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Wednesday, October 29, 2025

More money = more caffeine?

I was in Fidelity yesterday, getting some documents notarized, and they have a very expensive, high tech, coffee machine in their lobby. For patron use while waiting for an associate. 

What is it and why is it expensive? 

The coffee machine is called "Flavia Creation 600 Brewer". 
Per Amazon, the price is listed as $1,690. 
It is a "[S]ingle-serve multi-purpose beverage system that delivers both hot and cold café-style drinks. This versatile machine crafts everything from drip coffee to tea, cold brew, and lattes. Its smart technology and compact design make it ideal for mid to large workplaces.
  • VARIETY: From coffee to tea, lattes to cappuccinos, the C600 offers a variety of quality beverages and brands to satisfy any employee preferences
  • SMART INTERFACE: Intuitive digital touchscreen makes crafting perfectly balanced beverages simple
  • VERSATILE BREWING: Create hot or cold beverages with multiple drink options
  • IQ TECHNOLOGY: Built-in smart system helps manage ordering and sends maintenance alerts"



I know I'm in the picture, but there was no way for me to get out of the way and still get the front of the machine. I wasn't about to try to blur myself out; you only see my hands, really. 

The whole process to make a brew is wild. It's a touch screen in front, but I don't know if it has any pre loaded coffees inside of it. I didn't try to cycle through the options, as there were containers next to the machine with pouches you put into that silver part of the front. 

Once you "touch screen to begin", the main silver part does open up. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of what that looks like, but it is a small opening that pops out, like a drawer. It opens forward, where it just tilts enough that you put your chosen pouch in and push the drawer back so it's flush against the front. 

It's hard to describe without a picture or video. I'm sorry. 

But the pouch slides in, bottom first, so that the cover of the pouch is what holds the whole thing in place. The barcode on the pouch tells the machine what kind of coffee or tea it is, and it's brewed accordingly. 

As I chose the Lavazza Vanilla Latte coffee, my mother chose Bright Earl Grey tea. 

The tea, according to my mother, was wonderful. She really enjoyed it. I did not get a picture of that, sadly enough.

The Lavazza on the other hand, was okay. I think because the brand is known as an espresso coffee, it did taste slightly bitter. Even though there are 8g of sugar in it and milk derivatives, there was a slight burnt aftertaste. Also, towards the end of the drink, there was still a small lump of powder in my cup, so I had to mix that with the rest of the liquid. 




Yes, this had powder in it. I'm sure the tea was actual tea of sorts and the coffee has coffee beans. But it's so finely ground, something might be bound to slip through. 

The pouch reminds me of the kids applesauce or fruit (juice) pouches they can open and dink out of. There's some twist cap that opens the bag and acts almost like a straw. These coffee pouches are smaller than that - more condensed. 

Once the brew is made, the empty pouch gets dropped into a waste basket in the back of the machine, so you don't see it or need to touch it. Only time you would do anything with it, would be when you're emptying the basket. 

The types of things this can brew are teas, coffees, hot chocolates and refresher type drinks. The prices range from $25 to over $75, due to how many are in each box / case and what the brand is (Dove hot chocolate vs Alterra coffee, or 1 count of 20 vs 1 count of 100, for example). 

Is this worth it in the end? 

For a single person or household of 2-4 people, I honestly don't know.

It's fun to look at and see where technology is going for the future of our java consumption, however, the initial expense may not be worth it. 

I was showing my mother the cost of some of the coffees, and she said that it's a crap shoot - a 38 count of decaf coffee "is one cup a day" and it's over $50. 

My mom has a (long time) friend who could very well go through 2 pots of decaf every day, if not more, so this isn't worth the investment for that person. True, the woman is constantly making a pot of drip coffee, but if she were to purchase this Flavia machine, she'd be paying several hundred dollars more a month for her drinking habits. Whereas, if she stayed with what she's doing, she very well would be paying ... maybe ... fifty dollars a month, or less, depending on what brand she is buying / what's on sale. 

I guess, it really just depends on you: Do you buy the new gizmos and gadgets and upgrade when you can? Do you want to know that you can pop in a pouch and the machine automatically adjusts temperatures and speed, knowing you're about to drink a cold brew, rather than a hot tea? Do you need an app on your phone to tell you the machine needs fixing? People doom scroll on their smart devices; now they're doom scrolling on their smart machines. Prices are going up for everything right now as it is, paying so much for a specialized contraption for coffee shouldn't be on that list, even though these pouches are only good for the Flavia line of machines. It's like buying the Nespresso bullet pods or when Tassimo was an early competitor to Keurig and it had a specific design to their circular pod. You can't buy just any brand of coffee and stick it in your machine. True, you can buy off brand / designs for Keurig now, but the more specific machine makers are not allowing that to happen because they're creating different style discs for your brewing pleasure. Which is why getting a pouch for Flavia will be hard to continue using if something were to happen to the machine and you don't like it anymore. You've created something you can't reuse or reshape into the next big thing to buy. 

It's totally something to think about. What are you doing now? What do you think you'll do next week? There's nothing like instant coffee during an emergency, when the power goes out and you're using your grill to cook everything. We learned that during Ian. I'd drink instant even without being "off the grid". I just won't drink powdered creamer. That's a definite deal breaker for me. I like regular drip coffee, so I miss my Mr. Coffee maker. We have a Keurig in my house and my mom swears by those pods. We've had the Tassimo in the early 2000s. I've seen the Nespresso in the stores. It's all basically the same Arabica coffee, just being packaged differently. 

You do you and spend your greenbacks the way you want. Again, it's fun to see the new technology come out and try it once in a while, but what is the overall "worth it" value to you? Will you use this until it's deader than a zombie apocalypse in the height of winter, or will you trade up in six months before something happens? Everyone's different. 

Just watch what you're doing and don't get too involved and invested. You may overdo it and end up in the hospital due to rapid heart rate..


Cheers;

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Chucky is...

 ... the serial killer version of the ‘My Buddy’ doll. 

For those of you too young to know, or not IN the know, ‘My Buddy’ and his ‘Kid Sister’ were dolls we had in the 1980s and early 1990s. They were toddler size, so imagine a 5 year old trying to carry around a toy that is literally their height. 


Photo of "My Buddy" being sold on the Walmart website



If you have seen the first Child’s Play movie, you’ll know how the little boy struggled to carry Chucky around the house and Chicago neighborhoods. Take that image and imagine you or your family doing the same with Buddy.


Photo of Chucky, taken from Amazon's website



I got to thinking about this because the company I work for, is having a Halloween party this week. Not everyone is working, but all are invited to stop in, in costume, for the chance of winning a prize. 

The price hasn't been spoken of yet. But there will be two winners. 

I’ve been trying to figure out what to do, since I’m one of the ones not scheduled. Luckily, I live within 10 minutes of work, so if I decide to pop in for a snack and a chance to scare my coworkers, it’s not completely out of the way for me. 

I know you’re thinking “ten minutes? What happened to having cross town magic? You used to talk about it taking forever to get to work, in horrible flooding, etc." Well, much to my dismay, I’ve got a new job. And it’s part time. I’m not going into details, but I’m in a different field and different situation. 

It’s actually more in line with my communication degree, to an extent, which might benefit me one of these days. It’ll even out at some point. 

I hope.

So I may do something Chucky related, as I do have a shirt I could wear. I'd just need to add some scary to it, and I'll be on my way. 

Speaking of scary (and work), I was a little early on Saturday, so I had time to walk around a little bit of the area that my office is located at. 

I saw the most random placement of carved pumpkins and didn't seem to find any others in that area. 




I also saw a Thomas Edison statue (with a bird on his head).





Some "low hanging fruit" on a tree. No, they aren't fruit, but they're definitely bulbous and strange. Along with the roots hanging down (or whatever they are). I couldn't get clear pictures of the orchids (?) hanging, as I was shooting in the sun and was trying to watch my time. 










Plus, I was trying to balance my Yeti in my hands as well (even though it's in a carrying case, it's still weird to try to hold a camera and the cup). 

One of these days I'll have to bring my Canon with me or go in on a day I'm not working, and take more photos. Everything posted above, was taken with an iPhone 11, including the photos below.

My neighbor added more decorations to their yard. The people with the skeletons hanging out on lawn chairs. 





You have to really get up close and personal to the skeleton by the bush, because there's a hidden person in there. 




I didn't even know she was reading by the drain spout until I walked up and saw her. I had taken a photo of the skeleton and wondered what else was put up, if anything was by the door. When I saw the witch, I was like "weird!" but there's nothing else around the corner. She ends the decoration.

I do have to say, I am amused with one of the neighbors though. 

I've seen a house with a Bigfoot stealing a flamingo flag and every time I see it, I nearly lose control of my car. It's so amazing to see that because you know you have to believe in cryptids in order to display something like this. The person has kept it out all year, and suddenly it has disappeared. Sure, they've put up Halloween decorations, but why take that flag down?

Well, I found it around the corner. Another neighbor has it.




And it looks like the same faded one the other person owned. This time, I was walking and I got to take a picture of it. I immediately sent it to a few of my friends who I know would enjoy it. 

It's just that epic. Especially for someone in Florida. It's not a normal flag you would find, and it surely adds to the "sun and fun" aspect without being crazy or weird. 

Oh, by the way: Emi, if you're reading this, I found another frog friend.




He was at the door at work yesterday. I thought of you and all the frogs we would see when doing the Farmer's Market cleanup. So maybe this guy is a cousin?? Who knows, but now we have more! Although lately, it's this type of frog I usually see in the shutters when we close them during a hurricane....

Hopefully it's just coincidence and nature that I saw this guy and we're not expected to get anything. Emi, are you back in the area?? Is this a sign you're taking a few days off from work????????

I should get going. I've got some errands to run and things to do, speaking of taking off from work. Maybe today will be a decent day and no rain, as it poured last night. We had a good thunder and lightning show, and majority of it happened when I was at the gym. Luckily, no loss of power, so I could watch a new AMC show and get my walking and elliptical use in. 

If we stay dry today, we stay dry. If it rains, well, this is Florida and the end of rainy season... 

Stay whatever you want. Be you and do you.

Cheers;

Friday, October 24, 2025

It was fifty years ago....

 ... that the world was introduced to a dance craze where you were told to "Step to the left. Jump to the right. With your hands on your hips, you bring your knees in tight. But it's the pelvic thrust that drives you insane". 

Okay, a little weird of a start, but those lines are from the song "Time Warp" and was in the movie "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". The dance didn't catch on, if only for the Saturday midnight shows years later, but both the music and the film have had a cultural impact on all societies and all generations. 

Due to this year being the fiftieth anniversary of the 'show', there have been a lot of interviews over the last two months from the cast. This includes a convention at the end of September in Los Angeles and a handful of video clips from news shows. The various speaking engagement included Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell, Patricia Quinn and Tim Curry. Although I haven't seen or heard anything where Susan Sarandon or Richard O'Brien are being interviewed, there have been photos posted online of Jim Sharman, who directed the movie. 

It's so weird to know this "cult classic" is fifty. Yes, it's before my time, and strange to watch, but it's one of those movies that has a place in the world - for good and for bad. I remember going with my youth group in the 1990s to see a shadow cast performance. I really want to say it was at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. 

For some strange reason, that theater is sticking out in my mind. How else would I know of it? Last time I was in the area, I was in college and would randomly pop in to Harvard Square (which is the next block). I'd not be there at night, for a show and it feels like this would be the only place that would hold such an event. When I went to see Rocky Horror, I was in my early teens (like... 10?). I remember my youth group standing against a brick building, waiting to get let in to the theater. There were other adults outside, not part of our group - random strangers wanting to see the movie too. It wasn't freezing out, but it also wasn't warm, considering it was late at night. It was one of those early fall evenings where we had our jackets on (because it was after 10pm and we'd get out after 2am and bus back to the religious building to sleep in, so our parents would pick us up that Sunday morning). I didn't know much at that point about the film, but it was something to do with my youth group; an experience for the under 18 crowd (we ranged in age from 9 to 18). From that point on, over the years, I gained an appreciation for the movie and the cast. 

I also gained a better appreciation for Tim Curry. I had seen quite a few of his ventures, leading up to the night I went to RHPS, as well as looking into his life since. He's a stage performer, musician, actor, activist and now author. 

His memoir Vagabond was released "just last week" and it's available in the following formats: audiobook, audio CD, e-reader and paper copy. I want to say that the title is taken from a song off of one of his albums, but I could be wrong. 

According to a few articles, Curry has voiced the audiobook copy. Given that he's confined to a wheelchair due to a 2012 stroke, it's amazing that he not only had his memoir written, but he read it aloud for audiophiles. He's totally taking the right direction and not letting this disability ruin his life.


Per Amazon, the synopsis is:
"This memoir is a celebration of Tim Curry's life’s work, and a testament to his profound impact on the entertainment industry as we know it today.

There are few stars in Hollywood today that can boast the kind of resume Tony award-nominated actor Tim Curry has built over the past five decades. From his breakout role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show to his iconic depiction as the sadistic clown Pennywise in It to his critically acclaimed role as the original King Arthur in both the Broadway and West End versions of Spamalot, Curry redefined what it meant to be a “character actor,” portraying heroes and villains alike with complexity, nuance, and a genuine understanding of human darkness. 

Now, in his memoir, Curry takes readers behind-the-scenes of his rise to fame from his early beginnings as a military brat to his formative years in boarding school and university, to the moment when he hit the stage for the first time. He goes in-depth about what it was like to work on some of the most emblematic works of the 20th century, constantly switching between a camera and a live audience. He also explores the voicework that defined his later career and provided him with a chance to pivot after surviving a catastrophic stroke in 2012 that nearly took his life. 

With the upcoming 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the 40th anniversary of Clue, there’s never been a better time for Tim to share his story with the world."
 

I am interested in obtaining a copy of either the audiobook or audio CD but I know it'll be a large file and multiple discs. It's going to be worth it, but I may end up just buying the book instead as I totally want to read this memoir. He's an interesting person as it is, and I would love to support him by purchasing his writing. I've just got to decide which format I want to get. The holidays are coming up, so maybe my relatives will kick over a few bucks in my Amazon account and I'll be able to choose what version I want to obtain, but then again, if I can save enough, I'm also going to need an external hard drive. 

Oh, the priorities... support the arts and also a reading habit, or get a device to back up all my digital junk from my computer... First World problems! 

But I would suggest to anyone reading this, definitely support the arts. Let's unban books and get all humans reading again, even if they're buying the audio version...


Take care of yourselves and learn something new!

Cheers;

Friday, October 17, 2025

The decorating has begun

 It's slowly getting closer to Halloween, which means the neighbors are quietly putting their ghouls and goblins out in the yard.

Every one has been buying new items this year and it's very surprising how creative people are getting.

Case in point, a neighbor down the street from me, has decided to upcycle her husband's wheelchair as well as some camping chairs. She added some drinking buddies, by way of skeletons, as well as a stationary yard crawler and an owl. 







What I didn't get a picture of, was a recent addition (she added it after I took the photos and I haven't been back). She added a witch of sort, about 6 feet tall, standing by the garage. It's strange to see it, because it's hiding among the bushes between the houses. I'm sure it's there because it's powered to a socket and the owner wants it to wiggle and jiggle when / if someone approaches. 

I just had to laugh at the decorations though. I didn't expect this from her, but I kind of did. She's such a nice woman and totally open minded to things, so I'm sure she had a blast trying to figure out how to put it all together. It doesn't help much that her sister is part of the social committee and there's a contest going on for people who are putting things out for the sugar rush night. I am sure this woman wants to win, but I've seen a lot of houses in the community who have a ton of things out. 

We're talking blowup scenes that would make Kris Kringle blush. 

Things like entire movie sets from The Nightmare Before Christmas and various garage door covers (the bat one with the pumpkins is popular - two house have that particular version and they're on the same street). Last year, someone had a Beetlejuice cover, and that owner had been dressed like the B man and his wife as Lydia. It was straight out of the end of the movie - they replicated the wedding scene. #nospoilers

It's so crazy to see how people keep upping the ante every year. Gone are the days (in my old neighborhood) where the one family would create an elaborate theme by using a Radio Flyer and their kids. Every trick or treat night, the dad would be pulling the kids in some sort of float, whether it was a pirate ship, space ship, cowboys, or spur of the moment quick thinking. That family won the surprise medal every time they turned up. 

Although, going back to last year, a full family (several generations) all dressed alike. They were a walking skeleton crew. From grandma and great aunt all the way down to the infants, everyone was wearing that black onesie with the white skeleton body painted on it. There had to be at least 20 of them in that party and they walked the community, taking the chocolates and such from every stranger they came across. It was wild. 

It'll be so interesting this year and at one point I'm going to have to drive around my community at night and get pictures of the houses. I just need someone to go with me so I can sit in the passenger seat and take the photos.

Until then, stay safe and inside. You don't know what will attach to you if you go a-wandering....


Cheers;






See also:
* Skeletal owls via Amazon
* Skeletons via Amazon
* Stationary crawler via Amazon
* Camping chairs via Amazon
* Skeleton bodysuit via Amazon

Thursday, October 9, 2025

"It ain't over til it's over'

Amazon's October Prime Deals are over, but that didn't stop a lot of people from buying things they needed. I honestly thought about purchasing a Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 because I am going to need another one soon (I backup my computer several times a month, rather than weekly like some people do). Now that it's a day after the deals are over, the 15% discount I saw yesterday (making the drive $109.99 instead of $129.99), may "force" me to wait until Black Friday deals as I'm hoping it stays at this price point until then and there will be a better discount for Thanksgiving. I don't need it that badly at the moment to buy it now. Although, it is sitting in my cart; I'm hoping the conspiracy hack of "Amazon sees you keep stuff in your cart and will offer you a discount for purchasing it if you wait long enough" will work. I can't confirm that it does, but I've heard stories about it. So if it's true, I'll find out in my own account (and report back). 

I went to the gym last night, as I didn't have opportunity in the day time. It's so much more quiet after 6pm there because it's my community's gym and we don't have that many machines to begin with. Therefore, I got to watch whatever I wanted while working out. 

During the day, especially this past week, I've been watching one "Nightmare on Elm St" movie a day. I hate to admit it, but I've never seen any of the films. I know the character references, but of all the horror movies I've watched in my lifetime, this is one of the series I've not started. For two hours a day, over the past six days, I've been seeing Freddy Krueger ruin people's dreams. 

Side note, I've not seen the "Halloween", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and Friday the 13th movies either (even though I probably see the latter since I was born on Friday the 13th). I'm bad; don't judge. I've seen other horror and thriller movies; just not these specifics. Again, at least I know references. 

For as dated as these movies feel (hello: it's the 1980s: clothes, hair, posters on the walls), the graphics still hold up. Sure, some of the scenes look so fake and so old (not as crisp as what we're used to right now), but overall, if you said they were filmed over 30 years ago, I'd say "maybe 20 but nothing later". They honestly look like they're more recent movies, or else there's some serious upscaling to be able to see them on a high definition television. 

Meanwhile, I have one movie left in the collection to watch - Wes Craven's New Nightmare, which technically isn't part of the series, but an adjacent film. I think the film after that is Freddy vs. Jason, which is oddly enough, something I saw in the cinema. I happened to be working that day and snuck in after work. I had nothing else to do - didn't need to be home right away, so I stayed and watched a movie.

Yes, I know it's strange I saw Freddy vs. Jason after just saying I've not seen the original movies, but again, I didn't want to go home as I didn't have anything else to do that day. Why not make the best of your workplace and stay for a show? I had done that frequently when I worked at the cinema - either paying for one show, and staying for a double header (I did that one day with Harry Potter and something else). Or I stayed after work and watched something that suited my fancy (like the 2003 Hulk). I don't recommend doing this at all. We're in different times and you're apt to get arrested now. I'm lucky I didn't and I understand what I did was wrong. I've atoned for those endeavors and they are water under the bridge now. 

Anyway, having worked out last night and seeing another movie, I was able to see the moon hiding behind the clouds while leaving the gym. They're not the best photos of the moon (I took them on my iPhone 11), but the foreground of the playground is pretty cool. 







I didn't feel like getting my Canon out when I got home. I was tired, sweaty and it's buggy out. I would have had to grab my zoom lens, camera, tripod and set everything up in the street to get a picture over my end of the houses. I often feel ridiculous doing this, especially at night, because my neighbors can be judgey. And you don't know what animals are lurking around - I once came home late from work, on a trash night, and got within a foot of a trash panda. This was when we first moved here, so I haven't seen the raccoon since. 

It's just as well because those things are spicy little buggers. 

I remember working at a hotel in Naples, and there was always one hanging out at the back dumpsters, looking for scraps. The smokers bench was 10 feet from the dumpster, and when it was break time, I'd go outside with my co workers so they could smoke. I wanted the fresh air (or lack there of since I was sitting with smokers) and they wanted their nicotine. The times we were working at night, we'd watch the raccoon go all in on the dumpster and every once in a while turn to us, as if to check us out and see what we were doing and if we were going to bother it. 

Needless to say, I've had my fair share of wild animal run ins locally. Which isn't to be confused with the New England wildlife I used to see - we would get ducks in our yard after bad rain (because we ended up with a lake in the grass), foxes, every so often deer, and once I saw a beaver run through the yards. I think it was a beaver; it was grey with a wide brown tail. I tried getting a picture of it, but failed. 

So last night's moon pictures are as good as I can do with my phone and being lazy. I know it could have been better and I could have gotten more photos, but I wanted to go inside and get ready for bed. 

Today I plan on doing some errands and when I go back to the gym, I can hopefully see the Nightmare movie with no issues.

Until I can sort everything out... stay safe. 


Cheers;








See also:
* Title of blog comes from the 1991 Lenny Kravitz song, "It Ain't Over Til It's Over", which is track 4 from "Mama Said".
A Nightmare on Elm St via Amazon
Halloween movie via Amazon
Friday the 13th via Amazon

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

I hate fighting screens in order to take photos

Every time there is something of interest outside and I don't have a great way to photograph the thing, I always have to fight a window screen in order to get proof that it happened. 

Case in point: when I am trying to capture various wildlife outside of my condo, whether it's a bird, snake or rabbit in the back yard; or, as in the newest incident, it's a small turtle outside my bedroom window, eating the semi dying plants.

Yes, I happened to look out my window yesterday and saw what I think is a "Florida Cooter Turtle" (hehe.. I said "cooter"). According to the Internet and various searching, the thing I saw online, really looks like that's what has been seeing around the community. Last time I took photos of a turtle, it may ve been a Cooter as well. Just well mossed over. 

One of the websites I found information on, is Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. I'm still a little confused, but it really looks like this is what I've been seeing. If anyone knows how to read the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), I found information there as well. There are so many other sites, I'm sure this yellow striped reptile is correct. 

Using my handy dandy (but currently offered either as a bundle from a third party or certified refurbished on Amazon) Canon EOS Rebel T7i DSLR Camera with Canon EF 75-300mm zoom lens, I was able to take some shots of the turtle while he escaped the heat and ate some food. 












Again, they're not the best because I was trying to capture him through my window and not have to go outside and disturb him. Plus, if I was on the walkway, I'd be photographing him from behind, so all you would see would be his butt. 

I don't think anyone wants to see that. 

Plus, had I walked out and over to him, he would have shelled up and I wouldn't have gotten his face, neck or legs in the photo. I would only have gotten the shell. 

I could have popped out my screen and taken the photos, but I honestly didn't want to disturb him. He was minding his own business and although I know how to push the screen back in (from the outside. Luckily we're on the first floor), I don't like doing that. 

It took me one time to realize the screen was already not sitting correctly when I tried fixing it and it fell out. Panic set in and I was able to put it back.

Therefore, it's not the greatest ideas to keep attempting to take it out, especially when it's not really warranted (examples would be if we were on the second floor and needing to close our shutters due to a hurricane).

As this would be one of the times I didn't want to tempt the fates in trying to get it back in, I really didn't want to have to go out and walk in the path of the turtle, which in turn would be interrupting his snack time. It would then defeat the purpose of not having gone out to begin with. 

It's a vicious cycle, for what benefit?

Not mine, not his, not yours. Just have some respect and courtesy. I am sure he didn't mind the photo op as he ate, but at what point do you call it a day and let him alone?

After about 40 pictures and two attempts at making a video. I wasn't using a tripod or stabilizer, so the camera kept shaking as I was trying to take the video. Which is why I'm only mentioning it and not uploading it. They're both only 30 seconds or so, but shaky as hell. The lens is too heavy to hold up and not have any movement. 

There's a reason I don't do video work professionally, and also without backup. 

Too many years of creating motion pictures and the visuals come out looking like I had a seizure because I didn't use any type of tripod on the camera. 

Video is one of those beasts where you can't be thinking that you're still when you're not. You're bound to have the shakes at some point. 

Anyway, I hope the turtle comes back. If he does, I'll try to get a photo or two (or 20) outside. Maybe those will be better. 

Until then, keep munching away on the flora and fauna.

Cheers;