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Though there is an official pedometer sitting in a cupboard somewhere I think it needs attending to with some superglue to fix the lid and probably needs a fresh cell by now. I haven't tried to install very many applications on my mobile in case something breaks it beyond the reach of flashing the firmware to reset it but I was intrigued enough to download the step counter today after TFP pointed it out. Every now and then I measure how far I've walked in a day on Google Maps and doubt that anyone's stride is consistent enough to be of reliable use as a measure of distance (especially on obstacle-ridden streets) but I'm still occasionally intrigued by almost-identical-distance route-choices and occasionally attempt to measure the number of paces taken to complete each, usually finding them too identical to be worth choosing for any other reason than their visual pleasingness depending on the time of day I have to walk down them. The application seems accurate enough when checked over a few sets of a hundred or so steps so shall be kept in place for the next wee while. Pity there doesn't appear to be a stats-download option though that doesn't mean the data can't be extracted somehow.

Similar to my missing the live news coverage of the events of the eleventh of September, 2001 due to being in the umbrella-presentation welcome-session at work after being permanented I missed the live Obama-coverage this afternoon due to my annual manager-employee progress-target-development meeting and had to settle for radio-discussion on the step-monitored walk home and view some video clips whilst eating some falafels when safely back. From what could be judged the mood was still good though some of the commentators would do well to consider that what they perceive as a lack of enthusiasm compared to election night is just the absence of the deep and profound post-poll-result relief that the right man had won and the wrong man's reign would be ended with a very big step in the right direction. The speech this time was still good (though still far too God) but was more of a gentle keep-going-people than the triumph of November. I shall watch developments with interest rather than the resigned dread of eight years ago.

I know the 50,000 D80 shutter-lifetime-rating is only a guideline, that there are many documented instances of D80s surviving into their ninety-thousandses and that it was highly unlikely to suddenly refuse to work after the shot after this was taken (the 50,000th was slightly more boring with no figure on the right and so was not used) but I was still pleased when it continued working for the rest of the day seeing as it's still not quite two years old.