Friday, May 29, 2009

SWITCHED???


OK...who out there in cyber land is a MAC user? Let me see those hands. I screamed out loud when I heard this news. NO FOLKS! I wasn't screaming in disgust because the girls jumped ship...I was screaming in DELIGHT because the girls finally jumped ship!!! I have been a MAC user since 1991 and just don't know why the world still uses PC's. This is music to a MAC addicts ears...watch the MAC/PC commercials...they really say it all. Congrats Michele, Karen, Kim and Wenda. Amanda...are you smilin? Thanks for leading them out of darkness to the light. HA! Now lets SKYPE! If some of you didn't see Michele's post...here it is again with proof of the mutiny.

Dee and Chemo Sabe,
HI ladies - Well Kim and I have some news to report. I feel a little awkward using the blog to report this as it represents making this type of change for the first time in over 20 years. Wendy and especially Karen, are not adapting to the news very well, so I will try to tread lightly. First a little background.
Cate and Amanda spent this past weekend in NYC. The Jersey girls, Kim, Wendy, Karen and I hooked up with them for a fun filled weekend. That was the plan anyway - nothing major just go with the flow and have fun.
That pretty much sums up how things were going. We had dinner on Friday talked about friends, life, family and the benefits and challenges with all of those topics. Very deep discussions peppered with a little bit of laughter.
Those conversations continued as we toured Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on Saturday. In fact, Amanda made some very compelling points about the pitfall of staying in the same place, doing the same thing whilst expecting different results. I think she said it was the definition of psychotic. She was such a facilitator of change that she immediately got us an appointment with an expert to help us work out the finer points of any transition being contemplated. After all there are a lot of things to think about since people, finances and home arrangements are all considerations .
The result, I really am not happy with the status quo and in fact less happy with what were supposed to be positive changes. I made the decision, I need to make a change and need to do it soon. Needless to say Saturday was a relatively sleepless night. 
Our house guests, Cate and Amanda were very supportive of my decision. Who knew, when we called Kim and Wendy in the morning, they were having the same conversations and needed to make a change as well. We met for brunch to see Cate and Amanda off as they traveled back home and Kim and I were left to sort out how we would individually and collectively manage the transition. 
This past weekend, KIM and I made a decisionNot sure what you all were thinking but the news I have to share is that we each (individually) purchased iMACS.;-) 
The struggle for Karen and Wendy is the move from PC based Microsoft Windows to the MAC OS. That shift has Karen very worried. I understand Wendy has adapted a bit better. Perhaps it is the result of her "CEO job" (tee hee) being less demanding than Karen's nursing responsibilities. Or maybe Kim allows her time to use the MAC. Regardless, we have moved to the enlightened side and I am sure once we get through the differences we will all be fine. That's where the self help books are coming in handy.
My MAC buddy, Kim, keeps asking why she has not made this move before. I'm speechless. I thought Vista would be the solution MicroSoft promised, instead it turned out to be worse than any other piece of software I have ever purchased. An additional bonus is I have a lot more real estate on and under my home office desk in spite of the fact the monitor is MUCH larger than my PC based desk top. No tower and one cord, period; that is a beautiful thing and the one benefit that already has Karen thinking positively. She HATES clutter. Best of all, within one half hour of taking the computer home, it was up and running, with all my PC based files transferred - seamlessly!!! Amanda and Cate thank you for opening our eyes to a better way. 
Kim, my MAC buddy, next lesson with Nurse Dee - "skyping" - are you ready???

9 comments:

  1. I too am a Mac convert. Once you've tried a Mac you will never go back. The iphoto features are my favorite. I'm really technically challenged but even I can muddle through. If I hit a snag I just call Dee. I'm sure she will be on call for all of you!

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  2. Right..…I have a bone to pick with all you MAC lesbians! (Michele-please translate).

    My friend Karen and I were having a lovely weekend eating, talking, visiting Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty when all of a sudden the MAC was introduced to the conversation. So here are Cate and Amanda, explaining to Kim and Michele the wonders of a MAC and how they won’t know themselves if they switched over etc, etc, etc and I mean etc.

    Next thing Karen and I know we are in the NYC Apple shop where Kim and Michele’s eyes are like saucers and they are literally drooling over these MAC’s (which actually has an apple on the front, not a hamburger – boom, boom). This conversation continued over dinner, then brunch the next day.

    So while Michele and Kim (and even Amanda & Cate), are getting more and more excited about a machine (which does make you wonder), Karen and I are sitting there with our eyes glazing over. For us the conversation had ceased and the only sound coming out of these people’s mouths was blah, blah, blah and I mean blah. But this isn’t my bone.

    I’m not even overly upset that I spent Sunday evening and all day Monday (a public holiday!!), inside our apartment listening to Kim say ‘come look at this’ over and over and I mean over again.

    It doesn’t even bother me that Michele and Kim now have this exclusive little ‘Jersey MAC buddies’ club, which for some reason doesn’t include Karen and I. I mean where do they think WE live…..MARS (you thought I was going to say Australia, didn’t you??!!)

    I can see why Michele and co may think me to be a little technically challenged – no one seemed to see the benefits when I pulled out my notepad and ink pen ( not my iphone – I don’t have one !!) and then my little paper calendar to work out some dates for our next excursion!!

    BUT and I mean BUT, here is my gripe…………I can no longer stay quiet on the fact that the MAC’s were bought by these two with the excuse of buying them for Karen and I because it would make our lives sooooo much easier!!!! Not only that, they kindly bought Karen and I instruction books to help us learnnnnn. O goodie, what I always wanted!!

    Now I do love the bigger screen and all seems easier to operate on the MAC, but really……….do they think Karen and I came down in the last shower!! Karen and I both know who reeeaaaallllyy wanted the MACs and reeeeeaaallllllyyyy needed the books (Hint: it wasn't us !)

    So you MAC lovers out there on this blog owe Karen and I a favour (favor, whatever). We would like to do something just as nice for our respective partners and would like your suggestions!!!!

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  3. Michele, do you think we should spend a couple of hours teaching Wendy and Karen all about skype - I'm sure they would have fun don't you think !!!

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  4. Chemo-sabe, just caught the update on the results of the pet scan - YIPPPPEEEE !!! Great news girl - we're thinking of you and sending you big hugs with lots of positive energy :)

    Big happy thoughts are with you - keep smilin :)

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  5. Oh Karen and Windy, I think that you should buy your lovely gals a holiday to one of your favorite places because you know that they would enjoy it almost as much as you. Just think, they can take their fruits, I mean Apples with them and sent out e-mails while you bask in the ocean blues. All that you have to say is ooh and aah between every drink with an umbrella on it.

    That's my vote...love chemo sabe

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  6. Well, I think that you are all crazy. I would never give up my lightning speed PC for a Mac. Wait...be back in a minute...something's not right...have to reboot. There. See? I got a break during the reboot to get a cup of coffee. When are you able to get coffee with a dependable Mac? As I was saying...wait a minute, my antivirus software is talking to me....what? allow what? from whom? you don't know? well, OK.....anyway, think of all those neat downloads that you can't get from the web on the Mac. Why, if I had a Mac, I couldn't use my calculus program to calculate how long it would take a dog weighing 33 pounds to...wait...going pretty slow again...gotta reboot.......There now, I'm back, and I had my daily walk. When do you Mac people ever get to exercise with those dependable computers that never go down....I just think you're crazy. Of course, I have had plans for months to buy my wife (at least California says she still is)a Mac because I know that SHE will love it...But I'm not so mean as to also buy her a book. On no, not me. They have those classes.....Jackie

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  7. Wendy,
    Came down in the last shower? What kind of expression is that? I know you just made it up. No self-respecting Aussie would say that in public. I mean, you think I was born yesterday? You must really think we all just feel off the turnip truck to try to pull the wool over eyes with an expression like that. I just want you to know that I've caught you at your own game with your hand in the cookie jar. After all, Bill and Helen Coleman didn't raise no fool. Jackie

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  8. Wendy - Overall I must say I am shocked and appalled. I cannot believe you do not see the true genoricity in the action to provide a more responsive method for you to do all the important work of a CEO (tee hee). Now I will be the first to agree that making the switch would mean learning new ways. The books were a token of love to smooth out the learning curve.
    In fact, the physical changes you describe, such as "eyes like saucers" were because I was thinking of all the wonderful things Karen could do with the MAC versus the struggles she has with security, integration and overall navigating the PC. The purchase was purely altruistic - just meant to make life easier.
    Oh nevermind who am I kidding. The fact is I have finally stopped laughing long enough to reply. I cannot even justify the move for any other reason than my own.
    I was going to try to talk about all the normal activities of daily living that we could enjoy, but I think Jackie has made a better argument for the PC. She has taken all the negative aspects of the PC and utilizes the endless downtime to live life. She apparently does not get a lot of work done, but she is having fun!!
    As for the classes Jackie references in her blog entry, they were offered to Kim and me. In all honesty, the sales associate said they were $xxxx for 52 classes and you could only do one class a week and each class is one hour. We collectively thought that was ridiculous and more of a burden than an asset. We could not do that to you and Karen; hence the books. If you are wondering why I did not register for the class I warn you to stop right there young lady - that is simply crazy thinking.
    I also know Karen will not read the book so I am preparing a little cheat sheet for her; sort of a Cliff Notes version if you will. All this to make the switch to the MAC easier so I can live in peace. Sounds like a win-win to me!!! And not only that, I would be willing to share my Cliff Notes with my friends.
    Jackie - brilliant blog entry and way too true.
    Finally - the most logical blog entry comes from my friend Chemo sabe - obviously the only clear thinking one of the clan. I think it would be most fitting for you and Karen to take Kim and me on a lovely vacation (holiday - whatever!!!) So where are we going?

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  9. Hey Guys It's me Mcguyver (Karen)
    Just had to get in my say on this MAC stuff. Well for the record, I can go on my e-mail and even get on to the internet. I know no one is amazed but remember its me very computer challenged. This computer is really pretty cool. I'm sure with the help of my "cliff notes" I'll be buzzing along in no time.
    As for Brenda's suggestion of Wendy and I taking Kim and Michele somewhere.... Well I hear shopping at the outlets ringing out loud and clear. G
    Glad to see the results of the PET scan ....Great news!!!!

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