I have the hiccups
As with so many things in my life, when I find a new interest (obsession), many other things fall by the way side until I get a grip on whatever it is I’m into. In this case, I havent’ posted in my blog for 5 days because I’ve been wrestling with ubuntu – a linux based OS. I have an earlier release fully installed on my daughter’s old Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop – but don’t have working wireless (a common challenge I’ve learned – there’s a whole thread dedicated to wireless networking on the ubuntu forums). She does have an internet connection via an ethernet cable though, and truth is I don’t think she’ll be taking her laptop to Starbucks looking for wifi anytime soon. 
I have a few years before that happens, don’t I? Compared to Windows XP – her computer is really fast now after completely erasing the system from her computer. Boots up in less than a minute.
I’ve also installed a dual boot system on my laptop (a 2005 Dell Latitude D810 running Window XP Pro) while I figure out the ins and outs of ubuntu and linux. My goal is to avoid buying a new computer when I return to school this fall. Originally, I thought I’d treat myself to a Mac Book, but after learning about linux, I’m wondering if it’s really necessary. I will be using a lot of software like Auto Cad, Photoshop and other memory sucking applications in school – I’m curious about the crossover or readability of various free open source programs and proprietary ones like the ones I just mentioned.
Speaking of school, it’s now official – I’ve received letters from CU that I have been re-admitted to the graduate in landscape architecture program at CU Denver. Now I’d better do all my recreational reading through summer ’cause there won’t be a whole lot of time for that sort of thing come fall.
I’m not sure where pottery fits in at the moment, but I’m pretty sure that my production levels (if you can call it that) will decrease even more. The Colorado Potters Guild Spring show is just around the corner – opening night is April 30th – eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk! That’s less than 2 months from now – I had better start cranking some work out.
My daughter also received some school news this weekend – she has been accepted into Denver Center for International Studies for middle school for Japanese - Woohoo! It’s a Denver Public School magnet program and my first choice for her (her second choice). We’re still waiting to hear back from Denver School of the Arts and whether she’s tested “highly gifted” vs. just “gifted” which would guarantee her a spot at a different school. Decisions, decisions…. I did promise to learn whatever language she is going to be learning – Japanese will be challenging.
I hope to catch up with everyone now that I have ubuntu and running,
~Cynthia
Linda Starr
March 3, 2009 at 8:49 am //
Congrats to your daughter and again to you. So maybe I understand ubuntu a little bit more now – it makes your computer run faster – hey that’s a good thing. My friend has a laptop and I thought my computer was slow – hers is r – e – a – l – l – y slow. Perhaps that’s what she needs and maybe me too, but as far as installing it – don’t even want to think about it. I see five year old children walking around with cell phones and am amazed, I’m thinking it won’t be long before your daughter is going to starbucks and using wifi.
Cynthia
March 3, 2009 at 9:11 am //
Thanks Linda!
Ubuntu makes her computer run much faster – it’s a really lean operating system compared to a Windows based OS. My computer is not quite as fast, unless I switch to Ubuntu when I boot up…but I also have a lot of crap on mine. Programs, documents, images etc. that hog space and memory. If I like it for my own use, I’ll probably end up taking everything but the basics off my Windows XP sign-on and switch to Ubuntu. I made the decision to remove Windows on her computer because it’s so old and has very little memory or storage.
Installing Ubuntu wasn’t terrifically easy and I feel pretty comfortable mucking around under the hood these days. I think my problems stemmed from the age of my computer – after trying to install the latest release with no luck, I ended up googling the computer make and model and ubuntu to find out which release to use. In the case of my daughter’s computer it is “Gutsy – 7.10″. There is an upgrade feature once installed to get newer releases, but I’m a little afraid to mess it up right now.
We were going to originally buy her a new laptop for school, but after reading an article on Netbooks in Wired Magazine – I started researching how to rescue an old laptop which will keep it out of the landfill.
Undaunted
March 3, 2009 at 9:06 am //
Congratulations to both you and your daughter! Isn’t this the school that included a trip to Japan that you wanted to go on?
I’ve seen your daughters work – whatever the school says, I think she is highly gifted. I understand why it has to be done, but I don’t agree with “measuring” a person’s level of artistic abilities. I knew a girl in school who was obviously better at drawing than me yet she had no interest in art. The question is whether you want it or not, and whether you’re going to work for it.
Cynthia
March 3, 2009 at 9:13 am //
Hiya other Linda
Thank you – I would love to go to Japan!!
The “highly gifted” isn’t for artistic abilities, it’s for academics. My little brainiac is creative when she wants to be, but alas, isn’t terribly interested in visual arts…
Undaunted
March 3, 2009 at 7:23 pm //
Oh ok, sorry. I misunderstood.
Cynthia
March 4, 2009 at 7:12 am //
No worries, Linda – just got the letter from DSA yesterday. She didn’t get into the school, but we were sort of expecting that…after her terrible (her words) audition. Looks like we’ll be learning Japanese!
cindy shake
March 3, 2009 at 9:39 am //
Originally I was a professional graphic designer for over 20 years and MAC OS are the only tool of choice for many of us. After transitioning to full time sculpture a few years ago, I still bit the bullet and purchased Adobe CS3 (now CS4 is avail) and last year another MacBook Pro and haven’t looked back. The only “bump” is converting some of my Illustrator files/designs to DXF files for the autocad bed plasma cutter at the industrial fabricator’s. A minor thing for me, but maybe not for your upcoming landscape work(?) However, Mac’s are BEAUTIFUL in so many ways and for creative types there is no comparison
)
Cynthia
March 4, 2009 at 7:17 am //
Cindy – believe me, I want a MAC more than anything, but I’m convinced that I can run the programs I need on a Linux OS. I was researching applications for using Windows based programs like PHotoshop and AutoCad etc. and there is a free open source program called Wine that allows Linux to run Windows applications. I have Photoshop CS2 which is supported and apparently older versions of AutoCad are too. There is also a commercial version that isn’t very pricey. After some searching, there is a architecture firm in S. Africa that has completely switched everything over to linux – that’s pretty cool. What I love is that I’m prolonging the life of older laptops that would otherwise be disposable….
ang
March 4, 2009 at 12:42 am //
i used to get hiccups a lot as a child, we tried everything, drinking water backwards, spoonful of sugar, hold your breathe, scare me…nothing really worked apart from ignoring it…don’t suppose ignoring a slow lappy does anything though… missed your lack of blogging, you always have something going on, all the best with the school stuff for you and your daughter..cheers ang
Cynthia
March 4, 2009 at 7:19 am //
When my daughter gets the hiccups, we have her try all that stuff, lol! I should have clarified, I had figurative hiccups
We’re super proud of our daughter getting into DCIS – I can’t imagine how lucky she is that she will be taking 7 years of Japanese by the time she’s 18 and graduating! It’s a little mind boggling to tell you the truth….
ang
March 5, 2009 at 7:10 am //
hehehe… I know I was just woffling on,… because you read peeps titles to their post and it rarely is about what you think it’s going to be, you just reminded me about the ‘hiccups’….a little language hiccup perhaps…
Janet
March 4, 2009 at 8:07 am //
Congratulations to your daughter.
Maybe you will move on to concrete in school — kind of like clay:-)
Cynthia
March 7, 2009 at 9:17 am //
I’m sure concrete will factor into the design process!
Hopefully, I won’t be moving it – just designing with it….
Janet
March 7, 2009 at 7:42 pm //
What is the name of that stuff where you mix peat and concrete? Hypertoofa? Something like that.
Cynthia
March 9, 2009 at 1:55 pm //
Hypertufa?
Handmade ceramics pottery
March 6, 2009 at 2:23 pm //
This is really nice blog post….
Janet
March 10, 2009 at 5:55 am //
Yeah, Hypertufa. I think that is what some people use to make those giant garden leaves.