7 years - A Month Early

My 7 year anniversary with John is coming up this month, but we happened to give each other our big gifts a bit early. Don't blame me! It's all John, I swear.

We had talked about getting a new computer as my desk top is about 5 years old and SO slow, but I'm never the one to say 'Buy it!' Since John knows this about me, he decided to just buy it for me...hence the reason he gave it to me so early.

(Are you all following John on Twitter yet?)

As some of you know, John and I are heading to Europe next month and John has been talking about buying a Flip Video Camera for the trip. I kept telling him how both of our still cameras take video so we really didn't need it. However...I then realized how he looked at the camera as a toy as well. How could I deny him something he wanted so bad? At least it wasn't a $1000 Star Wars Lego.

I decided to view their website to check out the details. John had told me he wanted a mini cam and on their site I found out that you could upload your OWN PHOTO to the front of the camera. Flip cam? SOLD!!!!

What would be the best photo to put on the camera? How about a photo collage of some of the places we've traveled together?
I do have a legit reason of giving John the camera early. On his to do list he had 'Buy Flip'. Seriously. There was no way I was going to risk him spoiling my surprise!

I decided to tape John ask I gave him the gift. I didn't really get the reaction I wanted, as he was a bit shocked to see the photos on the camera.

The 7th anniversary traditional gift is copper, so in a few weeks we will be exchanging those gifts. I'm not sure how John will like this gift as the 'practical' copper I gift was discontinued. We will see!

Free? Yeah Right!

A few months ago I heard of the ‘free’ online music site Pandora.com and how great it was. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I thought. However I kept on hearing about it so once I started my new job I thought I would give it a try. I soon learned that all those rave reviews were RIGHT ON! This site totally blew my mind! I could not believe how great it was and how easy it was to create the stations of the music you want to hear. Granted there were often small commercials every so often, but it wasn’t really that bad. I was so impressed that I started asking other people if they knew about it, and if not they needed to check it out.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

Yesterday as I’m rocking out to my mellow soft rock tunes my music stops. I check the site and it says ‘I’m sorry you’ve reached your 40 hours of listening for the month. To continue listening please pay me because this deal WAS too good to be true.’ I just sat their stunned. 40 hours is the limit? One work week? Who were they kidding? Are they telling me that they don’t make enough money with all of their ads to allow their users more hours of music? I am so disappointed. Now I have to site at work in silence and listen to the annoying sound of my computer.

Are there any other music sites out there that mean it when they say ‘Free’ music?

Beware of Bejeweled

Wondering why I haven't posted in 11 days? Well it's partially due to laziness, and I blame the other part on Bejeweled 2. I knew it was bad when my parents started harassing me about my lack of blogging, but over the past few days all I have been doing is playing this stinkin' game!

What is Bejeweled you ask? Well you probably shouldn't find out as you will probably become as addicted as I am! Just so you know, it's a Tetris like game where you match up colored jewels. That's it.

I discovered it on Facebook, and probably played it for 2+ hours this past Friday night. The one thing I didn't like about the game, is that it gave me a minute time limit. So off to Google I searched and found a site where I could download it free for an hour. AWESOME! Well the awesomeness lasted until my hour ran out.

I finally decided to pay $9.99 to purchase it, and it has been one of my best decisions of 2009! How sad is that? I've played it almost all day today, and have yet to shower...at least I made it to the grocery store so my hardworking husband won't starve tonight.

I do have somethings to post about, as well as photos, so hopefully I can get my act in gear this week and entertain you all. If you are lucky that is.

Why don't you have a web cam yet?

Oh my way home to SLO, I was able to stop off in Ukiah and visit my good friend Rebekkah for a few days. I recently helped convert her to a MAC user, (YEAH!), and tried to give her a MAC 101 lesson. I think I did OK, but let me say she was an awesome student. It was great that she really wanted to learn the helpful tips I was teaching her.

One key thing I helped her with was to set up her Gmail video chat, and tonight we had our first official chat! She is camping on a friend of theirs property, and was hanging out in their home while one of her daughters slept and the other one watched a video. The home was on a generator though because she was not able to turn on any lights, so I chatted with her about 85% of the time in the pitch dark! So it was more like a voice chat on my part, but it was still awesome. She's lucky I'm so lenient.

Once she put a new log on the fire, I was then able to see her a little bit...although she was ALL RED and looked like the devil.
She asked me while we were chatting how to take a screenshot again so I told her. Not thinking that she was going to take one of us chatting! So I had to get her back. She's the one in trouble though because I have a blog and she doesn't. I did set one of her bookmarks in her new Firefox browser to this blog, but will she ever check it? Only time will tell.

Happy New Year!!

I see you!!!

So I still do not have my new modem, although it's supposed to arrive sometime today. I'm giving it until 7pm. In the mean time I've found some free connection that is some what close to my house. Maybe the airport? VONS? I have no idea, but I have to be sitting some where near our window seat to get the connection. It often goes out while I'm trying to do some serious surfing, and has been really frustrated. However now for some reason I've got a really strong connection so I've decided to blog!

In the midst of my internet depression one good thing came out of it today. The new Gmail Video chat. It is AWESOME! Have you used it? It's really easy, (if you have a gmail account that is.) All you have to do is download the software and then you are ready to go! I know a lot of you have gmail accounts out there, but do you have web cams? I'm sure it's not that likely, but let me tell you that it would be totally worth it to go out and buy one. Put it on your Christmas wish list STAT!

Here are two screenshots from my chat with my mom today. First with Bella and then with Pearla.

My other friend Sarah V. also downloaded the software and we also had a brief chat. It's so cool! I have the feeling that the next thing Gmail invents will be a group video chat. So if you have family or friends that live far away I highly suggest in checking it out. The one downfall is that the person can tell if you aren't paying attention to them. Not that it happened to me...just FYI.

I HATE YOU READER!

Why is the Google Reader 'Mark all Read' button RIGHT NEXT TO the 'Refresh' button? All I know is that Google needs to MOVE IT! I just hit the mark all read button and I had about 100 entries saved as 'not read' to read for later. I AM SO MAD! What is worse is that I couldn't undo the action OR go to those specific entries and mark them as not read.

Crap nuts.

Remininse

What was I doing a year ago today? I'll tell you...I had to take a week off work and I didn't even wind up somewhere tropical. In fact I didn't even get paid the whole week. I think I only had two PTO days saved up since I had my surgery. If I recall, I was able to catch up on uploading all my photos to ofoto.com and I created my sister's wedding website. The only reason I remembered was because Wimbledon has started I remember getting to watch it when I was quarantined.

We got our new MacBook this week and it is awesome! Although I'm really not used to the small screen. We were able to transfer over some of my design programs, but not all...and you know I really don't want to shell out the cash to buy a new version. We tried to log onto some of our neighbors Internet access but they had them all locked! Can you believe that one? The nerve! Couldn't they just let us 'borrow' their connection? Whatever.

How Do I Choose?

So I need some help blog viewers…John and I are going to be getting a new computer but are having a hard time deciding on whether to get a laptop or a desktop. Actually it’s me who is having the hard time…John says he will get whatever I want. My current computer probably has about a year left before it will need to be replaced, however since I’m such a computer hog John feels as though he never gets to use it and would like his own. Hence the early purchase.

Sooooooooooooo that is where you all come in. Can you please leave a comment, (or send me an email), stating pros or cons for either type? Or stories that might help me make up my mind? Have you had both types of computers? Would you please give me ANY advice? I’m getting desperate.

Here are some of my pros/cons, (I wanted to save you the time if you think of some of the same things).

PRO LAPTOP:
The convenience of taking it ANYWHERE! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished I could work on the computer in the car (On the straight stretches of course…I am prone to get carsick), or in the living room, in bed, outside…can you get wi-fi outdoors?

I could take it on client meetings to have easy access to the deigns I’ve created.

I’d be able to download photos, alter photos, burn CDs, work on blog entries and on any freelance work wherever I wanted.

CON LAPTOP:
After talking with John we realized there isn’t a real need to take the computer places, and that most places we travel to do have computers. (And I really can go 48 hours without checking my email…if I have to).

It’s only $300 cheaper than the desktop, which has a better system.

It would most likely be considered “John’s”, not mine. (I know…selfish).

Is it a pain to carry it around? Do I really want another bag?

PRO DESKTOP:
I would get the new desktop and John would get my old one. (More selfishness…but at least I’m honest!)

It has better features, (more memory, hard drive space…I think?), for only $300 more.

It would be great to use for my design work…it would be faster, and because of the HUGE monitor.

John says we could get a new desk with two workstations that FACE each other! How awesome would that be? (Sorry to make some of you gag).

CON DESKTOP:
Immobile computer…however since I’ve never had a laptop I wouldn’t know what I was missing…right?

I was hoping that after making this list things would be easier…maybe I should prioritize them? I KNOW! Maybe one of you will give me the answer I’m looking for!!