Let me preface what I'm going to write about, by saying that I've been thinking of getting a small sized pocket digital camera for a while. I want to stop relying on my phone all the time for out and about photos, because it tends to really get me out of the moment (too easy to share to social media etc.). There's nothing wrong with that per se, I just find that anything I can do to slow my brain down is a plus.
So...as fate would have it, my son in law recently sent me a little tiktok video which was about the old CanonG11. I think it was presented as a retro style or some such. My mind went back to all the fun I'd had with my old Nikon Coolpix. Discussion with a friend guided me to the previous iteration of this camera, the CanonG10. I found a mint condition one from Japan on eBay, ordered and received it in a couple days.
I fired this little baby up, not having read the guide book (as my usual because...what? I'm impatient? I'm overly enthusiastic?) and went out into the yard (mostly) with it. As is my predilection, I turned on the macro mode. What fun! If any of y'all were around in the early Flickr days, you'll understand the feeling that came to me with this little foray. Like...beginner's mind all over again...with all the good feels from that time of getting to know and build my photography friendships (so many which remain with me today).