Nope, changed my mind again, last time.

I want the Nikon D70. It has some great upgradeable features and with the new chip in it, it's supposed to even equal to the more expensive D100. So yeah, the D70 it is. All of you just put in $10 or $100 bucks and you can get it for me. Ok, thats it. Back to homework.

Yep, the rumors are true...

Yep, the rumors are true…

I ran one of the handheld cameras last night at Church on the Move.  It was fun and exciting!  Cassidy, Maggie, and a few other people went to that service last night and got to see me doing my thing up there.  I am glad that I got to do it because I was nervous but now I got a much better idea as to how they do things and feel way more comfortable.  

Also, instead of the Nikon D1 (I was looking at reviews and changed my mind), I want the D100.  And I mean it this time too.  That’s really the next camera I want to get.  There are some great attachments you can get on it as well.

Well, I just wanted to say that.  So there.  Take care.

What's new pussy cat, whooah, whoah, whoaaaaah...

Just a little update for now.  Let’s see, it’s Saturday.  I took Jenni out to Weber’s, a hamburger place like Jake’s, for lunch.  They have pretty much the best root beer too!  Ok, let’s see what I’ve really been up to…  Well, I did my first Avid non linear editing project.  I had to make a “commercial” for a Save the Rainforest thing.  It was fun and don’t worry Nick, I now know how to capture and edit footage so it shouldn’t be much longer till the mountain bike footage to be done.  

As for non MMI stuff, I part of the Production Crew for Church on the Move and will be doing the handheld camera soon for the Younger Louder Later (and darker!) 9pm Saturday service.  It’s a little scary, but I figure that if I get myself into all of this stuff now, then I will be more prepared than my fellow classmates are.  I hate to say it because I love all of them, but we are in competition with each other and anything I can do to get the edge on them the better.  

The cameras that we use in chapel and at Church on the Move are the Ikegami HL-45W’s but actually the chapel ones are usually the HL-35’s.  The HL-45’s are pretty sweet in the dark and have great viewfinders.  I feel that I’m starting to get pretty quick at the handheld camera in chapel.  I really enjoy it as well!  Here is a link for the camera: http://www.ikegami.com/br/products/sdtv/sdtv_camera_frame1.html

I also have applied at Student Publications to be one of their photographers for the yearbook and the newspaper, The Oracle.  They have Canon digital Rebel’s but I could even use my own camera if I had to.  For every picture of mine that they would use, I would get $5.  Having a photographers eye really helps in video production as well, so it’s just another way for me to hone and practice my skills as a videographer.  

Also, while on the subject as photography, I’m not sure if my parent’s have realized it or not, but buying that digital camera for me for Christmas was probably the best present they could have or ever have gotten for me.  I take so many pictures and love my camera, but I think it’s time to move into a nicer camera.  Actually, there are not many more cameras out there that can compete with my resolution, size, and startup time, but I mean a better camera in the sense of being more manual and having interchangeable lenses.  Yep, a digital SLR.  I have used Jenni’s mom’s camera, a Nikon D70 and I really enjoy that, but I want to go another step up from that, a Nikon D1 is my goal.  Now, there are a few different models of the D1, and I’m not sure if I want the D1, the D1H, or the D1X.  I think I like the D1H the best but I’m checking reviews.  

Also, about photography, I put some new pictures online.  Check them out at: www.betterphoto.com?mikepetrucci
Please feel free to comment on any pictures and tell me if you like anyone specifically.

Ok, and back to the “outside MMI activities…”  I am helping the ORU Music Ministries record their new album the week of October 10th.  So I’m getting extra experience in the video side (Church on the Move), Audio (Music Ministries), and photography (Student Publications)!  I am so busy!  Oh, one more thing.  I have asked to see if I want to become the Senior Commander in Royal Rangers at the church I currently help out at.  I’m still thinking and praying about it, so I’ll keep you posted.  

As you can see, they keep me pretty busy and I like to add on some other activities as well so don’t feel bad if I don’t post a blog every day!  Open house is coming up and when it does, I’ll take some pictures and post them because for that day the room will be absolutely spotless.  So until then…

a note from Biscuit

hey this is Jenni, I just wanted to say hi to all the fans!! Me and Mike are in the fish bowl studying and I made him take a really bad picture of me off here. chapel is more exciting now because i get to watch mike the whole time videoing! i get really nervous but it looks like hes doing a really good job. you should all be very proud.

Look into my eye... 

Don't I look old?! I look like an old man! Also, I don't know what's up with my fingernail... 

Kind of alienish, but I love the way the screws on the camera stand out. 

Cool soft glow pic. 

Guerilla warfare photog. 

I really have been busy!

I know, I know, I haven't updated in a long time, and it really is because I've been busy, plus I wanted you all to soak up my other pics... Just kidding, I've just been super busy. I want you all to know that I got a 95 on my Audio Test the other day. Thank you, I can hear your applause already.

Let's see, oh! On Friday, I switch my roles in chapel, I have been doing the handheld camera for about 2 1/2 weeks and it's my time to rotate, although the director says I've been doing very well... Oh yeah...

We are finally learning Avid DV Xpress Pro HD! It's a non linear editing program. Don't worry Nick, I'll be editing the mountain bike footage soon enough. I also am learning a lot about Flash! I have some great ideas for the church website!

I don't mean to boast, but I have to say that I have really been doing very well in all of my classes. I'm trying my hardest and it may be time consuming, but what everyone says is that you get what you put in, in the MMI. I love all of my classes, even scriptwriting, because that doens't come real natural to me, and I don't feel stressed. I actually just feel tired sometimes, but not much. Also, I have been doing my homework like 3 days in advance at least! It feels good, no great, to be on top of things!

Oh, if anyone has seen Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and would care to enlighten me as to some of its meanings, please do. We just watched that for Media Analysis: The Art of Watching Films, and had to critique it. I got a 93 on that assignment and whats crazy is that if you do everything the teacher requests you do, you only get an 87. You have to go above and beyond to get higher! My paper on the critique was 4 full pages, just about 5.

Hey, I think that if I get more time, maybe I'll post my ideas about different movies, and tell you what I am watching next so maybe you can follow along and even put a comment with your thoughts about the film. Next we are watching Hotel Rawanda. I haven't seen that yet, so I'll tell you how it went.

Once we cleanup our room, I have to get some good pics and post them. I know I already have some on here, but I can't get better ones because we did a little more. Well, I gotta go and I'll leave you with some new pics that I took of myself and tweaked a bit. Take care and luck!

I just found out that my Internet is acting funny, it won't send any pics, I'll post this and try another way. C-ya!