Time to Change the Phone

Posted on August 8, 2011 by SusanG

I like gadgets like a lot of people. And I like to stay relatively current and relevant. There are some really cool gadgets out there that do really cool things, or they have the potential to. There are also a lot of gadget people out there that will rush right out to get the latest and greatest gadget as soon as it’s available. I am not one of these people in general. And even if my budget would allow for it, I don’t think I would be then either.

I tend to wait a while and think about if I really need it or what I would use it for, and practical stuff like that. Boring. I know. That’s just the how I am about these sort of things. There comes a point though when I can no longer accept the limitations or irritations of my current gadgets and I acknowledge their out-dated-ness and move forward. Sounds good doesn’t it?

This time it is not entirely the case that my gadget is out dated. In that it is only 3G capable, perhaps. It is however, a smart phone and only about 2 years old. I moved recently. Where I moved to, my service provider doesn’t have very good coverage or service. My current contract with my provider ends at the end of this month. You can see where this is going right?

It’s time to upgrade.

The last upgrade had me moving to the smart phone, an iPhone to be exact. This time the upgrade process will have me moving to a new service provider and an Android phone. And probably a tablet.

I suspect my choice to go from an iPhone to an Android phone is probably fodder for a debate as to if it is truly and upgrade or not. I think it is going to be, if for no other reason that perceived freedom. I am just enough of an independent minded geek with a little rebel DNA that I have lately found myself quite vehemently railing against the required conformity and constraints associated with using the Apple devices, in particular, the iPhone and by extension, the iPad.

I recognize that the freedom I perceive to exist with regards to Android devices may just be an illusion. It has the potential to be a danger in that the possibilities of them being infected with malware appears to be greater than for the iPhone and iPad. And yes, I know there are a lot more apps already written for Apple. I get it.

I also get that Apple has decided you can no longer use the app to purchase media, even free media. You must go through iTunes or the Web. Wow. How arrogant and domineering, and a few other things including rude. That’s on top of the fact they refuse to support Flash on their devices, reasons aside. It amounts to them telling me how I can use the technology. Um…I don’t think so.

As I understand it, with Android I have a few locations from which to choose apps. I also have the option of purchasing items, such as books, from within the application. I can view Flash sites if I choose.  Oh, and if I want to make my own app I can put it on my device without first having it cleared through the corporate machine or jail-breaking my device.

Do I currently have plans to write my own app? No. That’s not the point. I want the option to, if I choose. That’s the reason I consider going to an Android phone from Apple an upgrade.

Now I just have to spend the money. Ouch.

As to why I’m adding a tablet to the mix? I’ll save that for another post.

Posted in Simplifying and Consolidating | Comments Off on Time to Change the Phone

A Confession

Posted on August 7, 2011 by SusanG

I am going to come clean. I am going to confess. Not long ago I had guitar madness or guitar fever, whichever you prefer.

I wasn’t suffering from the madness or fever. I was quite enjoying it. It wasn’t the, gotta have one of everything version either, though I did purchase 3 guitars and an amplifier within 2 months. No, it was actually the version where I would rather play than eat. Where I would learn a song just to get to play longer.

It could have been an addiction if I were just a little less disciplined. I never let it interfere with work or with exercise or taking care of business. But I did often yearn to pick up a guitar and play, even with my limited repertoire. I would play until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I would play even with blisters on my fingers.

Truth is, I never suffered from the madness itself, only the side effects.

Posted in Music | Comments Off on A Confession

Stuff…ugh!

Posted on August 6, 2011 by SusanG

Stuff! How did I get so much stuff?

Ok scratch that. I know how I got so much. I bought it. I get that. Why do I still have so much of it and why to I keep getting more of it?

The answers to these questions really aren’t that hard. I still have so much stuff because there are somethings I am attached to and can’t just get rid of, and the process of trimming down and condensing what I already have is huge and hard work. I keep getting more stuff because there are more things I would like to have, whether I just see their value or media has convinced me that I should have them, and because well, I, like anyone else keep succumbing to marketing.

So what to do about it. That is really the harder question, and the harder thing to put into practice.

The first thing becomes, not acquiring any more stuff. Sounds easier than it is. The minute  I decide I’m not going to acquire anything else, there is something cool I want. Either it’s the last one, or it’s hard to find, or I really have a need, or it will make whatever so much better. You know the drill. You’ve been there. Maybe I’ll try what we did when I was a kid. At Christmas time, when we got new toys and clothes and such we had to go into our rooms and find that same number of things that we could get rid of either through donation or a garage sale. This might be worth a try. I just bought a new pair of athletic shoes and have a pair that doesn’t wear right so I’ve put them in the box to go to charity. Well it’s a start.

So now what to do about all the stuff I’ve already acquired. Some of it, there’s just no getting rid of. I won’t get rid of the musical instruments. I just can’t do that again. And I’m going to be hard pressed to get rid of the cds, even though I was dismayed at the rearranging I had to do to get the most recent batch on the shelf. And the books. I’m not sure I’m up to getting rid of most of those yet. Maybe if I can be more discerning in the ones I purchase it will help.

There are a few other things that will help and we’re going to see how far I get with that project. Stay tuned.

Posted in Simplifying and Consolidating | 2 Comments

Weather Reports…

Posted on August 3, 2011 by SusanG

Some Weather Reports I would like to see:

Mars – The weather on Mars. What’s it going to be like today?

Jupiter – What’s the status of the big red storm? Is it bigger or the same. Is there more or less lightning?

The Sun – What is the current state of the flares? Are they quieter than normal or more active? Are they larger or smaller? Do we expect a solar storm any time soon? What about the solar wind is it lighter or stronger?

And could we get readings of the weather at the bottom of the Ocean? Just because.

 

Posted in Just Thoughts | Comments Off on Weather Reports…

I Didn’t Realize

Posted on August 3, 2011 by SusanG

I have been playing guitar off and on for very many years, since I was a child. Before you decide that means I should be a Chet Atkins or Eddie Van Halen, read the rest. Most of the time I have played on an entry level instruments and never thought much of it.

I had been playing an Ovation and a Squire Bullet and one day I was talking with someone about the joy of playing a high end Martin that was at the guitar store but because of the price I felt like I would have to earn it. I come from that sort of background where you don’t spend a lot of money on something until you know you’re going to stick with it. So this person I was talking to gave me a bit of a strange look when I said I’d have to “earn” the Martin, but I tried not to think of it.

So I went about playing my Ovation, a little frustrated with listening to the sound of the ABS back, and a little frustrated with trying to get clean bar chords. And I played my Squire and didn’t really notice much other than by the time I finished playing a particular song, my hand was cramping.

Since I was planning on getting a new, all wood 6 string acoustic after I moved and then for Christmas I was thinking of gifting myself a Telecaster I figured I could make do. Or those were the plans until I came across a Gibson Les Paul Studio Mahogany with a 60’s neck. Oh my. Not only a good looking instrument but also a pleasure to play, and wait, my hand didn’t cramp.

I moved. And one of the first things I did that first weekend was to go find the guitar store. Unfortunately, with guitars, and probably other instruments, what happens is when that one you are looking for, that “the one”, comes up you kind of have to take it then or leave it and deal with the fact you may spend a long time looking for the next “the one”. I knew this going into the store and I knew it coming out of the store.

Sure enough this store had one of the Gibsons I was lusting after. They had exactly one and were not expecting any more in that wood or color, it’s black with a satin finish. Hmm.. Ok, looks like it will be now or never. I still wanted to look at acoustics. I was eying a Takamine but figured the salesman might have another suggestion. The only real criteria was that I would like to not spend as much as I was looking at paying for the Gibson. Right.

The guy handed me a mid-priced Takamine and a Seagull. Both played better than my Ovation. Wait, this was a dreadnaught, I don’t usually like those. Ok so it was time to change my thinking. The Seagull was still a little boomy for me. The Takamine was a lot better but something just wasn’t doing it for me. Then he handed me another Takamine. This one was a cedar top instead of spruce and it was about double what I was hoping to pay. But oh, it was nice to play. It was nicely balanced for a dreadnaught and it fingered wonderfully. I could now get clear sounding chords, not rattle and no unintended dead strings. This baby made me want to play.

That was my experience with both the instruments. They were such a pleasure to play that they made me want to play even more and even longer. At that point I think I understood the look the person was giving me when I said I had to “earn” the Martin. There comes a point where that is the wrong approach. There comes a point where you really need to invest in something a lot better. Though, to be hones, I did purchase two instruments for the price of the Martin so it will still have to wait a while.

Posted in Music | Comments Off on I Didn’t Realize