Oh, and just to show you how messed up things are:
In 2003 I paid $349,750 for my house out there
I sold it in 2005 for $540,000
Now it's worth approximately $325,000!

My proposal to the greeting card makers: there must be at least a five year break before you can sell the card again. I figure the recipient will have forgotten by then.

(God, I'm starting to sound like Andy Rooney!)

Anyhow, I've started preparing my photo gear for the trip. Here's what I'll be bringing:

From the personal collection:

EOS-40D - my "everyday" lens will be the 17-55 EF-S IS

70 - 200 F4L IS lens - replaces the non-IS version that I previously owned

1.4X Extender II - for some extra zoom

From LensRentals.com:

300 mm F4L IS - I wanted to bring a 400, but they're just too big to carry around. With the extender, I'll have an 420 mm F5.6 IS lens, which should be fine for daylight shooting (or so I hope).

I hope we get nice weather and lots of great scenery!

The evidence:

The suspect:

I'm currently thinking of what the proper sentence might be... no belly rubs for a week?

I've been wanting to add some fur or a similar texture to my standard test scene, and now I have it, courtesy of Flame. Now if I could only get him to stand in the same place every time...

I was hoping to have a bunch more photos from my weekend in Vegas, but my camera's battery died in the middle of the trip! So, it's pretty much a Palazzo and Venetian gallery. Here's a quick trip summary:

Who: I went with my mom who, like me, enjoys a little gambling every now and then.
Where: We stayed at The Palazzo, which is the new hotel attached to the Venetian. Rooms are similar in layout to The Venetian, but a little more modern-looking (and less Italian). We both really liked it... lots of TVs, automatic curtains, and an amazing shower! Plus, it doesn't take forever to get in and out of the place. Would definitely stay there again!
Best meal: Mesa Grill at Caesars. This is Bobby Flay's restaurant and it was really good. Expensive, but mmm good.
High roller moment: Apparently I gambled enough at The Wynn when I was at PMA to earn some comps! I got two free buffet meals, plus a line pass... which saves you an hour wait! Food was pretty good, though mom felt crummy soon after we ate.
Low roller moment: While I started off great, lady luck was not on my side... this was NOT a good weekend for gambling. I guess that's how they can afford to build all these nice hotels!

A few more pics after the break...

Our Bella Suite in The Palazzo. There are three flat screen TVs: one in the living room (32"), one in the bedroom (42"), and a small one in the bathroom. All HD, too!

Living room area had a nice L-shaped sofa, with a desk for work and a table for eating!

Panoramic view from the 33rd floor

Pool area, looking toward The Wynn and Encore (still under construction)

This is the connection between the Palazzo and Venetian hotels

Grand Canal Shops at The Venetian

Wish I had more, but my camera wasn't playing along. There's always next time!

Kitty birthday week continues... today was Zoe's third birthday! I'm really proud of how she's taken Flame under her wing, after refusing to be around any other cat (let alone person) prior to that. I think that experience has helped to mellow her out a bit... she's definitely more friendly than she used to be, though there's still room for improvement.

Lots more pics of Zoe here.

It's been over 1.5 years since I've posted any Disneyland photos, so here are a whole bunch for you. Despite the fact that I rarely make it down there anymore, my photo site still has quite a following. Enjoy!

Flame has grown up into a normal-sized cat, and is a large more "orange" than when I got him:

He's definitely still a kitten at heart, though. He loves to play and cause trouble. At the same time, he is the most loving, gentle cat I've ever cat. Flame loves to sit in your lap, loves belly rubs, and has a great purr. Even Zoe likes him -- well, most of the time.

Lots more Flame pics can be found here.

The LLC paperwork was really a pain -- TurboTax doesn't do it, and the instructions are truly awful. Calling the FTB resulted in a "we're sorry, we can't take your call now, goodbye" message. I think next year I'll do an accountant for that stuff, if not more.

I'm sure most people would be thrilled to have thirteen cameras on their desk at one time, but not me. That is three months worth of work there... and there are more cameras still to come. Is it time for vacation yet?

If you're wondering what all those cameras are:
Left (front to back): Olympus 1030SW, Nikon L18, Nikon S600, Ricoh R8, Canon SD790
Center (left to right): Nikon D60, Sony A3500, Olympus E-420
Right (front to back): Sony W150, Panasonic FX35, Sony W130, Canon SD1100, Canon A590

Flame has found a new perch in my house. You can see how he gets there from the photo. Problem is that, like most cats, once he gets there, he needs help down. The other day he came down himself (an 8 foot drop) and took the box he's standing on with him. He was unfazed.

I'm totally stoked about my trip to Alaska this June! The first part of the trip is a cruise out of Vancouver, sailing up the Inside Passage. We'll first stop at the quaint towns of Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. Next are two blockbuster days in a row: Glacier Bay, followed by College Fjord. After that, we cruise to Seward, and start part two!

Part two is a short land tour, with the highlight being a few days in Denali National Park. The tour concludes in Anchorage, where I'll fly back to San Francisco.

This trip is going to be a photo extravaganza, for sure. I'm going to need a bigger lens to capture some of that wildlife!

PS -- Almost forgot, I'm going to Yosemite at the beginning of July with the whole family, too. Including my niece and Jackson the yellow lab!

No economic stimulus for me! Thanks a lot, TurboTax!