Hello, I'm a PC...

Growing up the first computers that I learned to use were the PCs that we had at my preschool. Eventually, my family bought our very own PC that ran Windows '95 on it, which I used solely to play games. This was the extent of my contact with computers until my first interaction with a Mac 3 years later in elementary school. As I recall, I found them very easy to use, and specifically remember learning how to save by pressing the "swirly button" and then S. At the time, I thought nothing of the fact that I used a PC at home and a Mac at school, because I didn't understand that there were significant differences between the two machines.

But soon enough, the great PC vs. Mac war began and people started taking sides. At that point I was in middle school, and although I was using only PCs at the time, I still didn't have a preference as to what I used; I could not however, remember how to use a Mac. By the time I got to high school I owned my own Dell computer, and had gotten caught up in the PC/Mac war. For no reason, I had acquired an intense distaste for Macs, and had come to the conclusion that they were difficult to use and served no point unless you needed Final Cut Pro, Garage Band, or wanted to be a graphic artist.

That attitude lasted for about 3 years, until my own Dell PC started crashing like the piece of crap it really is. So when it was time to buy a laptop for college, I made the decision to purchase a Macbook Pro so that I could get the sweet free Ipod touch and printer that came with it. At the time of purchase, I planned to dual boot it because I thought Windows would still be necessary and easier for me to use, and was afraid to learn a new operating system. So I bought this software called Parallels for $80 that allows you to run Windows from within the Mac operating system. Now I realize that it was a totally unnecessary purchase for the time being, and still have yet to upload Windows (another $90 purchase I'll have to make). The only reason I'll ever even need Windows is to run games, and even then I'll have to worry about buying antivirus software to protect against the vast amount of PC based viruses that are out there.

I think that more people would switch to Mac if they weren't afraid to try something new. The second I plugged in my Mac, I was able to connect to the wireless network set up in my house. When I tried to do that on a PC laptop that a friend let me borrow, not only was I unsuccessful, but I actually ruined the internet connection that my home computer had in the process and had to purchase new software to fix it.

In my honest opinion, Apple is the only computer manufacturer that is ALWAYS trying to make technological progress that is useful for the average user. Any cool functions that PCs DO manage to set up are always breaking (such as the screen flipping over into a tablet). With Macs on the other hand, I have yet to encounter a significant user error. So when WAS the last time a PC made a useful upgrade? My answer would be when the switch to flat screens was made about 5 years ago.

When I bought my Mac, the guy at the store said, "Welcome to the family." At the time, I didn't understand what the hell he was talking about and thought he was kind of creepy. Now however, I know exactly what he meant: Once you go Mac, you never go back. So kudos to all of you who have recently made the transition from PC to Mac, and my thanks to Apple, for making me remember exactly why I loved their products in the first place.

New Photos

Just got back from Tahoe. Very tired and sore. New photos are up on the slideshow... more details and photos to follow soon!

Cooties!

Ladies, we were right from the very beginning... boys really do have them. And now I have proof! I recently subjected myself to an experiment with the hopes of finally proving once and for all that boys carry the cootie virus. The following data is taken from the results of my experiment.

Day 1 - Jackie kisses a boy.
Day 2 - Jackie wakes up very, very sick.

The end. That is proof enough for me.

Either that or God was trying to teach me a lesson. Oh well...

P.S. - I ate some grits today... they tasted like corn and the texture was like finding something in your food that's not supposed to be there... like the time I found a rock in my beans (apparently that happens sometimes). Needless to say, I won't be eating those again.

Back in Blue & Gold

So I'm finally back at Berkeley. It took a while to realize but I've finally come to the conclusion that I really did miss it. I think the reason why I was so miserable last semester is because I was doing poorly in some of my classes and was afraid of failing... which I didn't, so hooray! I'm really excited to start my new classes and continue to explore all that Berkeley has to offer. Especially since I only have class 2 days a week, so I'll have plenty of time to join organizations and work on my music and such... something that always keeps me very happy. Maybe I'll even get a job, but it's too soon to say.

In other news, the inauguration this morning was amazing. You really can't beat watching something like that with thousands of other students in the middle of a college like Cal. Just one more thing I've come to love about my home away from home.

FYI - Don't resell your textbooks if you don't get at least half back what you paid for them! I bought a book for about $100 and got $5 back for it... I should have just kept it, so now I have to go bitch at the textbook store to try to get them to sell it back to me.

My Town

Hey everyone,

It is so good to be home and with all of you! I've really missed everyone up at Berkeley and this break has been just what I needed. San Diego is my one true home, and I can't imagine living anywhere else.

Someone asked me if I was excited to go back to Cal and I flat out told them, "NO." I mean don't get me wrong, Berkeley is everything I was looking for in a school and I love it, but I can not stand my living conditions. Here's a short list of the things I find myself struggling to live without:

- a kitchen
Dorm food is HORRIBLE, can you say Freshman 15?

- private (clean) bathroom
1 bathroom, 32 co-ed students... you do the math

- MY CAR
"Don't need directions, don't need a map
If we get lost I'll be good with that
Yeah we'll find a way to make the time pass
Window rolled down with the heat on high..."

- The beach
There is nothing better than grabbing a burrito and heading to the beach after school

- a TV + PS2
College can get pretty boring, believe it or not...

- a full bed
It's really more about the privacy of having my own room... you know, the whole only child thing and having space to BREATHE

- ALL OF YOU!
No really, I miss you guys A LOT!

So I'm headed back to Cal on January 18th, so if you want to see me and haven't gotten to while I've been here, give me a call and we'll hang out!

2 weeks

Just a heads up, the next 2 weeks are going to be crazy for me with lots of finals and term papers, so I won't have much time to update this page. See you at Christmas!

I'm Coming Home

Wow. This past week has probably been one of the most exciting and memorable times in my life.

I got to be involved in the biggest bonfire west of the Mississippi in a time honored tradition known as "Freshman More Wood," where we stoke the flames of the fire as it starts to die out. I got the privilage of doing this with one of my best friends up at Cal, in front of a crowd 9000 strong. The next day, I got to fire the cannon shot to start off The Big Game, in which Cal triumphed over Stanfurd 37-16 to win back The Axe.

But probably the most important thing that happened to me this week, was on Sunday night, when my best friend Kayla gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, baby boy. His name is Jaron Benjamin Trees, and he was 8 lbs 12 oz. Both Mom and baby are doing well, and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of this child's life. I'm so excited to meet him, because I'm going to spoil him rotten!

Can you believe it? I'm an auntie!

Father Jason and baby Jaron 1 hr after birth