# MOTW - Antarctican



## Alison (Aug 7, 2006)

Well now, there was much talk about your garden last week....any photos of it?


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## lostprophet (Aug 7, 2006)

Now then my little Penguin Princess, can you tell me what your doing in 27 days time????


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## EBphotography (Aug 7, 2006)

Congrats Antartican! Whats your favorite food?


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## Arch (Aug 7, 2006)

ok anty, i had nothing to do with you being up next...... K?!...... i know i said i'd bribe alison but that didnt happen..... (right alison!?)......

So anyways..... lets cut to the chase..... im sure everyone here wants to know the big question...... whats with the penguin fetish?! :mrgreen: 



.......:hugs:


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## Alison (Aug 7, 2006)

Hahah, no bribes....I just randomly picked her!


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## Antarctican (Aug 7, 2006)

Alison said:
			
		

> Well now, there was much talk about your garden last week....any photos of it?


I live in a condo, so the garden plot is a little 20'x25' plot I rent from the City. It's near Toronto's waterfront, and is in an area about the size of a football field, divided into these little gardens. My first ever attempt at gardening was last year, and I made all sorts of beginners mistakes (like planting stuff too close together), but had a ton of fun. So it's not exactly a good looking garden.  ~~~It's a holiday here in Canada, and I'll be dropping by the garden later today, so will grab a pic and post it.  [A huge storm went through here a few days ago, so I'm hoping it didn't blow the heck outta the flowers.]


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## Antarctican (Aug 7, 2006)

lostprophet said:
			
		

> Now then my little Penguin Princess, can you tell me what your doing in 27 days time????


In exactly 26 days and one hour, I'll be landing at Heathrow for a long weekend visit to a friend in Hammersmith, who just got engaged, and meeting a bunch of TPF types for the London meetup!!  

Since Lostprophet has posted that he can only attend on the second day of the meetup (27 days from now), I guess 27 days from now will be when I meet Otter-man in person.


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## Antarctican (Aug 7, 2006)

EBphotography said:
			
		

> Congrats Antartican! Whats your favorite food?


Wooo, hard to narrow it down!  I like grilled/bbq steak, wiener schnitzel, the white meat of chicken done just about any ol' way, and traditional turkey dinner.  (Didn't narrow it down much at all, did I?  And those were my knee-jerk responses...if I sit and think about it, I'd probably make a huge list...)


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## Corry (Aug 7, 2006)

What do you do for a living? 

Do you have any pets? If so....can we see a pic?


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## Antarctican (Aug 7, 2006)

core_17 said:
			
		

> What do you do for a living?
> 
> Do you have any pets? If so....can we see a pic?


I'm a lawyer.  I do civil litigation (lawsuits) as opposed to criminal, and mainly act for (ie defend) municipalities, school boards and police forces when they are sued. Which they are, a lot!  This may devolve into a rant, so be prepared.... no one seems to take responsibility for their own actions anymore. Accidents happen, folks, but nowadays the first reaction is to look for someone to sue. Cases I've had to defend include parents suing cuz their kid got hurt when she fell on wet grass in the schoolyard while playing soccer, a guy who stood up on top of a fully loaded haywagon and reached out to touch a stoplight (and got knocked off the wagon in the process...it was apparently the stoplight's fault), people who run on snow in high heels and fall, etc etc.  Sheesh, get a life people!  But I digress.

Nope, don't have any pets as they aren't allowed in the condo.  Growing up, we had cats for a few years (I took in a pregnant stray when I was about 8 years old), then two different toy poodles (as my brother is allergic to dog hair).  I love love love animals, but I work long hours, so it would be unfair to an animal to be left alone for such long periods.  Kids are allowed in the condo (hee hee) but sadly, I don't have any.


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## spako (Aug 7, 2006)

What's your favourite book? your favourite movie?and why?


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## Corry (Aug 7, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> I'm a lawyer.  I do civil litigation (lawsuits) as opposed to criminal, and mainly act for (ie defend) municipalities, school boards and police forces when they are sued. Which they are, a lot!  This may devolve into a rant, so be prepared.... no one seems to take responsibility for their own actions anymore. Accidents happen, folks, but nowadays the first reaction is to look for someone to sue. Cases I've had to defend include parents suing cuz their kid got hurt when she fell on wet grass in the schoolyard while playing soccer, a guy who stood up on top of a fully loaded haywagon and reached out to touch a stoplight (and got knocked off the wagon in the process...it was apparently the stoplight's fault), people who run on snow in high heels and fall, etc etc.  Sheesh, get a life people!  But I digress.
> 
> Nope, don't have any pets as they aren't allowed in the condo.  Growing up, we had cats for a few years (I took in a pregnant stray when I was about 8 years old), then two different toy poodles (as my brother is allergic to dog hair).  I love love love animals, but I work long hours, so it would be unfair to an animal to be left alone for such long periods.  Kids are allowed in the condo (hee hee) but sadly, I don't have any.



You're a lawyer!?  SWEET! 

And yeah...those sound like some ridiculous lawsuits, alright!


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## lostprophet (Aug 7, 2006)

ok then, whats your favorite music / singer / band etc etc

Oh and what present are you getting me for the London Meetup ??


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## Mansi (Aug 7, 2006)

whats behind the name 'Antarctican'


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## Chiller (Aug 7, 2006)

Hey Anty...sooo cool to see ya next. 
Dont worry about the garden. I cycled by last night and things look good. I did not be head any of your marigolds. layball: 

I know you have travelled a lot, but is there any destination that you really really want to see, that you have not yet been to.


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## Xmetal (Aug 7, 2006)

Fave take-out food?


*note to self use American terminology!!*


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## Mohain (Aug 7, 2006)

Hi Anti,

What's your real name ....  No seriously though, you're often hanging around in the darkside too, what's a nice girl like doing doing in a place like that?


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## JTHphoto (Aug 7, 2006)

is law school the reason you always kick our butts at trivia?  how does one acquire that much useless information?


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## lostprophet (Aug 7, 2006)

Mohain said:
			
		

> Hi Anti,
> 
> What's your real name ....


 
To mere mortals like you and I it's THE PENGUIN QUEEN


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## Alison (Aug 7, 2006)

As a follow up to Chiller's travel question I'd like to know where you have traveled


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## terri (Aug 7, 2006)

What kind of car do you drive?    Can we see a picture?


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## duncanp (Aug 7, 2006)

why penguins?


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Sorry for the delay in answering, folks, but as indicated above, Monday was a holiday in Ontario and since it was a great day, I wasn't near the computer for very long... 



			
				terri said:
			
		

> What kind of car do you drive? Can we see a picture?


I drive a Sebring LX. Here's a pic of it, taken about two months ago, by the police :stun:  I was able to get the charges against me dropped, and have the _pedestrian_ charged with reckless endangerment.







(j/k!!! It was a setup shot, before I donated those mannequin legs to a worthy cause....  I did get a few odd looks, and since it was taken at night, I think it looked pretty realistic from a distance. Which would account for why two guys came running up all panicky.)


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Archangel said:
			
		

> ok anty, ..... lets cut to the chase..... whats with the penguin fetish?!





			
				Mansi said:
			
		

> whats behind the name 'Antarctican'





			
				duncanp said:
			
		

> why penguins?


Sit back, get a drink, cuz this is going to be a long answer....

Back in '98 I went on a 9 day trip to Antarctica, as a friend was an 'expedition leader' working aboard one of the few ships then doing trips to the frozen continent (so I got the trip realllllllllly cheap). Up to that point, my annual vacations had consisted of going to a Caribbean island and veg'ing out for a week or two, so this was a very different experience for me. It wasn't a 'cruise' per se, as the ship was a converted Russian scientific vessel which only held up to 100 passengers in very basic accommodation (and there were only about 68 aboard on that trip). It takes 2 days 'each way' to get from the tip of South America to the Antarctic peninsula, so to help pass the time for the passengers they have lectures about the wildlife we'll see, the history of Antarctic exploration etc (very interesting stuff). One of the lecturers was a photographer who had been to Antarctica aboard the ship many times, and she had the most amazing slides of the wildlife, including many varieties of penguins. She had a shot of a King penguin that was outta this world, as well as pictures of cuuuuuuute little penguin chicks. And she told us of other varieties, like the Rockhopper penguin, and how funny they are to see. I sooo wanted to see a King penguin, after seeing that slide, and also see penguin chicks. But as we would only have 4 days at the peninsula, we wouldn't be able to cover a lot of ground and were only expected to see 3 varieties (Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie). We also hoped to see several varieties of seals (crabeater, fur, weddell, elephant and leopard seals) and whales (mainly humpbacks, but there are orcas, right whales, blue whales and a few others that are sometimes seen). There are, of course, no guarantees that you'll see any wildlife, or that you'll even be able to get ashore, as much of the available experiences are weather dependent and the wildlife can't be controlled. 

I really really enjoyed the trip. The scenery there is spectacular: snow capped mountains reflected in sparkling clean water, with glaciers thundering as pieces break off. It was mainly sunny weather on that trip. There are no hotels or stores or anything along the peninsula ...just the occasional small research station. It's very peaceful. A pod of 3 humpback whales came right beside the ship and showed off for about 10 minutes before moving on (and seeing whales closeup, to the point where you can smell their fishy breath, is an awesome experience). These were the only whales we saw on that trip. Once the ship gets to the peninsula, the passengers go ashore 2-3 times a day for 2-5 hours at a time (depending on the location), via Zodiac boats. At our first landing, there were Weddell seals lying on the shore, and we saw all 3 types of penguins at that landing site. Since it was a December trip, there were no chicks, just nesting parents. We did see 2 chicks hatch out of their eggs at that landing site, but other than a quick glimpse, that was it for chicks. We're told to stay 25 feet away from the penguins, but if they come up to you, that's okay. I had one chinstrap come to within about 4 feet of me, and I got a nice pic of it. I've been meaning to scan that photo and post it (*puts that on the to do list*). This trip was the start of my love of wildlife. I just hadn't paid much attention to it before.

Penguins are incredibly funny to watch. Hundreds of them nest together, juuuuust out of pecking range of each other, on rock nests (at lest these varieties of penuins have rock nests, not all of them do). They find each other through their calls, so there's a constant din of penguins 'braying' at each other. As they walk to find their mate, they 'steal' rocks from the nest of their neighbours and then try to 'run' away. But they're terribly awkward on land and it's hysterical to see these little thieves trying to run while being pecked at or chased by the other birds. In some locations the nesting sites are up the side of the hills, so they have to climb up over the snow to get to/from the water where they feed. With the passage of so many penguins over the same trails, trenches (called 'penguin highways') develop. If one penguin is going up and one is coming down, there's only room for one and as they try to figure out this standoff, they engage in all sorts of funny behaviour. They often fall face first into the snow, and one way they travel on land is by 'swimming' rather than walking (they flop onto their bellies and 'swim' along the snow with their flippers). It doesn't sound all that funny as I read this over, but to see it, it's truly comical. 

During the course of this short trip, we saw the 3 varieties of penguins mentioned above, as well as Magellanic penguins and one solitary (ie lost...musta been a male who wouldn't ask directions) Macaroni penguin. We saw the humpback whales, and fur and weddell seals. But I wanted to see more, and I wanted to see penguin chicks. So, in 2001, I went on a longer trip to Antarctica. This one lasted 18 days, and went to the Antarctic peninsula via South Georgia and the Falklands. 

In South Georgia I finally got to see the King penguins, which are bigger and more colourful than the penguin varieties I'd already seen. Boy, did I ever get to see them...there was one spot where about 200,000 of them were nesting. Just imagine the noise (and, ummm, smell ). I also got to see Rockhoppers, which really do hop instead of walk. And since this trip was in January/February, there were tons of chicks to be seen. Their behaviour is also funny to watch, because they chase their parents around constantly, seeking food. They also look pretty funny as they shed their chick feathers and get their adult feathers...some have little Mohawk hairdos. There's constant motion and noise during the landings, and it's just really fascinating to watch their behaviour. 

Soooo, I guess all this was a very long way of saying I really liked my Antarctic trips, and the funny behaviour of the penguins was a big part of it. I wanted to see more varieties of penguins, so visited a few zoos that had them. I bought a few penguin items on ebay, and all of a sudden friends and co-workers started giving me penguin items, until I had/have quite a collection. So my penguin appreciation kind of took on a life of its own. When I signed up here, I chose the screenname 'Antarctican' just as an alternate to "Penguin Queen".

Sorry that was such a long explanation, but a short answer just wouldn't make sense without the background, IMO. :mrgreen:
[/novel]


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Alison said:
			
		

> Well now, there was much talk about your garden last week....any photos of it?


Heres a shot of my little garden plot*. Probably not what you were thinking when you asked for a picture, eh?
It has flowers around the outside, and veggies/herbs up the middle. Crammed in there, at various times of the summer, are:

Tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, lilies of the valley, iris, foxglove, tiger lilies, oriental lilies*, peonies, Rose of Sharon, delphiniums, coneflowers*, clematis, lilac, butterfly bushes, ornamental grass
Dill, coriander, rosemary, garlic chives, regular chives, mint, rhubarb, cherry tomatoes*, strawberries, blackberries, green peppers, green onions, purple onions, radish, white radish, horseradish, carrots.



















^^ How many blackberries do you see??


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

spako said:
			
		

> What's your favourite book? your favourite movie?and why?


Have lots of 'fave' books, so I'll go with one I _recently_ read that made the list (but I doubt anyone has heard of it):  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseni.  It's set in Afghanistan and was his debut novel. Very engrossing, well written, tugged at one's emotions, and it just blew me away that it was his debut novel. (I'm not trying to make any political statement by picking an Afghani writer, I just really liked the book).

I remember when I first saw Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the theatres, and how I raved about it to anyone who would listen. It had lots of 'action', and since it's so rare _nowadays _that I rave about movies, I'll put it on my fave list cuz it was just so entertaining and had neat effects for its time. More recently, the only movie I can recall raving about is Crash...loved that, with all the layers and interconnected stories, and was glad it won the Oscar.  (It's tough to compare an action movie with a drama, with a musical etc. I've seen most of what one considers the classic movies that made the AFI top 100, and found many of them a lot less entertaining than IJatToD. So there.)


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

lostprophet said:
			
		

> ok then, whats your favorite music / singer / band etc etc


My musical tastes are eclectic...I like rock (roughly 80s era), heavy metal, reggae, 'popular', classical etc etc. It's fairly 'mainstream'/well-known bands I listen to. (How's that for a non-specific answer? Sorry!)


			
				lostprophet said:
			
		

> Oh and what present are you getting me for the London Meetup ??


 Ummm, mint chocolate chip icecream? Hope it doesn't melt, or I may have to eat it myself.


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Mansi said:
			
		

> whats behind the name 'Antarctican'


See the lengthy response I did to the penguin questions by Archangel and duncanp...I'd used Antarctican as a screenname shortly after I got back from the second trip to Antarctica, as I liked the place so much. So when I signed up at TPF, I used it again.


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Chiller said:
			
		

> Dont worry about the garden. I cycled by last night and things look good. I did not behead any of your marigolds.
> 
> I know you have travelled a lot, but is there any destination that you really really want to see, that you have not yet been to.


(Thanks for not messing up the garden like you threatened to do on that other thread!)
There are TONS of places I wanna go!!!  Costa Rica, Macchu Pichu, and New Zealand top the list for foreign spots, and San Francisco, Colorado, Vancouver and Newfoundland top my North America list.  But the list itself is huge.


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Xmetal said:
			
		

> Fave take-out food?
> 
> 
> *note to self use American terminology!!*


"Take away" is what you call it over in Blighty, right?  Currently, I'd have to say Thai.


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Mohain said:
			
		

> Hi Anti,
> 
> What's your real name ....  No seriously though, you're often hanging around in the darkside too, what's a nice girl like doing doing in a place like that?


Umm, can't tell if that first part was a 'serious' question or not?

When I first checked out TPF, several of the people whose photos I really liked posted on the dark side, so that's probably how I got into it. I'd never really taken many shots in a cemetery before (except maybe one shot in foreign cems in Germany, Greenland and in the UK) but have gone to 4 or so locally since joining TPF. I can't seem to find ones that have anything but crosses, however....none of the great statues like I see others shooting.  It's harder than one would think to get a good shot of a statue, at least for me. Now, I find myself actively looking for cems (how weird is that, for a nice girl from Toronto??)


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

JTHphoto said:
			
		

> is law school the reason you always kick our butts at trivia? how does one acquire that much useless information?


Hey JTH, welcome back from vacation. Hope it was awesome. And I bet it's awful to have to go back to work after such a nice break. 

LOL, no, law school didn't help me with all the useless info in my brain that comes up in trivia!  I think I'm just a lucky guesser a lot of the time when I don't actually know the answer. ~~~What are we talking about? Why, TPF's own trivia tournament!  We're always looking for players, so check it out at http://my.funtrivia.com/tournament/The-Photo-Forum-TRIVIA-CHALLENGE-44504.html  But beware, it's timed, so you've gotta be fast when answering.
[/shameless plug]


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Alison said:
			
		

> As a follow up to Chiller's travel question I'd like to know where you have traveled


I have indeed been extremely fortunate to have been able to travel, often because it was a sailing destination when I used to sail, or I have friends and relatives in far off places from whom I sponged free accomodation! 

Beach destinations: Antigua, St. Lucia, several of the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Mexico (Acapulco and Cancun), Bermuda, San Andres (which is part of Columbia)
Other Provinces in Canada: Winnipeg (Manitoba), small towns in the Arctica (Nunavut); Quebec City and Montreal (Quebec), Fredericton (New Brunswick), Halifax (Nova Scotia), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)
US:  Chicago; several towns in Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island; Annapolis (Maryland); New York City, Sodus Bay, & Rochester (New York); Washington (DC); Philadelphia (Pennsylvania); Charleston (South Carolina); Savannah (Georgia); several spots in Florida
Europe: Plymouth & London in the UK; various small towns in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; Paris; Venice, Pisa, Florence, Vatican City and Rome in Italy; Amsterdam; Norway (Oslo and Svalbard); Greenland; brief visit to Monaco/Monte Carlo
other continents: Antarctica; Africa (Tanzania and Kenya); Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns and Uluru)


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## lostprophet (Aug 8, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Ummm, mint chocolate chip icecream? Hope it doesn't melt, or I may have to eat it myself.


 
You touch my ice-cream and there be trouble :greenpbl:


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## Corry (Aug 8, 2006)

at the blackberry pic!  Awesome answers so far! 

I would like to know....how old you were when you decided you wanted to be a lawyer?


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## JTHphoto (Aug 8, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Hey JTH, welcome back from vacation. Hope it was awesome. And I bet it's awful to have to go back to work after such a nice break.
> 
> LOL, no, law school didn't help me with all the useless info in my brain that comes up in trivia! I think I'm just a lucky guesser a lot of the time when I don't actually know the answer. ~~~What are we talking about? Why, TPF's own trivia tournament! We're always looking for players, so check it out at http://my.funtrivia.com/tournament/The-Photo-Forum-TRIVIA-CHALLENGE-44504.html But beware, it's timed, so you've gotta be fast when answering.
> [/shameless plug]


 
it *is* awful being back, i am so depressed.  at least there is always tpf to keep me busy at work...  

i'm usually a pretty lucky guesser too, not today though! :thumbdown: 

I feel like maybe I should know this but what camera/s do you use?  What got you into photography?  What brought you to TPF?  and finally, do you have a favorite landscape-style shot from antartica that you can share?


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

core_17 said:
			
		

> at the blackberry pic!  Awesome answers so far!
> 
> I would like to know....how old you were when you decided you wanted to be a lawyer?


I was about 20 years old and taking a general arts program at University. My father said it may not be all that marketable a degree, and I should look at being eg. a doctor, accountant, veterinarian, lawyer, or something like that (fathers, eh?  Picking all the hard courses).  The only suggestion he had that 'appealed' to me at the time was lawyer, so that's what I targeted as the course I'd follow after my B.A.


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## Corry (Aug 8, 2006)

Can we ask about your work a little?  Like...have you ever worked on a case that was particularly difficult?  Or funny?  Or weird?


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

JTHphoto said:
			
		

> ...what camera/s do you use? What got you into photography? What brought you to TPF? and finally, do you have a favorite landscape-style shot from antartica that you can share?


For a film camera I have a Pentax MZ-30 SLR w Tamron 28-300 lens (as well as the 28-70 kit lens that came with it, which I think I've used twice!).  I really like it, and always said I'd never give up film.  But I've gotta admit that since I got my Canon Digital Rebel XT a year ago (with Tamron 18-200 lens), I haven't even finished the roll of film that's in the Pentax.  I made the switch to digital because I was tired of hauling 60 rolls of film with me on my 'big trips'....I tend to take a lot of pictures, and fear running out of film when I'm in some remote place.  ~~~I also have a digital point-n-shoot (Nikon Coolpix).

I love photographs.  To me, snapshots are little captures of a moment in time, a 'memory' preserved in a tangible way you can take out and look at. Even if it's not a picture that I took, or people I know, or an event/location I even attended, I love looking at photographs and being transported to the place and time it was taken, 'feeling' that moment, and seeing that sight.

Chiller introduced me to TPF in January. I was climbing a small hill near the Toronto Zoo, as training for my Mt. Kilimanjaro climb in February.  I stopped into the zoo afterwards, and was at the Eagle cage when Chiller started talking to me.  He showed me in the LCD of his camera some of the amazing shots he'd taken that day of the lions and eagle, showed me how to use the camera in P mode (I usually use it in 'idiot' auto mode), and suggested I check out TPF.  So I did, and I quickly became addicted to all the amazing images I see here.

I will dig out an Antarctica photo or two and scan it. Hopefully I can get to that later today, and hopefully the scan quality won't be atrocious.


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## Corry (Aug 8, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Chiller introduced me to TPF in January..



Thanks Chiller!


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## Peanuts (Aug 8, 2006)

Since you were in Tanzania, which sits close enough to Kenya, I need some help determining the pronunciation of the word &#8216;Kenya&#8217;. Is it &#8216;Ken-ya&#8217; or &#8216;Keen-ya&#8217;?  Not exactly a personal question, but a question I am certain you will be able to answer  Thanks


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

core_17 said:
			
		

> Can we ask about your work a little? Like...have you ever worked on a case that was particularly difficult? Or funny? Or weird?


I used to defend hospitals in medical malpractice cases.  Some of the cases involving problems during the delivery of babies were sad/upsetting, as the child was often left horribly compromised and couldn't live a normal life.  Those cases were heartbreaking, as there was often no one to 'blame' for the problem and therefore no one to pay money to the parents/child.  The medical malpractice cases could also be very interesting, as we had to learn all about the medical procedures involved.

Other cases that were difficult were some motor vehicle cases, as the injuries from highspeed collisions can be devastating. Young people left paralyzed because they got in a car with a drunken friend, etc. Did you know there are wheelchairs that can be operated by eyebrow movement alone, as that is all the movement some spinal cord injured persons have?   Another case that struck home with me was a couple in their 30s driving on the TransCanada highway one evening when they were hit head-on by an oncoming vehicle whose driver had fallen asleep.  The engine of their vehicle was driven back and into the lap of the woman sitting in the passenger seat.  She had multiple fractures to her torso and legs, underwent _numerous_ surgeries (20 or so?), but she could still walk and had no brain damage etc.  She had scars on her scars, though, which weren't pretty. Her husband wasn't able to deal with her injuries, so the marriage broke up, and her pelvic injuries meant she would never have children.  That could happen to any of us...just being in the wrong place at the wrong time and in the blink of an eye your life is changed forever.

Funny/weird ones would include:  the police dog that was sued for biting a guy brandishing a knife who'd already sliced his own wrist (ie it was the guy who sued, not someone else. I guess they could garnish his Alpo if the dog had lost); the lady who sued city hall because she slipped on pigeon droppings outside; the court reporter who broke both wrists when she fell on a wet sidewalk (not icy, just wet...but you can imagine how hard it would be to type with both arms in casts, so she was hoping to get money from someone) etc etc.


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Peanuts said:
			
		

> Since you were in Tanzania, which sits close enough to Kenya, I need some help determining the pronunciation of the word &#8216;Kenya&#8217;. Is it &#8216;Ken-ya&#8217; or &#8216;Keen-ya&#8217;? Not exactly a personal question, but a question I am certain you will be able to answer  Thanks


I always heard it referred to as Ken-ya, but a search in Dictionary.com indicates it can be pronounced either way.

Edit:  and btw, they list the ken-ya pronunciation first.

Am I correct in my recollection that your father once made a summit attempt on Mt. Kilimanjaro? I seem to recall you posting back when I put up a few pics from the trip.


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## Chiller (Aug 8, 2006)

core_17 said:
			
		

> Thanks Chiller!



Doesnt Chase pay some sort of commission for recruiting.  

  Thank you so much for the mention Anty.  It was really cool to meet you at the zoo...but it was freekin cold that day eh?.  Really glad you joined the forum, you have been a really great addition. 

   Do you have a favorite photo you have taken?  One that really means a lot to you.  

Excellent interview so far....:thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Antarctican (Aug 8, 2006)

Chiller said:
			
		

> Do you have a favorite photo you have taken? One that really means a lot to you.
> 
> Excellent interview so far....:thumbup: :thumbup:


 
(Awww, thanks Chiller!)
Two that spring to mind are:
-the one of the sunrise as I trudged towards the summit of Kilimanjaro, which I posted here on TPF.  It's not a great shot technically, but it means a lot to me
-When my third nephew was born, I got a shot of his older brother peeking into the bassinet at the hospital, taking his first look at his new little brother.  Again, it isn't a well-composed shot (and hospital rooms are ugly), but it really captured kind of a neat moment. If I can find the shot, I'll add it to the scan list


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## Corry (Aug 8, 2006)

Chiller said:
			
		

> Doesnt Chase pay some sort of commission for recruiting.
> 
> Thank you so much for the mention Anty.  It was really cool to meet you at the zoo...but it was freekin cold that day eh?.  Really glad you joined the forum, you have been a really great addition.
> 
> ...



Actually, I believe he does...once you get 10 referals.  It hasn't been done before yet though.  

I have 6 referals!


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## Peanuts (Aug 8, 2006)

This is such a wonderful 'interview', it is so much fun to learn about everyone.



			
				Antarctican said:
			
		

> Am I correct in my recollection that your father once made a summit attempt on Mt. Kilimanjaro? I seem to recall you posting back when I put up a few pics from the trip.


 
Great recollection. Yes he did, and the reason I asked is because I believe he first visited Kenya (or maybe it was after?) and came back pronouncing the country as 'Keen-ya', much to my sister and my horror.  Due to his love for the mountains, I have learnt to both admire the beauty of them, as well as respect the power they hold.


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## Alison (Aug 9, 2006)

Have you seen the documentary March of the Penguins? If so, what did you think?


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## Arch (Aug 9, 2006)

Tell us more about sailing..... you were saying about visiting the harbour here in Plymouth, England.... and you've recently mentioned kayaking..... why do you like sailing boats?...... are you a good swimmer?!


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## JonK (Aug 9, 2006)

What worthy cause wants old mannequin legs?  :scratch: and since you've been to my hometown, winnipeg, what was yer fave thing about the place?


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## Antarctican (Aug 9, 2006)

Alison said:
			
		

> Have you seen the documentary March of the Penguins? If so, what did you think?


Oh yeah, I've seen it!  I thought it had amazing cinematography. What the poor camera people must have gone through to get those shots just boggles my mind...temperatures were probably easily -80 during the winter months, and Antarctica is the windiest continent.  They were there for 13 months making the movie. Brutal.  I've never seen Emperor penguins, as they tend to go inland on the main part of the continent and my visits were up by the peninsula.  The story of how they go so far inland to breed, and the male looks after the egg, without eating for 2 months, is fascinating. Evolution-wise, you wonder why they are compelled to go through such terrible conditions to breed.


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## Antarctican (Aug 9, 2006)

JonK said:
			
		

> What worthy cause wants old mannequin legs?  :scratch:


Hee hee, I was wondering if anyone was gonna ask that!!  I actually donated them to the "Chiller scares the bejeesus out of little kids at Halloween" cause!  The legs had been left in my garden plot by the previous tenant,who had tried to get vines to grow up the legs.  I was trying to figure out what to do with them, when I think I happened to read a post by Chiller about how he goes all out at Halloween decorating his house with scary figures etc.  So I asked him if he'd be interested in a pair of shapely legs, and he said yes (go figure!)  The legs have appeared in one or two of his posts, I believe.  



			
				JonK said:
			
		

> and since you've been to my hometown, winnipeg, what was yer fave thing about the place?


My trip to Winnipeg was a loooooong time ago, when I was in high school. We saw the usual touristy things, and my main memories are of how pretty it was (being situated along the river), the provincial parliament building with Golden Boy on top, and the Mint (which was brand new I think).  (Sorry it's not a more exciting answer.)


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## Antarctican (Aug 10, 2006)

Sorry for the delay in the Antarctic scenery shots...the scanner was in use during the times today that I tried to use it (I'm using the one at work...shhhhh).


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## Antarctican (Aug 10, 2006)

Archangel said:
			
		

> Tell us more about sailing..... you were saying about visiting the harbour here in Plymouth, England.... and you've recently mentioned kayaking..... why do you like sailing boats?...... are you a good swimmer?!


 
Sailing: My ex was an avid sailor, so that&#8217;s how I first got into it. Our first boat was a 30 foot cruising sailboat which we moored at Georgian Bay. The next one was a 30 foot racing sailboat that we raced (with a crew) on Lake Ontario, and trailered to such places as Key West, Florida and Newport, Rhode Island. My ex did a double-handed race over to Plymouth, and then a solo race back, so that&#8217;s why we were in Plymouth. ~~ I&#8217;m a cruiser at heart, I think. What really appealed to me about sailing is how peaceful it is (when cruising, not racing) &#8230;coasting along, with a glass of wine in hand, in sunny conditions, with no engine sounds to disturb the silence. The racing was fun too, but is much more hectic. It&#8217;s exciting when the boat is heeled over and you&#8217;re speeding over the water.






I&#8217;ve only done kayaking since 2004 and just do basic paddling&#8230;I don&#8217;t know how to do the Eskimo rolls etc. Again, the peacefulness of kayaking really appealed to me. You can get some good speed going with fairly little effort, go through really shallow water, and can get quite close to birds and other marine wildlife (for photo ops).

I&#8217;m an adequate swimmer. I don&#8217;t go all that fast, but I can go for extended periods of time. Other than when I go to someone&#8217;s cottage, I don&#8217;t have much opportunity to go swimming.


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## JonK (Aug 10, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> My trip to Winnipeg was a loooooong time ago, when I was in high school. We saw the usual touristy things, and my main memories are of how pretty it was (being situated along the river), the provincial parliament building with Golden Boy on top, and the Mint (which was brand new I think).  (Sorry it's not a more exciting answer.)


sorry it's not a more exciting place!


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## Chiller (Aug 10, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Hee hee, I was wondering if anyone was gonna ask that!!  I actually donated them to the "Chiller scares the bejeesus out of little kids at Halloween" cause!  The legs had been left in my garden plot by the previous tenant,who had tried to get vines to grow up the legs.  I was trying to figure out what to do with them, when I think I happened to read a post by Chiller about how he goes all out at Halloween decorating his house with scary figures etc.  So I asked him if he'd be interested in a pair of shapely legs, and he said yes (go figure!)  The legs have appeared in one or two of his posts, I believe.



Ethyl appeared in my MOTW as the legs at the refrigerator. She has been a welcome addition to the Chiller family, and is lookin forward to here debut at Heavens Gate Cemetery this year.  :lmao: 
Thanks for the donation Anty...your flowers are safe with me.


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## Antarctican (Aug 10, 2006)

JTHphoto said:
			
		

> do you have a favorite landscape-style shot from antartica that you can share?


Okay, at long last I was able to hop on the scanner. The first pic is a scan of a shot taken on a disposable panorama camera. Not the best quality, but I think it gives you an idea of how gorgeous the scenery is in Antarctica. Imagine waking up, pulling aside the curtains from the porthole, and seeing this? (*sigh*) These pictures were taken at a place aptly called Paradise Bay.


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## Antarctican (Aug 10, 2006)

duncanp said:
			
		

> why penguins?


 
What's not to love???  This is a scan of a photograph of a king penguin.


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## EBphotography (Aug 10, 2006)

Can I come with you on your next trip to the antartic? 

Antartican answers: Yes you can! I would love that!


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## Chiller (Aug 10, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Okay, at long last I was able to hop on the scanner. The first pic is a scan of a shot taken on a disposable panorama camera. Not the best quality, but I think it gives you an idea of how gorgeous the scenery is in Antarctica. Imagine waking up, pulling aside the curtains from the porthole, and seeing this? (*sigh*) These pictures were taken at a place aptly called Paradise Bay.



Whoa.....awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## JTHphoto (Aug 11, 2006)

beautiful.  I love that first one, the panoramic...  :thumbup:


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## lostprophet (Aug 11, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Okay, at long last I was able to hop on the scanner. The first pic is a scan of a shot taken on a disposable panorama camera. Not the best quality, but I think it gives you an idea of how gorgeous the scenery is in Antarctica. Imagine waking up, pulling aside the curtains from the porthole, and seeing this? (*sigh*) These pictures were taken at a place aptly called Paradise Bay.


 
Paradise Bay indeed !!

Now I'm depressed  
I don't want to be where I am, I want to be there.

Proof that there are some places on this planet that are just aw-inspiring


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## Antarctican (Aug 11, 2006)

JTHphoto said:
			
		

> beautiful. I love that first one, the panoramic... :thumbup:


Thanks JTH...it's one of my faves too. It's one of five I have in a collage frame in my office. I think maybe the colours have faded in the 5 years it's been up on the wall, but it's still a pretty sight.


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## Alison (Aug 11, 2006)

What do you like best about yourself (physical or non-physical)?
What is something you would like to change or improve(physical or non-physical) ?

BTW, fantastic photos! Thank you for sharing those!


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## Antarctican (Aug 11, 2006)

Like best (I'll answer both):  My eyes (but not the bags under 'em), and my ability to see the humour in things, even under trying circumstances. (My sense of humour can be pretty corny at times, but I do love to make people laugh)

Needs improvement:  I'm going through a real period of procrastination... I just can't seem to get much done at work, or housework done at home. And physically, I'd like to lose a lot of weight (typical female, eh?)


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## lostprophet (Aug 11, 2006)

Antarctican said:
			
		

> Like best (My sense of humour can be pretty corny at times, but I do love to make people laugh)


 
telling me, you should see my inbox its full of corny jokes from The Penguin Queen :lmao:  :lmao:    :er:


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## Chiller (Aug 11, 2006)

Hey Anty....I heard this was the funniest Penguin joke ever... Do you have one better.  


The Best Penguin Joke in the World

Frank is driving a truck load of penguins across Europe to the Antwerp zoo [replace with geography and zoo relative to your city]. Near the Belgian-German border, his truck breaks down. Frank inspects the damage, sees his truck will need to be towed to a garage and so tries to flag down another truck for help.

Finally, David pulls over and asks Frank, "what's the matter?"

Frank says, "My truck has broken down and it is full of penguins that need to be taken to the zoo today! Are you carrying anything?"

David says no.

Frank continues. "Great! I'll give you 500 Euro if you take these penguins to the zoo for me."

David says, "sure." So they load the penguins into David's truck and David drives away towards Antwerp. Meanwhile, Frank calls a garage to come fix his truck.

The next day, Frank finally arrives in Antwerp. Imagine his surprise, then, when he sees David walking down the street with all the penguins; hand-in-wing, wing-in-wing.

"What the hell are you doing with the penguins!?" shouts Frank, "I told you to take them to the zoo yesterday!"

"I did," said David calmly, "but I had some money left over. So I'm taking them to see a movie today.


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## Antarctican (Aug 11, 2006)

Most of the penguin humour I have on hand is in the way of movie clips and comics. The only other penguin _joke_ I can recall offhand is a bit risque. (Oh, just did a search and Mitica has already posted it, so here goes...I'll blame Mitica if anyone is offended!)

A penguin was on his way to Arizona for a holiday. Near Phoenix, he noticed that his car had high oil pressure so he stopped to see what the problem was.

On realizing that his car had an oil leak, he pulled into a garage in the next town. While it was being fixed he decided to look around the town.

Being a penguin, he craved a nice cold ice-cream cone. But not having any hands, he managed to get himself into quite a mess trying to eat it with his little flippers.

When he got back to the garage to pick up his car, he asked the mechanic "What's the problem?" The mechanic looked up and says "Looks like you've blown a seal".

"Oh, no, no," the penguin replies looking embarrassed "That's just ice-cream".


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## Antarctican (Aug 11, 2006)

A while back I posted about how funny penguins are to watch, and I described the antics of the rockhopper penguins. Here's a clip from Google showing a rockhopper jumping around amidst a bunch of other penguins (which look to be either Magellanic, African or Humboldts).  I'm sure a lot of you have seen this one already as it's been making the rounds.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5593562749758444001


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## EBphotography (Aug 13, 2006)

Hooray for the joke and the video!


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## GoM (Aug 14, 2006)

Want to do a meetup walkabout around downtown with Chiller and I before I head back to uni?


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## Antarctican (Aug 14, 2006)

Sounds good!!  Timing may be a wee bit of an issue, but I'm sure we can work something out!


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