Today is my twenty-third birthday. It’s been a bit of a weird day, but ultimately not at all a bad one. The weather has been nothing short of amazing; the sun is only now (close to 8 PM) starting to set, and if it weren’t for the wind, it would feel quite warm.

There have been plenty of okay April Fool’s jokes, but nothing that even made me chuckle: a bit of a shame, really. (I think my personal favorite is Gmail Paper.)

As for gifts: some yummy chocolate, and a few nice shirts. My dad and I also drove out to finally fulfill my rain check for a tripod, from christmas 2005 (i.e., the christmas before last christmas) – though I wound up just opting for a small, simple ten-Euros one – , as well as the final birthday gift, a desk lamp. Replacing my old one is long overdue, so I had been ‘hinting’ that this might make for a good gift.

Picking your own presents, both in kind and in actual product, has its ups and downs, but ultimately tends to make me happier. By now, my parents know my ‘that is not quite what I was thinking of’ attitude with gifts rather well. Picky, but for good reason – I intend to make use of what I’m given, so why not make it as fitting to my preferences and needs as possible?

That very pickiness does, of course, tend to bite me in the back as well, such as with the camera. If I were to go with the FZ8, I’d give up on the wonderful flip/swivel display (though, in return, I’d get a larger and higher-resolution one) and on the AA batteries. If I were to go with the S3 IS, I’d pay more and give up on RAW, and I would support Canon’s apparently arrogant attitude towards this series of models. If I were to buy either now, Murphy’s Law would suggest for Canon to introduce an S4 IS (or whatever other kind of successor) within weeks. That I’m never quite 100% happy with any products means I’m rather selective and particular about what I work with – generally a good trait of character – , but it also means I spend an unusual amount of time on the simplest of purchase decisions.

Where was I? 23. I think the gorgeous weather I’m getting for my birthday is quite the happy omen.

(Photos to follow on Flickr, when I get around to it.)