FNL - Good Enough

Evanescence

Good Enough

 

the musicians are so into the music ... there is no separation

(The cello...oh, how it MAKES this song)

 

 

I could listen one hundred times one hundred...

 

“I can’t say no…”

 

And Change is Never Easy

 

My trusty Lenovo Ideapad laptop, which has served me well for the past 2+ years, has recently suffered a fracture of sorts.  The left hinge had gotten damaged from wear and tear and is not repairable – this I know from having been to the computer repair dudes.  Otherwise, the laptop works like a charm.  Since I have to travel quite a bit with my laptop, opening and shutting the lid is critical.  For starters, I’m back and forth from the courtroom every day, twice a day, to set up my realtime translation, and then returning to my office to have internet access, getting work out, etc.  Yes, the lid gets a good workout, and it’s just too bad it wan’t able to withstand the wear and tear.

So I’ve had to purchase another laptop.  I’m short on funds for a myriad of reasons, too depressing to address for now, so I felt compelled to go with another Lenovo (my favorite brand), though with a few less bells and whistles.  I did a bit of research, googled price comparisons, and ended up purchasing a Lenovo G580 from Staples at what seemed like a good deal.  “Caveat Emptor.” I plan to submit a review at some point.  Overall, I give it a 6 out of 10 stars.  For now.  It’s still new, so that review may change.
My biggest gripe is not having two designated 3.5 mm audio jacks, one for microphone, one for headphones.  I report bench conferences, i.e., side bars, while listening to the parties through my headphones.  The judge pushes a button to turn on the white noise that goes out to all courtroom speakers, except my input cable, i.e., via headphones “for my ears only,” and as the Court and counsel speak into the bench microphone, only I can hear it.  I never even have to get up out of my chair.  When sidebar is over, white noise is turned off, and I take off my headphones and continue reporting open court proceedings.  Thus, I need TWO audio ports. 

Instead of two audio ports, this laptop is equipped with a “combo port” – whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean – that I find rather useless.  I cannot run audiosync  (a backup audio recording that is synched word for word with my steno strokes) through this port, number one, because it is not recognized; and two, because I can’t both listen AND record at the same time – essential for bench conferences.  So I googled and researched and ended up buying a USB Stereo Audio Adapter with two 3.5 mm audio ports that so far works rather well.  My computer, as promised by the manufacturer of this little baby, recognized it instantly as an audio port.  I’m still having to troubleshoot simultaneous playbacks while recording, having tinkered with it most of yesterday afternoon.  This may require more research, more googling, comparing guru gadgets, reviews and feedback – until I get it right. 

Another gripe I have:  There is no CAPS indicator on the keyboard.  I find that pretty essential.  There is a caps indicator light that flashes on the screen for a brief moment, but then it goes away.  I want this indicator to STAY lit.  Is that too much to ask?  I find myself wasting time toggling back and forth from caps to lower case, never sure which mode I’m in.  Time.  Time is of the essence in a reporter’s life.  In most everyone’s life …?

Another gripe – this is a big one, and it involves CHANGE – my keyboard is not set up the way my other -- most all laptop keyboards are set up.  I’m used to having the HOME and DELETE keys in the far right corner.  They are used constantly.  On this keyboard, they are five keys from the right on the top row.  This means I have to stop and search for them every time instead of just reaching up there blindly, an instinctive tap without missing a beat.  The PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys, are in a completely different spot too, another critical “change” to get used to.  And the whole keyboard is not centered, but rather sits slightly left of center—why?  Because there is a numeric keypad to the right of the alphabet keys  (I couldn’t care less about this – when do I ever do math?) taking up space where the keys would normally be in true “home” position. 

I type for a living, oscillating from qwerty to steno machine, back and forth, countless times a day and for countless tasks and reasons.  A keyboard layout is about as fundamentally relevant as it comes.  Thankfully, when at the office I use an external keyboard, all nice and predictable, all keys in familiar/traditional spots.  I can fly on that baby.  But when having to use the laptop keyboard, either at home, on the road, the courtroom, etc., there I am, painfully struggling along, trying – TRYING – to adjust to a new keyboard layout and making way too many annoying typos. 

 

When will it get easier?  DOES it get easier?  Will I adjust to this change?  I’ve never much cared for the word “can’t.”  I refuse to give it stage time.  This much I know:  I’ve learned my lesson (again).  You get what you pay for.  Had I spent a little extra money, another $100-150, I may have avoided these bumps in the road.

I’m paying for this.  And I’m embracing change.  Maybe it’s intended to be more of a lesson about change, learning curves and tolerance, and not so much about economics and marketing.  Time will tell. 

Change



Destination Barcelona

Music can be a source of escape like no other.

I discovered this song a few months ago and I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve heard it since, playing it over and over, it quickly becoming one of my favorites in recent memory. 

Have you ever heard a song that you could hit REPEAT, and no matter how many times it played in succession, you never grow tired of it?  This is that song.

Enganaita

I first heard it on Pandora.  And it’s pretty cool that Pandora plays it regularly now on my newly created “Blank & Jones” station.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E7bg2KBamc

Try it.

Hit play.

Now close your eyes and let the music take you there.

Are you there yet?

Where are you?

What do you see?

What do you smell?

How do you feel?

What are you wearing?

Are you relaxed?

Smiling?

What are you thinking?

What comes to your mind first…

and why?

Why not?

Careful…don’t open your eyes.

Don’t wake up.

You have arrived at your destination.

You may stay as long as you’d like.

 You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

the LOOK

It's the LOOK that makes me pause.
And stare.
And nod.
And covet.

When I see it, I recognize it instantly. 
It taunts and tempts me. 
It shouts:  "T"




the  Look
These images are from Tumblr's Polyvore Collection.



(Love those glasses)

(Loving the gray sweater and shoes)

 

(Am I seeing a pattern here...?)

Couturesplash - Tumblr

 

couturesplash - Tumblr

couturesplash - third avenue - Tumblr

 

 

 

 



I’m way overdue a shopping trip.





Turn the Lights Out When You Leave

It's a rainy, cloudy afternoon.  Cooler temps.  We're finished with the docket for the day.  My judge finished signing all his pending Orders and left early for an appointment.  His secretary is on vacation.  The law clerk leaves early every afternoon.  The bailiff is taking care of business elsewhere in the courthouse...

And that leaves me, the court reporter.

Except for my soft jazz playing, background music, it is still as can be.  My candle is lit.  I could shout to the top of my lungs, and I doubt anyone would hear me.  That's kinda cool.  Just me.  Working away on my computer, mind wandering, gazing out the window now and then.  Catch up time.  Quiet time.  ALL.  TO.  MYSELF.

My phone hasn't even rung all afternoon. And I haven't heard the judge's phone ring all afternoon. (Unless the law clerk forwarded the calls....?)

It's rare that I have the entire suite to myself.  But when I do, it makes me wish I had a bottle of wine stashed away.  I mean, who would know?  And who would care?  And what harm would it do?

I could get used to this...



FNL - Go Deep

Go Deep.  Such a powerful little sentence.  One that can be interpreted in a myriad of ways, obviously.  But when I hear those two words, I instantly think of baseball.  I dated a guy (for too long) when I was a teenager who was all about baseball -- he played the sport, he worked in the clubhouse for our local Minor League team, and many memories of my time with him revolved around baseball.  We often went to professional baseball games together.  And I can remember when I'd hear that distinctive crack of the bat, I could expect to hear him shout:  GO DEEP!

Deep.  The word can describe length or depth or distance, or it can suggest the concept of complexity, seriousness.  Mysterious. 

A thought-provoking word ... DEEP. 

I consider myself pretty DEEP.  I'm certain I've always been that way.  And I've always wondered HOW I got this way.  Why am I deep?  I didn't consciously decide to be this way.  And I didn't even realize that my personality was "deep" until it was pointed out to me somewhere along the way in my earlier years.  Deep?  Me?  Really?  Hmmmm. 

But it is what it is.  I am deep.

Deep like the ocean.

Maybe that's why I'm inherently fascinated with the ocean...  It's as good an explanation as any.   When I close my eyes, I can still see it ... I remember...

I stopped counting, but these shots are only a handful of the countless shots I took of the ocean this past June while on Marco Island.  As I think back on that time, I smile... I remember the smell, the sound, the expanse, the speechlessness it evokes.  So beautiful.  It will always take my breath away.





 

Listen

  



Weekend Highlights

I began taking my fall decorations down off the shelf in the garage on Friday evening.  I lit candles, poured myself a glass of wine, and turned on some Oscar Peterson...allowing myself to get lost in the ecstacy and expectation of the season ahead.

A dear close GF from the gym stopped by around 8.  She's going through some tough issues and needed to unload, needed an ear, a shoulder, a heart willing to listen.  I listened.  I let her purge.  I shared back.  And then without a hitch, I subtley adjusted the tenor, rerouting her to happy things and laughter and girl stuff.  We so get each other.  She is a mirror of my soul.

The next morning my husband and I skyped with Zach from Japan...that is, after I managed to arouse Rip Van Winkle ... he's NEVER slept in so late!  What's up with THAT.  I kept skype messaging Zach, wait, he's still not up...wait, he's still not up ... and then, "Omg, this is ridiculous...give me two seconds, I'm getting his ass up!"  An hour of chatting and laughing flew by.  He's so precious to me.  I miss him so.

I headed to the gym and nailed my glute/hamstring workout. 

I sat in the sun for 45 mins in the afternoon, listening to tunes, and reading magazines. 

I cleaned the back screened porch and then fired up the blower to hasten the drying process where puddles had formed on the porch floor ... I get it how men like their machines, their lawn gadgets and tools ... I feel so powerful with that thing...it's loud and spirited ... sort of the way I get at times?  ARGGH!!!

My youngest son spent the evening having fun (overdue) with friends, and I headed off for a planned Girls Night Out with a group of girls from my gym.  I was singing and giddy floating on my drive to the restaurant to meet them, and I manged to snap a shot of sunset while heading down the highway -- can the evening get better?  Oh.Yes.It.Did.

I can't remember when I've had so much fun...The noise level at our table had to be annoying to those around us.  We got a few looks.  (Were they checkin' us out?  Annoyed?  Jealous?)  What a shot in the arm.  GNO is as essential as breathing.

And this afternoon, trying to get caught up with chores, I get a text from Gavin, my middle son, who was spending the afternoon at The Irish Festival in PA (I'm jealous!).  Gavin is ALL THINGS IRISH.  He has always been obsessed with Irish anything.  He snaps a picture of this name plaque at the festival...His accompanying text message:

Wow.  It's exactly me.

And he's right.  It is.  Every.Single.Line.









It's been a great weekend.  And with the expectation of change in seasons...it's only gonna get better.

My heart overflows with gratefulness.

 

Like a Waterfall

I've discovered MY station on Pandora.

I have several.

Of course I do -- I'm a music addict.

 

But my newly created station is absolutely PERFECT for chillin'

 

It is simply:

Blank & Jones

And then as Pandora does,

kindred music is added randomly

and the listener gives it a thumbs up or down.

 

But I've had to "thumbs down" VERY few...

 

Take.Me.Away.

Keep it coming.

Love this stuff.

 

 

 can it get any deeper?



Take Me Out to the Ball Game

So our trip to PA this past weekend was a good one.   We arrived at my son's apartment around 1 pm on Saturday.  What?  It's all clean!  His girlfriend, we later found out, had spent two solid hours that morning cleaning, sanitizing, and organizing.  From what she tells us, he had not done any cleaning for quite some time, and she couldn't bear the thought of our spending the night there with it in such a state.  What a sweetheart -- and how DOES she put up with his slob-like existence?  It's a good thing she still lives at home and her exposure is short-lived and sporadic.  It was good chatting with her again too.  She filled me in on her nursing program that's under way at Duquesne.  One year to go, and she'll be ready to launch.

We had dinner with them Saturday night and bought tickets to see the 9:40 showing of Elysium at a local theater.  Very strange movie...!  One-third of the way through the movie, something happened to the sound and they had to stop the movie to attempt troubleshooting.  After about ten minutes and no success, management ended up giving all the patrons refunds and free tickets to see another movie. We gave our tickets to my son and his GF, since we don't live there and they would make better use of the freebies.  We headed back to his apartment to hang out and watch more movies.  But they chose the typical high-paced action thriller, and I decided to hibernate off by myself and read his August issue of Muscle Fitness Magazine featuring Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine" on the cover.  Yep.  I was convinced that would keep me happily preoccupied for a while.  

He has air conditioning in his apartment, but only downstairs, the kitchen/family room area.  Upstairs?  Not.  And that is where the small, windowless bathroom and the two bedrooms are.  His bedroom has a window fan in the window which he claims keeps him sufficiently comfortable while sleeping at night.  I would have thought he'd have saved some of his money to buy a window AC for the upstairs after two full months of summer heat and humidity.  But he's tight as the bark on a tree, and he seems to like living the minimalist lifestyle, boasting that questionable, austere bachelor reputation.  Keep it simple.  That's his motto.

Of course, that's fine for him, but not much fun for us when we come to visit.  I planned ahead and snagged a decent-sized turbo fan at 25% off at a local Rite Aide to take with us.  We had purchased a Coleman queen-sized air mattress for his second bedroom.  Although it's better than sleeping on the floor, I still did not get much rest Saturday night, both from the lack of AC (hey, I'm peri-menopausal!) and from bouncing (rolling) around on the air mattress every time I wanted to reposition.  When dawn hit, I was more than ready to get up and at it.  Now.  Where's the coffee?

His coffee pot is sad.  Very sad.  I made a half pot of coffee to start me off while everyone else was still sleeping.  Eager for that first sip, I was sorely disappointed that it was actually not very hot.  Note to self:  He needs a new coffee pot.  As I took a look around, I began seeing many other things that he was in need of, and I began making a list of things to buy him for Christmas for his apartment.  Women are far more aware of the details.  And this woman NEVER takes them for granted. 

We made it to the Pirates game, excited from the energy of the fans, the sounds, the smells, the people, the food.  I love watching live professional baseball.  My youngest son is a Cardinals fan, so that made the rivalry between him and his brother a bit more engaging.  Me?  I was rooting for the Pirates, along with my son and his GF.  My husband was ambivalent.  The Cardinals ended up wiping out the Pirates, and my son was overjoyed, rubbing it in his brother's face at every chance.  I drank two Bud Lites while at the game, and only indulged in two of my son's monstrous bucket of wings, trying to stick to my diet and save most of my calories and carbs on dinner after the game.  It didn't bother me much that the Pirates were losing.  I was having fun people watching (my, are there some weirdos out there!) and just hanging out with my family.  There was a nice breeze most of the game, and we had loads of fun.  I managed to snap a couple shots of "Cutch" at bat.  There's just something sexy about that hair...

We had dinner at Joe's Crab Shack.  Colton loves that place and we don't have one where we live.  We always take him to eat at Joe's while vacationing on Marco Island, but he didn't go to Marco this year, and getting to eat with the family at Joe's in Pittsburgh made up for it.  I had two Ultras -- that comes to four, I'm counting -- along with my grilled shrimp and steamed veggie dinner.  Safe choice?  Yet beer is SO filling!  I'm mostly a red wine woman, but I'd already started with beer at the game the fun, laid-back atmosphere at Joe's seemed to shout BEER.  A total of four beers over the course of six hours... eh, not so bad.

We had to drive home Sunday night because my son had a JV football game at 10:00 the next morning, and we'd have to be up early for the game to allow for travel time.  It was a long drive home, not having much rest the two nights before, and needless to say I was exhausted when I arrived home.  And that fatigue intensified the following day.  It was an exhaustion that cleverly masquerades as hunger and cravings when I am not on my toes and ready to fight it.  And I wasn't.  And I gave in.  Nosiree, I was NOT a good girl on my diet on Monday.  I did manage to get in a two-hour, much needed afternoon nap.  I was feeling more and more like a slug as the day wore on.

No worries, and no regrets.  It was a fun-filled and happy weekend overall, visiting with my son and his girlfriend in PA.  Happy times, good food, laughter, memories.

And now life resumes...back to normal...and fall is only days away.