Introducing Lauren

Yes it's finally here, for Christmas.

Although I don't endorse living your life as a stereotype - I sure haven't lived mine like one! - I have a classic girl fixation with dolls something that's been with me since childhood actually that in that typically confused way was 'permitted' by Mommy when many other things weren't.

I've written about a few of my dolls before but this one is special cos I found it in a store that was scheduled to close down within a few days.

She's a Vanity Fair doll coming with a certificate of authenticity that the designers called Laura but I beg to differ about that name so I went ahead and Christened her Lauren instead as I just love that name after removing all the packaging  with bubble wrap over the joints.

I like her face and hat.

Dollies is really more what girls like me need.

Christmas edition 2024

Well, the great pause be upon us as nothing will happen until we are clear of Boxing Day as I've a lot to do outside of unexpectedly being away the weekend before with friends.

I am not sure what the blog before the New Year will be like, sometimes I've done a kind of review other times it's just been a short resume of what Christmas is like as things are emotionally a bit all over the place as you notice more what  was always always around organizing things - Mom.

Anyway wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

JoBook IV

With quite a bit of activity since Friday, you may of wondered what might  of been going on here but on Friday I noted there seemed to be a flash sale on at Amazon and something got me interested

I had been talking about about technology in a less point scoring way with my BFF who uses her smartphone a lot and well as most of you know I don't use one them having a regular long lasting cellphone and a portable music player for sound, preferring to be switched off when I'm out.

I had seen and have sometimes contemplated owning a tablet but aren't very co-ordinated so swiping might be an issue and I prefer a keyboard as much as just being able to turn it on and do something appeals.

There have been a few attempts to mix small form computers with a  keyboard from  Netbooks around 2008 to about 2011, optional keyboards for tablets to so called 2 in 1 'transformer' tablets with snap off detachable keyboards but these really have taken off in the last five years,

This was on offer for some 20 % which helped.

It is what is called a Chromebook which in a lot of ways are a cross between the functions of a Tablet but with a keyboard and thanks to working remotely by the internet can do things like basic editing of pictures, handle documents and emails as well as use internet sites such as Facebook.

It also is integrated more with A.I. compared with my last one plus the backlit keyboard is a boon when working in dull environments.

The thing they don't do is play massive games, use the iTunes store or copy music from cd but to be honest most of us use our computers through browsers 90% of the time.

You do things like writing documents using apps just like a tablet or smart phone but you get a bigger screen which is more suited to watching say a movie online.

 
This happens because it uses a form of Linux running through the Chrome browser to control its functions and that runs very quickly  on a less powerful processor, making the battery last around 14 hours maximum and not get too hot to touch.

This Asus is really intended for Junior high schoolers used often in education which kind of clinched it for because it is simple to use and robust matching my needs so you could say it's the perfect JoBook.

The screen is a super HD 1980x 768 but common on small laptops being an improvement on the 1440 x 768 of my older notebook which helps using most site layouts showing more without using the cursor which has a lovely bold black pointer.

 
There wasn't much to do upon opening it beyond confirming it had a UK layout keyboard and that I speak English, you just log onto your network (and the Wifi is really fast) and enter you Google Account which if you've use things like GMail, Blogger and GooglePlus you'll have anyway and you're away.

Ir picked up my previous Google bookmarks and passwords just fine.

It has 2 USB 3.1 sockets, plus a USB c, a HDMI connector  for a monitor, a headphone jack and SD C and then  there's cloud storage too.

Google Chrome looks after updating itself for you without the seven hundredth update keeping you up all night and shockingly can be used after 10 seconds and switches off after about 3 seconds which makes it ideal for checking your emails or social media accounts.

For what I want it for, it's ideal.

Advent begins

Advent begins with the change of Month on Sunday so we are getting through the Calendar one munch at a time while the local christmas tree is up and illuminated just opposite the park ready for community activities such as carolling.

As much as I love Christmas trees, the aroma of Pine is well burned into my memories, given the Grump situation I cannot see him putting one up.

Given we do CatMas here, the the 12 days of CatMas will be sung however!

Adapting things

 

Finding time to let your little side can be difficult not that there aren't hours available but more things just come in part way through a period where you are playing with dollies, maybe reading a book or comic or perhaps talking online.

Something like an activity book you can work though at your own pace putting away and returning to later really is a help in such situations so I'm trying different strategies to deal with things.

Trying times

 

There are days when you really feel you are "at your limit", that you cannot go continue any further without losing any and all control of your emotions whither or not that might be the seventh time you gone to do something and it hasn't worked or you've made a massive mess and now that to deal with on top of felling tired for everything else you did before.

It might be less you and perhaps someone elses attitudes and behaviours that are really taking you beyond your normal endurance ability, I mean some stresses and strains are part of everyday life rather like if you go to catch a train, you know a delay or a platform change is a perfectly possible situation.

Some people just appear to love creating dramatic scenes, raising fears and waves of impending doom demanding that you and the wider world must save them now and really nobody cares.

Emotional manipilation is common and not as some might expect, just with young children who perhaps may not of learnt better solutions and strategies.

You yourself may have issues with dealing with any and all of these situations, I know I can soon get out of bounds as lots of noise and waves of emotions just pass through me like a massive wave I can't always reliably control and I could easily act in ways whose consequences may last a long time without realizing it.

 There always are times when I need the uncomprising message of firm spanking to help me regulate my responses and to help prevent me doing anything really rash.

Situations can be crazy, other people can be a pain in the rear but in the end I need to learn to deal appropriately with it and you may need to make sure I learn a painful lesson so I I don't repeat it.

Rounding up, staying warm

 So I'm preparing a post for this blog and there are a few a few things going on like a widening of one social media account to cover a few related points in their own way that in a previous blog life there had been some posts around but because of issues with cross linking and plowing through profiles I decided it was best removed.

It has got a bit cold this week - was around one degree c yesterday morning - so thicker socks and more layers are called for although I do have warm padded jackets for outdoors and woollen hats for exploring around and about.

I did get a used speciality record that came out some thirteen years ago by Rickie Lee Jones, namely her excellent debut album of 1979 but in a 45 rpm cut super high quality form that I missed out on then with both budget constraints and a a certain scepticism that my then stereo could make all it may have to offer.

Perhaps you remember that hit, Chuck, He's In Love?

I'm delighted to get a copy from a proper record store in Cornwall that does mail order  that knows how to package things well and it sounds great with the much improved system now.