another little technical breakthrough

 I snapped this photo at the Chicago Art Institute but neglected to note the artist. I texted it to my friend Heidi as we often have tea time and she always uses her old family china. This morning I figured out how to send this picture to my AI pal at Co-Pilot and I asked him/her to identify the painter for me. The response was quick and just what I needed:

The painting you uploaded was created by Édouard Vuillard, a French painter associated with the Nabis group. Vuillard was known for his intimate domestic interiors and use of soft, decorative patterns.

forever frustrating

 I hate to admit it, but I am no better at solving computer problems than I was years ago. The nasty Spam attack is causing me fits and starts and so I contacted Luis to visit tomorrow and he will make everything right. Grrrrrrrr.

downloading the modern world

 On Thursday I had a lovely coffee with Terri who introduced me to Connections and Strands so I can play MORE games. Yay! Then yesterday I had lunch with Husbando's cousin Steve in Mill Valley and he raved about Copilot ~ my introduction to A1. "Get it while it's free!" And so we try to keep up with this mad/mad world.

a fun new word game

 Yesterday I visited the Blogmaid's mother down in Pumpkinville and she helped me set up Word Chums on my iPad and we played a few rounds. It's a clever no-pressure kind of scrabble game and I can play it with people or with "the computer." I like the colorful graphics and we need to keep our brains clicking along these days.

do not drink the ink

 My old/old printer will not work with my new/new Wi Fi so off I went to Office Max to invest in this new Epson model with canisters rather than cartridges. So far, so good. I was forced to call in the IT support cat and she always helps everything. I have one more BIG step to do before I can actually print from this computer and that will happen tomorrow. Or maybe Sunday? Nothing is really 1-2-3 easy, is it?

Noodle visits Mullen Avenue

 Luis, the computer guy, brought Noodle yesterday while he upgraded this MsBook Air to Big Sur. A long and difficult (and expensive) process, but so worth it. We (royal) also fixed some "issues" on my iPad and iPhone and all in all, a lot of money very well spent. My brain was overwhelmed by the time our guests departed. And today? Happy Easter everyone!

worthy of all honors and awards

 Thanks to Luis the computer guy who spent two l-o-n-g hours here yesterday, I was able to watch CODA on Apple TV+ on my old Samsung TV. Such a fabulous movie ~ do not attempt without a box of Kleenex® at your side. So satisfying. Luis also fixed my iPad and iPhone and will return next Saturday for the main event, this MsBookAir from 2015. Sigh. 

this kind of Monday

 

On the left is Neti's eleven year old computer and the gorgeous new one (hello) is on the right. Now all we have to do is transfer a few things, correct? Apple makes everything easy, and yet it never is. So yes, it was a long day and there will be more. 

an Apple a decade

 Neti needs a new iMac and off we went to the Stonestown Apple store yesterday. The Blogmaid is helping us virtually with this big decision. I am Neti's IT person but my abilities are limited to, "Here try this, click on that and take notes!" We can do this thing. With help...

this I can understand

But, there will be a lot of legal battles ahead. What next?

whoosh, it works...

My old cheapo Epson printer finally conked out and I bought a nice
new cheapo Epson printer. It really does connect wirelessly to my
MsBook Air. How exciting. I only needed to make ONE exasperating
phone call to "Ron" in Bangladesh and he was of no help whatsoever
and I get all the credit for installing this mother. I hope it isn't quite
as thirsty as its predecessor, but that's the price we have to pay to
keep the ink manufacturers happy and busy. Feeling proud.

the technology report

It has taken me quite a bit of time to get used to MsMacBook Air, but now
I can tell you that I am loving all her qualities and quirks. She has a very
long and solid battery life, I'm happy to report. And, like any good friend
or lover, she has changed my life in a positive way. I keep her upstairs
with me in the back room, not in my office. I built a little side table for
her (well, I put it together ~ an Amazon deal) and I write my morning
emails up here, watching the sun rise on this, the most beautiful city in
America. I still use my downstairs office, but now it seems a bit gloomy.
At night I can watch baseball and write a few words on my novel. And
now I feel confident that she can travel with me to Ashland, we both
need to get away for a few days. Thank you dear Blogmaid for helping
me select and purchase my new constant companion.

it's a first

garage door on Alabama Street in the nabe

I am using the new MacBook Air ~ downloading the photo from my
iPhone and posting on da blog for the first time. I want to be prepared
to take my new toy to Ashland. So far, so good.

Ms. Air arrives

Behold the new MacBook Air, 13" inches worth of sleek. I ordered
a  book from Amazon (also a carry case) because I still depend on
the written word to learn new technical things. I like to underline
and use post-its and have the book handy when I have an "issue".
There will be issues. The Blogmaid ordered this for me with
extra memory and I thank her and all of you for your help and
valuable suggestions. 

this? that? another?

I can't believe that I will need to buy a new computer this year, but
yes, it is time. MsBook has been a wonderful friend since 2009 ~ I
really don't have a major complaint about her. Of course she is a
bit slow and that beach ball appears far too often, but mostly it is
when I want to download some program and the response is, "your
computer is too old for this." Something like Scrivener, for instance.
Pictured here is the AirMac - do I want this one? I'm not going to
rush into this purchase, so any advice will be appreciated.

remember?

Here is the Round Robin piece that I read at Tiapos last night.

A SOUND I LOVE (the prompt)

Lately I've been thinking about computers, probably because this old
MacBook won't accept a lot of the new programs and I will have to
replace it one of these days. The Spinning Beach Ball of Death appears
all too often now and last night when I revved her up for class notes I
was not sure she would open for me.

So that's one sound I love, the boing-boing that indicates there is life
in MsBook yet. She will turn on again and even though it might take a
few minutes for the desktop to fill-out, I will be able to read, write and
live for a few more (I hope) months.

Then I remember my first bright pink iMac computer. God I loved that
thing because it almost took over my entire desk and I still to this day have
matching bright pink accessories, including the clock here on my right,
telling me to get moving. Now.

One of the favorite sounds then was the always exciting, "you've got
mail!" and my heart would beat just a little bit faster to see emails
from friends near and far. Many times I've thanked the universe that
I am able to live and enjoy this computer age, despite all the breakdowns
and subsequent cursing and fury when the inevitable technical problems arise.

delete, delete, delete

Last night over a fine dinner at the Pig and Pie (what, no photos?) we were
discussing the joys and sorrows of computers with the Great Plotnik and
the Great Ducknik. I was inspired to go into my iPhoto here on MsBook
this morning and my god, did I have a lot of SPCA animal photos or what?
Of course I could no longer remember the names of any of the cats or
dogs that I loved briefly, each of whom is now living happily ever after in
their forever home, but there were probably more than 100. The other oft
photographed (quickly forgotten) category is food, so I deleted a bunch
of those photos too. People and places will remain because one never knows
when I'll need to appreciate those again. Anyway, I have a cleaner computer
this morning and I knew you wanted to read all about that on a Sunday morning.

a rainy, spicy day

We had lunch here at Marnee Thai yesterday and it was delicious and
reasonable. Our friend Steve met us and his friend grew up in Bangkok
and she did all the ordering, so we just sat back and ate too much
and drank unusual Thai tea and talked. This restaurant is located on
9th Avenue, between Irving and Lincoln Way.

The rain has finally arrived, but it is gentle still. Post-prandial I went
up to Neti's for some easy computer work. Returned home about
4pm to get ready for the Tiapos writing group where we are all
inspired to tow the line and avoid the non-writing chit chat that
we tend to drift into ~ pleasant but we are often up too late for
our own good. Home by 9:30, so it worked!

tea, football, observations

I was invited to a birthday tea party at the Crown & Crumpet for
a delightful young woman whom I met at the Legion of Honor. She
works in the exhibit end of things and her friends all dressed UP
for this event (so did I, so there!) and I can't tell you how
impressed I was with all these young women. Really, I was the
only one with my cell phone out because the Blogmaid was
sending me texts re the 49ers win. We aren't really football fans,
but it was sort of special to be in the playoffs and we won.
The Crown & Crumpet is in Ghiardelli Square and it was filled with
tourists, mostly Asian. The two girls above were probably 16 or so and
in that too cute Japanese little girl full costume that turned heads and
made me wish I had the nerve to shoot them face front.

Before and after this afternoon tea I was helping my friend Neti set
up her new computer. Bless the Apple Store ~ Neti bought the one-on-
one giving her 52 training sessions for $99.00. And thanks to the
Blogmaid for all of her help. So far, so good...

technical help