Well-Read Failure!

FAIL, FAIL, FAIL!

Well, shame on me!  I failed at updating this blog, I failed at the photo challenge I was so excited about, and I've basically just been a big lazy failure!  Oh - and it's official - I'm 30 now.  PITY PARTY FOR ME!!!

In other news.... I've been really into reading lately.... books that is.  I like books.  I like to hold paper, smell the ink (sometimes the mildew), and turn the pages.  I'm not into all that fancy electronic crap - the Kindle, the Nook, The iPad - BLAH!  Nothing can take the place of a good old fashioned paperback in your hands.  I noticed that I tend to read a lot of fiction, some "chick-lit," and I have a soft spot for memoirs - which is ironic, considering I never thought of myself as a big fan of autobiographies or biographies in general.  I've read some really good books, and some really awful ones.

Since I prefer to own all my books (unfortunately the ones I hated also) rather than check them out from the library, I have developed a love affair with http://www.amazon.com/.  I could browse all day and I thoroughly enjoy clicking through the 45 pages of recommendations I am presented with every day because I get a real kick out of seeing that Amazon recommends I purchase "Are You There, Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete First Season."  And you know what?  Amazon has really hit the nail on the head with it's recommendations - I'll tell you that.  They can read me like a book - no pun intended!

Anyway - so I have this new obsession with Amazon.  I also have a life-long obsession with sharing my opinions with others whether they want to hear them or not, so recently I started leaving reviews on Amazon.  If you want to read them, and I suggest you DO, here is the link:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A32F7XPPKIILVC/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview

So, like I was saying - I like to share my opinion, but lately I've gotten really consumed with checking all my reviews (sometimes multiple times a day) to see if people have found them "helpful."  If someone reads your review and likes it, Amazon asks if they found it helpful: yes or no.  If you click yes, it shows up.  If you click no, it shows up also and I get SO OFFENDED when someone clicks no!  I know it's silly, but it bothers me because obviously, I am always right so I don't understand how anybody could dare disagree with my opinion and/or not find my insight helpful! 

Well, that's all I've got tonight - off to unwind and read!

I'm Participating!

In this......

http://photohuntchallenges.com/

I stumbled across this randomly. I may or may not have been blog stalking when I came across it.  I can't confirm those details..... BUT it seems like a fun way to get out and start using my camera.  Here's the monthly list of challenges.  Think of it as a sort of photography scavanger hunt....

• A Different Point of View
• A Perspective Shot
• Touch
• Taste
• Sight
• Sound
• Smell
• Sign of Spring (or autumn)
• Flowers
• A letter formed/found in nature (Examples)
• Trio
• Fish
• Water 
• Skyward
• Mother Earth
• Something Rare
• Something Healthy
• Something Colorful
• Something Spicy
• Something Triangular

So if you're interested in taking part also, you should!  I already have some ideas, but I'm sort of stuck on some others - mainly "a perspective shot."  Are we talking something like all those famous Leaning Tower of Pisa shots?  I'm totally at a loss, but I'll think of something interesting!  Anyway - that's all I've got for now!  Wish me luck!!

Cilantro is the Devil

I personally have a deep rooted hatred for cilantro (aka coriander).

People look at me like I'm absolutely crazy and I've lost my mind if it ever comes up in conversaion.  I find it hard to believe that people actually like that crap!  My friend Jen even has a cilantro plant - apparently she can't get enough of the stuff - meanwhile, I can smell the stuff and lose my appetite.  It's hard to believe we're even friends.

I recently stumbled across this article in the NY Times...... when I say "stumbled across" I mean I googled the phrase "I HATE CILANTRO" and it came up.  My hatred of all things cilantro is no secret.... as within 12 hours of actually finding the article myself, 2 friends e-mailed me a link to the article.  Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html.  It says something along the lines of people that hate cilantro associate the taste with a soap/lotion taste.  I've never actually willingly eaten lotion so I don't know if that's what I would compare it to, but I've always said it reminds me of a sort of chemical-like flavor - sort of what I would imagine cleaning products are made of.  GROSS.YUCK.NASTY.

Ever heard of a fast-food type restaurant called Chipotle?  Well, I've personally decided to boycott their nasty food.  Why?  I innocently ordered a rice/bean/chicken burrito.  Upon taking ONE bite, my gag reflex kicked in.  They mix cilantro into their rice - and they have the nerve to brag about it on their menu (see website for poof!).  WHAT THE HELL?  If you know me, you'd know that I love rice and beans.  Love isn't even a strong enough word.  I have an intimate relationship with the stuff.  CAN'T GET ENOUGH.  And everyone always raves about how delicious Chipotle is and how I had to try it.  It would figure that Jen (cilantro-plant-growing-whore) would be one of those people.  Until they have a plain white rice option, I swear to NEVER let their nasty-ass-disgusting-cilantro-laced food touch these lips ever again.  EVER. 

I bet you're thinking that I don't like salsa, right?  Well - WRONG.  I love salsa, but it presents me with a real dilemma.  I can't just dig my tortilla chip in and grab a scoop full.... I have to dip and scrape and make sure that all those little green devil flecks are nowhere near my tortilla before I ingest it.  If anybody knows of any yummy salsa without cilantro, please do tell!   

There is a point to this rambling, and this is it:  CILANTRO SUCKS ASS.  And you suck if you like it - because I said so!

The Scariest Movies.....EVER!

While engaging in viewing The Last Mimzy on TBS over the weekend, I started to reflect upon movies I've seen (some in my youth, others as an adult) that really scared the crap out of me!  The Last Mimzy wasn't scary, per se, but I believe it's a children's movie, and I have to admit, if I was a child, it would probably have frightened me. 

Move over The Hills Have Eyes and Paranormal Activity, take a step back Blair Witch..... THESE are the scariest movies ever (according to ME!)

Outbreak.  IT.COULD.HAPPEN!  For some godforsaken reason, this movies terrifies me to the core.  To my very being.  Yet, any time it's on, I insist on watching it in its entirety - albeit wrapped in a blanket like it's a cocoon (speaking of cocoons... see below).  There is nothing creepier then watching a very shaggy Patrick Dempsey step off a plane, sweating like a pig, and start spinning in circles while his girlfriend screems JIMBO!  Nothing more alarming then watching germs spread like wildfire throughout a movie theater.  Nothing as disturbing as watching people die as they bleed from their eyes.  I am NOT a fan of movies involving any diseases, plagues, etc. and this one definitely tops my list of one of the scariest!

Cocoon.  I saw this movie as a child.  I've never rewatched it.  My comprehension of this movie is very slanted and blurred, and I'm totally okay with that.  It was creepy.  Bad visual effects to say the least, but all I remember were these cocoon thingies at the bottom of a swimming pool.  And old people.  Super creepy.

The Wizard of Oz.  Never liked it.  It's scary...... munchkins, tin men, scarecrows, witches?  It's all just too much.  Tornados - storm cellars?  Auntie Em, Toto.... no thank you!  I don't know why this is such a cherished children's movie.  Gave me nightmares.  People melt.  Awful.

Return to Oz.  What made people think a movie like this was appropriate for children?  As if The Wizard of Oz wasn't bad enough, they "RETURN" to Oz.  Scared the crap out of me.  I watched this in school - must have been in 1st grade or so.  NOT APPROPRIATE.  I remember a part about an insane asylum.  I remember that the yellow brick road was destroyed.  And then..... the scariest things of all time - WHEELERS.  Odd rollerskating legs with Medusa-esque hair.  And then the part with the chick who would change her heads?  WTF were these people thinking? 

The Fly.  I blame my father for this one.  It was on TV when I was about 6 years old.  I have vivid memories of playing with my toy kitchen accessories on the couch with my dad while he watched this movie.  Of course my mom was out for the night - God knows she would never have allowed me to see this movie.  Dad; however, didn't think it bothered me, so he let me watch.  I remember watching this man morph into a fly like being after getting stuck into a weird machine with one.  I remember watching his ear fall off and what I can only describe as an egg yolk type thing come out of his mouth.  I HAD NIGHTMARES FOR MONTHS!  I would lay in my bed, wide awake, all the way down under the covers, sweating, but too scared to come up for air. You can imagine my dismay when I saw that this movie was showing on The Disney Channel.  Not family fun!  No no no! 

Child's Play.  I had a "Kid Sister" doll - she was "My Buddy's" female counterpart.  Chucky had a strange resemblance to My Buddy which was a very popular toy among my friends at that age.  Needless to say, Kid Sister found herself burried at the bottom of my closet shortly after seeing this movie.  I'm not sure why there were 341 sequels.... I guess people have a sick obsession with dolls. 

Resident Evil.  I don't DO zombies.  I don't do elevators and decapitations.  And I most certainly don't do wicked creepy British children who keep repeating, "Kill her, kill her now.  Kill her, kill her now," over and over again.  Oh, and I most certainly don't do Michelle Rodriguez.

Pulse.  Talk about a B movie from 1980-something.  I believe the Lawrence brothers (Joey and Matthew) were in this movie when they were very young which is the only reason I've ever seen it.  Apparently I had a weird crush thing on them when I was younger.  But, I digress.  From what I recall, the house the family lived in had some type of electrical problem and basically all their electrical appliances and such were trying to kill them.  I remember they had one of those creepy Felix the Cat clocks on the wall (the one where the tail goes back and forth and the eyes move) and at one point, the mom was in the shower and it locked her in and tried to scald her.  I showered with the bathroom door open for months in case I needed to call for help and wanted to make sure somebody in the house could hear me.

The Peanut Butter Solution.  I have saved the best for last.  There were times in my life when I honestly thought I had made this up or dreamed it somehow.  But I have discovered that it was in fact a children's movie.  Whoever made this movie (for kids) should be shot.  This kid goes into some house that burned down that homeless people died in and basically got scared to the point where his hair fell out.  Then he sees the ghosts of the people who died and they tell him how to make this peanut butter solution to put on his head to grow his hair back.  Of course, his hair won't stop growing, and his friend even uses some of the solution to put in his nether regions.  Then some wacked out art teacher kidnaps the kid and makes him eat yogurt so he can cut his hair and make some magic paintbrushes in this sweat shop he runs.  Blah blah blah, it was incredibly disturbing and haunted me for years.... especially since nobody I talk to seems to have any memory of this wacky movie.  But it exists.  Through the magic of the internet, I have come to find I am not alone in remembering this movie and thinking I dreamed it up.  You can watch it online.  DO IT.  I dare you.  You won't look at Skippy peanut butter the same ever again.

Dear Lady Gaga....

We need to talk.  I don't get you, and dare I say, I'm probably not alone.  What's with the outfits and the creepy persona?  We've seen it all before - and we've seen it better.  For starters, you're not a starving artist, you rocketed to the top of the charts at the tender age of 23, and you'll probably never know what it's like to struggle to make something of your life... so stop acting so eremitic at every event you're asked to attend.  You should be grateful, so suck it up and start acting like a human being instead of a circus side show act. 

Might I remind you, despite what you may think, you sing POP music.  And not only is it pop, it's dance music.  Your tunes are on thousands of bar mitzvah d.j.'s playlists, and nerdy 13 year olds everywhere go crazy when "Poker Face" blasts through the speakers in their middle school cafeteria during their Spring Fling. 

Kylie Minogue mastered that genre more than decade before you, and she was super cute and likable.  She didn't pretend to be something she's not - her music was corny and shallow just like yours, and it worked for her.  Amazingly, nobody ever thought she was a man either (I wonder why), so maybe you should take down some notes from her on how to dispel those nasty rumors.  Embrase your corny music, but please stop acting like you're God's gift to songwriting.

Let's move on to Björk.  You're not her, so get out of her reject closet.  Until you rock dead poultry as a dress, you will never have the type of shock-potential she is capable of.  Stop trying.  It's just awkward and flat out ugly - but not dead-swan ugly - that was just genius!

Next up... Cher.  Leave her headdresses alone.  Don't try to compete, because Cher will always win!  She's about 168 years old and she looks better than most teenagers I've seen.  And unless you're BFFs with her plastic surgeon and he'll fix you up like he did her, stop gluing shit to your face.  It's bad for your skin and it clogs pores, and I don't want to see you go down the road Jessica Simpson and Avril Lavigne did (and don't even get me started on Katy Perry) and start peddling Proactiv solution on TV at night during all the "after-hour television" programming once your career hits rock bottom.  But I digress...... where were we?  Oh yes, Cher - you'll never garner the same amount of attention she gets from heterosexual sailors, although you are high up on the totem pole of women (98% sure) the gays adore, and you don't even have a lesbian-turned-man daughter named Chastity/Chaz.  So props for that achievement. 

In closing, please lose the gimmicks, the costumes, the self-righteous-attitude, and the general ridiculousness because quite frankly, I want to punch you in the face.  Kylie, Björk, and Cher all did it WAY better than you.  You're not shiny or new..... so come up with your own niche and stop being such a copy cat.  I could go on and on, but I'm tired, and I'm pretty sure you catch my drift.

Regards,
Snitz

P.S. - Not even gonna lie - I jam to some rah-rah-ah-ah-ah, roma, roma-ma, gaga oh-la-la - so my advice comes from a good place.  Shape up, Lady Gaga.... before you ship out (hopefully not with Cher and her sailors at the helm).

GYM should be a 4 letter word!

If you know me, it's no secret that I hate the gym.  Scratch that.  I despise the gym.  Don't know why, I just do.  Yet, I pay $29 a month to be a member of 24 Hour Fitness - and believe it or not, they don't even have one of those cards to go on your key chain so I can flash it around and try to show off like all the losers that pay $35 a month to be a member of L.A. Fitness.  How do I know this, you ask?  Because I used to pay $35 a month to go to L.A. Fitness - even though it was 20 minutes from my house (therefore making it much to far for me to actually waste my time with) - and I had one of those super cool key chain cards to show off with. 

When I quit L.A. Fitness - which was no easy task, let me tell you, I vowed to never join another gym unless it was 24 Hour Fitness and only because it is literally right across the street from my house.  I could walk there.  I don't.  But I could if I wasn't lazy.  Luckily for me, memberships at 24 Hour Fitness were ridiculously priced - something like a $549 down payment and $55 per month.  SO.NOT.HAPPENING.

Well - as luck would have it - I learned they were running some kind of ridiculous special - $29 down, $29 per month - no contract.  Needless to say, my boyfriend and I have now been proud members of 24 Hour Fitness for the past several years.  We used to go to the gym all the time.  Together.  We'd start with cardio, and then he'd force me to do weights with him which is just so embarrassing for some reason.  Probably because in order for me to lift anything over 8 lbs, shaky arms are involved - which is sooooo E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-I-N-G.  I even went to the gym by myself (like once or twice).  On those instances - or on days where I just said NO to weights, I would do the elliptical for an hour straight.  Just me and my iPod - more on my relationship with my iPod in a later post. 

Then I took up spinning at my gym.  It sucked at first - there's no way to sugar coat it.  My crotch felt like it was bruised and swollen.  But eventually you get used to it and it doesn't hurt (which is slightly concerning/alarming at the same time).  I ditched my traditional workouts for spinning twice a week.  I left each class sweaty and disgusting, but I felt good.  Try as I might to lie, it worked.  I felt better about myself, I had more energy, I even ate a better diet because I hated the idea of eating a bunch of crap food after I just busted my ass for an hour to burn off those calories.  I would spin every Tuesday & Thursday night, but then found a trainer I liked better and would go every Wednesday and Friday (yeah Friday - I'm a loser, what can I say).  I even hit up some Monday classes and an occasional Thursday.  I was bad ass.  And I felt good.  I noticed a vast improvement in my physique: my legs felt stronger and tighter, and I liked how my clothes fit me.  Blah blah blah.....

Then we got a puppy and my exercising took a back seat.  I felt bad about leaving her at home so I started cutting my Friday spin class and only went on Wednesdays.  I still felt good though.  Not as good, but not noticeably different.  Somewhere around Thanksgiving I got a little lazy.  I remember going to class on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, but I can't tell you if I went at any point in the month of December.  On the Sunday after Christmas this year, my boyfriend and 2 of our friends went mountain biking together, and I may or may not have fallen on the warm up trail and slammed my knee into a rock.  And said knee may or may not have bled, bruised, and swelled to twice it's normal size, and may or may not have been excruciatingly painful for weeks.  I'm neither confirming nor denying the incident, I'm just saying..... busted knee = NO SPINNING!

My boyfriend's been bugging me to get back into the gym, but now that it's been almost 3 months, I just don't want to go.  No desire.  Instead I loaded my freezer full of Lean Cuisines that taste about as yummy as the box they are packaged in.  (I briefly contemplated picking up an eating disorder to drop a few pounds, which.... no.  I love food too much to be anorexic and I hate throwing up, so bulimia was out).  The truth is, I don't feel so good anymore.  I feel jiggly and pudgy.  I hate the way my clothes look on me (not to mention how they feel - I've never had a muffin top, but lately I've been dangerously flirting with acquiring one) and I refuse to buy new clothes because I don't want to encourage this new body to stick around.  I got on the scale the other day and saw a number I've NEVER seen before.  NEVER IN MY LIFE.  But still..... I don't want to go to the gym.  I feel like I have to lose weight BEFORE I go back.  I don't know why - it's a vanity issue I assume...... but it's the cold hard truth.  It's kind of like those people who tidy up their house before they have a professional come to clean.  Or people who self tan before a vacation at the beach (yes, I do that too - shut up). 

The moral of the story is - the gym SUCKS, but if I ever want to feel better about how I look, I need to get my ass in check and get back in there.  As much as I complain about everything gym related - the smell, the people, the confusing machines, etc., it's really not THAT bad...... once you get back into your grooooooooooove.  I just need to find my groove............. wish me luck!

Coming back for a second season?

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!

oh and P.S.

It finally happened, after months and months of restless nights and scouring the internet instead of doing work.  THIS little puppy arrived on Christmas morning:

My wonderful, fantastic, amazing boyfriend bought it for me as a Christmas present, even though I insisted over and over and OVER again that I wanted to get it for myself...... We went to pick it up a few days before Christmas at Costco..... $699 and it came with the camera body, 2 lenses, a 4 GB memory card, and a camera bag - which was a surprise for me!  Love it already! 

So since he bought me the camera that I was going to treat myself to, I went ahead and picked up a Coach bag since a girl can NEVER have too many of those.  It was an impulse decision - we were standing in line at the Coach Factory Outlet (a.k.a. Heaven on Earth!) to purchase his sister a Christmas gift, and I saw it and I just had to have it...... so I bought it!  LOVE it! 

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas or whatever holiday you chose to celebrate - or not celebrate - whatever!  Happy Festivus to all!

2010 - Whaaaaaaaa What??

Question.  As we approach 2010, I need to know.... how do you say 2010?  Do you say "two-thousand-and-ten" or do you say "twenty-ten"? 

It's now 2009 - two-thousand-and-nine.  And before 2009, it was two-thousand-and-eight.  Before that, it was two-thousand-and-seven.......

But, when we read history books, we don't say 1901 was "one-thousand-nine-hundred-and-one" or even "nineteen-hundred-and-one" we say it was "nineteen-oh-one."  In 1987 it was "nineteen-eighty-seven" and in 1999, we partied like it was "nineteen-ninety-nine."  So what is the proper etiquette for 2010?

And furthermore, since we're getting technical, what's this decade called?  The two-thousands?  Granted, I've only had the pleasure of living in 3 decades, but I had the eighties, the nineties, and THIS - whatever it's called.  Well..... what IS it called?  Or what's it supposed to be called?  I didn't get the memo...... and now it's almost over and I still don't know how to refer to it!  What's the next decade going to be called - the two-thousand-teens?  The two-thousand-tens?  Do you see the dilemma?

So many questions.....  I've been mulling over this for some time and I'm wondering if anybody has any insight so I can rest easy at night again.

Canon, Nikon, Canon, Nikon, Canon, Nikon....

Warning:  Long post ahead with several tangents... read at your own risk!

So - for starters, I recently came to the conclusion that I want NEED a DSLR camera.  Why, you ask?  Because if you know me, you'd know that I am obsessed with taking pictures.  Obsessed really doesn't even begin to describe it.  My camera (currently a Canon Powershot SD600) is on me at all times.  I feel naked without it.  It's my baby.  It took me a while to jump onto the digital camera bandwagon.  I was old school for the longest time with a regular Canon Elph until I realized that with a digital, I would have instant gratification and the ability to see the photo right away and decide to delete or keep.  However, I'm not going to lie, there was something special about dropping off a roll of film to be developed and looking through the pictures for the first time when you picked them up, not remembering some things you took pictures of.  But, I digress.....

My first experience with the digital world was actually with a Sony Mavica - a state of the art electronic device that weighed about 10 lbs, took a full floppy disk to store pictures on, and cost well over $500 (at the time).... and my mom and I purchased this for my dad back around 1999.  The quality of photos definitely left something to be desired and I swore I would always remain faithful to my Olympus Stylus 35mm camera (up until it started leaking light and I dumped it like a bad habit - and switched to the Canon Elph).  Several years later, we heard that digital cameras had really come a long way, and bit the bullet again and bought my dad a Sony Cybershot 7.2 megapixel camera for Christmas - also costing upwards of $500.  MUCH improvement over the Mavica though, and he still uses it today. 

Warning: Tangent.
When I was younger, I was infatuated with airplanes and one of my favorite things to do was to go to the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport on Sundays with my Dad and watch the planes take off and land.  Obviously, this was way back before all that Homeland Security crap, when the road around the airport was open for you to just park your car and sit on airport property and watch the planes.  Somehow, my love of airplanes, translated into a huge hobby for my dad.  He began to photograph planes and kept detailed records of them, subscribed to airliner books, magazines, etc. and has even sold some of his photographs to different publications.  Anyway - the reason we made these digital camera purchases for him was because he used to store all of his photos on slides.... and just trying to look through them was a mission - you needed a lightbox and a magnifier - so the logical solution was for him to switch to digital - instant gratification, remember? 

My own personal first introduction with owning a digital camera came on my birthday in 2006.  My boyfriend bought me a red Canon Powershot SD30.  It was super tiny, took the prettiest outdoor pictures, and became the love of my life.  It traveled to St. Martin with me in October of 2006 and really took beautiful photos.  Then, at my best friend's wedding in early November, its life ended - after only 4 short months.  SOMEONE (I won't name names), dropped the camera while it was on and we got the dreaded E18 error and that was the end of it.  After Thanksgiving we purchased my current Canon Powershot SD600 that I still use. 

Fast forward to today, and I NEED to own a Digital SLR.  I originally had my heart set on the Canon EOS Rebel XS.  Now, I'm not so sure. 

Warning: Tangent.
I'm a tense person.  I'm always on edge - and half the time, I can't even tell you why.  I over-research every decision in my life, and I over-analyze almost everything.  We took a family trip to Italy over a year ago, and my boyfriend and I were taking the train to Rome and Venice on our own and I was in charge of booking all of our hotels and deciding which trains to take etc.  (Naturally, I was in charge because I have a problem letting others make important decisions too).  I'd never been to Rome, so I had no clue where to even start.  For WEEKS, I researched, read books, studied maps, joined TripAdvisor to read reviews, participate in forums, etc.  It became almost like an obsession.  I had dreams about it..... I was incredibly stressed over it.  Sidenote - if anybody needs any information on Rome or Venice - let me know!  Eventually, I made a decision and we had a fabulous trip and everything was fine, but knowing now what I know from actually doing it, I would choose differently if I were to go back.  Hindsight is always 20/20. 

Okay, where was I?  Oh yes - over-analyze.  SO - after I made the decision about the DSLR I wanted, I saw an ad for Target running a sale on a Nikon D3000 - same level of camera as the Rebel XS, better price, and it came with 2 lenses.  Let me just say - for someone who wants to drop a bit of money on a good camera, I really know nothing about what I am puchasing.  Aperture, white balance.... huh?  No clue.  I just want a camera that has fancy lenses and takes pretty pictures.  It's also no help that my dad's years and years of photographs were all taken with his aresnol of Nikon cameras and lenses....... and I usually trust my dad's judgement on EVERYTHING.  He's always favored Nikon - a fact that has caused me huge amounts of distress since I've always favored Canons.  I've also found in my research between Nikon and Canon that there are people that either LOVE Nikon or they LOVE Canon.  So I have a big decision to make.  I know that with these cameras, I am "marrying" a lens kit more than "buying" an actual camera.  The body can be replaced - the lenses are what will last (if you take care of them).  And also - DAMN - lenses are expensive as hell!!!!!!  So yes - it would be nice to get a camera that came with more than one!

Dilema....... now I was forced to start my over-analyzing of all things Canon and Nikon.  What started as a study of the Canon EOS Rebel XS and the Nikon D3000 quickly turned into an upgrade to the Canon EOS Rebel XSi and the Nikon D5000 too - because, well, why not?  Here are the facts from my professional research: There are things called "bundles" that almost all retailers sell which include the cameras, and some lenses.  The Nikon bundle I was looking at also threw in a Nikon camera bag and SD memory card.  If you know me, you know I like getting stuff for "free" - or what I consider "free."  Camera bag = big plus!  The Nikon also came with 2 lenses - 18-55mm VR and the 55-200mm VR.  I can't tell you exactly what the VR stands for, but it's important because the lenses that say VR on them are $50 more than the ones that don't - so of course, that's the one I want need.  That bundle is for the D3000 and cost $649.99.  Also, Ashton Kutcher seems to be having a really good time with both the D3000 and the D5000 in all the commercials.  Here's where it starts getting complicated.  Little did I know, most DSLRs don't have live view.  WHAT?  Every cheap point and shoot camera has it, why wouldn't a DSLR?  Apparently it has something to do with - well I don't even know - but just know that the Nikon D3000 doesn't have it at all.  The cameras that do have it turn off the viewfinder when it's in use.  Also, most entry-level DSLRs don't have video recording.  WHAT?  Every cheap point and shoot camera has that feature too.  I know!  The Nikon D5000 has both - and costs more as a result.  (Hense the reason it got thrown into the mix!)  Now, regarding the Canon EOS Rebel XS - supposedly it has live view, although when I was at Comp USA, I couldn't figure out how to turn it on and the asshole next to me was hogging the salesman's time and I am not a patient person.  So - that camera has a bundle that includes the 18-55mm IS lens (IS stands for Image Stabilization - similar to whatever the VR is for Nikon), and also includes the EF 75-300mm lens (not IS - which of course, I want need).  That bundle is $669.99.  Now, the Rebel XSi has more megapixels, the 18-55mm IS and 55-250mm IS lenses, an an SD memory card for $749.99.  No camera bag though (bummer). 

Decisons, decisions..... so I did what any distraught-over-analyzing-tense-uneducated-consumer would do.... I went to the store and played with them.  I'm not going to lie, the Nikons felt a little more substantial in my hands.  And while I enjoyed the live view feature on the D5000, I felt like I could break the swivel screen or that somehow it would cause me problems down the line.  So that one was out.  I liked the way it looked when I put my eye up to the viewfinder in the Nikons - I did have a slight perference there...... SLIGHT.  Like I said, I couldn't figure out how to work the live view on the Canon XS, but I did figure it out on the XSi - and to be honest, I prefered to look through the viewfinder - so that also became a non-issue for me.  This is where the Canon one-upped the Nikon in my opinion:  it felt faster.  It focused faster (or so it seemed) and it felt like the picture shot off faster.  I LIKEY.  There is nothing I hate more than when the shutter lags.  I miss the best pictures that way.  So I think.... *THINK* that I am going to go with the Canon EOS Rebel XSi.  What started out as a $500 purchase, somehow quickly turned into a $750 purchase.  Of course, I'll also need to get a camera bag, so figure another $50 or so - give or take. 

Moral of the story - there is no clear cut "better brand" when it comes to Canon or Nikon.  The only way to make a decision like this is to scrutinize and over-analyze every single detail like I did.  Just kidding.  But that being said, I am going to take a break from all the researching, bite the bullet, and hopefully soon be posting pictures that I take with my new camera!