Nostalgia...

A while back, I got a nice little package in the mail.. It was a system to convert video tape to DVD.. However, life being what it is, I never got around to playing with it. So, deciding to utilize the time I have on my hands right now, I crawled into the back of the closet and dug out all the old video tapes.. Since I have two camcorders, there are two types of tapes.. One is a compact VHS and the other is digital tape.. Luckily, the system can handle both.. So, this past weekend I set-up the system and all the camcorders.. I have adapters to play both sets of tapes in a regular VHS machine..
Sadly, I have no VHS machine.. Haven't had one for three or four years.. :):)
Anyway, hooked up all the wires and installed the software.. One thing I didn't realize, you have to do it real time.. So, I spent several, SEVERAL hours watching old videos.. At least they were my home videos.. And when I say mine, I realized that, with the exception of about a half hour shot by my brother and a half hour shot by my mother (in China), I shot all of the video.. CD never did any..
I guess there are things you simply put out of your head.. Things not worth remembering.. Or too disheartening to remember.. The following falls into the 'I didn't remember this at all' category.. The first foray with a video camera and CD was a trip we took many years ago.. I borrowed one from a friend.. This was many moons ago, so that bastard was heavy.. Like 20 pounds heavy.. Doesn't sound like much.. Lug it around for 4 hours in a damn fort that was abandoned 150 years ago.. It gets tiring.. So, I was going to take it back to the car (and I was sick of that damn fort).. He acted as though I brought the damn camera just so I'd have an excuse to cut his fun short.. I told him to stay, look, walk.. I'd be back.. He sulked for a while..
That should have told me something.. But, I guess hindsight is 20/20..
Regardless of the reason, he never, ever shot any video.. Or took any photos..
Anyway, the vast majority of the tapes I have are of DD.. The very first time I saw her in person.. Getting to know her on her first days with me.. Baby shower, her with my parents, her first steps.. Her learning all the things they learn in their first few years.. Watching her lose her freaking mind over the Wiggles.. She could dance and sing with all the tapes.. The one with the Crocodile Hunter was her absolute favorite!! You know, I never did tell her he died.. Probably won't.. Watching her first dance recital (and every one since), Christmases, family gatherings, school programs, her playing in three feet of show.. Seeing her with my dad.. That was hard.. Watching her learn to swim and riding horses.. The child has never been afraid of anything.. Three years old and tickled she was riding but ticked that they wouldn't let her have the reins.. Now, she can ride any horse you can rent for a kid to ride. Seeing her on a horse with a back taller than me and looking like she's got the world by the tail is a wonderful sight.. Seeing her riding rides at the fair that I would never ride, even in my teens.. The child is fearless when it comes to these things..
Anyway, I had a great time watching her.. But have to admit to having mixed feelings about showing them to her.. You see, CD is in a few of them.. The last thing I want is for her to become sad by seeing him.. If I could just figure out how to make a DVD with just the scenes without him..
Now I have a dozen DVDs of video.. And lucked out on a sale.. Six name brand DVD-R's for a dollar.. I bought one pack just to see if they worked.. They did.. And they all have thus far.. Went back and bought a dozen of them.. Then today decided to make use of a wicked cool DVD copier we have at work to make a set for my mother.. So, I went back today and bought the store out.. :):)
You know.. I haven't broken out a camcorder in several years.. My cameras take video and I've used those for the past three years.. But the picture on that digital camcorder is fantastic.. Thinking I may have break it out again... :)