Well, I got my netbook last week, and so far I really like it a lot. Now as I've said before you can't do any heavy duty computing like editing video or high end gaming or anything like that, however, it's good enough for the vast majority of computing I do, which is pretty much just reading email, surfing the Net, and chatting on Skype and other IM programs. It's really nice that I can move around the house. Right now I'm sitting in the living room watching some show on the Weather Channel, yeah boring I know but it's like 12:30 at night and I really should be in bed anyway lol. And Chloe is sitting here or I should say laying here at my feet chewing on her bone.
Anyway, so hereI am. Nothing much more to write about that I really feel like writing about at this time.
October 17, 2010
October 11, 2010
Rambling # 4
Well, I did it, I ordered a HP Mini netbook and it's coming tomorrow Inshallah. Now what to do next?
Once it gets here, how do I get it talking and activated and thus ready for me to use? I got it through Verizon Wireless, I subscribed to their Mobile Broadband plan. I thought this would kinda kill two birds with one stone, as I wanted a Netbook anyway, and once my AT&T contract runs out in May, and I have decided not to renew my contract with them, then I won't have to buy another cell phone and go prepaid like I was going to do, because my thinking was firstly that hardly anyone calls me anyway unless it's my husband, family, or the occasional friend, and secondly, if anyone does call me, they can use my Skype number.
My mobile broadband plan has 5 gb of data usage, and I'm kinda having a hard time trying to figure out how long it'd take me to use up that much data. Although I'm thinking it might not be a good idea to go streaming a radio station all day while I'm at work or anything like that. Although it will be cool to be able to surf on this thing while I'm eating lunch. Or while I'm in the car or somewhere else. And I've got a wireless router here at the house, so while I'm here, I shouldn't be using any of the mobile data usage, at least I sure hope not.
The only thing is, I'd wanted to put Jaws on the netbook and my understanding was that the ideal recommendation for memory was 2 GB of RAM and not the one that the Netbook has. I bought a 2 GB memory card but I'm not sure if it's a RAM memory card or just a standard storage card. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. I'm just kinda concerned as to whether or not Jaws will work or not. If it doesn't, I guess I could use System Access, though I'll have to get the version that works with the atom processors. Or I could use NVDA. I've just not decided yet, though I'm leaning toward System Access, because I'd like to use the SA Mobile Network on the netbook too. Decisions, decisions, I guess.
Whatever the case, though, I don't think I'll be using my refreshable Braille display on the netbook as I just want something to carry around the house and I don't want to have to toat the Braille display along with it. So it really doesn't matter which screen reader I choose I guess.
Anyway, if anyone's using Jaws with a netbook, I'd like your thoughts, as well as how you got the thing activated, etc. I'm just really excited. My package should be here by 3 PM tomorrow per the tracking info, and I only hope I can concentrate at work tomorrow *smile*.
Once it gets here, how do I get it talking and activated and thus ready for me to use? I got it through Verizon Wireless, I subscribed to their Mobile Broadband plan. I thought this would kinda kill two birds with one stone, as I wanted a Netbook anyway, and once my AT&T contract runs out in May, and I have decided not to renew my contract with them, then I won't have to buy another cell phone and go prepaid like I was going to do, because my thinking was firstly that hardly anyone calls me anyway unless it's my husband, family, or the occasional friend, and secondly, if anyone does call me, they can use my Skype number.
My mobile broadband plan has 5 gb of data usage, and I'm kinda having a hard time trying to figure out how long it'd take me to use up that much data. Although I'm thinking it might not be a good idea to go streaming a radio station all day while I'm at work or anything like that. Although it will be cool to be able to surf on this thing while I'm eating lunch. Or while I'm in the car or somewhere else. And I've got a wireless router here at the house, so while I'm here, I shouldn't be using any of the mobile data usage, at least I sure hope not.
The only thing is, I'd wanted to put Jaws on the netbook and my understanding was that the ideal recommendation for memory was 2 GB of RAM and not the one that the Netbook has. I bought a 2 GB memory card but I'm not sure if it's a RAM memory card or just a standard storage card. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. I'm just kinda concerned as to whether or not Jaws will work or not. If it doesn't, I guess I could use System Access, though I'll have to get the version that works with the atom processors. Or I could use NVDA. I've just not decided yet, though I'm leaning toward System Access, because I'd like to use the SA Mobile Network on the netbook too. Decisions, decisions, I guess.
Whatever the case, though, I don't think I'll be using my refreshable Braille display on the netbook as I just want something to carry around the house and I don't want to have to toat the Braille display along with it. So it really doesn't matter which screen reader I choose I guess.
Anyway, if anyone's using Jaws with a netbook, I'd like your thoughts, as well as how you got the thing activated, etc. I'm just really excited. My package should be here by 3 PM tomorrow per the tracking info, and I only hope I can concentrate at work tomorrow *smile*.
October 9, 2010
Rambling # 3
I love old school hip hop. It's pretty much part of the sound track to my growing up years, starting from about the age of 8 or 9 or so, and in some form or another continuing to this day (although a lot of the new hip hop out today I can't listen to for a variety of reasons like the lyrics, the disrespect of women, etc.) So anyway, am listening to 1.fm Jamz and this guy is mixing old school hip hop. Wow, definitely bringing back memories.
When I was growing up, I pretty much listened to house, R&B, hip hop, and various other forms of dance music (freestyle readily comes to mind), and the occasional top 40 or rock song. At that time, I didn't like much of the hair metal bands that were popular in the 80's. And I say this because I remember a cousin of mine used to go crazy over that Deph Lepard song "Poor Some Sugar on Me", she thought the lead singer was so cute/sexy lol. And I just kinda went "yeah whatever".
As I got older, my husical tastes expanded, and now I pretty much listen to everything, and I really do mean that. A story I'm reminded of is when I was in The Gambia in 1999, and I was at someone's house and Youssou Ndour came on the radio, and I literally stopped in mid-sentence and asked, "Who is that?" My first thought was "wow that guy has an incredible voice". And the answer I got was "oh that's Youssou Ndour, you don't know who he is?" Oh, no, I didn't, else I'd not have asked lol. But the question was asked as though I'd just landed from Mars or something. I seem to recall the person mentioning how Youssou was even popular in "The West", and I mentioned, "well I just wasn't listening to any stations that would play him I guess". Although it does occur to me that Youssou worked with Peter Gabriel and the song "In Your Eyes", where Youssou can be heard singing in the background, got (and still gets) quite a bit of airplay here in the US. However, in the 80's I didn't really listen to too much Peter Gabriel. I was too busy probably blasting LL Cool J or Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, or something like that lol.
And no offense to Peter Gabriel, "In Your Eyes" is a perfectly good song, but I still don't think I like it, even though Youssou's singing on it. And that "Seven Seconds" song is even worse! I can't stand it! It has "crossover" and "syruppy pop" written all over it. But I ain't mad at Youssou, I mean get your money any way you can, and those huge hits probably allowed him to do a lot of other things. But personally speaking, I'll take the hardest driving mbalax any day, rather than the stuff he produces for the so-called "Western"/international market. And this doesn't mean that some of that stuff isn't good either, I'm just saying, I like the stuff he produces for the "local" market better.
And I also love Thione Seck, although ever since I heard that song on a Senegalese radio station praising Yahya Jammeh, or he seemed to be as my comprehension of Wolof is far from remotely good, I mean, once you get me past yes, no, thank you, and the odd word hear or there, that's it I'm done. But anyway... I was sitting at the computer at 2 in the morning, in a chat and listening to the radio, and it was really late and I shoulda really been in bed, but anyway, Thione Seck came on the radio, I heard that familiar voice, the song even sounded nice, but then I heard Yahya Jammeh's name mentioned and I can't remember what else, but then I was like "huh?" What the Heck?
So anyway, I still like Thione Seck's music, and again, I'd prefer what he produces for the local market rather than what he produces for the "international" audience.
Although with both Youssou and Thione I do like Youssou's Egypt album (which I refer to as my "recovery" album, as it was out around the time I'd just gotten divorced from my first husband and was rebuilding up my mental and spiritual strength after escaping domestic violence), and I also like Thione Seck's Orientation album. I find them both to be very beautiful and they still get rotation in the car, on my computer, or on my mp3 player.
When I was growing up, I pretty much listened to house, R&B, hip hop, and various other forms of dance music (freestyle readily comes to mind), and the occasional top 40 or rock song. At that time, I didn't like much of the hair metal bands that were popular in the 80's. And I say this because I remember a cousin of mine used to go crazy over that Deph Lepard song "Poor Some Sugar on Me", she thought the lead singer was so cute/sexy lol. And I just kinda went "yeah whatever".
As I got older, my husical tastes expanded, and now I pretty much listen to everything, and I really do mean that. A story I'm reminded of is when I was in The Gambia in 1999, and I was at someone's house and Youssou Ndour came on the radio, and I literally stopped in mid-sentence and asked, "Who is that?" My first thought was "wow that guy has an incredible voice". And the answer I got was "oh that's Youssou Ndour, you don't know who he is?" Oh, no, I didn't, else I'd not have asked lol. But the question was asked as though I'd just landed from Mars or something. I seem to recall the person mentioning how Youssou was even popular in "The West", and I mentioned, "well I just wasn't listening to any stations that would play him I guess". Although it does occur to me that Youssou worked with Peter Gabriel and the song "In Your Eyes", where Youssou can be heard singing in the background, got (and still gets) quite a bit of airplay here in the US. However, in the 80's I didn't really listen to too much Peter Gabriel. I was too busy probably blasting LL Cool J or Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, or something like that lol.
And no offense to Peter Gabriel, "In Your Eyes" is a perfectly good song, but I still don't think I like it, even though Youssou's singing on it. And that "Seven Seconds" song is even worse! I can't stand it! It has "crossover" and "syruppy pop" written all over it. But I ain't mad at Youssou, I mean get your money any way you can, and those huge hits probably allowed him to do a lot of other things. But personally speaking, I'll take the hardest driving mbalax any day, rather than the stuff he produces for the so-called "Western"/international market. And this doesn't mean that some of that stuff isn't good either, I'm just saying, I like the stuff he produces for the "local" market better.
And I also love Thione Seck, although ever since I heard that song on a Senegalese radio station praising Yahya Jammeh, or he seemed to be as my comprehension of Wolof is far from remotely good, I mean, once you get me past yes, no, thank you, and the odd word hear or there, that's it I'm done. But anyway... I was sitting at the computer at 2 in the morning, in a chat and listening to the radio, and it was really late and I shoulda really been in bed, but anyway, Thione Seck came on the radio, I heard that familiar voice, the song even sounded nice, but then I heard Yahya Jammeh's name mentioned and I can't remember what else, but then I was like "huh?" What the Heck?
So anyway, I still like Thione Seck's music, and again, I'd prefer what he produces for the local market rather than what he produces for the "international" audience.
Although with both Youssou and Thione I do like Youssou's Egypt album (which I refer to as my "recovery" album, as it was out around the time I'd just gotten divorced from my first husband and was rebuilding up my mental and spiritual strength after escaping domestic violence), and I also like Thione Seck's Orientation album. I find them both to be very beautiful and they still get rotation in the car, on my computer, or on my mp3 player.
Rambling # 2
Assalamu alaikum, well, it's Saturday. I got up to take Chloe out this morning, and it is such a beautiful morning outside, nice and cool and the sun is out. I'd imagine that it probably got down into the 50's again last night. And the fan is on in the window and it still feels pretty cool outside.
But nothing much going on here today. I'm trying to decide what I want to do for breakfast. I actually think I might have some ice cream. Sounds strange for breakfast I know, but I'd wanted some ice cream since last night and just never got around to getting up and fixing me a bowl. So Ice cream and Pepsi it is *smile*.
October 8, 2010
Rambling # 1
Well, I'm tentatively stepping back in to blogging (sorta). I don't know how often I'll be blogging, I don't know how long it will last. I guess I'll blog only when I have something to say. At any rate... The topic du jour of late seems to be ex-Muslims leaving Islam and blogging about it (1, 2, 3. And no I'm not going to speculate on who said Ex-Muslims may or may not be. Nor will I link to the said ex-Muslim blogs. I (though I hate admitting this) spent much of last night reading said ex-Muslim blogs (even though I originally said I'd not do this), and though I didn't feel "a weakness in my Iman" or anything like that, I actually just felt empty, and kinda upset with myself that I wasted my time reading that.
And it's not that some valid issues weren't discussed, because I think they were. However, I'm not quite sure how to put my finger on it, not quite sure how to say what I'm trying to get out. I just found myself asking what is Islam and what is culture, because it seemed like sometimes the ex-Muslim blog I was reading kinda confounded the two? And again, as I've asked before, what is the "ideal" and what is reality as regards Islam, because many times there is a huge difference between the two.
I've had many times where the "ideal" I was presented with in the introductory material regarding Islam and Muslims in many cases didn't fit the "reality" of how Islam is practiced in many places and among Muslims. And that can be a real shock/slap in the face to someone coming into Islam. But personally I've kinda chocked that up to my own naivete, my own expectation that "Muslims would be better", or "Muslims will be just like the people I read about in the pamphlets", etc., rather than some inherent fault within Islam or with Muslims themselves. And perhaps that's why I'm still a Muslim, and still strive to practice Islam to the best of my ability. Because I recognize that Islam is perfect but Muslims aren't, and please forgive the cliche. We have problems in our community, and some are working to solve them, and unfortunately, many are not.
The problem, though, in reading these sorts of blogs for me is that it "creates doubt" (which is at least one ex-Muslim blogger's stated intention, or seems to be anyway), but for me, it's not "creating doubt" in the sense of me doubting my Islam, but it's exaserbating things I'm already struggling with like...
Am I a bad Muslim because I use a dog guide? Am I a bad Muslim because I listen to music? Am I a bad Muslim woman because I see nothing wrong in holding a casual conversation with an unrelated man (and I mean in a public place, with people around)? Am I a bad Muslim woman because I've reacted strongly to being told that I can't travel by myself without a related man? Or because I'm uncomfortable with the fact that the man has the absolute right of divorce (and women don't), or that I'm uncomfortable with how polygamy is practiced in some places? Am I a bad Muslim because I watch TV? Watch football (American)? Watch basketball? Used to watch soap operas (I used to love the Young and the Restless actually). Am I more talkative, outgoing, outspoken than a Muslim woman should be? Am I "too much into the dunya" or do I "not want to give up my jahili ways"? Because I still celebrate Thanksgiving, or because I still go to movies or listen to the radio or music or watch TV, or any number of things that I used to do and still do as a Muslim. What can I still do as a Muslim and still be a good Muslim?
Can I still listen to Youssou Ndour, Baba Maal, Toumani Diabate? Bob Marley? Peter Tosh? Staind? Kansas? Have I not conquered my nafs enough?
And I could go on and on and on. Which is why reading these sorts of blogs just isn't good for me. I'm already prone to self-doubt, and self-questioning as it is. But not only this, I just think there's a better way to deal with the very real issues addressed on these blogs than, well, the way they are being addressed. I just feel more sad than anything else, though as I said, I can't quite put my finger on why exactly.
And this is the problem with blogging. I know what I wanna say, it's just not coming out right. And even if I tried audioblogging, I'd just ramble on for hours at a time and still end up making no sense.
And it's not that some valid issues weren't discussed, because I think they were. However, I'm not quite sure how to put my finger on it, not quite sure how to say what I'm trying to get out. I just found myself asking what is Islam and what is culture, because it seemed like sometimes the ex-Muslim blog I was reading kinda confounded the two? And again, as I've asked before, what is the "ideal" and what is reality as regards Islam, because many times there is a huge difference between the two.
I've had many times where the "ideal" I was presented with in the introductory material regarding Islam and Muslims in many cases didn't fit the "reality" of how Islam is practiced in many places and among Muslims. And that can be a real shock/slap in the face to someone coming into Islam. But personally I've kinda chocked that up to my own naivete, my own expectation that "Muslims would be better", or "Muslims will be just like the people I read about in the pamphlets", etc., rather than some inherent fault within Islam or with Muslims themselves. And perhaps that's why I'm still a Muslim, and still strive to practice Islam to the best of my ability. Because I recognize that Islam is perfect but Muslims aren't, and please forgive the cliche. We have problems in our community, and some are working to solve them, and unfortunately, many are not.
The problem, though, in reading these sorts of blogs for me is that it "creates doubt" (which is at least one ex-Muslim blogger's stated intention, or seems to be anyway), but for me, it's not "creating doubt" in the sense of me doubting my Islam, but it's exaserbating things I'm already struggling with like...
Am I a bad Muslim because I use a dog guide? Am I a bad Muslim because I listen to music? Am I a bad Muslim woman because I see nothing wrong in holding a casual conversation with an unrelated man (and I mean in a public place, with people around)? Am I a bad Muslim woman because I've reacted strongly to being told that I can't travel by myself without a related man? Or because I'm uncomfortable with the fact that the man has the absolute right of divorce (and women don't), or that I'm uncomfortable with how polygamy is practiced in some places? Am I a bad Muslim because I watch TV? Watch football (American)? Watch basketball? Used to watch soap operas (I used to love the Young and the Restless actually). Am I more talkative, outgoing, outspoken than a Muslim woman should be? Am I "too much into the dunya" or do I "not want to give up my jahili ways"? Because I still celebrate Thanksgiving, or because I still go to movies or listen to the radio or music or watch TV, or any number of things that I used to do and still do as a Muslim. What can I still do as a Muslim and still be a good Muslim?
Can I still listen to Youssou Ndour, Baba Maal, Toumani Diabate? Bob Marley? Peter Tosh? Staind? Kansas? Have I not conquered my nafs enough?
And I could go on and on and on. Which is why reading these sorts of blogs just isn't good for me. I'm already prone to self-doubt, and self-questioning as it is. But not only this, I just think there's a better way to deal with the very real issues addressed on these blogs than, well, the way they are being addressed. I just feel more sad than anything else, though as I said, I can't quite put my finger on why exactly.
And this is the problem with blogging. I know what I wanna say, it's just not coming out right. And even if I tried audioblogging, I'd just ramble on for hours at a time and still end up making no sense.
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