Goddess, I Am.

Our New Year’s Eve was a rather laid-back, almost subdued, affair. We all missed Mum, methinks. Not to mention her restaurant delivery perks, too, which is probably why we ended up with very little food compared to last year’s food coma – just a lechon (roast pig), two pasta dishes, leche flan, and Krispy Kremes. There were no presents, too (haha). Mostly, it was a night spent eating, talking, playing Monopoly, and lighting sparklers.

Even our usually rowdy neighborhood was a tad quiet. There seemed to be a real shortage of fireworks this year. Or maybe it’s because most of our notorious firecracker-crazy neighbors opted for the pretty, colorful sort this year, rather than the rude and annoying whistle bombs and Judas belts of old. This is a good thing, mind you, because it’s pretty hard to enjoy the New Year countdown when you’re jumping out of your skin every two seconds. So yes, the gorgeous fireworks were a welcome change indeed.

My new tattoo was 2 days old by NYE, so you can just imagine how much it was smarting. Plus I was miffed at having to give up the New Year ensemble that I had so meticulously planned because I couldn’t wear shoes yet. I didn’t feel like taking any pictures at all. I let The Husband take over the photographer duties so he can break in the shiny new hybrid I gave him for Christmas, but he just ended up taking videos of fireworks mostly. Maybe I should’ve gotten him a video camera instead. *sigh*

But the best part about NYE this year was the nephew’s delight at, well, everything. This is the first NYE that the 2-year-old really enjoyed because he is now at that stage when he notices everything around him, so you can imagine what a novelty it was for him to see a pig on the table and pretty lights everywhere. It was muy cute.

Nevertheless, it was a lovely NYE spent with family. And I won in Monopoly for the first time that night, too, so that means I’m off to a good start, yes?

Recently, I splurged on yet another gadget, a Nikon D3000. This is because I somehow got it into my head that apart from being a writer, I wanted to be a photographer, too. It’s silly, I know, but after living a lifetime of not being able to afford so much as a stick of gum (okay, I’m exaggerating a bit), I figured I ought to go and seize the day now that I can.

I chose the D3000 because it’s the updated version of the classic (but now defunct) D40, which was the best entry-level camera that ever existed. The D3000 is meant to be fantastic for first-time DSLR users, and I completely agree.

For the record, I’ve never owned a camera before. Ever. I’ve only ever used point-and-shoot models that I’ve had to borrow from family and friends. So when I finally got Caesar (yes, that’s my camera’s name), I felt like a non-smoker who suddenly decided to spend the rest of my life smoking cigars out of the blue – meaning, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

Of course, the camera came with a manual, but it might as well have been in Swahili for all the help it gave me. I knew nothing about apertures and shutter speeds and ISOs, and oh, what a headache it was!

I’ve had it for nearly a month now, and I’m still not taking the stellar photos that I imagined I would be taking. But I’m getting there. I’m actually STUDYING, believe it or not, and quite diligently, too, much to The Husband’s shock. I bought Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography books (I’m missing Volume 2 out of a series of 3), which I’ve been reading studiously for the past week or so, and I’m actually having fun! The man makes the whole thing sound so easy. I really am learning plenty.

My goal is to learn everything I could before next month’s Hongkong trip so I can take nightscapes so fantastic that people will weep! Okay, that’s a bit much, but you get the picture (no pun intended, honest!).

It’s ambitious, yes. But hey, this is me, so you should be used to that by now (tee hee).

Check out my images efforts in Flickr. Oh, and I now have a photoblog, too.

There are photographers, there are photographers, and there are photographers.

There are those who take photos that are so beautiful and moving that they have the power to both inspire and discourage the people who see them. There are also others who think – even believe – that they have the ever crucial “eye” – and we let them because we’re just too polite to say otherwise.

And then there are those who take pictures simply because there’s a camera on hand and there’s a moment worth capturing. I am one of these novices. I don’t have any aspirations of becoming a photographer, nor do I care if the photos I take are any good, as long as I look good in the photos taken of ME.

But once in a while, I do make myself proud:

I am now toying with the idea of buying a proper DSLR camera, instead of constantly borrowing my mother’s Olympus point-and-shoot. One of those digital camcorders isn’t a bad idea, either.

Lofty, lofty dreams. Do I have what it takes? Let’s hear your thoughts.