Since my 10+ year old Toshiba laptop gasped it's last breath after a trip to New Orleans last year, I've been saving and searching for my next laptop. Along the way, I've begun to use user's online reviews on sites like bestbuy.com and amazon.com to get an idea of how good a model is. I also make note of which ones are sold refurbished. It seems to me this means there are a lot of returns on that model (for whatever reason!).
I found an interesting thing occur on bestbuy.com. Two Toshiba models that had many bad user reviews came and went quickly on their site and so did the bad reviews. When a model is no longer sold, it's bad press is no longer seen!
Friends had warned of HP models freezing so badly you had to remove the battery pack for 30 minutes before it would start up but since they seem to offer the most models with a keyboard and mouse pad centered on the laptop (instead of shifted to the left), I am still considering this brand.
Sony desktops couldn't handle standard replacement parts because they had their own specialty upgrades which standard replacement parts did not fit. The recovery software was so rigid that upgrading to a higher capacity hard drive was almost impossible. Graphics cards had so many compatibility issues I gave up playing video games on pc's and just got a video game system.
As I spoke with others, I found complaints for most brands. To the point that I am still searching for a laptop 6 months later. Anyone notice the Intel I7 models get pulled recently? Kinda disheartening when even the CPU's are having problems!
It seems that the manufacturers develop their models in a vacuum, with no user feedback/suggestion button to be found. You can often send email to some generic address but it seems an idea/suggestion/wish list button would be a great way to get some free ideas from the folks most likely to know what they want - THE USER???
So here is my Wish List for a laptop:
1) Keyboard & mousepad centered
Alleviates my over-extension in my right-shoulder from the addition of a numeric keypad that is rarely used. Just because we have wider HD screens now does not mean you have to have more keys!
2) Curved keys
My fingers are curved, not flat. What's up with these flat keys?
2) Back-lit keyboards
I suggested this to Toshiba many years ago. It is just now catching on. Even touch-typists usually don't know where the special keys are on a keyboard. And being able to change the backlit color would be nice too!
3) Touch screens
Seems way overdue as a laptop feature. They also need to work as well as they do on i-Stuff.
4) Recovery discs
You do realize this is not included on most laptops nowadays?
5) No bloatware killing performance
Don't you hate getting a brand new processor with no noticeable improvement in performance because of all the proprietary crap pre-loaded on the system? Give this as an installation option instead. We're not all THAT PC illiterate!
I am sure I could go on for quite sometime but I'll leave room for others to comment. I doubt anyone with any influence will see this but I can hope (and as usual, I feel better having Ranted). For now, I am limping along on my old Pentium 4 and thinking I'll just go for something cheaper and less than ideal for now. Blu-ray, 3D, and hand-motion control will just have to wait for my next 10 year upgrade...
Monday, April 4, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Spirituality - Theory or Practice?
A walk in the woods is one of the simplest ways for me to practice my spirituality. I quickly find myself forgetting about modern day life as my consciousness begins to shift my awareness into an altered state.
For me, it often turns into a sort of meditation as I "stop the world". Extraneous chatter quieting as I focus upon a specific idea. I watch the ground in front of me, step by step as I let my find follow its course.
I enter my own world which is quite magical to me. I stop often to admire nature's beauty or our human touch upon the landscape. I can't help but see the earth as one big ant pile with humans using it as mindlessly as any other life on this planet.
When I return, the sounds of the nearby railroad begin to encroach on my thoughts and I find myself thinking more about what my spirituality means to me.
Like many, reading has allowed me to learn about the many beliefs of others. It seems that they often congregate together to share their beliefs on a regular basis and then go back to their lives, leaving the ideals behind.
I am no different. I don't do it consciously but my awareness does slowly decrease as the modern world distracts me. From cell phones to PC's and television, I quickly find myself forgetting about the natural Spirit of the world around me.
It's hard to maintain that elevated awareness. Allowing it to guide me all the time. Thankfully it is always there, all the time, everywhere. I just have to take a moment to quiet my thoughts and BE in the moment.
I don't apologize for my perception of the world. I am quite happy in my perspective though it might make others uncomfortable or even frightened. It's definitely not shared by the majority but that does not invalidate it.
It isn't found in any one book and is ever changing and growing. For many, it seems so much easier to give an hour or two a week to study and then throw it out the window the rest of the time. I don't get so fixated on routine and instead try to spend more time practicing a heightened awareness all the time in order to live what I believe.
So what ideals do you find important? Do you bitch about people more or praise them more? Do you even THINK about your impact on the environment or try even in the smallest way to reduce your footprint? Are you stagnant and proud of not changing or do you at least look for ways to improve yourself?
Do you ever move from theory to practice or do you think your times of ritual are really all that's needed?
For me, it often turns into a sort of meditation as I "stop the world". Extraneous chatter quieting as I focus upon a specific idea. I watch the ground in front of me, step by step as I let my find follow its course.
I enter my own world which is quite magical to me. I stop often to admire nature's beauty or our human touch upon the landscape. I can't help but see the earth as one big ant pile with humans using it as mindlessly as any other life on this planet.
When I return, the sounds of the nearby railroad begin to encroach on my thoughts and I find myself thinking more about what my spirituality means to me.
Like many, reading has allowed me to learn about the many beliefs of others. It seems that they often congregate together to share their beliefs on a regular basis and then go back to their lives, leaving the ideals behind.
I am no different. I don't do it consciously but my awareness does slowly decrease as the modern world distracts me. From cell phones to PC's and television, I quickly find myself forgetting about the natural Spirit of the world around me.
It's hard to maintain that elevated awareness. Allowing it to guide me all the time. Thankfully it is always there, all the time, everywhere. I just have to take a moment to quiet my thoughts and BE in the moment.
I don't apologize for my perception of the world. I am quite happy in my perspective though it might make others uncomfortable or even frightened. It's definitely not shared by the majority but that does not invalidate it.
It isn't found in any one book and is ever changing and growing. For many, it seems so much easier to give an hour or two a week to study and then throw it out the window the rest of the time. I don't get so fixated on routine and instead try to spend more time practicing a heightened awareness all the time in order to live what I believe.
So what ideals do you find important? Do you bitch about people more or praise them more? Do you even THINK about your impact on the environment or try even in the smallest way to reduce your footprint? Are you stagnant and proud of not changing or do you at least look for ways to improve yourself?
Do you ever move from theory to practice or do you think your times of ritual are really all that's needed?
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Addiction, Responsibility and HOPE
From nicotine to alcohol to any substance or other addiction, we all have a personal responsibility to ourselves and those around us. Whether we are suffering from addiction, enabling someone's addiction, or helping in whatever way we see fit, we are involved and owe it to ourselves and others to own up to this.
My ex once stopped dealing Meth to someone about two weeks before they blew their brains out. My ex said if he didn't sell this person their drugs, someone else would. I explained that it would then be that new dealer's involvement, not his. My ex later thanked me for getting him out of the situation before our friend blew his brains out. He knew he still had a hand in it but his guilt was far less.
It's the same with bar tenders that give out drinks to people swaying in the wind, barely able to stand. By law, they can usually be held accountable for selling too many drinks to someone but drug dealers rarely worry about such things and don't see their hand in such matters (yes, I lump alcohol in with drugs). Most seem not to have a conscious.
And lately I am battling with nicotine in many places in my life. From the loss of my father to a brain tumor, my mother to both cancer and emphysema, and my sister to pneumonia and emphysema, all caused by smoking, this is a personal demon. Many in my family seem not to care or the addiction too strong to see these losses and their suffering and learn from them.
Now a good friend's Aunt is about to die from it and the old feelings stir. Fear, helplessness, anger, to name a few. I remember the coldness upon hearing of it. The tightening in my chest and the floor seeming to fall from beneath my feet. And the feelings of hope against all odds.
I handled each time differently and not always very well. I have and continue to face my own demons too and don't always succeed. I will say that there is ALWAYS hope. From beating your addiction to honoring those that have died as well as miracle cures, there is always hope and help.
So hang in there and try to see things differently. Instead of "why me", how about "what now"? What can you learn from others? What can you change? And you can change!
Change can be so transformative and usually possible if we just keep telling ourselves "I want change!". Even if we don't believe it. It's a kind of self-hypnosis or brain-washing. If you hear something long enough, you stop fighting it and start believing it.
Never give up hope, keep trying, and reach out when you need some help along the way.
Hugs,
Namaste,
Ivan
My ex once stopped dealing Meth to someone about two weeks before they blew their brains out. My ex said if he didn't sell this person their drugs, someone else would. I explained that it would then be that new dealer's involvement, not his. My ex later thanked me for getting him out of the situation before our friend blew his brains out. He knew he still had a hand in it but his guilt was far less.
It's the same with bar tenders that give out drinks to people swaying in the wind, barely able to stand. By law, they can usually be held accountable for selling too many drinks to someone but drug dealers rarely worry about such things and don't see their hand in such matters (yes, I lump alcohol in with drugs). Most seem not to have a conscious.
And lately I am battling with nicotine in many places in my life. From the loss of my father to a brain tumor, my mother to both cancer and emphysema, and my sister to pneumonia and emphysema, all caused by smoking, this is a personal demon. Many in my family seem not to care or the addiction too strong to see these losses and their suffering and learn from them.
Now a good friend's Aunt is about to die from it and the old feelings stir. Fear, helplessness, anger, to name a few. I remember the coldness upon hearing of it. The tightening in my chest and the floor seeming to fall from beneath my feet. And the feelings of hope against all odds.
I handled each time differently and not always very well. I have and continue to face my own demons too and don't always succeed. I will say that there is ALWAYS hope. From beating your addiction to honoring those that have died as well as miracle cures, there is always hope and help.
So hang in there and try to see things differently. Instead of "why me", how about "what now"? What can you learn from others? What can you change? And you can change!
Change can be so transformative and usually possible if we just keep telling ourselves "I want change!". Even if we don't believe it. It's a kind of self-hypnosis or brain-washing. If you hear something long enough, you stop fighting it and start believing it.
Never give up hope, keep trying, and reach out when you need some help along the way.
Hugs,
Namaste,
Ivan
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Disowned!
I was recently talking to my niece Elia about her argument with her sister Elise. I had somehow ended up in the middle and was trying to remind her of the same thing she kept reminding me of, that my sister (her mom) had asked they we all stay in touch before she passed on.
She had not been speaking to her sister so I reminded her that you never know when your last moment might be. I jokingly told her that I was calling to tell her that she was on MY shit list. I said we should call it the "Elise" list which she found very funny.
She went on to say that her mom had a similar list which she called the "Disowned" list. She had kicked it up a few notches and I just roared with laughter to know my sister had had a similar idea as I when she was alive.
I then asked, "Was I ever on the "Disowned" list?". "Oh yes, many times" was her quick response! That really got me in stitches of laughter. Especially to know that I had been "Disowned" many times but never told.
I also told Elise that we had called the list the "Elise" list and she thought it was hilarious (though Elise finds most things hilarious). I am still on one "Disowned" list in our family but I am patient.
I am also on many a "shit" list too but those don't bother me as much as family. Like a friend said today, if they are that sensitive, they aren't worth my time. I'm learning not to care as much over friendships and focus more on family. They are "my precious"...
She had not been speaking to her sister so I reminded her that you never know when your last moment might be. I jokingly told her that I was calling to tell her that she was on MY shit list. I said we should call it the "Elise" list which she found very funny.
She went on to say that her mom had a similar list which she called the "Disowned" list. She had kicked it up a few notches and I just roared with laughter to know my sister had had a similar idea as I when she was alive.
I then asked, "Was I ever on the "Disowned" list?". "Oh yes, many times" was her quick response! That really got me in stitches of laughter. Especially to know that I had been "Disowned" many times but never told.
I also told Elise that we had called the list the "Elise" list and she thought it was hilarious (though Elise finds most things hilarious). I am still on one "Disowned" list in our family but I am patient.
I am also on many a "shit" list too but those don't bother me as much as family. Like a friend said today, if they are that sensitive, they aren't worth my time. I'm learning not to care as much over friendships and focus more on family. They are "my precious"...
Monday, October 25, 2010
War of wills or Picking your battles...
Last night it had just begun to rain so I went out to bring the cat in. She was sitting under the bench staying pretty dry so this is how things went...
"You better come in before it starts raining hard" I said, holding the door open impatiently. I was worn out from the night before and wanted to go to bed early.
"I'm fine where I am. Maybe later." my cat replied.
"I'm tired and I'm going to bed. This is your last chance! In or out?" I shouted my age old threat.
Silence was her only response. The "Queen" had spoken.
I wasn't in a mood to get dressed and fight her, clawing and screaming into the house only to have some little "present" left somewhere because the "Queen" was not pleased so I shut the door and went to bed.
Later that night, I was awakened by loud thunder and could hear the rain pounding the windows. So I got up, ready to get soaked to rescue my pussy.
I opened the back door to find her sitting inside, shielded from the downpour by the storm door. She gave that dirty look she's mastered so well and then began to ignore me. It was obviously all my fault that she had gotten wet and now she wasn't speaking to me.
"Come inside." I told her.
Silence. I was being punished for leaving her outside and not remaining awake at her beck and call until SHE was ready to come in.
I had had enough by then and began scooting her wet ass inside, her screaming all the way. At least I had avoided picking her up and those claws of hers!
She hopped up on her table expecting her special food. I locked the door and stumbled back to bed, willing to suffer the consequences.
I could hear her finally start crunching on her dry cat food, upset over being wet AND not getting her special canned food in the middle of the night.
About the time I was falling asleep again, I heard her snuffling (she has sinus problems from when she was hit by a car) as she attempted to get dry by crawling under the covers with me.
THAT was not going to happen and I wasn't going to get up to dry her (she'd scream about that too!). So I fixed her pillow and a attempted to sling her onto it. She attempted to maintain her balance and threw water everywhere (including all over me).
Was this her plan all along? And who really won? I sure didn't get a good nights rest or a dry bed to sleep in.
And now she doesn't want to go out because she's afraid it's still raining. Since she's blind she can't see it's not raining and for some reason, she doesn't believe me when I tell her it isn't raining.
I'll admit, sometimes I tell her it's not raining when it is just to see her reaction. So she doesn't believe me. Go figure. A cat with her own mind.
So, who do you think won?
"You better come in before it starts raining hard" I said, holding the door open impatiently. I was worn out from the night before and wanted to go to bed early.
"I'm fine where I am. Maybe later." my cat replied.
"I'm tired and I'm going to bed. This is your last chance! In or out?" I shouted my age old threat.
Silence was her only response. The "Queen" had spoken.
I wasn't in a mood to get dressed and fight her, clawing and screaming into the house only to have some little "present" left somewhere because the "Queen" was not pleased so I shut the door and went to bed.
Later that night, I was awakened by loud thunder and could hear the rain pounding the windows. So I got up, ready to get soaked to rescue my pussy.
I opened the back door to find her sitting inside, shielded from the downpour by the storm door. She gave that dirty look she's mastered so well and then began to ignore me. It was obviously all my fault that she had gotten wet and now she wasn't speaking to me.
"Come inside." I told her.
Silence. I was being punished for leaving her outside and not remaining awake at her beck and call until SHE was ready to come in.
I had had enough by then and began scooting her wet ass inside, her screaming all the way. At least I had avoided picking her up and those claws of hers!
She hopped up on her table expecting her special food. I locked the door and stumbled back to bed, willing to suffer the consequences.
I could hear her finally start crunching on her dry cat food, upset over being wet AND not getting her special canned food in the middle of the night.
About the time I was falling asleep again, I heard her snuffling (she has sinus problems from when she was hit by a car) as she attempted to get dry by crawling under the covers with me.
THAT was not going to happen and I wasn't going to get up to dry her (she'd scream about that too!). So I fixed her pillow and a attempted to sling her onto it. She attempted to maintain her balance and threw water everywhere (including all over me).
Was this her plan all along? And who really won? I sure didn't get a good nights rest or a dry bed to sleep in.
And now she doesn't want to go out because she's afraid it's still raining. Since she's blind she can't see it's not raining and for some reason, she doesn't believe me when I tell her it isn't raining.
I'll admit, sometimes I tell her it's not raining when it is just to see her reaction. So she doesn't believe me. Go figure. A cat with her own mind.
So, who do you think won?
Friday, October 22, 2010
Adults only - Gay cure found!
I was told recently that a cure had been found for being gay.
The only problem was that it had to be administered in my butt. "Sorry" I said. "I just can't take it in the butt.".
"It's just a small prick." they said. "You won't even feel it".
"I've heard that before" I responded as I walked out the door.
"We'll let you know when the oral version is made." they cried after me.
"Don't bother." I responded. "I don't swallow...".
Stay safe folks!
:P
The only problem was that it had to be administered in my butt. "Sorry" I said. "I just can't take it in the butt.".
"It's just a small prick." they said. "You won't even feel it".
"I've heard that before" I responded as I walked out the door.
"We'll let you know when the oral version is made." they cried after me.
"Don't bother." I responded. "I don't swallow...".
Stay safe folks!
:P
Sunday, October 10, 2010
7 billion in 2011?
My sister had 10 children. Three were lost before birth and six are still living.
Those have eleven surviving children of their own (so far that I know of).
And THOSE children already have three children with one at seventeen now pregnant AGAIN, having dropped out of school with no spouse or job to support herself or her children.
My one niece has finally decided to at least CONSIDER adoption though she feels it won't work. She's never married (but is a common-law couple of near 20 years) since marriage is just too much of a commitment for people. The excuses are endless and pretty stupid but I guess I am just old fashioned and romantic. I like the idea of commitment.
I signed papers at my former job as soon as they said they were supporting gay couples. It was a big thing and I almost lost my job because I came out (they still allowed harassment in the work place because you couldn't prove it was because of my sexual preference (but that's another blog...)). I would have been married legally if I could have.
But having a family wasn't something we would have gone into lightly. Between our lifestyle and our back grounds, we felt the time wasn't right and might never be. But earlier in life, before I graduated and got a job and was not married would have just been plain STUPID.
And yet no one seems to be telling these kids that are making babies how wrong it is because they are so afraid of hurting people's feelings. Or just not being popular for saying what needs to be said but no one wants to hear OR say!
So I'll say it. KIDS: STOP HAVING BABIES!
They say the brain doesn't finish growing until around the age of 25. By then, you have matured, had a chance to finish your education, and determine if you can afford to raise a baby and whether you SHOULD!
And with the population estimated to reach 7,000,000,000 in 2011 or 2012, maybe you could consider adoption.
Eventually something will happen. From starvation, to disease, to natural disasters, over-population makes them more extreme. Why not slow down and smell the roses? Play a game. Talk. Or at the very least, put a fucking rubber on it!
Those have eleven surviving children of their own (so far that I know of).
And THOSE children already have three children with one at seventeen now pregnant AGAIN, having dropped out of school with no spouse or job to support herself or her children.
My one niece has finally decided to at least CONSIDER adoption though she feels it won't work. She's never married (but is a common-law couple of near 20 years) since marriage is just too much of a commitment for people. The excuses are endless and pretty stupid but I guess I am just old fashioned and romantic. I like the idea of commitment.
I signed papers at my former job as soon as they said they were supporting gay couples. It was a big thing and I almost lost my job because I came out (they still allowed harassment in the work place because you couldn't prove it was because of my sexual preference (but that's another blog...)). I would have been married legally if I could have.
But having a family wasn't something we would have gone into lightly. Between our lifestyle and our back grounds, we felt the time wasn't right and might never be. But earlier in life, before I graduated and got a job and was not married would have just been plain STUPID.
And yet no one seems to be telling these kids that are making babies how wrong it is because they are so afraid of hurting people's feelings. Or just not being popular for saying what needs to be said but no one wants to hear OR say!
So I'll say it. KIDS: STOP HAVING BABIES!
They say the brain doesn't finish growing until around the age of 25. By then, you have matured, had a chance to finish your education, and determine if you can afford to raise a baby and whether you SHOULD!
And with the population estimated to reach 7,000,000,000 in 2011 or 2012, maybe you could consider adoption.
Eventually something will happen. From starvation, to disease, to natural disasters, over-population makes them more extreme. Why not slow down and smell the roses? Play a game. Talk. Or at the very least, put a fucking rubber on it!
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