New Computer Setup

Well folks, I now a a new Apple computer.  No, this isn't it, I'm typing this blog post on my old iMac because I encountered a problem in setting up my new computer. Specifically, iPhoto which is the reason I got the new iMac.  My old computer was hanging up too much when I accessed my photos on iPhoto.


Actually, the setup of my new computer was going fine and I was almost finished until I went to access my videos in iPhoto.  I couldn't access them.  They're blank and I get a message "OSSTATUS ERROR 54".

I was very impressed when I removed my 27 inch iMac from the box.  Only one cord, the power cord.  No tower and a jumble of wires.

I simply removed my old iMac and put the new one in it's place on my desktop and plugged in the speaker wires and ethernet cable and I turned on the power.  The new computer was programmed to walk me through the final steps of the setup, the first one being transferring all my data from my old computer (Time Capsule) to my new computer. That took about 13 hours (overnight).  Most of the data transferred of course was my iPhotos, videos and iMovies.  Again, the main reason I got the new computer.  

UPDATE!  I just got a call back from "Richard", my Apple help guy.  My videos are now appearing after a couple of thumbnail updates.  Don't ask me how that works, all I know is that my precious videos are now on my new computer and I'm a happy Delawarean.  

Now, to make a call to get my new Airport Time Capsule set up.  Wish me luck!

Computer Problems

That's right folks, computer problems right here in River City.  I spent all morning watching the Apple rainbow spinning Wheel of Death.  Hey Apple, just because you colored the dreaded hung up symbol with rainbow colors, doesn't lessen the impact of dread when my computer is hung up.

The past several months I've been doing ever increasing disc repairs and yet the Spinning Wheel of Death returns, slowing down my momentum.  I finally put a call into Apple support this morning, which, by the way isn't as responsive as they used to be (I had to wait 16 minutes this morning before anyone even picked up the phone).  But once I had someone ("Dan") on the phone, he was pleasant and helpful.  I explained my problem to him that my Time Capsule backup was stuck all morning.  I also explained that this was happening with increasing frequency.  Of course the first thing he asked me to check is what version operating system I was on.  I am on the latest.  So that's not the problem.

I purchased this iMac computer in January of 2010.  Yep, five big years ago.  And as we all know hard drives only last about three to four years.  Or at least that has been my experience.  

I have a 2 terabyte storage capacity on this iMac.  I'm using up more that 1 1/2 of that storage already and rapidly closing in on using up all that storage.  Yep, my photos and videos and iMovies.  I don't do Garage Band or iTunes, just photos and videos folks and I.AM.RUNNING.OUT.OF.SPACE.

Time to bite the bullet.  After I'm done this blog entry I'm on the phone ordering a new iMac with a 3 gig storage and faster processing speed.  

Wow, that was a fast five years.  Now next year I'm up for my colonoscopy.  My last one was in 2011.  Another fast five years.  

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs 1955-2001

I woke up about a half an hour ago.  I couldn't go back to sleep.  It is now 2:50 am in the morning.  I normally get up at 6 am.  Today is different.

Last night as I turned on the Lawrence O'Donnell Show on MSNBC, a news bulletin flashed across the bottom of the TV screen.  It said "Steve Jobs Dead at 56 years old."  Immediately a wave of sadness washed over me.  I knew then that this would one of those days that I would remember where I was when I heard the news that a very public figure has died.

In the future I will always remember that I was in my bedroom at 8 pm in the evening of a fall day, preparing to listen to the latest analysis of the political news that is consuming this country.  The date and time I heard of Steve Jobs death will be added to the time and place where I first heard of the deaths of Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, John Lennon and Princess Diana.  Now a new name has been added to this sad roster of larger than life figures who are no longer among us.

Perhaps why Steve Jobs passing has affected me so deeply is because this is one man who has made my life and millions of others so much easier.  Until I switched to Apple products last year, I struggled like millions of others to harness the new technology of computers.  Up until Steve Jobs, computers were designed and built for techies, normal people need not apply.

After years of frustration dealing with Windows based computers and thousands of dollars paid to a "computer guy" to fix the glitches, and hours on the phone for tech help with people who didn't even have English as their first language, I finally switched to Apple products last year at the urging of a friend and my life has been made immensely easier and more pleasant.

So much in todays world is unpleasant, and frustrating.  From our government that doesn't work for the common man to Wall Street which has systematically robbed the dismantled the middle class of this country, to today's version of the Republican Party whose goal it is to destroy the president and further enrich the top 1% of the rich of this country, a flag waving Republican Party that boos a soldier serving in Iraq after that soldier declares that he is gay; this ugly world in which we live in today a person like Steve Jobs was a shining beacon of USER FRIENDLY.

I am under additional stress today because today is the day I meet with the owner of the hotel where I work about the way disrespectful way he treats me and the fact that I haven't had a raise in pay in over four years despite the fact that I am on call 24/7 and go above and beyond what is called for as my job as a part-time front desk clerk.  I am a professional man who is about to turn 70 but I am treated with contempt and talked down to like a child.  That is today's business environment in which so many of us tolerate because we need the job to pay our bills.  I doubt if I will be working after my meeting today to air my grievances.

Thus it was appropriate that I heard a quote from Steve Jobs last night that is exactly applicable to my situation today:

'Your Time Is Limited, So Don't Waste It Living Someone Else's Life'

 Thank you Steve Jobs for all that you did to make the lives of millions of your fellow human beings more tolerable.  Rest in peace dear man.

FaceTime

Brother John on FaceTime this afternoon

Check out these two old dudes will you!  This is me (the tired looking dude with the beard in the smaller picture lower left) and my 'little brother" John who lives in Greenville, South Carolina.  We were talking today on Apple's great new....what do you call it?....'feature' FaceTime.  I love it!  John loves it!  His wife Barbara loves it!  Oh, the reason we look so tired is that I just got up from my afternoon nap (I'm 69 years old) and John needed his afternoon nap (he is 67 years old.)  


John has lived in Greenville for about 35 years now.  The only time I could see and talk to him face to face was when he would come up and visit us (and our Mom) in Pennsylvania about once every five years.  All the other times we talked was on the phone which was always frustrating because he has a bad connection in his home.  The past several years we have been talking on our cell phones but you know how that goes...scratchy and hit or miss.  Now that I have been introduced to FaceTime by a friend, I can talk to my brother just like he was right here.  Again, Apple has vastly improved my life.  


I also have an iPhone (which has FaceTime) and the iPad2 with also has FaceTime.  So as I waltz into my Golden Years, my life is made immensely easier and more comfortable by Steve Jobs and his wonderful Apple company.  


I thank my friend Don V. for giving me the final push to go 'all the way' with Apple.  Thanks Don!

My longtime friend Larry of Claymont, DE on FaceTime yesterday.

Now if I can just talk some of my other brother Isaac and my other longtime friends  to go 'all the way' and get an iMac, iPad or iPhone.  You hear that Bill B., Bill P. and Don McK.?  Let's go guys!  Be cool!  Don't be afraid of the new technology.  You can do it!

Number Two Saga

WARNING!  NOT A SEXY BLOG POSTING!  


Well folks, I passed the test!  My friend JeBblend.  Sounds sexy doesn't it?  Well, it is not.  Let me tell you what Herbal Fiber Blend is.  It is a ground up concoction of weeds (basically) that we mix with water and take twenty minutes before eating in the morning and the evening so as to create a torpedo stool to relive our constipation.  Hey, I told you it wasn't sexy...unless you're into that kind of thing (which I am definitely NOT).


For years Jeff and I suffered chronic constipation.  Then, about fifteen years ago Jeff found this concoction sold by the AIM Companies that 'guaranteed' relief from chronic constipation.  First thing I thought was "Sure, sure."  Both Jeff and I had brought the over the counter constipation relief medications (?) over the years like Metamucil.  The only thing that ever worked for us was Ex-Lax.  I didn't want to spend a life addicted to Ex-Lax like my father.  When he went to the bathroom he exploded.  Ah yes, what a mess that was.  Of course he never cleaned it up.  So, we would seek relief from our 'bound' condition with Ex-Lax and the such, all the while looking for a life changer for our bowel movements.  Starting to wonder if you should continue to read this post?  Remember, I warned you...NOT A SEXY POST.


The only catch to the Herbal Fiber Blend constipation relief medicine was the expense.  It costs $40 a container.  You put those containers on the store shelves at that cost and no matter how well it works NOBODY is going to buy it.  That's why we have to order it by mail.

Your every day grocery shopper just doesn't put out that kind of bucks for any product, let alone a popper helper. 

So, I ordered some and voilà! IT WORKED!  Still, there was the expense.  At the time I first ordered it,the cost was $36 a container.  Now it is $40.  If I ordered in bulk (no pun intended) I got a discount.  So I order in bulk.  And ever since that happy day several years ago I have been faithfully taking my ground up weeds and bark and I've been a 'regular guy.'   In fact, discovering AIM Herbal Fiberblend has probably saved my life.  Now I'm not biting off heads and during one of my extended periods of not visiting the bathroom.  

And believe me, there were days that Bill headed for the hills and he found that I hadn't gone to the bathroom that morning because he knew he was in for a rough day.  Now that I'm a 'regular guy', I'm happy..Bill is happy...my co-workers are happy (they got it too from me) and just about anyone who comes in contact with me sees a pleasant and relaxed Ron.  

So Jeff calls me this afternoon.  Remember, Jeff is losing his mental capabilities.  He called to tell me he ordered too much of the Poop Medicine (which is what we REALLY call it...actually we call it something else which is a four letter word beginning with "S" and ending with "T" but this is a family blog so I'll let the reader figure it out for him/herself).  Jeff tells me he ordered too much and would I like to have the rest of it?  WHAT?  Do I use more than he uses?  This doesn't make sense.  You take it twice a day, once in the mooring (two heaping tablespoons) and once in the evening, twenty minutes before the meal.  The stuff is GROUND UP WEEDS!  IT'S FIBER!  IT DOESN'T GO BAD!  

I patiently tell Jeff (a non de plume by the way, name changed out of respect for the privacy of my long time friend) that "No, I don't want it.  You keep it.  It doesn't go bad."  He said "I think I messed up and ordered too much."  I tell him...again..."No, it doesn't go bad.  Keep it.  In fact, when you order it in bulk (no pun intended...again), you get it cheaper."  Then he says "Oh yeah, that's probably why I ordered so much."  

So there we go folks, another episode in the continuing saga of me and my longtime friend Jeff, is is slowly sinking into dementia.  

Ironically, the first time I met Jeff was when we were both attending Army Security Agency School in Ft. Devens, Massachusetts in April of 1960.  We both kept running into each other at the Service Club bathroom. No, no, no.  Don't get the wrong idea.  Even though were both gay (and we didn't know that at that time), we were using the Service club bathrooms because they had individual stalls.  Our bathroom facilities (called latrines - remember that term your former Army guys?) back at our barracks consisted of a row IN THE OPEN of twelve toilets.  I don't know about you but when I'm doing a Number Two I want to do it in private, especially if I'm constipated.  "Going" is a big event and I want to savor that in privacy and not during a conversation with one of my fellow Army buddies who has the Sunday funnies spread out before him while he's taking his daily bowel movement (keeping with the family friendly blog here.)  

So Jeff and I kept running into each other entering the Service Club Mens' Room.  After we got to know each other better we had a good laugh at our modesty.  Over the years we always used to joke about how we 'met' the first time.  

When Jeff began to lose his mental facilities a few years ago he often forget to take his 'medicine.' As a result he got 'plugged up' again, which didn't help his mental or physical condition because when you're constipated you become very lethargic.  When I was around him I would ask him if he was taking his 'medicine.'  His answer always was 'I can't remember.'   Poor Jeff, I couldn't help him because I don't live with him. His partner 'Mutt', the one I don't like, is a former nurse.  One would think he would see to it that his long time partner got his 'medicine' on a timely basis.  That isn't happening though.  As I've said in previous blog postings, 'Mutt' is so into himself  he is capable of helping anyone else.  That's why I don't like him and why I don't visit them anymore, which is the real shame. 

But I will be forever grateful to my longtime friend 'Jeff' for introducing me to AIM Herbal Fiberblend.  Thank you 'Jeff.'  And I remember the old times when we were both 'regular' friends.

Separated at Birth?

Ever see those separated at birth pictures?  I was having a little fun with my iMac PhotoBooth this morning and I took this 'interesting' picture of myself.  By the way, this is further proof of what a secure, gay man that I am that I would take my handsome (if old) visage and distort it for laughs (tongue in cheek here folks, I'M NOT SERIOUS)!  I sent this picture to my friend Lar and his immediate reaction was:

Larry wrote:

"You look like one of the more dissipated Baldwin brothers."



Take a look folks.  Don't we (me and Stephen that is) look like we've been separated at birth?
With my PhotoBooth picture distortion, I have that same goofy look that Stephen Baldwin is stuck with for his WHOLE LIFE.  Thank goodness I don't have his bass-ackwards look on life too.  What a douche.

My lips are better

Having Fun With My New iPhone

A Toon Picture Don took of me yesterday with my iPhone

I'm having a LOT of fun with my new toy, my iPhone.  Oh I know one of my regular blog readers left a comment saying "enough with the i whatever."   I'm sorry folks, I can't help myself.  I'm fascinated with this new technology.  


Tonight I took my iPhone to work and tried the FaceTime function with my friend Don V. and Larry M.  How cool!  It worked both times.  I tried it with Bill but all I saw was black.  He could see me but I couldn't see him.  I think he had his thumb over the camera portion of his iPhone.  Bill has a lot to learn.  He thinks the iPhone takes pictures like magic.  Well, it does in a way.  Remember the Dick Tracy comic strips of the 50's where he could ACTUALLY talk into his wrist watch?  That seems so quaint now doesn't it?


Well, I'm glad I got the iPhone, iMac and iPad.  Now I can synchronize all my information together and have fun doing it.  For too long I kept my contacts in a little black book in my shirt pocket.  My calendar reminders were on a calendar in my kitchen.  I financial information required multiple sign ons.  Now I do all this through one portal.  My life has just been made much more efficient.  Which is just in time because I'm starting to get more forgetful.  I keep telling myself that I'm not getting dementia but that fear lurks within me.  My Mother's last years were progressively worse with her dementia.  Both of her older sisters had dementia.  My father didn't.  Maybe there is hope for me.  I hope I don't have it.


But in the meantime I'm going to make my life much easier with all this new technology.  I am so thankful to my friend Don V. for pushing me in this direction.  


Now if I can only get TracFone to assign me new numbers.  I've been working on them for two days now to do the simple function of assigning new numbers to my old TracFones, which I am going to keep as backups in our vehicles.  I don't see any reason for throwing them out.  


It always amazes me that as far as technology has come, there are still pockets of our modern world that finds the simplest function so difficult to accomplish.  

Dog Tired

Simca - a Tired Pitbull
Cousin Janet's "puppy"

I know I'm tired when my friend Lar tells me that my last blog read like it was written by a tired old man. 


That would be me.  Guilty as charged.


I've been on an intensive Mac Roller Coaster Ride the past week. My friend Don V. has been patiently instructing me of all the cool things my iPad and iMac can do.  I ordered my iPhone (one for Bill too) this week after having got up at 2:30 am on Wednesday morning to do so.  I'm afraid that impulsive action put be behind my sleep eight ball all week even to this day as I type this little missive on my blog.


I'm here to tell you folks I am dog tired!  I was even going to use that polar bear picture that Spo posted on his blog representing how tired he is right before he and his Someone takes off to their yearly jaunt for their holiday with friends.  But that wouldn't be right, and besides I HAVE to do something original or else why even have a blog.  Right?


So I scrolled through some of my thousands of pictures this morning and came across my cousin Janet's little dog (a pit bull mix of all things but gentle as a kitten) named Simca.  


Simca, this is exactly how I feel today.  


Well, I'm off for a light lunch folks, then a nap.  I'm going out with friends tonight for dinner and a show and I want to be at my sparkliest.  No Droopy Ron tonight!

iHappy

Today I am on brain overload.  


Yesterday my new friend Don V. was over for dinner.  After dinner Don, who has been a happy and faithful user of Mac computers for the last twenty years or so, showed me some cool things to do with my recently purchased iPad.  WOW!  To say I am impressed is an understatement.  I am literally blown away!


For too many years I was a user of Windows based computers.  And of course for too many years I went through the usual nerve wracking inevitability of wondering when my computer would crash.  And crash they did, with regular basis.


After my year old Dell computer crashed last year, I gave in and brought an iMac computer with all the bells and whistles. I haven't looked back since.  


I am sitting before my 27 inch screen iMac computer as I happily type this blog post.  I don't worry about my Mac freezing up.  I don't worry about viruses.  I don't worry about registry problems.  I don't worry.


Now that I have a new found comfort level I decided to dip my toes into some of these other Mac products I've been hearing so much about.  A few months ago I purchased an iPad.  I love it!  


I take it to work with me to access my e-mail, blog, Facebook - all functions that I am unable to do on work computer.  Those functions are blocked to prevent a virus or maleware to infect the work computers, which has happened in the past.  So I was quite happy doing these few functions on my handy, little iPad notebook.

Then last night Don opened up my eyes to the whole new world of apps (short for applications) for Mac. Wow!  I'm not a game player or one of those virtual reality guys but he had me driving a car through the city streets of Chicago, my hands gripping the sides of my iMac as a steering wheel.  I was a little kid again!  That was fun! 

So here are just some of the apps: 

• Beautiful Planet - gorgeous pictures of this planet
• Weather Channel - yes, just like on TV!
• Eyewitness Guardian News - current photo coverage of news events around the planet
• White and Yellow Pages - a must for me who is always looking up this information
• Ebay - yes!  I am an eBay customer
• iFishpond - not quite the same as my ponds in PA but close
• NFS Shift - the aforementioned auto racing - FUN!
• X-Plane-9 - flying an airplane - more FUN!  I crashed and burned first time up!
• Pandora - music all kinds all the time - LOVE IT!
• Angry Birds - need I say more?  Just the most popular game on the planet
• E*Trade - easy access to my millions
• Mint.com - my favorite!  All my financial records at the touch of my fingertips
• Rehomobeach - an awkward name for all the gay places in the Rehoboth Beach area
• This Day in History - a must for this information hog

This probably sounds like a promo for Mac products.  Well, maybe it is! 

I showed Bill (my 82 year old stick in the mud partner) and even he was impressed.  He has finally agreed to replace his twelve year old Toshiba Satellite lap top computer (with one gigabyte memory that runs slow as molasses) for the iPad we have now.  I'm going to buy the new iPad that is scheduled to come out this June with a camera so I can use their FaceTime function, which is another great application.

Next up,  I'm placing my order for my first ever iPhone through Verizon.  

Just yesterday I was slipping into the doldrums because of an offhand remark about my sexual identity.  Perhaps I was a little too defensive.  Perhaps I should just let insignificant "things" like that pass me by.  

It seems just when I'm down someone comes along and through their kindness and generosity, they renew my faith in the goodness of most people.

Thank you my new friend Don.  You have made me iHappy!

Don V. - my iPad mentor

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

Don teaching Ron iMac functions

You know what they say about teaching an old dog new tricks......well this old dog (that would be me) was taught a lot of new tricks this morning by my friend Don.  In fact, we're both old dogs.  Don is 70 and I'm 69.  Now that is old.  In fact, I'm living on borrowed time.  I thought I would never make it past 60 but hey, here I am.  And I'm making the most of everyday I have on this planet earth. Every day counts!

I was informed by another friend Bob C. that his friend Don V. knows all here is to know about Mac computers.  Don has been using Mac computers for over 20 years. Now this is a man I want to know!

So Don graciously accepted my invitation to come over to my domicile this morning and show me some pointers and cool things about iMac. 

Where do I start?  For one thing, I totally love the FaceTime function on my iMac.  A function which I didn't know existed.  FaceTime is way better than Skype for connecting face to face with fellow iMac and iPhone users.  Really, really cool.  By the way, I'm going to be saying "really cool" a lot when referring to different iMac functions.  

Seeing how cool that the FaceTime function has persuaded me to get my very own iPhone when the new Verizon version comes out next month.  I guess I was just looking for an excuse.  The iPhone has a camera in the front and the back of the iPhone.  Also, I can load all of my contacts and memos on my iPhone instead of carrying around 100 plus sheets of paper of the print out of my former Palm Pilot function, which I cannot use on my iMac.

Don also showed me how cool (there that word is again) the iPhoto upgrade is so I downloaded that function.  I have over 42,000 photos that are badly in need of organization.  Here I go!  

Don and I were working together on my iMac for about four hours (from 9 am to 1:30 pm) until we both started to wear down.  After all, we're no spring chickies with brains unencumbered with all the debris that only 69 and 70 year old brains contain.  We both were winding down.  

I thanked Don profusely and released him.  I had so many more questions to ask.  I was like a man in the desert for a week without water.  Don was provided much needed sustenance for my iMac function   ignorant brain.  Now to absorb all this information. But I could no longer detain my friend.  

After Don left I had lunch then took a much needed nap to rest my brain overload.  My head was literally throbbing.  I think I exceeded my brain cell capacity.  I was like an old mule pulling a load too heavy for its old body.

After my nap, I was right back on my computer and I couldn't resist trying out my new FaceTime app.  I called Don.  After six rings he answered.  I looked at his face which was now displayed on my 27inch wide iMac screen.  He looked a little disheveled.  Well I guess so......I woke him up from his nap!

Thank you Don!  I'm ready to fly.

Now, to talk my friend Lar into setting up his FaceTime function so we can talk.  Lar is my age.  How about it Lar, you old dog?  Ready to learn some new tricks?

Me and my friend Lar back in 1962 when our brains were young and unencumbered with debris.

I'm Back..............with an iMac!

Monday my Dell computer crashed. 

Tuesday I spiraled into semi-deep depression.

Wednesday I began to climb out of my well of frustration, despair and anger.

Thursday I bought a new iMac computer. 

Friday I moved my Dell computer out of my office and setup my new iMac.

Today I am writing about this Week That Was.

I decided on Wednesday that I would leave the world of Mr. Softee (Bill Gates) and Windows operating systems.  I also decided that I would never buy another Dell computers.  Of the five computers I have owned in my lifetime, three of them were Dells.  Every one of them crashed.  My other two computers were a Tandy (the old Radio brand) and a Gateway computer.  I sold the Tandy and the Gateway computer I am still using. Doesn’t say much for the quality of Dell computers does it?

Thursday morning a Dell technician came by the house and installed a new hard drive on my crashed Dell.

Thursday afternoon Bill and I got in his Jeep for the 39 mile (one way) trip to Dover and Best Buy.  Not for nothing to they call Sussex County Lower Slower Delaware.  Nothing is close down here except for those poor miserable chickens in their wooden cages going to slaughter at the local processing plant.

At Best Buy (after a side trip to Sam’s Club) we were greeted by a slovenly,not too knowledgeable  salesman who was missing his bottom two front teeth (which I had a difficult time not to keep looking at that gap between his other yellow teeth – why is it that the sales clerks in reality never look like the ones in commercials?) 

I eyed up the iMacs and quickly decided that I wanted the 27-inch version.  A good friend of mine purchased an iMac a couple of years ago.  He told me he loves it but if he had to do it over again he would get a bigger screen.  I decided not to make the same mistake and I’m glad I didn’t.  I’m sitting in front of that big screen now and I like it. 

I made the purchase, got the three-year warranty (which I will always do after my experience with my Dell), and also purchased a standard keyboard.  The iMac comes with a wireless keyboard but it is too small for me.  It is the size of a laptop keyboard.  That doesn’t work for me because I type with all ten of my fingers.  Fortunately my Mother insisted I take typing in high school (back in the Fifties when boys didn’t take such “girlish” courses) and I’ve been typing ever since.  With the small laptop keyboard I can’t keep my normal fast typing speed. 

Yesterday afternoon and into the night I was glued to my iMac learning the new system.  I still don’t know how to set the mail up.  I’m not pleased with the built in speakers.  I need a sub-woofer for that deep bass boom-boom for my music.  I plan to buy the Bose speakers that area available for the iMac.  Then I should be set for life.

Now my next job is to try and recover the files that I had backed up daily on my Maxtor external hard drive.  I’ll have to load the Maxtor software into my refurbished Dell and go through the process of restoring those files.  I don’t think I can restore those files directly to my new iMac because it is a different operating system.  I’ll restore them to the Dell and then copy the files (mostly my digital pictures) and move them to my iMac.

I have my work cut out for me the next few weeks.  I hope my old brain can handle it.