to paraphrase CCR ...

I wanna know ... have ya ever seen the moon?





I mean really ... where has it gone? It's been nearly two weeks and it is apparent it is NOT in the night sky at this time of year.

Two weeks ago (nearly) Dad and I were at a Best Buy store in Knoxille. He got what he went for, but while there out of curiosity (and in retrospect selfish stupidity?) I wanted to take a moment (as we walked past) to look at a couple tripods they had available.

Well, he apparently was in a buying mood that day and just looking wasn't good enough. The fact that I stopped to look at something only "made" him buy something else. Damn, by now you'd think I know better. I reckon there's no hope for me.

Anyway, I was looking over their selection when a salesman approached and told me that what I was looking at is a very good unit and that he has used it himself with no issues. Admittedly, it did look pretty solid and I continued playing with the adjustments and knobs, just checking it out, when Dad said, "get it". Well, that wasn't my motivation ... AT ALL! but I *have* been wanting one and he KNEW it. One of these days I need to get wise!

Well long story short (that's a first for me, eh?) Dad got it for me. I have really wanted to play with "shooting the moon" as it were and figured once getting a tripod I could play with the exposures and hone in on the *right* settings for it.

HARUMPH! it's been nearly TWO fuggin' WEEKS now and I *still* have yet to see the moon in the night sky. BAH! As a matter of fact, the tripod has not MOVED since it was unpacked from the box.

For nearly the first week, it was clouded EVERY ... stinkin' ... NIGHT! Seriously, in the daytime it would be sunny and muggy, come dusk ... cloud cover. Who's the joker here? Honestly, Murphy if we meet in Heaven I swear I'm gonna deck you!   ; )

Oddly enough since getting that, Dad has had me look (no pun intended) into getting a telescope. I have had some experience with one and have told him it would be  a waste of money to get anything less than a 6" Meade(read as: expensive. I figured if I threw him some numbers it would discourage him, it didn't). Optics are as crucial with a scope as they are with a camera; and really anything less than a 6" means you will only long to buy another one later someday anyways.

I found an auction on ebay the other day and he told me to bid on it. I did and so far he is the highest bidder. It still has a day and a half before ending, so I am not holding out much hope that we will get it.

However, *if* he does, I will bet the moon will reappear in the night sky that first night we get it home .. and it will be FULL .... inhibiting ANY chance of maximizing the capabilities of the scope. Meh, maybe then I can play with the camera and telescope.   LoL