The North Carolina Atlantic coast has a blustery off-season right now, perfect for a whirlwind tour of...LIGHTHOUSES!







The middle one is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse that was MOVED, WHOLE, from the coast inland, to avoid the ocean swallowing it whole.



We had to take a car ferry to get to the last one, and I must say, the passenger lounge left much to be desired.

In this town called Raleigh, we got an IHOP, and at that IHOP they're doin' a promotion called "NEVERENDING PANCAKES." They serve you a stack of 5, then they keep stacks of 3 comin' 'til you've had yer fill. I have already begun my training for this event.

So, I am honored to have joined the self-portrait project for this year, but it is just making me want an even better digital camera. The Canon(Powershot s200) that I have is great, I carry it everywhere, but I long for more features, more macro, more zoom, more resolution. I have the same problem with lenses for my old Minolta(SRT-101). Wide angle, macro, telephoto zoom, plus all the cool bellows and lens adapters and such. Photography is perhaps the best/worst hobby for a gadget freak such as myself. I am learning that I need to limit my gadget purchases to photo related gear for the most part, but I have no limit to the things I would like to add to the collection.

The holidays were a smashing success, if I do say so myself. I saw all but a few of the friends and family that I intended to see, and the weather was perfectly pleasant for Minnesota in December. It's strange to be away from my new home (Raleigh) and be surrounded by such familiar things. I returned here to find I had already forgotten street names, tv and radio stations, and which freeways run where. I was invited to join this year's self portrait project with Stu and Ben, a challenge I whole heartedly accepted. Coast to coast self appreciation, that's what I like to see.