How To Buy And Use A Mini-Tripod With Your Mobile Phone

I just took a photo with my mobile phone on a tripod, for the first time. Success? What took me so long?

Problem
For years I had seen people setting up their mobile phones on desks to record themselves giving a speech. I had also seen people set up a mobile phone on a tripod to take a wide-angle photo of a group, set the timer and run to join the group.

I had suggested that a group I belong to should invest in a tripod so that members and visitors could record themselves speaking.

I recall the format: attention, interest, desire, action.

Why record yourself?

Attention
You can share your photos and make friends and win kudos. Keep in touch with guests.

Equally important, look at the photo. The camera makes you pay attention to yourself and your surroundings. The camera does not lie. Friends will be polite. You look in the mirror and from the front you look okay. But from the back, the mobile phone photo or video reveals, your hair is uncombed.

Hair - Bald Patches and Roots
Your camera says that when you walk onto the stage everybody can see your bald spot. Back view shows the roots of your hair are a different colour. Nobody will tell you that. The camera will tell you.

Interest - Your Outfit Analysed
The camera shows if your shoes are down at heel, or your shirt is hanging untidily below your jacket. If you got your appearance, your look, just right, the camera tells you that you looked wonderful, even if everybody else was too busy to take time to congratulate you.

The Room Revealed
The camera will tell you that the room looks a mess and a fire hazard with bags in the aisles. The Sargeant-at-arms responsible for the room set up and health and safety should be like the air hostess before take-off. He or she should walk up and down the aisles to check the route to the exit is clear and ask for obstructions to be removed, before they trip up somebody running up the aisle to speak on stage.

Desire
Yes, I had wanted to record for years. The camera can be set up on the front table. No need to have yourself on recorded telling somebody else, 'Press here'. If other people are too busy with their own speeches, never mind, you can record youself.

In Focus
The other great thing about the tripod is that you can take photos indoors, at night, in poor light and artificial light, with less risk of camera shake.

Action
How did I do it? The first surprise was that the tripod was so cheap. I already had a tripod. I must have bought it from the Poundland Shop in Harrow, London, England. The tripod was still attached to its backing, which said that it came from Birmingham, which is on many items supplied to the Poundland Shop.

So it had cost me only £1!

First step was to cut the plastic ties, relasing the tripod from the instructions and backing and pop the tripod into my bag. The tripod folds up small.

At the venue, second step was to attach the camera. I struggled with this. I was trying to pull the supports sideways and they clearly would not go. I asked my friend Anand for help and the problem was isntantly solved. You really have to be logical. It's like those taps in toilets. Process of elinination. If the door won't push, try pulling. If it won't go up sideways, try up and down. The camera was fixed by pulling the grip upwards, inserting the camera into the space, and letting the grip back down.

USING THE TIMER
At the end of the evening, we took a group photo. Another expert came to my aid. He set the camera up at the back of the room, checked everybody could be seen (small epople at the back come forward into the front row). He set the timer and ran to join us.

Afterwards, I went to take a photo but nothing happened. The camera was still set to timer so there was a delay.

REMOVING THE TIMER!
I ran after the photographer and asked him: 'How do I turn off the timer, and set the timer?'

He showed me that on an LG phone, the timer is in settings. You can move the timer through three settings, three seconds, ten seconds, and off.

Practising Using A Tripod
Before setting off to a meeting, try out your new tripod. Go onto the internet and type in the brand of your phone and the question, how do I set the timer.

Practice doing it at home. No tripod? Ask to see somebody else's and ask how the delay device works. Now that you know how to use it, you will be more inclined to buy one for yourself.

Buying a Tripod
If you don't have a tripod, look for one next time you are in a camera shop. You don't see one displayed?  Ask if they have one? Too expensive? Ask if they have a cheaper model. They might have a different one. Or they might mutter, "You can get one down the road in ... shop.'

Alternatively, look in a budget shop. You might also get one cheaply on the internet.

Happy snapping!

If you are running a speaking club or a photography training session, look for a cheap tripod to record your training, or to demonstrate the tripod to your pupils.

Harrow, London, England has both a Poundland and a One Pound Shop. Keep checking because their  stocks change all the time.

A miniature tripod from a budget store is also an inexpensive gift which is small enough to go in a Christmas stocking for children or adults. You'll be surte to get good use from it, taking pictures of the family's Christmas dinner.

Useful Websites
Lazada
A sturdy tripod at S$16.99
https://www.lazada.sg/products/heavy-duty-tripod-ubeesize-phone-and-camera-tabletop-mini-tripod-with-cell-phone-clip-holder-for-iphone-smartphoneswebcams-compact-camera

You Tube Demo of Poundland tripod


Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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Should I pay in their currency or mine? Should I sell in their currency or mine?

Problems
The shop has an article for twenty something, or 200 something in their currency. How mush is that? When they ask if I want to pay in their currency or mine, what should I do?

Answers
I used to like to have prices converted into sterling from, for example, Swiss francs or Euros.

I wanted to be sure that when they added on the tax they hadn't changed the sum from 20 to 200 without my noticing. (I would be more alert in my own currency). I wanted to be able to check
easily what I had paid when I got my bank statement later.

Sometimes local money has alarmingly high sounding amounts. Or I'm not sure of the rate. It's a good idea to check the exchange rate before going shopping.

type it out.
Write it in the back page of your diary or the inside cover, or make a book cover for your diary from a piece of A4 paper from a printer. Write or print the exchange rates and a sample of prices - especially good deals. Set your own budgets for everyday items and splurges.

For example -
coffee = don't pay more than £2.50 ... euros / ... US dollars.
lunch, two courses including drink, tax and service - don't pay more than ........ their currency ............ Euros .............. my currency.
last night dinner - don't pay more than £40 / ............euros including drink, coffee, tax and service.

Book I am selling - ask for .. US dollars / Singapore dollars / eruos. It cost me ... for printing and postage. Don't let them offer less than .......

Bus from hotel to airport costs ... dollars and takes half an hour
Taxi from hotel to airport ........ dollars and takes fifteeen minutes. If taxi wants more than ... dollars take the bus.

Gold jewellery
gold price is ............
add for workmanship / design ....
don't pay more than ......... for a bracelet ......... necklace ....... ear-rings

Wine costs .......... in supermarket in the US /UK /Europe /Asia  half bottle ...............
My duty free allowance is ..............
Don't pay more than .......... their currency or ......... my currency at the airport.

Silver 925 jewellery at home costs
£... for a ring from ....
£ .... for a bracelet on ebay
...... for a ..... on ebay ........

NOTE TO YOUR TRAVELLING FAMILY OR FRIENDS
Buy for yourself / buy for me as a gift / buy for me and I'll reimburse you
I am willing to buy if it's  less / same price / 10% more / twice the price if I fancy something

Advice to spouse / family member or colleague
Pay what they want / remember to bargain
Please buy me a souvenir if it's less / same / only 10% more / really nice - please send me a photo and price on what's ap and I'll text back 'yes buy' or no don't buy
Don't pay more than ............. Euros

Pay ..... shipping and ........insurance

Carpet or Rug Tansport Story
I didn't trust the factory or the shipping services to send me a small carpet back from a Shanghai factory where I bought an old, slightly dirty and stained carpet. They rolled it up and folded it expertly and tightly with their handy wrapping. It went back with me to my hotel in the car we'd had for the day. (A friend's husband had a car and chauffeur from work all day - best day of my life!).

By the time we got back, my husband was home to help carry it upstairs. So no need to find a porter nor trust a porter to disappear in the porter's lift with my precious purchase.

My husband wanted to unwrap it and see what I'd spent all the money on. "No, no, no! I'll never be able to get it back wrapped up as compactly! I've a photo of it."

"Uh-huh. Very nice."

He reflected. "Are you sure what they gave you is the item you photographed? What's in the package?"

"Yes. It's what I bought. I stood over it the whole time. Three of us carried it downstairs to the car."

"Good. Now we need something to protect it in transit and get it on the plane."

We tried all our suitcases and none of them fitted. We measured up and bought a large suitcase, the right shape. We took my rug home as hand luggage.

Back home, it unfolded fine. A nice design, good colours, reasonable price, a bit stained. After lots of work, three applications of carpet stain remover, drying out, trying again, the stains came out. A frayed corner went under a piece of furniture. Success.

I had paid half cash, and because I didn't have enough with me, the rest on credit card. At least the credit card charge would be halved.

Finally, the bill came for the credit card amount. Only half the total cost of the item, because I had paid part cash.

Currency
Back to the vexed question of currency. You think the price is a bargain, or the same as home but you like the item. Or a bit more, but it's a must have. Ask them to change to your currency?

However, Natwest bank emailed me (in July 2018) that paying in local currency is usually cheaper, because the shop or other business where you buy sometimes does not give a favourable exchange rate.

If you have a note of exhange rates or prices, make sure you note the date on the page, or throw away the old one and print out the latest prices. The price of gold can go up and down. The price of a currency against the US dollar or Euro or Pound Sterling can change.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Easter Cakes, Hot Cross Buns, Simnel Cakes and Panettone, From England, Europe and Worldwide, Could Survive The Spring Season Sales

Problem
What are hot cross, buns, simnel cakes, panettone? What can we have that's different next Easter, or buy discounted after Easter?

Fruited mini Hot Cross Buns in Waitrose. Photo by Angela Lasnbury. Copyright.

Answers
Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns - what are they? Basically, just sweet buns either plain or enhanced with currants plus a seasonal browned top so you can cut a cross in it. Why a cross? Nowadays, in Christian countries and Christian communities, representing Easter.

Cross?
The two factors are the cross on top and serving them hot with butter, because Easter can be a cold time of year, so it's nice to have a hot bun for tea, with your tea.

The cross is not usually a T- shape or cruciform but like a plus sign or X, depending which way the bun is placed on the plates. It can be seen as a religious symbol if you like, especially at Easter. However, why waste a good bun the day or days after Easter.

However, if you wish, you can make a lop-sided cross which looks more like a cruciform. I think it just looks untidy. Traditionally, just a neat, even cross with fur even sides is acceptable to those whether religious or not.

During Easter or afterwards it can be served to people of other religions or no religion, or other times of year. The cross serves as a convenient marker for dividing a bun up into four. Why divide it? For four children, or two or three or four adults watching their figures - meaning diets or budgets.

Round Buns Or Square?
You could buy or make square buns or round buns. If you like to think of it that way, the round shape is also a pagan or pre-Christian symbol of the renewal of life in spring, so a circle is seasonally appropriate for springtime. However, there's no law banning eating eggs, or having rabbits and others items which are symbols of spring at other times of year.

Bargain Buns
It's just that the shops have overstocked on these items at Easter, you might be able to pick up a bargain after everybody has spent time and money on the holidays and the shops want to go onto the next week's novelty.

Waitrose Easter Simnel cake. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Buns, bargain are not, are a cut-price item, even at full price. If your budget stretches to cake, at checkout I found Simnel cake.

Simnel Cakes Ingredients
Simnel cakes in Waitrose were 'spiced fruit cake with citrus peel and topped with marzipan. They had me when I read 'made with marzipan' topping, my favourite. Icing is just sugar with water, bad for the teeth and diet and too much makes you feel ill. However, marzipan is ground almonds mixed with sugar, which gives you some variety of flavour, some protein, and is less sickly. Yummy.

Other research tells me that a traditional simnel cake can have a central layer of marzipan. That sounds better.

Easter Decorations
Easter cakes can have twelve (or unlucky thirteen!) knobs of icing or marzipan or iced marzipan on top representing the twelve disciples, or twelve disciples and Jesus, like the markings on a clock face. Unlucky thirteen comes from thirteen around a table being believed by the superstitious to be unlucky as it is a reminder of the Last Supper, which was a Passover meal.

Another view is that you should have eleven knobs, minus the one for Judas. Oh, dear. The good news is, if you buy a cake and it has only eleven pieces of marzipan on the top, you have not been short-changed, and the person making the cake didn't try to sneakily eat a bit of the decoration hoping you wouldn't notice. Since Easter 2018 is already over, you can bake your own cake with however many decorations you fancy.

On the other hand, over in Europe, the Orthodox Easter comes later, and you still have a chance to buy traditional foods from their bakers, or be served some in a coffee shop, restaurant, hotel or a home.

Superstition, Symbols and Christian and Jewish Numbers
Jewish? Yes, Jesus and the disciples were Jewish, worshipping one God, unlike the Romans and Greeks and pagans who had many Gods. The number twelve was also a symbol of the twelve tribes, and twelve in the Jewish temple known in the Greek language as a synagogue or meeting place, from the Greek words sun, meaning meeting, and again, bring together.

Twelve, like the old British shillings and pennies, was easily divided into four. It is easy to cut a cake into twelve slices. Every guest gets a piece with the decoration.

No greedy person cake take an over-size slice or double portion without being noticed. That includes you, when guiltily finishing up the leftovers.

Conversation and Cake
If you wish your cake to be a seasonal symbol, to please or entertain your guests, who enjoy entertainment or history and other cultures, you have plenty of conversation to go with your cake.

Instead of Simnel cake, or in addition, another novelty cake is Panettone.

Easter Panettone in Waitrose. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyrigtht.

Panettone For All Seasons
Panettone was once exclusively found in Italy, Spain and Latin American countries, such as Venezuela, especially as the Christmas cake. However, it has appeared in supermarkets in the UK in the last decade. Now the British buyers and the English speaking buyers are accustomed to Panettone. I have seen it sold in supermarkets and Italian restaurants and cafes worldwide.

Panettone has been stocked in Tesco and other supermarkets in the last two or three years in London, England, and in Singapore. At first there was one full size plain Panettone. Then small medium and large. Then plain or chocolate. Then budget, medium price and expensive, in thin card wrapping, with a small ribbon bow or a fancy gift tin with wide ribbon and a huge bow.

Panettone lasts forever in a tin, especially if still sealed in the inner wrapper. I was eating one a year later.

After two years, another panettone, stored in the heat overhead, was dry or tasteless even when dunked in coffee. When I was coughing and stuck in with snow outside I discovered my old, dried-up panettone in a tin. In desperation, I made it into a mock layered trifle with yogurt and jam. It depends how fussy and desperate you are. My family flew in from overseas, like knights to the rescue, frowned at the last dried half inch, looked at me as if I was a lunatic, and threw it in the bin.

Reduced Price Panettone
Anyway, you can see that last week's panettone, at a reduced price, could come in handy - especially if you are a survivalist. Americans are familiar with a history of disasters, ranging from earthquakes in California to the notorious Donner Party (stranded in the snow, trying to go overland to California, mostly died and suspected of murder and cannibalism).

Leftovers For Survivalists On Strict Budgets
Survivalists are realists or pessimists, depending on your point of view. Survivalists believe in be prepared, like boy scouts. Survivalists are determined to survive disasters. Survivalists are people who stock up with food and drink for nuclear war, flu, flood and fire. Not to mention seige by terrorists, government, the plague - which is still prevalent in Africa, plagues of locusts, collision with a falling star, aliens who can be bribed by cake, such as panettone, whatever.

Waitrose, this year, 2018, stocked a different Easter version of Panettone. Be prepared. Buy panettone. Not one. Two.

How Do You Spell Panettone?
At first I had trouble remembering how to spell panettone. I had to check back on a packet each time I typed the word. Now I have made myself a memory aid. I think of panet and tone. Panet-tone. Panettone.

Only one n in pane and only one n in one. Pane-tt-one. Panettone.

One and Ane. Ane and One. Pane-tt-one. Panettone.

So there you have it, three 'Easter' delights to buy or make any time of year, buns with crosses or patterns on top, marzipan topped simnel cakes, and panettone, the high cake.

All suitable for Easter, discounted after Easter, but enjoyable all year.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have several more posts on foods for Easter and Christmas, English and ethnic food, as well as destinations in English speaking countries and Italy and Spain and Portugal and learning to speak Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and other languages. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.


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Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.

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