Categories for General

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80

So, today, in the afternoon, i got the money from selling my house. I thought about it for a couple of minutes. I paid some bills. And i put on my shoes and my coat and went out. To buy myself a new camera. I walked to Foka and talked with the person who helped me yesterday and said i was there to buy. To spend money. A Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80. A mirrorless interchangable lens camera. I had read the Buying Guide: Best cameras for video and this camera was the budget recommendation. Cost me quite a bit of money, but it is still below 1500 euros.

So good! A big sigh, sure. So many things to learn. I only got around to charging up the camera. I made a few photos of Mouse asleep in front of the heating. But i didn’t get how to connect the camera to my computer. In the instructions they talk about the smartphone connection. Hmm.

I also bought a bag and a tripod for shooting video. Not terribly expansive, but still ok. And i did get an insurance for three years. Since i take the camera out a lot, i think it needs it.

I have bought two lenses. One a 14-140, the equivalent of a 28-280 for a full frame DSLR camera. The other a 60 mm macro lens for portraits and close ups. That one i get in a few days, it wasn’t in the shop.

The next days i will be reading the instructions, use the camera out and about. Use all the different buttons. Get to know it. Thoroughly.

Yay!

PS. I was lying in bed and it suddenly dawned on me. The cable i used to charge up the battery had an USB side. So that was the way to connect it to my computer. I got out and presto! So at the end is a photo i made. Large. Not raw, but a jpg. It is fine for now.

PPS. The names of this camera are different in different parts of the world. It is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80, GX85 or GX7II in Europe, US and Japan respectively.

Published on January 24, 2018 at 6:00 by

Traveling

Traveling today. With the train. Listening to music. Moving quietly with it. Happy. As someone said, while i waited for the bus in Amersfoort.

I did check if the music i listened to today was recorded in last.fm or spotify, but no. I don’t have internet access on my phone, so nothing there. Too bad, i would have loved to post a playlist of the music listened to today.

I visited my mum. Talked with her about my house and the events in my life the past few months. It was alright. A bit scary, but i felt really really happy. Like, over the moon. I love my mum.

That is it for today. I will try to quiet down. Watch some Buffy. Try to get a bit more sleep tonight. Hopefully.

Salute!

Published on December 7, 2017 at 6:00 by

Following

Today wasn’t a productive day. This entire week wasn’t that productive, to be honest. I felt too happy. My mind was racing. I did get new ideas for posts. New ideas for the future. But not yet the time to write them down. I will, of course. But yes, getting a bit quieter in my mind is important. So today i simply read a bit, washed myself thoroughly, with warm water. A friend came by with dumpster dived bread, with raisins and nuts. Lovely! And i watched Star Trek Discovery. I quite like it. I do hope i am getting ready. Well, like i have been over the past fifty three years. It does feel to me to be so obvious, so clear. Looking back on my life, the way i have felt before, living it. All the feelings i have hidden away. All the adjustments i made, trying to fit in. I just never really did.

Well. I threw the I Ching. Following. With a changing second line, bringing me back to the Joyous. Good signs. Being the youngest daughter, this sign always felt close to me.

Ooh… there is one more thing. My father died in October. My mother called my last Saturday and told me. She had read it in a newspaper. He died 16 October 2017. He was 88 years old. I hadn’t seen him in almost thirty years.

My father was the person who pushed me away. And now he is gone. I haven’t cried a tear over him. He has been out of my life for so long. So yes, now he is gone. He left me with a few happy memories. But most are not. Goodbye daddy.

Published on November 3, 2017 at 6:00 by

Wintertime

Friday late in the afternoon i got my computer back. Fast! Fast! The solid state drive feels like, superfast. Of course, now i realize my old hard drive was so slow because of the problems with it. Photoshop now starts up in ten seconds. Not five minutes. The smaller size means i had to put older files on my external hard drive. Not a big issue.

Yesterday, Saturday evening, i had a party. I baked a quince cake to bring along with me. And there was live music. Which was great. Excellent. A proper music jam, with anyone willing participating. With violinist, a vibraphone, keyboards, guitar, several different banging instruments. Lovely. The gin and tonic did get me down. I do remember walking back home not in a straight line. And falling asleep!

And this Sunday evening there was Samhain in the garden. I made a potato and onion adn thyme dish which cooked on the fire. And a salad – with all green harvested in the garden. And music too! I sang along for a bit. Good.

Now i’m home. Tired. Not as drunk as i was yesterday. I’ll hop into bed after i have written this post.

Happy! So happy!

Published on October 30, 2017 at 6:00 by

Wednesday 25 October 2017

This morning i brought my laptop to the Apple repair shop close by. It will be checked first. Then i will decide what repairs i will get made. A big factor is if it possible to het a backup of the current hd. I’m not sure. Later today the shop called me and told me it didn’t get a copy yet. They will letnit running the night.

So, if its not possible, i will get a smaller solid state hd. I might even get a smaller one if they can get a backup. I still have my external hd with room for this backup.

Later today i went to the city hall for a presentation about a single green talking window. Right now it is spread over several different areas. It is good to get to know more people who are working in gardens and who are active in Rotterdam trying to get more people involved. It is important. Politics isn’t really my thing, but it is good to witness these talks and presentations.

Enjoy your day! Talk more tomorrow. Bye bye!

Published on October 26, 2017 at 6:00 by

Working day

This morning i cooked the pumpkin. Just before eleven o’clock i went to the garden on the Hofbogen. Coffee! Stroopwafels! We cleaned up the bit besides the walking platform. I harvested the chard, the salad leaves, the parsley and the Newzealand spinach. We talked and smiled and laughed. Ooh and i slipt and fell. Wham! No major injury, but still, tomorrow i could have some tension in me shoulder and neck area.

This afternoon i baked the third cake. The vegan pumpkin cake. Daniël came by after five to get all three cakes for their presentation this evening.

And now i’m tired. But also a bit relieved. Today the money for the repair of my computer is transfered.

So, a good day. Yay!

Salute!

Published on October 25, 2017 at 6:00 by

Inner Truth

Today i baked two cakes for tomorrow. A Jewish Apple cake. A Beetroot and Ginger cake. I will bake a third one tomorrow. The vegan Pumpkin cake. All three are for an event. And yes, i will get paid for them.

I also went to the library. Got a new book and watched chess. It was busy! Many people sitting around the chessboard. I had to leave after a bit, to get home for the cakebaking.

I wasn’t thinking about writing this post. I did yesterday. I enjoyed the Buitenhof broadcast i saw yesterday morning. Spain, Schiphol’s expansion and our lack of making a different way forward. Far away holidays, out industrial monoculture agriculture, all the superfluous packaging. In the past year and a half my life has changed so much, i can imagine this happening to so many other people. I am even thinking about wiping my bottom with cloth after a pee. Mostly for saving money, sure, only for the small wees, of course, but still, it is a big step. For me.

this evening i threw the I Ching. It’s been a while. I got Inner Truth, with a changing line on the third place. With the end sign The Taming Power of the Small. Nice ones.

It is nice sitting here on the couch typing this on the iPad.

*grin*

Bye bye!

Published on October 24, 2017 at 6:00 by

Broken

Two weeks. Two whole weeks.

A broken computer got to me. Two weeks ago, on Saturday morning, i startend to upgrade my system. And i never finished it. A S.M.A.R.T. error. And me with my stupid head thought i could fix it. Of course not. Worse, my computer didn’t start up anymore.

My most recent password file is on my laptop. There is one on the backup of my iMac, a year old. Of course the two most important passwords didn’t work for me. My email and this website. I left it. A couple of days ago i got my email werking again. And today, Sunday, i resetted the password for this website.

I am using my iPad to post this. Which is fine for now. Luckily a friend will lend me the money to fix my computer. Hopefully this week.

Yes, this got to me. Bad. I do feel better now.

Salute!

Published on October 23, 2017 at 6:00 by

Poor

On the whole i feel calm. At times i do get worried. Especially when i talk to other people. My mum, friends. Sometimes, when i walk on the street and i get spoken to, i say i don’t have any money. most people don’t really react to that. It is too far away from them. I understand that. Your own worries are always so much bigger than those from somebody else.

I don’t mind listening to people. Quite enjoy it, really. Learn from it. Some terrible things you hear though. Selfish selfish people doing abominable things to other people. Take away their money. Their stuff. Simply because someone didn’t really pay attention and gave it all to his girlfriend. Not married of course. No legal document. So it is all gone. When the girlfriend has died.

What the man said when we talked. Health. A clear mind. Waking up and going outside. Your head raised. Hmm, that last part is from me. Still. He is right.

But also sweet things. A man talked about his children. Three of them. And his seven grandchildren. All doing well. Made him feel happy. Good.

So yeah, the photo above is all my money. I thought i had a bit more on my bank account. But earlier this week i had a return of money, which made it possible for my energy bill to be paid. Four euros left. And i do need to buy ProZinc for the diabetes of my cat. Fifty five euros. Hmmm. It’ll last for around four months i think. Well. Thinking. Thinking.

This is difficult. Also, in November i need to pay Mediatemple for the the gridserver my website is hosted on. As it looks right now, i won’t be able to. And then of course my mortgage.

Calm. Serene. Don’t let it worry you. You have a life. You have your work in the gardens. You have friends. It won’t go all to pieces. And yes, if it does go to pieces, it is for a reason. To learn. To live through. You know that.

Well, if someone reads this and wants to help me, i won’t mind. Of course not.

You can send money to this bank number:

N.E.Pronk
IBAN NL33 TRIO 0338 6788 24
Triodos bank

I will make a Friendship page on this website and send postcards or a drawing or something else which comes up in my mind to you if you send me me some money. Above ten dollars / ten euros i add. Below ten dollars / ten euros you will just be named on the friendship page as a sponsor. You can of course also use my Patreon page. That page is really quiet. I haven’t fully described what i will do for the people supporting me. I know, i should work on that soon!

So, calmness. A clear mind. Awareness of what could happen. But also faith in myself. In my own abilities. In my own strength.

Have a good weekend. Salute!

Published on September 22, 2017 at 6:00 by

A busy Monday

Last night, between Sunday and Monday, i hardly slept. I was in bed, tossing and turning. Around four i turned on the light and read a little. For fifteen minutes or so. To try to sleep after that. I did fall asleep eventually. To wake up really late. Of course. I got out of bed around ten in the morning. Still feeling tired.

I made my oatmeal porridge. Yum! Like i do each day, for the past couple of months. I turned on my computer and checked my e-mail. Played a little warcraft. Some questing, in Nagrand, with my level 65 death knight. For around half an hour or so. Then i took a shower. Washed my hair. Felt good. I don’t shower that much. Once a week usually. A bit later now. My hair was getting a bit greasy. And i started to feel my skin. Not especially dirty, but i could feel it sliding differently. So yes, clean and smelling fresh once again!

Listening to music after that. Singing along with some tracks. Daydreaming away. So clear. So much… here. And still, i’m still feeling that i shouldn’t go and look for work. I still feel i am doing the right thing. Working in the garden. Staring to play chess in the library. Talking with people. It is good. Good! Not really knowing how this will work out, but i know, deep down, i know for sure it will turn out right. I do trust myself. Completely.

Around two i did a quick blow dry of my bangs. I usually do this once i washed my hair. It’ll stay good for around thirty minutes. But i do like to do it. Then i went out. First i brought a package with my tv reception machine for KPN to the post counter in the supermarket. Since i have canceled my television subscription, i got this brown carton box from KPN to send it back. I do still watch television, but on my iPad or computer.

Then i went to the library. I did watch the end of a chess game before going to look for new books. Some people i know were sitting around the chess board.

Then i turned in the book i finished last night. I went up to the third floor, to the English section. Walked past the cupboards, looked for books by Philip K. Dick, but didn’t see any. Then i thought of the books written by Robert Jordan, the Wheel of Time series. I do have twelve books of that series myself. There were a couple more, and yay! i found them. Number thirteen Towers of Midnight and fourteen A Memory of Light. These books are not my favourite books, but still, i enjoyed the first ones. The ones in the middle are a bit boring. And it is really really long. Fourteen books. Pffff. Still, i am looking forward to reading the end part. Finally.

I went back to the chess game and watched another game. Not terribly exciting, i admit. Everyone plays differently. Defending. Attacking. Going for the small pawns, medium pieces. Or go straight to the king. Put pressure. Fight. Or not. Withdraw. Make a better set up for another attack. So many different variations. I like it. But i still have to learn so many things. Analyzing. Thinking more steps forward. It is good i found the courage to play chess with other people. Happy. So happy with that.

A quick run through the supermarket. Then home. And yes, i’m still a bit tired. It’s five o’clock. I lie on the couch for a bit. Read a little. But my eyes close after a while. I almost doze off. Almost.

Around six i get up and start making a salad for dinner. Kale, green beans, spring onions, feta, bacon. Nice.

The rest of the evening i watch television. De wereld draait door. Koken met van boven.

And now i’m sitting here, behind my computer. Typing this piece. A report of this day. Not a very special day. But also, a very special day. With special moments. So many special moments i don’t even talk about here. The smile i feel when i walk outside. Looking at other people. The joy when somebody looks back and smiles back. Small things. But still, important. In this small area in Rotterdam i live in.

I’m gonna add the photos to this post. And then it is time to go to bed. It is still early, but i don’t mind. I like to read in bed, watch some youtube clips. Anything.

Hopefully i sleep a bit more this night. I do feel tired. But that is no promise.

To you, when you read this tomorrow morning, i hope you will enjoy your day. Filled with work, family, friends, shopping, little talks, maybe big talks too!

Salute!

Published on September 19, 2017 at 6:00 by