Today’s the day! Hopefully this will be the last time that I need someone else’s computer to write my blog!
Catch you all soon when my wallet’s a lot lighter! (And yes, Uni assignments… here I come…)
Category: Random thoughts
I had a long conversation today with someone I respect. Owns a computer shop, but doesn’t sell Macs. And when I mentioned the iPad, I could almost see him recoil. When I pressed him for his opinion, he then offered ‘They’re too easy. They don’t make you think.” A better alternative, in his opinion? An Android.
So, dear readers, what do you think? Used one before? Got one? What’s YOUR opinion on them? I’d love to get your thoughts…
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Of chocolates and iPads
I absolutely LOVE chocolate. The real stuff though – not a fan of chocolate icecream, chocolate milk drinks, chocolate powder etc, because it just doesn’t taste the same. Dark chocolate doesn’t do much for me either. (Yes, I know it’s supposedly ‘healthier’ – but still!) But dairy milk chocolate – and especially white chocolate (which I know isn’t ‘really’ chocolate at all) is absolutely scrumptious. I’m partial to Turkish Delight, Chomp bars, Caramello Koalas and those yummy red-covered Lindors but my all-time favourite would have to be Raffaello. It is without parallel, in my opinion. That being said though, I’m chocoholic enough to overlook my preferences when there’s chocolate in front of me.
So hubby walking in last night with a HUGE box of ‘Fundraising’ chocolates presented a minor dilemma. Perhaps I should mention that this is the first time in exactly 20 years that I’ve had a box of fundraising chocolates in my house (yep, finished Year 12 in 1991. Who could have believed that two decades have passed that quickly…?) and I’m just a little concerned that I’ll need to pay for the whole box. Soon. (That Caramel Koala was really quite yummy this morning! And it’s only 7.42am as I write. Having enough to actually SELL is not looking too promising…)
Admittedly, I’ve been up since 3.30. Playing with hubby’s iPad for the first time yesterday made me realise that there was a lot in this world that I was missing out on. So I’ve been researching everything “i”, from iPads and iPods to Macbooks (and Macbook Airs and Macbook Pros). And I found out some interesting things doing so. Did you know that as a student in QUT’s MIT(LIS), if I buy a Mac, I can get an iPod Touch free? That sounds cool. And did you know that TechCrunch is giving away an iPad2? So I’ve entered that competition as well. (I might not have WiFi where I live, but I guess I can plan more trips to Caloundra or Caboolture, hey!)
Anyway, here’s hoping. Wish me luck!
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Bummed!!!
I blogged the other day about the i-envy that I suspect I have. Hubby had brought home a new phone (no, not an iPhone, but close enough, in comparison with my current one!) and I realised that I was just a little bit envious. I forgot to mention in that blog post that he had also told me he had been given an iPad a few months ago, and it was sitting in the techie’s office at work. Still in the box.
Yes, I screamed at him (mock scream, of course, BTW) and have been nagging at him for the past two days for him to bring it home so I could have a play. Check it out for myself, sort of thing. He had to find it, of course, but I guess my desire must have sunk in, because he brought it home with him tonight. Put it next to the HUGE box of chocolates that he had also brought home today, part of Miss Six’s school fundraising drive.
And you know when I realised that I really had it bad? When I opened the iPad box first. Instead of the chocolates. And I’m a chocoholic. Sad, really.
But the worst bit was? After ALL that excitement? I can’t really use the thing. No internet out here. No WiFi, no connecting to anything. Hence my purchase of the Telstra USB I’m using right now. Which makes it a bit tough to use an iPad!
So. All in all? I’m bummed. What’s the use of being super-excited about the iPad2’s smart cover (sorry, but I feel the need to include the link again, here. It’s just SO cool!) if I can’t even use the darn thing?!! Bummed.
Maybe hubby will agree to move?! LOL! Seriously though. Hmm…
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Inspired before breakfast…
My day started as most seem to recently. Late to bed due to working on hubby’s computer (SOOOOOOO can’t wait for mine! Each day brings it closer!!!), then up sometime in the middle of the night to a child with a nightmare or who’s fallen out of bed, then up again sometime around 2.30ish to turn off that talkative toy which has decided to ‘speak’ and wake me up with its annoying electronic voice, back to bed but can’t sleep because my brain has woken up and is buzzing, then up again within the next 30 minutes to an hour, to start working on the computer before I lose access for the day. Sleep deprivation? What sleep deprivation?
This morning though, I have been pleasantly surprised. I don’t always give Google Reader a quick glance over first thing, but am glad I did so this morning. Bun-toting Librarian was also up late last night, and posted a blog that both inspired and challenged me when I discovered it in my RSS feed earlier. And because today looks like it’s going to be a pretty full-on one for me (think: three, possibly four, meetings as part of my new ‘marketing’ career, and all of them with my 3y.o. and 1 y.o. at my feet. Gonna be fun…) I thought I’d share with you all, dear readers, how lovely a start to the day it was. A friend made a comment the other day that really resonated with me. In response to the obligatory greeting ‘How are you?” he said, “Well, I woke up on the right side of the ground this morning…” – well I’ve got one up on that. Not only am I on the right side of the ground today, but I’m happy, healthy, surrounded by a wonderful family, working in a fantastic new job and being intellectually stretched by my wonderful lecturers at QUT. And add to that, being inspired by @fionawb this morning. And all before breakfast! It’s going to be a great day… can’t you just feel it?
Have a lovely one. dear readers!
— Ceridwyn
It’s a bit of an embarrassing confession, but I’m not, and have never been, a part of the i-Revolution. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that, as my Dad had proudly brought home a Commodore 64 sometime in the 80’s, my older brother’s condescending attitude towards Apple MacIntoshes rubbed off. I remained a happy Microsoft – Windows – PC user, partially aware but mostly oblivious to what was happening in the world of Apple.
Suffice it to say, I never got an iPod. Or any other personal music listening device, actually! Several years ago now, I joined in the laughter at those brave fellow teachers who started swapped across to the Mac, and decided that because I was not into photo manipulation, or the creation and publication of music or film, that I was better off not converting. Even iPhones became a status symbol that I preferred not to have, given that I quickly became marginalised with my LG Xenon non-smartphone (it’s a slider, and I love the keyboard for texting with).
But lately, I’m starting to become envious of those who are part of the iWorld. Seeing as I can’t read QR Codes (I’ve made a couple – as evidenced by the bottom of this blog – but have to use others’ phones to read them!) and seeing as an iPad can apparently do brilliant things like this, I’m starting to thaw. Rapidly!
At a meeting yesterday with a brilliant photographer, I actually saw an iPad for the very first time. Touched it. Held it. Saw a promo on it for the next generation of iPads – magnetic screen cover, or something?!! Was impressed by the fact that his iPad was easily the most used computer in his home. And the price, just $449, surprised me. Then my husband came home last night with a new phone. A MOTOBLUR. And I realised that I had it bad. I have the distinct impression that I’m a convert. I want an iPhone. I want an iPad. I want an iPhone. Heck – I’ll even give an iPod a whirl!
Hmmm… does that mean that I’m a dinosaur yet?! LOL
Categories
Getting ready…
Bit the bullet yesterday afternoon and (hopefully!) bought my last purchase on credit for a while. (With a paycheck on the imminent horizon, it was time to spoil myself one last time!)
You see, one of the problems with my internet-capability over the last 18 months has been the intermittent mobile broadband signal I get out where I live. Forget ADSL or normal broadband – out here, we don’t even get town water. We have rubbish bins and mail delivery, and that’s it. (Not that that stops my local council for charging me for ‘public transport’. Ha! There’s no bus , train etc for miles!!!) We don’t even have a local shop – our closest is 15 minutes drive. Which I LOVE because it’s SO peaceful and quiet (well, when my kids are asleep that is) but I can’t stand when it comes to technology, because my internet has been just so darn unreliable. Especially when there’s any hint of rain in the air.
18 months ago, I bought myself a Vodafone broadband stick. It was going to be cheaper than the others, and I figured that the coverage would be fairly similar to the other networks. D’Oh! Bad move.
So yesterday, in preparation for my NEW COMPUTER that I’m counting the days til (can you tell I’m just a little bit excited about this?!!) I went out and got myself (and I’m quoting the side of the box here) a “Telstra Ultimate Mobile Broadband USB Modem”.
Woohoo! I’m set now! Bring on the computer I can attach it to! LOL
I feel a little like Big Kev. I’m so excited, I swear little bits of me are actually escaping out of my skin. The reason, you ask? I’m SOOOO close to re-joining the world of the internet-capable computer owner again, I can just about taste it! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, so when I last blogged, I was computerless and jobless. Using hubby’s computer to bemoan my lack of money, my mounting credit card bills and my growing concern over the increasing intensity of demand letters over my past-due bills (boy, they can get rather stroppy, can’t they?!!)
Since then, I’ve got myself a job. Was getting absolutely nowhere with gaining paid employment the ‘traditional’ way, so I mustered as much courage as I could, found a niche that needed filling, went and pitched my proposal to the boss, and he agreed to pay me for the service I was offering. Yay! So now I can say that I’m ranked among the ’employed’ again! I oversee the marketing for St Paul’s Lutheran Primary School, Caboolture. So I’m pretty stoked, and my first pay will go towards purchasing myself my very OWN laptop! Yay!!! So I have around two weeks to decide what I want and where to get it from. I’m actually leaning towards getting a Mac. Never had one before, but I keep hearing good things.
What would YOU recommend?
Okay… nicking hubby’s computer again to type this (arrgghh! I really REALLY need one of my own again!!) but seeing as it’s January 31, it’s the last day of posting about Agatha Christie‘s ‘Murder on the Orient Express‘, which I said I would do for the #librarytwittermysteryamonth challenge.
So… to task.
Never read this novel before. Or seen the movie either, so had little expectations of what I was to encounter. Knew it had Poirot (and imagined the actor now famous for his portrayal of the same character) but was looking forward to the storyline.
Have to admit some disappointment though. It felt too trite. Too overworked. Too pat. Even after just the first few chapters, I admitted some surprise at the overuse of some adjectives describing facial characteristics, “expressionless” being an obvious one. Yes, it was clever. Yes, it was well-written with some beautiful turns of phrase. But plot-wise, I felt as though it wasn’t the masterpiece I had expected it to be.
Anyway, that’s my take on it. Sorry if my opinion disappointed anyone!
And sorry too, for my lack of blogging. I’m REALLY looking forward to buying myself another computer (SOOOOOOOO majorly SICK of ones that die on me!) but that’s going to have to wait until I have a job…
Stay safe, dear readers! As always, thanks for visiting. And I’ll try to be back again soon, I promise!
Yours,
Ceridwyn
I’ve been without a computer since Wednesday. Even now, I’m stealing a few minutes on hubby’s laptop. First email, then googlereader for jobs, quick moderation of the latest on goodoldtalk, and apologise for the absence of spam deletion, then a quick post on here. No time for twitter or facebook, let alone getting any work done on the project I’m meant to be completing for Uni!
I’m starting to realise exactly how much time I spend online, and how little I can get ‘done’ without it!
In a way, this is an obscure apology for the absence of recent reading material on this blog. Sorry!
Ceridwyn