Learning new things

I'm pretty comfortable with my Mac now; when I first got it, I spent untold hours searching for "how-to" tutorials on one thing and another. Lately I've been able to do about anything I've wanted to, so I've just run with what knowledge I have. The older I get, the less I want to learn new things.
I'd only had this thing a few days when I remembered that the son-in-law wanted me to burn a CD for him. Since my daughter was here at the time, we decided to figure out how to do it. Now, she uses a Macbook all the time, but she's never needed to burn a disc; she's never worked with the Iphoto program, either. These are things I've had to learn for myself. Looking back, it's been good for me.
After a few frustrating attempts, we decided the Mac Mini must not be capable of burning CD's. I seldom burn them anyhow, but it was rather disappointing that I had paid so much for a computer that couldn't perform such a simple task. Kevin brought over an external CD burner that he no longer uses, just in case I ever needed something put on CD. Since all six of my USB ports are filled, I never plugged it in, though.
This morning I went to the Apple site and started perusing information given about the Mac Mini, and lo and behold, I learned that it does have a CD burner! I then searched "help" on my Mac and found instructions on two different ways to burn a CD or DVD; seemed simple enough. I inserted a blank disc and before you know it, I had burned those songs Kevin wanted to a disc.
I was so proud, I even emailed my daughter at work to tell her about it.
I had no sooner clicked "send", though, than I realized I didn't know how to eject the disc. Talk about feeling stupid!
It took another half-hour or so of reading "help" topics, but I finally found the solution. It wasn't hard; in fact, it's ridiculously simple. Most everything you do on a Mac is more straight-forward and sensible than a PC; it's just so totally different, that it takes a little study. If I had an Apple keyboard, I would have clicked the "media eject" key. Since I don't, I simply needed to hit the "F12" key.
My daughter learned from a coworker, and relayed on to me, this simple fact: If you're having trouble figuring something out about your Mac, you're probably trying to make it too hard.
That has proven to be the case, so far, with every difficulty I've had with this computer.
I love my Mac.

My first day with a Mac

Everything I already had... printer, external speakers, external hard drive... works with the Mac. I'm glad about that. When I first hooked the Mac Mini to the monitor I already had, I thought something was horribly wrong, because the Safari browser only took up half the screen. I downloaded Firefox for Mac, thinking that would be different. Nope, only half the screen. I have ninety days in which I can get support by phone, so I called. Guess what? An American answered!

She told me the very simple solution, which I may have eventually figured out (click and drag the lower right-hand corner till it fills the screen; duh). Hey, at least it saved my daughter from having to come by here after a long day at work!

I'm going to need a word processing program, I can already tell that. I've googled around the Internet and found some free ones for Mac, but without anybody to recommend them, I'm not going to trust them. The wrong download could kill a computer. Amazon.com has IWork cheaper than the Apple store, and with free shipping, no less.

I have my music and pictures moved onto the Mac.

The Mac Mini is so quiet! Of course, I'd gotten used to the gurglings and grindings of a slowly-dying PC. The old Dell was much quieter when it was new, but not this quiet.

I decided to go back to using a regular mouse. Honestly, that's the biggest adjustment for me; I've used a trackball mouse for years. I don't even own a mouse pad, so I guess I'm going to have to buy one.

I haven't yet figured out how to cut, copy and paste with this thing, but I'm working on it.

So that's day one with my Mac.

Somebody asked me how Sadie is doing: You wouldn't know she had ever been sick. And to think that a week ago today I thought she was dying.

Oh, I finally went to the doctor (nurse-practitioner) to discuss the blood pressure pills that made me cough. I was expecting an argument, but when I explained it to her, she smiled and said, "We call that an Ace-cough." Ace inhibitors cause a cough in some people, she said, and gave me a prescription for a different kind of blood pressure med.

Questions for Mac users

That guy in Oregon has some questions for you Mac people. If you have time, go over there and tell him what you think.

Click HERE.

Here's how I start each morning

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that the first thing I do in the morning, after making coffee, is to come to the computer. Even on weekends I'm out of bed long before Cliff is, so there's nothing pressing I have to do, once I'm awake. Besides, we all need something to do as we drink our coffee and get ourselves awake. Right?

I've always turned my computer off at night; so when I'm out of bed, I turn it on. Then I'm off to the bathroom and to the kitchen to make coffee. By the time I've done that, the old Dell is booted up and ready to surf. Or at least that's how it used to be.

These days, not so much. Oh, the thing turns on just fine, but when I sit down at the keyboard I find it isn't connected to the Internet. Every. Single. Morning.

My next move after this happens is to open up Cliff's laptop, which is never turned off until it's moving as slow as molasses because it's used all it's resources (don't get me started), and see if it connects. Nine times out of ten, it does, so I know the problem is with my computer and not my router or DSL.

So I turn off my desktop, get on my knees (not a pleasant thing for a person with faulty knees), reach under my desk, and unplug the tower. I go surf for awhile on the laptop, come back in here and plug my computer in, wait for it to boot up, and then, usually, it connects just fine.

I tried leaving it on all night; no dice. Next morning it wouldn't connect to the Internet until I unplugged it, waited, and plugged it back in.

Last night after I turned the dadgummed thing off, I decided to unplug it then, rather than wait until morning. It took it awhile this morning, but it did finally connect without my turning it back off and unplugging it.

I feel I'm getting closer and closer to that Mac Mini. I've been checking to make sure my external hard drive has all my good stuff on it... pictures and songs and such.

By the way, Cliff says "Mac Mini" sounds like something you'd buy at McDonald's.

I'm tired of Windows updates that refuse to update but constantly sit on my task bar nagging at me. I'm sick of seeing my anti-virus find new unwanted programs and viruses at least once a week. The glowing reports in my comment section from happy Mac owners are succeeding in swaying me to the other side.

Meanwhile, I have a cow staring at my front door; I put her baby up last night so I could get some milk, and she's bound to start bawling at me soon. She isn't worried about the calf, but she knows sweet feed is waiting when I let her in the barn.

Just like clockwork, Bonnie is getting very vocal. Have a good day!

A cheaper way to own a Mac

Every once in awhile I go to the Apple website and browse. I'd really like to own a Mac, but they are so very expensive!

Today I saw an option I had never noticed before: the Mac Mini. It's affordable.

It hooks up to the monitor and keyboard I already use.

This might be an easy introduction into the world of Mac users.

Now, I know there are people wondering why I can't just buy another Dell; PC's are cheaper than they've ever been.

Please tell me this: Have you ever met a Mac user who didn't LOVE her Mac?

Those who own Macs would never go back.

If you know of a dissatisfied Mac user, let me know, would you?

About that Mac I was going to buy

Both my desktop and my laptop are functioning fine right now, thank you very much.

I know, however, that the time is short for both of them.

I had been thinking of replacing both of them with Macs, when the time comes.

Ain't gonna happen. OK, maybe the laptop, when the old one dies. But not my main computer.

When I realized I could buy four PCs for the price of one Apple Mac, I knew what I'd choose.

Now if I ever win the lottery... watch out! I'll have both.

My next computer

I have a desktop and a laptop. Both are around three years old (incredibly old age for computers that suffer through the wear-and-tear and ignorance mine do) and have had current tuneups; they're working fine; whatever little glitch the laptop had seems to be gone.

As long as they're working, they have a home. But whichever one breaks down next is going to be replaced by a Mac. I'm already window-shopping online so I'll be prepared. My daughter has used a Mac laptop for a long time, so she'd be able to advise me in the transition. I'm sure many of my readers could give me some tips... Hyperblogal, for instance, who gave me this piece of advice in a recent comment:

"Donna, I can tell from your love of life, your sense of humor and your willingness to embrace technology to convey all of the above.... that you are a MAC person trapped in a Microsquish world. You must plan now to leave the dark side, come into the light and exit the virus ridden, pop up message world that is MS. There is still time, but you must accept the truth. 9 years running... no viruses over here.

Thanks for the invitation, sir. As long as our current prosperity continues on this homestead, my plan is to "leave the dark side" when one of these antiques crashes permanently. With the present economy like it is, of course, things could change; I might be forced to buy one of those cheapo Dells at Walmart when the need arises.

Otherwise, I'm coming to join you.