The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

To be a photographer today

It’s a lot different than those days when I shot in black and white and took my film down to the basement darkroom to develop. While I miss the peace and quiet off those days, I am intrigued by how much we can do with great high-tech toys and innovative technology that wasn’t possible even just a few years ago.

First I ditched my SLR for digital and now

I barely use a camera at all. With mobile phones offering the best of photography that is already in your back pocket, I find very little use for lugging around a camera, switching lenses, playing with lights, etc. Plus, I no longer have only one or two vantage points for that shot that I want.

Now I can create aerial photos and videos easily

I recently learned about the DJI Global Mavic Mini for creating smooth, vivid shots with up to 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K Quad HD videos. For someone who felt the constraints of 2-legs on the ground when they really wanted to be able to capture the world from all angles, this is a game-changer. The 3-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability and ensures clear ultra-smooth footage. and allows me to create the art that I could only dream of years ago.

See what the Mavic Mini does with a remote controller

• 249 g Ultralight
• 30-min Max. Flight Time
• 4 km HD Video Transmission
• Vision Sensor + GPS Precise Hover
• 3-Axis Gimbal 2.7K Camera
• Simplified Recording & Editing

Isn’t it time that you got out of the darkroom and soared to new photographic heights?

• Visit your nearby Best Buy or BestBuy.com to pick one up today.

Note: I received a bottle of Diplomatico Mantuano Rum to write about. All opinions are strictly my own.

Dark Rum and Fall seem to just go together

It’s the chill in the air for me that seems to make me want the deep aroma and well-balanced flavor that great dark rum seems to give me. As the summer wanes, I can think of no better way to try out a dark rum for the first time than with two CLASSIC rum drinks.

For these drinks, I chose Diplomatico’s Manuano, an extraordinary blended rum that has been aged for up to eight years and is great mixed with everything from simply Coca-Cola to Blue Mountain Coffee.

Cuba Libre

While I knew that the Cuba Libre (a simple Rum and Coke) has its roots in Cuba, I had no idea of the history of the drink. It turns out that its origins go back to the Spanish American War and the independence of Cuba (Libre means FREE). While the drink itself evolved (there was no Coca-Cola in 1898) the former drink made with water and brown sugar came to be in the first year or so that Coca-Cola became a brand. There are many conflicting stories about the year and who created it in the way we know now, but I do know that it is as good in 2019 as it was in 1900.

Cuba Libre AKA Rum + Coke

Ingredients

• Ice
• Diplomatico Mantuano Dark Rum
• Coca-Cola or Diet Coke (if you’re like my wife)
• Lime

Directions

1. Fill an 8oz tumbler with ice
2. Pour 1½ oz Diplomatico Mantuano Dark Rum into glass
3. Fill with cola to taste
4. Garnish with lime

Another favorite of mine is perfect for those chilly nights, Jamaican Coffee. I prefer mine made with traditional Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, as that with the Diplomatico Mantuano creates a perfectly balanced drink, but in a pinch, I will use any other medium roast coffee.

Jamaican Coffee

Ingredients

• Coffee
• Diplomatico Mantuano Dark Rum
• Kahlua
• Heavy Cream
• Cocoa or Shaved Chocolate to Garnish

Directions

1. Pour 1½ oz Diplomatico Mantuano Rum into a stemmed wine glass or coffee mug
2. Add 1 oz Kahlua
3. Add hot coffee to 1 inch from the rim
4. Float Heavy Cream on top
5. Garnish with Cocoa or Shaved Chocolate

For more information and to find where to buy

• Visit RondiDiplomatico.com

Texas is the second-largest state in the entire United States, and it covers 268,597 square miles. Almost all the people that cover this area are die-hard sports fans. The real question is, why do all of these sports fans gravitate towards Texas? Is it because of the size of the state? Or is it because of all of the Houston real estate?

The answer is so simple, its only one word. Football. If anyone were to summarize Texas in one word, it would be football. The people living in Texas are so wrapped up in football that it seems crazy to many other people. But, if you are a die-hard football fan, then you should look at some real estate in texas areas.

All levels of football

The high school games in Texas are treated as if they are high-level college games. The whole town gathers together every Friday for Friday night lights. There are two weekly rituals in Texas. Sunday night church, and Friday night football.

That being said, college games are treated as if they are pro-level games, if not more important. If you get tickets to a Texas A&M game, then you will be forever loved in your hometown, and all of your friends will beg you to take them to the game.

Scouts

Because of how high the level of football is in Texas, there are scouts all over the field looking for talent. So many kids get recruited strictly from high school ball in Texas. This makes the youth of football want to go to the great state of Texas so they too can get hired.

This then creates a cycle that never ends.  The youth always want to get involved with the game because there is so much opportunity that lies within the state. This makes them and their parents fans. Keep in mind that this is happening in the whole state, so the number of people attached to this cycle is enormous

The Energy

When you walk into a high school football stadium in Texas, it’s like nothing you’ve ever felt or seen before. It’s like this love and passion, not only for the game but for what it represents. The game represents life.

The ball is like the choices you are faced with, and the linemen are your best friends trying to give you as much time as you can to make your critical decisions. But eventually, the ball has to come out of your hand. Where you decide to throw can make a significant impact on the game.

To completely experience high school football, you have to go to Texas. Texans see football in another way. They don’t see it as just another game. They see it as do or die. What happens with their team that week is what determines how their week is going to be.

If you lose a rivalry game in Texas, you will be shunned until the following year when they play again. It’s more than a match there; it’s a way of life.

Meet Clem our miniature bull-terrier.