C’mon, what is an idea if not a wildly undependable vehicle, one that’s careening along strange, shadowy, unfamiliar avenues? You’ve no control whatsoever, you don’t even know where you are. The only option is to sit in the passenger seat, goggle-eyed and clenched like a fist, wondering where you’re headed. Sometimes you arrive safe and sound in a wondrous place, but mostly you don’t. It’s a risk you take because it’s a straight-up gas. Even the fiery crashes are a hoot, once you’ve healed from the trauma.
Initially, the topic for today was Apple and their greedy ways. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of updating my computer to Big Sur — the newest and most predatory Mac operating system yet. It’s a behemoth in terms of size (15.31 GB) and invasiveness. Get this, iTunes is gone — poof! So is the Oxford Dictionary / Thesaurus app. Your existing files are hijacked and buried deep, where they’re curiously reordered. In exchange, they added a ton of unnecessary apps and fonts you’ll never use and are impossible to delete. Why? To hog all the space and force you to buy another grossly overpriced computer with more RAM, since you can’t add memory to Macs any longer.
Here’s a fun fact: you don’t buy Apple computers; they do not belong to you. They remain Apple’s property in perpetuity.
That was my plan anyway, a rant against Apple. But idea cabs kept showing up and whisking me away. Serial kidnapping is what it was. First, it was a quick stop at chaos theory (which seemed too ambitious to pursue), then it was off to rainbows and how they’re losing their magic (there’s been a lot of rain lately), followed by a whoosh to the eventual meeting I’ll have with my guardian angel and the apology I owe (I’ll get around to that soonish, maybe), then a final stop at the dazzling nature of sunflowers.
Frankly, I love sunflowers. Those bright, happy faces are a delight to behold. I’m lucky enough to pass a few when I walk the dog and they lift my heart like nothing else in the world. One of them in particular was a burst of color as big as a hubcap and very pillowy, offering a big, cheery hello every time I clapped eyes on it. Days went by, though, and time took its toll. Now, its head is heavy and drooping low, the petals are withered and weak, and it breaks my heart to see. I want very much to give it a hug, but decided to send encouragement and hopeful thoughts, instead. It isn’t working.
So it’s time to change my route. Change is good, you know, except when it comes to operating systems and incomprehensible WordPress editors — which is where I’ll be spending the rest of the day, swearing and fuming. Hoping an idea cab pulls up and hustles me off to parts unknown. Bon voyage.
copyright © 2021 the whirly girl
the whirly girl 
15 responses to “: joyriding in the idea cab :”
I love your posts. They make no sense but perfect sense at the same time. It makes me feel like you’re writing for yourself but you’re also talking to me. Reading your blogs is an enriching and uplifting experience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, thanks! Writing, I think, is a way of making my nonsensical thoughts make sense. It doesn’t always work, but I keep trying :o)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sympathy has to be shown to my man Apple😞
LikeLiked by 1 person
No argument. It is sad, Apple made a great product once, but their computers have declined while their control has grown. So I’ll mourn the loss, but will enjoy having a computer that’s 100% my own 🥲
LikeLike
Thanks for the heads up on Big Sur. I will refrain from thinking it will solve any of my problems with my MAC. I have been lucky that my Boss left me with my work MS computer during “the COVID” and I have been using it more than my MAC . If I ever get back to work I will be screwed. I might look into the Android like the fellow above suggest. I have always considered myself a MAC girl but like you say they are too proprietary and greedy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If only I had googled Big Sur before I downloaded it. D’oh 🤦🏻♀️
I have good news, though. I replaced my Adobe InDesign software with Affinity Publisher. So instead of paying Adobe $23 every stinking month, I paid a one-time $50 fee. Easy peasy. And, get this, it’s a better program! I plan to buy the Affinity version of Photoshop next. Yay!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is good news. I will have to look into the Photoshop one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Want some even better news? Affinity offers 50% off from time to time. And the next time they do, kaching, I’m gonna get their version of photoshop! I’ll give you a heads up …
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be appreciated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
First of all, who sits in the passenger seat of a cab.
I’ve never liked Apple. even before android I was always Palm OS. Never Apple. Now I’m total android, no Apple no Microsoft.
LikeLike
Hmm, well, tourists do. New Yorkers. And people with car trouble.
I’ve loved Apple for 25 years, and still prefer their products, but they’ve gotten so heavy-handed. When it’s time to replace my computer I’m going to look at other options — for the first time ever :o/
LikeLike
So far my Dictionary / Thesaurus has stayed in my dock thank the gods, because I can’t live without it. Hope Big Sur doesn’t notice 😬
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a print copy of the Thesaurus, but the application was so flipping convenient. I miss it like I’d miss the space bar. I’m envious you were able to hang on to yours.
LikeLike
You’re being a little unfair to Apple – some of your statements would fail a fact check and, anyway, the Windows OS is worse – but I know what you mean. I’ve switched to the Firefox browser because too many websites don’t work properly with Safari.
My particular technology beef, though, is two-factor authorisation. It seems you can’t buy anything these days if you don’t have a mobile phone handy. I shudder to think what happens if my mobile gets stolen. I guess I have to buy another phone … Oh, wait, I can’t buy another phone because I can’t receive the authorisation code! 😲
LikeLiked by 1 person
Facts? What are those?
I used to agree with you about Windows, but then Apple started designing their computers like a phone. Such hypersensitive divas. The worst part, though, by far, is being absolutely powerless. 😖
Two-factor authentication is definitely a pain. And so’s the test to prove you’re not a bot. Yet with all the hoops we have to jump through, hackers seem to have open doors. Go figure.
LikeLike