Well, as of this afternoon, I am the proud owner of a nice, shiny new laptop. Using the iPad for my computer and internet needs was all very fine and good, but you can really tell that it wasn't really designed for heavy net use. It ate everything I typed if I had to change windows and hadn't hit 'post', it didn't like to scroll down, wouldn't copy unless you had a 'live' window to type in, which made it pretty much impossible to copy paste some things...
I mean don't get me wrong, in a pinch it works great, but overall it's much more effective for a quick browse than say, trying to type a blog post or the like. Also now I kinda have to retrain myself that I no longer have to change typing screens to get symbols or numbers. And tabs... oh how I missed tabs.
I have no idea if the iPad 2 has any better functionality, but I think if I can, I'll stick to using a "real" computer for heavy use. No that doesn't mean I have anything against Mac, no I still like Mac computers, that's just not the kind we have.
No photos of MiniMonster today, but I can actually look at them again now, which also doesn't hurt. Oh and I knitted a cupcake hat for a friend of mine and her daughter. I still have to finish sewing on the button-sprinkles, but I'll take a nice picture when it's done and share it. It came out pretty cute!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Panic culture
You're all going to have to forgive me because I'm feeling a bit philosophical today.
(please forgive me, I'll change 'revelry' to 'Ravelry' later. Still using a very uncooperative iPad which thinks it knows what I want to say. Mostly it just points at the dictionary and picks the most bizarre fit it can find.)
I kind of feel as though we're living in a 'Panic Culture', maybe we've let our fascination with horror films permeate everything else in our lives, but we seem to love to panic, and we let others, like the press, play on this.
For example, Grandma S sent me an article on the spread of Giant Hogsweed, a nasty invasive plant that makes poison ivy look like a nice soak in a hot tub. It wasn't a bad article overall, the problem was that they were deliberately... I can't think of the word I'm looking for. They show boated. They showed a blurry photo of the flower of the plant which without context looks almost exactly like a nice harmless Queen Annes Lace, and only at the very bottom of the article did they cough up their sleeve and admit that these deceptive and lacy bloom spreads are the size of umbrellas. They also went out of their way not to mention the actual habitat that this invader prefers, the scale of the plant overall, or other details like the rhubarb red stalks, or even show the distinctive and huge leaves, all of which in combination make this plant resemble Queen Annes Lace only as closely as two random people with the same hair color might look alike.
While it's a horrible plant and should be handled by people who know what they're doing, a little extra information would gave pointed out just how EASY this nasty customer would be to see coming. It's almost less of a plant and more of a kaiju.
We see similar articles almost daily, if not hourly, where pertiant information that would change the entire context of a discussion is entirely ignored just to add to the sensationalism of the tale, and I think at this point the press isn't alone in this.
I had to cringe reading some discussions on revelry, since there was a young mother concerned that her almost three year old wasn't a big talker. Instead of doing legwork MANY of the suggestions that popped up heavily implied at being a delayed talker CLEARLY implied that the child MUST be autistic. This just not only isn't a given it's a horrible thing to imply, without verification, to a worried parent. It's almost tantamount to saying 'that sneeze is an major indicator for incurable pneumonia'.
As parents don't we have enough to worry about without modern updates to Old Wives Tales?
(please forgive me, I'll change 'revelry' to 'Ravelry' later. Still using a very uncooperative iPad which thinks it knows what I want to say. Mostly it just points at the dictionary and picks the most bizarre fit it can find.)
I kind of feel as though we're living in a 'Panic Culture', maybe we've let our fascination with horror films permeate everything else in our lives, but we seem to love to panic, and we let others, like the press, play on this.
For example, Grandma S sent me an article on the spread of Giant Hogsweed, a nasty invasive plant that makes poison ivy look like a nice soak in a hot tub. It wasn't a bad article overall, the problem was that they were deliberately... I can't think of the word I'm looking for. They show boated. They showed a blurry photo of the flower of the plant which without context looks almost exactly like a nice harmless Queen Annes Lace, and only at the very bottom of the article did they cough up their sleeve and admit that these deceptive and lacy bloom spreads are the size of umbrellas. They also went out of their way not to mention the actual habitat that this invader prefers, the scale of the plant overall, or other details like the rhubarb red stalks, or even show the distinctive and huge leaves, all of which in combination make this plant resemble Queen Annes Lace only as closely as two random people with the same hair color might look alike.
While it's a horrible plant and should be handled by people who know what they're doing, a little extra information would gave pointed out just how EASY this nasty customer would be to see coming. It's almost less of a plant and more of a kaiju.
We see similar articles almost daily, if not hourly, where pertiant information that would change the entire context of a discussion is entirely ignored just to add to the sensationalism of the tale, and I think at this point the press isn't alone in this.
I had to cringe reading some discussions on revelry, since there was a young mother concerned that her almost three year old wasn't a big talker. Instead of doing legwork MANY of the suggestions that popped up heavily implied at being a delayed talker CLEARLY implied that the child MUST be autistic. This just not only isn't a given it's a horrible thing to imply, without verification, to a worried parent. It's almost tantamount to saying 'that sneeze is an major indicator for incurable pneumonia'.
As parents don't we have enough to worry about without modern updates to Old Wives Tales?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
It can't do that, Dave....
So for those of yup who may have been wondering if I was devoured by a pack of raptors or sonething, I can safely say I haven't been.
The reason I've been totally AWOL isn't because of raptors, wild dogs or the bubonic plague, it's because of the damn laptop. For reasons we can only guess at... Well... I think we have a particularly reasonable guess... The charger port on the lap top no longer functions. At all.
We're going to have to go get a whole new lap top, and we haven't done so yet, so I am posting using an iPad, which while lovely for browsing, does get a bit awkward in the typing department. Especially since it really likes to autocorrect me, and I don't always notice when it's done so, leading to interesting substitutions.
We finally have our new queen sized bed and an awesome new mattress, which is awesome. Unfortunately, after the super delays, they followed up by being short the pieces that attach the head and foot board, so the bed is mostly complete, but not all the way.
MiniMonster as a result ended up accidentally dismounting between the bed and the wall, and needed a rescue. I've barked ankles and hamstrings on the handles for the storage drawers, but I'm getting used to them being there, and it Gives us some extra space.
We also finally got to repaint the bedroom, so it's no longer blue. Thank heavens!
MiniMonster is growing like a weed! He can, and does, handle his own spoon and eat yogurt, making happy sounds the whole time, and he needs another shopping trip for shirts that don't take a major war to get on over his head. This makes me nervous of the sweater I'm making for him, but if he can't wear it, I'll save it for NomNom.
He still doesn't use a lot of words, but he's getting a lot better at communicating, and arching him at all makes it pretty obvious that his small vocabulary doesn't indicate a small brain, and he's probably driving his Grandpa P nuts. Grandpa P tends to treat him sort of like a slow minded family pet. This is really annoying, but understandable in a way if you consider that he grew up in a situation where as a father figure he really didn't interact with his children much until they were older, so MiniMonster might as well be an alien life form for all my father understands him.
MiniMonster notices very much how he's being treated, and refuses to say hello to Grandpa P, though he gleefully says hi to Grandma S and her dog. He tends to be similarly recalcitrant with Nana J, who, I've noticed, is reluctant to surrender the idea that he can, and wants to, do things for himself, and tends toward putting him in situations where he has no control, like pushing his stroller through high grass, (I did check him for ticks), or panicking and taking away a plastic spoon (unbroken) which she'd earlier given him to play with, which left him both bored and stuck, and resultantly furious.
Must be kinda frustrating to be in those shoes, trying to convince the huge people around you to respect your mind. No wonder toddlers go through the terrible twos trying to remind people of this.
The reason I've been totally AWOL isn't because of raptors, wild dogs or the bubonic plague, it's because of the damn laptop. For reasons we can only guess at... Well... I think we have a particularly reasonable guess... The charger port on the lap top no longer functions. At all.
We're going to have to go get a whole new lap top, and we haven't done so yet, so I am posting using an iPad, which while lovely for browsing, does get a bit awkward in the typing department. Especially since it really likes to autocorrect me, and I don't always notice when it's done so, leading to interesting substitutions.
We finally have our new queen sized bed and an awesome new mattress, which is awesome. Unfortunately, after the super delays, they followed up by being short the pieces that attach the head and foot board, so the bed is mostly complete, but not all the way.
MiniMonster as a result ended up accidentally dismounting between the bed and the wall, and needed a rescue. I've barked ankles and hamstrings on the handles for the storage drawers, but I'm getting used to them being there, and it Gives us some extra space.
We also finally got to repaint the bedroom, so it's no longer blue. Thank heavens!
MiniMonster is growing like a weed! He can, and does, handle his own spoon and eat yogurt, making happy sounds the whole time, and he needs another shopping trip for shirts that don't take a major war to get on over his head. This makes me nervous of the sweater I'm making for him, but if he can't wear it, I'll save it for NomNom.
He still doesn't use a lot of words, but he's getting a lot better at communicating, and arching him at all makes it pretty obvious that his small vocabulary doesn't indicate a small brain, and he's probably driving his Grandpa P nuts. Grandpa P tends to treat him sort of like a slow minded family pet. This is really annoying, but understandable in a way if you consider that he grew up in a situation where as a father figure he really didn't interact with his children much until they were older, so MiniMonster might as well be an alien life form for all my father understands him.
MiniMonster notices very much how he's being treated, and refuses to say hello to Grandpa P, though he gleefully says hi to Grandma S and her dog. He tends to be similarly recalcitrant with Nana J, who, I've noticed, is reluctant to surrender the idea that he can, and wants to, do things for himself, and tends toward putting him in situations where he has no control, like pushing his stroller through high grass, (I did check him for ticks), or panicking and taking away a plastic spoon (unbroken) which she'd earlier given him to play with, which left him both bored and stuck, and resultantly furious.
Must be kinda frustrating to be in those shoes, trying to convince the huge people around you to respect your mind. No wonder toddlers go through the terrible twos trying to remind people of this.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Don't play Poker with mommy
And today's fun lesson for the MiniMonster is: Mommy doesn't Bluff.
When she says you WILL get a time out if you touch the glasses on the side table, you will get a time out when you touch the glasses on the side table, because she doesn't want to clean her lemonade off the floor, or off the yarn for your blanket.
You will get a time out even if you think it's hysterical to move your hand a little.... tiny... tiny bit closer every time she looks at you until you poke the glass with one... single... finger.
Cause mommy isn't bluffing even if it was amusingly wiseass of you.
When she says you WILL get a time out if you touch the glasses on the side table, you will get a time out when you touch the glasses on the side table, because she doesn't want to clean her lemonade off the floor, or off the yarn for your blanket.
You will get a time out even if you think it's hysterical to move your hand a little.... tiny... tiny bit closer every time she looks at you until you poke the glass with one... single... finger.
Cause mommy isn't bluffing even if it was amusingly wiseass of you.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Another Miss
((The first person who mentions Global Warming, Climate change or any other related theory gets a smack in the head, thank you.))
Anyway I'm glad it missed us. I kind of remember that we actually had a Tornado go through once when I was really little. We went out on the porch with my mother briefly during the calm and looked around. It was kind of eerie, but pretty cool. We were all fine, by the way. Just very fed up by the time it was definitely passed of sitting in the basement wearing sweat-clothes because Mom insisted we should, just in case.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A little Damp
Those of you who know I'm a New Englander may (or may not) be pleased to hear that were we live was NOT hit with the insane flooding and storms that claimed some lives, and apparently from the pictures. some vehicles as well.
((Apparently a nineteen year old young man was killed by a falling tree while outside trying to clean debris from his driveway. ))
We did have some rain, and even some thunder, but it was nothing as severe as what apparently hit areas not actually that far from us. I'm extremely grateful for this, because we DO have several large pine trees in the side yard that could -actually- come down on the house. And that would be really bad.
Otherwise there's not tons to report. I got some fun new pictures of the Monster that I'll post for peoples enjoyment. He's growing like a weed and loves to go outside, which makes it a shame that it's been wet and gross, and therefore alive with mosquitoes and blackflies. It's also unfortunate for Tilmani, who is a buffet for blackflies, and they make him sick. Litteraly. He reacts very badly to being bitten.
MiniMonster has been re-introduced to crayons and has discovered that they are WAY FUN. He now has a coloring book and a blank drawing pad, and he actually seems to like the blank pad better. (I don't blame him.) The only problem we're really having is that he tends to drop the crayons he's not using on the floor, then he gets mad when he wants them back and can't reach them. ((His artistic endeavors are limited to his high chair and tray because... well... white paper... large white blank living room walls..... 1 + 1 = Mom Doesn't want to Scrub crayola off the paint.
We'll also be joining my In laws for a Memorial Day BBQ at their place, and getting to see the work they've had done on their kitchen, now mostly finished. Man what an adventure they've had on that front. First the contractor 'neglected' to order the cabinets when they were selected, in spite of having all required measurements and the like, and since he didn't order them, lost that chance when they abruptly stopped making them, requiring my poor Mother in law to go pick NEW cabinets because he didn't order them. They also destroyed THREE microwaves ((the contractors)) by slamming them into things, and last I heard had made the brand new stove stop working, because after installing it, they pulled it BACK out to do something, and when they put it back it didn't work. Given the microwaves... one suspects poor handling. Sounds like they DO have water back in the kitchen though after months. This makes me extremely nervous of what it's going to be like if we ever decide to remodel the kitchen. X_X
Granted I tend to be a little more ready to share my displeasure when I feel like someone needs to fix the mess they made, so maybe things would go a little differently, but who knows.
Oh and MiniMonster should be all excited, his Auntie is now the Manager of the Candy store where she works. Go Auntie Roo!
And now pictures! One of them has a link to an appropriate song. ;)
((Apparently a nineteen year old young man was killed by a falling tree while outside trying to clean debris from his driveway. ))
We did have some rain, and even some thunder, but it was nothing as severe as what apparently hit areas not actually that far from us. I'm extremely grateful for this, because we DO have several large pine trees in the side yard that could -actually- come down on the house. And that would be really bad.
Otherwise there's not tons to report. I got some fun new pictures of the Monster that I'll post for peoples enjoyment. He's growing like a weed and loves to go outside, which makes it a shame that it's been wet and gross, and therefore alive with mosquitoes and blackflies. It's also unfortunate for Tilmani, who is a buffet for blackflies, and they make him sick. Litteraly. He reacts very badly to being bitten.
MiniMonster has been re-introduced to crayons and has discovered that they are WAY FUN. He now has a coloring book and a blank drawing pad, and he actually seems to like the blank pad better. (I don't blame him.) The only problem we're really having is that he tends to drop the crayons he's not using on the floor, then he gets mad when he wants them back and can't reach them. ((His artistic endeavors are limited to his high chair and tray because... well... white paper... large white blank living room walls..... 1 + 1 = Mom Doesn't want to Scrub crayola off the paint.
We'll also be joining my In laws for a Memorial Day BBQ at their place, and getting to see the work they've had done on their kitchen, now mostly finished. Man what an adventure they've had on that front. First the contractor 'neglected' to order the cabinets when they were selected, in spite of having all required measurements and the like, and since he didn't order them, lost that chance when they abruptly stopped making them, requiring my poor Mother in law to go pick NEW cabinets because he didn't order them. They also destroyed THREE microwaves ((the contractors)) by slamming them into things, and last I heard had made the brand new stove stop working, because after installing it, they pulled it BACK out to do something, and when they put it back it didn't work. Given the microwaves... one suspects poor handling. Sounds like they DO have water back in the kitchen though after months. This makes me extremely nervous of what it's going to be like if we ever decide to remodel the kitchen. X_X
Granted I tend to be a little more ready to share my displeasure when I feel like someone needs to fix the mess they made, so maybe things would go a little differently, but who knows.
Oh and MiniMonster should be all excited, his Auntie is now the Manager of the Candy store where she works. Go Auntie Roo!
And now pictures! One of them has a link to an appropriate song. ;)
 |
| MiniMonster and Nana J. |
 |
| Crayola, Crayola |
 |
| Visiting the Neighbors |
 |
| Helping out Daddy |
 |
| The Strong Men |
Monday, May 23, 2011
Hoisin Chicken or Ho-Sh-- chicken?
We had our rpg game again for the first time in a few weeks yesterday. MiniMonster spent a fair amount of it relegated to his playpen or to his room because he absolutely could not/would not stay out of trouble.
Game was fun, and the Dice-Gods decided to show me their great favor at some pretty opportune times, resulting in some really amazing results and a fair amount of Out-Of-Character hilarity.
We served up some Honey-Hoisin chicken made in the crock pot, a pretty straight forward recipie from a new cook book I picked up. Turtle and Bear really liked it, Tilmani and I thought it was decent, but not the most amazing thing we'd had.
NomNom apparently thought it was one of the most vile substances ever to grace the earth, waking me up in the night with general nausea and plenty of gas, and a nice round of revenge of NomNom when I got up this morning.
Needless to say I don't think I'll be making Hoisin Chicken again any time too soon. X_X
MiniMonster seems to be coming down with a bit of a cold, dripy nose, reduced appetite and general cuddly blahs, poor guy. I gave him a little breakfast, some snuggles, and tucked him back to bed, wouldn't mind doing the same myself but I've got things to do today.
Now if I could just find the motivation.
Game was fun, and the Dice-Gods decided to show me their great favor at some pretty opportune times, resulting in some really amazing results and a fair amount of Out-Of-Character hilarity.
We served up some Honey-Hoisin chicken made in the crock pot, a pretty straight forward recipie from a new cook book I picked up. Turtle and Bear really liked it, Tilmani and I thought it was decent, but not the most amazing thing we'd had.
NomNom apparently thought it was one of the most vile substances ever to grace the earth, waking me up in the night with general nausea and plenty of gas, and a nice round of revenge of NomNom when I got up this morning.
Needless to say I don't think I'll be making Hoisin Chicken again any time too soon. X_X
MiniMonster seems to be coming down with a bit of a cold, dripy nose, reduced appetite and general cuddly blahs, poor guy. I gave him a little breakfast, some snuggles, and tucked him back to bed, wouldn't mind doing the same myself but I've got things to do today.
Now if I could just find the motivation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)