Truisms

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

Republican Party: doing the same insanity over and over again and expecting different results. Sandra Chung

Not that I'm against Australia making money

But when price disparity is so great... something else must be done.

I purchased PhotoShop CS3 Extrended on Ebay some years ago. I got it for less because CS 4 had come out.

Then CS5 Extended came out. I had looked into seeing if I could get the upgrade for it, rather than buying the full version out. I was happy to find out I could! Boo yah! Then, the disparity hit.

Even though I opened my Adobe account when I was in the US, now that I live in Australia, I have to use the Australia Adobe market. The price kind of rocked me. Upgrade from $585 AUD.

Exact same upgrade from Amazon $268, and no that isn't a typo. Only problem, Amazon only ships this product in the US.

Because of living in Australia, the price was doubled. And it really doesn't make sense when you take into account that the Aussie dollar was worth more than the US dollar at the time!

So, what I did, was get a US mailing address, a mail drop. $60 for the year. Bought said software from Amazon (free shipping to drop mail because it was over $25), it arrived there in 3 days. Then it was shipped out Feb 22nd to me. Just arrived this morning. Drop mail has paid for itself for the next 5 yrs with this one savings alone.

Kickin' it old school

Signed up for another UWA photography short course, this time the use of Filters with digital cameras. It was a way to create different textures by using ND filters (graduated and solid) to make what would be an ok photo into something moody, or more artistic. Or just taking what would be a perfectly 'ok' but ordinary photo and giving it something extra.

It brought me back to when I used color filters with film cameras.. mumblety mumblety years ago

Lake Monger - Graduated Orange filter on top, Graduated Green Filter on the bottom

Keep seeing ads for "Rent inspections"

I can understand wanting to make sure there are no burns in the carpeting, no holes punched through walls or doors, but expecting the place to look like no one lives in it, like it's a model home, isn't realistic.

Celibate men try to come between a woman and her doctors yet again

I'm not Catholic. I don't believe that life begins at conception. I do believe in comprehensive sex education and contraception, as both of these prevent the need for an abortion.

It's not right that any employer can force their particular brand of religion on me, or come between me and my health choices. Last I looked, a job, a pharmacy, and or schools aren't churches. No government officials are marching into churches demanding women take birth control. There is no interference with religious liberties/freedoms by offering a service that you don't have to use.

If you are so backward thinking that you believe sex is a sin, and only for procreation, fine by you. But why any group of thinking women would allow a bunch of supposedly celibate men dictate what you can and cannot do with your body is beyond me.

It's been a week

Since I got whatever this bug is/was. Appetite/digestion still screwy. Eat so little, and feel as if I have gorged. Still get tired out easily. Doesn't help that Loki seems to be getting me up too damned early. He started in on my around before sun up. I put him off until about 7. Luckily for me, I went to bed sort of early.

Did some sweeping up around my potted plants on lime stone blocks. Also topped up the pool, added some bleach, and put the new pool cover on. First one I was sent was too small... this one is too big, but Alan and I managed to cinch in it night and tight. Tomorrow, I want to drag out the leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher out and clean up the back yard around the pet enclosure, and out around potted trees in the front. Also clean up the driveway, too. Might be planning more than I can get done. I can but try.

When Loki was a kitten

He had an accident which resulted in a broken leg. It was treated at the vet (ortho-pinning) and was giving medications for pain and inflamation. I really didn't want to try to restrain him to force drops down his throat, so what I did was was put the meds in a little bit of banana/peach/passionfruit yogurt. Now, even after 4 years, if I have any banana/peach/passionfruit yogurt, it doesn't matter what part of the house he is in, he comes out sniffing around for some.

I think he's addicted. :D

Bleh

Whatever this bug I picked up is, it really likes to kick my ass. Every joint I have ever injured in the past is throbbing like a bad tooth. The queasies are no picnic either. I stayed up late last night so I could pre-order a limited publication. I ordered one for me, and one for a friend who said he couldn't stay awake long enough.

I didn't get up until almost 10am. I think Loki was a bit disconcerted that his human was still in bed so late in the day. He snuggled up, and gave me a few head snogs and head butts to wake me gently. And when I peeled one eyelid back, he started purring so loud, I thought he was going to shake his bones apart.

I still see a nap in my near future. And hopefully no one will wake me up this time.

It's amazing what can gather on shelves

I spent the day unearthing the sofa (it's right behind me, so if something is handed to me, I put on the sofa. It tends to pile up), and then I attacked the DVD shelves. It's amazing how much just outdated junk was in there.

Since I have reclaimed the sofa, Ziggy and Loki keeps snorting and glaring at me. I have changed the nature of their universe, and they don't like it. Surprizingly enough, it took the better part of the afternoon to get it done. Now time to cook dinner.

Summer Tasks

The new pool cover arrived yesterday and the filter pump arrived today. Turns out the cover isn't the right size, even though the order form says it is. I have informed the seller and he said he would send a replacement.

Filter pump was quick to set up, as I had Alan to help me out. Even with his assistance, we could only do some of the work, then had to take a break because of the heat. Shortly after, I went out and applied the pool scrubbing brush and a long handled sieve and removed most of, if not all, of the leaves and junk floating in the water because of not having a properly fitted pool cover.

Cats are great weather vanes. Keito and Loki keep sprawling out intermittently on the stone floors. Ziggy found a cool breezy spot on top of my wardrobe.