Apparently, Jemma has a boyfriend in SL now. Which leads me to believe one thing: Egyptian guys dig fat chicks. Okay, I kid. But it's a funny story, and not really one that has to do with the picture of poor fat Miracle above. But I may get to her later. So I went roaming around last night in this place that described itself as Main Street New York, and seemed more a comglomerate of many downtowns from cities all over. I saw a few people wandering around. Then in one store (at least I think it was a store), I met this guy who said he was from Egypt, but lived in Saudi Arabia. At least this one spoke English. His name was Mohammed, but he goes by Moha. He asked to be my friend and I told him I was going to walk around some more and he could come if he wanted. He followed me for a bit, and kept asking if I wanted to go somplace called Epica. We teleported there and it appeared to be a beach area for surfing and other water sports. I spotted a canoe. I decided I'd come back to try that later. Moha did not seem to want to do any water sports. He just wanted to sit on the beach with me. There were some animation rez balls that allowed for a couple to cuddle and kiss. I guess he had come here before to do this, I don't know. The thing that cracked me up was that he kept saying that he felt really close to me, like even seconds after we met. I was like, "Yeah, you are taking this too seriously. We just met." But he was in a hurry, and soon after we arrived in Epica, he wanted me to come back to his house. I was just curious to see what someone else's house looked like, so we teleported there. Once we were there, he said something like, "Now you are the queen of this place." You can feel free to do whatever. He had a nice sofa arrangment with cushions on the floor. But before I couild sit down, he said, "You can see upstairs too." So we went upstairs and found some more scattered furniture, including a big round bed. It was one of those beds I had seen so many of when I was shopping for the bed at my place. It came with all sorts of sex animations you could do. At the time I had wondered why all the beds seemed to come with these. Doesn't anyone in SL use their bed just to sleep? Apparently, not so much. I mean, obviously, if you were just going to sleep, you would quit SL and go offline. But I always like to put Jemma to bed before I log off. Then when I come back, I find her on the bed, like she's just waking up. Anyway, Moha invited me to try it out. It was fairly amusing. But I tried the canoe today, and got such a kick out of it! It reminded me of the old days in spinchat with Skip and Jazzie. Space Canoe ride anyone? :)27 March 2011
You're the One for Me, Fatty
Apparently, Jemma has a boyfriend in SL now. Which leads me to believe one thing: Egyptian guys dig fat chicks. Okay, I kid. But it's a funny story, and not really one that has to do with the picture of poor fat Miracle above. But I may get to her later. So I went roaming around last night in this place that described itself as Main Street New York, and seemed more a comglomerate of many downtowns from cities all over. I saw a few people wandering around. Then in one store (at least I think it was a store), I met this guy who said he was from Egypt, but lived in Saudi Arabia. At least this one spoke English. His name was Mohammed, but he goes by Moha. He asked to be my friend and I told him I was going to walk around some more and he could come if he wanted. He followed me for a bit, and kept asking if I wanted to go somplace called Epica. We teleported there and it appeared to be a beach area for surfing and other water sports. I spotted a canoe. I decided I'd come back to try that later. Moha did not seem to want to do any water sports. He just wanted to sit on the beach with me. There were some animation rez balls that allowed for a couple to cuddle and kiss. I guess he had come here before to do this, I don't know. The thing that cracked me up was that he kept saying that he felt really close to me, like even seconds after we met. I was like, "Yeah, you are taking this too seriously. We just met." But he was in a hurry, and soon after we arrived in Epica, he wanted me to come back to his house. I was just curious to see what someone else's house looked like, so we teleported there. Once we were there, he said something like, "Now you are the queen of this place." You can feel free to do whatever. He had a nice sofa arrangment with cushions on the floor. But before I couild sit down, he said, "You can see upstairs too." So we went upstairs and found some more scattered furniture, including a big round bed. It was one of those beds I had seen so many of when I was shopping for the bed at my place. It came with all sorts of sex animations you could do. At the time I had wondered why all the beds seemed to come with these. Doesn't anyone in SL use their bed just to sleep? Apparently, not so much. I mean, obviously, if you were just going to sleep, you would quit SL and go offline. But I always like to put Jemma to bed before I log off. Then when I come back, I find her on the bed, like she's just waking up. Anyway, Moha invited me to try it out. It was fairly amusing. But I tried the canoe today, and got such a kick out of it! It reminded me of the old days in spinchat with Skip and Jazzie. Space Canoe ride anyone? :)
20 March 2011
Mothers Talk
With all the havoc Mother Nature has caused lately; Earthquakes in Haiti, New Zealand, Japan (plus the Tsunami), things are pretty calm in this little corner of the world. Here, winter's last gasp comes in a grey, windy weekend, just before the first day of spring. Baseball is in the air, though the boys of summer have yet to make their way north from sunny Florida. And I think it's time to remove the cover of snow from the farm.
Soon it will be dress and sandals season. And I learend this weekend that apparently I've been wearing the wrong size bra for years. I am not a 42C as I'd thought. And despite putting on quite a bit of weight lately, I don't need to move up to a 44. The lady in Nordstrom measured me and talked me down. It took a while to get my head round it, the fact that I should be wearing a 40DD! A Double D is for girls who are particularly well endowed, I always thought. I'm not that big. But apparently the discomfort of the band riding up and the sides gapeing out didn't signal the need for a bigger band, but a larger cup. A much larger cup. How could I have not known this? I'm nearly 40. My cluelessness has reached a new level.
In other news, I'm talking to Mom and Dad about it maybe being time to get grandma her own place. The stress she is causing has got to the point that I spent nearly all of my session with my therapist this week talking about it. I stopped by a nearby senior apartments complex. They are having a special on 2 bedroom apartments. She doesn't need a 2 bedroom. But they don't have any 1 bedrooms available. But $619 for a 2 bedroom, that's just a no brainer. Of course Mom is still conflicted. She kept coming up with reasons. "She can't afford it." Well, she can. All she has to do is quit gambling, and pay her rent instead, then she'll have plenty left over for food and anything else she'd need. "But wait, what about furniture?" Oh, well there's the old couch and everything I gave to George when he moved out. He's got it all in storage again, since Heather had already fully furnished their apartment. The tension in the house right now just seems enormous to me; that's my personal stake in it. But grandma will be happier too, having her autonomy back, her own place, her own kitchen again. Well, so far the jury's still out, we'll have to see what happens. All I can do is suggest.
In the meantime, my quest to crack Second Life continues. I haven't had much time to work on it. Yesterday I spent about two hours trying to get my clothes to fit. Finally I gave up and just went off to find some people. I tried the popular places list from the Dummies book. They were pretty deserted. I guess Saturday night PST is not the busy time. Or maybe it's because of daylight savings? I dunno. I'll try again at a different hour.
Oh well. Here's an extended sigh for the end of another weekend.
Soon it will be dress and sandals season. And I learend this weekend that apparently I've been wearing the wrong size bra for years. I am not a 42C as I'd thought. And despite putting on quite a bit of weight lately, I don't need to move up to a 44. The lady in Nordstrom measured me and talked me down. It took a while to get my head round it, the fact that I should be wearing a 40DD! A Double D is for girls who are particularly well endowed, I always thought. I'm not that big. But apparently the discomfort of the band riding up and the sides gapeing out didn't signal the need for a bigger band, but a larger cup. A much larger cup. How could I have not known this? I'm nearly 40. My cluelessness has reached a new level.
In other news, I'm talking to Mom and Dad about it maybe being time to get grandma her own place. The stress she is causing has got to the point that I spent nearly all of my session with my therapist this week talking about it. I stopped by a nearby senior apartments complex. They are having a special on 2 bedroom apartments. She doesn't need a 2 bedroom. But they don't have any 1 bedrooms available. But $619 for a 2 bedroom, that's just a no brainer. Of course Mom is still conflicted. She kept coming up with reasons. "She can't afford it." Well, she can. All she has to do is quit gambling, and pay her rent instead, then she'll have plenty left over for food and anything else she'd need. "But wait, what about furniture?" Oh, well there's the old couch and everything I gave to George when he moved out. He's got it all in storage again, since Heather had already fully furnished their apartment. The tension in the house right now just seems enormous to me; that's my personal stake in it. But grandma will be happier too, having her autonomy back, her own place, her own kitchen again. Well, so far the jury's still out, we'll have to see what happens. All I can do is suggest.
In the meantime, my quest to crack Second Life continues. I haven't had much time to work on it. Yesterday I spent about two hours trying to get my clothes to fit. Finally I gave up and just went off to find some people. I tried the popular places list from the Dummies book. They were pretty deserted. I guess Saturday night PST is not the busy time. Or maybe it's because of daylight savings? I dunno. I'll try again at a different hour.
Oh well. Here's an extended sigh for the end of another weekend.
11 March 2011
Oh My Heart
Friday
It's ironic that it's such a beautiful day outside, I don't have to put in overtime for the first time in 3 weeks, and all I can think about is getting out of the house so I can go sit in a Starbucks and look at my computer screen. Plus, Grandma was cooking something this morning that made the whole house stink. That's how things go.
I'm actually shopping in Second Life right now. My avatar needs new clothes. I never seem to have time to look for anything when I'm in SL, I usually just go to Sci. Fri. Island and listen to the discussion. But my goal for this weekend is to spiffy up my avatar and maybe go somewhere to hear live music, and meet some people. Shopping is fun here. Especially since I've been saving up my $L for months. And I don't have to try stuff on because no matter the size and shape of my avatar, the clothing will conform to me. Wouldn't that be cool in real life? Also, I just met a guy in the shop who only speaks Arabic. Random.
Saturday
Okay, I have to take back the bit about all the clothes fitting, and conforming to my avatar's size and shape. I tried some of the things on back in my Linden Home and the fit was not great. I figured out some of the items can be edited or resized. Options include length, higher/lower waist, tighter/looser fit and more. Though, once the garment has been adjusted as far as the designer specs allow, that's it. It still might not fit. I got a few items like this. I got this skirt that was adjustable but the bigger I made it to fit, the longer it got until it was too long. My feet barely stick out from the hem. Another problem with the skirt is that it doesn't allow sitting. In other words, it doesn't have flexibility built in. These are all things I never thought about before. I have to try to keep an eye out next time to find things which are editable, and flexible.
Since I haven't been able to figure these things out on my own, I got a book. "Second Life for Dummies." Hopefully it will have some hints to make it easier to get around and accomplish things. Otherwise I end up poring over the SL Wikis and maybe not even finding what I want. I think it's a language issue. There is some SL lingo that I haven't caught onto yet.
Anyway, I ended up going to Macy's to see if there was anything decent to get with the coupon that expires this weekend. I tried on everything in 3x straight off. It's official that most 2x don't really fit me anymore. At least in women's. I got the same sinking feeling of frustration I got when I was trying clothes on my avatar. I guess we really are alike. Even in the virtual world I get plenty of disappointment. I suppose it would be easy to correct. I could just make my avatar really hot and have her wear cool clothes. But that would feel like cheating and it's just not me. My aim has never been to escape. I'm just trying to find a connection. Same as in real life. But I want it to be with people who don't mind what I look like. Or at least, who don't judge me for it.
Speaking of connections, I've been thinking that it's nearly 10 years now since I first "met" everyone on the Semisonic message boards. Ten years is longer than I've known pretty much anyone I didn't go to high school with. It seems that most people just kind of wander into my life for a year or two, and then wander right back out. And some of the semi folks have been like that too. There are only a few I still hear from. Jules, Mandy, but most constant is Jazzie. She's really become a good friend. And occasionally Skip. But not really. I just sort of want him to still be there. Even if I don't hear from him, I don't want it confirmed that he's wandered off. I don't think my heart could take it.
In the meantime, Benrik have created an iPhone app called the Situationist. It basically lets you know if there is a fellow Benrikian nearby and if they are using the app it sends them a message that they should find you and perform one of the random acts you have sanctioned in the app. Things like "Hug me for 5 seconds exactly," or "Wave at me like a long lost friend." It seems there isn't much chance of me ever encountering one of these situations. One because there aren't any other Benrikians here in Vegas as far as I know. And Two, even if there were, they'd have to be nearby, and using the app. Highly unlikely. But it's made me wonder how things are going over in Benrikland. I haven't stopped in there in at least a year, maybe two. There are probably a load of new people. And who knows if any of those people I knew are active any longer. I have some of them as Facebook friends, so I occasionally see what they are up to. But that's about it.
Well, it's Saturday night now, and I'm not at all sure another search for signs of other SL residents would bear fruit. I may just skip it and go to bed. The clocks spring forward tonight already, so I've already lost an hour. And I've read none of the things I meant to read. I've got a nice little pile of comics from visits to Ralph's store. But maybe I can get through one if I start...right...now!
09 March 2011
A Bad Dream
In the last couple of weeks I've been having some bad dreams. On the bus one morning I dreamt I was driving with a blindfold on and couldn't remove it in time to stop myself from driving off into the railing. I woke up with a start; actually uttered a little scream as I realized where I was: on the bus with my sleep mask on.
Another night I woke up in my bed screaming and actually kicking out at what I felt to be a presence in my room. I remember seeing a large man in a plaid shirt, like the guy on the Brawny paper towels package. I had the feeling I had left a door unlocked and that the intruder somehow immediately knew to come kill me first. I yelled and kicked out, and after waking up I stared into the dark for several minutes not sure if I could still see a face or not. It was more scared than I can remember being for some time.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone.
Location:Mercury Hwy,Yucca Flat,United States
20 February 2011
Living Alone
I can actually get stuff done without (much) interuption. I can go to bed, and get up and eat whenever I want, and whatever I want without comment. I can take my time, read magazines and watch TV. And sing out loud without anyone hearing. And...well I guess I can do most of those things at home. I don't know what it is. It's not having all the demands on my attention. When Mom comes home from work, I have to stop what I'm doing and pay attention to her or she gets whiny. And I'm supposed to know exactly where Dad and Grandma are at all times. It can wear on me. And just having Grandma in the house makes it a tenser place to be. She causes so much animosity. Between her and Mom, between her and Dad, between Mom and Dad and between her and me. She drives us all crazy. And normally I have to explain and justify everything I do. If I want to take a nap, or if I want to go to bed early, they think I'm sick. If I get up early to go out, where am I going? When will I be home? So this has been like a little vacation from that. And from Miracle's constant barking. Yuna and Jake bark of course. But not incessantly. Mostly Yuna makes a snorfling sound like the Hamburglar from the old McDonald's commercials.
The dogs are snoring now on the home theatre seating. Soon I'll put Yuna to bed in the laundry room where her bed is, and Jake will quietly jump up onto the bed with me and go right to sleep. Then they'll wake me up at 6:30 for breakfast. They do like to get up early, but then I can go back to bed for a little while. And enjoy the quiet of having my own place, for just a little while longer.
30 January 2011
Race for the Prize
Today, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Rory had his first track day. It was a fundraiser for the Speedway Children's Fund. About 15 members of SCMini Club met up this morning at Beach Cafe for breakfast and then we convoyed up to the Speedway. We actually had only 14 cars, including one Countryman, but there was another lady in a MINI that just showed up on her own, so they directed her to where we were staging. There was also a small contingent of Smart cars. They ended up lining us up behind them for the laps. There was a pace car, then the Smarts, then the MINIs. It was fun. We only got up to about 84 mph, but it was slightly disorienting to be on the track as it is on a slant. Once we got up to speed, it was pretty good. We were spaced far enough apart that there really was no sense of competition, it was just a fun run.
Strangely Donovan, from Desert MINI, was driving the Countryman with a ladder sticking out from its sun roof. He also had a framed painting in the boot. He said he wanted to have something go around the track that had never gone around the track before.
As we waited to be lined up in our lanes, we did the usual checking out of each others' cars and catching up with those we haven't seen in a while. I was glad I made myself get out of bed this morning. It was iffy there for a while. It's been a long time since I made it to any club events. Usually they are really early in the morning on weekends, or early on weekdays when I'm not back from work yet. Rory really needed to get out on a trip that didn't involve work or running errands. And now he's fitting right in with the other Minis, motoring veterans and newbie's alike.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Starbucks
29 January 2011
Life in Technicolor
This time I am going to go on for a bit about technology again. My personal technology. I gave in and switched to the iPhone finally. My brother upgraded to the iPhone 4 so he passed his 3GS down to me. I felt kinda silly about it. I was such a Palm fangirl. I was fond of my old Palm pilot and considered getting a Treo for some time. Then I got the iPod touch, so I had the fun of iPhone apps, without paying for the expensive iPhone plan. And I had my Blackberry for a phone since I couldn't have a camera phone at work.
When the Palm Pre came out, I wanted it, but it was only on Sprint. So I made do with my Blackberry for another year, until the Pre showed up on AT&T. I had to get it, even though it meant adding a second line. But I had fun with it. It was small and cute, I liked how if felt in my pocket, and still had a slide out keyboard for texting.
There were a lot of really cool things about the Pre. It did multitasking better than the iPhone; you could keep several apps open at once and slide easily back and forth between them. I liked the way it pulls all your contacts' information together from Facebook and integrated them with your phone's contacts. So when one of your Facebook friends called, you'd see their current profile picture and if they changed their number or anything else, it updated to the Pre automatically. It used Google Calendar so you'd enter your events via Google, and they would sync automatically over the air. You never had to plug the phone into the computer. It took nice pictures and video. I got a little footage at the Keane concert. I also love the Touchstone charging dock. You just sit the phone on it, no plugging it in. Very cool.
Downsides, the number of apps available is underwhelming. I lost enthusiasm for checking the Palm app store. Most disappointing of all, Pocket Money hasn't been released in a WebOS version. Still. (I used Pocket Money on my old Palm Zire. I've been using it on my iPod Touch since I got it. And now with the iPhone, I can sync my data from one device to the other.) Other downsides, the slide out keyboard is a little tight for my big fat fingers. The size of the screen made web surfing, zooming in and clicking on links a bit tricky. And though I got used to it, the swipe gestures needed to move between apps and pages were not my favorite way of navigating. I'd forget how many times to swipe to return to a previous web page or switch apps. Also, it was slooooow. Slow booting up, and sometimes would not power down, no matter how many times I attempted to turn it off.
Okay, so it was an experiment. Resistance is futile and all that. I am now an iPhone user. I still have to carry my Blackberry on work days. But on my off time, I can make use of some of the cool MINI apps like MINILink, MINI Road Assist and MINIConnected. I think being able to stream internet radio over my car stereo through my iPhone will make the whole switch worthwhile. That and the fact that I don't have to carry my iPod Touch with me all the time. I'll still use it at work for entertainment. But now I can keep track of expenses and purchases using Pocket Money on my iPhone and then sync it to my iPod later. No double entry necessary. And switching data plans didn't cost any more from Palm to iPhone.
So that's that. Though that doesn't end the angst over technology. I saw the cutest little HP netbook at Best Buy (when I was there buying the big 160GB iPod classic for my car so I can have all my music with me at all times). It has a pink plaid design. I wondered if perhaps I should get it for writing. But then, wait, that's what I got this iPad for right? And how much writing have I actually done on it? Not much. A few blogs. A poem at that poetry workshop with Brian Turner. But the blogs have been erratic and poor quality. I have started entries and posted them before they were finished, just as placeholders so I could at least have an entry for that day, even if I didn't finish them until days later.
I'd like to pause here to note that there are three guys at the table next to me in this Starbucks, 3 generations it seems, one elderly gentleman, a guy my age, and one younger guy. I wonder what their relationship is. They asked me about my iPad/keyboard set up. But they keep making jokes using these cultural references to see which ones the others would get, or which would turn out to be too old/too recent for them. So far they have broached politics, music, comic books, art (a Toulouse Letrec joke), football and musical theatre. Seriously corny jokes to go with each one. But I have to say I've been enjoying listening in. Now the older two have left and the younger is on his own. He's drawing a picture of Mystique from X-men.
Okay, what was I saying? Right, the netbook. I like this set up with the iPad and the keyboard, but it doesn't do so well on the lap, you really need a table to sit it on. Hence, most of my use has been in various Starbucks around town. Anyway, I am, as I predicted, using the iPad more for other things, using apps, playing games (Farmville, big surprise), email, movies, reading, etc. So it's more a distraction from my writing than I already had.
So I'm in Best Buy, where I am spending entirely too much time lately, and I see this netbook. I check it out on line, read some reviews, etc. It's so affordable. And I remember Todd saying to me, when I was catching up with him in emails, just get a netbook and get writing. I thought, well with that I could write more often maybe. Then, I went back to Best Buy again this weekend. There was the netbook, but there was also an HP 14.5" laptop with the i3 processor and Windows 7 Home Premium, which would fit so nicely in my Kipling laptop bag that I had purchased months ago in anticipation of getting a new laptop, and doesn't fit my current old 15.4" laptop. It was reduced from $749 to $599. Good deal. But twice what I'd be spending on the netbook. What to do? I stood there, paralyzed with indecision. Maybe I can get both. Cause sometimes I may want to take a full laptop with me while traveling and sometimes I might want something small enough to drop into my purse.
Okay, this is crazy. Two more computers! I really don't need them. My iMac does most of the heavy lifting. And now that I have my new flatscreen, I can actually still see the TV while I'm at the computer. I have my old laptop, which I've mostly used for the MS Money program, and for scanning in those old photos. For some reason, my iMac won't play nice with the scanner portion of my printer/scanner/copier.
Cooler heads prevailed this time. I left without either new computer, resolved to do more writing on my iPad. This old thing. It's a whole 3 months old. How soon we become dissatisfied. Logically I understand how I'm psychologically manipulated by the marketing departments of the world. And yet I'm somehow powerless to resist. Though sometimes I manage. Like this time.
And so I guess this passes for writing. Writing about writing. And writing about not writing. It's so meta. But at least I made myself leave the house. I was up and dressed, and I even did my taxes. Then I came out into the hall, and Dad was playing with Miracle, getting ready to go to the gym, and I joined them on the hallway floor. Then Dad left and I started thinking, you know I really don't have to go anywhere today. I can get cash on my way to the MINI event tomorrow. I can stay home. I can even write at home knowing no one would be around to bother me for at least an hour. But the inertia I was feeling about leaving the house would surely carry over into my plan to do some writing. So I sucked it up and here I am. Now I think I'm done. A good day's work? Maybe.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
When the Palm Pre came out, I wanted it, but it was only on Sprint. So I made do with my Blackberry for another year, until the Pre showed up on AT&T. I had to get it, even though it meant adding a second line. But I had fun with it. It was small and cute, I liked how if felt in my pocket, and still had a slide out keyboard for texting.
There were a lot of really cool things about the Pre. It did multitasking better than the iPhone; you could keep several apps open at once and slide easily back and forth between them. I liked the way it pulls all your contacts' information together from Facebook and integrated them with your phone's contacts. So when one of your Facebook friends called, you'd see their current profile picture and if they changed their number or anything else, it updated to the Pre automatically. It used Google Calendar so you'd enter your events via Google, and they would sync automatically over the air. You never had to plug the phone into the computer. It took nice pictures and video. I got a little footage at the Keane concert. I also love the Touchstone charging dock. You just sit the phone on it, no plugging it in. Very cool.
Downsides, the number of apps available is underwhelming. I lost enthusiasm for checking the Palm app store. Most disappointing of all, Pocket Money hasn't been released in a WebOS version. Still. (I used Pocket Money on my old Palm Zire. I've been using it on my iPod Touch since I got it. And now with the iPhone, I can sync my data from one device to the other.) Other downsides, the slide out keyboard is a little tight for my big fat fingers. The size of the screen made web surfing, zooming in and clicking on links a bit tricky. And though I got used to it, the swipe gestures needed to move between apps and pages were not my favorite way of navigating. I'd forget how many times to swipe to return to a previous web page or switch apps. Also, it was slooooow. Slow booting up, and sometimes would not power down, no matter how many times I attempted to turn it off.
Okay, so it was an experiment. Resistance is futile and all that. I am now an iPhone user. I still have to carry my Blackberry on work days. But on my off time, I can make use of some of the cool MINI apps like MINILink, MINI Road Assist and MINIConnected. I think being able to stream internet radio over my car stereo through my iPhone will make the whole switch worthwhile. That and the fact that I don't have to carry my iPod Touch with me all the time. I'll still use it at work for entertainment. But now I can keep track of expenses and purchases using Pocket Money on my iPhone and then sync it to my iPod later. No double entry necessary. And switching data plans didn't cost any more from Palm to iPhone.
So that's that. Though that doesn't end the angst over technology. I saw the cutest little HP netbook at Best Buy (when I was there buying the big 160GB iPod classic for my car so I can have all my music with me at all times). It has a pink plaid design. I wondered if perhaps I should get it for writing. But then, wait, that's what I got this iPad for right? And how much writing have I actually done on it? Not much. A few blogs. A poem at that poetry workshop with Brian Turner. But the blogs have been erratic and poor quality. I have started entries and posted them before they were finished, just as placeholders so I could at least have an entry for that day, even if I didn't finish them until days later.
I'd like to pause here to note that there are three guys at the table next to me in this Starbucks, 3 generations it seems, one elderly gentleman, a guy my age, and one younger guy. I wonder what their relationship is. They asked me about my iPad/keyboard set up. But they keep making jokes using these cultural references to see which ones the others would get, or which would turn out to be too old/too recent for them. So far they have broached politics, music, comic books, art (a Toulouse Letrec joke), football and musical theatre. Seriously corny jokes to go with each one. But I have to say I've been enjoying listening in. Now the older two have left and the younger is on his own. He's drawing a picture of Mystique from X-men.
Okay, what was I saying? Right, the netbook. I like this set up with the iPad and the keyboard, but it doesn't do so well on the lap, you really need a table to sit it on. Hence, most of my use has been in various Starbucks around town. Anyway, I am, as I predicted, using the iPad more for other things, using apps, playing games (Farmville, big surprise), email, movies, reading, etc. So it's more a distraction from my writing than I already had.
So I'm in Best Buy, where I am spending entirely too much time lately, and I see this netbook. I check it out on line, read some reviews, etc. It's so affordable. And I remember Todd saying to me, when I was catching up with him in emails, just get a netbook and get writing. I thought, well with that I could write more often maybe. Then, I went back to Best Buy again this weekend. There was the netbook, but there was also an HP 14.5" laptop with the i3 processor and Windows 7 Home Premium, which would fit so nicely in my Kipling laptop bag that I had purchased months ago in anticipation of getting a new laptop, and doesn't fit my current old 15.4" laptop. It was reduced from $749 to $599. Good deal. But twice what I'd be spending on the netbook. What to do? I stood there, paralyzed with indecision. Maybe I can get both. Cause sometimes I may want to take a full laptop with me while traveling and sometimes I might want something small enough to drop into my purse.
Okay, this is crazy. Two more computers! I really don't need them. My iMac does most of the heavy lifting. And now that I have my new flatscreen, I can actually still see the TV while I'm at the computer. I have my old laptop, which I've mostly used for the MS Money program, and for scanning in those old photos. For some reason, my iMac won't play nice with the scanner portion of my printer/scanner/copier.
Cooler heads prevailed this time. I left without either new computer, resolved to do more writing on my iPad. This old thing. It's a whole 3 months old. How soon we become dissatisfied. Logically I understand how I'm psychologically manipulated by the marketing departments of the world. And yet I'm somehow powerless to resist. Though sometimes I manage. Like this time.
And so I guess this passes for writing. Writing about writing. And writing about not writing. It's so meta. But at least I made myself leave the house. I was up and dressed, and I even did my taxes. Then I came out into the hall, and Dad was playing with Miracle, getting ready to go to the gym, and I joined them on the hallway floor. Then Dad left and I started thinking, you know I really don't have to go anywhere today. I can get cash on my way to the MINI event tomorrow. I can stay home. I can even write at home knowing no one would be around to bother me for at least an hour. But the inertia I was feeling about leaving the house would surely carry over into my plan to do some writing. So I sucked it up and here I am. Now I think I'm done. A good day's work? Maybe.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Starbucks
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