This week, we have two co-workers from China visiting and working at my office in Sandy.
Here's my question for today:
If you were in charge of taking two native Chinese men to dinner in downtown Salt Lake, where would you take them?
Let me qualify this by saying that I am not in charge of taking these men to dinner. Some other co-workers are. My suggestions were Settebello (Italian) or Sawadee (Thai). The food at both places is excellent, plus they aren't as chain-y as places like Olive Garden and Chili's -- at least, not in the Utah valley. I like the Olive Garden and Chili's a lot, but I could go to them pretty much anywhere in the States. Then again, maybe they've never been, so maybe they would like them.
I was asked why I didn't suggest a Chinese restaurant. Well, I'm not really a fan of Chinese so I don't know where the good places are. Plus, isn't the point of going out of town to try something a little different? I hardly know these men, and neither does the friend taking them out, so I have no idea what their preferences are. All I know is they are Engineers in town from China.
So, where would you suggest?
Wednesday, October 21
Tuesday, October 20
A Tale of Two Computers, part 1
Once upon a time, a woman named Miss Megan bought a laptop computer. It was her first big purchase and she was oh so proud of it! She put her photos and stories on that little laptop, wrote e-mails, shopped online, and started a blog. She was part of the digital age and it felt good.
Six years later, the laptop had served her very well, but it was no longer doing all she needed it to. It ran more and more slowly with each passing month. Suddenly, it stopped recognizing any external devices such as the printer, the external hard drive, and the small USB storage device she had been using since she bought the computer. She spent some time on the phone and online tech support, but finally had to face the facts: it was time to buy a new computer.
So, she asked for a lot of advice from technology-minded friends, did quite a bit of online research, and visited several stores. Megan considered getting a desktop computer, but since she liked playing on the computer while sitting on the couch rather than at her desk, a netbook or laptop seemed the better way to go. She finally decided on a netbook, liking the idea of being able to carry it with her in her purse.
She and her mother went to Costco and bought one on a Wednesday in September (her mother had to come because Megan didn't have a Costco card), and by that night Megan had linked it with her external hard drive so that she could access the photos and other files she'd managed to retrieve from the previous computer before it failed to recognize said hard drive anymore.
The netbook worked much, MUCH faster than the old laptop and the battery worked for a lovely six hours rather than one. The new netbook had a video camera on it, and Megan and her family got a big kick out of talking with her brother Peter in Philadelphia on Skype. And, as she had suspected, Megan absolutely loved carrying the netbook around in her purse as though it were another book she was reading.
However, Megan soon realized that the small screen came with a price: she had to do a lot of scrolling, many pop-ups didn't fit in the screen, and the resolution was too small to accommodate her printer/scanner. She asked for more advice and considered buying another monitor she could connect with the netbook at home for those fancier functions.
Most unfortunately another monitor wouldn't solve the biggest problem: Internet connections were iffy on this netbook. Megan hadn't set up WiFi in her condo, most of the other nearby connections were password-protected and they all had low connectivity in her neck of the woods anyway, so the wireless option was rather useless. Worse, for some reason the netbook didn't play well with Megan's Internet connection when she physically plugged in the cord. Gah! A computer without Internet is a fairly frustrating thing, especially when Megan had just determined to write in her blog every day and often needed to work from home.
So, Megan decided she would have to return the netbook to Costco. Thank goodness they had a 90 day return policy on electronics! She resumed working on her old laptop again for awhile longer while she did more research on the kind of laptop she wanted, because even if she couldn't connect her iPod or upload photos from the camera her parents gave her for her birthday, at least the Internet on the old laptop still worked... though it took a good 45 minutes to boot up the computer and get the Internet running.
Then, on the evening of Saturday, October 17, Megan discovered that the Internet connection on her old laptop had failed. It failed again on Sunday and yet again on Monday. It seemed the poor machine was on its last legs and gasping for breath. Not having a functioning computer was not an option. It was time to go back to Costco for a new laptop. She would have to make it a priority sometime that week in between work, rehearsals, and social engagements.
To be continued after Miss Megan buys a new laptop...
Updated: Continued in A Tale of Two Computers, part 2
Six years later, the laptop had served her very well, but it was no longer doing all she needed it to. It ran more and more slowly with each passing month. Suddenly, it stopped recognizing any external devices such as the printer, the external hard drive, and the small USB storage device she had been using since she bought the computer. She spent some time on the phone and online tech support, but finally had to face the facts: it was time to buy a new computer.So, she asked for a lot of advice from technology-minded friends, did quite a bit of online research, and visited several stores. Megan considered getting a desktop computer, but since she liked playing on the computer while sitting on the couch rather than at her desk, a netbook or laptop seemed the better way to go. She finally decided on a netbook, liking the idea of being able to carry it with her in her purse.
She and her mother went to Costco and bought one on a Wednesday in September (her mother had to come because Megan didn't have a Costco card), and by that night Megan had linked it with her external hard drive so that she could access the photos and other files she'd managed to retrieve from the previous computer before it failed to recognize said hard drive anymore.
The netbook worked much, MUCH faster than the old laptop and the battery worked for a lovely six hours rather than one. The new netbook had a video camera on it, and Megan and her family got a big kick out of talking with her brother Peter in Philadelphia on Skype. And, as she had suspected, Megan absolutely loved carrying the netbook around in her purse as though it were another book she was reading.
However, Megan soon realized that the small screen came with a price: she had to do a lot of scrolling, many pop-ups didn't fit in the screen, and the resolution was too small to accommodate her printer/scanner. She asked for more advice and considered buying another monitor she could connect with the netbook at home for those fancier functions.
Most unfortunately another monitor wouldn't solve the biggest problem: Internet connections were iffy on this netbook. Megan hadn't set up WiFi in her condo, most of the other nearby connections were password-protected and they all had low connectivity in her neck of the woods anyway, so the wireless option was rather useless. Worse, for some reason the netbook didn't play well with Megan's Internet connection when she physically plugged in the cord. Gah! A computer without Internet is a fairly frustrating thing, especially when Megan had just determined to write in her blog every day and often needed to work from home.
So, Megan decided she would have to return the netbook to Costco. Thank goodness they had a 90 day return policy on electronics! She resumed working on her old laptop again for awhile longer while she did more research on the kind of laptop she wanted, because even if she couldn't connect her iPod or upload photos from the camera her parents gave her for her birthday, at least the Internet on the old laptop still worked... though it took a good 45 minutes to boot up the computer and get the Internet running.
Then, on the evening of Saturday, October 17, Megan discovered that the Internet connection on her old laptop had failed. It failed again on Sunday and yet again on Monday. It seemed the poor machine was on its last legs and gasping for breath. Not having a functioning computer was not an option. It was time to go back to Costco for a new laptop. She would have to make it a priority sometime that week in between work, rehearsals, and social engagements.
To be continued after Miss Megan buys a new laptop...
Updated: Continued in A Tale of Two Computers, part 2
Monday, October 19
What a piece of work is man!
What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god!
- William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act II scene ii
Friday, October 16
Facebook Updates
Any of my Facebook friends will tell you that I don't get onto Facebook very often. This is because I spend all day at work on the computer, and the last thing I want to do when I get home is spend a whole lot more time on the computer. I sometimes get on during work, but Facebook is so addictive I purposely stay away. I could literally spend all day, every day on Facebook seeing what all my friends are up to and sending messages to so many people I like and never get to talk to. It's a dilemma.
Truth to be told, I'd much rather blog than spend time on Facebook. Guess I like the introspective-ness of blogging.
Oddly, however, I have begun to think in terms of updating my Facebook status. Following are some statuses I've wanted to post in the last week, but never got around to:
"Yo, matey. You just stabbed me with your pen[cil]."
"There are few things in life better than a nephew and two nieces."
"I didn't break my keyboard over my computer monitor today. I'd call that a success."
"It was nice to see Ty Murray again on Dancing with the Stars."
"Finished off two jars of pumpkin seeds in 8 days. Anyone carving a jack o lantern anytime soon? If so, may I have the seeds?"
"If it looks like a duck, and talks like a duck..."
"Is greatful for her own problems, because I couldn't handle what some of my friends are going through."
"Likes her job today."
Truth to be told, I'd much rather blog than spend time on Facebook. Guess I like the introspective-ness of blogging.
Oddly, however, I have begun to think in terms of updating my Facebook status. Following are some statuses I've wanted to post in the last week, but never got around to:
"Yo, matey. You just stabbed me with your pen[cil]."
"There are few things in life better than a nephew and two nieces."
"I didn't break my keyboard over my computer monitor today. I'd call that a success."
"It was nice to see Ty Murray again on Dancing with the Stars."
"Finished off two jars of pumpkin seeds in 8 days. Anyone carving a jack o lantern anytime soon? If so, may I have the seeds?"
"If it looks like a duck, and talks like a duck..."
"Is greatful for her own problems, because I couldn't handle what some of my friends are going through."
"Likes her job today."
Thursday, October 15
Wednesday, October 14
Time to Read!
Gill by Norm Feuti
I love to read. It's one of my favorite activities and the main reason why I chose to be an English major, despite my strong aversion to teaching large groups and the fact that "English" doesn't specifically translate into other obvious jobs like, say, Accounting or Teaching. I often have at least 2 books in my purse -- so I make sure to buy purses that can comfortably fit multiple books inside.
There is just something wonderful about losing myself to another world. I love to imagine myself in different situations, I love to get to know the characters, and I love to apply the lessons I learn to my own life. I read books over and over again, because those characters become family, and I am always surprised and delighted to find something different in them each time, because even if the book doesn't change I am different and I find new insights and meanings in even the silliest of stories.
At college, my apartment was just a few blocks from campus, and I got really good at reading while walking. Peripheral vision is important during such an activity. I made sure to look both ways when crossing the street, and managed never to fall off the sidewalk or be hit by a car. I'm quite proud of that feat.
Currently, I'm in the middle of three books... not counting two biographies that are excellent but somehow not tempting, and my religious study. I have just a few pages of Audition left, and when I finish, you can bet I'll jump right back into the other two. I promised Kate I wouldn't read anything else until I finish, which turned out to be a good idea. I love this book!
Sadly, I don't have as much time for recreational reading as I'd like. I usually end up crawling into bed about midnight and reading until 1am. I know it's not healthy, but it's the only "reading time" I can count on!
I've taken to reading any odd chance I get. I look forward to -- even hope for -- red traffic lights so I can stop, pull out my book and read a few paragraphs until the light turns green, replace the bookmark in the book, set the book on my lap, and drive until I hit another red light or my destination. I don't read while actually driving. No book is quite good enough to risk an accident, however sorely I am tempted.
Winter is coming, and besides Christmas and Christmas carols, I am most looking forward to snowy days when I can wrap myself in a blanket, curl up on the couch, and read something awesome while I drink hot chocolate. It's totally cliche, but it's cliche because it's awesome.
The point of this post is: find something you are interested in reading, be it biography, historical novel, fantasy fiction, self-help, childrens', instructional, fashion magazine, comic book, cereal box or whatever. There is something for everyone! I admit to reading a lot fiction -- mostly fantasy or historical. One of my brothers loathed to read while we were growing up, found his niche, and last year loaned me his favorite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Seriously, something for everyone. You never know what you're going to love.
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