Technology Part 1: No Integrity

This is going to be incredibly shocking for some people, but I just got my first "smartphone" a few weeks ago.  Up until then I still had a flip phone with 12 keys.  I used it sparingly for talk and text, it had no data.  Now I have a windows phone and I use it a whole lot more, but not as a phone.  The only reason I updated at all was because no one sells good phones anymore without data plans.  The normal cell phone has been phased out and it's frustrating.

I needed a phone.  I didn't need a touch screen device with games, apps, internet, GPS or music that also happens to have a calling feature.  I have my iPod touch for that (sorta).  I love my windows phone, but it's more than I needed.  And Google doesn't support it, which means I can't update this blog or watch YouTube on the go, at least not with an app like I can do with my touch.

The other issue I have with modern technology is how cheaply it's made.  I have three iPods.  My oldest one is a 16GB 1st generation touch, the second one is a 6th generation nano, and the third is the 5th generation touch.  Do you want to guess which one works fine and which ones have given me issues?  Don't bother, I'll tell you.

• My 1stGen touch is my most reliable.  All his buttons work, even though the sleep/wake button requires a bit of a harder press, which probably means it will stop working soon.  That's ok though, he's probably about 5 years old and looks brand new.  Unfortunately, his OS doesn't support any newer apps and he doesn't have a camera.  I still use him regularly for music, internet and music.
• My nano has given me the most trouble.  I got him free about one and a half to two years ago after they recalled a batch of 1stGen nanos, of which my older nano was listed.  He stopped working at the three month mark.  His design is touch screen with sleep/wake and volume buttons and a clip on the back.  I used him, clipped to my shorts, for running and on trips for music as he was incredibly portable.  It was on one of these trips when his sleep/wake button stopped working.  Research revealed Apple uses only one small piece of double sided tape to hold the button shim in place and use eventually wears it out, allowing the shim to shift and the button to stop working.  Because this model has no menu button, the only way to wake it was to plug it into a power source, which is no use when running or traveling.
• I just got my second 5thGen touch in the mail today.  My first one was gifted to me last Christmas and had a warranty.  It was perfect until about a month and a half ago, when the menu button stopped working.  We sent it in and got it replaced.  We'll see how this one does.

Now I know a lot of kids whose phones and iPods have taken a beating.  I've seen cracked screens, heard stories of devices dropped in water and even one flip phone completely broken in half.  My own brother went through two more phones than me. All of my devices, phones or iPods, are still in pristine, box-worthy, functioning condition.  The number of times I've dropped all of my devices combined (Three phones, 4 iPods) can probably be counted on my fingers.  I've never ruined a device.  The only reason any of them were replaced was necessity, for example:

• My first phone wasn't supported when we switched networks.  It has been donated.
• My second phone worked fine, but siblings complained about their phones, so we upgraded and switched networks again.  I still have this phone, the only thing wrong with it was some of the paint was chipped.  This phone was dropped the most and went the most places, it was well loved.
• My 1stGen nano was replaced because of a recall.  I regret returning it because my second nano was such a failure and now I don't have a comfortable, portable device to take on runs.
• My 1stGen touch was not replaced, I still use it.  The reason I got a second touch was because I was going off to college and my parents wanted me to have a device I could facetime and message with, as well as take pictures.  Plus I wanted newer apps that my 1stGen didn't support.  This was before the idea of a new phone was considered.

 Now I've bounced this idea off some friends and family, and most of them agree with me: today's devices and appliances are designed to fail.  They're designed to fail reliably, right after the standard warranty expires.  This is true of our previous TV, this is true of my 6thGen nano, and it's likely true of my 5thGen touch which my father covered with an extended warranty.  Food for thought if you're unsure about this: there's a setting on modern touches and iPhones called "AssistiveTouch."  It causes a small round button to appear on the screen that functions like the menu button.  Unfortunately, it is annoying and gets in the way, I used it on my 5thGen touch while waiting to mail it.

But why would we even need this setting?  We have a physical menu button.  The only reason I can think of for this setting is that Apple expects the menu button to fail, and it expects it to fail when most people don't have warranty, because most people don't pay extra for the extended warranty.  This fact is what most modern companies are counting on.  We pay them a lot of money for something, and if we want extra protection we pay more money.  That extra money would probably cover standard repair costs in the future anyway, which mean we're paying them to repair something before it breaks.

As consumers, we don't want to spend the extra money.  We tell ourselves that we'll take good care of it, use it properly so it won't break.  But if my iPod troubles are any example, it won't matter if we lock it in a waterproof safe and only take it out for intended, proper use.  It's going to fail.

Weekly Update: Boredom

So I mentioned in my last post how all my former classmates have already started college, and how my siblings started school last week.  Well now, without anyone around to talk to, I'm incredibly bored. I don't handle boredom well.  I mope, whine and complain.  So this is what I've been doing over the past few days to try and fend off boredom:

• Read:  I've read two 500+ page books in two days.  I'm reading a third tomorrow then probably buying the forth of the series along with some other books on my reading list.  I also might read a book I own that's used at SCAD as a textbook.  I'm gonna read a textbook.  And also fanfiction...
• Watch TV: But not really.  There is very little on daytime television that interests me.  Instead I've been downloading and streaming Smallville episodes on the computer.  I never watched this series before, I kinda like it.
• Watch Movies: I saw John Carter.  It was terrible, I can see why it was such a flop.  I almost watched The Avengers again, but then I was to lazy to put in the disk.  I also streamed Kung Fu Panda 2 off the internet.  Hey, I'm an art student, what did you expect?
• Work Out:  This means go for a run daily, wish I had a working iPod nano instead of a bulky touch that I have to carry around in a running waist pack, also wish I was in better shape, then wish it wasn't so hot in August in Florida, then get in the pool and complete a pitiful attempt at aquatic strength training.
• Sleep: Again, not really.  I stay up late watching Smallville then sleep late, so it only feels like I'm killing time, but I'm not actually doing it.
• Check Facebook too Often: I've used FB more this summer than I ever have since I first got an account.  It makes the boredom worse because I see friends post stuff from college, and other younger friends post stuff from high school.  I'm in school limbo.  It's boring.
• Use Facebook Some More: To play Marvel: Avengers Alliance and imagine how exciting my life would be if I was an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D....and then wish the TV show was debuting earlier than September 24th because Coulson lives!
• RP: It requires proper grammar, an imagination, patience, teamwork and time.

I'm really bored.  I just want to go to college already. 17 more days...

Old Friends

So obviously leading up to college lots of things change, we prepare for and expect that as the next step in life hits us.  Last week and this week are move in weeks for most of my former classmates' colleges.  I've seen countless before and after dorm pictures on my Facebook feed, and I'm feeling a bit left out but also a bit rueful.  SCAD students don't move in until September, my particular scheduled move in day is the 12th, so I get to hang out at home almost a month more than they do.

This extra time means I get to visit with old friends and teachers from my high school, because my siblings start school this upcoming week.  This opportunity really hit home for me because I was contacted by an old friend (lets call her L), someone I hadn't seen in several years.

L and I had been good friends, we liked a lot of the same things, hung out and talked at lunch and just spent time together.  It was just the two of us.  Going into junior year of high school, she switched schools and the transition was kind of hard for both of us.  I was used to it being just us two, so I had to find a new group of friends to hang with; not an easy task in high school.  I was successful, but I was never as close with the new group as I was with L, I just never felt they would understand me quite like her, so I closed down a bit.

On the other hand, L had been counting on her other friend T to help her out with the transition, which was probably daunting considering the new school was bigger and she knew nobody except T.  The exact opposite happened.  T gave L the cold shoulder at first, but was then downright mean to L; they are no longer friends.  I was upset when I had heard this, because L was the type of friend you feel is an easy target for bullying: she's physically small and likes some things that aren't mainstream popular, and I had always been there to protect her.  She probably didn't really need my protection, she'd always been strong willed and content with herself,  but I still worried.  L, of course, settled in just fine and we communicated sporadically.

We never managed to get together and actually see each other until now, and it was great.  She brought S, a new friend of hers whom I had spoken to but never seen or met.  We hung out twice over the last three days and caught up.  The timing was impeccable because she's leaving today and by the time she returns, I'll be adjusting to my classes in Savannah.  So I wrote this to her, as well as to her friend and my new acquaintance S, to wish them luck in their future endeavors.

Leave a comment if you have a best friend you miss or haven't seen recently.

Weekly Update: Stuff

Hello readers, followers and browsers!  As promised in my last post, I'm updating on weekends primarily.  This week, our topic is Stuff.  By stuff, I mean material items we buy in stores.  Going to college, I've discovered, requires a lot of stuff.

I've always loved lists.  I've created to-do lists, packing lists, itineraries, and gift lists as well as lists of things to remember, which is like a hybrid between a packing and a to-do list.  Obviously SCAD sent out a packing list, but I wasn't prepared for just how long it would be or how much we'd actually have to spend to fulfill it.

Some things are more obvious, like linens, lighting and laundry stuff; others aren't.  Most stuff I grew up taking for granted, little things like hangars and toilet paper as well as larger things like a shower curtain and a vacuum cleaner.  I was stressing out at the store, trying to decide which bathroom rug I wanted because it had to be practical and machine washable, but also functional and reasonably priced.

At SCAD, the dorms are all former hotels that were gutted and renovated for students.  As a result, they are quite large compared to some other colleges, this is good and bad.  My roommate and I have our own room and bathroom that we have to maintain, because SCAD students don't get cleaning staff.  We have to wash the shower, the sink and the toilet as well vacuum the floors if we don't want our room to be gross.  This detail added a whole new level to the list by way of purchasing cleaning supplies.

I currently have three larger Rubbermaid tubs filled with stuff taking up room in the hallway of my house, we're not done with the list, I haven't even packed clothes yet, and I'm debating purchasing a small table or desk.  Do not underestimate the cost of stuff when leaving for college, and also talk with your roommate about who's bringing the items you only need one of.

Question for comments: Have you ever been overwhelmed with stuff?

About the Blogger

So I'm Abbie, which you may have grasped from the last post, and you already know I'm going to college and that I like to write.  I'm sure though, since you'll be hearing from me, you want to know what to expect to hear.  So here's what I hope will be a good summary of me and the blog.

About Me:

• I'll be attending SCAD starting next month, see previous for acronym explanation.  So yes, I'm a wacky art student, but maybe not as wacky as some.  As of now, I'm planning to study animation, but people change their majors and I could also see myself studying visual effects.
• I'm not huge into the Japanese anime scene (many art students are), so you won't have to worry about that stuff appearing all over my blog.  But I am into American animation, particularly superhero or action animated shows and animated box-office movies.
• I like all types of animals, except insects and arachnids, and know a lot of scientific stuff about all kinds of topics (particularly animals).  My non-internet friends call me a walking encyclopedia (really, if you ever meet them you can ask, they'll confirm it) because I know so much and have a tendency to spout scientific information without noticing.
• I love horses in particular, and if everything works out I might be on the equestrian team at SCAD.  I also read, write (duh), make art (duh), exercise, listen to awesome music and daydream.  I think daydreaming and other forms of zoning out come with artistic people as a general rule.
• I'm a Christian, but I realize not everyone is, and this isn't a Christianity-focused blog, so don't worry about it.  However you can be assured that I won't use strong language and that I'll keep this blog mostly PG, I'd like my readers to do the same.

About the Blog:

• This is a blog about me and my college experiences at an art college, which in certain aspects will be different than other people and other types of colleges.
• Once school starts I plan on doing weekly updates, because this blog was conceived under the assumption that my family members can look here to keep track of me and my health and safety.
• If the weekly updates don't work or are too long, I'll break them up differently.  They should include pictures of my life, my art, my friends, my interests and anything else I choose to include.
• I plan to have a monthly poll and if I get enough followers that people want a different poll more often, I can change it.  If you guys have other ideas for interacting with my readers, please voice them, I want to include you guys.

So that's what you should expect to expect.  I'll start my first weekly post next weekend since that's when I plan on doing weekly updates anyway.  That'll give you guys a good idea of what a weekly post will look like.

Intro To The SmArt Kid

Welcome to The SmArt Kid!  I'm Abbie (note: it is "ie" not "y"), the creator, master controller and brilliance behind this small internet domain.

I created this blog primarily because I'm about to head off to college; I'm really excited, but there's so much to keep track of, so the more I can get done at once, the better.  With that idea in mind, I chose to blog so my friends and family can keep track of me, and also so I don't have to send ten e-mails or make ten phone calls to tell everyone basically the same thing: "Hey, I'm good, college is great, etc, etc, blah blah blah, I love you bye."

I know what you're thinking.  "But Abbie, why not just send a mass e-mail or connect them to Facebook or something?"  A valid question indeed, to which I have several answers:

1. I like to write, I tend to write a lot, and my e-mails are usually very thorough and long, to the point where they began to remind me of blog posts anyway.
2. I exempted my general ed writing classes because of AP Test Scores in AP Composition courses.  This is great news because I don't like being told what to write or how much to write, and also because courses cost money.  I do like to write though, so I need an excuse to.
3. I sound a lot cooler and express messages in better, more organized ways when writing than out loud.
4. I'm not just going to any college, I'm going to the Savannah College of Art and Design, henceforth known as SCAD, and there isn't a lot of inside information available on some important questions about going to art school.  I'd like to help remedy that.
5. If my blog is good, I might get money, and who am I to say no to some extra cash for college?

So fingers crossed then, the blog has been built and christened, stay tuned for more about me and what to expect from this blog in tomorrows blog post.