Walking in a park on a warm, sunny fall day is the best. Here are a few photos I snapped to capture the kickoff of the fall foliage season.
I expect many people would pick summertime as their favorite season. Warmer temperatures. Vacations. Grill action. Beach time. General fun in the sun. What’s not to like?
Well, all that is indeed great, but I’m wired a bit differently. I like 75 degrees in the sun with low humidity.
And summer is often hot and humid. I don’t dig that. (Humidity is my kryptonite.)
Don’t get wrong… I enjoy the summer months… just not all the heat and sweat.
Instead, I prefer the cooler conditions that fall weather usually brings.
New Beginnings
However, fall gets a bad rap for ending summer’s bliss. Sure, it’s back to work. Back to school. Back to being serious.
But I like morning chill in the air. The crisp edge. The resulting sharper focus when you’re out and about.
Yes, I like putting on my big boy pants.
Of course, as a kid, I dreaded the first day of school. But it was also exciting. A new beginning. A fresh start.
And I’ve carried that enthusiasm for fall throughout my life.
There are also two big reasons I enjoy fall here in Connecticut.
Fire and Ice
Fall brings us right to the intersection between hot and cold. And I love that space. There’s nothing better than that glorious feeling of the warm sun on your shoulders on a cool fall day.
That’s when you can really appreciate nature’s warm vibe. And knowing it’s among the last few opportunities to feel it for months makes it even more special.
Colorful Conditions
The many colors of fall, of course, provide a great canvas for nature photography. And the fall foliage projects the similar theme of a last hurrah before all the leaves snap away into oblivion.
Yes, winter’s coming, but it’s not here yet.
To celebrate this time of year, here are some early October photos I snapped in a park near my local beach on a sunny weekend morning. The fall colors were just starting to show on the trees.
If you don’t have a charger for your camera’s battery, you might consider using another charger like an Apple power adapter. But is okay to do that? I faced that exact question as I unboxed my new Fujifilm X-T30 III and was surprised my camera didn’t come with a battery charger.
When you proudly unbox a new piece of tech, you shouldn’t get worried if you’re missing the battery charger. That’s because the manufacturer simply didn’t give you one. Today, you’re often expected to buy it separately or use a power supply from a separate piece of gear. Sometimes you can plug your new thirsty device into your computer for juice.
It’s your problem to figure out. (You’re welcome.)
Of course, it’s a great way for our favorite brands to save money… and perhaps make some more. And one could also say it helps reduce waste as you should already have access to any number of ‘compatible’ chargers for your other pieces of tech.
But is it really okay to use other random chargers and cables with your new tech as long as the connector fits?
That’s the question I suddenly faced when I unboxed my new Fujifilm X-T30 III camera… sans charger.
External Battery Charger Vs In-Camera Charging
Yes, I could simply purchase an external battery charger for my Fujifilm battery. But my nifty APS-C camera can also charge its battery in body via its USB-C port. (Easy!)
So, I could do it by the book, order a battery charger and wait a few days for it to arrive in the mail, or I could power up my new camera… almost immediately.
I could delay my moment of tech gratification, or I could get my dopamine hit in the next hour. Hmmm…
As I considered my options, my gaze zeroed in on a sleek, white rectangle plugged into a nearby outlet. It was my trusty Apple 20 Watt USB-C charger I use for my iPhone. It never looked so beautiful…
Would that work?
Will an Apple 20 Watt USB-C Power Adapter Work with my Fujifilm Camera?
I quickly went to my Fujifilm manual. It suggested I could use a ‘recommended’ AC adapter of 7.5 watts or more. (That guidance seems rather vague.)
The fine print also read, “Use a USB-IF certified AC adapter or USB-C to USB-C cable when charging with the camera. An AC adapter of 7.5 W or more is recommended.”
Well, my Apple charger offers more than 7.5 watts. But is 20 watts too much more? I don’t want to damage my new battery… or my camera.
We know that Apple tech requiring less juice connects safely with its 20-watt power blocks. The power supply is engineered to provide the correct energy flow that the particular Apple device needs.
But what about other manufacturers’ cameras and the Apple power adapter? Will they “talk to each other” and successfully negotiate wattage needs too?
In simple terms… Will my Apple charger be friends with my Fujifilm camera and its battery?
Approval Received?
The common online wisdom regarding this topic is YES:
The battery in the Fujifilm camera will indeed only pull the wattage it needs from the Apple charger. It won’t take the full 20 watts… just the 7.5 watts. (Both A.I. and humans offered this guidance.)
So, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Fujifilm’s manual seems to align with that conclusion (with enough room in its language for plausible deniability).
Online forums also generally agree. Though there are purists who don’t like powering up a battery in camera due to concerns over possible heat generation (battery gets warm) that could affect the camera’s long-term health.
That said, my research found no one complaining about actual damage.
So, guess what…?
I immediately went ahead and powered up my Fujifilm camera battery with my Apple USB-C charger… No problem.
Yay!
And My Camera Finally Comes to Life for the First Time
Yes, this took some thinking through and certainly should not be the first topic I obsess over after I unbox a shiny new piece of tech.
Perhaps we simply live in a time when bringing your own power supply to the party should be common knowledge by now.
I’ll try to get out more.
And when I do, My Fujifilm camera will be ready to go.
Choosing a good action film to watch with your family can be a challenge if you’re not looking for ‘intense’ or ‘dark.’ Here are nine options to consider that offer a brighter outlook.
The week is finally over. Time to unwind. Perhaps it’s time for a movie to stream? If so, is this your vibe for choosing a flick to watch with your family on a Friday night?
Dark
Unsettling
Scary
Violent
Well, not so much for me and my family. Though we sometimes cross into the more intense R-rated realm with our 16-year-old son, we often collectively prefer the more comfortable PG-13 zone. And we particularly like a more optimistic vibe…
Charming and smart
Fun and funny
Clever
Action packed
Yes, that’s more like it. That’s family friendly for us.
Once upon a time, it would be Indiana Jones… Men in Black… Jack Sparrow. Call it what you like, but I think you know what I mean.
Unfortunately, not that many get made these days. Any even fewer of these flicks hit the mark. So, I’m always searching for winners to add to ‘Barrett’s movie list’ for my family.
If you’re also interested in finding new film choices to add to your cue, here are my previous two PG-13 lists:
But as my above recommendations are a few years old, I’ve decided to pull together a more recent collection of PG-13 movies that meet ‘the criteria’ from 2023-2026.
So here are nine more movies for your consideration:
9 Action Flicks for Family Movie Night
Mayday (2026)
Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein Stars: Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh Reynolds continues to nail the formula, and who knew Kenneth Branagh could be so funny?
“Hail Mary” (2026)
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Stars: Ryan Gosling and Sandra Huller This is not as light and breezy as my other picks, as it chronicles a long-shot mission to save humanity from extinction. But it’s a great buddy movie with warmth and humor.
“The Gorge” (2025)
Directed by Scott Derrickson Stars: Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy Romance/Action/Zombies. Hit it!
“The Fountain of Youth” (2025)
Directed by Guy Richie Stars: John Krasinski, Natalie Portman and Elza Gonzalez It’s a Guy Richie flick. Need I say more?
“Argylle” (2024)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn Stars: Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell Over the top and uneven, but you can’t help but chuckle throughout.
“The Fall Guy” (2024)
Directed by David Leitch Stars: Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt A remake of the TV series with old-school charm and lots of fun.
“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (2023)
Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein Stars: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant Though it couldn’t find an audience in its theatrical release, it’s absolutely delightful.
And let’s not forget the MCU! While many recent Marvel movies haven’t matched the MCU’s previous success, I think these two have definitely broken through…
“Thunderbolts*” (2025)
Directed by Jake Schreier Stars: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour and Wyatt Russell Yes, it underperformed at the box office (for a Marvel movie), but its dry humor is so winning. Plus, Harbour’s endless optimism as Red Guardian supercharges the adventure for this underdog team.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (2026)
Soon to be released on streaming Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink and Mark Ruffalo Biggest box office of 2026 by far. And the best Marvel movie in a long time.
What’s Next?
I hope you enjoy the above films for your next family movie night at home. But as we all know, we always need to feed the pipeline.
