(I need to create a 'photography' category on my navigation links)

So, yesterday was my birthday!

It was a relaxing birthday, considering I'm unemployed and all my friends, with one or two exceptions live in other cities/states/countries right now. But it was fun.

Went to dinner with my family and mi amigo Joe. Later, Joe and I went to the Fox & Hound, where we ran into one of my favourite customers from when I was still employed with Target. His name is Derek, and he's an amusing British man in his mid-forties. He and his girlfriend bought me a few Shiners (a type of beer, brewed in Texas), and then Joe and I went to see a midnight showing of Get Him to the Greek, which was hilarious, but not as heartwarming as it's predecessor, Forgetting Sarah Marshall (which is one of my favourite movies of all time).

For gifts, I received an Oklahoma State Cowboys license plate for my front license plate slot (because in Oklahoma, you only have to have a rear license plate), the film Blood Diamond (which is a sad movie), and a flash for my camera!

This last one is the most important, as I've needed a not-built-into-the-camera flash for awhile. It was a thrilling gift, and opens up a whole realm of photography to me!

So I've been playing with it, and wanted to show you guys the differences between two photos that are both set to the exact same settings (I shoot in manual).

With the flash pointing behind me, so as to bounce off the wall and reflect a softer light to lighten Ellie's face:

Same shot but without the flash:

I didn't do any editing, so you can see the straight-out-of-the-camera differences.

(Also, have a picture of my cat, Latte, looking less angry than the last time I showed her to you:)