In an attempt to salvage what I have left of my personal pleasures, I have started a search for a new hobby. Since losing my sport I have been craving for something to replace it. Dressage is a very intensive sport, very competitive and time-consuming. Do I want to replace it with something as equally intensive? Not really, something more relaxed and laid-back would do.

Another sport is out of the question. Not only am I not the sporty type, whenever I do play sports I want to be the best. I’m in it to win, and to win means intensive practice and much time. I said relaxed, and I want relaxed. Writing is — or at least it can be relaxed, but to me it is more a profession instead of a hobby-type activity. Out of the question.

Filming is too time-consuming for me, but something related to it is a better choice: photography. I have never really made good photos, mostly because my old Sony point-and-shoot is too clunky and of too low-quality to make good photos. We do own a Minolta single-lens reflex camera, but it’s an analog one and doesn’t work that well anymore. So, new equipment is needed.

I have been looking around, and I think I have found the perfect DSLR camera for my needs. I know Canon is the darling of photographers and it came close to my decision falling on a Canon. But in every consumer electronics choice (except when it comes to computers or portable music players) I’m automatically drawn to another Japanese brand: Sony. I’m so familiar with and addicted to Sony products that it’s almost a psychological disease.

Even though I do like the Canon EOS 450D (EOS Rebel XSi in North America), my decision falls somewhere inside the Sony α (Alpha) family of digital single-lens reflex cameras. I was going for the Sony α 350, but then I thought, “do I really need all those specifications?” I’m just an amateur, and it’s just going to be a little ol’ hobby, nothing more. So, eventually my heart came to belong to the Sony α 200. It’s the best price-specifications camera for my amateurish level of photography. And also, the Sony α family is based upon Sony Corporation’s acquisition of Konica Minolta’s camera division, which means that there is a possibility that my fathers Minolta SLR lens works on the Sony α 200!

Now comes the decision, do I order it online or do I go to the store? I’m agoraphobic, so any option that leads to me not leaving the house and having to face people is best to me. But the wait — the awful wait. Sure, it’s only a 24 hour wait, no big deal you would think. Well, I think, way big deal. I hate waiting, waiting, all that damn waiting. So, I think I’ll be heading out to the stores tomorrow (or Tuesday, because I have a dental appointment tomorrow which means I’ll have to face… people) and getting me a sweet Sony α 200. Oh the joy!