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I bought myself a new camera, at last.

Also, I bought it with my pay :)

Nikon Coolpix S3000. In pink as well, except that it looks nicer in real life that in the above pic. I was shuttling between thinking of buying a semi DSLR and a point and shoot, but got a point and shoot in the end because I'm too lazy to go into the technicalities of professional photography, or even pretend to. And also I'm too lazy and paranoid to carry around such a bulky camera.

So far the improvements over my old Casio camera is that it is even slimmer,has face detection(but I haven't tested if it's really beneficial) and records video with sound. I know...such layman qualifications, but I'll edit my photos in photoshop if I'm feeling artsy thank you. Faster and cheaper, thinks I.

So I think its time for me to open that uses manual. I've been putting it off for a little while. But here are a few for-fun pictures that I took with my new cam. The first 2 are edited in photoshop though.

Meanwhile I can tell you a little story about this book, which I bought at Pay less books' warehouse sale last Friday(it was on from Friday to Sunday, I would have recommended it for fans of David Baldacci and Danielle Steele, but other than that good books would be few and far between, after all it's 2nd hand for a reason)

The book in question is a Reader's Digest condensed novel, the 4th publication for 1974. At first the reason why I was draw to buy the book was because of the first short story in the book, The Boy Who Invented the Bubble Gun. I remember back in Primary school, I borrowed this book from one of my (at that time) closest of 2 friends. We've lost touch since then, but this book is like a little time capsule with memories of a much simpler life back then. The story itself was very good too, I still remembered the basic storyline(it was written by Paul Gallico, if you're curious), and coincidentally it was a naive story about a young inventor who travels across the country by himself to patent his invention, meeting several characters on the way and changing their lives.

But other than that, it was only after purchasing the book and bringing it back home did I realise how beautifully presented the book itself is. All the books in the RD condensed novels series are hard cover and leather bound with different motifs on their covers. It contains traditional media illustrations together with it's stories, true to typical RD fashion, but unusual for books targeted at adults. But it does lend a more personal and handmade feel somehow.All that's missing is the ribbon bookmark.