Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Simmering Chaos

"Simmering Chaos" is how I described my life to someone today, and I think that's usually just about right, but we may be at a rolling boil this week.

Yesterday, Dave Altavilla and Marco Chiappetta from hothardware.com came to the farm to give us the Tech Makeover we won from intel. The two of them where absolutely lovely and we had a great afternoon finding out what we'd won and how to use it.

So I know you're wondering what we got. Before I tell you though, I sincerely want to thank Dave and Marco, Maggie from mightygirl.com and all the other judges but especially intel. This makeover was generous beyond our wildest dreams and will make such an enormous difference in our business. The whole flock hearts intel, big time!

Now, to the loot. We got a brand-spankin' new MacBook Pro 15-inch LED-backlit widescreen notebook. It's so pretty I want to take it to the prom. The entire case is made from one piece of aluminum. According to Marco this is the top-of-the-line laptop Apple makes right now and I'm sure it will do everything I could every need done and do it lightning fast, but so far I have only admired it and stroked it's case while wearing white gloves. 

Next we got an iomega UltraMax Hard Drive big enough to hold Jupiter and it's moons. I'm talking about all 63 of Jupiter's moons, not just the Galileans. This may be the least sexy of our new toys but it's Hugh Jackman-handsome to me because 1.) I have thousands (and thousands) of photographs on my current MacBook making it as slow as Christmas and 2.) I've heard that it might be a good idea to occasionally back up my computer. Which I will.  Religiously. As soon as I figure out how.

We also got a new fancy-pants router to go with our brand-new wireless LambCam! I was so relieved when I saw the tech team pull out this box because we had no idea if we were getting it or not. And I did not want ya'll gathering outside of the intel offices with pitchforks and torches.  Although they did set the camera up for a trial run yesterday (it works!) ya'll will have to wait just a scooch longer to see it because we need the new website to be up first. I saw the rough draft version of the site last week and sent a few changes to Leslie, so, finger crossed that it will be up and running very shortly.

But wait- there's more. A brand-new HP All-in-One printer now occupies a large piece of real estate on my desk in the kitchen, and it's wireless so you don't have to be in the kitchen to use it. Thanks the Lord for that because having a whole passel of family members in the kitchen when I am putting away groceries is like going to the mall on the day after Thanksgiving for me. Simmering chaos...

So all in all, I'd say our makeover was amazingly generous, wouldn't you? Which is why the HP Pavillion Notebook Computer (with a Centrino 2 processor, thank you very much) was such a surprise. Yes, you heard me. intel gave us a second laptop on top of everything else. 

And an extra set printer ink cartridges. PRINTER INK , PEOPLE! Have you priced printer ink cartridges lately? I could by a Range Rover for what I've spent of printer ink in the last two years. (Not to mention the fact that going into a big box store to buy them makes me feel like I've racked up some seriously bad karma. The crowds and the noise and the terrible lighting. Gives me shivers just thinking about it...)

Dave and Marco made a video of me looking like a total dork while they set up our new brain center and showed me how it all works. I'll post a link as soon as it's up. Because when I look like to total dork I want the world to know it.

After the Tech Fairies left I got busy working on a good-sized shop update. All the new winter colors are posted but tomorrow I will be adding a gift basket option for people buying yarn to give for the holidays. I should have had them up today but I ran out of daylight while taking photographs. 

All I want for Christmas is more hours in the day. And a pony.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. Just ... wow. Everything a modern shepherd could ask for. (Though, really, don't you think you're too tall for a pony?)

Anonymous said...

Hoooooray! And learn how to back up on that Mac. It's easy using Time Machine on your new MacBookPro! No computer is infallible - even one of ours! So make sure you set that up.

Hmmmm. Think I work for Apple? You betcha I do!

Maggie said...

That's AWESOME! How wonderful! Can't wait to see how everything helps, and feeds from the Lamb-Cam!

Anonymous said...

We want the Lamb Cam.. We want the Lamb Cam! Just kidding... sort of. lol How exciting! Couldn't have happened to better peeps.

Danielle said...

This is so exciting! I'm glad you won, and I cannot WAIT to see the lamb cam in action!

Anonymous said...

How incredibly awesome for you Susan and by extension us! I am so very happy you won and all that wonderful stuff! I'd look like a dork too if it was me and I'm sure you pulled it off with much more panache!

Woo hoo!

6toknit4 said...

Coolio....so glad to be one of your many happy supporters. All I can think of is the children's book "Click, Clack, Moo! Cows That Type" where the animals get hold of the typewriter and send messages to the farmer. Keep your eye on those sheep Susan!

Anonymous said...

"Lamb cam"--can't tell you how good that makes me feel! Can't wait to see it--congratulations on all the tech goodies!

Manise said...

Congratulations on your Tech Makeover! Lamb Cams are great! Caught your update as it was unfolding this afternoon- much fun. Scored some lovely Evergreen WW Cormo and some Hot Cocoa Sport Weight Cormo yarn. Looking forward to knitting with it.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous! We love tech Makeovers, and I can't wait to see the LambCam images!
Yes, yes, back up the computer! If I can figure out how to do it, any can. Seriously, I'm on first name basis with the IT guy at my college. Thank goodness for Alum perks!

Jenny said...

I'm SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see the video and the LambCam and I'm SO starting an all-girl rocker band called Simmering Chaos! RAWR! Metal horns and all that. Blue lipstick! Girl Power!

Whoa, sorry, got a little Spice Girls there...

Anonymous said...

Very Cool! I can't wait to see the feed from the LambCam!

HODGEPODGESPV said...

wahoooooo! what great fun!

puddle duck

Perry said...

Awesome, that was quite the award!!!

-Perry-