Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Like I said last week, I tend to drink coffee in cycles, and I have since I was at the newspaper. (Or at least, I used to have that cycle.) First I have a little in the morning - from the cafeteria here, a 12 oz. cup; from the kitchen in Vermont, one coffee cup - for a few days, then a morning comes along when I have a lot to get done or when I was up late the night before and I have a little more - here, a 16 oz. cup; back at my old job, two cups. After I get acclimated to having a medium cup in the morning, another day comes along when I need extra and I have a large cup. Then, eventually, I have a soda or iced coffee in the afternoon.
And then, by Saturday afternoon or Sunday, I'll have a dull, constant headache. I think this is because I got used to a certain amount of caffeine and then I haven't had any yet for a day or two, because I rarely have any on the weekends. This makes me realize I need to cut back to one small cup in the mornings.
And then, by Saturday afternoon or Sunday, I'll have a dull, constant headache. I think this is because I got used to a certain amount of caffeine and then I haven't had any yet for a day or two, because I rarely have any on the weekends. This makes me realize I need to cut back to one small cup in the mornings.
Um, maybe it's not time for a Kindle after all.
Realistically, getting a Kindle isn't a high priority for me, especially not now that I've got my computer working again after jumping through a few hoops myself. At first I was impressed by Dell technical support, because a technician delivered and installed a new hard drive Tuesday afternoon, which seems pretty prompt. By Thursday or Friday I was pissed off at them, because while the new hard drive was working the Internet connection wasn't, but it turned out that I wasn't filling in the network key in the right place or something. So overall, good job Dell. (I had one blood pressure spike this weekend when my computer crashed again while playing WoW and I realized that the problem wasn't the old hard drive, or at least the crashes were a separate problem from the hard drive, and it must be the video card after all. I turned down my video settings - hindsight being 20/20, I didn't need them all set to the max, even if it does make the game prettier - and no problems since then. I sure as hell wish I had tried that two weeks ago.)
So, to summarize: about a week of hassle, at least partly my own fault, but it didn't cost anything except for the new external hard drive, which is the kind of thing I should be using anyway.
A related concern that the Kindle thing reminds me of, though, is that I haven't got around to checking on my iTunes music library in the files recovered from my old hard drive. Some of the songs were bought from iTunes and some were copied from the CDs of friends and family who are now in other states, so all in all, it would be a lot to lose. And I doubt the files are unrecoverable, but I really hope iTunes isn't too assholeish about using files on too many different devices. I had one computer when I was in college, I got a new one in 2005 when I graduated and I got this current computer as a gift to myself after I got my first paycheck at my current job in late 2008. I also used to have an iPod and still do use an iPod mini. If any of those iTunes files are older than 2005, then that's five different licenses right there, not counting this new hard drive...
Unfortunately the publishers decide how many licenses, that is devices, a book can be on at any one time. While most of the time that will be five or six different devices there will be times when it’s only one device.
At the present time there is no way to know how many devices can be licensed prior to buying the book.
In other words, if his information was accurate, and the runaround I got this afternoon does make me continue to wonder, once you purchase a book you will have access to it going forward...
You just may have some hoops to go through along the way.
Realistically, getting a Kindle isn't a high priority for me, especially not now that I've got my computer working again after jumping through a few hoops myself. At first I was impressed by Dell technical support, because a technician delivered and installed a new hard drive Tuesday afternoon, which seems pretty prompt. By Thursday or Friday I was pissed off at them, because while the new hard drive was working the Internet connection wasn't, but it turned out that I wasn't filling in the network key in the right place or something. So overall, good job Dell. (I had one blood pressure spike this weekend when my computer crashed again while playing WoW and I realized that the problem wasn't the old hard drive, or at least the crashes were a separate problem from the hard drive, and it must be the video card after all. I turned down my video settings - hindsight being 20/20, I didn't need them all set to the max, even if it does make the game prettier - and no problems since then. I sure as hell wish I had tried that two weeks ago.)
So, to summarize: about a week of hassle, at least partly my own fault, but it didn't cost anything except for the new external hard drive, which is the kind of thing I should be using anyway.
A related concern that the Kindle thing reminds me of, though, is that I haven't got around to checking on my iTunes music library in the files recovered from my old hard drive. Some of the songs were bought from iTunes and some were copied from the CDs of friends and family who are now in other states, so all in all, it would be a lot to lose. And I doubt the files are unrecoverable, but I really hope iTunes isn't too assholeish about using files on too many different devices. I had one computer when I was in college, I got a new one in 2005 when I graduated and I got this current computer as a gift to myself after I got my first paycheck at my current job in late 2008. I also used to have an iPod and still do use an iPod mini. If any of those iTunes files are older than 2005, then that's five different licenses right there, not counting this new hard drive...
Monday, June 15, 2009
I'm not sure if my computer picked a good weekend to go on vacation* or not. One advantage is that June is a good time for it. Sunday was sunny and hot but not too hot and all around the best day imaginable to spend time running a few errands on foot. And I made headway on some bookkeeping and cleaning up and stuff. Not much, but some. It's not a big deal either way, I've long since stopped beating myself up over it, I don't live with my mother any more; but it's just nice to be a bit more organized.
The downside is, obviously, being so cut off. Apparently there was some kind of election irregularity in Iran? Everyone's thinks it was fixed? Friday I had just found a couple interesting personals ads, and then I lose my only viable** Internet access? And I can't play WoW. There's nothing time-sensitive going on right now, and it's not like I'm indispensable to my guild, but it's annoying.
All around, by Sunday I felt like I was in detox. I'm on the high side of my caffeine cycle (I'll explain later), and I'm trying to eat more healthily. So I'm reducing my intake of coffee and of unhealthy foods and going cold turkey on WoW.
Also, I need a Kindle or something (but shopping around for one is, of course, hard to do without a working computer at home!). I read fast. If I read enough to even put a dent in my free time, then I'd need either a lot more storage space or a Kindle or membership to a good library. Storage space is mostly used up in this house and libraries usually don't have newly released books and I can't reread library books I've returned the way I can pick up a familiar old novel off the shelf, so that leaves a Kindle or similar off-brand toy.
* By which I mean, it won't start. Can't load Windows. I had been having problems now and then with the thing shutting down on its own for the past couple weeks, and Saturday morning the thing was running so slowly it was basically not usable, and when I shut it down and tried to restart it, it wouldn't. By Sunday afternoon I had exhausted my technical expertise and began to suspect that the problem was the hard drive itself, and a tech support guy at Dell agreed with me. Hopefully their technician will come to replace it on Friday afternoon at the latest. Hopefully they will be able to recover the data on the current hard drive, some of which is irreplaceable. Argh. However, there's no need to say "hopefully" about one thing: I'm definitely going to be better about backing up the important stuff.
** I'm not cut off, of course. I'm typing this at work, and some Web sites that are blocked at work, like Hotmail and Facebook, I can just access on my cell phone. But my phone has a three-inch screen and feeble Internet connection, so it really sucks for anything like browsing.
The downside is, obviously, being so cut off. Apparently there was some kind of election irregularity in Iran? Everyone's thinks it was fixed? Friday I had just found a couple interesting personals ads, and then I lose my only viable** Internet access? And I can't play WoW. There's nothing time-sensitive going on right now, and it's not like I'm indispensable to my guild, but it's annoying.
All around, by Sunday I felt like I was in detox. I'm on the high side of my caffeine cycle (I'll explain later), and I'm trying to eat more healthily. So I'm reducing my intake of coffee and of unhealthy foods and going cold turkey on WoW.
Also, I need a Kindle or something (but shopping around for one is, of course, hard to do without a working computer at home!). I read fast. If I read enough to even put a dent in my free time, then I'd need either a lot more storage space or a Kindle or membership to a good library. Storage space is mostly used up in this house and libraries usually don't have newly released books and I can't reread library books I've returned the way I can pick up a familiar old novel off the shelf, so that leaves a Kindle or similar off-brand toy.
* By which I mean, it won't start. Can't load Windows. I had been having problems now and then with the thing shutting down on its own for the past couple weeks, and Saturday morning the thing was running so slowly it was basically not usable, and when I shut it down and tried to restart it, it wouldn't. By Sunday afternoon I had exhausted my technical expertise and began to suspect that the problem was the hard drive itself, and a tech support guy at Dell agreed with me. Hopefully their technician will come to replace it on Friday afternoon at the latest. Hopefully they will be able to recover the data on the current hard drive, some of which is irreplaceable. Argh. However, there's no need to say "hopefully" about one thing: I'm definitely going to be better about backing up the important stuff.
** I'm not cut off, of course. I'm typing this at work, and some Web sites that are blocked at work, like Hotmail and Facebook, I can just access on my cell phone. But my phone has a three-inch screen and feeble Internet connection, so it really sucks for anything like browsing.
Friday, October 03, 2008
I watched the vice-presidential debate a couple hours ago. I'd say it's good news, just because no news is good news.
Obama is calm and cool under pressure (see his debate), eloquent (see his nomination acceptance speech), and wonkish (see the policy focus in his debate and his acceptance speech.) Biden is competent and experienced (see this debate), albeit a bit... unfocused (see his gaffes). McCain is belligerent in both personality and policy, (temper problems, objecting to meeting with Zapetero), erratic (suspending his campaign or not), and all talk (maverickmaverickmaverick). Palin is a moron (see the Katie Couric interview). Unless something unpredictable happens, all of this will continue to become more clear and obvious as the campaign goes on over the coming month, which is good for Obama.
Thursday's debate, just like the one between Obama and McCain a week or so ago, contained few surprises. Neither candidate lost his or her temper on stage, neither candidate said something that was obviously ridiculous, etc. If the debate doesn't change anything significantly by itself, that leaves trends intact, and those trends are good these days. No news is good news.
Obama is calm and cool under pressure (see his debate), eloquent (see his nomination acceptance speech), and wonkish (see the policy focus in his debate and his acceptance speech.) Biden is competent and experienced (see this debate), albeit a bit... unfocused (see his gaffes). McCain is belligerent in both personality and policy, (temper problems, objecting to meeting with Zapetero), erratic (suspending his campaign or not), and all talk (maverickmaverickmaverick). Palin is a moron (see the Katie Couric interview). Unless something unpredictable happens, all of this will continue to become more clear and obvious as the campaign goes on over the coming month, which is good for Obama.
Thursday's debate, just like the one between Obama and McCain a week or so ago, contained few surprises. Neither candidate lost his or her temper on stage, neither candidate said something that was obviously ridiculous, etc. If the debate doesn't change anything significantly by itself, that leaves trends intact, and those trends are good these days. No news is good news.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
26,500 hits on Google for mccain "walk and chew gum" at the moment. It's only eight hours or so after the news broke that McCain would "suspend his campaign," whatever that means, and wouldn't show up at the debate scheduled for Friday. I guess this means that he's going to demonstrate selfless nobility by talking about how he's trying to rise above partisanship in this current economic crisis. McCain probably won't barge into the middle of a negotiation session on the bailout bill, but it won't be for lack of trying.
You know, try as I might, I just can't get pessimistic about this election. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched and no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public and all that, but still.
You know, try as I might, I just can't get pessimistic about this election. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched and no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public and all that, but still.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Stuff! Why do we have so much of it? Where does it come from? Well, it's obvious where almost any particular piece comes from, but you know, stuff in general? Or rather, why can't we get rid of it?
There's a well-established infrastructure of thrift shops and consignment and charity efforts for secondhand clothes and used bookstores and libraries for secondhand books, but what about secondhand coffee mugs or iPods? When the battery died, I was using the iPod more for recording interviews than for listening to music, so instead of getting a new battery I just replaced the whole thing with a voice recorder, so the iPod is practically useless. Yard sales, maybe? Hah. Instead of sorting, boxing and moving stuff I don't want once, from my apartment to the garbage or used book store or whatever, I would wind up sorting, boxing and moving each piece of stuff an average of 2.9 times - once to the attic to await the yard sale for another few months or years until there's a good day to hold a yard sale and a critical mass of stuff, a second time from the attic to the site of the yard sale, and about nine-tenths of another move, because I assume that's about the amount of stuff that wouldn't sell and would have to go back into the attic. Yard sales are great for community spirit, and they're great for fun if you like that kind of thing, but they aren't great for saving energy or getting rid of stuff.
So why not just throw stuff away - but are you kidding? Why be so wasteful? Sure, I can't use that now, but maybe I'll need it in a month, or 10 years. Even if I can't use it, maybe somebody else can. And all they'll have to do is get it out of my parent's attic.
This is on my mind because I've just moved to a new home. Last week I lived in an apartment I was renting on my own which was unfurnished when I got there, in the same town as my parent's home. Today I have three roommates at the moment, the house is fully furnished but my room wasn't, and it's a 10-hour drive home. I think this will be fun.
There's a well-established infrastructure of thrift shops and consignment and charity efforts for secondhand clothes and used bookstores and libraries for secondhand books, but what about secondhand coffee mugs or iPods? When the battery died, I was using the iPod more for recording interviews than for listening to music, so instead of getting a new battery I just replaced the whole thing with a voice recorder, so the iPod is practically useless. Yard sales, maybe? Hah. Instead of sorting, boxing and moving stuff I don't want once, from my apartment to the garbage or used book store or whatever, I would wind up sorting, boxing and moving each piece of stuff an average of 2.9 times - once to the attic to await the yard sale for another few months or years until there's a good day to hold a yard sale and a critical mass of stuff, a second time from the attic to the site of the yard sale, and about nine-tenths of another move, because I assume that's about the amount of stuff that wouldn't sell and would have to go back into the attic. Yard sales are great for community spirit, and they're great for fun if you like that kind of thing, but they aren't great for saving energy or getting rid of stuff.
So why not just throw stuff away - but are you kidding? Why be so wasteful? Sure, I can't use that now, but maybe I'll need it in a month, or 10 years. Even if I can't use it, maybe somebody else can. And all they'll have to do is get it out of my parent's attic.
This is on my mind because I've just moved to a new home. Last week I lived in an apartment I was renting on my own which was unfurnished when I got there, in the same town as my parent's home. Today I have three roommates at the moment, the house is fully furnished but my room wasn't, and it's a 10-hour drive home. I think this will be fun.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Editing the sport section went well today. That makes me nervous.
This week, it was my turn to put together the sport section for tomorrow's paper. I got started leisurely but not lazily - I got there 20 minutes or so later than I had said I would, but not something ridiculous like two hours; I read some blogs in the beginning while proofreading the articles, but worked steadily after that.
And just a little more than three hours later, I was done. It was relatively easy to begin with, with only two articles (not counting the scoreboard and the schedule) instead of the usual three or four articles and a brief or two. Two articles and six pictures, which I used all but one of, and only needed to resize one. Even so, it sort of offends my pessimism (which is erratic, it seems, but still exists) that the section apparently came out well and not only that but turned out to be easy. I would expect to have a hard time finding a file or to realize that I have 10 column-inches to make up, but it only turned out to be about three, and I can get that just by fiddling around with space between elements and changing the letting and stuff.
Also, it leaves me wondering what I missed. Some evenings when I can finish the section I have an idea of what wasn't that great, so I'm not surprised to hear about certain problems the following morning. "Yeah, I know that headline wasn't great, but I couldn't think of anything else that fit." "Huh, the text is pretty close to the picture, I moved that story around so many times I didn't notice that the last time." Now, though... nothing. If I didn't make mistakes like that, I'm left wondering if I did something really dumb like misspelling the name of the school in the lead headline or something.
This week, it was my turn to put together the sport section for tomorrow's paper. I got started leisurely but not lazily - I got there 20 minutes or so later than I had said I would, but not something ridiculous like two hours; I read some blogs in the beginning while proofreading the articles, but worked steadily after that.
And just a little more than three hours later, I was done. It was relatively easy to begin with, with only two articles (not counting the scoreboard and the schedule) instead of the usual three or four articles and a brief or two. Two articles and six pictures, which I used all but one of, and only needed to resize one. Even so, it sort of offends my pessimism (which is erratic, it seems, but still exists) that the section apparently came out well and not only that but turned out to be easy. I would expect to have a hard time finding a file or to realize that I have 10 column-inches to make up, but it only turned out to be about three, and I can get that just by fiddling around with space between elements and changing the letting and stuff.
Also, it leaves me wondering what I missed. Some evenings when I can finish the section I have an idea of what wasn't that great, so I'm not surprised to hear about certain problems the following morning. "Yeah, I know that headline wasn't great, but I couldn't think of anything else that fit." "Huh, the text is pretty close to the picture, I moved that story around so many times I didn't notice that the last time." Now, though... nothing. If I didn't make mistakes like that, I'm left wondering if I did something really dumb like misspelling the name of the school in the lead headline or something.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
