Easter

Today marks the end of the first Lenten journey I have made. In a previous blog post, I told how I would give up Facebook and soda for Lent.


As Lent ends today (happy Easter!), I am pleased to say that I successfully went without soda and Facebook for the entire time period. This is quite an accomplishment for me; as anyone who knows me is aware just how much I use Facebook day to day, and how fond I am of Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper.

For me, though giving up soda wasn't easy, it paled in comparison to giving up Facebook. Even though it seems trivial, giving up Facebook was quite an endeavor; and several times during Lent I really wanted to break my vow of abstinence from it. But I didn't, and during those times, I thought about just how difficult it must have been for Jesus when He fasted for forty days in the wilderness, with Satan himself whispering sweet nothings in His ear to boot. When I would feel despondent about going without, I'd think about my relationship with God; and you know what? It helped. A lot.

Was it worth it? I say absolutely.

My walk with God has definitely changed for the better since I began my Lenten journey. I've been praying much more often, even for the little things; as a result, I feel like communication with God has been a bit more two-way during this time. And I would like to keep it that way. Definitely, Lent has been helpful to me.

If you've never tried to give something up before, I encourage you to try giving up even something small. It will make you think about your priorities, and it will remind you to live better for Christ. Oh, and you may discover you actually can survive without Facebook. Maybe I'll give up the Internet entirely next year. (Haaaaaaa, no.)


**i like it like that**

- Knolster

Curses To The Organizationally Gifted

I need to clean my room.

BADLY.

It's been nearly three months since I arrived home from Florida... and in hindsight, I would say that time flies more at home than it did at Disney. Ironic, seeing that most people can't get enough of Disney and never seem to have enough time to play there.

But I digress.

The path from my door to my bedroom window is a journey in itself; what started out as using a large box to put stuff in to clear OUT of my room has turned into a massive landfill of assorted things. The box is still there, but no longer visible. This scares me.

I use Snapchat. It's fun to use when I want to send random pics to people. So just for kicks, I Snapchatted a pic of my room to my friend Franny - complete with stuff everywhere, bed buried under clothes, and shelves emptied onto the floor. She responded with a pristine photo of her room - floor completely clear, bed made, and spotlessly organized desk replete with perfectly aligned books.

My motivation at this point is revenge. I have to prove to her that my room can look just as awesome as (if not better than) hers.

But it sucks when your motivation is buried underneath all that stuff. I'm screwed.


**curses to the organizationally gifted**

- Knolster

Ken Rockwell

Today I'd like to share about a guy whose work may not mean much to some, but is invaluable to people like me. As an aspiring photographer paying his way through school, I don't have the resources to waste money or time on a mistaken purchase on photography equipment- whether it be as simple as a memory card or as definitive as a new lens. Every penny counts. (Ask anyone who knows me. If I see a penny on the ground, that sucker's mine!) So naturally, I research before I buy something.

The Internet is chock full of forums, discussions, reviews, and articles about almost anything. This is great, but it can be very time consuming to sift through articles looking for information, especially regarding photography equipment. And it seems that everyone has something to say; some sing praises about an item, while others loudly and forcefully denounce the same product. It can be difficult to know who to trust. Does an anonymous commenter really know what he's talking about when he trashes a product, or is the product actually decent? (Or vice versa!) And where can you find stuff once you've made a decision?

Enter this man.

Ken Rockwell

This guy is amazing. His extensive website and blog cover all major photography equipment and manufacturers anyone could ever want to know about. He has used almost every major camera available, and his reviews cover more than just cameras; he also discusses lenses, filters, flash, shooting techniques, and more. Everything he discusses and reviews is provided with purchase locations and information. And the best part? All of this is free on his website. People spend hundreds of dollars on photography books that don't teach even half of the information that Ken Rockwell shares (and his is all up to date!).

Now enter me. I used his detailed information to make my latest lens purchase, and I am now the proud owner of a Nikkor 50mm F/1.8 D fixed aperture lens.

It's so sexy.

I've been wanting a fixed aperture lens for quite some time now; however, there are many out there, and I wanted to make the best educated purchase I could. Unsure exactly which fixed aperture lens I wanted, I consulted Ken's research. Turns out, the 50mm F/1.8 is one of the best lenses any Nikon photographer could own, which I previously wasn't aware of. My current camera, a Nikon D5100, is not autofocus-compatible with the 50mm F/1.8 D lens. However, I am currently in the process of upgrading to the Nikon D7000, which is autofocus-compatible with this lens. Since the lens works manually on either camera model regardless of the autofocus setup, the lens is perfect for me right now. Long story short, I saved at least $150, and it's the little things like this that make me happy. Life is not won all at once, but rather in small steps along the way.

Here are a couple test shots I took with the new lens. I'm in love. 

So yeah, Ken Rockwell wins major kudos from me, hence this shoutout. He's candid, down-to-earth, and honest. He even replied to a brief thank-you email I wrote him that same day. Very impressive.

Closing thought: think before you buy! And look for good honest voices like Ken Rockwell when researching; it's worth it.


**rule 32**

- Knolster