New Technology

I have come to the conclusion nothing makes you feel more stupid than new technology. Don't get me wrong, I love fiddling with some new techy toy (I had to go look that up and see if I spell that correctly) it's like working on a new 1000 piece puzzle, double sided with the same picture on both sides. Boy those are a hoot, who thought THAT was a good idea?

Anyway, I now have a new computer with all the bells and whistles or at least compared to my old system. So I am fiddling for hours trying to figure out where they put the damn print icon, I still haven't figured out where to save my favorites and the explorer view is giving me a headache. But damn, the thing is fast! LOVE THAT! I don't have to wait for an hour to update my web programming and I can even open more than one window at a time. OOOOOhhhhh...I am giddy.

This should keep me busy for at least 2-3 years, just in time for the new, latest and greatest to be released. Then I get to do this again.

Side note: Since I have a new computer, of course I have Vista. It's the new operating system out there so that is what came with set-up. I watched this commercial from Microsoft on TV yesterday about this new software called "Mojave" that they had real people try out. I felt my stomach drop, shit! I just bought this PC and they have a new operating systems I am going to have to upgrade to...and I am not even close to mastering this one. But then they revealed the ploy, it was Vista. It was to show people not to be afraid of Vista, try it out. I shuddered in relief. Wow, dodged that bullet.

Pretty sexy...I put my pic and the professional one up. I have the "real" look to it. :D

Way too much time

How do people get anything accomplished who don't have kids at home? The 3 oldest are off stretching their little brains in the wonder we call the public school system and the twins are busy terrorizing my parents. And I am sitting (for the last 2 hours) writing and playing on the computer. Egads, I have things to do. When the little rugrats are home, I am a dynamo. I whip around finishing projects, making meals, cleaning the house because I KNOW that I have a finite amount of time to work. But with everyone gone, and I must say a very blissful and quiet house it is, I sit and waste time futzing around the net. Typing my inane thoughts because I can.

This happens every time I get "extra" time by myself. I should have learned that quality time by myself never leads me to finish those special projects I've been putting off. Usually I sit and read or watch TV. Sad, I know, you don't have to say it. But how often does that happen? Reading without stopping every 2/3 paragraphs to tell someone to stop touching the other. Or maybe watching TV where you get the gist of the show but have no idea of what big hoopla was over the plot of the story.

So here I sit, the cat curled up on my desk occasionally tapping extra letters on the keyboard when he stretches. And the dog stretched out on the floor knowing that she'll get to go for a ride when I am done. I have to get ready for an appointment in just a few minutes and I still haven't gotten dressed. I am so much more organized when I have toddlers scrambling around me begging for my attention. That is just weird I tell you.

But they all will be returning soon. The school children have a half-day so they will hit the door just after lunch. The toddlers will probably arrive sooner rather than later because my parents aren't as young as they once were. The lack of sleep and the constant requirements that are needed to keep up with 2 toddlers has definitely worn them down. I imagine they will be waiting on my back porch eagerly handing them over so they can go take a nap.

Then I can get back to being efficient because I have to.

A new computer

I just bought a new computer! I am so excited I could spit. Well, not spit because that's bad, gross and might hit someone, but maybe some spittle will fly out of my mouth. Um...never mind, I'm excited. I've been working on my dinosaur, Brontosaurus, for about 7 years now. So in computer years, it's about 70 years old. While I am not ready to shuffle it off to a retirement home, it has some good stuff left in it, it is definitely past it's prime. That time was probably about a year ago. Just running my email software program messes with all other programs running. And that's nothing compared to the security software. Egads when that updates, downloads and just checks in for fun, everything grinds to a halt. Makes me nuts.

So when I am working on my website, I have to close down everything but the bones and it still runs like mud. It takes me hours, yep I said hours, to work a few changes on the site. Usually I leave this kind of thing to after-hours or home alone time because it could take me a day or more to work through something major.

I know that I needed a new one about 18 months ago when I received a message that I couldn't run a program because my Operating System was out-of-date. So I did what all good moms do, I ignored it until I knew I had to deal with it. No sense tackling something on the first noise, why waste the energy until you have to, there is always 15 more things that are clamoring for attention. But I have reached that point of no return. I've cleaned and cleaned my disk space, defraged and deleted unnecessary files, but there is no more room.

I remember when 30 gigs was HUGE. Now I am getting 320 gigs...seems enormous, but I know that in 3 years that will be nothing. It's almost like getting married again, I can see the appeal mid-life crisis have. I get to play with something that is new, smaller, faster and more maneuverable than what I have now....ummm...gets me thinking about my husband. Well that's another blog. It makes me giddy thinking about it and I don't even have it yet. So Merry Christmas to me!!! Santa, you are a good man! I can't wait to get the box and rip it open. I know that I will be a lion on a fresh kill, protecting it from other predators...my kids and husband. So now I sit anxiously waiting with my fossil, soon I might be able to put the remains in the gas tank.

Fast, fast and faster

Okay, I've always considered myself pretty savvy with anything electronic or along those lines. I can program a VCR, wire my own stereo system, write computer programs, and work through a Microsoft issue on the computer...but I have realized, I am reaching that time. You know, that time when you are getting too old to keep up with the tech-life.

Sure, I can text, but it takes me FOREVER. I can even do it on the road while I am driving...(don't tell the cops!) usually finishing a 30 word (all written out, of course) essay by the time I have reached Tacoma. Then I watch my daughter whip messages back and forth like gun fire. It amazes me! There is even a special way to hold the phone/mobile so you can do it faster, I haven't mastered that at all. And, wait for this, I now know I am old...I don't want to. There is going to be a new carpal tunnel syndrome...something like text thumb syndrome or mobile wrist syndrome.

But I just can't get over the spelling! I went to school and even college so I could learn proper English, speaking or writing. Now all I see is Spktxt! Kids learning the quickest way to write, but is it grammatically correct or even spelled correctly? Heck no! Now, I just heard on the news that a school is teaching kids to write words and sentences phonetically...geez whiz, it's no wonder we rank so low on the education ladder. Can you imagine competing on a world level by text writing? Shudder to think so.

So I must say that I am keeping up as much as my deteriorating body can. I can still sit at a computer and work code and noodle out the Microsoft issues, but I don't think I'll ever get a laptop. Those little mouse pads kill me. So as things get smaller, more intricate and faster, I will continue to get bigger across my backside and try to keep up. :D