December 31, 2003 - Mega Media

Dad's new camera

He had to take my word for it when I claimed that certain bras worked or didn't work, or that they sculpted me into strange, unnatural shapes.

At one point, when I exited the dressing room to see him, laden with my coat and a couple bras I intended to buy, I chuckled and said, "See, I told you: a Walk Through Fire." Again, he didn't seem to mind; he only smiled.

We got back before Dad, so we tried to come up with an idea of what we could all do together. Nothing came to mind. I suggested a walk with the doggies, since we were watching my sister's dog Emma until she got back from the trip to see her boyfriend's parents. But we both agreed it was too cold.

When my dad arrived, we talked to him and hit upon a Plan B. We would see a matinee. After going through the list of movies available, we decided to see Something's Gotta Give. We all absolutely loved it.

The movie is funny and endearing without being sappy or ridiculous. Best of all, the writing is terrific: that combined with a great cast made the movie feel believable. I especially liked one scene where Diane Keaton works out her emotions by writing, eventually finding strength from it. Not a word spoken the entire scene, and yet Diane was masterful; you knew exactly what she was thinking.

While there are definite differences in ages and circumstances, The Gryphon and I identified with the main characters. Particularly, we could identify with the feeling of finding someone who's right after years of seeking the wrong thing.

After the movie we drove to one of our favorite restaurants: an Italian place that's kind of classy, where the food is delicious and the atmosphere pleasant. Over dinner, we talked about how much we liked the movie, and then got onto other topics, such as homeland security.

My dad said he believes there's al Qaeda in Central Pennsylvania. His reasoning was that there are a number of al Qaeda prisoners in the federal penitentiaries there.

"Maybe," I said. "But at least you know they won't be blowing things up here. It would blow their cover." Literally.

Back at Dad's place, we experimented with his new digital camera. He'd got it for free, as an incentive for filling out surveys. The camera, though brand new, was an older model. It's a 2.0 megapixel camera (where the standard is now closer to 4.0), and it takes either a floppy disk or a memory stick!

Dad didn't have any floppy disks, but I had a few I didn't need. We charged the battery and resolved to experiment with it later, perhaps when The Gryphon and I came through next weekend to pick up my dog, Una. Dad's very kindly taking care of her for the week so that The Gryphon and I can enjoy New Year's Eve without worrying about her.

The next morning, my curiosity got the best of me. I fired up the camera and took a few pictures: very few. It turns out that only four pictures will fit on each floppy disk. This makes sense, of course. It's just bloody inconvenient for most purposes. Still, it was free, and as I told Dad, it can be sort of a training camera for him, to get used to the idea of using a digital camera.

Dad surprised us by finishing up with church and stopping by before going on his rounds. So I got the opportunity to demonstrate to him the capabilities of his camera. He's going to experiment more with it this week, and we'll help him next weekend if he needs it.

And then, since we had a prior commitment back in Philly, The Gryphon and I gave Dad a hug good-bye and packed up my car, Moondancer. As we pulled away from the parking lot, Una peered out the window at me. See you next year, puppy.

 

More of the Wilson family Christmas:

December 28, 2003 - Sugarplum Family

December 29, 2003 - An Armadillo Antler Christmas

December 30, 2003 - Cat Valhalla

Moral:
Plan B is often just as good as Plan A.