I'm very honoured to be making a test post on LL. Komal is awesome.
Canon EOS 40D
Since I got my 350D stolen, mom offered to buy me a replacement. I could've gone for the 450D (also known as the Rebel XSi) which is an upgrade from the 350D (also known as the Rebel XT), but I figured since I had the opportunity and my plan was to upgrade the body next time I had a chance, I figured I'd pay the extra and get the 40D. Obviously this upgrade is a little earlier than planned, but it couldn't be helped. I'm super excited though, it's waiting for me in New York and I can't wait.
It's a much bigger body than the 350D, just a little smaller than the 5D. It comes with a EF 28-135 IS lens which is a pretty decent piece. The biggest differences between the two are that the 40D has a 10 megapixel sensor, and shoots at 6.5 frames per second. The 350D was 8 megapixels and 3.2 frames per second. The 40D uses a Digic III sensor while the 350D uses a Digic II. Not entirely sure what that means. The LCD screen on the 40D is 3 inches, while the 350D one is 1.8 inches. That's a pretty decent step up, in my opinion. One difference that a lot of people are super excited about is the fact that the 40D has live view which the 350D did not. Even though live view is the norm for point and shoot cameras, it's only recently become available in DSLRs. Makes low shots a lot easier because you don't have to awkwardly lay on the ground and have people give you funny looks.
Another thing that happened was that the detachable shoe from my tripod was attached to my camera when it got stolen. Which meant that my tripod was pretty much useless. However, after searching for an hour on the glorious internet, I found out that they did in fact sell detachable shoes separately, and I tracked down which one my tripod used, and bought it on amazon. All hail amazon.
In other news I'm sitting in the middle of a bunch of suits at the first class lounge dressed in my gross bleach stained Douglas hoodie. I feel awesome.
Pakistan
I think if I hadn't been living with Sarah for the past five days, I would be a bit of a mess. She bullies me into playing war, and it works.
Musharraf has resigned. There is happiness in Karachi. Fireworks and stuff. Lots of people firing away because they're too ignorant to realize that Musharraf was probably the best thing we had. It doesn't get better than that for us. We're a nation of people the fire Kalashnikovs at the sky when we're happy - does that not say something about us? 18% of us are literate - and I think out of that, about 95% are corrupt. I think Bhutto wanted to do it up right this time, and she's dead - so yes that also happens. If there might be a way out, we kill the person that might be able to help. It's a little bit ridiculous. I've heard people say that a revolution is the only thing that can save the country, but I feel like a revolution needs a leader with half a brain, and a united country. We have neither. Nobody is intelligent enough to think for themselves, and the country is so divided because of that, it just keeps on collapsing onto itself. Musharraf was being threatened with impeachment, which is why he quit. However, he claims that not one of the charges would stand, and went on for quite a while about how he had made the country better, and he had done it all for Pakistan. And I feel like maybe he did. Maybe he's just a little bit of an idiot. It worked for a while - but he became irrelevant after a while. Who stands as a president is irrelevant when there are suicide bombers that you can't even threaten with anything. Can you imagine?
"Stop or we'll shoot."
"Nah, I'm gonna explode myself anyway."
What do you do in that situation? They don't give a fuck.
Musharraf claims that he put Pakistan on the map, and that it is now a crucial country because of his work. Hell yeah it is. You find a nuclear country as unstable as this one and I'll bet that it'll be just as "crucial".
The rupee is 0.0135 to the dollar. it's disgusting.
Such is...
I got about 400 dollars stolen out of my wallet. Three days after I got mugged. I love life.
Mugging Fun
uh...i was coming home from the dholki which is a weird pakistani pre-wedding thing where people dance and are loud. mom and kazim dropped ahan off at my uncle's house and then took me to my grandparents' house. i got out of the car, it was about midnight, i rang the bell and my grandfather came to the gate. i said hi, mom figured he was there already so she drove off. i turned back to the door and my grandfather was going back into the house because apparently he'd forgotten the keys. i heard a car pull up behind me, i turned around, there were two guys wearing spiderman masks and pointing guns at me, asking me for my purse. jackasses didn't even realize i didn't have a purse. i gave them my camera which was the only thing i had. i can't remember if we spoke in english or urdu. it was probably urdu but i can't remember. then i started backing away and he told me to come closer. he was probably checking for jewelry or something but it scared the shit out of me. then he told me he'd let me go because i didn't put up a fight. i said thank you. manners are very important in a mugging. i turned around and waited for what seemed like a year for my grandfather to open the door, while the muggers most concernedly waited for me to get inside before leaving...unlike my mother. yeah so dadajan finally managed to get the door open, i went inside and then they were taking half an hour to close the fucking door and at that point i started freaking out and i was like you know close the door cos there are thieves...and for some reason they didn't understand what i was talking about. and then i started screaming hysterically about how mom left me there and that they took my camera. then i called mom, she didn't pick up, then i called my brother, i screamed and cried at him for about 2 minutes till he got completely freaked out and told me he's coming over. and then i called mom again and i freaked out at her and then she freaked out and told me she's coming over too. and then so mom kazim and both of kazim's brothers and my brother and my uncle all showed up at the house and i was screaming and crying and stuff like a very very brave girl and then mom gave me xanax and i chilled out. and then i went and stayed at my uncle's house because he has guards with big fuckin guns outside. and i can't stay at my grandparents' house anymore. and now whenever i'm not doing anything i think about scary spiderman people and i can't go outside when it's dark. i am the opposite of a vampire. that's my story. taa.
Overstuffed.
I've had too much to eat, and I still haven't packed even though I leave in 11 hours. I am in a state of fear smushed with the happiness that can only come from eating thai food. Mmm... yummy food coma. Hi ho, off to packing I go.
Brian Beckett is my hero.
I would just like to make it very known that yes, I saw Brian's blog and I was like hey, that's what I should do instead of whine to individuals that might not want to hear what I say, but instead post it all online where nobody would ever see it. You know?
Yeah so I was saying, it's a shame that rats aren't big enough to ride around on. Well, I guess Ganesh managed, but he's a god with an elephant head so I don't know. If you're wondering why I think it's a shame we can't ride rats, I meant specifically ride rats in the desert - because they last longer without water than camels. Now that's pretty damn cool.
Hmm... I get to fly to New York on the A380. Pretty cool. Big plane. Kinda heavy. That frightens me. Cha cha cha.
I've been watching Scrubs fiendishly. I've read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in the past 12 days, and I've started on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (skipped Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix because Harry's much to pubescent in that one). My life is the epitome of sad.
I miss Montreal. I don't know if I'm ready to start studying again, but I'm ready to be back in Montreal. When I got there last year, I took advantage of the fact that it was as beautiful as it was. I didn't realize that the fall weather doesn't last. I didn't spend as much time outside as I should have. After the long winter, and the hellish summer, I'm ready to appreciate what I missed on my first try. I'm not ready to go back to school but I'll get there. I'm ready to do better. I'm ready to be with smart people that I get along with. I'm ready to move on. I think when I left last year I felt like I still had something here. I wasn't prepared to give everything and commit myself fully to my life there. After returning I realized that this place is no longer my home. It is no longer attractive. It's a city built on slavery, greed, and injustice. I don't want any part of that.
I've got one more day here, and I can't wait to get out. I haven't packed yet and I'm trying to put it off till the last minute because I feel like once I pack I won't be able to bear being here at all. I'll feel like I've done everything that I can and that it's time to go and that last bit of time will feel like forever.
I want to break free.
I'm ready to give it my all.
2 Down
Yup, I was right. I failed. I am now a shittier driver than most of the people I know. Congratulations Komal. There are many things that I hate about Dubai, and now the driving assholes are just one more on my list. It's probably because I didn't drive well enough, but it's more likely that they're just fuck-tards that enjoy milking you of 150 dollars every time you fail.
FAIL! Round 2.
As my second road test approaches, breathing is difficult, palms are sweaty, heart is beating faster. And this is the night before and I'm lying in bed. Tomorrow should be interesting - in a horrible sort of way. Let's see how it goes.
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