Professional Photo Editor for Linux

LightZone : Professional Photo Editor. « Tux Enclave.

Light Crafts, the producing company of LightZone, announced yesterday the availability of a beta release for the photo-editing software. With the help of this version, Linux users now have all the LightZone tools for editing and improving digital photos that Windows and Mac users have already had, including the ZoneMapper and Re-Light tools. LightZone

Remembering how to use my camera …. and photoshop

For the first time since really about January I took some pictures today with my 20D. Along with my wife and son we took a train to downtown Chicago today and I brought the camera with. Unfortunately we didn’t have a lot of time to spend before we had to catch a train back, but we did make our way down to Millennium Park and I took some pictures of the infamous ‘bean‘. Now I just have to remember how to post process my shots as I’ve completely forgotten my workflow.

2005 Goals, How’d I do??

On January 6th of this year I made a list of goals to accomplish throughout the year. Here’s a short review to see how I did.

– Healthier lifestyle. Workout more, eat fast food less
Well, so-so on this one. Not really where I want to be. I do eat fast-food much less, but still don’t really work-out. I did start playing hockey this year, but that only accounts for an hour to hour and a half of good activity per week. I’ll continue this one in to 2006

– More one on one time with kids
This one is tough, because each kid is so demanding. It was a good year with Brandon because he’s getting older and doesn’t require the same amount of baby sitting as his sisters. I really think 2006 will be better overall for all the kids. Believe me, when they’re less annoying, they’re much easier to spend time with!

– Blog more. I want a better picture of my events of a year
Yikes, I failed pretty miserably at this one. There are 2 main reasons for it. My broken laptop and a little game called Tibia. I still don’t have a new laptop, but I do play Tibia a lot less and because of it, I have started blogging again.

– Bye bye Microsoft. Convert server and workstation to Linux. Bring in a Mac for Digital photography. I can’t convert laptop because it’s my companies. Building a kids computer sometime this year.Linux or Windows? I’m thinking Linux!. Wife’s laptop, can she run Linux or is she a slave to Windows. She will have to decide that one on her own.
Here’s one that actually saw a good deal of action. I have in the house now, one Linux server running Debian(it’s hosting this site), I’ve also gotten a computer in the living room for the kids(and me) that is running exclusivity Ubuntu right now. I do still have a Windows SBS2003 server and a XP workstation and the wife still runs XP and I really don’t see that changing anytime soon. I was looking at Mac Mini at the end of the year, but ended up getting an iPod video instead. I don’t regret that decision one bit. Because of it, I’ve been able to start listening to podcasts again. 2006 will be the year a Mac gets in this house though. Just not sure when.

– Better task management. Getting organized. Internal web site, wiki, calendar
Ummm, I don’t even want to talk about this one! :)

– Get Kdawg blogging and/or podcasting
Well, he still doesn’t blog or podcast, so I guess this one marks yet another failure.

Some other low points:
– My job | I have the ‘It’s time to start looking’ bug
– I watched hardly any Nascar this year. All that’s on our frick’n TV is cartoons
– I was sick a lot the first 4 – 5 months of the year
– TechTV got annihilated by G4TV(Comcast)

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Some high points:
– Overall everyone in my family is healthy and doing well
– Even though work kind of sucks, it’s been the best year our company has ever seen
– I started a photography club in my town that’s actually starting to take off. 2006 should really be a fun year with it.

I’m sure there were more low/high points, but ultimately I’m glad the year is over. I look forward to a new year and new opportunities that may lay ahead. And will take all the bumps in the road in stride, just like always! Peace!

Happy New Year——