Ah, to be young and have "problems"...

My brother Christopher and I were talking on the phone yesterday when he presented me with his current dilemma. “I want to buy something,” he said, “but I don’t know what.” He went on to explain that he had just about everything a young man could want, and while he used to find pleasure in buying things, he just couldn’t come up with anything.

Sassy jeans? He has them.

Shoes? How many shoes does a man (he says this with a bit of Tim Allen in his voice) need?

A lens for his sister? Kathleen, why would I buy you a lens? I miss the point, you see. Apparently he wants to buy something for himself.

It was worth a shot. I will have to find another way to get that Nikon 105mm f/2.8D Micro lens that I’ve had my eye on. eBay isn’t working for me. I keep getting outbid at the last minute, and I don’t want to pay a lot for that muffler. Unfortunately, Nikon doesn’t make the lens I want anymore. They replaced it with a lens that Ken Rockwell doesn’t like as much, and I trust Ken Rockwell implicitly. So I’m forced (kicking and screaming “please don’t make me buy this lens!!!” all the way) to buy a used lens on eBay or craigslist or ideally Adorama or B&H (reputable camera dealers that sell used equipment). Oh, wow, wait a minute, B&H has my lens. [Be right back.] Chris will be so jealous - I just bought something!

Oh, I can't wait - just in time for flowers and bugs and summer! I will soon have a macro lens!! As if my photography obsession needed more encouragement. More on that later...