Frustration with Apple

So this morning I was asked to pull some images off an SD card using my MacBook Pro 15. Now in the past I've had issues using my microSD cards and an adaptor. I always thought that it was just an issue with the adaptor (it's a genuine yum-cha from who knows where). So I never thought too much about the trouble that it gave me.

Imagine my surprise when this name brand SD card gave me the same issues.

Here's what I have to go through to load the things.

• Pray that it's going to work
• Insert card
• Wait to see if the OS recognizes it
• Remove card
• Put it back in, shifting it slightly forward
• Wait again
• Pull it back out again
• Push it into the slot, now more to the back
• Jiggle the card in the slot
• Pray that the card's not hosed now
• Jiggle the card some more
• Repeat any of the above steps until:
• See it pop up in the OS
• Threaten everyone around you to not get close to the computer and literally kill anyone that brushes or touches the card until you're done with what you need to do.

As the contact pins are all in a line across the card, I never suspected that making one work would be such a challenge. Every cheap device I've thrown one at, it's just worked, until I got the Mac. Seriously, I know the motto used to be "Think Different" but why take something that works everyplace else and curse it?

So I've been patiently waiting a few weeks to post these. They were a gift for my fiance's cousin, so I couldn't risk leaking them to the Internet for fear that it would give away the surprise. They've now been received and gifted, so I can finally put them online.

The pattern and book they came from were quite terrible. I really didn't like the way that they were initially supposed to be done, so these have been heavily modified. The ears for example are completely from my head and much taller than the pattern called for.

I've now got requests for pairs for adults. I'm going to have to see how that goes. My initial thought is that I'm going to have to charge through the nose if people want me to come up with an original pattern for an adult foot. Somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple hundred bucks. I don't know, would you pay that much for a pair of slippers? They would be a very limited edition and I'd probably even let the person choose the colors.

More knitting

Today I blogged a couple more knitted pieces onto Men Who Knit. Rather than duplicate the content here, I'll just put up the pictures and a link or two.

An unusual new year's post

So this is going to seem a bit random. I'll start by saying that I sort of have a vested interest in this post. Granted, the pension check I get from Hasbro really doesn't amount to a whole lot each month, but in the name of full disclosure, I did work for them and continue to receive money from them each month.

That said, I was never involved in the production of the toys. I worked for the hobby gaming division, Wizards of the Coast, in a business support role. Hardly a marketing, insider or really anything that would amount to much at all in the grand scheme of things.

This afternoon though, I discovered something really incredible about something they are doing with their Littlest Pet Shop (LPS) line of toys.

My girls are really into the figures and when they got their gift cards to Target from their grandmother, they hounded me to take them shopping. After dragging them beyond the entry way and the dollar value area just immediately inside the store, we made our way back to the toy department.

At this time all the LPS stuff was on sale, so several of my daughters purchased some of the packages and sets. The youngest got one of the boxed sets and was excited about it when we got home, so immediately set about opening it up.

In the current tradition of just about everything, the box was filled with the toys presented against a cardboard and plastic insert. Normally I've found things taped and wire tied into this packaging and so wasn't too surprised when she asked me for help getting everything out.

I was a bit surprised when I found that the wire wraps holding the figures and playset in place were bright pink. Now pink is my favorite color, so I thought it was quite clever to use it in packaging a set designed for little girls. Had it been any other color, I would have dismissed it out of hand, but I set these aside thinking I could easily reuse them.

Fast forward to today. I'm sitting in the living room picking up some of the scattered bits of packaging that seem to keep appearing from nowhere. I know for sure that over the past week, I have had this living room spotless at least 3 times, yet there still seems to be bits of packaging, wrapping paper and other stuff all over the floor. Either the children kept bits back to annoy me, or somehow the stuff is creeping out of the dumpsters and sliding beneath the door back into my home.

Anyway, I find one of the pink ties. I notice as I pick it up, it seems to be wrapped in paper, rather than being a single plastic piece. So I start to peel back the paper layer.

What I uncovered was another layer of paper, which I also proceeded to remove. I did this 2 more times and was left with 4 pieces of pink paper and absolutely NO wire inside. I was amazed!

Whether they made the move to using twisted paper as a cost savings or a greener manufacturing process, I don't know. What I do know is that I'm very impressed. It strikes me as a wonderful way of cutting down on the hassle in recycling and also the annoyance of having another bit of wire to deal with.

When I was removing it from the package, I had no idea it wasn't a wire tie, it had the same structure and feel. Maybe only a bit less rigid. It was very cool and something that I thought worth sharing. It may just be me, but I'm impressed when someone challenges the norm and goes their own way. Coming up with a twisted paper tie to replace the usual wire tie really catches my attention.

I know, sort of goofy that I'd get all excited over the packaging of my daughter's toy, but that's just the way I am. I certainly think it's blog worthy and totally worthy of being my first post of 2011.

Here's hoping everyone else can find a new way to innovate and get excited. Have a happy new year.

Couple more items that I thought I needed to share. The top is a pair of socks I'm particularly proud of. The patter was designed for a much lighter yarn and an adult foot. This has been scaled and resized for my daughter. She loves the socks. I had so much fun with this pattern.

The mittens are a pair I created for when Jen gets here in February. Since she's from Australia, she's never owned a pair of mittens or any real winter clothing. This is going to be my contribution for keeping her from freezing to death. HAHAHA.

Knitwear

I've been told that I need to create a portfolio of the knit items that I've been creating lately. I tend to be pretty daft when it comes to ideas like that, so I've given away a number of items already, that won't be documented. Nevertheless, I do have the blog here and can put a few of the items that I've created in recent weeks as a record of less than idle hands.

The first piece shown here (modeled by yours truly) is a scarf I threw together out of some leftover yarn. The knitting group at the Erlanger library asks that in exchange for the time, you create a scarf to donate to "Scarf It Up" a local charity that distributes warm clothing to those in need. This will be placed in the collection barrel after the next meeting. Wonder if it will go to a UC fan. ;)

Preparations

She sits.

Staring into the mirror she thinks about the day. All morning and afternoon was filled with anticipation and the gala that night was enchanting. She's sure that the memory of this evening will grow sweeter with time.

Even now, in her mind she can see her reflection. Her hair carefully arranged atop her head. The beautiful earrings gently decorating her image. The creamy color placed so gently on her eyes and the full red of her lips. He hadn't exaggerated when he told her that she was stunning, the eyes of all those present seemed to linger a bit longer as she passed. Even the hostess seemed jealous at how much her presence radiated at the event.

If the wishes of young hearts come true, this certainly was hers. And now, at the end of it all here she sits. Staring and remembering. A heavy sigh leaves her mouth.

Slowly she reaches for her brush.

She places the soft bristles into her hair and begins to comb out her tresses. With each pass, she thinks about how nice it felt to be in his arms. If only he could be here now. Would that the brush were his fingers, making gentle waves through each strand. Her silken threads flowing past the smooth strength that was there in his hands as they danced.

Even now, she could remember as he leaned in close during the waltz and told her once more how lovely she looked. If he were here, between passes, he might lean in once more. His warm breath lightly tickling the stray hairs about her ears as he whispers his passion for her.

As she looks up from combing out her hair, she sees her hands. Her delicate fingers still tingling with the electricity caused by his touch. Even more romantic had been the way that he brought the back of her hand to his lips and lightly brushed them there in greeting. Had it been anyone else, that old fashioned greeting might have seemed out of place, but tonight, perfectly charming.

And to think, those same hands had guided her about the dance floor. His hands and arms became extensions of his will, indicating the direction and step she needed to take. There seemed to be no fear to be had there with him leading. 

Was she under his power there on the floor?

No. She remembered how with the merest glance, he had known when she wished to leave the ballroom floor. It was if he was reading her mind, because every moment she seemed about ready to make a suggestion, he was already performing the needed task. It truly was her evening.

Catching her mind wandering as she brushes her hair, she snaps back to her preparations. She has already cleared away the pigments from her face and eyes. Her dress has been carefully arrange back into the closet. Will she ever have the chance to wear it again? She certainly hopes this to be the case.

Her eyes have grown heavy now. With great care, she removes the first of the soft lenses from her pupils. If only those contacts could have captured the imagery from this evening. The soft candle glow at the table, the gay colors that adorned the room. It was all so perfect, it would be a tragedy for time to soften the memory.

Looking at the mirror with the other eye, she notices the color of her eyes and reflects on how dreamily his eyes stared into her own. Once more, she longs to have him here. She could lose herself in his eyes. They were smiling all night long and on more than one occasion, she was certain they flashed with passion and desire.

Placing the last of her evening routine into order, she rises from her seat in front of the mirror. She smiles one last time at the beautiful woman reflected there and slowly turns. One last time, her imagination takes flight and she imagines turning into his arms as he sweeps her off her feet. Placing her gently into bed with a kiss.