Even *I* Didn’t See The End Of This Post Coming.

I have been using the same camera since 2005. It’s an Olympus Camedia C-60 Zoom, which I purchased on sale at Office Depot for, I think, approximately $225. If you asked Jim to describe it, he would say, “It’s a brick.” It is indeed chunky (and heavy) for its size, when you compare with what’s available today. I had a little giggle when I googled it a minute ago and found the 2004 review of it on CNET (click here). Oddly, not one user said, “I anticipate this camera to be the best camera I’ve owned in my life so far, and I bet it’ll last me AT LEAST six years, if not more.” I definitely would have included that statement in a review.

This camera has been all over Chicago, to Tennessee, Wisconsin, New York (where I dropped it–hard–on the pavement), Florida, the Bahamas, Germany, England, and Wales.

My friends began harassing me about it in 2009, when the tiny screws on the left side of it fell out somewhere and I had to duct tape it in order to keep it together. See?

I keep my head held high, though. That little chunk of metal has captured some of my most treasured moments of the past six years, and that’s nothing to sneeze at no matter how many people razz me over it.

The most recent occurrence was on Friday. After a J’s JV lacrosse team played a great game (and shut out the other team 7-0) during which I took halfway decent pictures like this one

and this one,

we were on our way to the car. I was holding the camera in my right hand but had its little strap around my wrist as I always do (just in case: sidewalks are hard!), and as I was reorganizing the way I was holding my phone and my folding chair in the other hand, my camera slipped out of my hand and did a mini free-fall for three inches, until the strap saved it. I must have made an alarming noise when the camera slipped, because J turned around to see what was going on.

I held up the camera and said, “I thought I dropped it to the ground but the strap is around my wrist, thank goodness! Because dropping the camera on the ground would’ve been horrible, you know?”

He looked at me dead-on and said, “Would it have, Mom? I don’t think so.”

Rude! I may not take any pictures of him at his next game.

In a plot twist worthy of reality television, I can tell you that I absolutely will be taking pictures of him at his next game, because look what Jim and the boys got me for Mother’s Day!

Oh. Yes. — How ironic and sad that the last picture I ever took with my Olympus Camedia C-60 Zoom would be of its replacement. Good thing cameras don't have feelings.

And yes, that’s the very same brand and model camera that I borrowed last summer and totally fell in love with! Whee!

Though the first thing out of Jim’s mouth was “Will you throw that old camera away now???” I think I might need to plan a retirement party.

13 Comments

ascapecodturns

May 9, 2011 at 7:22 am Reply

Y.I.P.P.E.E!!!!!!!!!!!

Melisa

May 9, 2011 at 7:36 am Reply

I KNOW!!!

Eternal Lizdom

May 9, 2011 at 7:23 am Reply

What a great gift!!! I got my camera for Mother’s Day a few years back and love it. Mine’s a Nikon D40 and it took some getting used to (bigger than nifty little pocket cameras). But I absolutely love it.

Not being snarky… because I know how good it feels to love a camera… but with the camera, I’m betting there’s a lot more in focus images in your future!

Melisa

May 9, 2011 at 7:35 am Reply

haha, SO TRUE. SO TRUE. 🙂

Liz

May 9, 2011 at 7:26 am Reply

YAY! Congrats (although, you totally deserve this and have the best hubs and sons in the world, next to mine, of course) also, Hopey (reading over my shoulder) says, “Ohhhh, that’s a nice camera – how many mega-pixels?” She’s impressed, too 🙂

Melisa

May 9, 2011 at 7:36 am Reply

Tell Hopey it’s 12.3 mega-pixels. And that she’s a really smart girl.

Grandma W

May 9, 2011 at 7:30 am Reply

Congrats that is so great I don’t know how the old one lasted so long. I have gone through 2 cameras in that time. Good shoting with the new camera. Can’t wait to see what great pictures you take with it.

Love
Grandma W