After upgrading the ram I installed Adobe's Creative Suite. I feel like I just went on a huge shopping spree with all these new toys! Too bad none of the goodies include writing software. I'll have to stick to my old techniques for the time being.
Monday, February 11, 2008
How to Dismantle an iMac
Look, look, look! I cracked open my computer all by myself! The link I posted yesterday was dead on and it only took me five minutes to open it up, switch out the ram, and put her back together. I'm not sure if it's just my imagination, but my computer seems to be racing me. I swear the words are coming out faster than I'm typing, or I could just be excited.
After upgrading the ram I installed Adobe's Creative Suite. I feel like I just went on a huge shopping spree with all these new toys! Too bad none of the goodies include writing software. I'll have to stick to my old techniques for the time being.
After upgrading the ram I installed Adobe's Creative Suite. I feel like I just went on a huge shopping spree with all these new toys! Too bad none of the goodies include writing software. I'll have to stick to my old techniques for the time being.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
This Day is a Bust
After the busy week with my parents I planned to get a few things done on my computer, do a little (well, a lot of) laundry, and not leave the house. First I discovered that Ibis' toolbag is at the hotel so I couldn't install the new ram in my computer. Then, ten minutes after Ibis left for work he called because he left the office key in his pants pocket. The pants he wore yesterday and had left on a chair in our bedroom.
I walked the mile-plus trek to his hotel and hung out a little before heading home, screwdrivers in hand. If I've ever been self-conscious about the locals staring at me as I walk down the street, holding a couple screwdrivers only increased their curiosity tremendously. At least I didn't look like a tourist. I hadn't had breakfast or lunch yet so I picked up a roasted chicken and tortillas.
After eating and switching the laundry I flipped over my computer, ready to release my inner techie and upgrade my computer. One problem: the panel won't come off. The directions I printed from Apple's website are very easy to follow but my model appears to be older than the one in the picture. There must be some secret trick because these screws turn a few times one direction, then a few times the other, without ever loosening from the panel. I've never seen anything like it. AND, it doesn't look like the panel will come off even if I manage to remove the screws. Hopefully Apple has a solution for this.
I need to catch up with my emails and do some work on a freelance project and THEN I can get back to my relaxing afternoon, just in time for bed.
UPDATE: I found a site with very good instructions! Yay!
I walked the mile-plus trek to his hotel and hung out a little before heading home, screwdrivers in hand. If I've ever been self-conscious about the locals staring at me as I walk down the street, holding a couple screwdrivers only increased their curiosity tremendously. At least I didn't look like a tourist. I hadn't had breakfast or lunch yet so I picked up a roasted chicken and tortillas.
After eating and switching the laundry I flipped over my computer, ready to release my inner techie and upgrade my computer. One problem: the panel won't come off. The directions I printed from Apple's website are very easy to follow but my model appears to be older than the one in the picture. There must be some secret trick because these screws turn a few times one direction, then a few times the other, without ever loosening from the panel. I've never seen anything like it. AND, it doesn't look like the panel will come off even if I manage to remove the screws. Hopefully Apple has a solution for this.
I need to catch up with my emails and do some work on a freelance project and THEN I can get back to my relaxing afternoon, just in time for bed.
UPDATE: I found a site with very good instructions! Yay!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Thai Take-Out Would Be Lovely
My parents are packing up their bags and getting ready to head home where it's currently hovering around 10 degrees and snowy. Poor things. We've had quite a week and all of us are exhausted, but they've loved the warm weather.
Last night we went on a sunset cruise aboard a catamaran then had a late dinner in town. We've eaten out for most of our meals and I'm getting a little tired of Mexican food. Yes, I realize I'm in Mexico and that's the most common food available, but we don't eat out much and tend to cook our own meals.
There is a variety of restaurants in the area but only a few are worth the money. We've yet to venture into the local Chinese place, although I've heard decent things about the one sushi joint. In Chicago we ate Thai at least once a week and peanut sauce lovers with a side of curry sounds wonderful right about now.
We still have one meal left before they head to the airport so maybe I'll ask them to whip up an extra-large order of pad thai. Wish me luck with that. ;)
Last night we went on a sunset cruise aboard a catamaran then had a late dinner in town. We've eaten out for most of our meals and I'm getting a little tired of Mexican food. Yes, I realize I'm in Mexico and that's the most common food available, but we don't eat out much and tend to cook our own meals.
There is a variety of restaurants in the area but only a few are worth the money. We've yet to venture into the local Chinese place, although I've heard decent things about the one sushi joint. In Chicago we ate Thai at least once a week and peanut sauce lovers with a side of curry sounds wonderful right about now.
We still have one meal left before they head to the airport so maybe I'll ask them to whip up an extra-large order of pad thai. Wish me luck with that. ;)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Butterflies, the Sierra Madres and a Running Man
Phew! Sorry for the delay but I was worn out from our two-day trip to Morelia. We left early Tuesday morning and stopped in a few small towns on the way to the city. Morelia is the capital of Michoacan and roughly four hours from Zihua. We stayed in a hotel right on the historic plaza and spent the afternoon touring the city. We had dinner with Ibis' aunt then watched the results from Super Duper Tuesday before bed.
There have been several times in my life when I've stumbled upon new technology in an unexpected place. The first time I saw a self check-out line at the grocery store in Lexington, Kentucky, and now I've seen some high-tech crosswalk signs in Mexico. Chicago has lights that count down how many seconds you have left to hustle across the street before you get mowed down by oncoming traffic, but Morelia goes one step further. Their signs have the typical white walking man but he's animated and he runs faster and faster as the time gets closer to zero. By the time you get to zero you better be sprinting.
Wednesday morning we left early for the three-hour drive to El Rosario, one of four national butterfly sanctuaries. Butterflies, you say? Yeah, so did I but my mom really wanted to see them (something about a book called 1001 Things to Do Before You Die - this is one of them) and Ibis had always wanted to go, too. I was more excited for the hike. My dad opted out due to conflictions with the elevation and his lungs, so he waited in one of the restaurants down below. Morelia is roughly 6000 feet above sea level and the highest point of the hike was close to 10,000 feet above sea level. The hike itself took over an hour and my heart was racing from the elevation - fortunately they sell bamboo walking sticks so I didn't topple over. I've gotten used to small children selling things everywhere you turn but they had a new gimmick high in the mountains - they sing! Three children no older than five years old ran alongside us for several hundred feet, singing in hopes of a tip.
The butterflies themselves were much more impressive than I expected. Millions cover the trees and fill the air. You had to watch your step because they were everywhere - we were on their turf, after all - and several flew right into my head. I've heard people have been so moved by the experience that they weep; we didn't cry but it was worth the trip. We weeped a little when my mom lost her wallet, but that's another story.
By 3pm we were ready to head home with only the Sierra Madres standing between us and Zihua. One thing you may not know about me is I tend to get carsick, so mountain driving while riding in the backseat is not my idea of a good time. My beloved husband claims he gets sicker than me so he bumped my mother to the back with me. We stopped every couple hours to eat and gas up; Mexico only has one gas company, Pemex, and their bathrooms are usually very clean, so at least that part of the trip wasn't too bad.
We had dinner in Huetamo, the city where Ibis was born, then settled in for the last four hours of the drive. The two-lane road twists through the Sierra Madres, each turn offering a new surprise. We saw dogs, cats, rabbits, skunks, two bobcats (one alive, one dead), horses, cows and many burros, all startled by the bright lights when we burst around a bend. There are no street lights and the road has no shoulders, so the ride was anything but smooth. I was nauseous for most of the ride and spent a good 45 minutes hoping for a driveway or something where we could pull over. Finally, a small town with a bus stop and the entire car piled out to watch me throw up. Gotta love a supportive family.
We made it home at close to 3am, nearly 1000 kilometers under our belt. Yesterday was very quiet and today we're going to the beach for the afternoon. We have a sunset cruise tonight, then they leave tomorrow.
Oh! And we've settled on a Christmas present: they're buying us a front door with bars so I can keep the door open and still be safe. That might be my sweetest present yet.
There have been several times in my life when I've stumbled upon new technology in an unexpected place. The first time I saw a self check-out line at the grocery store in Lexington, Kentucky, and now I've seen some high-tech crosswalk signs in Mexico. Chicago has lights that count down how many seconds you have left to hustle across the street before you get mowed down by oncoming traffic, but Morelia goes one step further. Their signs have the typical white walking man but he's animated and he runs faster and faster as the time gets closer to zero. By the time you get to zero you better be sprinting.
Wednesday morning we left early for the three-hour drive to El Rosario, one of four national butterfly sanctuaries. Butterflies, you say? Yeah, so did I but my mom really wanted to see them (something about a book called 1001 Things to Do Before You Die - this is one of them) and Ibis had always wanted to go, too. I was more excited for the hike. My dad opted out due to conflictions with the elevation and his lungs, so he waited in one of the restaurants down below. Morelia is roughly 6000 feet above sea level and the highest point of the hike was close to 10,000 feet above sea level. The hike itself took over an hour and my heart was racing from the elevation - fortunately they sell bamboo walking sticks so I didn't topple over. I've gotten used to small children selling things everywhere you turn but they had a new gimmick high in the mountains - they sing! Three children no older than five years old ran alongside us for several hundred feet, singing in hopes of a tip.
The butterflies themselves were much more impressive than I expected. Millions cover the trees and fill the air. You had to watch your step because they were everywhere - we were on their turf, after all - and several flew right into my head. I've heard people have been so moved by the experience that they weep; we didn't cry but it was worth the trip. We weeped a little when my mom lost her wallet, but that's another story.
By 3pm we were ready to head home with only the Sierra Madres standing between us and Zihua. One thing you may not know about me is I tend to get carsick, so mountain driving while riding in the backseat is not my idea of a good time. My beloved husband claims he gets sicker than me so he bumped my mother to the back with me. We stopped every couple hours to eat and gas up; Mexico only has one gas company, Pemex, and their bathrooms are usually very clean, so at least that part of the trip wasn't too bad.
We had dinner in Huetamo, the city where Ibis was born, then settled in for the last four hours of the drive. The two-lane road twists through the Sierra Madres, each turn offering a new surprise. We saw dogs, cats, rabbits, skunks, two bobcats (one alive, one dead), horses, cows and many burros, all startled by the bright lights when we burst around a bend. There are no street lights and the road has no shoulders, so the ride was anything but smooth. I was nauseous for most of the ride and spent a good 45 minutes hoping for a driveway or something where we could pull over. Finally, a small town with a bus stop and the entire car piled out to watch me throw up. Gotta love a supportive family.
We made it home at close to 3am, nearly 1000 kilometers under our belt. Yesterday was very quiet and today we're going to the beach for the afternoon. We have a sunset cruise tonight, then they leave tomorrow.
Oh! And we've settled on a Christmas present: they're buying us a front door with bars so I can keep the door open and still be safe. That might be my sweetest present yet.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Quick Update
My parents arrived safe and sound and we just returned from our second day at the beach. Tomorrow we head to Morelia for a couple days so I won't be posting again till Thursday at the earliest.
Have a great mid-week!
Have a great mid-week!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
I Don't Mean to Whine...
But it's really hard to clean your house from top to bottom in preparation for your parents' arrival when there's no water. I've been doing little things all week - organizing and hiding our junk - and figured I'd do all the hard core cleaning today. That way everything would still be sparkling for them.
Well, it's almost 2pm and I'm still in the same clothes I wore on my 7:30am run. I've done everything but mop and clean the kitchen and bathroom so basically I'm covered in two inches of dirt that's slowly hardening into my pores. I know mud packs are supposed to be very cleansing but I don't think the bits of cement and dead bugs are doing much for my complexion.
I'm sure my parents will overlook a sinkfull of dirty dishes and a less than clean floor but I dread welcoming them in after their flight and offering a bucket bath. I've learned to adapt but I don't want to inflict that upon them, at least not on their first night. Lucky for me they're somewhere over Oklahoma at the moment and have no idea the surprise in store for them this evening.
For reasons that I still don't understand there's water in the other building of our development. A long hose stretches from the roof so the workers can use water throughout the day. When our water vanishes we fill buckets from that hose, then haul them up four flights of stairs. I've gone through two so far - one that Ibis brought up before he left for work and one that I got myself. I'm not as adept as he is (it's kind of complicated) and sprayed water all over myself in the process. Instead of cooling me off, the water mixed with the dirt all over my legs and feet and made a mudpack.
That mud is now all over my floor. *sigh*
So anyway, that's how my day's gone so far. I'm hearing a trickle from the kitchen which proves a theory I've pondered since I've had this blog. Seems that every time I write about not having water it returns as soon as I'm about to hit "Publish Post". My parents aren't due for another five hours - just enough time to scrub the grime off me and the floor.
Well, it's almost 2pm and I'm still in the same clothes I wore on my 7:30am run. I've done everything but mop and clean the kitchen and bathroom so basically I'm covered in two inches of dirt that's slowly hardening into my pores. I know mud packs are supposed to be very cleansing but I don't think the bits of cement and dead bugs are doing much for my complexion.
I'm sure my parents will overlook a sinkfull of dirty dishes and a less than clean floor but I dread welcoming them in after their flight and offering a bucket bath. I've learned to adapt but I don't want to inflict that upon them, at least not on their first night. Lucky for me they're somewhere over Oklahoma at the moment and have no idea the surprise in store for them this evening.
For reasons that I still don't understand there's water in the other building of our development. A long hose stretches from the roof so the workers can use water throughout the day. When our water vanishes we fill buckets from that hose, then haul them up four flights of stairs. I've gone through two so far - one that Ibis brought up before he left for work and one that I got myself. I'm not as adept as he is (it's kind of complicated) and sprayed water all over myself in the process. Instead of cooling me off, the water mixed with the dirt all over my legs and feet and made a mudpack.
That mud is now all over my floor. *sigh*
So anyway, that's how my day's gone so far. I'm hearing a trickle from the kitchen which proves a theory I've pondered since I've had this blog. Seems that every time I write about not having water it returns as soon as I'm about to hit "Publish Post". My parents aren't due for another five hours - just enough time to scrub the grime off me and the floor.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Back on Track
My funk has finally lifted and I'm feeling much better. I'm sure it has a lot to do with my parents' arrival tomorrow, but I've also taken a big step with my book. Big step for me, anyways. I've been stuck on what to do with a couple chapters because everyone says you shouldn't have too much backstory, but how do you determine what's essential and what's not when you're writing about yourself? To me it ALL seems like backstory.
As I've debated this over the past couple weeks I've also been freaking out because a newer friend has offered to critique my book. I don't know him well but from what I've heard he does a wonderful - and fair - job so I was very excited that he agreed to help. Oh yeah, and he's a HE. Eek! I know I need to get over any insecurities I have about what I've written, but it's different when it's a novel. This is ME! And now he's really going to get to know me.
My plan was to send him my manuscript when my parents arrived so I wouldn't be tempted to work on it while he has it. Another reader still has it, too, and I don't want to make a lot of changes while they're helping me. So, now that I've sent it off I feel an incredible amount of relief. I can stop editing and move on to the next thing.
I mentioned several weeks ago that I came up with an idea for my next book and while it's been bouncing around in my head I've struggled to actually get anything down on paper. I wrote an opening scene when the idea first came to me but beyond that I've been stuck. Well wouldn't you know it but the minute I clicked send and wiped the sweat from my back, the ideas started flowing. I wrote nearly 1000 words within minutes of sending the email.
I've marveled at other writers who say the story just streams out of them, that it writes itself and they are merely the mechanism bringing it to life. I felt a little of that while writing my memoir but since I was writing about things that have happened to me it didn't really seem very mysterious that the ideas came from me. Right? Well last night I got it. Characters plucked themselves out of thin air, dialogue formed before I realized it and I even managed to describe the setting. Hmm.
At the moment I've only written by hand and I think I might stick with that for now. My keyboard is losing its fight with the humidity and I spend as much time backspacing as I do typing, plus my friend gave me an awesome journal for Christmas that's just begging to be filled with a new story.
As I've debated this over the past couple weeks I've also been freaking out because a newer friend has offered to critique my book. I don't know him well but from what I've heard he does a wonderful - and fair - job so I was very excited that he agreed to help. Oh yeah, and he's a HE. Eek! I know I need to get over any insecurities I have about what I've written, but it's different when it's a novel. This is ME! And now he's really going to get to know me.
My plan was to send him my manuscript when my parents arrived so I wouldn't be tempted to work on it while he has it. Another reader still has it, too, and I don't want to make a lot of changes while they're helping me. So, now that I've sent it off I feel an incredible amount of relief. I can stop editing and move on to the next thing.
I mentioned several weeks ago that I came up with an idea for my next book and while it's been bouncing around in my head I've struggled to actually get anything down on paper. I wrote an opening scene when the idea first came to me but beyond that I've been stuck. Well wouldn't you know it but the minute I clicked send and wiped the sweat from my back, the ideas started flowing. I wrote nearly 1000 words within minutes of sending the email.
I've marveled at other writers who say the story just streams out of them, that it writes itself and they are merely the mechanism bringing it to life. I felt a little of that while writing my memoir but since I was writing about things that have happened to me it didn't really seem very mysterious that the ideas came from me. Right? Well last night I got it. Characters plucked themselves out of thin air, dialogue formed before I realized it and I even managed to describe the setting. Hmm.
At the moment I've only written by hand and I think I might stick with that for now. My keyboard is losing its fight with the humidity and I spend as much time backspacing as I do typing, plus my friend gave me an awesome journal for Christmas that's just begging to be filled with a new story.
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