Categories
my novel-in-progress Writing

Almost there…

Well, this month was D-month! (Is that even a thing? And if not, why not? And can I make it a thing? And who even came up with the ‘D’ for ‘D-day’ anyway? And I’m really showing how much of an ignoramus I am right now, aren’t I?!)

And back to the story: my plan was to start querying my Middle Grade novel by the middle of March. Am I on track to still make that deadline? Well, yes… but it’s a long drawn out ‘yes’ so everyone knows there’s a caveat attached!

So here’s why. Amongst my drama group preparing for our performances next week and Miss 18 finishing her 100 hours on her learners and then getting her license (YAY!!!)… my computer died! And yes, I’m one of those people who says ‘I’ll back up *next* week, which of course never arrives, meaning my last back up was before Christmas, and I have done SOOOOO much editing since then!!!

In fairness to the computer, it *was* ten years old, which I’m told is a very good age. My 13 inch MacBook Air, as light as a (okay, maybe a pelican’s or an albatross’) feather, and it had never had ANY problems… even after I accidentally dropped it hard enough to dent its corner a couple of years ago; and even though I’ve let it overheat once or thrice.

But the keyboard stopped. The trackpad, screen, everything else was fine. Just no keyboard – and external keyboards (both wired and wireless) also didn’t work.

Hence: I now have a new MacBook Air. And the IT guru was able to restore my old computer using a P-RAM reset (which he did for free) so I was able to save, back up and then transfer my book baby (and all her siblings!) to my new computer. No edits lost!!!

But Scrivener had apparently undergone a new version in the years I’d been writing, so I had to buy the new version. And then my baby (and her siblings) needed updating to the new version, and I need to relearn how to do stuff on this new Scrivener which I already knew how to do on the old version, so… sigh. It’s been a bit of a set-back.

But I’m determined to send my first query letters on the 16th, so I have 10 days left to get my baby ship-shape and looking her best.

Wish me luck, dear Reader! I’ll let you know how it goes come April!

⁃ KRidwyn

Categories
#AtoZchallenge Blogging challenges Random thoughts

I is for ‘iridescent’

I love, love, LOVE this word!

My MacbookPro dictionary gives ‘iridescent’ this meaning:

‘luminous colours that seem to change when seen from different angles’. And it’s descended from Latin, where ‘irid’ means ‘rainbow’.

(That’s also how the silvery-white metal, iridium, got its name…)

How cool is that, huh?!

Have a great day, dear Reader!

— KRidwyn

Categories
Random thoughts

Day 5 – in which I lament the absence of Day 4’s post

Yup, missed a day. Got rebellious last night, and decided to remain ‘stuck’ in front of the TV instead of turning the Macbook back on.

In my defense, I shall now post the scribbling I wrote yesterday morning, 5am, on my iPod Touch. And seeing as I’m not in a WiFi environment, and therefore can’t just quickly email it to my Macbook, I shall have to type it out again.

I hope you will consider this adequate penance. I also hope you enjoy it!

Categories
Random thoughts Technology

Like leaving a cult…

I’m not particularly enamoured of Telstra at the moment. Which is quite a turnaround since March 7, when I was ecstatic with my purchase, a Telstra “Ultimate” USB Modem. The modem which I have since discovered is NOT compatible with my gorgeous new Macbook Pro.

And it’s not a case of ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Telstra employees recently. Hours and hours and hours worth, actually. On the phone with easily a dozen different people (the one called Nicole hung up on me, which I was pretty disgusted about. I don’t think I’ve ever been hung up on before… ever!) plus face to face with Dave at Caloundra (lovely person but unable to help) and then again with Casey and another young man – Mac owner, even! – at Morayfield yesterday.

The long and the short of it – I’ve been referred to yet another phone number. This one’s a 1800 number for Customer Relations, apparently. And it’s the only way I can actually start the process to cancel my Telstra contract.

The way  I see it: I signed up to a 24 month contract under the proviso that the USB modem would be compatible with the Mac I would be buying. And it’s not. So, in my opinion, I shouldn’t be forced to continue upholding my end of the contract, when they broke it first. I think that’s reasonable. And it’s only taken about 18 hours to get to this point. But I guess I need to keep fighting for what I want – to get out from this contract.

Ridiculous, really. All I wanted was a device that would do what it said it would do. And instead of spending upward s of 18 hours sorting out a compatability issue, I would have really appreciated only spending two minutes installing it, and then connecting to the net so I could keep on working. But no. And now I’m going to spend yet more time – time I can’t afford cos those Uni assignments are looming very fast! – on the phone with Telstra trying to sort out a problem which shouldn’t have even existed in the first place. yay.

It feels like breaking a contract with Telstra is like leaving a cult. And I know. I’ve been there before.

Categories
momentous events Random thoughts Technology

WOOHOO!!!!!

I’m blogging from my Mac! I’m SOOOO ecstatic right now!!!! Thank you, God! Thank you Vodafone and a HUGE thank you to Daemon Singer from Footprint IT (already valued due to his prestigious standing as a member of goodoldtalk.com – but now heading towards that ‘priceless’ status that American Express likes to call themselves) due to his succinct and ACCURATE diagnostics. (Yup, the 2011 Telstra Ultimate is not compatible with the 2011 Macbook Pro.) And his donation of a USB case to contain my old Vodafone SIM, which (strangely enough!!!) works out to actually BE compatible with the 2011 Macbook Pro that I’m currently typing on (this keyboard will take a little getting used to, BTW!)

So THANKS, Daemon, AppleCare, Vodafone etc etc. And thanks in advance to Telstra for letting me out of the contract that I’ve just signed with you – even though you don’t know that you’re about to do that yet! But I can’t see how your ‘Ultimate Mobile Broadband USB Modem’ (which says on the box that it will operate on the Mac OS X 10.5 or later!) is actually all that ‘ultimate’ when it actually does NOT work on my computer. So thanks for that, too!

Here endeth today’s post. Now I’m off to play!

Categories
Technology

It’s a fine line between furious and depressed, don’t you think?

And I’m walking that line right now. It’s pretty insane the rollercoaster ride of emotions I’ve been on over the last day.

I am now the proud (I think!) owner of a 13inch Macbook Pro. I am also the owner of a two week old, top of the range, Telstra Ultimate Mobile Broadband USB modem.

And who would have thunk it – the two ain’t compatible. And it’s taken over TWELVE (insert the worst expletive you can think of) HOURS of sitting on the phone to close to ten ‘consultants’ between the two companies. Plus the hour I spent sitting in the Caloundra Telstra shop today, getting their version of Tech Support. BTW there is absolutely no comparison between f2f and phone support. I was my usual polite self, but Nicole from 133933 must obviously have felt that hanging up on me was an appropriate way to treat a customer. I happen to disagree.

So now I’m on the downward slope. Heading towards depression. The best Telstra can do is offer me Tech Support with someone ‘who knows Macs’. Thursday of next week. The best Mac can offer is an appointment at their Chermside Genius Bar; Wednesday of next week.

Yay.

I wonder if I’ll ever actually blog from my own computer ever again?

blah.

Sorry for venting. And thanks for reading. I appreciate thinking that someone out there may actually care about the crappiness that I find myself in.

Categories
momentous events Random thoughts Technology

Hey ho; hey ho! It’s to the store I go…

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…)

 

Categories
Random thoughts Technology

Any views on Android out there?

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…

Categories
momentous events Random thoughts Uncategorized

Feeling like I’ve finally ‘caught up’ with the world…

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
momentous events Random thoughts

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