The Internet is so huge that you can find any useless thing you can thing about. But sometimes the useless becomes handy. Problem is when you get dozen useless things with just one handy feature each. You know what I mean?
That's pretty much what the mashup world brings to our screens, but it is also one thing we would not live without. Have you imagined yourself without TripAdvisor or any similar site that allows you to sign in with your X profile than post it to your blog/microblog linking to another account you have which will help you keep up to date with that another account with the latest news and so on so forth? Exactly.
So, that's what I've been digging about on this huge sea of 1's and 0's. Lots of useless things, one or another cool stuff and many ideas. Too bad I don't have the time to make it happen - perhaps you can?
TripIt
It is nice, but still has a lot of room for improvement. I like the fact that I can just forward the email I receive from my travel agency with a link to a site in which I can find all my travel itinerary and their system scans all the info and puts on a trip file for me. Then it keeps track of the flights and other things for me, sends me SMS and email upon changes, and what I like the most about it: allows me to save a file to import all the data to my Outlook - or publish it so that I can add an internet calendar to my Outlook as well. And that allows me to keep my phone up to date with my trip schedule and my regular appointments from my calendar. Seems complicated, but believe me, it helped me a lot and made my life a bit easier.
I would still add a few functionalities though (of course):
Humm. I guess I mentioned most of the things I wanted in this post just talking about TripIt. It is really cool to be all connected with everything we have in the virtual world.
I'm going on a business trip next Sunday and for the very first time, instead of making an Excel sheet with all my flights and hotel details so that my parents could have it in case of an emergency, I just gave them access on my TripIt. One day I'll have an assistant that will make all my travel arrangements and she will add all the details there. I'll just check everything on my phone - or receive the SMSs asking me to check-in, with the instructions to get to the hotel and so on.
I wonder what I am going to do with my free time if I won't waste it doing things I do now... humm creating new stuff as I said in the beginning of this post? Nah... Guess I'll still liaise on you for that.
Later.
I thought it would be harder, but was really easy. 20 minutes while eating my lunch in front of the PC and it was done.
So, T61 - and likely most of Lenovo's laptops - have issues when connecting to Bluetooth stereo headphones - the ones needing A2DP to work. And I was very excited to get my brad new BH-905 working with my PC so that I could listen to my music and do all my con calls without external noise, but damn, it just would not work.
Then today, while eating my lunch I just did a Google search and got the thing sorted out - at least for my PC. Always bear in mind that one solution not necessarily is useful to your problem when it comes to computers and technology ;). Here's what I did (Win XP SP2):
A while ago I had my audio drivers updated to use another Bluetooth speaker but I just ignored that and updated the driver again. Link from Lenovo: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-65456
Very important: you just extracted the files to C:\Drivers\Win\Audio. So go there and run setup.exe. Accept everything, continue, next, etc. Although it asks for restart, I didn't do it. It updates the SoundMax thing and perhaps you have to look for a newer version if this solution doesn't solve your problem.
Second step was to install an enhanced bluetooth controller, which is what finds and pairs the BH-905 with your PC. Link from Lenovo:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-61425
The .exe downloaded from the site also just extract the files. So run the setup.exe located at C:\Drivers\TPBTooth and accept/click next following the instructions on the screen.
This second doesn't ask for reboot, but since the first one did, I did a reboot and when I was up again Windows started to install new Bluetooth drivers. If it doesn't happen, you probably will have to look for another solution, because the drivers Windows set allowed all the stereo connections and services required to make the headphone work.
After all drivers were installed, I just opened the "My Bluetooth Places" from Start menu and followed the Wizard to find and pair my device. Easy like that.
Tested my Skype and Music player and everything is working. Of course we are dealing with technology and devices, so I am expecting to have some sort of issues some time in the next days, but if doesn't happen, better yet. If something come up I'll post here so you'll be aware.
Later.
Gostou? Compre o fone BH-905 na loja virtual da Nokia aqui. Vale muuuuuuuito a pena!
So, I've been exploring the mashup world a little bit (actually, more than ever) and just figured that I have so many user accounts in so many sites and services that I could never count.
And now that it is possible to log in with your Facebook account in almost all of them, I've been finding those lost accounts of me, myself and I from the very beginning of the Internet.
Problem is that it is a waste of time to do so... usually I try to log in with my usual pass... then try to recover with my 5 different usual emails... then I create a new account and if the screen name or username are already taken I just go and see if it is someone other than me.
Seriously, that's how I found like 10 different accounts I've created in 3 or 4 different services. So I am just an non-downloaded or inactive user that these guys just keep trying to activate by sending dozen emails that go straight to my spam box.
Well, there must be a better solution for that, don't you think?
A friend of mine just posted on Facebook a link about Pink Floyd's victory over EMI on digital sales - here's the link in Portuguese and also in English.
At first I got a little mad because as a consumer, it is not fair that I have to buy the whole album when I like just one song - and it has been like this for so long, that when some evolution comes people just want to fight it back?
And I started to list reasons why we should continue with this digital model of selling single tracks allowing people to listen what they want, whenever they want and so on so forth, after all, that's why democracy is for, right?
More thinking...
Well, what about the musicians rights to be paid for their work as they wish? That's also correct, isn't it?
Hummm tricky situation...
So I thought "ok, gonna blog about it..." and started Googling the news in English to get more info and all, and this BBC article starts with "Pink Floyd tracks may be removed from digital music services like iTunes after a High Court ruling". Then it hit me!
Ha! Let Pink Floyd do what they want. It's their music, so they decide how they will be earning their money for that work. As to the consumer's rights, I am way ok, because I have Comes With Music and I can just download the entire album as the band states it has to be, then I delete the tracks I dislike and I still have space on my device for other songs I want - whether entire albums or single tracks ;P
I've paid for my device (yes, even though Nokia employee, I've paid for most - if not all - of my devices), and the labels are paid for the downloads, and so should be the artists.
If it was a CD, I would just skip the track anyway. Same as vinyl... so, why bother?
PS: Nothing against EMI, Pink Floyd, iTunes, or any other instution, person or brand mentioned here. The situation is just funny. Why not just find a reasonable way to let people do what they want without disrespecting each other's space? Let's bring more solution instead of problem to this world!
You probably know that I've been having problems to sleep for quite a long time now. I keep waking during the night and just can't get back to sleep. And guess what I do after 1 hour rolling in the bed? Internet, of course! If you keep track of my posts on Facebook and here, you'll see that every other night I post something in the middle of the night because I woke up and can't go back to sleep. It's just suuuuuper 'productive'!
Anyway, I don't want to talk about sleeping. What I want to talk about is the sort of dream or thought I had last night before I wake up. I was remembering things from my early 20s, or something like that.
Oh, no! That was not it. I was remembering a talk I had with friends at ex-w meeting this week. There's been some couple splitting up and I wasn't aware of it and these two other friends were updating me on the case. And, obviously, I got really upset. More than 5 years of marriage and suddenly one decides that doesn't love the other.
The left one had been sad for a few months and was just getting better with the help of friends and everything. But you could still see that there was something wrong when you looked deep on those eyes. I can tell because I guess I've seen that many times in the mirror for years. And because of it I told my friends that getting hurt is the biggest reason that keeps me away from relationships - it always ends up badly. I always get heartbroken. Statistically, proven, counted, assumed, guaranteed.
And so they look at me kind amazed, both blaming it on me for saying such thing. I felt so small. Didn't realize how stupid I was when said that comment. Of course there are 2 sides to evaluate - even a circle has 2 sides (we can prove it with numbers and everything!!!) so why do I always have to rely on the bad side wondering how things should be?
This happened on Wednesday and last night I had a nightmare (someone arguing with me and I was just quiet, nodding back - argh!) but then I had this sweet dream, which was more like a memory I guess - my 20s memories.
Back then I was already internet addicted - nothing really changed about it from that time to these days - and I met this sweet guy who was sooo funny and sweet to me. And he was always sort of making moves on me, like making lots of compliments, always saying the right things, supporting me, cheering me up. So we've talked a lot on the phone, started a relationship, he came home, met my parents... we've followed the protocols as much as possible. And still, he was always like pleasing me, doing whatever he could to make me happy, and I was like being myself... sometimes spoiled, others behaving like a child, but also being a friend and a girlfriend as I thought it should be like.
Then I started to work at this place and met this other guy... we became friends. He was in a relationship too, so we swear to everyone we were just friends. But we were more than friends only that we weren't aware yet. It took a few weeks to realize that - at least for me to realize. But my boyfriend got it really fast. I always talked about the guy from work, I made them meet and talk a few times - perhaps to avoid one being jealous of other, not sure who exactly - and I tried to carry on with this bizarre love triangle but not really aware of it.
One day BF asked me what intentions did the work guy had about me... shock... What? What do you mean? Intentions for what?
The rest is pretty obvious. BF and I broke up. Work guy and his gf broke up. Work guy and I had a very complicated relationship, breaking up and getting back together several times in the last year it lasted. Harsh.
Nowadays I can say I am over the work guy. What I am not over are the wounds that I got from that relationship. Every now and then I meet someone and the even the smallest wounds I get is added to this giant wound and the whole thing just won't heal. So, yes, that's why I say I'd rather stay alone all the time. You always get hurt. For some people it is easier to heal. Others don't even get wounded, or they would need stronger hits to get hurt. But in my case, small things can make a huge damage.
Then, yes. I've learned to protect myself by using a shield, by not getting involved, by not showing up to my friends with someone else - is there anything worse than explain what happen to that person you were with the other day? Or to your husband/boyfriend? What happened and all when you just want to move on? I hate it. Guess now you can understand me a little better.
And as far as the BF goes, he is doing fine. I chose "Take Care" by Beach House as soundtrack to this post because it reminds me of him in a way. He finished med school, then got a job in a hospital for residence and all that doctor internship and the last thing I heard - he told me because we still talk when we can - he got himself another Gi (Giovanna) and they got married a couple years ago. I believe he's happy and moved on way better than I would possibly do if I were on his shoes. He's a man I admire and respect and look as an example when I think about that time. I am lucky enough, actually, because I have two examples of that time... hehehe. I don't think you'll read this, but if you do, I still have the post card you sent me from Spain when you did your backpack trip. ;)
Enjoy the music.
I've got a lot of things in mind to write about but not much time to actually do it, so I'll try to be objective and short.
This post is about the latest songs I've heard. If you think it is about the last X tracks I've got on my player, you're wrong. I want to talk about the last tracks I've got stick in my brain. You know that songs you listen to and then you think about things and then you cannot stop thinking about those things and it sticks on your mind for a while? That's it.
Kinda harsh, because I've been thinking so so so much lately, but let's get started... ;)
Sereníssima - Legião Urbana
One of my favorites from all the times. Heard it for the first time as a teenager (11 or 12) and I think it still fits to everything in life. "Sou um animal sentimental, me apego facilmente ao que desperta o meu desejo" / "Antes eu sonhava, agora já não durmo". It is all freaking amazing. The MTV live session has this funny moment when girls scream just like in the album version and Renato Russo laughs... and every time I hear it I cannot help thinking how amazing it would be to live with him. Sometimes I wish I could hear his mind...
Faroeste Caboclo - Legião Urbana
Well, I have always been a huge fan of Legião Urbana. I can actually tell when I became fan of them - 1987 after singing "Pais e Filhos" in a kids choir at Seicho-no-ie. As I learned the lyrics I got so impressed with everything Renato wrote that I had to know more about the band. Then I found Faroeste... Amazing! How come someone would dare to sing a political song about drugs, abandonment, violence, love, revenge and much more like that? Maybe the song is not so great, but remember I was like 7 at that time? I was singing the entire song (11 minutes and hundreds of words) on the next day. And I can still sing it right if I avoid creating the hq story in my mind - oh yes, I've heard this song so many times that I've picture this HQ, frame by frame, in my mind... very funny. Too bad I can't draw it to show you...
P.D.A (We just don't care) - John Legend
This one is just awesome... and was the last song I heard tonight, on my way home with the girls... one was like sleeping.. the other was lost on her thoughts and the other was probably paying attention to something else. Then I said I was going to play a John Legend's song they all knew... And they were like "Oh, I know which one it is! I love it!" / "Oh, I got the mp3 on my pc! I love it!" and the other one, the one lost on her thoughts was like "humm what are you talking about? Who is the guy again?". Anyway, the song wasn't even playing and they - except the last one - already knew it. And we four just enjoyed the song as much as possible. Each one with its own thoughts and hopes and dreams. Nice moment.
Oh, and one more thing. The video has this amazing ordinary moments of life like walk holding hands, get a taxi and sit next to each other... small moments that we don't really appreciate as we live it. But those moments are the foundation of relationships and I think that when we stop/avoid these kind of thinks, something is terribly wrong.
The XX - VCR
You know that friend or boyfriend or that someone you've been really closed to and then you are not so close anymore and you miss that person a lot? And it seems that it's been such a long time that some things that you used to do back then can't be done anymore because they don't exist or are not feasible but in fact it could have happened last week or last month? This song makes me think about how much we change and how much we miss the people we used to be and the people we used to be with.I think it is not only about the past itself - what happened, who happened, etc - so it always makes me think about who I was, who I want to be, who I want to be with and these kind of things. Not in a sense that you're always frustrated and disappointed with what you have, but it is just a confirmation that you are evolving and leaving behind some things that you will miss one day...
Well... guess this is it for now.
And to answer a question a friend did the other day "You've been writing so much, such a lot of... different things... what's going on?".
Nothing is going on actually. I have always had a lot in mind and sometimes I feel like writing to put it out. Other times I draw, or take pictures, or just sit in front of the TV... hehehe. Figured that writing is more productive and I've been much more connected lately, listening to new music, learning new things. So it seems easier to get the blog opened and write. Not to mention that I can start one day, finish later... Write many entries at the same day and get them publish when I want... and I am also in love with social media metrics. Not that I have many readers, but Typepad has this tool to measure traffic and I've been checking on it... it's my own Hitbox, you know? ;)
Later.
I just wrote on my Facebook status "Gisele Pereira seeks someone who wants something that doesn't exist but that she thinks she can get... if that someone is not such a dreamer, then he will be left behind... and she'll keep the search as she always did...".
When I wrote that I was thinking that I am a big dreamer. But not the kind of dreamer that loses everything he/she has because of the dream. I am a dreamer because I am always there, thinking how I am going to get what I want. And the result is that I usually get what I want. Luck? Maybe. I believe it comes from my efforts. It is not that I do whatever it takes to get it, but I do what I can... like, if I need money to buy a car, I'll save it. Then I'll plan accordingly so that I can pay for the car.
That goes to everything in life. If you want a better job - work for it! Be a better professional, learn more, pay more attention, grow your network. Want to study? Sit down and do it. No one will do it for you. Hungry? Go get yourself some food... Yes, sometimes we have someone to help out, but the pleasure you get when you do something for yourself is unmeasurable - even for such simple and easy task as getting food.
There are few things in my life I haven't had the chance to get yet. But I have a plan. And I am working towards my objectives. It takes time... it doesn't depend only on me, but I know I can achieve. It will probably be different from what I have in mind, but I'll get it in the end.
And through all these years, some people did not believe in me. They said I was too naive, or that I was silly for trying to get something that didn't really exist. They called me a dreamer as if it was a bad thing. You know what? I I am a dreamer. I am sure that only the people who believed me are still close. They are the ones who I get on the phone to share the latest news - and also my frustrations when it happens.
So, yes, I don't really want people to put me down because they cannot see what I see. I don't want be around people who can't believe in joining forces for a common wish. There's so much to achieve and time is running out. So I'll just continue my way. I still have so much to do!
But don't you think I am so selfish I don't feel sorry or feel sad for leaving people behind. It breaks my heart and hurts deep in my soul. The pain is excruciating. Do know that once a dreamer, always a dreamer. Every now and then I get myself hoping to meet some of these people at my end lane. They probably had to follow different ways to get to the same place, who knows?
By the way, you're here, reading a story about a dreamer, from a person who doesn't sleep?
;)
I've been listening to a lot of new stuff thanks to new friends and Nokia Music Store, of course, and it's about time to post it here. Enjoy.
(links work on IE only as it opens Nokia Music Store for you to preview and download it ;)
Lykke Li
There is more than "Possibility". I like "Dance, dance, dance", "Little bit", "Let it Fall" and "Breaking it up" from Youth Novels. All songs are different from Possibility and very good.
The XX
I guess I love the entire album "xx". The "Intro" is amazing. I always feel like it ends in the best part of it and you want more. Then comes "VCR" - no words for it. "Heart skipped a beat" sometimes makes my heart skip a couple beats, hehe. Then "Basic Space". Well, you gotta listen and tell me what you think.
Muse
It is funny. I had the new album, but can't stop listening to old songs. I guess I'll list what I've been listening lately because it is what I have in mind rather than just try to list new stuff. So, from "Absolution", "Apocalypse Please", "Time is running out", "Stockholm syndrome", "Falling away with you", "Butterflies and hurricanes".
So, what about you? What have you been listening to?
Well, when I was about 7 or 8 years old I used to write letters to my friends at school. Still have some of those letters. We talked about vacation, how much we enjoyed our friendship and other stupid girly things. Letters would take up to 1 week to arrive. And I remember getting very happy when I received them.
Nowadays we have e-mails. And sometimes people come along with it - have you received the email I just sent you? Or a phone ring comes with it - have you seen the e-mail I just sent you? Not to mention a post on Twitter, a message on IMs and so on so forth.
And in not a so long past there were carrier pigeons. I think the youngers don't even know what it is. But they probably would use it if they were in South Africa trying to download/upload a file using local DSL connection.
And thanks to the carrier pigeon, Moraes Moreira created this lovely song "Pombo correio" which I just understood the lyrics and found it super cute.
Pombo correio - by Moraes Moreira
Pombo correio, voa depressa
E esta carta leva para o meu amor
Leva no bico que eu aqui fico esperando
Pela resposta que é pra saber
Se ela ainda gosta de mim
Pombo correio, se acaso um desencontro
Acontecer não perca nem um só segundo
Voar o mundo se preciso for
O mundo voa mas me traga uma noticia boa
Pombo correio, voa ligeiro
Meu mensageiro e essa mensagem de amor
Leva no bico que eu aqui fico cantando
Que é pra espantar essa tristeza
Que a incerteza do amor traz
Pombo correio, nesse caso lhe conto
Por estas linhas a que ponto quer chegar
Meu coração o que mais gosta
Voltar pra mim seria assim a melhor resposta
Pombo correio, voa depressa
E esta carta leva para o meu amor
Leva no bico que eu aqui fico esperando
Pela resposta que é pra saber
Se ela ainda gosta de mim
Pombo correio, se acaso um desencontro
Acontecer não perca nem um só segundo
Voar o mundo se preciso for
O mundo voa mas me traga uma noticia boa
Pombo correio, voa ligeiro
Meu mensageiro e essa mensagem de amor
Leva no bico que eu aqui fico cantando
Que é pra espantar essa tristeza
Que a incerteza do amor traz
Pombo correio, nesse caso lhe conto
Por estas linhas a que ponto quer chegar
Meu coração o que mais gosta
Voltar pra mim seria assim a melhor resposta
If you don't speak Portuguese, the song is about a guy who talks to the carrier pigeon asking him to take a letter to his beloved girl as fast as possible. The guy asks the pigeon to fly the world and bring back the answer because he needs to know if she still loves him. So he's telling all of that to the pigeon so him can hurry up and take the letter to the woman and bring the answer back because the urgently needs to know if she still loves him.
Loved it!
It sucks. I am usually fine when I have no access to the internet – basically when there is something I don’t want to do – but when there is something interesting or when I’ve got something started (game, new research, downloads, etc) I just go crazy without it.
It is not that I need to be online 24x7x365, but I need it to be there to whenever I feel like opening my computer and get online. When I am not able to do it, I just keep seeking ways of doing so. Like in the last 48 hours. I am in a city which the population is less than 4k and there is no phone nor internet in the house I am in. Ok, I am in the middle of nowhere, with lots of mountains and signal shadows so even TV doesn’t work, and the next civilization kind of thing takes 10-15 minutes to drive to.
Cell phones barely work and certain operators work every now and then. In one of these moments my brother received an urgent call and had to attend an emergency request from one of his clients. So he headed up to the ‘city’ as we call it, and found a lan house. Yes, those little shops with booths with computers connected to the internet and you can use it for a little money, you know? Something that never occurred to me!
Anyway, he did his thing, came back and told me the connection was ok and he did the job in a couple hours, downloaded with very decent speed and blablabla. Bang! What on hell was I doing still inside the house instead of heading up to that lan house to get connected to do my things?
Blah, it was late at night and I could only go there early today.
Well, I did it. Spent like 2 hours in the morning checking e-mails, talking to people, answering emails, checking my FB… regular stuff. Couple of hours just to do my “start the day” activities. Time was up. The guy behind the counter nicely warned me he had to close the shop as he was hungry and would have his 1 hour lunch time. *&^%$ Why do people need to eat? I was just getting started!
So, I closed my notebook, headed to the coffee shop we always go to and stayed there, waiting for my ride to get back home. I would definitely come back later to continue whatever it was that I wanted to do!
As I waited, could not help and checked all the available access points in the city – a couple with password (1 from the same lan house I was in, but with different password) and the others from a network with no internet access. Easy to get in, but useless since I could not get to the router or whatever to go to the internet. Would need more time to crack the thing and find something useful.
Also tried the phone – both Vivo and Claro worked well – but that wasn’t any interesting since either me or the company I work for would have to pay and also because it was too easy to get connected.
Came back home, then headed back to the lan house. Did my email, FB again… all the getting started things. Then was kicked out by the guy – time to call it a day! Amazing how these guys in the country side work very short hours…
Back to the farm house, started to play with my phones. Some signal showed up on Vivo, but not on Claro… played a little more, switched SIM cards and ended up with VIVO on N97. Tried to connect again and it finally worked. Well, not really. Although connected, no data was being transferred. Cool. Something else to figure out.
Tried this and that and got it all working. Did my mail, FB, and then decided to post something about how the internet addiction makes you work towards your objective. I got connected, but I don’t really have more time to do what I wanted to do. Did other things instead (my friend Guilherme would say I did a good job procrastinating!) but I finally figured out how to make internet to work here in the end of the world.
Funny thing is it probably won’t work next time I try and if it does, I’ll have to keep it secret to avoid sharing with others – I still have my things to do! Even though not knowing exactly what it is.
:)
hummm não sei bem como funciona essa história de compartilhar posts do Typepad para o Twitter e vice-versa. Mas, vamos testar né?
Post #1
Se você é dono de um cachorro que pertence a uma das raças perigosas por favor leia esse aviso.
Nunca deixe seu cachorro sozinho com uma criança sem alguém para cuidar em nenhuma circunstância. Um minuto foi o suficiente para acontecer o que aconteceu na foto abaixo.
If you own a dangerous dog, please pay attention to this note.
Never leave your dog with an unattended child. It took only 1 minute for this to happen.
http://tecnologia.uol.com.br/celulares-telefonia/ultnot/2009/07/02/ult6061u33.jhtm
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