Thursday Thirteen - 110 - 13 Things I'll Enjoy Now That I've Got My Computer Back

I'm sitting at my desk in my living room, basking in happiness in front of my newly-restored computer. Sigh. It's been a lo-o-o-ong week-and-a-half while it was in the shop. And there's so many things I can do now!


1 - The first sign of trouble came when the latest Flash Player upgrade came up. I couldn't install the new version, no matter what. I suspected that a run-in with a virus a few months previously had corrupted some of my hard drive. And that is precisely what did happen.

My best friend's husband has rescued my computer and my sanity. He's got Flash Player installed and now I can watch video on the computer again.













2 - Before we handed our tower over to Mark, the little blue bar showing available memory on the C drive was the complete opposite of this new one. We had no memory to speak of. Yay! Thanks Mark!

3 - I can get back to my Robbie story. Haven't been working on that since the computer went into the shop. Instead, I've been concentrating on my Scorpius story, collecting pictures for a collage I'll be making on Saturday at the all-day writing workshop.


4 - And while I'm working on my Robbie story, I can listen to my YouTube playlists. Oh, how I've missed those!




5 - At last, at last, at last I can watch the third season of BBC's Robin Hood!! I've been watching bits and pieces at work while I kill time waiting for the bus at the end of the day. But now my husband and I can settle in and watch the whole thing!! Here's a preview.



6 - We can watch DVDs on our computer media player. Our regular DVD player bit the dust a while ago, so we watch movies on the computer. The computer is across from the couch so it's comfy, and we get a really good picture on the computer.

7 - I can visit racier blogs and sites at home than I obviously can at work. Yay, me! A writer needs a little inspiration...

8 - I didn't bother saving the image files I'd made up of my fictional characters. I figured they could all use a bit of housecleaning, so now I'll be on the hunt for new ones. I find it very relaxing to gather pictures.

9 - I can visit all of my favorite blogs again! My blog-hopping was down to nearly zero, as I attempted to continue posting from work during my breaks and lunch. That was only marginally successful, because it's been very, very hectic at work. I couldn't push my break times too hard - sometimes I needed a rest from it all.

10 - Considering that I went to film school, you would think I would have posted some video on my blog by now. Well, that lack of memory was definitely a deterrent to that idea. But we've got lots of new memory. Now, to figure out the whole uploading thing.

11 - The endless research - do you know how many times I thought 'Oh, I'll go look that up on the computer' and then realized I didn't have access to the internet? For curious need-to-know people like me, it's such a relief to be able to google again.

12 - I'll be able to Twitter again - not too much of that this past week-and-a-half, since I don't have a cell phone or a blackberry.


13 - And I can update my Facebook, too. That's been pretty haphazard lately. A break and a lunch goes by awfully quick if you're trying to blog, Twitter and Facebook. Ah, the luxury of not having to check the clock, check the clock...

Alice Audrey says I have a sudden urge to back up my files.

Carleen says I can't imagine life without a computer anymore.

Chris says I recently experienced a week without my computer and it was hard!

2009 Blog Improvement Project - 5 - Exploring Social Media - Scroll down for my review of Hugh Jackman in Australia

Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness is showcasing the social networking aspect of the internet and how bloggers can tap into this source to increase readership.

"Because I love alliteration, March is going to be Social Media Month for the Blog Improvement Project. For the next 31 days, we’ll be focusing on using social media to improve your blog.

I’m no expert in social media, and there are a lot of social media options to think about. There’s Digg, StumbleUpon, Technorati, Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, Ning, and about a million other options I don’t even know about. In that spirit, Social Media Month is going to be about educating each other about social media. Our first project is the much-anticipated Social Media Carnival!" - Kim

The only social networking space I inhabit is Facebook. I don't have a cellphone, so Twitter is out. At least - that's how I've been feeling. I can't see myself Twittering much on my computer, but maybe it's worth joining as a what-the-heck thing. Technorati I joined last year and promptly forgot my password. But now Kim is giving me the carrot to look into that again.

The others are foreign moonscapes to me. But that's why I joined the Blog Improvement Project. I shall suit up and bounce the floaty space-walk into new territory.

Thursday Thoughts - 6 - My Internet Footprints

Just as a person's bookshelf will tell a lot about a person, the sites frequented by a person as she surfs the net is also a good snapshot into her inner life. If you look closely, you can find my internet footprints in the February snow.

1 - Art Renewal Center

This is where I find many of the art pieces which appear on my Sidebar Art Gallery - but not all.














2 - Ballet.co

This site salvaged my sanity when my husband and I first moved to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia from Toronto, Ontario ten years ago. I could read reviews of current ballet productions from companies all over the world. And it has a sizeable article archive, too.















3 - Convicts to Australia

This site is one example of web research I love to do for my various works in progress.











4 - Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com

I refer to both of these sites more times than you might suspect...







5 - Empire Theatres

A great site to find out what's on the screens, where and at what times they're playing.












6 - Facebook

This is my Facebook page. Just love Facebook. It keeps me in regular contact with so many of my friends and family members who aren't in hugging distance. Come and find me! I'm listed as Julia Smith.















7 - Internet Movie Database

What would I do without this site? I shudder to think. Although I have a somewhat photographic memory when it comes to remembering actors and where I saw them last, I rely on IMDB constantly when I want to check out an actor, director, etc. and what else they've done.

My favorite part of IMDB is the User Comments section attached to each film. Just love reading other viewers' reactions to films.













8 - Life Paths Animal Totems and Earth Medicine

This isn't the only animal totem site I go to, but it certainly is a comprehensive resource, as long as your totem is covered by this site. Otherwise, I simply Google search the animal in question and go where the results take me.












9 - The National Ballet of Canada

This one's a no-brainer...













10 - Poetry Forms and Terminology

A site I go to when I feel a poem coming on, and need to find a form to give it structure.












11 - The Quote Garden

I love including quotes in my cards to people. This is where I find many of them.












12 - Richard Armitage Online

My favorite fangirl site. I hit GB.net pretty regularly, too.














13 - YouTube

I'm listening to my YouTube playlist right now. Take My Hand, Precious Lord by Elvis, actually.

Getting Settled in at Facebook

More getting used to this 21st century thing. So much new technology for me, lately. New computer, new digital camera, an account at Facebook.

But oh, the thrill when an old friend drops by leaving messages all over my wall. It's hard to get my Old Fogey mind wrapped around stuff like that, but once I do, it's cool.

Gotta hurry back. There's so many peeps to search for. I'll let you know if there are any tearful reunions. Three so far and I've only been on for one evening. Where's my kleenex?