(no subject)

I'm feeling better and better about my decision to make my next computer (whenenver I get it) a Mac. I've been browsing the Apple site and I'm finding tons of stuff that I am going to really enjoy. I've even learned that some of my current applications have Mac versions... even my yahoopops program, which I've come to find rather indespensible since Yahoo stopped offering free pop3 access. And some of my favorite programs even have BETTER equivalents on the Mac OS. Safari seems like it will be a delightful replacement for Opera, particularly when considering its easy expandability using apple's built in scripting capacity. I'm also deeply impressed by the fact that OS X offers such an interesting selection of built-in development tools for would-be programmers... the equivalent of which, on the PC, would be rather costly I believe. I may finally make some progress on learning to program, who knows... :)

It's amazing how much Macintosh has changed since I was in highschool... (the last time I used a Mac on a regular basis was in my school's computer lab.) At that time, it was a system that in my experience was extremely buggy (frequently freezing and even needing a full reinstall on a fairly regular basis... or at least deleting user prefs every few months and letting it restore defaults) while now it's adapted a unix core and has become not only stable but phenominally innovative in merging software, operating system, and hardware into one cohesive unit which really works together to achieve the users goals.

I'm really, really impressed and I'm feeling increasingly energized to take on the exploration of this new OS and learn its strengths. I worry a little that my learning curve will be steep, since the new system is little like either Windows or the old Mac OS that I worked with in highschool, but I'm fairly sure that I will be able to figure things out quickly and for the first time in a long while make real steps forward in advancing my computer skills. Oddly enough, I have the feeling that the hardest thing to grow used to will be the small bar on the desktop which serves as a dual quickstart toolbar and taskbar... the last time I worked with it, it was simply a quickstart bar and didn't have anything to do with programs which were already open, and I understand that this has changed considerably. Being the massive multitaskcer that I am, getting used to the way to interact with all the programs I have open and switch between them efficiently is one of the most important things that I will need to do when switching over.

Oh well, I'm going to read more about the interesting features of the upcoming Mac OS X Panther version, which will almost certainly be out by the time I get around to getting a new computer. :)

Boring Day

Haven't really done a ton today... went food shopping, dropped my father off at the laundromat, stopped by the bank to try to get the coin wrappers I need, realized it was several hours after the bank had closed (I'm so used to using ATMs for my banking needs I forget that banks close at weird hours), salvaged the trip by stopping at the ATM behind the bank and making a quick deposit and checking my balance (my bank's website has been acting up a bit, so I haven't been able to double-check things online for a few days.)

I really do need to get these coins wrapped soon, though... my father has been acting weird lately and offering to wrap them and deposit them himself "since he has more time to do that than I do" and just give me cash for them. That kind of bothers me, since he's the one who always claims that he doesn't have the time to do all of the other things around here that need to be done, yet suddenly he has the time to wrap $98.43 of my change? He has quite enough change of his own to wrap, in my opinion. Plus, I really think I'm quite capable of handling my own stuff along those lines without his intervention. (And for anyone who has read this far and is still wondering, yes I'm anal enough to keep track of the change I add to my change jar in Microsoft Money.)

You know, if it wasn't for the fact that I have a few odd coins in there like silver dollars and stuff, I'd be rather tempted at this point to just take it to a coinstar machine at the local shoprite and get cash back. But I'm not really willing to pay for the machine to count my change. Why is it that change machines don't charge money to give you change in return for cash, but coinstar machines charge you to do the reverse?

Runes

Your Name: Jarandhel Dreamsinger
Your Date of Birth: 02/06/1981
Your Question or Information: What do I most need to know in my present situation?

Past Ansuz - Communications, wisdom and clarity, to attract others to your cause, increase magickal energy.

Present Mannaz - Cooperation, teamwork, collaboration, help and aid from others, beginning new projects, especially with others.

Future Thurisaz - Beginning new projects, luck-the hand of fate helping you, protection, the hammer of Thor, opening gateways.

Cast the runes here:
Rune Caster

Hmm... sounds good to me. :)