Scattered Thoughts . . .

Microsoft Surface 3 with keyboard and mouse... I've had a couple of days to play with my new Microsoft Surface computer. This laptop/tablet combo is really nice! I've loaded most of the software I will be using on this computer including Adobe Photoshop. I tried it out... not only is this Surface far better than my two year old HP laptop which had better specs but it is, without a doubt, the best laptop I have ever used. I'm quite impressed! Sheila played with it for a bit last night while I was cooking dinner... she loved it as well and was left feeling as though her Kindle Fire tablet is feeling a bit old and clunky by comparison. To be honest, I don't think my Kindle Fire tablet feels old and clunky (I have the same Kindle Fire tablet as Sheila) ... the Fire is just as light and nimble as my new Surface 3. Sheila may feel this way simply because she has a crappy screen protector (and it is scuffed up a bit too) on her Kindle Fire which cuts down on clarity.

As I wrote a few days ago, my not quite two year old HP X360 laptop bit the dust during a thunderstorm over the weekend. It crackled and sizzled loud enough for Sheila to hear it in another room. It was fried and about as dead as dead could be. This HP X360 model could be flipped around so it could be used as a tablet which came in handy for certain situations. This HP model allowed me to handle photos and video while on the road and also allowed me to backup all my photos and video. I did, however, have problems with this laptop as well as some regrets. Before I get into the history of how I got to this point, let me quickly say that my new laptop of choice (for my specific needs) is a new Microsoft Surface 3. Here is a short promo video for the Surface Pro 3... the non-Pro version I bought is slightly smaller at my preferred 11 inches, full HD resolution, and significantly less expensive yet with few compromises... So, let's go back to some boring info about how I got

I've been trying to hone my skills with my digital pen and graphics tablet over the past couple of days. I have to say, this is not helping me get any rest though! Last night I started on what I thought would be a little test project. It is something I've always wanted to draw and paint... an old rural gas station... some dramatic lighting. By 3am, I knew I bit off more than I could chew for a "little test project". My intention was to just sketch out some ideas. The sketches developed quickly and then I was adding background and foreground (although, for me, the foreground could use something more)... and filling with color. Before long, I was having difficulty keeping my eyes open! The problem with a project like this is that I've learned that once I get my creativity flowing, I really need to allow that flow to continue for as long as possible. Coming back to an art project later rarely works well for me.  The next time I sit down and try to start that

I've managed to get out of the house for a few short periods in the past few days... and that was really nice... today, however, I'm back indoors and I'm not so sure I'll be wandering outside today. I'm really worn out today... exhausted... and my spinal injuries are really bothering me. The pain started yesterday after overdoing my physical therapy the previous day. I knew I had overdone it while I was still doing my physical therapy! By nightfall, I was in considerable pain throughout my spine as well as having bone pain in my legs. Yesterday was a bit brutal so the only thing I accomplished was preparing and cooking baked ziti with garlic bread for the kids. Needless to say, sleeping is not going all that well. Last night, my sleeping problems due to spinal and bone pain were compounded by being cold all night long. Although the room probably was slightly chillier last night than usual (I removed the air conditioner from one of two windows in the room so we h

For the past year and a half, I've been a very happy user of the original version of the Kindle Fire 7" tablet. This tablet was useful for so many reasons... it housed my complete magazine library, it also housed my complete book library, it provided a beautiful and easy way to show photos, it held all my maps and travel guides in one place at my fingertips, it allowed me to browse the internet quickly and easily, and my old, trusty Kindle Fire allowed me to watch movies, listen to music, play videos, etc. All in all, this trusty, first-generation old dog served its purpose and it served well. So, if my original Kindle served its purpose and served well, why did I feel the need to upgrade?  Only two reasons...  size of the screen and storage capacity. As you will see as you read more of what I have written below, there are many valid reasons to have upgraded but the two aforementioned reasons were my justification for upgrading. As I age and as my health deteriorates (b