ZKQ Blog

Tough as Blocks and Castelproof, too: Stylus Tough Episode 8

When my son was young, he loved to play with blocks. He favorite thing to do was to erect massive structures using every block around and then knock them all down only to begin again with equal zest. I'm sure there are life lessons to be learned from this exercise -- one might be that it's possible to rise to the top, topple, and still keep working to build the next great thing. It seems that lesson is not lost on the Olympus Stylus Tough Camera either.

Disclaimer: I'm not paid to write about Olympus, but my earlier post, "Market to Me, Mother of Kids," initiated a dialog between us and I've become quite curious about the depths of abuse the Stylus Tough camera can endure. So, stay tuned. The saga continues.

Got Water? Stylus Tough: Watertableproof

Watching Episode 7 of the Stylus Tough video series: Watertabletough reminded me of when, in a sweep to pick up and wash a bunch of my children's toys, I dropped an electronic cell-phone looking toy into the sink which was filled with hot, soapy water. As soon as the toy hit the water, I remembered it was a battery-powered toy! Panic-thought: You don't immerse things with batteries!

Maybe this is true for battery-powered kid toys, but apparently, not so for the Stylus Tough camera. Got water? Got water-table? Bring it on!

Disclaimer: I'm not paid to write about Olympus, but my earlier post, "Market to Me, Mother of Kids," initiated a dialog between us and I've become quite curious about the depths of abuse the Stylus Tough camera can endure. So, stay tuned. The saga continues.

Stylus Tough – Tricycleproof

When my daughter came down with chicken pox, around the age of two and a half, I was out of town on business and her father stayed home with her. My husband did what many great dads do when their child is sick. He cared for her, gave her the appropriate medical treatment, and created a distraction to help keep her mind off the annoying chicken pox.

His idea of a distraction came in the form of taking her shopping to buy a Big Wheel tricycle, and not just any Big Wheel, but a pink and white, state-of-the-art, molded plastic, complete with decals, Barbie Big Wheel. I arrived home to see my little one spinning donuts in the kitchen and racing up and down the hall as fast as those three wheels would take her.

Today, she requires four wheels and a bit more horsepower to take her where she wants to go. So far, she's not spinning any donuts--at least none that I know of.

These kids in the Olympus Stylus Tough Episode 6: Tricycleproof know a thing or three about what happens when the trikes and cameras hit the road, literally.

http://tr.im/ProofsTest6twit

Disclaimer: I'm not paid to write about Olympus, but my earlier post, "Market to Me, Mother of Kids," initiated a dialog between us and I've become quite curious about the depths of abuse the Stylus Tough camera can endure. So, stay tuned. The saga continues.

A Chilling Story - Stylus TOUGH Episode 5: Iglooproof

The email I received with the link for the fifth episode of the Stylus Tough video series literally sent chills up my spine. The email message also contained this message: "Warning: Do try this at home." I'm not sure I have the guts to do so.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvzhhyOA40k

Disclaimer: I'm not paid to write about Olympus, but my earlier post, "Market to Me, Mother of Kids," initiated a dialog between us and I've become quite curious about the depths of abuse the Stylus Tough camera can endure. So, stay tuned. The saga continues.

Lights, Camera, Fishtank - Stylus Tough Episode 4

Stylus Tough Episode 4 – Fishtankproof is exactly that: fish-tank-proof. I don't have a fish tank, but I do have a pool and while the thought of taking pictures underwater in an above ground pool never crossed my mind, it has crossed the minds of my kids and their friends, not to mention those folks over at Olympus.

All I have to say about this is: WOW! This sure beats using a camera encased in a plastic, underwater bag like we tried last year. Let the fun begin!

The Photography of Isabelle Marchand

I first met Isabelle Marchand at a business networking coffee about four years ago. She stood out among the suited office types and car salesmen. Her dark hair and small form with arms wrapped around a large notebook drew me to her. She told me she was a photographer and showed me the book which turned out to be a photo album of her work. Immediately, I was captivated by the breathtaking images of pregnant mothers, newborns, and children. 

In black and white, she captures the beauty of innocence and purity. Her images of pregnant women are touching and elegant, a celebration of life and of love. 

When she photographed my my children, my daughter was not yet a teen, and my son was a second-grader. Marchand succeeded in capturing their unique personalities, as well as the bond they share as brother and sister. I treasure the photographs she took of them.

At a recent showing of her work, I was reminded again of how good she is, not only in producing the finished work of art, but also in the process. She made my kids feel very comfortable and she worked quickly, clear in her understanding of the limited attention span a child can have.

French-born and a world traveler, she, too, is a mom. Her studio is located in Christiansburg, Virginia.

www.isabellemarchand.com

Isbelle uses a Canon Rebel XTI.

Stylus Tough: Fingerpaintproof

The first thought that pops into my mind when watching Episode 3 of the Olympus Stylus Tough video series is "Boy, I'm glad those days are over!"

Finger painting. The creative, feel-good, make-a-mess kind of fun that kids love and (some) mothers hate. My kids painted plenty of pictures. I've got the boxes filled with their artwork to prove it. A friend of mine once let her daughter paint the vacuum cleaner. Powder blue was so boring.

Here in Episode 3, "Stylus Tough: Fingerpaintproof," kids have their way with paint, water, and camera. It's much easier to get paint off of this camera than it is a vacuum cleaner.

Stylus Tough Episode 2: Icecreamproof

A friend of mine is a preschool teacher and former childcare provider. She has been an amazing resource for me as a mom. She's easy going and relaxed and understands, better than I have, that kids need to get messy from time to time. One day, when our kids were younger, I was complaining to her about how dirty they were getting while playing outside. Laughing at me, she said kindly, "That's OK, they're washable."

I'd never thought about kids that way before, but I found her words to be liberating. I thought of them again today while watching the Olympus Stylus Tough Episode 2 video. In this case, not only are the kids washable, but the camera is, too!

I want to thank @cjleonejr for finding me on the web and putting me in the loop regarding info on the Stylus Tough. I'm enjoying these videos and am looking forward to the next one on Friday. If there are any dads out there wondering what to give moms for Mother's Day, I'm thinking this camera might be just the thing. (No, I'm not paid to say that, just thinking or maybe hinting...)

A Mother's Money Lesson

My son takes piano lessons from an amazing musician and student from Radford University. The RU student comes to our house to give an hour long lesson every week. Grateful cannot begin to describe how my husband and I feel about this arrangement or about the incredible quality of instruction our son receives.

Early on, the instructor shared his philosophy with us that playing music, including practicing, should be something the child wants to do, not something forced. And, that the music played should be music that interests the child. As parents, we agreed philosophically with the instructor and, consequently, my son has picked the songs he wants to play and practices when he wants to which works out to be about twice per week. Even though we agreed this was OK, I could not get rid of that nagging feeling that more practice by my budding musician was needed.

In a recent conversation with another mom about how much time our sons spent practicing (her son is taught by the same instructor) she shared with me her clever plan to get her son to practice regularly. She told him she would pay him $1 per day for 30 minutes of practice for 30 days, providing he did not miss a single day. If he did miss, then he would have to start the 30-day count all over and lose his "investment." Her son, like mine, enjoys a challenge. He agreed to the arrangement. When I presented this option to my son, he, too, jumped at the chance to earn what he considered to be an easy $30.

The result has been successful on many levels. I'm thrilled to hear my son practice more often. His skill and confidence improve daily, and he's looking forward to buying a new skateboard with his money. Meanwhile, our home is now regularly filled with Beatles' tunes ("Paperback Writer" and "Your Mother Should Know"), as well as the rhythmic jazz of Booker T & the MGs. There's definitely more than one person getting rewarded in this deal.

Olympus Stylus Tough Shows Me It's Kid Tough

In yesterday's post Market to Me, Mother of Kids, I wrote that Olympus needed to show me that their new Stylus Tough, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof digital camera was "kid proof." Images of men scaling rock walls didn't sell me. I wanted to see kids using the camera the way kids are prone to do -- clumsy, careless, and curious. Olympus came through. Their representative contacted me with the news that yesterday, May 4, 2009, marked the launch of their Stylus Tough video campaign. Ten episodes of the Stylus Tough in real life will air on the Olympus YouTube Channel. Here's the first, the second will be released on Wednesday, May 6. To keep up to date, you can follow them on Twitter at @GetOlympus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNoCtlrdLsg