Local Warming

The downstairs rooms are cool on summer mornings even when the highs hit 100. This Saturday, however, it was already 78 degrees at 7 a.m., which doesn’t bode well for comfort today. I went outside to water the bushes on the side of the house, the area where the sprinkler hasn’t worked in years. Small wisps of steam rose from the fence. I left the hose on and went inside to get the insect spray.

Wasps had built another nest under the top board of the fence. So that’s why they were still buzzing around the house. The process had become routine: Spray, let sit, knock the nest down. Later, three prodigals returned, circling where their home had been. Tough luck, boys, your business isn’t welcome here.

It’s nearly noon, and I’m dripping. Time to take a shower then go to the shopping center to cool off.

I’ve had bad luck with digital cameras. The first, a Kodak, stopped working when the lens mechanism jammed. The second, a Canon, ended up on the bottom of Monterey Bay when my kayak overturned. The third, another Kodak, was left on the train about a month ago. (Given my culpability, “bad luck” is a charitable description.)

For the next purchase I’m leaning toward a Canon A620. First, given my “luck” and level of photographer’s skill, I shouldn’t spend more than two hundred fifty dollars; anything more would be a waste. Second, the A620 has an optical viewfinder, a feature that is becoming rare in even more expensive cameras; maybe it’s my aging eyes, but I find it difficult to frame an outdoor shot just using the LCD. Third, it has at least 6 megapixels---actually 7.1—and I need more MPs because, well, just because. (For humble weblogging, the experts say 3.2 MPs are perfectly fine.)

Comparison shopping at Best Buy, CompUSA, Fry’s, Brooks Camera, and Costco showed the lowest price to be at Costco online for about $215. (Adding the shipping charge—Costco online also charges sales tax---makes the indifference price at a bricks-and-mortar retailer to be around $230.) For some reason that I’m not quite sure, about--is this the right model? will someone put this camera on sale?---I’ve resisted making the purchase.

A military mom sent me an e-mail a couple of days ago. Sears will make up the difference for up to two years between the salary and benefits that a reservist employee would lose if he was called up to active duty. A commendable program and worthy of support. My decision is made: when I do buy the camera, I’ll pick it up at Sears though it’s a few dollars more.

[Update: we cooled off in the theater this afternoon. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men’s Chest is fun and energetic, with dazzling special effects. Johnny Depp hams it up by mashing together Han Solo. Errol Flynn, and Liberace. At two and a half hours, the movie is a good popcorn value.] © 2006 Stephen Yuen