A bit of this, a bit of that

Update December 9, 2009

I’m having pain in my hand and arm while working on the computer, so I’m taking a break from blogging for a while.  See you on the other side!

How Different Groups Spend Their Day – Interactive Graphic August 26, 2009

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.
– Sam Keen

The NYT has this nifty graphic showing how different demographics spend their time.  I thoroughly enjoyed switching over to the “Not in labor force” view to see how my life on sabbatical stacks up.  If you subtract out all that tv nonsense and jack up computer use, sports, relaxing, chilling with the cats, and wearing pajamas, you’ll get an idea of my life.

Even though I normally try not to overschedule myself, this amazing time off  makes me realize how hectic working life really is.

tweenbots and the brighter side of life May 25, 2009

Sometimes, when I’m going through a rough spell, the idea of looking on the bright side feels as ridiculous as this Monty Python song.  But then one of my friends sends me a sweet e-mail, or I read about a project like the tweenbots, and my faith in life is restored.

The duct tape wallet April 26, 2009

A refreshing exception to my champagne tastes!  This one is currently en route to my house.

From C.S. Post & Co.

Eek! March 17, 2009

I’ve been living on the hairy edge of blogging for the last week, and alas, it has finally caught up to me.  No blog post today, and I’m making no promises for tomorrow either.  Do rest assured that I’ve got loads of stuff to share with you, just as soon as I have a few hours to settle in with my purring cat, a laptop, and a cup of tea.

iPhone fail September 3, 2008

Turns out that the white screen of death means there is no hope for your iPhone. The list of my issues with ATT and Apple:

1. ATT employees cannot help with many iPhone issues.
2. Apple support is only open during the day.
3. When I called Apple support yesterday morning, I sat on hold for 20 minutes before I was disconnected. Grr.
4. The ATT store would not replace my iPhone without charging me a 10% restocking fee, so I had to go to the Apple store.
5. Apple gave me a new phone, but all of my contacts have been lost. I can get them back from my Blackberry, but it’s a PITA and I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
6. While I was in the Apple store, the employees mentioned that four other people had brought defective phones back that day. While I was at the Genius bar, another customer strolled in with a dead replacement phone.

And for good measure, here’s what went wrong with my initial purchase:

The sales clerk forgot to add my text messaging plan. Two different ATT reps failed to diagnose the problem, and because my online account wasn’t updated for a day, I had no way to diagnose this problem either. I had to wait until the next day and endure a long hold time to talk with an Apple representative who quickly diagnosed the problem.

This is the first Apple product I’ve ever purchased, and I am not impressed.

white screen of death September 2, 2008

My iPhone has the white screen of the death, ATT tech support won’t help, and the Apple folks have gone home for the night. I am not impressed.

Fall has finally hit the stores! August 18, 2008

You’ve all the the famous quote about Mark Twain spending a damn cold summer in San Francisco, and what can I say? It’s true, but the all the clothing stores here insist on stocking cute little summery tanks, shorts, and flip flops just because the rest of the world experiences an actual change in temperature during the summer months. In any case, fall clothes have finally hit the stores, so I did some desperately needed shopping for myself last Friday. Two long sleeved tees, two v-neck sweaters, a button down shirt, and a great pair of indigo corduroy pants. Whee!

And so it goes August 10, 2008

Still sick August 8, 2008

I’ve had the whole sexy drippy nosed/hacking cough/voice an octave lower than normal thing going on all week with no sign of improvement. I’m beginning to suspect that the antibiotics prescribed are really just horse pill sized placebos. Of course, I’d have to go into work to actually prove that theory, and I may well finish the stupid prescription before I feel well enough for that.

My goal for tomorrow: leave the house long enough to buy kleenex and food that is not pizza. I can spread disease and pestilence far and wide while I’m at it.

I had to cancel summer vacation 2.0 because of this cold and that is where more bitterness comes in.

Harrumph.