Help Me Out With Some Advice

I have a Nikon D40 that I LOVE and I'm in the process of looking for a new lens. I think I'm looking for a macro lens? Something that takes extreme closeups? I'm hoping one of you out there knows exactly what I'm talking about (even though I, myself, do not) or can point me in a good direction on the web for information. I can't seem to find a website that's very helpful to me. I have a two lens kit that I bought with the camera, and I love them both, but I want something that can get clooooooser.

I've had my eye on this lens...anybody have an opinion? And how compatible are Sigma lenses with Nikon cameras? Anyone have either?

Anyone out there know what I'm talking about?

Just When You Think That You're Surely Smarter Than Your Four Year Old

We spent the morning playing computer games on the new laptop. I thought for sure that I'd have to buy Lucas a kid friendly mouse so that he could work his way around NickJr with ease, but no. Turns out that cute little chubby four year fingers are just exactly right for navigating the cursor pad. Is that even what's it called? That little pad you swirl your finger around on in order to move the mouse? I should ask Lucas...he probably knows.

Barnacles!!

I took the BEST pictures today of the kid playing in our first snowstorm and they came out SO GOOD. Except, I experimented shooting in RAW and now I can't get the [bleepin'] pictures to download. That is frustration at it's finest...a few of those pictures were in the running to grace this year's Christmas cards. Bah-hum-bug!

If any of you out there know what I'm doing wrong...LET ME KNOW! Otherwise...just feel bad for me. Heh.

edited:
I still haven't figured out the whole shooting in raw...but I did manage to switch a couple of my favorite pictures to a jpeg. file...yay!

All For This Mediocre Picture

I was driving home from the movies last night (where I saw Mamma Mia, incidentally). I'm going to have to veer off topic for just a moment to say that, while I thought the movie was wonderful, every time Pierce Brosnan geared himself up to start belting out the words the entire audience would start to snicker. The man made an excellent 007...but the dude can not sing, making him an illogical choice for a musical's leading fella...just sayin'.

Anyway...on the way home I turned on to our road and saw the most magnificent looking fiery-red moon. Lucas was sound asleep in the back seat so I ran inside, grabbed my camera and headed back down the road to find the best place to take a picture. Since it was pitch black out, and traffic was still pretty heavy, I couldn't really find a good spot to pull over. I drove around for a few minutes and realized there was no safe place to stop so I drove back to our apartment. We live on a very heavily tree-lined street but there was just one little spot where I had a good shot at a decent picture. So at 10pm, dressed mostly in black, on a pitch black street with no street lamps, on the blind end of a curving road, I stood in the center of the street, held my breath and tried to get a good shot. Of course the shutter stayed open for so long that I thought for sure a car was going to strike me down...and all I got for my efforts was this lousy picture! I figured I had to post it, for all the effort it took to take it.

I know it doesn't look anything like a fiery moon...but let's just pretend, shall we?