The International Consumer Electronics Show is happening this weekend in Las Vegas and oh how I wish I could be there. Since learning my chemo would continue into 2010, I could not plan for CES this year because I’m going for chemo in the morning. Oh Joy!!!

To add insult to injury, I feel like I’m catching a cold which means even if I thought I could get away with a day trip to Vegas Saturday morning, I cannot because something is going on within that could land me in a hospital — worse case — or flat on my back for days. I want neither so I’m staying put, at home, just me and tha dawgs.

NexStar 4SE

I really wanted to go this year because I’m in the market for a new telescope, preferably a Celestron NexStar SE something or one from the Series GT group. My life has now gotten to a point where I really cannot do the hiking I was once able to do. Flares happen, I’ve gotten over it now, and I have to consider what I can photograph that is closer to home or can be done from my backyard.

I have two interests and this is why I really wanted to go to CES this year. One is astronomy, photographing the stars and I don’t mean the sort from Hollyweird. I would also like to capture the beautiful Hummingbirds in my back yard without getting so up close and personal with them they end up sitting and looking at me as if to ask “what the hell are you doing?”

I like the Celestron telescopes because they offer a lot of bells and whistles like a digital camera mount for afocal photography. I can see using this for a couple of video cameras I have and my Canon PowerShot. They also have T-Rings for 35mm cameras. Then there is the phenomenal CCD webcam hardware/software too. Granted, Nextimage is not as good as Orion’s imagers, particularly the StarShoot Deep Space Monochrome Imager III, but for the price it will do the trick. I like that, make it easy for me.

My second interest goes back to my days in high school biology. I will never forget an assignment given for us to go out and pick up samples in or around the school. We were first told to seek out paramecium and amoebas. Life changed for me when those guys popped up under the microscope. Unfortunately, I had no way to photograph them or their movements. Well, perhaps that’s what I’ll do now. Plus, I have always wanted to see a potato bug up close and personal.

LCD Deluxe Digital Microscope

I know, the potato bug probably threw some people off but I do like their big bald heads. Of course, Celestron has LCD Digital Microscopes that are small and can be easily taken anywhere. I could go for their LCD Microscope (and this one) or I can buy my own high-powered microscope and add their LCD display.

Oh well, no CES 2010 for me this weekend. I will bide my time tomorrow waiting impatiently for an IV to drop. There will be no jetting off to Las Vegas at all this weekend. (Drops head) But, I will closely watch CelestronDotCom’s YouTube Channel in hopes of finding some bits of information from their exhibit, I hope.

Oh well, if you are going to CES 2010, Celestron is in booth Central 7912.    For more on Celestron and their products, go to www.celestron.com.  Now, for some pretty nice software for astronomy that’s FREE, check out RegiStax at http://www.astronomie.be/registax/.

As for me, this weekend I’ll be sucking IVs, D3 and C.  Ugh!