Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Busy Week

On Sunday, I knew it was going to be a busy week.  When my computer sync-wiped my iPod, I knew I was in for a bumpy ride.  Yesterday we were over at Carindale Shopping Centre to get the iPod looked at by the Apple Store there ( and what a store it is!  It's massive!)Today, I updated everything on my computer and plugged in my iPod, but still it's not working right.  I'm allowed into iTunes, but none of my music is being brought across from the Purchased area.  So, we have to get in and have my old hard drive removed from my old computer, pull my library from that and transfer it over.  For this, I need a hard drive caddy.  I have been talking about getting one of these for the last three or four months; and I whenever I've ordered one in, it either doesn't get ordered, or it doesn't show up.  So, it looks like I need to go into a proper computer store and get myself a caddy - one I don't have to order, just buy one because it's there on the damned shelf.  And get my stuff of the hard drive; as well as the other things I need off it too.  

Today, I came one step closer to being able to use my iPod for music.  Now, I can burn and sync music onto my iPod that I had on there before of my own cds.  So, I'll be doing that this afternoon.  However, I do need to go out and buy that caddy sooner rather than later.  Then, the Apps I lost are going to be the next thing I will need to address.  I only bought 2 Apps and they may be able to be put back on.
Otherwise, today, I washed up everything, put out the rubbish, checked the mail, went to the fruit shop and checked out a new toy store nearby.  This toy store is full of hand-made toys - all wooden and lovely - and they were reasonably priced too.  I thought they were well-made too.  I haven't seen anything like this since I was a kid.  
Well, I didn't buy anything, just looked - as I was going to the fruit store to get some yoghurt and bread and not the toy store - and so I came home after that.  I took some photos of the large Jacaranda Tree that's in flower at this time of year near the child care centre and was home before I knew it.

Tomorrow, the antenna guy is coming to fix the television reception in both mine and next door's antenna.  It's going to happen in the afternoon; probably around the time I'll be carving up my pumpkin for tomorrow night's fun and games.  But I hope it'll be better than it has been recently.  I'm looking forward to a time where I don't have to watch a dvd because my reception goes haywire, but because I want to; how good will that be?

Hopefully, by Saturday, I'll have myself my iPod music back and all the Apps through what I need.  Otherwise, I'll have to wait again.  I have the money for the caddy; and I think I'll catch a bus to the place on the service road.  It won't take me long to get there; seeing I know what I'm looking for.  And I know my budget too.

This week has been exhausting.  I've missed having my iPod with me.  It's been a bad irony - what's happened with it.  Not only did I learn how to delete what I didn't want on my playlist, but I learned that my computer could wipe everything I did want on my playlist... the former was cool, while the latter sucked.  I'm hoping what I need to do soon will work; and if it does I don't have to do it again for a long time to come.  And if I do, I'll write it down so I remember to when I do.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm (especially you guys in NYC and that Hurricane Sandy and everyone else on the East Coast of the USA) and remember, I'm always here.            

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Wiped!

Today, I thought to have my ipod checked online to see how much space I have on it.  Yesterday, while I was at the gallery, I found out how to delete cds of music off it I didn't want.  How cool is that?  Well, today, when I jumped on, it recommended an update.  I said no, but it did it anyway; and all of my music, all of the network connections and everything to do with my ipod was taken right back to the bare bones and factory settings.  I haven't got the apps it originally had on it, I don't have any songs or cds I originally bought from the itunes store and I can't get into the itunes store either.

So, I have a piece of computer hardware which I have to take to a Dick Smith store to get my settings and shit back because I'm totally in the dark.  Apple Ipods don't come with any instructions... you learn at you go with them.  Stupid don't you think?  You can't call anyone on the weekends, and you can't get an e-mail on the weekends either - and that's crap too.

I have a 4th Generation iTouch and right now it's as useful as a doorstop.  Sure I have all my photos on it and my notes and a few little things I installed on it - like the World Time of about 20 cities - but otherwise, there's no games, no lauguage tutorials, nothing I used to have... just the barest of bare basics.  It's under warranty too and I have to find out tomorrow what to do next with it.
The one thing I have done is connect it to a network.  I couldn't do it to mine; as it has never let me connect anything like this to my internet connection; why I'm not sure, but my ipod just won't.  And when I looked this up on the Apple iStore Support, I found I wasn't the only one who is completely pissed off and with an empty ipod.  There's hundreds of other people like me out there who have had the same problems and have complained to Apple Support, but the company isn't talking.  Typical.  The big computer company puts out an update and they don't know what it does; and when it screws up everyone's music and settings on their ipods and ipads, they won't admit that they're in the wrong!

Most of my music is on my back-up library on the iTunes store... but being unable to get on there, I'll have to wait until tomorrow to figure out my next step.     

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Shopping Days

Today I went out to do my fruit & veggie shopping at The Big Apple down the road.  This place opened up in June and I have been a regular customer since.  The fruit and veggies here have been of top quality and the owners are just the most lovely people.  I have stopped doing my fruit and veggie shopping at Coles and Woolworths and have begun doing it here; just a 10 minute walk down the road from where I live... how convenient!

Usually, I did this shopping on a Wednesday when I did my grocery shopping - really early in the morning - however I found that I was not only rushed off my feet, but also very exhausted by the end of the day.  So, last fortnight, while my feet recovered from trudging me around half of Logan Central, I bludged out in front of the tv and realised that I couldn't get it all done in one day.  I realised if I did this all on my own in one day, I'd burn out in no time... after all I had most of my time to myself.  So, I ended up promising myself to try out splitting my grocery shop and fruit & veggie shop into two days - both in the morning - and then I'd have a good half day to do what I wanted on each day.  And you know?  It's been good this time around.

Yesterday, I found some great bargains at Life Line  and I also could take my time to do my shopping as well; which was a change.  I didn't have to rush to get it all done.  Not only did I come in under budget - well under budget - but I also got home an hour early!  I also found another multi-photo picture frame at K-Mart to use for the family collage this year (which when I think about it, will probably be finished sometime next year seeing I may be using a set of wires to hang the photos instead of hooks).  I also posted off the parcel to my Bookcrossing Birthday Buddy yesterday afternoon; and it should reach her by either today or tomorrow - in time for her birthday on Sunday.  What I sent her was a Party In a Box... this is a parcel post box full of bags of lollies, balloons, streamers, sparkly hats, 3 burnt cds of my favourite bands (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jarmiroquai and The Living End - two of these are their most recent albums while one of them are the most popular singles) and a present, a card and a note to my Birthday Buddy.  I seriously didn't know what to get her, and thought a party in a box would go over well!  All she has to do is provide the cake, some nibbles, booze and the guests and the party's happening! 

Today before going to the fruit store, I did one load of washing and put on another load then left the house.  However, I found that the ants I killed yesterday with Ant Sand were evacuating their home and all the winged ants were hoping to come inside my house.  So, I spent time killing about 10 of them... yuk!  Anyway, I was on my way and found today a lovely day to be out and about.  It's so pretty and the breeze was lovely and cool; and the day had yet to heat up.  I took some photos of a gorgeous Jacaranda Tree down the road from where I live.  Somebody had planted it in a unit complex not far from here and it's grown so tall and beautifully, that I photograph it every chance I get when October/November comes around.  Here's some shots of it.

Jacaranda Tree1 

Jacaranda Tree2

Jacaranda Tree3

Anyway, it's been a good day.  I got myself a smaller pumpkin to play with for Halloween.  And I also bought enough veggie and fruit to eat for the next week or so.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Ageism

I read in the paper today that Angela Landsbury is going to play the part in Driving Miss Daisy  when it comes out here to Australia.  She's 86 young and looking forward to playing this wonderful part which everyone loved as a movie all those years ago.  
However, in last Sundays' paper, she was asked the question if she could handle learning all those lines for a 90 minute play at her age.  She told the interviewer that 'learning lines is my business'; but it could have gone a totally different direction.

Why is it that age makes all the difference?  It shouldn't.  For me, I've found that my age has made things a little hard for me.  I have been treated younger than I am; which drove me to distraction when I was a teenager, but now, it's good.  However, there are some days where I wonder why people treat the older generation as though they haven't got a brain between their ears; when really they'd have a lot to offer.
When I was growing up, it was considered rude to treat anyone older than me as though they were dumb, useless or without any sense.  The reason being was that my parents socialised me with people my Grandparents age on a regular basis and my brother and I found these people were lovely and full of funny stories you wouldn't hear now about times gone by.  The older generation can pass on old skills that aren't taught by schools now - like knitting and crocheting.  I should know, as my Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 12 and the next year, when I was in high school, my home economics teacher asked our class who could knit and I remember putting my hand up.  Now, I know how to knit and have been known to knit a variety of things for people from scarves to baby bonnets for my friends who are expecting their first baby soon, as well as little blankets and a tiny scarf for their baby too.  Most nights, I knit in front of the television just to keep my hands busy.

So, why do some people think that old people should be locked away in retirement homes once they hit a certain age?  Is it because of the way they've been brought up or are they just uncomfortable around the older generation?  I've never been uncomfortable around older people; but I guess it's how I've grown up.  What do you think?  Is ageism something we should be aware of?  Is it right for people to be locked away in retirement homes that are so out of reach of their relatives they seem like prisons?  Personally, I don't like the idea of people being in a retirement home where they don't feel safe and where they can't come and go as they please; or see relatives.  I don't think there should be anything against people who are old.  These people are founts of knowledge, wisdom and full of great stories which are going to be gone soon of times that will no longer be around.  And we have to remember, that the young people of today, are the old people of tomorrow.  Our memories and stories of today are going to be treated like nothing by the youth of tomorrow... I don't want to be treated like this when I'm older and am full of stories about the 1980's when computers were just coming of age, turntables were my choice of how to play my music as were cassette tapes and the VCR was the biggest thing to have - not the XBox360 or iPod or any other hand-held computer.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.      

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Before The Heat of the Day

Today's a very hot day here in Brisbane.  So, this morning, when it started out nice and cool, I didn't want to get to get out of bed; it was nice to just sleep in.  However, with a list of jobs to get done before it became too hot and a noisy neighbour bashing away in his driveway, I couldn't go back to sleep.
So, once dressed, I stripped the bed, grabbed the laundry and got downstairs to call in the day with my little bird and the impatient fishies; the latter of which are always hungry.  I then opened up the curtains and let in the light and put on the first load of laundry - the sheets - and made myself breakfast.  The washing machine behaved itself and didn't get off balance and before long, the first load was out on the line and the second load was on.  While that was going, I watered the plants in the back yard and I photographed the progress of the plants.  They are growing so fast!  I'm so happy with them all!  I put out the rubbish and then put out the second load of laundry and the third load was on quickly and I worked on the Body Corporate garden shrubs.  They all got a little shaping before the sun got too hot and I went back inside; and finished washing up, wiping down the counters and then made myself my milk drink and jumped online.  Before I did that, I grabbed the large fan out of the wardrobe upstairs in the spare room and put it together, plugged it in and got it going.  Now the unit is nice and cool for the day.  Little Miss Stevie is going to be nice cool too; even though there's a breeze coming in through her window.

For the rest of the day, I'm not sure what I'll do.  It sure heating up to be a warm one; and we're going to get a storm out of it I reckon.  I'm just not looking forward to what Summer has in store for us if it's getting hot now.  I suppose it's a part of living in a sub-tropical environment.  Us Queenslanders have been through a lot over the last few years, and Summer Storms are just a part of living here in Sunny Queensland... when it's not-so-sunny or pretty.
Well, I'm hoping it cools off after the weekend.  I have a Life Drawing Masterclass to attend on Tuesday and I hope it's not too hot to go to.  I don't mind going to them, it's just really hard to get to them when it heats up quickly during the day.  At least I'll be in air-conditioning when I'm there for it and we won't have to go outside until it's over.  

So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?  Laze around and read a great book?  Watch a good movie or to get in and do some outside work because it's not as hot where you are as it is here?  Drop us a line and let us know what you're getting up to this weekend, otherwise, I'd love to hear from you all.  Otherwise, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.       

Friday, October 19, 2012

Brighton Photo Album

A couple of weeks ago, I promised to get a photo album together for you all.  Well, this afternoon, I've gone and done that on photobucket.

Brighton Holiday Livin' Photos 

Now, they might show up with the newest being on there.  One the left hand side, there's a 'view by' title and you'll get a choice when you click on it.  Click on 'Oldest First' and the whole album will make sense.

If it won't let you do that, let me know I'll organise something else.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember I'm always here.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Bubble-Wrap Kids

I'm finding that children today have no idea how to play.  Due to the computer age and X-box, children have learned to just sit and play in front of television and computer screens all day.  They have become a generation of lazy people who - when you get them to play outside - get hurt easily because they have no idea how to play.
This may sound weird to some.  But the way I grew up was to get my butt out of the house and play with the neighbourhood kids.  We rode our bikes, our skateboards, we rollar-skated, climbed trees, made human pyramids (I was usually on top and I think Mum's got a photo of all of us somewhere in the front yard in our pyramid), played cricket, ran around each other's yards, swam in a neighbour's pool... we had fun.  It was a time where the kids we played with were known by everyone and every parent knew us.  If we did something bad, it got back to our parents before we got home that night; so we didn't do anything wrong.  
And that was another thing about our parents.  They knew how to punish us.  There wasn't a child alive who didn't know what it was like to have no dinner, no television for a week or - lord forbid - no friends over for the weekend!  And the worse thing my parents could do was sent me to my room; there was too much there to entertain me, so it was hard to punish me.  Children and teenagers today have no idea what it's like to be punished or have strict parental control over them.  They scream, they swear at their parents... they think their parents were always old, always this age of being their parents; not realising that at some time in they too were young children, and yes, they were also teenagers.  
However, we have a generation of children who I find are bubble-wrap kids.  They are protected so much from the harms of the world, that when they come face to face with them, they don't know how to react to them.  When I was growing up as a skateboarder, I never wore a helmet or pads; and yes, I stacked it many times.  But I didn't break any bones, I never had a head injury, but I did take a lot of skin off.  However, I practiced my craft well enough to know how my board reacted to where I was.  I began skateboarding aged 11 and stopped age 22 1/2.  I had to stop because I had a Melanoma surgically removed in 1996.  I didn't want to stop skateboarding; and in fact, tried to keep going, and failed.
But as the years went by, I noticed that kids who picked up the sport had no idea how to save themselves when they came off the board.  They just seemed to keep wobbling and then put their arms out at the last minute; thinking that they'd be okay.  Balance is everything in this sport; and your arms are part of keeping your balance on a skateboard... use them!
Another thing I've noticed recently is trampolines and how family groups are trying to ban them.  We had a one of these when I was young and my brother and I have never hurt ourselves on it.  Not once have we ever broken a leg, arm or anything major on our trampoline; and ours didn't have any guards on it either.  It was the old-fashioned, rectangular steel model with the springs and black mat; and Gabe and I looked after it well for the time we had it.  And when we outgrew it, Dad sold it to another family.  They were thrilled at the condition of it.  But we had never been hurt on it - neither had any of our friends or family members either.  So, why are they trying to ban it now?  Over-protection I think.  

So, what do you think?  Is the world making our children into over-protected, smart-mouthed, lazy people?  Or is it just me seeing something that isn't there?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Monday, October 15, 2012

Morning Walk

It warmed up quickly this morning and so I got in and did the laundry early.  I ate my breakfast, got out the two loads, washed up and got organised to walk to the chemist.  After checking how much I had in the bank - via the phone - I was out the door and to the post office.  The last load of washing was only a quarter way through and I thought to put it out when I came home.
I didn't get anything much in the mail, but the walk to the chemist was nice.  There's a new restaurant opening across from The Big Apple - a Bake House - and so people were in the old Mediterranean Restaurant working in it and fixing it up.  It's been empty for such a long time, I wondered if anyone was going to reopen it as anything else again.  However, what's sad is that as I passed the fruit shop, I saw the vacant corner across the way of the newsagents, pawn shop and the Balinese store.  All of them were closed down and the place looked very dark indeed.  The newsagents had been there for the last 30 years or so and only gone bankrupt in the last few months; I was shocked to hear about it from the brewery shop across the road.
Anyway, just past the Argonaut Centre, I walked past the little lot of shops and saw the fence just before the bridge where there used to be a half-finished painting on the fence.  Well, today it was completed.  I pulled out my camera took photos of it.  It's beautiful!  After I went to the chemist, I returned to the fence and walked behind the lot of shops and saw more graffiti and found it had been refreshed since the last time I had photographed... well, all except one piece.  This piece was of a portrait of a young man who had been killed in a car accident and the young folks - his friends - kept it fresh as a memorial to him.  I think it's great they think of him like this.
On the way home, I was about to cross the bridge near the storm water drains closest to Park Road when I spotted two Water Dragons in the grass on the other side of it.  I slowed down, took off my sunglasses and pulled out my camera.  I photographed one of them as another took off into the creekbed.... damn!  Then, the first one I photographed ran across the path, stopped and - just when I pulled my camera into focus - took off again into the grass!  Cheeky little bugger!  Oh well, you can win 'em all!  I zoomed in as far as the lens could go and photographed him until he vanished into the long grass.
Soon enough, I returned home with my lot of photos, my medicine from the chemist and the mail.  The laundry had finished and I went straight out the back to put it all out.  The day had turned out quite hot.  My next door neighbours were taking in the morning at the pool, swimming and enjoying having it to themselves for the day; seeing the kids were back at school now.
Now, I'm online here with the fan of the air-con pushing fresh air through this room so it's going to be nice and fresh for Wednesday when my friend, Wendy, comes by.  Besides, I don't like this room getting to musty anyway as it makes me cough when it does.  But I have gotten a lot done this morning.  The back yard was beginning to get bindi's; so I pulled them all out - and the worse thing was that they were all around the back door!  Then, I washed up, wiped down the counters and cupboard doors and then cleaned down the stove.  Now, there's just the wiping up to do.  I even cleaned off the fish tank as I found pancake batter on there from yesterday - oops! - oh well, as least I know it's on the outside of the tank, and not on the inside! 
Well, I've gotten most of the work I've set myself to do done over the last three days.  Now, there's only about three or four jobs left on the list and that's it; I'll be happy with my house this week.  I'm not only doing this because I have a friend coming over, I'm also doing this because my house needs a clean up.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Chili Peppers' Influenced Clean-Up

I love cleaning up the house to good loud music.  It puts me into the mood to enjoy what I'm doing as well as to rock-out to some great tunes.  So, I grabbed some early RHCP and pumped it up.  Little Miss Stevie hung off the side of the cage and sang to it, blowing kisses as well (yep, she's a typical heavy-metalist deep down; and isn't scared to show it!).  While it was playing, I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and moved the coffee table and lounge around and slowly cleaned the lounge room carpet.  This took around an hour as there was so much crap and in-ground dirt in the carpet and I had to keep going over it a few times.  But once it was finished, it felt so nice under my feet.
After that, I set about tidying up the lounge itself.  I put away some bags, the AFL footy I had sitting around the the footy season, took upstairs a hat, scarf and a few other things too.  Then, I sorted out the coffee table and went to put somethings away in the green box I keep on there (this is to keep the coffee table from being too cluttered from leftover coasters, clothes for cleaning the tv set and other things like hair ties, pens, bookmarks and tiny bulldog clips).  But when I opened the box, I found it was full.  So, I sat down, emptied the box out and found it was mostly filled with bookmarks people had given me or I had picked up from places.  And I put them into it to get them out of the way and I forgot about them.  So, I put them in my office to use or to give away to friends online.  Once the box wasn't so full, I put it back where it was supposed to be and put my box set of 'That 70s Show' on the sub-woofer next to the entertainment unit as well.  The coffee table looks so much tidier.
I didn't get around to looking through the second pile of paper on the kitchen table.  But I did get to clean the windows around the place with some Earth Choice window cleaner.  The problem with the stuff is that you have to go over it twice to get rid of streaks... oh well, at least the windows are clean.  

After that, I more or less just did small things.  You know, sorted out some money, looked through a book about Fred Astaire and then put away some empty coat hangers and figured out the laundry I have to do tomorrow.  Then, I organised myself something to eat before I sat down and put on some television and relaxed.  All I had done for the last few hours is look and read things or clean.  

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day of laundry, dusting upstairs, sorting through paperwork, washing floors and mowing my lawn (that will most probably be done on Tuesday morning).  Then, I've got a friend coming over on Wednesday for coffee and a chat and - well, I'm not sure what I've got on for the rest of the week.  I still have some Spring Cleaning to do for Endoes and want to save up more money for my garden again.  However, I'll be doing that a lot easier now seeing I'm not going to layby anything until the New Year; and I'm only allowing myself three or four Christmas presents this year.  Anyway,  I must be going soon as it's getting late and I wasted my evening away on watching dvds of a tv series.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.