My Mini Laptop

NOTE: This post could potentially be seen as a product review. I have not been paid or asked for this review. This is based on my real experiences with the product.

A couple years ago my husband bought me a mini Dell Inspiron 910 for Christmas. It's cute, really cute. It's smaller than a typical spiral-bound notebook. I was a little apprehensive at first because it runs on Ubuntu. I know nothing of any OS beyond MS (yes, I'm one of those people). It also has Open Office instead of MS Office. I taught a course on MS Office for 2 years, so to say that I am familiar with the software is an understatement. Thus far, these qualities are not too much of a hurdle any more.

I have been able to get online in a pinch (if I can find a free wi-fi connection, such as in my local library) and I can do some moderate editing work with Open Office from anywhere I choose to take the little guy. It has actually proven to be a sanity life-line for me. I no longer feel as tied down to my PC as I used to. This is great because the computer room is either dominated by my husband--he likes to use my computer chair as a foot rest--or horribly hot because of all the equipment in there (we have a number of PCs running, plus the television and printers, etc.) and oftentimes unbearable. Plus, I tend to get less work done on my main PC because it has so many games. :-)

While my little laptop is not as powerful as a full PC or a full laptop, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps because of this I can get more work done. I have fewer distractions and more motivation to get straight to work. Plus, such as on a day like today, when our Internet inadvertently goes down it's much easier to take my little guy, along with my little girl, out to the local book store or library and reconnect to the online world.

I think I've decided to name my little laptop Gir. It's a thing for me. If an inanimate object annoys me or proves itself invaluable, I feel compelled to give it a name. Gir is compact, cute, humorous, and comes through in a pinch. Though, sometimes he does go off on the deep end a little, much like the sometimes-too-sensitive touch pad mouse on my little laptop. But I've learned to accept that and work around it.

I love my Gir and I'm happy my husband decided to get it for me.

Arm & Hammer Kid's Spinbrush My Way

Okay, that last post was a little preachy (though true). I did have another thing I'm grateful for today. [NOTE: This is NOT a paid endorsement or advertisement! This is an honest encounter with a real-life product.]

My daughter has been begging me for an electronic toothbrush for months. I've been reluctant because I didn't want to waste money on a product she was not likely to use, especially when there are much cheaper ignorable options available (like the free toothbrush we get from the dentist at our regular check-ups). Well, I was in a relatively good mood and I felt like encouraging her creativity, so I gave in and purchased this product. As soon as we got home she opened up the package and decorated it in her own style. She likes the idea of the "waterproof" stickers. My daughter was so happy with the gadget that she even said "I'm going to go brush my teeth now, since I forgot to brush them this morning." I was astounded! First of all, I usually get the usual lie--"Yes, Mom" or something like that--when I ask if she brushed her teeth. Second, I didn't even have to suggest it to her. She came up with it on her own! This could be the magic wand I needed in order to reduce future orthodontic bills for my darling's smile. We'll see, but I have hope.