March 30, 2018
Dear Everyone:
After I wrote about having a small problem with my current computer,
several people advised me to “get a
Mac!”
However, several other people had confided to me that
Apple gives
them as many fits as Microsoft
does, so there.
Nevertheless, I decided to get an
iPad, for several reasons:
Cost. A little research
showed that in iPad would be considerably less expensive than a
Windows
tablet, before sales tax and accessories, of course.
Size. An iPad is nice and
small, before indulging in a case, naturally.
But one needs the case to keep it standing in a convenient
position.
Comparison. Quite simply, I
was curious to see how well an iPad works side-by-side to a tablet.
Convenience. I had already
decided that I wanted something small and convenient in the bedroom for
times when I just want to look something up.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone out into the living
room and sat down at the computer, only to forget what it was I was
going to look up. Or just
forgotten to look something up by the time I was back in the living room
anyway.
So I bought an iPad. And it
proved itself in less than 24 hours.
I happened to get the inevitable bout of
insomnia the same night as when
I had made my purchase. The
iPad,
Perdita, was plugged in and sitting atop a small dresser in the
bedroom. I was watching a
DVR recording of a TV documentary about the
Pope
(“The Most Powerful Man in
History!”), when the show displayed part of an interview with a
biographer about
Rodrigo de Borgia, also known as
Pope Alexander VI.
I was immediately struck with the realization that this might be the
author of a book I had read a few years ago about the Borgias.
In next to no time, I fired up the iPad and used its
Internet
Browser, called “Safari”, to look the author up in
Wikipedia.
Yes, he had written a book about the Pope in question.
Next, I went to the Contra Costa Library’s online catalog to look up the
author. Yes, they had his
book and one copy of it was housed in the
San Ramon branch.
Most likely, it was the one I had read.
All of this at just after 1:00 in the morning.
Without leaving the bedroom.
(By the way, did you know that the Borgias were not the least bit
Italian? They were Spanish.
They just lived in Italy because that was where nearly all the
money was at the time. These
are the things you discover wandering by accident through the Biography
section in the local public library.
I was really looking for a shady spot to sit and read for a few
hours when I spotted the book on the shelf.)
In the meantime, I’m finding other uses for Perdita, the iPad.
My Physical Therapist gave me some new exercises for my back
muscles, to wit: Stand on
one foot for 10 seconds.
Repeat with the other foot.
Do that five times. (I found
this works best in a short space between two walls, like the entrance to
the master bedroom. That
way, instead of falling over, I just push off one wall or the other.)
Then go to the kitchen and hold onto the edge of the sink while
pretending to sit on a chair that isn’t there for one-to-two seconds.
Do that ten times.
Repeat the first one three times and the second one twice.
Is it any wonder I need tools to keep track of what I’m doing how many
times?
I went into Perdita’s Notes app and set up a table that lets me mark
each time I complete one set of exercises, then the other.
So much better than keeping a notepad and pencil on top of the
dresser, right?
In the meantime, I’m discovering what other talents Perdita has in
store.
In other news…
I happen to live in District 16 of California.
Hence, my current Assemblyperson for the
California Legislature
is one, Catherine B. Baker.
Catherine believes in staying in touch with her constituents a lot.
She frequently schedules little get-togethers in various
locations. Last month, she
had a joint meeting with California Senator
Steve Glazer in one of the
high schools in
Pleasanton.
This month, it was a “Family Science Night” at an elementary school in
Walnut Creek.
I had signed up for the former online, which gave Catherine my
email
address, so now I get notified of each and every opportunity to meet my
congressperson. Not that I
have, actually. Met her, I
mean.
But I did sign up for the Science Night, for two people, since I
intended to invite my neighbor, “Phoebe”.
But it turned out she was planning to be in
Idaho this week, so I
suggested that “Jeannie” join me if she could.
Which she did.
Eventually, we found our way into some kind of elementary gymnasium /
auditorium, where various tables were set up with “scientific
demonstrations” to attempt.
One dealt with plastic straws, tape, a balloon and a “fidget spinner”.
Apparently, the idea was to tape the balloon over one end of the
straw, then blow up the balloon, then allow the air escaping from the
balloon through the straw to “drive” the spinner and no, it didn’t
really work all that well.
Especially since the straws were too porous and the tape too loose.
But “Jeannie” got a purple balloon anyway.
Another “demonstration” employed the inevitable
toothpicks-and-small-marshmallows to “build a structure” of any kind you
liked to try. For the
record, marshmallows make terrible building material.
I already knew this from countless
“Year-End-Holiday-Don’t-Dare-Call-It-Christmas” luncheons at work.
One of the great things about being retired is never having to attend
another “Year-End-Holiday-Don’t-Dare-Call-It-Christmas” luncheon ever
again.
We didn’t stay to hear how much Catherine is doing to support education
in the Legislature. After
all, “Jeannie” already had a purple balloon.
And there’s always next time.
Love, as always,
Pete
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