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gwynEveryone should head on over to read lithium_doll's fantastic Burn Notice pimping post. It's FABULOUS and really, truly, you should read it.
I am so behind on everything. Between class ending, getting ready for a new assignment, the craziness of trying to set up a super sekrit all-instructor meeting of all the editing instructors at my program (to plot ourworld domination rebellion against the Empire -- we are all really dissatisfied by how the program is being run), and the crazy jewelry thing, I still haven't gotten to the wonderful ideas of things I can do in the journals that people gave me. And also, it's the sitting thing.
I bought a semi-expensive office chair a few years ago after working at home for a while. I thought it would be the answer to my prayers, but it sure wasn't. Over the past year, it's become increasingly untenable, and after Sakura-con line waiting fucked up my back and hips so badly (long story), I can't sit for longer than a few minutes, and even then, it's agony. My sister's old laptop is wireless, so i can use it in the living room while lying on the couch, but it's Windows, and I HATE WINDOWS with every fibre of my being. So I've avoided using it that way for a long time, but now I kind of have to. I had to take off the Norton security on it a while ago due to, um, expiring, and I have no money for new antivirus (see below), so I wonder if any of you Windows users can tell me if there's such a thing as a free AV program for Win XP Pro out there that would run on a Dell Inspiron laptop from a few years ago?
The reason I have no money is the search for an office chair. I bought a vintage Eero Saarinen chair at a great price from a mid-century modern specialty store in Ballard last week, hoping that, because they didn't overdesign things back then, it would fit my bill, and I've sat in his chairs before and they are wonderful. Nice flat seat, curved back, etc. Except it doesn't raise up enough for me, and it's trading one problem (my hips and legs) for a different problem (severe shoulder and upper back pain). I'm going to take it back to the guy to see if he can fix it, but if not, I may ask him if I can return it. In the meantime, I hunted around for hours online and finally found what I think may solve a lot of my problems: the Steelcase Think chair.
One of the things I hate about Hermann Miller and Steelcase is that they have stores, but mere mortals can't go in them -- you have to be a designer or office buyer, and have an appt. -- so the only retail place I could try one out was at Crate & Barrel or some Target stores (but not many). I went and sat for about a half hour, and it was great. They didn't have the adjustable arms one, but it had what I needed for so long -- a flat seat with some padding so that my hips aren't forced into curving up at the sides, the ability to recline without losing posture, an adjustable seat pan depth, and a flexible front of the seat so that my thighs aren't being pressured and my circ cut off (a serious problem for a lot of tall people). But boy howdy are they expensive. I've spent days hunting around, found one on ebay for a good price, but the info was not helpful, and finally they updated it. I am in so much pain that I just bit the bullet and ordered one.
Because I was trying to avoid buying one -- I felt like (in that sunk cost fallacy thing) since I'd paid good money for the last one, somehow I had to make it work, and there are a bunch of other expensive items I've been needing that now I have to put off. But I had this conversation last week with Mr. Killabeez, and he has a similar situation, and he pointed out that the amount of hours we spend in our office chairs, it's not a luxury but a necessity to have a decent chair, because we're pretty much living in them. That we're spending money on our health -- and I kept thinking about that, and he's right. I'm going to acupuncture now to help with this chronic hip pain, and I could probably cut that expense out, not to mention all the Advil I buy, if I had a better chair that was right for me. So now I'm eagerly awaiting my new chair, which sadly, I won't get for days.
Also, today is... Day 09 - Best scene ever
I... do not know how to choose this one. I've tried before. And it's always something different -- Miami Vice, Pros, Buffy, Due South... there are just so many. Man. I guess, if I had to pick one because there was a gun to my head and my life depended on it, I would pick the ending of Victoria's Secret on Due South. Because wow. From the moment Fraser makes that decision to go with her, and runs down the platform toward Victoria's outstretched hand, to Ray seeing a gun in her hand and shooting, and hitting Fraser, and the music building, and the poem just barely above a whisper... well, if you've seen it, you know. And if you haven't, you've missed one of the best moments on television ever.
lithium_doll's fantastic Burn Notice pimping post. It's FABULOUS and really, truly, you should read it. I am so behind on everything. Between class ending, getting ready for a new assignment, the craziness of trying to set up a super sekrit all-instructor meeting of all the editing instructors at my program (to plot our
I bought a semi-expensive office chair a few years ago after working at home for a while. I thought it would be the answer to my prayers, but it sure wasn't. Over the past year, it's become increasingly untenable, and after Sakura-con line waiting fucked up my back and hips so badly (long story), I can't sit for longer than a few minutes, and even then, it's agony. My sister's old laptop is wireless, so i can use it in the living room while lying on the couch, but it's Windows, and I HATE WINDOWS with every fibre of my being. So I've avoided using it that way for a long time, but now I kind of have to. I had to take off the Norton security on it a while ago due to, um, expiring, and I have no money for new antivirus (see below), so I wonder if any of you Windows users can tell me if there's such a thing as a free AV program for Win XP Pro out there that would run on a Dell Inspiron laptop from a few years ago?
The reason I have no money is the search for an office chair. I bought a vintage Eero Saarinen chair at a great price from a mid-century modern specialty store in Ballard last week, hoping that, because they didn't overdesign things back then, it would fit my bill, and I've sat in his chairs before and they are wonderful. Nice flat seat, curved back, etc. Except it doesn't raise up enough for me, and it's trading one problem (my hips and legs) for a different problem (severe shoulder and upper back pain). I'm going to take it back to the guy to see if he can fix it, but if not, I may ask him if I can return it. In the meantime, I hunted around for hours online and finally found what I think may solve a lot of my problems: the Steelcase Think chair.
One of the things I hate about Hermann Miller and Steelcase is that they have stores, but mere mortals can't go in them -- you have to be a designer or office buyer, and have an appt. -- so the only retail place I could try one out was at Crate & Barrel or some Target stores (but not many). I went and sat for about a half hour, and it was great. They didn't have the adjustable arms one, but it had what I needed for so long -- a flat seat with some padding so that my hips aren't forced into curving up at the sides, the ability to recline without losing posture, an adjustable seat pan depth, and a flexible front of the seat so that my thighs aren't being pressured and my circ cut off (a serious problem for a lot of tall people). But boy howdy are they expensive. I've spent days hunting around, found one on ebay for a good price, but the info was not helpful, and finally they updated it. I am in so much pain that I just bit the bullet and ordered one.
Because I was trying to avoid buying one -- I felt like (in that sunk cost fallacy thing) since I'd paid good money for the last one, somehow I had to make it work, and there are a bunch of other expensive items I've been needing that now I have to put off. But I had this conversation last week with Mr. Killabeez, and he has a similar situation, and he pointed out that the amount of hours we spend in our office chairs, it's not a luxury but a necessity to have a decent chair, because we're pretty much living in them. That we're spending money on our health -- and I kept thinking about that, and he's right. I'm going to acupuncture now to help with this chronic hip pain, and I could probably cut that expense out, not to mention all the Advil I buy, if I had a better chair that was right for me. So now I'm eagerly awaiting my new chair, which sadly, I won't get for days.
Also, today is... Day 09 - Best scene ever
I... do not know how to choose this one. I've tried before. And it's always something different -- Miami Vice, Pros, Buffy, Due South... there are just so many. Man. I guess, if I had to pick one because there was a gun to my head and my life depended on it, I would pick the ending of Victoria's Secret on Due South. Because wow. From the moment Fraser makes that decision to go with her, and runs down the platform toward Victoria's outstretched hand, to Ray seeing a gun in her hand and shooting, and hitting Fraser, and the music building, and the poem just barely above a whisper... well, if you've seen it, you know. And if you haven't, you've missed one of the best moments on television ever.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 05:27 am (UTC)Hope your new chair works out for you!
Re: antivirus - I was using AVGFree for a while on my XP laptop; it seemed to be OK (plus there's the whole free part.) Don't be tempted to upgrade -- I found the pro version endlessly annoying. I also used BitDefender, which is a plugin for Firefox that can be used as an on-demand scanner.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 12:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 05:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-12 05:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-13 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 05:17 am (UTC)I also run AdAware, Spybot S&D, and Malwarebytes to check for ad & spyware; all three are also free.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-12 05:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 05:36 am (UTC)The liberty (http://www.humanscale.com/products/liberty.cfm) or the freedom (http://www.humanscale.com/products/freedom_index.cfm)...but to be honest, the liberty was so comfy yet so SIMPLE!
I feel a chair, one that we freelancers have to almost *live* in, should be as good as the best shoes we buy. Because a well-designed pair of shoes benefits the body and a good chair does the same. It's all about the long-term, baby!
no subject
Date: 2010-06-12 06:01 am (UTC)But this has become so untenable I have to change it. And by the time I had looked at all the chairs again, I started seeing new names popping up, and one of them was the Think chair -- fortunately it seems to solve a lot of my issues. Except I think it's going to take weeks to get it.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 05:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 10:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-12 06:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 12:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-12 06:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 12:20 pm (UTC)I know the shoulder pain. Been dealing with it for many years...
anti-virus
Date: 2010-06-09 01:37 pm (UTC)Re: anti-virus
Date: 2010-06-12 06:04 am (UTC)