Slideshow Generators in Review (One Independent Source)

As a post-pandemic celebration, my family splurged by vacationing in Norway. We figured it was our last chance to tour his grandmother's native country with her as our guide, given her age. 

I returned with over 1,000 photos (no joke) of our 10-day trip. Our Norwegian and American relatives alike are awaiting my compilations of the journey and I have been wrestling with slideshow generation software for weeks. Having worked as a Senior Technical Writer, managed a creative staff, and helped develop in-house proprietary software, I feel I am above average in my computer savvy. Yet, none of the software I am working with come close to the discontinued Picasa. Yes, that is a worn-out statement made by many over the years. But the level of frustration I feel with the "alternatives" in 2022 -- years after Picasa became unavailable -- warrants repeating that sentiment because it represents a failure (in my mind) of companies to offer a product that can accomplish its objectives. 

Here are the basic functions I need/want in a slideshow generator:

1. Maintain order of uploaded images and videos or allow 'sort by' options that include "by name"
2. Maintain size and edges of all photos (i.e. no automatic cropping)
3. Play the entirety of each video or allow video editing customization within same program (i.e. do not slice up my video using some algorithm that presumes to know what I want)
4. Allow captions for each photo/video
   
5. Provide caption/text editing tools (including placement on slide and font type, size, and color)
   
6. Auto fit text onto slide/image (below image is fine too) or allow easy resizing
   
7. Display all photos in album/collection (i.e. do not pick and choose for me)
8. Provide background music options
   
9. Let me download a viewable production of the completed slideshow
   

So far, most of the generators I'm seeing overcomplicate some things while limiting others. Or the software tries too hard to do everything for you, eliminating the ability of the user to decide how the slideshow should be set up.

My needs boil down to these things:

• Can I edit the order of appearance of or easily sort/organize my photos and videos?
• Can I add text to each item/slide and customize that text?
• Are there built-in templates and/or music tracks to present the collection?
• Can I save and share my slideshow for others to see?

These feel like obvious asks that most users want: a way to customize the order of photos, captions, and presentation, then to share it with friends and family. While each person will want or expect different features, the fact that users still mourn Picasa says something about what's available in the market. 

The following product reviews are based on my experience and needs only. I am not affiliated or incentivized with any of these companies. This is one independent source. 

Why am I writing this post? While searching for the right product to try for this trip's slideshows, I read more than ten reviews of the so-called "best products on the market", only to discover that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM was biased content designed to highlight their sponsored product. These review articles were essentially ads. I understand that tactic. The institute I worked for before did the same thing. No judgement here. But I would have liked to see a sincere review with all the quirks, realities, and opinions of an independent reviewer. So here you go: my limited review of nine slideshow generators.

Fishing From a Kayak

I bought an inflatable kayak from a friend of mine who used to own a rafting business. It's a classic yellow Tahiti she could only find on eBay. Nostalgia was the main reason she bought it; a distracted lifestyle is why she never used it. So it's mine now (for the lovely price of $100). 

View of shore from on the water

The first time I took it out was on a river east of Shady Cove at a secret swimming hole. Using a hand pump (non-electric from Bi-Mart), I inflated its many parts, including two independent chairs. Fully inflated, it requires two people to transport it from the car to the water. But once in the water, it is heavenly.

How to Process Wild Chanterelles

 No other PNW mushroom is as prized AND plentiful as the chanterelle. 

Image 1.A: Freshly picked chanterelles plus a handful of shaggy manes (left)

This post is intended as a guide for cleaning, cutting, flash boiling, and freezing recently picked chanterelles. Identification of any wild mushroom should be performed with a seasoned veteran and reliable, peer-reviewed field guide. Any mention of a chanterelle's features in this post should not be relied upon for identifying your own mushrooms in the wild. 

My family has been harvesting chanterelles for four generations. Starting when I was little (when mushrooms were "mutrooms"), I have been taught to spot, confirm, and sustainably harvest wild edibles; chanterelles being our preferred harvest each Fall. If I am an ever unsure about a mushroom I have found, I will not keep it. 

Chanterelles, like many varieties, tend to grow in beds. Where there is one, there is likely more. That is my family's motto. Look around, but be aware that mushrooms of other kinds can grow in the same patches. So each mushroom picked must be verified. 

With that said, let's assume you have found, verified, and harvested your gallon limit and are ready to process your chanterelles.

Packing Gluten-Free Meals, Snacks, and Drinks for Camping

Background

For more than five years I have been gluten-free. My arthritic condition, Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), necessitates I be on a gluten-free diet. If I eat something with gluten, I will have an attack of sharp pain in my intestines, guarding and tightness, shaking and rocking, belching, diarrhea, and flatulence as my body processes the invader. The pain of an attack is incredibly distressing to myself and those around me when it happens, so I strive to avoid it at all costs. 

Nonperishable Gluten-Free Options 

Homemade dried gluten free meals. Scoop preferred serving size into bowl and add hot water.

Being gluten-free doesn't mean you can't have fun in nature. You can pack and plan nonperishable meals, snacks, and drinks to accommodate your dietary needs. The goal to meal planning and packing for a trip is variety and including all of the basic food groups:

• Proteins
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains
• Dairy
  
• Fats
• Oils

Use the following recommendations to write your shopping list and assemble meals for your next trip.

Odin's Story

Written July 14th, 2022

Thirteen years was a hell of a run considering his medical issues. 

Our beloved dog, Odin

“I miss Odin,” was all I could muster into coherent words as I sobbed in my partner’s embrace. He tried his best to soothe me, even as my breakdown stirred his own grief. Except when I say I miss him, I mean I miss my baby. I entrusted part of my heart to that gentle soul. I don’t want it back, but I do wonder when the weeping stops.

I need this catharsis; this outlet; a chance to tell his story and an excuse to remember him. Because as much as I carry on, trying to move past every little reminder that he is no longer here, the truth is I am failing to accept his absence. I knew the grief would come and go in waves. I knew it would take time to heal. But the spectacular synchronicities of his life and death must be told before I will truly be able to see the other side of sorrow.

A Week Alone in the Wild

Hunting, Scouting, Foraging

A writer will find a way to write and that's exactly what I did. On two-year old printed deer tags by the ceiling light in the back of my SUV where I slept, using a book of crossword puzzles as a hard surface, I unveiled my experience of being alone in the wild. 

The creek behind my campsite

How to Make Wild Elderberry Jam (w/out Added Pectin)

Hunting season in Oregon coincides with the best time for berry harvesting. 

Fresh picked wild berries: raspberry (with stems), variety of gooseberry (purple), huckleberry (medium round reds), and bunchberry (orange looking smaller ones)