Been away for a while. Glad to come back and see you're still giving really good responses. Thanks.

To me the solution to these types of problems is usually in the first phrase.

Thanks! I am looking at printers because my HP is basically a POS.

Another vote for Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). We have done two African safaris with OAT and both were wonderful. Very reasonable sized groups (under 15) and great local trip leaders and guides. No pressure on anything but work hard to give you what you want.

Note: these are not dedicated photo safaris so if that's what you want look to another company. However, there have been many photographers with us on our trips and we've had plenty of time for our shots. However, no one brought tripods as most were from the vehicles so bring a towel or something to steady your camera on while in the vehicle. Don't plan on changing lenses in the field as it is dusty. Also, watch the weight limits because these trips are nimble and often use small planes to get you from place to place so a 30 or 40 pound weight limit is pretty strictly enforced.

A good zoom is a good choice with perhaps a very fast lens for night drives. On any day we often had animals a few feet from the vehicle and also over a hundred yards.

OAT also has a very generous change program so if something happens to your trip they'll let you change to another time or different trip with no penalty. (Do check that but that's what we have on our scheduled trip to Patagonia in November).

Hope you have a great trip!

As we say in motorcycles, "Ride your own ride." While it's good to explore as many approaches to photography as possible it's a trap to let them make you lose faith in yourself. You know what you like to shoot and why. And, yes, it's fine to shoot in the middle of the day when that's all you have (since I shoot a lot of travel photos I often have only mid-day to catch a location or event). Just do the best you can. Not every photo needs to be one you enter into competition. What you should take away from the classes is "continuous improvement." That is being more and more aware of what you're shooting in each shot. As the other say--the pictures you post here are great.

No question that the social security COLA does not keep up with real inflation--it tracks the CPI-W that leaves out a few expenses most of us incur. However, the opposite is no COLA which is even worse. So I'll take wh**ever COLA we get. (Note I'm not on social security but on the CSRS (federal employee) retirement system that uses the same measure as social security.

Actually Congress has no part in the social security (Title II) increase as it's set by law (the Social Security Act). So unless they amend the act (which I predict they won't) it will just be automatic. I'm pretty sure this is the correct computation: A COLA effective for December of the current year is equal to the percentage increase (if any) in the CPI-W from the average for the third quarter of the current year to the average for the third quarter of the last year in which a COLA became effective.

Not sure but I like your answer...

I joke about losing it and will always do so. I do what I can to keep fit--brain and body but it will deteriorate--that's all I can do except enjoy the human life cycle. Of course I've been doing bone-headed things since I was young so I have a lot of practice.

Nice choice of words--we "manage" but don't "control" chaos. It helps to have a good sense of humor too.

I agree and laugh with all of those but I must admit I'm having a blast growing older but not up. It's better than childhood as no parents to boss me around (except maybe wife when things get really crazy) and better than school and working even though I loved school and work. Now I have my own girl who constantly amazes me so I don't have to work too hard for dates, I own my own house so no rent, I have all my expenses covered for the foreseeable future and travel on motorcycle or internationally regularly taking pictures and experiences (COVID excepted). All those little things are just funny. p.s. I'm not bragging because I know how lucky I am to be where I am although I do credit some hard work too.

I agree. I tried several third party batteries when I had my Nikon and all failed before the original Nikon battery. I agree there are probably some good or better third party batteries out there but with the Nikon batteries you pretty much get what you expect which is good.

Love it--that's the story of my youth--happened numerous times in similar ways although never with a Jag.

OK, I loved the Jaguars too. We had a MK IV coupe which was wonderful although not a true sports car. Yes, when we're talking years ago the "good price" was the key as money was limited. I was lucky that someone traded in my Austin Healey to a car dealer who was the father of a friend of mine. We lived in a very small town in Nebraska (4210) and no one knew what this car was and no one wanted it. Just back from Turkey I fell in love with it--the battery didn't work so he pushed me out of the lot and I popped the clutch, heard that distinctive British roar and fell totally in love. As I said, I was in the service, a friend of his son's and he was motivated to sell so he made sure I could afford it. One of the best deals I ever got.

My overdrive worked perfectly in my Austin Healey 3000 but I assume I was lucky because I've heard a lot of stories about them being problematic.

The MGA was a great car--I came on the Austin Healy by accident at a good price (plus I was coming back from a year in Turkey where I didn't have that much to spend my money on).