Rottweilers Ate My Laptop

Rottweilers. Computers. Cameras. World Domination. Not necessarily in that order.

Rottweilers.
Computers. Cameras.
World Domination.
Not necessarily in that order.

Digital spring cleaning

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Maybe I shouldn’t call it “spring” cleaning. It’s been snowing since early this morning, temperatures are dropping like a rock, and the wind is blowing snow all over the place. It’s very clearly still winter.

But it feels like the digital version of spring cleaning as I try to get the past years’ data organized and backed up, and archive non-current items. As I mentioned earlier in the week, my Sony VAIO laptop, which is my primary computer, needs to go in for warranty replacement of the intermittently noisy cooling fan. I actually have another full year to have the repair done as Sony has extended the warranty for fan replacement only. I don’t want to let it go that long, but I didn’t want to send it out until we were done with magazine production for this quarter (that would be The Total Rottweiler Magazine, if you haven’t been visiting here long). The magazine went to print on Tuesday, so it’s a convenient time for me to be without this computer for a little while.

Due to a lifetime of employment in print production, the magazine files are already pretty well-organized. My blog and website files, not so much. I have a lot of non-current versions that should be archived and moved off-line. I’m going to try to get that done over the weekend. If life gets in the way, I’ll just do a couple of full backups and send the laptop on for the repair anyway.

Something else I want to work on is an editorial calendar for this blog. ProBlogger Darren Rowse’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog last year had a day devoted to the process, and I really think it will help me in keeping a good balance here between Rottweilers, technology and world domination. It will also help me to make sure that I follow up on ongoing news items.

Winter is a good time for stuff like this, so I hope to make some headway while the weather is ugly enough to keep me inside!

(NaBloPoMo | January ’10: 7 of 31)

Giving (1 of 31/36 of 274)

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I think I’ve been doing more taking than giving for the last few days, and it will continue for at least another day.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to redeem points from the various credit card company rewards programs that I participate in. You never know when they might arbitrarily end the programs, or almost as bad, discontinue the good rewards. Instead of being in a gift-y mood and passing out several Amazon gift certificates, I gave only one Amazon certificate to my husband, and spent all other available points on a Flip Mino mini digital camcorder for myself. Mine, all mine.

I would normally choose an expensive, whiz-bang “real” camcorder. But there is something to be said for something small, fun and simple that fits in a pocket and will definitely get used, even if only for dog and cat movies. Oh, and that didn’t cost any “real” dollars. It arrived just in time for my upcoming road trip, in which I finally get to see my Axel in the show ring. I just hope I can find a spot where I can film him without him spotting me and ruining what I am told is some great ring presence in my absence.

Also, my wonderful husband bought me a new laptop to replace the almost-six-year-old one I sort of complained about back in January. It is a pretty dark red Sony VAIO VGN-CS290JER. To make it even better to my shallow self, it not only color matches to my digital camera, BlackBerry case, and Bluetooth headset (and probably other electronic stuff I am forgetting), it came with a color matched wireless mouse. Life is good. Mostly good, anyway. I’d forgotten what a task it can be to get a new computer set up just perfect. It’s going pretty well so far as this computer wasn’t loaded with as much junk and trial software as the last two that came my way.

And tomorrow I pick up the much-needed replacement to my 11-year-old minivan. Because I had a pretty small budget and apparently not much imagination, it’s another Dodge Caravan. Grand Caravan this time, as they no longer make the short wheelbase Caravan, and blue, because when you buy out of dealer stock on the second-to-last day of the special offers period, there is no chance of getting a dark red anything. At least that has been my experience.

So if giving to myself counts, I’ve got our March NaBloPoMo theme well covered. Stay tuned for some less self-indulgent posts as the month goes on, I hope.

Oh! Can’t sign off without an Axel update. There wasn’t much Axel love at the Deep South shows, although he did bring back a few reserves and placements. He got back in the groove this weekend though with two more wins and two more points. Total points now: 5 of 15, no majors yet. He is basically 1/3 of the way there! I hope I am making the right decision to give him a break after next weekend. More about that during the week to come.