Sunday, February 25, 2007

It's me ...

                     

     Just checking in to say, it's official ... I'm no longer on dial up and, I'm no longer paying for AOL.

     Thanks to all of the good advice that you guys left in the comment threads of my last entry, I was able to breeze through the process of converting my paid dial up account that I've had for over 10 years now, to a free broadband account.

     It was simple really. I just clicked on live support and through a chat session, had someone from AOL walk me through the conversion process.

     Obviously they did try to sell me on several different options for a new plan that would save me money. To that I just insisted that all I wanted was help with the conversion.

     This very well may be the first time I've ever needed to use support during the last 10 years, so not having it in the future, should be no big deal.

     I still sign on the way I always have in the past, it just says broadband for location now. It's amazing how much faster everything moves with cable, and the best part ... I no longer have to pay AOL to hang their banner ads in my journal.

     See you around ... I do plan to spend more time here soon.

                                        

 

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Last of the Dinosaurs ...

     No, not the iguana in the photo below (how cute is that face)? It's me ... I am feeling a lot like a dinosaur these days. I don't know if I've mentioned before how much I hate change? I do ... I always have ... I always will.                            

                               

    I have no problem admitting that I crave stability and predictability, I'm happiest when the rhythm of my day to day life stays pretty much the same. For me, it allows the most possibility for creativity in my life when the day to day stuff is under control.
    I know that this is polar opposite of how many people feel, most of the creative people I know are at their best in the midst of the madness. You know ... creative expression of chaos and all.
    Not me, I tend to sort of shut down creativity when things around me seem a little out of my control and this past year has been a perfect example of that. There have been so many huge changes in my life, everything from my career to my kids all being grown and away from home, (far away from home). And for me ... I've had to stay very focused on getting settled in to my new routine.
     It's no secret (as so many of you have taken time to point out), that I spend very little time here in J Land these days. Although, being busy and focused elsewhere is one of the biggest reasons I haven't been around much, it's not the only reason. Here comes the dinosaur part.
     I have been a member of AOL for over 10 years now, being part of this community has always been very important to me. As upset as I was about the whole banner ad thing I still stayed when so many of my friends jumped ship, lifetime AOL'er right?
     Truth is it's not so much a brand loyalty issue ... it's more the lack of interest and drive to figure out how to switch providers and still keep my journal. I remember how difficult it was for some of you to figure things out when you switched to AIM (before the whole free AOL thing).
    It's way past time for me to make some changes and move out of the dark ages. In a couple of days, I'll be getting my new dell notebook and will be switching from dial up to cable/wireless. YAY!!! I told you I was among the last of the dinosaurs. (a slooooooow dial up system has made it much less fun to write, as you might imagine)
     Anyone have any advice on what I'll have to do to access Dancing in the Rain once I terminate my long overdue contract with AOL?
     AOL is free now, right? I am one of the very few still paying for dial up right? Anyway ... don't want to loose my journal, my friends or my e mail address. Any help would be appreciated