so about 17 years ago i returned from a 6 month trip to Canada, having graduated from University with a degree in business management. Qualifying me for not much I applied for, and got, a job as an admin assistant for a small graphic design company. My job involved using computers and i discovered and learnt how to use these computers that i had never come across before. It was all new for me and at the time the internet was in its infancy, people were still communicating by letter, land lines and the most important 'get it now' method was the fax machine. 

At that time in my life i guess i wasn't so interested in how technology worked but at the time i do remember thinking that the computers i used at work were so much easier, straight forward and just 'worked.' They were of course some of the first of the new breed of Macintosh computers. 

Fast forward 7 or so years and i met my now husband who was somewhat of a Mac evangelist in the making….and we purchased our first G4 imac….and that was that. Now we don't even have an aged PC kicking around the house. 

I never really paid much attention to Steve Jobs, didn't really know much about the man. I just kinda liked his stuff.  Today i know a lot more about him. 

He is a true David to the Goliath that is Microsoft, unafraid of facing up to such a giant. Taking on the mighty mobile phone producers and beating them with one, incredible, stylish and iconic product. Like i heard someone say on the radio today "you'll find old macintosh computers in a design museum, you'll find old PCs in the skip"

Here are a couple of my favourite youtube videos of the Macintosh man. He passed away today, aged 56. Loosing a battle to cancer. That indiscriminate disease that robs our world of flashes of brilliance and hope. But, my goodness, what a legacy he has left. RIP. 

and this veryfunnyone, havent been able to embed. But you have to go watch. I remember seeing this years ago and had a real giggle at it. 

Taking part in Britmums blogging prompt this week which was asking what is your biggest pet peeve….

just one?

heh heh..

can i run a bit of a list:

1. People who don't indicate! Good Lord, i have to get 5 children across the road without them being flattened AND read your mind about which way you are going to drive. 

2. Dog muck. i probably don't need to say much really. Whats worse is the people who put it in a bag and then leave it on the street!!? What is the point in that?

3. Supermarkets that have changed their trollies to the one seat version. Seriously no-one goes shopping with two kids and wants them both to sit in the seats? Really? Just me then? 

4. Online supermarkets whose sites crash just before you finish your order. Thats only making an appearance 'cos it happened to me last night and like i said to my friend. Its like spending time walking round a shop filling your trolley only to have someone nick your trolley and leave you with an empty one all over again. 

5. Homework for reception kids, and im not talking the odd reading book or whatever. But sending a bear home that needs a diary and pictures by the following day. Is there many 4/5 years olds can do any of that at all? Probably somewhere to be honest but not in my family. 

Okay so thanks to Britmums for that little opportunity. Happy Wednesday folks. 

You can follow other britmums here 

teamjames

I. Yesterday I worked in the NICU on a night shift. I got home this morning and not feeling terribly tired decided to grab the couple of hours i had child-free…yes CHILD FREE..and go into Liverpool and get myself some jeans. Which, yes is crazy, and yes the last time i got into bed was sunday night. But kind of demonstrates how i'll do anything for a bit of me-time!!

2. I went into the Hollister store in Liverpool one, i hadn't been in there but had heard about it but its shop front looks like it has been designed to specifically stop people with buggies getting in. So i never bothered. But today i strode in. My goodness…and this is going to make me sound old..but the lights were down, the stock was stacked on top of each other in piles (different styles) and i shuffled about peering into the dim light and trying to hold things under few downlighters to see what colour the garments actually were. 

It actually made me giggle really. Customers strolling round a shop like miners in a mine shaft, peering into dark corners and nodding appreciatively at clothes they can hardly see. I guess the popularity and branding of Hollister is so strong that they can get away with making their shops a bit of a challenging place to navigate. 

i almost wanted to ask a shop assistant for a flashlight or enquire if they get lots of returns with the complaint of 'it didnt look this colour in the shop!" Leaving the store and walking blinking in a mole-like way into the sunlight a trendy, hollister'd head to foot, shop assistant offered me the exhaltation of 'seeeaalaater' and i wonder if really he will. 🙂

But you know i do actually like their clothing. Really, honestly…and if i didnt feel the vitamin D and pigment draining from my body as i stood in their store i would go and load up a selection of stuff. 

3. I noticed today, on the side of a bus, a poster for Footloose. Doing a double take i realised that someone has re-made Footloose!!! C"MON..footloose? Kevin Bacon! Lori Singer! thats surely an untouchable, has to stay planted in the 80's, in the memories and on the Sony walkman re-mix tapes of those of us that dreamed we were on the back of that bike, or riding shotgun in the yellow VW bug and jumping up when Ren shouted 'Hey, hey! Whats this I see? I thought this was a party. LETS DANCE! *sigh* For me, there is only going to be one version…

4. Have you seen this? Made me giggle a bit..

5. We lost the J5's shoes about a week or so ago. Im sure i saw them, he is sure he saw them, even G'ma is sure she saw them. They were lost. Walking baby and no shoes looks fairly bad in the school playground and 'we've lost her shoes!' probably cuts it for the first day before people to stare. So birthday present to little J5 was a pair of shoes, pretty black ones…..guess what…

the shoes turned up. Yesterday. In J3's pyjama drawer!! Sometimes living with kids is like living with tiny thieves, who don't actually steal, but just move things about and hide them to drive you to the very limit of your sane mind. 

6. Rightmove are still advertising my dream home on their website. I really should complain and then get digging in the garden because im sure that is where the extra money is…

7. We took the kids climbing….thats mostly Mr.J took the kids climbing, whilst i chased two small girls around the climbing walls and tried to avoid being hit by abseilers. J3 has been going on about it and finally she got her wish. I think the term rat up a drain pipe fits….

8. Hands up who liked the hot weather last week? Oh it was nice to see summer back briefly. I really loved it, although there was part of me which was a little inconvenienced by it. Ive already passed on some summer clothes and we were gearing for autumn and all of a sudden the paddling pool was out. Nice tho, not moaning. Luh-huve the sun 🙂

9. Im hoping to have a little re-design of my website, photog and blog. But it might be a slow process but its time for shake up round here i think. 

10. Strictly is back WOOT!..i love that Jason Donovan is in it. I was addicted to Neighbours when he was in it a hundred years ago. But my favourite performance i think on the first show was this:

My girls were watching it with me and kept saying 'why are you laughing mummy?"

so thats mine, whats your 10. comment and link in 🙂

teamjames

to try and resist finishing off your caterpillar birthday cake with a cup of tea while your in bed!!

this week baby i promise is hosted by mumofone