Windows 7 Starter

So I bought a netbook last night in order to be able to do word processing and light web surfing. I’m absolutely loving it so far, but just discovered a flaw that is *really* irritating:

Windows 7 Starter edition does not let you set your own picture as a desktop background. You are stuck with a boring blue screen and no other options.

Unbelievable. I can understand a Starter edition not having the more advanced features you’d find on the Premium and Ultimate editions. But desktop wallpaper? Really? Miscrosoft seriously thinks I’m going to go out and spend more than $100 on an OS upgrade just to get the ability to change the background picture?

I just posted to their blog that I’d pay $5 to change my wallpaper. It’s not worth that much to me in terms of money. But it sure is worth a heck of a lot to me in terms of goodwill, and they just irritated me in a big way. How cheap are they? I never imagined I wouldn’t be able to choose the picture that displays on my netbook.

Other than that, I’m enjoying this little computer, but every time I boot up, I’ll be very irritated with Microsoft, because I’ll be looking at a stupid, boring blue screen instead of one of my own pictures. And that just doesn’t seem to be a good thing to put into your customer’s minds every time they start their computers.

Heh. Remember the blue screen of death and how unstable some of Miscrosoft’s earlier OSs have been? I think that’s what will come to mind whenI look at this stupid blue screen every day. The Micosoft blue screen of death.

This is just beyond stupid.

You’re a Winner!

My brother just passed this video along to me, and it’s quite funny:

Things are going pretty good. I’ve been having an actual vacation the past couple of weeks, now that I have a job to go to starting Monday. Getting together in person with friends one last time, visiting with my mom, that kind of stuff. I’ve also been getting things together for a home office…I’ll be doing some telecommuting for this job.

It feels good to be spending money right now, although a little scary. But I’m doing it anyway. I had enough severance left to set up the office, and I keep thinking that the stuff I buy represents someone’s job. I clamped down so tightly on my spending when I saw that I was likely to get laid off–I had to brace. But now I’m trying to do some reasonable spending. I know one person doing that isn’t even a drop in the bucket, but it’s all I can think to do. Hopefully other people who feel more secure are doing the same. There are definitely some great deals out there right now, too, and I’m buying little extras I normally wouldn’t get with some of the savings.

I’m both excited and nervous about my new job. Mostly excited, though. My brain is turning to mush with all this time on my hands. I was extremelly stressed for most of this time, so it was exhausting. As a result, I really didn’t do all the things I thought I’d do if I were laid off–some deeper cleaning of my house, writing, etc.

I’m glad I had a little time after the offer to unwind, although I’m also kind of bored. So getting down to work and taking my place on a team Monday will be nice. I like having work to do. It’s not just the income. It’s feeling like I’m part of something and becoming good at what I do.

Remind me of this when I’m stressed out by work and wish I had time off again!

And that’s the thing I’ve learned from this layoff. I am no less happy without a job than with one. I’m no less stressed without a job than with one. It’s just life, and life comes with a certain amount of stuff, both good and not so good. So I’d rather be working. Yup, it’s going to feel good to be back and engaged with something again.

Chimney Swift Cam in Glenham, NY

I’m not sure if my current readers are aware that I have chimney swifts that nest in my chimney every year. I blogged about them last summer, but that was before I was on wordpress.com. When I first bought this house, there was a screen covering the top of the chimney. However, like everything else in this house, the former owner hadn’t actually *attached* the cover to the chimney. He just set it up there and figured it would stay. He had the same theory with lots of things around here, and it’s a flawed theory.

Anyway, I had the chimney cleaned, and when the guy pushed the brush up the chimney, it knocked the screen off. By then, there was snow on the ground, and I’m not sure I would have decided to go up on the roof to put it back even if the roof were clear and dry. I didn’t know who to hire to do such things for me, either, so I just shrugged and hoped nothing got into my house.

That spring, I was incredibly alarmed when I heard high pitched twittering coming from the base of my chimney, just above the fireplace. The twittering was accompanied by frantic wingbeats. Oh no, I thought, a bird has fallen in there and can’t get out. I couldn’t figure out what to do about it, though, and I was going to miss my bus, so I left for work. When I got home, all was silent. I figured the bird had died. But then I heard the noise again a couple of days later. What the heck?

The mystery was solved when I was outside and saw a swift duck into the chimney. Wow, the twittering I had been hearing was the twittering of baby swifts! At that moment, I realized I couldn’t possibly put the screen back on the chimney ever. Chimney swifts are wonderful birds that eat insects like mosquitoes, and they certainly didn’t seem to be causing any problems for me.

That was eight years ago, and every year, I look forward to the return of the chimney swifts. I’ve always been curious about what’s going on inside my chimney, though, and there just isn’t a good way to see in without disturbing the birds. So last year, I started Googling around and found a web cam in Glenham, New York. The folks there had actually built a tower for their swifts–a large structure in their yard that mimicks a chimney. See, they were doing some work on their house involving the chimney, and they didn’t want to leave the birds homeless. When they put up the tower, they also installed a webcam so you can see the birds.

I just heard from them that the birds have returned to the area, although they have not yet entered the tower to start building the nest. I’m looking forward to watching them again this year, though, and wanted to let my readers know about the cam, which you can find here.

I took some screen captures from last year’s nest, if you’d like to see them here.

If you are interested in other posts that I made about my swifts, and my fear last year that rebuilding my chimney killed the babies, just use the search feature on my blog and put in “chimney swifts.” Fortunately, my birds were just fine, in spite of the construction, thanks to a wonderfully thoughtful chimney builder. I’m looking forward to the return of my birds this year, as well as the opportunity to watch the nest in Glenham!

Hurry Up and Wait

There is a lull in the job search at the moment–I’m not finding much new to apply for. So I’m in “hurry up and wait” mode, and it’s driving me crazy.

I did have a phone interview with hiring managers last week. Unfortunately, neither they, nor the job posting, nor the HR rep who screened me, mentioned that a critical component of that position is travel. I simply don’t travel for business. It’s too difficult with my food allergies, because I need a kitchen and access to a grocery store. What were they thinking when they wrote the job description? Travel is a dealbreaker for a lot of people, so most employers mention it up front.

Only when I started asking questions did the need for travel get mentioned. From the shocked and utter silence when I told them that I can’t travel, I think it hadn’t occurred to them to screen for this. I was the first candidate they’d spoken with about this position, and it’s new for them to hire someone into the group who will visit customers on site.

So that was utterly disappointing, because up until then, I was very excited about the position. I gave myself one night to feel horrible, and then I let it go. After all, if the job had stated up front that travel was required, I simply wouldn’t have applied. I am no worse off–I didn’t lose something that wouldn’t have been right for me to begin with, right?

In any case, I went to Como Park Conservatory today to get out of the house and think about something other than the job search for a little while. This is the third time I’ve gone there since getting laid off, though, and I’m a little bored with it. So I’ll have to find another inexpensive getaway to amuse myself when I need a break. I did, however, get a lovely picture of this Paradise Tanager, so the visit was worth the $2 donation:

Paradise Tanager

Spring Has Sprung!

I just got in from planting some grass seed in the front yard, and I mean that in a very half-hearted way. I don’t attempt to have a well-manicured lawn, but I do try to have more grass than weeds. So I went out and overseeded some bare spots with grass seed, and worked the seeds into the soil a bit. I’m not likely to water, though. I’ll let mother nature do it’s thing. Or not. So far, we haven’t had much in the way of spring rains.

Yesterday, I went to Lake Maria to take what is becoming an almost-weekly hike. This time, I went down to one of the lakes, and I hung out on the deck for a while. The sun wasn’t just warm–it felt hot while I lay on my back. Kind of like the heat you feel when you open the oven and peer in at whatever you have baking in there. That felt so nice–winter is truly over, I think!

I forgot to bring my binoculars, which is a shame, because there a pair of loons was fishing to one side of the lake. I would have gotten really good views of them with binoculars. I also saw a muskrat swim by. A couple of ducks flew past as well. They definitely weren’t mallards, but I’m not sure what they were. Maybe next week I’ll make it out there *with* binoculars, and I’ll have more specifics to report.

Today while I was out in the yard, robins were singing, and a butterfly flew past. That reminds me–I also saw tree swallows at Lake Maria. They have nest boxes near the office. I’ll have to make a point of trying to photograph them sometime.

Anyway, in addition to doing a bit of yard work, I was also quite domestic this week and finished my hexagon quilt. I put my foot in the picture for scale:

Last night, I ran to the store and bought batting for Random Acts of Kindness, the large quilt that I want to finish up next. If I can get that one done soon and it turns out well, I want to enter it into this year’s State Fair. We’ll see. If the best that happens is that I end up with a nice wall hanging for my home, I’ll be pleased.

I’m glad I did the practice quilt first, though. I learned a couple of things. One is that I want to choose thread colors that blend in with whatever part of the quilt I’m working on. I used white for the entire hexagon quilt, which isn’t bad, but is a bit noticeable in places. Second is that using all polyester batting isn’t the way to go, since it melts if you use too hot an iron on it. That’s why I went out for more batting. What I bought for my larger quilt is a blend of 80% cotton and 20% polyester.

Of course, I did screw up one thing with my big quilt. I’m pretty sure I didn’t wash the fabric before I made the top. So I’m not going to soak the batting either. Hopefully, if I ever need to wash it, it will all shrink about the same amount and it will be okay. Except the pieces on the top go in all sorts of directions, so if it does any significant shrinking, it’s probably not going to be okay. Therefore, my goal is to never wash the piece if I can help it. Live and learn–next time I’ll think to wash first!

Joan Interviews Me

Joan over at Whatever I Think interviewed me and came up with some good questions. So thanks, Joan! These were fun to write about.

1. As a writer I am assuming you probably also read a lot. Who is your favorite author and why?

It’s so hard to pick one favorite, because I’ve read a wide variety of books and each author has something unique to offer. If I chose one, however, I would say Margaret Atwood. Her writing is so good I call it delcious–it’s almost as if I can taste the words. I admire her skill both as a storyteller and as a writer. Some people have beautiful writing, but don’t come up with compelling stories. Others are fascinating storytellers, but their writing isn’t anything spectacular. She manages to do both, somehow.

Others I love are Peter S. Beagle, Alice Hoffman, Barry Eisler, John LeCarre, and Madeline L’Engle.

Oh, now I want to pick Madeline L’Engle as my favorite! Can I change my answer?

2. These are stressful times we are living in. How do you handle stress?

As you know, I was laid off last month and the job market is tight, so my coping skills are really being put to the test. I don’t cry often, but being laid off was so stressful I did cry a few times the first few days. That helped get some sadness out and brought a little stress relief.

But you can’t cry forever, and I am a woman of action, so I’ve been doing a few things to handle stress:

Write my resume, network, apply for jobs. What better way to handle the stress than to do the things that will get me out of this mess?

Spend time with friends and family, and get out of the house to do so, when possible. Connecting with people who I love and who love me reminds me that I’m laid off, not dead.

Walk. Exercise is so important. It gets me out into the fresh air and burns off some of the fear and worry. Plus, it’s making me stronger, and I’m continuing to lose some weight.

Create. I went to the local Conservatory the yesterday to take pictures, and I have a quilt to work on.

Get out of the house. I already mentioned it above, but it’s worth repeating. Isolation is depressing and anxiety-provoking. So if I start to feel too anxious, I’ve been going to the library. I’ll sit and read for a while, and I make sure I sit near the circulation desk where there are lots of people. I’ve been getting into brief conversations with random strangers, and that helps keep me centered too.

Meditate. I haven’t meditated in a long time, and perhaps now is a good time to start the practice again. Thanks for asking me this question–made me remember how much I’ve enjoyed mediation in other stressful times!

3. What is your all time favorite movie and why?

Another hard one, but I guess I’ll say The Matrix. The special effects were revolutionary and mind-blowing, so it was visually appealing. More than that, I found the concept startling–the idea that people were quite literally living an illusion. I related to Neo feeling trapped in his day job, so the thought that it was all a cover for something much darker that he would have to overcome intrigued me. Plus, who doesn’t like to fantasize that somehow they are the chosen one who can dodge bullets and make everything safe and right in the world again?

4. If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be and why?

If I weren’t freezing my tail off at the moment here in Minnesota, I’d probably say Glacier National Park. I love mountains and took one of the best trips of my life there back in 1994. But I bet they’re freezing their tails off in Montana too right now. At the moment, Costa Rica comes to mind since it’s warm!

I suppose the middle ground would be to say Charlottesville, Virginia. A charming little city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but a warmer climate than Montana.

5. How did you arrive at the names Atticus and Oliver for your birds?

Oliver is sort of an olive color in places. He’s actually Oliver II. Oliver I was very olive-colored, and he was a teeny-tiny little bird, which made me think of Oliver Twist. Oliver I turned out to be sick, however, so I returned him to the pet store two days after I bought him. So Oliver II ended up with the name mainly because I was attached to the name by the time I found him.

Atticus is short for Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is the father and lawyer in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, which I read again a couple of years ago. I thought it would be amusing to have a finch and name it Atticus. Atticus Finch is a budgie (parakeet), but he’s bright yellow, like a finch, so I saw that as my chance to use the name.

Thanks again, Joan, for such carefully-considered questions! If anyone else would like to be interviewed, let me know in the comments, and I’ll email five quetions to you.

Random Acts of Kindness

My holidays were quiet–just how I like them. This winter is really wearing me out with all the cold and snow, and I’m simply exhausted most of the time. So I’ve been taking it easy. Doing a bit of this and that, but mostly resting. One of the things I did do over the holidays was finish a quilt top I started nine years ago. There was only one piece left to put in place, and I had it cut out and marked and everything. For some reason, I had never actually sewn it in, however. When I went into the box to get it out, the drawing I made as a pattern was there–I designed this quilt myself. Anyway, the title was Random Acts of Kindness. I’d forgotten that I called it that, but I like the name.

I’m excited by how well the top turned out. Now I have to bind and quilt it. I’m a little nervous about doing that, because this is the first quilt I’ve ever made, and I’m afraid of ruining it. Plus, I have a non-traditional idea for the quilting itself and am not sure how it will look. But I really want to hang this up in my house, so I will simply have to be brave and dive in. Whenever I get around to it, that is. It might take another nine years before it’s done, at this rate!

Anyway, here’s a picture of the top:

Random Acts of Kindness