Oops I did it again ...

technology beware!

Although generally a close friend to technology... I uh, well um, I sort of, unintentionally, caused the -- I killed broke another device.     = {  

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Well, typically my M.O. is to break headsets; which initially I was afraid of when I invested in my Bluetooth -- a serious upgrade for me.  It has survived since January; however, I did manage break off the 'on' switch (yes, off, the entire button thingy is gone); but, hey, it still works -- at least I never have to remember to turn it on before calling!!   

(Now, if only I could remember where it is -- as I'm rummaging in my purse, saying "hang on a sec' I gotta find my headset.")      =)

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It's not like I drowned knocked my phone into the toilet bathtub ... or threw dropped it on the concrete... or even that I killed broke it doing something stupid silly with it {never use near open super glue).  


Nope, I simply put it into a small carry case, put it in my gym bag and carried it with me to the gym.  Upon arrival I pulled out my ID card and found it was sort of lodged in between the slider & the keyboard -- which must've been near that known manufacturer's defect:  an easily loosened screw... 

That's when I was resigned to bid "farewell, my cell friend -- rest in peace."

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Thanks (GREATLY) to it still being within the 1-year warranty (and to that manufacturer's faulty screw), happily I will not be without my cell phone for very long.  

Today I borrowed Jet's phone...  my not so much "tweener" but definitely soon to be "teen."  

So, sorry for not responding if you texted or called me today.  I didn't bother to transfer my number -- will be using this adorable teen phone until tomorrow.

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I can hardly wait to greet my new cell friend when it arrives tomorrow.

Wish me it good luck!!!

HonuGirl

Cannot Compute...

seriously...

I'm borrowing a laptop for this post, which has generously been loaned to me by Sweet-T (many thanks).

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A power outage did the big TKO countdown on my computer this weekend. Although, it was a peaceful 7 hours of candles, blankets, chinese take-out, and starbucks (yeah weird, but I couldn't make my latte in the morning -- it had to be done).

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Learning that my monitor outlived my CPU - creepy, yet mildly humorous and a bit ironic, ya think?

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Its late, I'm overwhelmed with what's still not done, yet clearly I'm cyber twiddling with my blog (also facebook and my email).

What's that all about anyway??

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Is it addiction ~ insanity ~ avoidance ~ distraction ....

does anyone really know... or care?

Being optimistic -- let's just say that I cared enough about my blogger friends to spend a few minutes ignoring the chaos to let you know I'm ok!!

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Well then -- check that off the list! Now I have to go panic about the rest (or sleep, yeah, that's another option).

HonuGirl

Who needs upgrades?

Today, I compared myself to my computer; well, maybe it's a contrast really, but it's funny nonetheless. 

I know.  I'm weird that way... can't help that, just bear with me, I'm blogging.

Before now my computer and I were market competitive -- well, sort of.   

Not really or necesssarily that recently.    Whatever.

Let's just say a couple years ago I was not and the computer was.   I think somewhere along the way we traded places.  It became less marketable or uhh valuable; then certain circumstances and self-discovery changed that truth for me.

Prior to today I would say my memory was similar to my computer; available on the hard drive, but retrieval ... sketchy  at best.  However, a friend installed new RAM for my computer and now I have become the slower comodity while the computer speeds beyond my reasonable skills for recall.   Darn, sure wish it was that easy for me too.

Of course, my coughing hurts way more than computer software glitches... of that, I am quite certain.  I feel confident that my miserable headache, body pain, and congestion outweigh computer viruses any day; which is why computer technicians (or friends in my case) don't get paid as much as doctors.  We just can't live without them and love them dearly (really, I do).   

However, we both get to play games with the boys (maybe it's the other way around... hmmm).  Although, I'm sure I have more fun than the computer; since I'm also the one who tells the boys when to STOP playing with the computer... yeah, well that's probably an unfair comparison anyway.

What I do know is that we both could use an updated video card.  I'm constantly squinting to read and my computer is not quite sure it can suck enough power to do its job without further assistance.

Well, there you have it... in computer terms, I'm not gona move very fast on the craig'slist site, but on the other hand - I'm somewhat frustrating, mildly entertaining, yet useful and fun to watch compute. 

I would like to think I am the advanced model... since I get to leave the desk, don't sit long enough to get dusty, am not damaged by heat, can use water without freaking out (sort of), magnets don't adjust my memory,  and am not required to get upgrades for me to function well (although . . .   some are worth considering); AND most importantly I actually get to wear the shoes I shop for online!

Hah... try that computer!!   

Guess I do need to put in a request for that video upgrade soon -- I'm having trouble reaching the keyboard as I lean back to read...   yikes!   

HonuGirl

True or False...

On controlling technology ... people, I got nuthin!! True: I love my computer, monitor, keyboard all working peripherals --they're a team! False: I love my monitor. My computer team knows I'm in control! True: I love my monitor UNTIL . . . the 'dark side' takes over. It's a BAD sign when your screen looks like this: Does anyone see a problem here? The top half of the screen is uhhh - asleep? Look closely -- can you see the horizontal white line... ? It's missing only the sound of a flatline BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP ... An optimist might say the screen is half ummm... awake??? Maybe it needs some of my espresso? Anyway, keep in mind I wrote this while it was only half-awake! =0} Oh MY... this is especially BAD... given that I am unable to control the urge to turn on the computer and type furiously for the 5 minutes the screen is completely available. Yikes! Suddenly I am reduced to using only the lower half the monitor screen to view what type -- wait I need to scroll down again -- updating blogs and communicating through email as well as all that "important" banking stuff I do ... is then S L O W E D to a turtle's pace. hummph! [wait - scrolling again] It's a psychotic moment when mid-sentence "BLIP" the dark side is present. Half of the screen I need is dark. I have about 4 inches of a window to view ... it's really quite IRRITATING. Worse yet, a sane person would stop typing, turn off their computer and accomplish something anything else . . . but I am still here typing (trying to read) [ then scrolling the screen back into view ] Just imagine my pain -- I am experiencing some serious brain strain as I literally force my brain to remember long forgotten key strokes - my mouse is a dear friend - so easy to point + click = action. These memorized key strokes {hidden deep in my memory} are currently my only option. They allow me to 'move' {click+drag} a window within my view and other such necessary Windows functions. Okay . . . you think I'm whining - well, duh!! Give computing a shot while covering the top half of your monitor. Click File or Format or any menu function and try from memory to the pick one of the top 5 options - because those will be what you need when the DARK side attacks your monitor! The one's which randomly appear ABOVE the bright white flat line! GRRRR! True: I got nuthin.

False: I'm gonna stop before my brain decides to be only half awake too.

HonuGirl

I wrote this blog a couple of days ago when my monitor had a Dark Side. Since then I started a search online for a new monitor. Beware technology... computers, mice, monitors are working as a team. Augghhh -- now they know WAY too much about my life. They talk, you see. The computer saw me researching the monitor's replacement -- then as if by magic (or a some kind of double agent divulging information)... my monitor - fearing replacement - began to work again -- no more Dark Side!! YEAAA... whahhh I wanted a new one! But, since I am so proud to have accomplished typing a blog with only half a screen ... I just HAD to share it with you! ps: shhh, don't tell my CPU, but i'm getting a new "M" for my b-day next week ~ tee hee {tanx 2 my friend V2T !!}

B-ware!! 2 mch txtn can B detrimntL 2 ur typn…

Texting is an addiction!

Uhhmmm, well, perhaps that’s a teeny bit harsh; but personally speaking – there is a delightfully positive response inside when I hear my cell phone *beep* chime the news… [you have 1 Text]. Wow - somebody must love me!!! =) Gotta read text - NOW... what's it say? huh-huh?

An urge for instant gratification of text input surges through me. I must immediately reach for my phone flip it open and read from whom I have just received a message (Oooo the anticipation, excitement, wonder... and then, sometimes it's so disappointing, as it's only Verizon texting that my bill is now available to view online. {Bmmr dude!} ) Here’s a stretch – it’s nearly like having a ‘blogging’ pager on. As soon as one of your friends posted (or commented – yes, please?) your pager alerts you to the presence of their new communication. Whoo hoo!!! However, I have discovered... ‘The Dark Side’ Since it’s difficult to press all of the teeny-tiny phone number buttons… text-ers leave out many of the letters from words, entire words of phrases, and even the context seems lost; a simple sentence becomes hieroglyphics. This seems very strange at first. Confusion is relieved by frequent use of txt shortcuts. Soon, as with the comforts of an addiction… it becomes normal and evryting U type is shrtnd 2 supprt ur habit! (oops, hopefully you caught all that!) One example may be that I tell a friend: I need to stop texting as I’ll be driving; I’ll see you later tonight. The words in that sentence are quickly disemboweled and become a wild crazy bunch of letters – with meaning, to sm1 someone no doubt: "gotta go. drvn now. CUL 2nite." Auugghh!! Now, can U C my problem? When I begin a post for my blog I am typing quickly (before I lose the thought) and my brain hasn’t transitioned from txtn mode into true writing mode. The sentences may become Ncrptd & cnfuzn encrypted and confusing. Actually, I read somewhere that texting invades your literacy and spelling accuracy... I believe this to be true for me, as my brain continues to think in shortcuts and my fingers follow suit; it’s become increasingly frstr8ng frustrating to have spell ck check catch my newly learned lingo as errors!! (grr - wats up wit dat?) "You underestimate the power of The Dark Side", Jolene. So, just in case I didn’t edit well enough… I’ve found a resource for txt transl8tn translation… I’m sure there are others, but a word of warning – some translations have phrases I wud nvr would never say!!! Yikes!! =}

http://www.didyouknow.cd/sms/shortcuts.htm

Good luck + may da 4's b wit u!!! *beep* oh - a txt! gotta go now. more l8r on TXT addixn!! heh!

HonuGirl

gotta’ LOVE technology – eh?!

At a loss for words...

Earlier today I wrote a blog, a long blog … it wasn’t complete, but it was in the process... now it's gone -- definitely gone! (hmmm, by my clock I actually wrote that yesterday... grrr.) I was in a lovely place; “the writing zone” – that special place where thoughts and fingers perform in unison. (At the gym it’s the “power zone” but I’ll stick to the point.) Such a sweet spot… if writing could have one… as fast as thoughts formed, fingers responded – the words were appearing on the screen expressing exactly what was readily available for sharing who/why/what/where/when & exactly how. All was well with the harmony of words appearing on the screen, when suddenly the text area was curiously blank. Seriously, I had a strange vision of Porky Pig coming through my screen saying: "th-th-th-that's all folks!"… the show is over (yes, I write late at night - I'm weird that way) Back to the screen -- the words were simply gone -- Huuhhh??? This sort of thing is not typical for me {computers rarely confuse me, humor me here} but there I was in the middle of "my zone" with a zone–killing thought … where's my text; that blog thingy I was typing while in “the zone”? Now for those who don’t know me… I am a technically savvy, speed demon typist, software guru, & shortcut-using kind of gal who can retrieve data lost when working with VPs at the office or install software for family and friends without a hitch… but as for what the heck went wrong at this moment... I hadn't the slightest clue! Yikes! There was no sign of foul play, just a little bacon about to fry; the program was still open and functioning. The screen looked just as it had before … well, except for the blank space where all my words had been downloaded. Not even my typical retrieval tricks and techniques were helpful. I tried all possible shortcuts (of which I know many). FYI – shortcuts are those 2+ keystroke combinations universal to software programs – they are designed to allow speedy (compulsively efficient) typists to use edit functions with text while the typist’s fingers are industriously flying across the keyboard without fear of text loss [Alt+Bkspc] undo…Undo… please UNDO whatever it was I just did. Apparently my fingers and the keyboard didn’t talk nice and play well together or the computer wouldn’t have eaten my words (twice, but I'm not even going there – just leaving it alone). GRRRR To make things worse … I lost my train of thought and my “zone” was obliterated by the frustration of working through the computer stuff for which my vast software expertise did nothing to assist – leaving me at a loss for words… literally. Not only had the words disappeared from the screen but from my head as well – Dang!! Between then and now, however, I drove to the gym … found my power zone – showed the dumb-bells a thing or two (yes, that felt great - would've like a kick-boxing match with the computer - but one of us would have fallen on her butt). However, now I’m writing this in a ‘reliable’ program and will copy/paste it before I publish. The other blog thingy… hey it's still in La-La Land and would take way too much focus to get those original thoughts back – it’s too late (early) for that now. Yes, I still love technology – in fact, I bought new financial software and a new printer, ink, cables & all (hopefully it doesn’t use invisible ink)!! "th-th-th-that's all folks!"…

HonuGirl