Automatic or manual?????

Automatic - what exactly does that mean and how does it affect our lives?

Well - we have automatic cars. The cars does all the gear changing for you - well you do have to decide when you are want to do the reverse thing.

But it is hard to drive a manual??  NOPE - been driving one all my life. There are FIVE forward gears and ONE reverse. You go up from first gear to fifth and back down. It's easy and you don't have to think about it.


Then we have automatic tension on our sewing machines. Hey - you just pop any thread into that machine and it will give you auto tension. Well NOT exactly - those auto tensions as set for 50 weight thread in the top and bottom. Anything else requires that you MANUALLY touch the tension dial.

Not - it isn't that hard - the numbers range from ZERO (the loosest) to TEN (the tightest). And if you want to get in there and play - well you can play with the bobbin tension. But really - not a big deal.



Now let's talk cameras. If you have a half decent camera (not to shun the AMAZING point and shoots - I love them), but my digital SLR has an auto setting on it. I use it and get AMAZING pictures. It takes all the thinking out of taking pictures - just point and shoot, albeit an expensive option for point and shoot.

Then we have situations like the fashion show where the lighting is crap and to get decent pictures - well you HAVE to take it off AUTO. BUT BUT BUT - I have NO CLUE what to do when I take it off auto. Heck - I barely know HOW TO DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!

So Mark volunteered to give me a lesson or two. Oh boy - he may regret that. I met up with Mark last night at a threatre where a dress rehearsal was taking place. Take the camera off AUTO. OK - made that happen  - now what??????    Oh - we have to practice with all these settings. Now we are not just talking numbers from 1 to 10 or five gears. Oh no - we have ISO - with a bunch of settings, then there is the F stops(more numbers and what the heck do they all mean). Let's not forget the shutter speed (more numbers !!!!!!!)   . And if you change one thing - it will affect something else. HELP - I don't even know how to change those settings (well I didn't last night, but I do now). While I am examining my camera, Mark's fingers are flying over the controls on his MUCH MORE sophisticated camera and getting great shots.

Look what I got...................

Oh yes - there are people on the stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bleached their faces right out of the picture!!!!

Hmmmm - better considering there wasn't any lighting on the stage - well just on the left.

And a picture acceptable for blogging, but probably NOT for a real photo

Let's just say that I have a LOT of practicing to do before I get this right!   Thanks Mark for NOT laughing at my fumbling - of course it was in the dark so maybe he didn't see me sweating!!!!!  


On that note - I am late today because - YEP - you guessed it - the computer CRASHED AGAIN and I had to wait for it to repair itself and get back up and running. I know - if ONLY I would shut it down at night - it would be fine, but I DON'T make life easy for myself.

Then I got busy working on those exchanges which - well - I don't know if I am done or will be done. You will have to wait to see. I just want to nap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1