technology

Anne of Green Gables at Christmas

L. M. Montgomery can’t be here to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings or Happy Holidays. But, Anne of Green Gables continues to bring us kindred and Christmas spirits in this book of Christmas stories. Anne is not in every story, the book is a collection of short stories in the Christmas theme, all written by L. M. Montgomery, two of them are taken from the Anne of Green Gables series.

I have loved Anne of Green Gables since I read the first book as a little girl. Every book in the series continues the story of Anne. Starting as an orphan sent to the wrong home. Then going to school and meeting her best friend, Diana and her nemesis (at the time) Gilbert Blythe. Later Anne and Gilbert marry and have children and a home again at Green Gables. But, it is a long journey from her early days as an orphan beloved by the old brother and sister, Matthew and Marilla.

L.M. Montgomery wrote more than the Anne of Green Gables books. This Christmas collection gives a glimpse of her other characters and stories. Each of the stories can be read by children or adults but Lucy Maud did write some stories for adults, people already grown up and facing the world and life as an adult. I hope more of her grown up stories get into reprints.

One thing I always like about reading classic stories is the history taken from life at the time. Not imagined or recreated but actually lived. Life before computers and technology. When cars were new and phones were not something you carried around in your pocket. More than just technology has changed our modern life, however. Before people had so much less and had to make more of what they needed versus getting it replaced at the store. I like reading about such a different life, written by the woman who lived in those days and that age. Classic books not only give us a story but a record of history and life in the past.

Start the New Year with the whole Anne of Green Gables series.

The New Working Grrl

nophonegrrl

The new job is a call centre. Taking phone calls to help people with digital TV and phone for a company in Florida. No one is supposed to know they are talking to someone in Ontario, they prefer to let them assume we are all local. Which is fine by me. I’m not expecting to get really chummy with anyone on the phone.

I think the job will be ok. Talking to seniors who are intimidated or just want to avoid technology while still getting it all to work, like magic. A few callers about billing and the odd other issue which isn’t repair related but they just picked the first number in the list of suggestions rather than waiting to talk to the right person. In our case the repair number is #1 on the list so we transfer quite a few calls.

Tomorrow is the last day of the first week of training. That will be nice. Training is mainly listening to the same stuff over and over. It gets tedious. Plus, I think the things which will most confuse me have been brushed over. I’m assuming this is mainly because you can’t really illustrate things until you are actually doing them.

I plan to start taking the local bus to work on Monday. Mom has been taking the car so she can go swimming at the YMCA in the afternoons. Later, I will get a car for myself. Still have to get that licence upgrade to the G2. Another little nagging project. The bus seems to be ok. I just need to take one which goes right past our house to the bus terminal in town which is fairly close to where I am working. I was dreading it, thinking I would end up transferring to several buses on several little routes just to get anywhere. One bus is not bad at all.

Headache today from listening with the phone headset on. I remember getting headaches the same way when I was telemarketing in the US. Hope it doesn’t last. Will really make the day drag on and on and feel stale if I am headachy all day.

Which Useless Man are You?

16912

You are ONE USELESS MAN
You are ONE USELESS MAN
Take Which Useless Man are you? today!
Created with Rum and Monkey ‘s Personality Test Generator .

You are ONE USELESS MAN, an overbearing dictator who loves ranting and food. Technology advances make him happy, despite thinking the machines are still run by mice or midgets. Not that it matters, since you believe God is in charge of all creation, and if He wants to crash your computer, He’ll send lightning to fry your hard drive. Mostly, if you are ONE USELESS MAN, it is because you are a closet jerk. A happy-to-hide-behind-the-closed-windows-of-your-Metro jerk, but still a jerk.

Magic and Technology

Arthur C. Clarke – “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

This is a good quote, related to what has been my favourite quote for a long time. I think it may change though. I don’t feel as connected to it any more.

“The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” – Eden Phillpotts

Ontario Web Designers?

Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario

I want to keep track of this link but not get sidetracked by it right now. I’ve been looking for any groups, organizations or associates of people who work in web design in Ontario. Not a lot of luck so far.

This is interesting too but not really what I need at the moment.

The Software Human Resource Council (SHRC) is a not-for-profit sector council, working with industry, education, associations and government to address employment issues that affect information technology workers at all points of their career paths, in all sectors of the Canadian economy.