for morals, we are literally fighting for our lives."
and I cried again.

Camera/Swim

Online shopping. Is there nothing it can't do?
I bought a bathing suit. From Sears, $20. One thing done. Here it is:
I am thinking about getting a smaller one too for more daring moments. Something like this:

Or this:

But would it be like trying to fit 10 pounds of shit into a 5 pound bag? The search continues.
UPDATE. What about this one:

I can get it on eBay for $25. Is navy slimming on the waist? Do I have any shirts that go with this?

In WAY better news, I think I got the best Christmas gift EVER from my father, a super cool camera. When I actually get to touch it I may wet my pants a little.
Here's some pictures and specifications:



For size comparison, in front of a standard CD:

Panasonic has added yet another powerful Super-zoom to their ranks, with the new Lumix DMC-FZ28, which boasts a 27mm wide-angle LEICA lens with an 18x optical zoom. The 10.1 megapixel digital camera also features an enhanced Intelligent Auto Mode (iA), with the new AF (autofocus) Tracking function, making it easier for photographers at any level to shoot sharp, well-focused photos, even when the subject is moving - ideal for action shots.

The AF Tracking function is the latest component to be added to Panasonic's iA system, and allows users to lock focus on a moving subject. The camera then automatically tracks the subject as it moves, keeping it in focus without the need to hold the shutter halfway down. AF Tracking makes it easier to capture moving subjects and spur-of-the-moment action shots. The AF Tracking technology also improves Face Detection (up to 15 faces), by providing continuous adjustment of the focus and exposure, even if the face is turned away from the camera.

In addition to the AF Tracking functionality, Panasonic's other iA technologies include:

• Intelligent Exposure - Helps prevents photos from being under- or over-exposed by instantly analyzing the framed image and adjusting the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.
• Digital Red-eye Correction- This feature helps to eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at night. Incorporated into the camera, the built-in flash emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.
• MEGA O.I.S. - Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.
• Intelligent ISO - Determines if the photo subject is moving and changes the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.
• Intelligent Scene Selector - Senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.
• Face Detection - Detects faces in the frame (up to 15 faces), even if they are moving, and selects optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear.
• Quick AF (Auto Focus) - Starts focus on the subject by just pointing the camera at the subject, thus minimizing the AF time.

The high-performance Venus Engine IV supports a faster response time, allowing the camera to shoot 2.5 shots per second at full resolution and 13 shots per second in High-Speed Burst mode. In High Sensitivity mode, the FZ28 can shoot up to ISO 6400 in extremely low-lit situations. The FZ28 also is equipped with a large 2.7-inch LCD with 230,000 pixels, and a high resolution electric viewfinder equivalent to 201,600 pixels.

Additional features of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ28 include:

• Image Leveling - When a captured image "leans" to the right or left because the camera was held at a slight angle when the photo was taken, the Image Leveling function rotates the image to straighten it and crops the unnecessary edges. No computer needed!
• Scene Modes - The DMC-FZ28 offers a total of 37 scene modes to respond easily to any shooting situation. The new Pin Hole and Film Grain modes add unique, film camera-like effects and ambiences to images. Additionally, the actual effects of the scene mode can be viewed on the LCD before taking the shot.
• Flash - Reaches a distance of 8.5 meters at the wide setting and 5.4 meters at the telephoto setting (ISO AUTO).
• SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0 SE - Software application comes bundled with the DMC-FZ28 for editing and developing images in the RAW file format.

The DMC-FZ28 also features High Definition (HD) video capabilities with a resolution of 1280 x 720p at 30fps. Still photos can also be shot in a 16:9 aspect ratio for optimal full-screen viewing on a HDTV. Panasonic VIERA Plasma or LCD HDTVs also feature an integrated SD Memory Card slot, allowing users to easily view photos by simply inserting the SD Memory Card into the convenient SD Card slot built into the TV. Consumers can also enjoy watching videos in HD quality and view still images by connecting the DMC-FXZ28 via an optional Panasonic component cable (DMW-HDC2).

Major DMC-FZ28 Features:

• 10.1-megapixel effective CCD for images up to 3648 x 2736 pixels
• Leica DC-VARIO ELMARIT 18x zoom, equivalent to 27-486mm on a 35mm camera
• Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) system to help prevent camera shake and blurring
• Venus Engine IV LSI for robust camera operations
• JPEG and RAW still image capture
• Full-Resolution Burst capture at 2.5fps (total of 3 images in Fine mode)
• Face Detection AF technology for great portraits
• Macro focus with autofocus down to 0.39 inches (wide)
• 2.7-inch TFT color LCD monitor with 230K pixels of resolution
• Eye-level color electronic viewfinder with 201K pixels and dioptric adjustment
• Intelligent Auto, Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual modes
• Five Advanced (Portrait, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Macro) and 17 Normal scene modes
• Four programmable Custom modes
• High Speed and Low Speed Continuous or "Burst" modes
• QuickTime movies WVGA (848x480), VGA (640x480) or HD (1280x720) at 30fps w/audio
• Shutter speeds from 1/2000 to 8 seconds in Shutter priority, (up to 60 secs. in Manual/Starry Sky modes)
• Built-in flash with auto, fill, slow synchro and red-eye reduction modes
• Intelligent Multiple and Spot exposure metering
• TTL Auto White Balance, 5 presets and custom set
• Approx. 50MB of internal memory, plus SD/SDHC/MMC memory card slot
• Plug-n-Play USB 2.0 High-speed, Mass Storage compliant
• PictBridge Direct-Print compatible
• Li-ion rechargeable battery and rapid charger included

Doggy Santa

I've lost weight recently. Someone at work yesterday said I looked "thin" with perhaps a bit too much surprise in her voice, but I'll take it. I feel good.

Speaking of feeling good, I was at the grocery store tonight and the vegan bakery was giving out free samples. Apparently they're setting up a stand there. This is good as it means veganism is taking off, as I knew it would. If you could not harm animals, have great taste and lose weight who wouldn't take it?
The negative thing is they have things like carrot cake and vegan chocolate fudge cheesecake which will be the finish of me.

Sunday I'm going to an event with dogs getting their pictures taken with Santa. I've been asked to help. I hope this doesn't mean I have to wear the suit. I've lost weight, remember???

Flirted today with the cleaner at work. He's cute.
Tried to establish some common ground.

Said I'm going to see Milk - he hates art movies and art (?) and prefers the new Reese Witherspoon chick flick.

Said I'm going on a gay cruise - he hates the heat and prefers New York City.

I said I love NYC, I love Broadway - he hates plays but is going to see "The Little Mermaid" as he loves Disney musicals.

Was he born a woman?

Said I liked baseball and he said the only time he would run is if he was being chased. A match made in heaven!

Prop 8: The Musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Battle of the Bands

Well, I thought it was called battle of the bands. Turns out there was no battle.
Last night I went to Sneaky Dee's for this band lottery. Local Toronto musicians put their name in a hat and form bands in the morning. They have all day to write and practice a few songs and then perform them that night.
I thought it was some kind of battle and voting thing. I asked my friend Joe how do you vote, by paper or by cheering and booing? He explained there was no vote, the winners were everyone who went to see the show, which seemed anti climatic.
I actually had an amazing time and loved being out and stayed until about 2 am. Some shots:

This band was my favourite. Great energy and songs and the fellow in back in orange hugged his boyfriend before they got on stage. And they had a crazy lady with a harp who was great at first but wore thin near the end of the set.

I don't really remember these people but everyone was pretty good except:

This band was crazy. I got this shot of this one guy as he wore a very short shirt and you kept seeing like his entire underwear and back and it wasn't a good thing and it got much worse as the set went on. Isn't there someone who could have said "You're wearing a child's shirt and you're not attractive" other than me?
Plus the band decided to model their songs on a vampire theme and each song was more terrible than the last. Their final song was based on a spiritual chant and they encouraged people to sing along. It was death.
Luckily we were standing beside a cute boy photographer:

I didn't have the nerve to take his picture full on, I must be losing my touch.

I am going on a gay cruise and need to get a bathing suit, I can't wait. I want to go to some gay shop and pay a lot of money and get something cool. I picture it being like a Cathy comic come to life. (Click to enlarge)

Basically I need some kind of suit with like fireworks built in so I can cause a distraction when I take my shirt off. In the James Bond movie "Die Another Day" he drives an invisible car. Is that technology commercially available for swim suits?

Free Will

I was at a restaurant tonight and saw poutine on the menu and ordered it.

I haven't eaten this in years as:

• it's fattening
• the gravy contains an animal
• cheese forces cows to be pregnant and die early
• I am allergic to milk
• It makes me sick

And yet I still got it.

The theory is the only thing separating humans from animals is free will.

So why is it people so often choose to do the wrong thing?

Consume Me

I am spent,
a shell,
the husk of what I was once.
I am fragile
and you are hungry.

Consume me.
Feed on me.
Take me apart.

Tear off my legs
and eat my fingers.
Leave nothing.
Consume me.

At the end
where there were two
there will now be one.
Still hungry.