Monday, January 4, 2016

A New Computer, and a Leaning Bush

Well, I did it. Yesterday I went out in the rain, down to Covent Garden, and straight to the Apple store, where I bought a new computer. Finally I can easily download my photos -- rather than repeatedly connecting, disconnecting and reconnecting my camera in order to prompt my balking, overheating processor -- and I can run modern photo software. Which I still have to learn how to use.

The new machine is roughly the same as my old one, though slightly smaller and lighter, owing (I suppose) to better technology. I bought the most powerful processor and memory I could.

There have already been growing pains, however.

I got incredibly frustrated yesterday afternoon trying to migrate my iTunes to the new machine. I still don't have everything moved over. (Why does this have to be so hard, Apple?) The Apple Dumpling (or whatever a sales person is called) who helped me at the store indicated that I could do a Time Machine backup to a remote disc and move everything that way -- but when I start Time Machine it wants to back up 713,000 items, a process that would take hours, and I know most of that is crap that I don't want on my new computer.

So this evening I'll head back to the Apple Store with both computers, seeking some advice.

Meanwhile, we have also learned that the new machine doesn't solve all our problems. We still have terrible connectivity with our weak WiFi, so I'll have to do some research with the ever-pleasant BT minions about that, and we can't easily connect to our television, perhaps because of faults in the cable or the TV itself.

Oh, and one more complaint -- why did Apple do away with iPhoto, and replace it with this silly "Photos" program that has no editing functions? There's no histogram, no way to adjust shadows, colors, definition or anything. Just "enhance," one button, and some Instagram-like filters. I do not want to trust the computer to know how I want my photos to look! (As I mentioned above, I'm switching to Lightroom anyway, but still.)

In other news, this (above) is going on. When we got back from Florida we found this huge bush leaning over our front walk, and yesterday it seemed to lean more and more. We've had a lot of rain and I think the ground is so soggy that the poor thing is just falling over. I've alerted the landlord, but meanwhile getting up and down the front steps is a challenge, both for us and for our upstairs neighbors. I hope the landlord can stake the bush rather than simply ripping it out.

Also, I had a terrible time sleeping last night. I was wide awake until almost 2 a.m. Curse you, jet lag!

(Top photo: Covent Garden, yesterday. Christmas decorations kind of turn my stomach at this point, but they're still up all over town.)


  1. "Stake the bush" sounds like a rude activity involving a willing lady.

  2. I won't say what image went through my mind after reading Pudding's comment...

    What operating system do you have in the new computer? Ever since I got El Capitan, I've had problems with the computer stopping and I have to re-start it a lot...

  3. Congrats on the new computer but, I have to say I'm very sad to hear that iPhoto is gone. I LOVE working with iPhoto. It works very well and is easy to use. When I got my last upgrade, I did notice that new "Photo" kept popping up every time I downloaded photos and I quickly figured out how to turn it off.

  4. Ugh. Getting a new computer is the best of times and the worst of times. I'm sure in a week you'll be so happy you did it but for now...
    That top picture freaks me out. I don't know why. It just does.

  5. I empathize and sympathize with the computer woes, I still do not have a photo editor! Your bush just wants to come in ( to kill you) Day of the Triffids comes to mind.

  6. Mike would be out there staking the bush himself (and now Pudding's comment is REALLY making me laugh). He never calls the landlord to do things, which is a blessing and a curse, because his timetable is probably similar to the landlord's.

    I'm probably going to bite the bullet & upgrade to Windows 10 soon. Mike did it last week & verified that it has the same photo software on it, thank goodness!

  7. Congratulations/commiserations on the new computer. I dread getting used to new technology, even though I'm not the one who has to work out the problems. I love predictability and new technology is anything but! Good luck getting it all sorted out.

  8. you and Dave are experienced gardeners now...get out there and stake up that bush! not having trouble with the new OS? my husband got a new computer this year and for a week all he did was curse having to relearn everything. (what is it now...Maverick?) I think I'll stick with Leopard (I think that's what I have).

  9. York: Ha! We are not bush-stakers around here.

    E: I have El Capitan, v. 10.11. So far no problems.

    Sharon: I'm guessing the folks at Apple decided that anyone who needs to carefully edit photos would use something more sophisticated, like Adobe, while most people simply want something like Instagram. I had planned to move to Lightroom anyway, but I did love the ease of iPhoto.

    Ms Moon: It freaks you out because it's CHRISTMAS. It turns my stomach a little, honestly.

    Linda Sue: "Feed me, Seymour!"

    Bug: We probably should stake it ourselves, but it's HUGE and heavy and we don't have a stake that would hold it. And the front garden is technically the landlord's responsibility (unlike the back, which we maintain).

    Jenny-O: In the long run, the new computer is a good decision. I'm going to simply keep repeating that mantra to myself. :)

    Ellen: Re. the bush, see my comment to Bug, above! It really is a gigantic bush, far taller than I am. It needs professional help. So far the new OS hasn't caused me too many problems, but there are some differences that will take some getting used to. I have El Capitan. I used to have OS X 10.6.8, which I think is Snow Leopard.

  10. Congrats on the new computer but that's terrible news about iPhoto. Love the light in your front hallway.

  11. My uncle got me a new computer for Christmas -- my very first Apple. I am extremely nervous to do the big switch as I've worked solely on a desktop for as long as computers have been around. This post is making me even more nervous! I do have a good friend coming over this weekend to help me migrate it all, so wish us luck!