video and pictures

I bought an "old" video camera in '05. When I say "old" it is because it was a cassette tape, and not digital. The technology changes so fast with these things now, that only a year later, it was completely gone from the market. Looking back, I think I over-paid for this lemon that broke down on me twice and then finally stopped working altogether. (It was a Canon camera and they wouldn't replace it. How's that for negative publicity?)

BUT, looking back at it now, I think even though I paid dearly for something that my friends laughed at me about turning archaic within a year, I seem to think that I got the bargain, and the last laugh out of it. I must have about 10 tapes from a few years ago that covered some of my travels with my best friends to Ireland, Scotland, England, Sweden, Norway and other places where I met some great people who are still friends to me to this very day.

I watched some of these videos and barely recognized myself. I was in much better shape physically, and it was only 3 or 4 years ago. But most importantly, all the people I had met during that time were there in my living room visiting with me last night.

Sure, the conversation was very one-sided, but that didn't deter me from enjoying their company again. -What wonderful people!! What wonderful moments and times I shared with them, and for the most part, these moments would be slowly forgotten if I had not captured them on my video camera. It seemed like a geeky thing to do at the time, but now that I have it, I could care less of who thought I was a geek for taping this.

One of my favourites was an 80th birthday party for my best friend's Grandmother. I brought that camera and filmed it all day long. Everyone did the normal, "Get that camera outta my face" thing to me, but it was worth it. My best friend's mother threw that party for her mother (Grandma) and although I am happy to say that Grandma is still with us, my best friend's mother isn't. She passed away suddenly about a month before my daughter was born, having never got to see her. That was a big shock to all of us, and a great loss. This woman was like a second mother to me. And last night, I got to see her with a big smile on her face as if she has never left. -And that brought me a lot of joy to the inner most part of my being.

And I think now, that maybe Canon should've charged me twice as much for that piece of shit camera, because looking back at it now, I would've paid it, and then some...