April 2

So, I wrote Dell a big long letter expressing my dissatisfaction with my laptop. I am really beginning to think that I got a "lemon" laptop. I have had other Dell computers with no problem, but in the past year, I've had to replace:
-The AC adapter (twice)
-The battery
-One of the two memory sticks
-The motherboard
-The hard-drive
-The wireless card
-And countless pieces of plastic

I really think that I have spent over 24 hours on the phone or chatting online with Dell Customer Support. Seriously. So, I wrote Dell a letter today saying that I'm not satisfied with my experience with Dell, and that if they would like to make it right, they could (and should) either replace my laptop with one of equal value, or extend my warranty since I don't anticipate the need for repairs to cease. I realize that this won't likely happen, but we'll see.

In other news, I'll have the chance to do two photo shoots for non-family soon. My brother's football team is going to Japan this summer to play (they have a football exchange with Japan every two years), and as one of their fundraisers, they are doing an auction. They asked me to donate two senior portrait or engagement sessions. So, I did. I'm excited, but also a little nervous after my last experience (I should add that Anne Marie's friends all liked the same picture that Lisa liked, so she decided to have them mock-up one of the announcements with that picture, and may use it afterall)!

I've been going to the gym, and I did a killer workout that our spinning instructor suggested. On the elliptical/treadmill/whatever, listen to music, and pace yourself with the music. On the choruses, double-time it (go twice as fast), and push as hard as you can. On some songs, the chorus is VERY long or repeats itself over and over, as was the case today. But then again, every once in awhile, I get a song like "Yakety Yak", where the chorus is less than 5 seconds!