Back on the Ten on Tuesday Train!

I'm finally back in the Ten on Tuesday groove!  Thanks as always to Chelsea at Roots and Rings for hosting - this week's fun computer questions come from Kara at Kara's Chatter.


1.  Mac or Windows?  (Or Linux for you super geeks!)
Mac, mac, mac!  I've had an iPhone for about a year and a half, and have been a true Apple convert ever since.  I'd never had a Mac computer until this spring, and I don't know why I waited so long.  I love it!  


2.  What drew you to that operating system?
See the question above.  Started with the phone, crossed over to the computer.  I guess I got into the phone when they started popping up in law school, and it was a game-changer when I got mine.  Felt the same way about the computer!


3.  Mice - Wireless or Wired?  Mouse pad or none?
I always work on my laptop, so I don't use a mouse.  I don't have anything against them, I just don't even own a desk, so I'm always working on my couch, or at least at my kitchen table and don't really need one.  Also, I love the two-finger scrolling on my Mac, so no real need for a traditional mouse.


4.  Other than the Internet - What do you use your computer most for?
Dangit, my first answer was going to be Internet.  But I guess lately, it'd be for wedding stuff - my spreadsheet with my guest list, my DJ worksheet, etc.  Also my calendar (which seems to be full of wedding stuff lately!)


5.  What's one computer-related thing you wish you were best at?  (CSS, Photoshop, Excel, etc.)
Um, all of the above?  I suck at all those things.  Probably Excel because I use it most but I am absolutely TERRIBLE at it.  I seriously can't even write a simple formula.  I have to Google it every time.


6.  Describe the first time you ever used a computer.
Uhhh.  I think maybe it was at home?  I went to private school, so we really didn't have computers at all, because a) they're expensive, and b) that Satan-box might make you look up things that make the baby Jesus cry.  Let's be honest, b) was probably most of the reason we didn't have them.  But we had one at home, with the good ol' AOL that used the phone line (so you couldn't be on it for more than a few minutes in case anyone called.)  I used to love the AOL kids chat room.  Oh, social media in the 90s.


7.  How often do you upgrade to a new operating system?
Um, I guess I'll answer that by saying I buy a new laptop every few years, because I'm tough on them and that's really about how long they last.  Maybe every three years?


8.  Are you are short-cutter (CTRL+C) or a right-clicker?
Absolutely a short-cutter.  Couldn't tell you the last time I right-clicked on anything.


9.  Is computer-use a constant thing in your life (such as using it both at work and home) or do you get a break (because you don't use them at work)?
I definitely get a break, because I don't use them at work. This summer, the kids worked a little on them, but not much.  I have a feeling that I'm going to be using them a lot more at work this coming year though, because my new school has a lot of technology like Smart boards.  The 6th graders (I hear) all have laptops too!  So I'm really excited about getting the kids engaged that way.  We had ZERO technology in summer school, and especially in English, it's so tough to keep kids engaged if you're just working with pencil and paper for eight hours a day.


10.  Where do you think the world would be if personal computers did not exist?
I hate to think.  I'm a very pro-technology person.  I still like handwritten invitations and thank you notes and things, but I don't think computers have made things "impersonal."  I love mine, love my iPhone, love my Twitter feed, love my Google reader.  Lovelovelove.

True Life: I'm a General Life Blogger

In the spirit of trying to get the juices flowin' again over here at ye olde blog, I saw this post on Claire's blog today and decided to play along.  So, this link-up is hosted by Fabulous but Evil and Mrs. Monologues and it's a chance to find some new folks to follow (another thing I could use!)

If you're here from the link-up, here it is - what I blog about:

Sometimes, there is cake.  Sometimes, I wear an apron when I make it.

Sometimes, I find that things I have in my closet turn into an acceptable Halloween costume.  Also, Halloween is my favorite holiday.  Other times, I fall into the bathtub while I take pictures like this and/or try to see how my shoes look with my outfit.

Occasionally, I'll give you my very own version of People of Wal-Mart.

Occasionally, I am on par with the folks on the People of Wal-Mart website.

You should stick around, if only for my grandma's recipes (isn't her handwriting just too cute?)

Or the inordinate amount of shoe pictures that seem to be in the archives.

Or the reviews of high-fashion items like pajama jeans.

And soon, there will be wedding pictures to see, 'cause I'm puttin' a ring on it in a month!

At the very least, stay for the weenie dog pictures.

This is Peggy Sue.  Peggy Sue would like it if you would be her friend.

<3 Meredith

random mess of a post

First, let me go ahead and warn you that I have no clear theme here.  Except not having a clear theme.  So roll with me today.  I haven't had enough coffee yet.

Mostly, I don't like bridal showers and crap like that.  I just don't.  But I have to say that everything we've done has been seriously fun.  Exhibit A: tonight is going to be epic. We're having a Pure Romance party and lingerie shower!  My mom knows a girl who so graciously spent all day making an, ahem, "adult" cake for me.  And oh, how badly I wanted to post pictures of it!  But then I thought no, because y'all, this thing is so realistic.  It's three different flesh tones.  It has toasted, dyed coconut sprigs on it.  Y'all.  Just, Y'ALL.  We're going to have sangria and little cocktail weenies and try on lingerie and get to hear alllllll about the Pure Romance stuff.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I'll try to take (a few appropriate) pictures.

Really, I can't believe how fast the wedding's coming.  It's like a MONTH away.  And I'm ready for it to happen, but it still doesn't seem real.  Not the me-and-PB-being-together-forever thing (I feel like we've been doing that part all along), but the me-in-a-fancy-dress with approximately one billion people in attendance.  Okay, maybe not one billion, but more than I'm used to.  And it sure felt like one billion when I was addressing those suckers.  

Mostly, I'm so excited to go on our honeymoon that I can't stand it.  I feel like a terrible teacher for missing the second week of school, and I tried to be a good little camper about probably having to cancel our honeymoon.  I really only asked my principal if I could miss it as kind of a formality to make myself feel better before I went ahead and cancelled it.  Needless to say, I was doing cartwheels when my principal emailed me back to say I'd be allowed to take it!  Now, I'm sure my pay will be docked for a week, but hey, we'll make it.  It's Disney World, I mean, I'd give up my right foot to go.  Maybe that'd even be doubly worth it because nobody with crutches or any sort of injury waits in line.  

Y'all know we're going to Disney World, and PB knows we're going to Disney World, but I don't quite think PB knows exactly what that means just yet.  He's only been once, when our entire eighth grade went down and we had to spend most of the time dealing with our teachers as chaperones and filling out notebooks with math problems and writing assignments so that Disney would be "educational." However, I think that trip might have been more leisurely than the one we're going to be taking in September. 

I do not wait in line in Disney World.  And I cover everything.  Therefore, we get up early, we hit the park (determined by annual crowd forecasts to be the one least crowded on that day), we stick to a schedule and we move at a breakneck pace in order to see everything before dinnertime.  There are benefits though.  I'd rather be moving than standing in a 2 hour long line for Space Mountain.  That mess ain't gonna happen.  And further, it usually frees up enough time that we get to ride the big, super-fun rides like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Soarin' a few different times. 

Also, I haven't been to Disney since I graduated from high school, back when internet on your phone was still a really unheard of concept, and something my parents certainly weren't going to pay for it if we had it. But now?  Now there are DISNEY APPS.  Who knew?  Wait times!  Crowd forecasts!  Next show times!  Amazing.  I just had to get that out.  I'm so excited.

I close this random hodge-podge with Peggy Sue in her new favorite place - the bird bath.  Don't ask me what gave her this idea, but I can't keep her out of it.

Happy Thursday, y'all!