Tag: computers

Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 4

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Day 4

I won’t collapse, even though yesterday’s post didn’t get likes immediately. There can be many reasons, which doesn’t necessarily mean it was terrible. I’m good at keeping it together. There are worse things in the world than no one liking something. Despite being active on social media, I don’t get many likes and even less comments. But I post anyway. Sometimes, people find old posts that were posted ages ago. You never know what happens when you’re on the internet. One thing that I’m good at is keeping things together, and I don’t collapse when things get tough. Life’s disappointments make you stronger, and you can take the heat a little better.

The other four things I’m good at are as follows. Two of them are thanks to my late parents.

Cooking and baking

I used to help my mother in the kitchen. That way, I learned how to cook and bake. It had been a big help. My dad didn’t cook, so I cooked for the both of us after my mother died. Sometimes, I try new recipes, and sometimes I succeed, but sometimes I do not. For example, I once tried to make chocolate cheesecake, but it became all gooey and too sweet. I followed the recipe to the letter, but still, it failed. I have more success in cooking a meal. If I like the food I tried for the first time, I cook them again. Now, when I’m alone, I’m a little lazy to cook, so I either order takeout or buy microwave food. But a home-cooked meal is always better, so I still do that. It’s less expensive to cook your own food. I should learn to make smaller amounts of food, though, now that I only cook for myself.

Driving a car

Everybody probably says they’re a good driver, but I can genuinely say that. I follow the rules and consider other people. I only got my driver’s licence three years ago, but I’ve improved since then. I gained more confidence driving because Dad was with me. You get better the more you drive. The longest trip I’ve driven was to Helsinki last week. I even drove in total darkness on the back home. I couldn’t have done it a few years ago. But because of my dad, I’m more confident behind the wheel.

Writing stories

The first time I wrote stories was in elementary school as school assignments, and I got good grades. As a teenager, I started to write in English, and it hasn’t stopped. I have a vivid imagination. Today, I write fan fiction, primarily real-person fiction. It is good practice to learn writing in English, and I have learned a lot of new words. In Finland, we start to learn English in 3rd or 4th grade. That’s how it was in the 1980s, at least. Writing is a lot of fun, and that’s why it’s my favourite thing of all the things I’m good at.

Using a computer

I might know how to fix a computer, but I’m good at using one. The first computer I used was a Macintosh. I was in 7th grade when we got a computer in the classroom. Computers weren’t common then, and you had to know codes. There were no icons to click on, so it wasn’t easy to use one. I used Windows the most because that’s what our school had. It was only the Macintosh that had icons. The first time I used the Internet was in 1997 when I was in business school. As they say, the rest is history. Kids today have no idea how it was then. It’s good that computers have gotten better over the decades. It is more fun to use computers and the Internet these days. But that’s good because things were so slow before broadband and computer icons. That modem sound still haunts in my head. If you lived in the 1990s, you know what I mean.

I wish I could improve on some other things, but that’s another list.

This post has no anachronism in it

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This post has no anachronism in it because I’m a modern person. I don’t know if I understood the word right, though. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t the movies ‘Back to the future’ and ‘Kate and Leopold‘ about that? There are characters in them that come from different times. Anyway, I belong in this time, but I yet don’t belong. Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one with sense. I always thought I was a misfit. I wasn’t a typical teenager. I liked staying at home. I didn’t want to spend time in a youth centre or hang around in shopping centres. I didn’t need to be there. People who don’t like staying home must have a reason for not wanting to be there. I have never had that problem. I have never understood getting drunk. I don’t even like alcohol and not forgetting throwing up. It’s ridiculous to drink so much you can barely walk. It’s embarrassing to watch. Drunk people are boring too. Trying to get a decent conversation with people like that.

I was born at the right time. At least, that’s what I thought when I was younger. I’m not sure now. Sometimes I wish I could be younger, and sometimes older. I’m lucky to have experienced the world without computers and with computers. Kids today have no idea how things were in the past. Certain things were better then. We weren’t occupied with mobiles. You talked to people face to face. Parents trusted their kids. Even the music was better than it is today. Young people had respect for older people. Now parents are lost on how to raise their kids. Mental issues have increased, and so on. The list is endless.

The good thing about the present is that things are more accessible. You can buy food without leaving your home. You can use different apps to do many things without queueing anywhere. I’m glad I am the age I am right now. For example, I’m not a novice when it comes to technology. Many seniors have trouble with that. Certain things are complicated for many different ages, like a job search. It has become a sci-fi project where you need to be perfect. People tell you how to answer questions in a job interview; if you answer incorrectly, you won’t get the job. Why are things made so complicated? It’s a competition where only the pretty and lucky ones get anything. Modern technology is one of the reasons to blame for the world’s problems.

It’s good that I’m not a kid or a teenager. They need to see fake photos on social media, and they compare themselves to that. If you get bullied in school, they will also bully you online. There are a lot of expectations from other people. I don’t envy them. A lot of things seem to end up on social media. When I was young, we didn’t need computers and mobiles to feel alive. We lived for real then, and no one bothered what you did in your private life. There was pressure from other people, but they were people you knew. No stranger told you what to do and what to look like. The internet has made life easier, but it has also given more problems. But you can never go back, so you must live with what you have. You should think about the positive side of it all. That’s how you go by.

Bloganuary: What are 5 things you’re grateful for today?

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Day 10. People often think about the things they don’t have. Instead, you should be grateful for what you have. What might be thankful for some might be ungrateful for someone else. Finding 5 things for being grateful for today can be easy or not. For me, the first three is easy, but let’s see if I get five together.

  1. Born and raised in Finland

I’m grateful to have been born into a country like this. We have great nature, which is something not many people have. We also have 4 seasons, so you don’t get bored. Our school education system is easy to understand. When I was in school, it was 9 years. You don’t need to go to high school. You can get a job even if you haven’t. There are a lot of different ways to get an education. The country is the least corrupted country in the world. You don’t have to fear expressing your opinions. No country is perfect. Everyone has problems. But I wouldn’t want to live in another country. Here you can feel safer than in other countries, and I hope it stays that way.

2. My parents

I had terrific parents. They were always supportive. I could be what I wanted to be. They didn’t expect me to become something they wanted. I could always talk to them. I was very close to my mother, so it’s was a very sad moment when she died of cancer in 2013. She was always worried about me. Sometimes a bit too much. I could ask for her advice, and she helped me with my concerns. Sometimes I miss that. My dad doesn’t know about those things. But he’s good at other things. I’m grateful he’s still around. I don’t know what I’ll do when it’s his time to go.

3. Knowing languages

I’m glad I can speak and write in more than one language. If I didn’t know English, life would be difficult for me. I couldn’t write this blog, and I couldn’t watch TV without subtitles. That’s another thing that is great in Finland. We have subtitles on movies and TV shows. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why Finns can speak English so well. Also, because it’s being taught in 3rd or 4th grade in school. I wish I could talk more than 3 languages, but it’s pretty challenging to learn more. I can say a few words in some languages, but I couldn’t speak with a native.

4. Health

I’m never ill. I’ve always been in good health. If I have the flu, it’s usually mild. Sometimes I have a little sniffle, but that passes a few days later. I can’t remember the last time I had flu with a high temperature. During covid, I haven’t had anything. I keep away from people anyway, so I can’t catch any. I definitely don’t want covid. I’ve had 2 vaccines, but still, I should be careful. I guess I have an excellent immune system, or maybe it’s natural. I really hope it will stay that way.

5. Modern technology skills

I’ve used a computer since late the 1990s. I also have a diploma in computers. I know how to use modern technology, but I couldn’t programme it or anything like that. I’m just an average user. I’ve used it for so many years I don’t think I could be without it. I keep learning every day. I couldn’t teach people how to use computers, but I can always help. I’ve used a PC and a Mac, so both are familiar. I use a computer for everything I do. It’s so much easier. I prefer computers to mobiles. Even if I use that too. When you go somewhere, a mobile is useful. But I don’t stare at it while walking like someone do. Technology is a tool and not something that controls you.

So that’s all 5 grateful things. It wasn’t that difficult. I could have mentioned more than 5. But that is for me to know, and you to find out. Gratefully.