Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Mac and the Learning Curve


The Suburban Soliloquist a/k/a Mom (or Mother or, as Daughter likes to say now and then, Jayne) is on her own roller coaster of a ridefiguring out how to maneuver about a new piece of technology. And while she does that, she's sent the kids off to school or the park or the ice arena or the corner deli or wherever their little hearts desireshe almost doesn't careas long as they do not return until late afternoon because she has a lot of work ahead of her.

Learning curves. At fifty. At least there are still some curves.

While she manages new hardware and software (and shaky internet connections), she'd like to offer one of those letters she mentioned in her Meet the SS page. Here, a look backnearly four decades earlierto sixth grade:


Note, in particular, the limited answer choices for how she felt at the time.  Was she, in sixth grade, always either very good or very bad or just plain mad? (One might argue that she's always been just plain mad.) It appears she did not care to answer any of Keith's questions, nor comment on the color of Jackie's fanny. In fact, she does not even remember Keith (triple underscore), but is pretty sure of which Jackie he speaks. Every class has its own Jackie.

She wonders if her little sprite and knight pass around their own notes in class. Perhaps not. Perhaps they fear detention and the consequential black fanny for note-passing. Corporal punishment is not still employed in Catholic schools, now is it?

Come to think of it, the Suburban Soliloquist does not remember hanging out with Jeff either. Oh, but Jackie. One never forgets a Jackie...

22 comments:

  1. Jackie was my first punk rock girl, she claimed she hated me but then one night at a house party she grabbed me and started kissing me and then we ended up in the bathroom having sex, funny how that worked, ah to be 18 again.

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  2. wow thats pretty intense....haha....i found a whole bunch of stuff from my school dayz last week, including notes. Decorum prevents me from ever reprinting them as they would definitely incriminate myself and the rest of my cabal, but they involved lets say, some fairly nutso sorta pranks....cos we just 'didn't give a fuck'..
    great post!

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  3. Found the manuscript of my first novel, the other day, and found that it was dedicated to an "Elizabeth" whose name rings no bells whatever -- no doubt a woman I had a crush on at the time. It was an odd sensation, seeing that. As if I'd already died and was going through my effects :-)

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  4. Kono- I think we might have known the same Jackie. Though she never grabbed me like she did you. ;)

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  5. Dan- I'm glad I'm not alone in hoarding the written word. Come on now--you can't incriminate yourself--the statute of limitations has surely run its course, so you have immunity! Right??!! ;)

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  6. Dale- A novel and you don't remember to whom it was dedicated?! That's funny. Though I doubt Elizabeth would think so. ;)

    And yes, that is a very odd sensation--I know what you mean--I have several letters whose authors I barely, if at all, remember. Anyway, even if we did remember a face from all those years ago, I wonder if we'd recognize a hint of them today!

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  7. i like to have my kids around whilst trying to figure out electronic gadgets.

    kids and computers go together like dentists and ju jubes for me. too bad mine have grown up and i have to entice them with money and treats to fix my stuff.

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  8. Sounds like fun. Learning is good for the brain.

    Interesting how we gave each other questionnaires back then.

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  9. Oh yes, passing notes in class was part of the education system, wasn't it? In my case the teachers were nuns and the habits they wore meant they did not have the benefit of peripheral vision. We got away with so much.

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  10. That was too funny. Her fanny is black! LOLOL!! Fanny. I haven't heard that word in decades. I can see young Jayne, head bent in mock studies, scribbling juicy notes to pals. I bet even then your writing was captivating.
    I have to get ready...I have a luncheon date with a very important writer;)
    See ya!
    Leah

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  11. I remember writing those kind of notes. Yeah, that would be about 6th grade.

    I recently looked at my old (junior high school-now would be called middle school)year book and couldn't recall many of the people who signed it, "best friends 4 ever" and who told me to "stay cool".

    Who are these people??? haha

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  12. Two weeks ago, I got a brand new Windows7 PC at work. Now I'm hazzeling a lot doing things that was very easy with XP. My productivity is no good right now.

    Cold As Heaven

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  13. Billy- I made a "one-to-one" appointment with an Apple techie, which means I have to drive into Providence to the Apple store. I'm thinking it would be a lot easier (and cheaper) to just get a lesson from my kids. They could probably walk me through this thing in a matter of minutes.

    Imagine what the next generation's DNA will look like?...

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  14. Antares- The questionnaire is funny, isn't it! It is, after all, somewhat of a conversation starter (though I don't remember it being so in the case).

    I figure that this learning curve will keep me off of Luminosity for some time!

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  15. TB- I was taught by nuns in grade school--but their habits were strictly tapered. And then there were some with really bad habits. We didn't get away with much there. Would rather have been taught by a Flying Nun! ;)

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  16. Leah- Mock studies! When I think about it, most of my primary/secondary school eduction was mockery! I remember few of my classes (as most were not very memorable), the standout teachers and the kids in the memorable classes, but it was the notes that kept me sane in school. Boy--that doesn't say much about me as a student, does it?!

    At least I'm often reminded by my kids--via their studies--of everything I completely forgot from those school days. Now I get to relearn those things long lost to everyday life.

    Thank you for the lunch date--it was wonderful to meet you, my fellow blogger! ;)

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  17. Loree- Best Friends 4 Ever! Ha-- how many of us have yearbooks littered with that sentiment?! Those junior high yearbooks are a scream. ;)

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  18. Cold- I've just left the world of Windows 7. And prior to that, I had XP (which I preferred). I've only had this new laptop for a few days, but it's official--I have waded into Apple's water and I'm born again--a total convert. Is Apple a religion? I think it is. Praise be the Mac! ;)

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  19. Mac's really are a piece of cake once you get acquainted with them. I've loved them from day one. Good luck with it. And try to to get "mad."

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  20. http://lifehacker.com/224674/hack-attack-a-guide-for-switching-to-a-mac

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  21. Hilary- Thanks, but I won't be getting "mad" at my mac, will I? Perhaps only at my inability to adapt to it--though it's proving to be quite user-friendly. :)

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  22. Laoch- Thanks so much for that link! I forget about Lifehacker--need to add it to my reader. ;)

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