12.07.2008

For Yooo-oo-oo-uuuuu--uu-uu

There is a iPod nano commercial and Grackle just figured out some the first part of the lyrics 
G: Ohhhh, 'I tried to do handstands for you'
Me: yeah. 
G: What is that song? Who is it by?
Me: I dunno...you should buy that other iPod that has the application to ID songs, hold it up to this iPod commercial to find out the song 
G: Yeah, good plan....goooood plan.

This little exchange brings me to 2 topics.
1) My computer is getting older and is slowing down a lot. I'm thinking of switching to a Mac. I have used and liked them before, but have never been in a position where it was an option due to finances. Is there anyone who has used a Mac and didn't like it? 

2) The little exchange with Grackle is typical for us. The mundane, but hilarious (to us, at least) things that make up our days together. I love these things because we've done long distance before (two different 8 month periods spent 3000 miles away) and these little things are what I miss most. With my graduation and new position we will again be doing long distance. My postdoc is at a university about 2.5 hours from our current home and university. If he stays on schedule, he should graduate in 2.5 years. So, it is a longer period of time, but relatively close. I figure we will be able to see each other at least every 2 weeks (outside of field seasons when we travel). 
Our situation is interesting not only because it is challenging to us, but because it challenges a lot of people's perceptions of what we should be doing. Despite being the woman and 7 years younger than Grackle, I am more advanced in my academic career and have been the one to strike out geographically. Our first bout of long distance was because I was secured to go to PhD town while he stayed to finish a degree. Grackle then followed me to PhD town. The second long distance stint was due to my project and funding. Now again, I am the one to move out away from our home. Family members and many friends don't understand why we would do this (or as some put it, 'why he lets' me do these things). As much as we love our life together, we know that where and how we live right now is not permanent. Ultimately, we will settle somewhere together and hopefully both have jobs that make us happy. Dealing with the long distance now will put us in a better position for that long term goal and that makes it worth it.

Somebody please remind me of this in about 3 months when I haven't seen Grackle in a month and am a miserable, complaining mess!

8 comments:

Amanda@Lady Scientist said...

(1) I love my mac. Entirely and completely.
(2) I got a lot of that when Dr. Man left for his intern year. Some relatives didn't know why he "let" me continue on with school. Sigh. I wish you and the Grackle all the best.

Eugenie said...

Is there anyone who has used a Mac and didn't like it?



Good question.. I'd like to know the answer to that one too!

My family's first computer was a mac (back in '93), we had a iMac (a la iFruit) and switched over to dell computers which did not live very long (the older macs still work, and dells are long dead). My laptop has been very very good to me.

Sure, Mac's only have one clicker button, but they last way longer!

Julie @ Bunsen Burner Bakery said...

1) Will your computer be for your data, or just for email/blogging/nothing of actual real importance? I work in a Mac lab, and I LOATHE them. Like, really, really hate them because, without fail, almost every single Mac (and they are not old -- all of these were within 2-3 years old) has up and crashed with no warning, and the hard drive had to be reformmated or replaced, wiping out all the data. Basically, I have learned such -- Windows has lots of annoying little quirks, but if you've used Windows your whole life, you can deal with it and work around them. As the quirks get worse, you know something is going to happen. With all the PCs I've used, it's like a built-in warning that a crash is going to happen, so you have a few weeks of notice that you should really back up EVERYTHING on your computer. The Macs run fine with no problems, until one day, they shut themselves off with no warning, and the post-doc/graduate student/tech literally stands in the middle of the lab sobbing hysterically. And I give my own trusty little PC an extra pat on the corner. Plus, most of my friends with Macs have been very disappointed with Apple customer service and tech support, but I can't speak from personal experience on that one.

2) It's interesting that you get comments from others regarding moving away from your family, and how that is unacceptable. I'm getting the exact opposite -- how a good wife would drop out of graduate school and move to be with her husband, and it's so disrespectful of me to be staying behind to put my career first, etc. I suppose it doesn't matter which way you do it -- society just does not want married women to ever do anything that appears to be in conflict with putting marriage first.

Southern Grad Girl said...

1) I hate, hate, hate Macs. I have no real reason for it, and DH says I'm being illogical about it. Still, there it is.

2) I'm sorry people are idiots, and kudos to you for doing what the two of you decide is best.

ScienceGirl said...

1) I love my mac, and hope to never ever have to use a PC again. I sleep well knowing that my data is always backed up (backups are so natural on a Mac), even though I have never had to use the backups. As a household that lives and breathes computers, we have completely switched to macs, and even had Hubby's parents get a mac as their new computer since we are tired of fixing their PCs for them. P.S. See the responses Cath@VWXYNot got on the same question a few weeks ago!

2) Little moments like this are what Hubby and I cherish about our relationship, too. And I totally hear you on the 'he lets you' thing... I am sorry you two will be apart yet again, but hopefully 2.5 hours is more manageable that 3k miles! And feel free to complain here when you need to - we are here to commiserate.

Albatross said...

Thanks for all the PC/Mac feedback! Lots of food for thought.

Amanda and ScienceGirl- I do know one man who is very honest that his wife is the one who 'lets him' do things (or not most of the time). For some reason this is more accepted since they hold traditional roles in the family.

Sciencegirl- thanks for the redirect to Cath. I must've missed that in my craziness the past few months.

EtBr- Being in two different places keeps us from our really purpose... Think of the children!

Thanks for the support Southern Grad Girl!

EcoGeoFemme said...

Good attitude. I hope your transition back into LDR is painless. I second ScienceGirl - feel free to complain to us whenever you want.

For now EGM and I are adamant that we won't split up for jobs, but who knows how things will turn out. Finding jobs in the same place seems like an insurmountable challenge sometimes.

The Ridger, FCD said...

0) The song is called "Bruises" and it's by Chairlift.

1) I didn't like Macs eons ago when nothing ran on them, and I couldn't bring work home to one. Haven't tried one in longer than I can think, so my opinion is outdated.

2) I have never gotten the whole "Why does he let her do X?" thing. Clearly as a society we still believe in the little woman, even when we pretend not to.