Learning New Things

I’ve learned a lot the past few days. The new monitor I had ordered—an Apple 27″ Cinema Display— came Friday, so I spent some time reviewing how to unhook and rehook cables, etc. Then I learned the new monitor doesn’t have any better resolution than my old one when I use my Macbook Pro (which I use as a desktop in my study). Who would have guessed? The display of the new monitor is spectacular with our with our desktop Mac Pro, so we’re using it there.
 
1-06-13-Sammy-and-Montana-with-Bandage
 
Then Kaitlin sent the above picture of Sammy and Montana with her new bandage. Montana injured a pad before Christmas and it’s been slow to heal correctly. I finally had the sense to ask, why, if it’s a foot pad, is the bandage on her leg? It turns out dogs have carpal pads, presumably used to help them stop when they’re running. I didn’t know that!
 
250px-Paw_and_pads
Right front paw of dog showing A) claw, B) digital pads, C) metacarpal pad, D) dew claw, E) carpal pad.
From Wikipedia.
 
Finally, I decided it was time to recycle my old Dell desktop computer. It’s over eight years old and I haven’t used it in about four. It turns out Dell makes it easy to recycle–just fill out a form with the Service (ID) Tag, print out a FedEx label, box up the computer and call FedEx to pick it up. That meant taking out my hard drive for security—easy to do thanks to the internet—and then (my choice) disassembling the hard drive so I can render it useless. That’s taking quite a bit of time but it’s interesting and I’m learning a lot.
 

dell-computer
Inside of the computer.
 
maxtor-hard-drive
The hard drive..
 
Anyway, that’s how I’ve been amusing myself. What have you been doing for fun?

Thanks to Mike, Rummuser, Evan, Nick, tammy, bikehikebabe, Cathy and Ursula for commenting on last week’s post.
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9 Responses to Learning New Things

  1. Rummuser says:

    Mostly reading more than I had been the last year. Some very interesting books have come my way and I am taking my time reading and learning from them. I have also been eating out quite a lot.

  2. Cathy in NZ says:

    I’m always having fun…occasionally I have to do something serious but not at the moment (hopefully)…

    Although on saying that some fun has been curtailed in the last few days hip muscle pulled and really hasn’t been pleasant but with pandering and pampering I think we are really on the homeward stretch…so I’m going out soon (day trip, not decided on destination)

    Whilst, I was domiciled at home (more) I was quite busy with art-making to a point where I have a lot of “nearly done for now” paper with coloured stuff on…AND reading, tidying up some of the art related books that are hanging around here!

  3. bikehikebabe says:

    I just learned about a dog’s carpal pad.
    Here’s another Gee Whiz fact. All the pads of golden retrievers are tender. One I took on a rocky hike got bloody pads. My sister’s had shoes I had to strap on to walk in San Diego. They came off easily & I had to go back searching.

  4. Dixie says:

    There’s a huge park near my home called, “The Ribbon Walk.” Lot’s of trails, ponds, beaver damns, and evergreen beauty.
    It would be great to have a dog… if I could handle one. They usually ‘walk’ me!

  5. Jean says:

    Rummuser,
    I’m guessing you’re also enjoying socializing with your friends, now that you have a lot more chance to do it.

    Cathy,
    You’re a kindred spirit. I can’t think of anything more fun than working on creative projects.

    bikehikebabe,
    Sammy, the one with some retriever in him, has trouble with snow and ice getting between his toes. Montana may have sliced her pad on their stonework in the backyard. She does love to run.

    Dixie,
    That sounds gorgeous! I love seeing dogs—it always lifts my spirits—but I don’t want one of my own. I’m too much of a sucker for soulful looks. I would worry I wasn’t taking it for enough walks, giving it enough stimulation.

  6. >Right front paw of dog showing A) claw, B) digital pads, C) metacarpal pad, D) dew claw, E) carpal pad.
    >From Wikipedia.
    – Whaddya know? They all have names.

    I often play with my dogs’ and cats’ (they have ‘em, too!) dew claws (what a cute name!) and carpal pads and assumed them to be vestigial structures. I did not ponder about their function at one time.

    >It turns out Dell makes it easy to recycle–just fill out a form with the Service (ID) Tag, print out a FedEx label, box up the computer and call FedEx to pick it up.
    – Go, Dell! I wish this were standard practice with practically everything we purchase.

    Kate

  7. Jean says:

    Kate,
    I had assumed dew claws were vestigial too—I did know about those—but one theory is they help the animal make fast turns. Again, I didn’t know that! 😀

  8. tammy j says:

    LOLOL! what i’ve been doing for fun… well… i sure as heck have NOT been taking apart computers! you are amazing.
    i have been loving every minute of getting ready for my move to the new studio apartment! closing is on 1/25 and i get keys to my apt on 1/18! yay. the roof on wee blink bonnie has to be replaced. and of course… after a two year drought it is now raining ~ and supposed to continue for 4 days.
    i single handedly broke the drought. LOL.
    i LOVE that picture of little sammy and montana. what absolutely beautiful granddoggies you have. and . . . i learned so much on this post! as i usually do.
    in the Murrah bombing here ~ when they used dogs to rescue and find people buried ~ they had to send for ‘boots’ for the rescue dogs. their feet were being cut terribly. it was so sad.
    they soldiered on. and when the boots came ~ they wore them bravely and continued their work. wonderful dogs. how i love all of them.

  9. Jean says:

    tammy,
    Yes, the grandpuppies (well, in dog years Sammy is almost as old as I am) are adorable and that’s a great picture of them. Yes, I’m impressed too by search and rescue dogs. I know a woman who years ago went with her dog down to help with the aftermath of a tornado in Oklahoma. She said the owners had to let the dogs go off by themselves to rest because people wanted to talk to them and the poor dogs were exhausted. I recently listened to an audio book entitled The Scent of the Missing by a woman who trained her dog for S and R. She pointed out the dogs not only had to have good searching skills, they had to like people and appear friendly and nonthreatening. It wouldn’t do to traumatize the survivors any more than they already were!

    I’m so happy for you about your new apartment!

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