So on Monday evening I was using my home PC, and windows update had been bugging me for ages to install XP Service Pack 3. So I went ahead and did it. Bad idea, here’s what happened:

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 Make sure to donate to Wes who is bravely growing a (hopefully handlebar) moustache in aid of the Prostate Cancer Charity during the month of Movember  - Click here to donate

I’ve had a great year  since my 25th Varied in places, somewhat terrible in others and amazing in most.

Started with a car crash, then I realised one of my dreams and bought a sports car, then I had food poisoning, then I joined a band, saw all my friends a lot, won battle of the bands at the play.com live show, winning an Xbox 360, Rock Band and all the instruments, survived the torrential rain at Rockingham race circuit.. and croft circuit! Sarah ended my curse of the single life even had time to go on holiday and have one of the most memorable weeks away, even if it did involve storm force gales and mountains. Met the band Journey, who signed my Rock Band guitar I mentioned earlier and just booked myself on a track day for next week… which I suppose is cheating since that’s after my birthday but hey.

Now for another year. I have a feeling this might be like a sequel, new characters, better storyline, more CGI.

I was testing a new set up with the camera in the Caterham. Basically I took a Gorillapod and my compact Samsung camera and wrapped it round the headrest support. Very steady! I was pleasently surprised.

On a side note, this basically gives you the kind of view you get as a passenger. Also proves how wrong these things sound in computer games.

Holy crap! I’ve been contacted by the “DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD DEBT RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE”

Urgently furnish this Office with your contact information to enable us open up communication with you regarding the payment of your fund.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! Do want funds!

Ok lets stay calm.. Lets break down this letter so we don’t get over excited!

FROM: MR. BEN SEAL COLE.
Director World Debt Reconciliation Committee.
Tel:+44 70457 35084

That’s interesting, the director of the world debt reconciliation committee has put his personal mobile phone number on the email, aww how sweet.

It may interest you to know that during our investigation, we uncovered an outstanding unpaid/unclaimed sum of money in your name and a mandate has been given to our commitee,World Debt Reconciliation Committee, to contact you for the payment of your funds.

Awesome! Now I can finally buy that yacht and live on the Cote De Ass Ors! I’m a little concerned about his apparent hate of the use of a full stop, but I’m sure I can overlook that just this once.

Have no doubt in your mind that I shall be sending over all of my information including my bank details, age, birthplace, inside leg measurement, sexual orientation and selection of photos.

Joy of joys!

So I’ve been getting on this band wagon of HDR photography to see what its all about.

In a nutshell, HDR makes photos have higher ranges of light.. so it makes them look pretty. Imagination havng everything in the photo at a perfect exposure so it picks out all the detail in both shadows and highlights.

What you do is take 3 photos are differing exposures (usually 0.0, -2.0 and +2.0) which gives you a range to work with. Then you put these images through a piece of software (photomatix pro, Photoshop CS2, dynamic photo HDR) and through some trial and error (I’ve found) you make a pretty photo.

Messing around with the demos and trial versions, I found Dynamic Photo HDR to be very useful, unless you have a lot of money to spend on the others. The interface is pretty easy to understand and the results are self explanatory. Plus the trial version doesn’t plaster their logo all over your images too much so you can practise to your hearts content!

I’ll upload a photo or two when I get to play with it some more.
And my first try at HDR photography is after the jump! (ooo how trendy am I? using blog terms )

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I’m gonna keep this post updated for The Rogueski so when he returns from trying to have a holiday, he can catch up without me having to remember every little detail of E3.

So lets begin!
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Just a quick note to tell you all I was in Wales for a week and I’ve just got home.

I’ll sort out photos at some point but I’ve taken well over 120 of them so it might take me some time. I’ve also got all manner of crazy stories, all from just 7 days!

The highest café in England, situated just outside Alston in Teesdale. This café is a haven for bikers and serves awesome caramel slices. The café itself sits at 1903 feet above sea level.

Took the Caterham for a drive with Sarah, beautiful weather until we got to the very top but luckily we just missed the downpour.

She still drives like a dream but if you’re attempting the route yourself, watch out for the cobbled street in Alston.. guaranteed to shake a car to pieces! Image of the Seven below, but hit “read more” for a couple more photos

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