Hi all,
Happy New Year. Here is a bit of a run down on the way my year has started.
1st January
For the second year in a row Joy and I headed off to the WTP. The day was in the 30s in Melbourne but down by the bay it was only in the 20s. The birding was only average with the current specials, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper and Pec, all in hiding and not seen. Best waders seen were probably the Red Knots. We did spice the day up a bit by trying to see 100 species in the day. We almost achieved the goal by getting to 94. A good start to the year.
4th January
Oh, did I mention my late christmas present to myself? Probably not. I have gone in 1 week from barely recognising my mobile phone to becoming an iNut. When I flew to New Zealand in November I was convinced to buy a duty free iPod. Last week I finally sat down and loaded about 30 music CDs onto my computer; then I loaded the 12 BOCA bird call CDs ………. and then I plugged my iPod into my computer. WOW. All those sounds, more than 40 CDs, all on one small hand held, phone sized device.
Then, as you do, I started browsing the iTunes store. They have FREE books. And FREE APS. And the Morecombe field guide. I went crazy like a parrot at a mallee grain spill. I bought Morecombe, I down loaded the free Melb Museum natural history guide.
I looked at the free books; Gilbert White, Emmerson, Thoreau, Conan Doyle etc etc. Then I looked at the screen size on my iPod!!
Then it got expensive.
There was only one solution. It was Saturday morning, New Year’s eve morning. I rang my preferred local dealer on the off-chance. They were open. An hour later, in the privacy of my own home, I was peeling the wrapper off a brand new iPad. I plugged it in and “synced”, deliciously, as though I was at an elicit high calorie food store. Morecombe opened at hard-backed book size. I could read it.
I bought some novels for $1.99. I bought The Big Year. I downloaded free books, I downloaded an Astronomy guide, I loaded some more of my music CDs; jazz, classics, bluegrass. I found and downloaded a guide to Victorian sea life. I now browse the iTunes store daily as I think of more authors, more books, more apps
Is the iSytem perfect? No. I have my complaints about its manipulative ways but I have chosen to ignore them, work around them, and bathe in the glow of the iTunes screen.
In just one week I have become an i-addict. It was that fast. I might talk to my therapist about it next time I see her about my Pelagidiphobia. Naaa, there are more field guides on the way, I will mention it to her after I buy those, maybe.
Cheers and I hope everyone has a wonderful year.
Jen ===============================
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