Ode to my Canon Rebel XSi

Oh Canon Digital Rebel XSi
Your lens is so round
Just like a pie.

So much for my attempt at poetry.

Seriously, though, I love my camera, even though I've outgrown it at this point. But, I do for one main reason: it's cheap (relatively speaking -- the Rebel series is on the low end of Canon's DSLRs).

Before you start getting the wrong idea that I think anything that was worth $799 (new) a couple years ago is inexpensive, you first have to understand a couple things:

1. I'm the world's biggest klutz. I've dropped my camera and lenses more times than should be legally allowed for a photographer (amateur or not). God help me, if I actually own something designed for the pro-consumer or professional. Knowing my luck, I'd probably take it out of the box one minute, and then promptly shatter it to pieces on the kitchen floor the next. 
2. I sometimes go to scary places. I don't know what it is about photography that makes the average person morph into the crazy person determined to get "THE shot," but between shooting for contests and just getting lost in foreign countries, I've been in places where my shiny, fancy-pants camera would make this 5'1" Asian girl the easiest target in the world.
3. I like to shoot in bad weather/locations/circumstances. I leave my camera hanging from my shoulder in the rain (outside my camera bag) just in case! I've been known to put my camera on the beach (translation: on the SAND) in order to get another perspective. I've even changed lenses a few times in front of a fan. If that makes you cringe, you're not alone.

I think if I actually owned something really expensive, I'd be too paranoid to shoot with it. Being comforted that my camera has now probably depreciated to the point of being worth somewhat next to nothing allows me to relax and just focus on shooting. :)