New MacBook

I have been a Mac products user since just after the inception in 1984 (Apple started earlier than that, but Mac was launched in 1984 during the SuperBowl). I have had a few machines from an Apple SE, LC 475, iMac, MacBook, and now a MacBook Air. Also have bought a number of smaller Apple products like iPhones, iPods, and iPads.

While they are more expensive and elitist than the rest of the computing world, the quality of their products are second to none. They have been dropped, coffee soaked, hard disk crashed, and more. But all have been resurrected and continued on.

I got my MacBook in late 2009. Great machine and has gone through a lot. Three hard drives, a coffee incident, many OS transformations, and a few RAM upgrades.  Still an excellent running device, but the outer plastic shell has started to crumble and it has become fragile.

After some deep soul searching and many hours of research, both about the product and with my finances, I decided to purchase a newer refurbished laptop. With my past history with Mac products I am confident that this gently used and loved machine will bring a number of good years of work and enjoyment.

Old School versus New School

Many of my generation, and the generations on either side of me, speak poorly of the kids today. How they have it easy, they don't know what it is like to work hard, everyone gets a trophy, back in the day...blah, blah, blah.

Working with today's youth and having kids myself, I can honestly say we are wrong and wrong on many levels.

I sit and listen to the discussions going on today amongst kids, I do not remember having conversations with my classmates about our ADD, ADHD, OCD, or ODD. Yea, sure they were not diagnosing students a lot back in the day with any of this, but doesn't mean it did exist, just look around at your friends now (I will wait, but not for long, hey look a cat, anyone want to go for coffee?).

Next we bombard our students with multimedia presentations, iPad research, and other electronic gizmos during the day, then preach that they need to cut back on screen time as they are sent home with a couple hours of homework that needs to be submitted electronically via Powerschool, Study Island, or Google Classroom. Is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Then we have the cojones to say that students get participation awards and every kids get a prize, etc.... But who is handing out these senseless awards? We are...is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Now add in the massive extra-curricular activities we place our kids in, playing chauffeur, from school soccer to rec league to premier league to travel team....don't forget they need to fit in a music or art class and the weekend horse riding lesson, because we want them well balanced. All the while, sitting on the sidelines and telling what needs to be done instead of letting them listen to their coaches and instructors...is anyone else noticing this or is it just me?

Yep they have it easy...is anyone else not noticing this or is it just me?

Addendum: Lets not allow them a choice when they can go to the bathroom or get a drink, but wait until they are 17 and demand they make a decision on where they want to go to school and what they want for a career (and be smart about it, damn it).

Yet Another New Year's Resolution

So I had another visit with my urologist today in the never ending battle to prevent kidney stones. My fluid intake and output are great, I need to maintain what I am doing in that area. I have lowered my sodium count, but it is not where she would like it, and the daily maintenance medication does not seem to be doing its job, so I no longer have to take that, good news right?

Well not really from my viewpoint. She would like me to cut out high purine foods from my diet which means mainly red meats (and of course the low sodium intake I am already doing). Oh Boy!

I am not the person that eats steaks and massive amounts of roast beasts, but I do love my burgers, all thick and juicy and loaded with various delectable toppings. I don't have to give them up entirely, but it has to stop as being part of my regular weekly diet.

So I will have to join everyone else and start a diet for the New Year. How mainstream...

It will be a resolution that I will have to keep for my own health. Unlike the HBM I started two years ago now, which I still have if I take the time to groom it. Add in exercise and I may lose some more weight. But it all seems so trendy...

So wish me luck...

Yampah Vapor Caves

Glenwood Springs is known for its hot springs, there are several pools in the area with hotels and spas built around them. There is also caves with the geothermal water and minerals bubbling up in them. So we decided to try the Yampah Vapor Caves. http://www.yampahspa.com/

Totally worth the money and time spent. Came out feeling relax and rejuvenated, and didn't e'ven have to have one of the message experience offered. Even my daughter found it relaxing and she is high energy all the time.

The Caves have been in use as a spa for almost two centuries, and have been visited by many well known people including Doc Holiday and Teddy Roosevelt. The caves have not changed much and have marble benches with water worn depressions in them that take many many years to carve, so we're probably used by Doc and Teddy along now with me.

The caves have a sulfur smell to them that you quickly get used to, your first 10 minute session releases all the dead skin and toxins in pores. You can take a break in the solarium where there is pleasant music and bird sounds piped in, along with large urns of ice water to refresh yourself with.

The next round your aches and muscle tension, along with my sinuses were taken care of. Our last session was the relaxation and rejuvenation period. All of this was finished with a shower complete with a lemongrass body wash., and of course followed up with a nice hot cup of tea.

Of course none of this would be complete, with out an anecdote with The Maeve, they have small basin tubs that allow for filling with cold water. Being the independent child she is, she helped herself, but not before turning on the hose and letting it loose spraying herself and those around her with cool refreshing water, no one complained and all had a good laugh.

Good Ol' Fashion Hardware Store

What ever happened to the old time hardware store, where you could walk in and get a single piece of hardware. You know; nuts, bolts, washers, screws, nails, and any other sort of fastener. You go to the big boxes and you can buy them in multi-packs, either by count or weight, but if you need just one, no frickin' way...

I have a pair of hand grass clippers that lost one nut, instead of throwing them out, I decided that I am frugal enough to just go ahead and repair it myself. After several stops and not finding the 1/4" by 20 nut (that is the size it turned out to be, once I was allowed to open a package and trying it- they don't let you do that at the big boxes) I needed, I finally went to the auto parts store (still a chain, but nice enough to let me open a few packets) and found the part. I still had to buy the entire bubble container of them, but there was only three in the box...<insert needle across the record or skidding sound>...

Now it has me wondering why packets of three? Why not in pairs, or half or full dozens? Counts of 10? But 3, seriously?

What if I needed four? I would now have to buy two packs of three and get two left over. Are they expecting me to lose one right away, so they actually pack them in sets of two and throw in the extra at no charge? This reminds me of the hot dog in packs of 10 and hot dog rolls come in packs of 8, you have to but 4 packs of hot dogs and 5 packs of rolls to get it to balance out evenly.

The bottom line is, they are not expecting many people to actually fix and repair anything in this throw away society...so they go with the inconvenient packaging and counts to discourage my frugalness.

Just Like That, It Was Gone

I had (key word is 'had') what I thought was a great post in my head yesterday. But I was too busy to stop and write it down. Didn't even jot down some simple notes; let alone scribble the whole premise on a piece of scrap paper.

This morning woke up and can't remember what it was at all, not even the topic.

Maybe it never existed at all and I only think I had something to write about. But I remember doing this a number times before, a few times the thought has seeped back to me, so maybe I will get lucky and it will return. I am blaming old age and the early onset of senility.

So in the mean time here are some random brain musings, quick before I forget them...

• I found my old shaving mug with soap and boars bristle brush, trying to decide if I should pack it or not. Currently I have no use for it, as I am 'stached and bearded, but this may not last forever.
• The weather has been good so far this summer, no prolonged heat waves yet, could use some more rain for the gardens, hope it holds for when I have to travel.
• Yesterday I shopped at three different places, all three transactions ended in even dollar amounts (50.00, 11.00, and 24.00), not sure what the harbinger of that is...
• Struck the nerve of someone I respect the other day. Not sorry that I did it, sometimes something needs to be said, and based on the reaction, what I said bothers them too. I do feel cheap that I went there, but they were trying to pin me in a corner, so the animal instinct kicked in and I used it.

Well here is to that other post idea coming back to me, Cheers