Small Steps and New Aches

 So here it is:  my new computer...got the IMac last week.  Never one to do anything the easy way, I bought the trackpad instead of the mouse.  Now I have to learn how that works and since I never liked using the pad on laptops, this is a new challenge.  The computer is beautiful, the graphics awesome--I'm transfixed when the screensaver comes on. First, they're always different, so I never know what to expect, and second, it's like watching a colorful slide show.  
 Many things are different on the Mac--like finding commands I often use.  I did sign up for a class, and my first one is this week.  I'll see how helpful this is before signing up for another one.    I bought the one-to-one, so I don't have to sit with 15 other people and have someone ask, "How do you turn it on?"  I've been in that class before and it wasn't fun.  Nor did I learn anything especially when they partnered us up and I landed with the one who didn't know how to turn it on.  
 What I need to find either in the app store or online somewhere is a good, simple program for inventory of my jewelry and textiles.  I have Quickbooks on my PC, but it's more than I need.  I would like something that keeps track of what I have by number and description, where it is (who's selling it--me or a store), price, and sale point.  On Quickbooks, I can archive something that sells, then recall it as needed.  I can also call up who has what by company/store, which is helpful.  But it also has way more it does, like invoices, which I don't need.  So if someone out there is reading this blog post and has an answer, please let me know!  
 So what else is new?  I have a new hair style....way shorter.  

I needed a change, so this was it.  People seem to really like it, but I keep hoping it doesn't start looking like an old-lady perm.  Hey, it's naturally curly, but still.  
 My oldest nephew turned 30 today.  I find that hard to fathom since I was just cleaning out a drawer full of pictures and there he was at 5 looking so sweet and innocent.  Not that he's a devious 30 year old--I leave that to his brother (notice I'm not mentioning which one, though neither of them read my blog). Jeff's always been considerate and thoughtful of his aunt and grandmother...and now he's moving to New York City, so he'll be far away from us.  His youngest brother is in Hawaii, his father is moving out of the area, and Garret is hoping to spend 1-3 months in Australia, so they're all migrating...and Nana and I are still here.  Times sure have changed.  When I was younger, my parents told me I had a 35 miles radius for moving!  And duh, that's what I did.  
 I am cleaning out drawers and trying to organize my office, so I've been finding all kinds of memorabilia.  I found a picture of myself Jay took at some event, maybe 20 years ago.  It's a close up of my face, and I'm amazed at how I've changed.  Sometimes it's not so good to look back.  I also found old love letters (which I saved) and many plugs, 3 mouse(s?) for the PC, and cords I don't use or need.  I LOVE getting rid of these excess things, but now I have to put them somewhere else.   This is all part of the change...cleaning out and eliminating.  What I realized is I started with an office and a dresser room when we moved in, but now they're also used for jewelry making and textiles, so the dresser room, renamed the loom room has been taken over with yarn and a huge loom, but is still full of dressers and clothes.  The office still has all the old furnishings, but I've added many MANY bead containers and accoutrements without re-organizing.   This must be my time of year for changes.

 Oh yeah, I also named this post "New Aches"...that's because my right shoulder and arm ache every morning lately.  Today I figured it's the new not-mouse I'm using and trying to do on the Mac.  I'm probably stressed from the freakin' learning curve of trying to get what I want it to do, plus I notice my fingers are far from relaxed on it.  Half the time, the hand is hanging off the edge of the keyboard table instead of on the trackpad and the fingers are stiff.  No wonder I ache.  Back to that learning curve.  
 I did get a free app for creating jigsaw puzzles to help me manage the trackpad better.  That was so slow!   Just have to keep practicing.  
 The holidays are coming...guess we all know that.  The damn music started in Nov!  I've done no shopping and have no ideas.  I don't really buy much anyway, though I do have a few things I should pick up.  Matthew is taking me on a little jaunt this month for a couple of days as a gift, so I need to come up with something for him.  I often get him something new for the kitchen--and I, of course, reap the rewards.  One year it was an electric pasta maker, and yeah, I do love pasta.  As I often say, "I met him 20 lbs. ago."  
 So there's no escaping the holidays this year.  We used to head for Mexico and last year it was Costa Rica with good friends.  I want to return to CR so maybe next year.  We have no travel plans at all for 2012...talking about maybe NYC and DC since we've never been there.  Odd to travel so much to other countries, but haven't seen that much of ours.  I've been through the South a bit and we've hit several western states together, but never back east.  Could be this year.  
 Small steps....like where the hell is the right click on something that doesn't have a right/left side???