Optical Reader, New Photog Heroine, & Dying Computers

There. I have a title. (wink, wink)

First, and totally unrelated to the title, it is a GORGEOUS DAY! I just went out to get the mail and I want to sing and dance. It’s gotta be like 65 (although I didn’t consult a thermometer), but the sun is shining, and it’s brilliantly gorgeous. AND IT IS JANUARY. I’m sure that next week, the temperature will drop to –5 and school will be delayed for two hours. Welcome to North Carolina. We’re not crazy or anything. Much.

ANYWHO…back on track, have you ever heard of an optical reader app? It’s on my Samsung Galaxy.  I would classify it as one of those previously assumed to be annoying, bundled apps, that is permanently on the phone whether one likes it or not. Well, I just discovered it. And I like it. HOLY SHAMOLY. I just photographed 8 pages of this book for my research paper…it reads the text in the photo, converts it to editable text, and allows you to share it. So I emailed it to myself, then copied and pasted it into a document so I have reference from the book for my research paper, and now I can return the book tomorrow because I’ve got what I need from it. AMAZING! And I can copy and paste any quotes I need without having to type it all out. Best of all, and unrelated to my original intent, you can use the app to photograph business cards or contact info, and add them to your contacts. Hel-lo. Where have you been all my life, dear Optical Reader? Ah, yes. Hiding in that disgusting bundled app disguise. I can think of so many uses for this….whoa.

Moving on, my research paper is for my History of Photography class. However, in my Documentary Photography class, we have several small projects in which we must research and present a Power Point. So for my Documentary, the first presentation is a historical documentary photographer. Key word, historical. Yep, I’m using the same photographer for my research paper for History class. Why research twice if you can get by with doing it only once. LOL. Plus, I ended up with Hansel Mieth (whom I knew nothing about, because she’s not super famous like Ansel Adams), and after looking up all this stuff on her, I think I would have REALLY liked her, therefore, if I have to write a research paper on someone, someone you like is always a great option. That was a terrible run-on sentence. Good thing THIS isn’t my research paper. I’m sure I’ll talk about why I like her in another blog post when I get more of the paper done. Also, both classes require a presentation of a Power Point on the chosen photographer, and although History needs a couple of different slides, the main part I’ve already finished for tomorrow’s presentation. I’ll just have to make 2 or 3 minor tweaks. Hallelujah.

So, I’m collecting all my information and throwing it in a Word Document and even though the semester project isn’t due till May, I’m going to be so happy if I can knock out the worst of it now. The intro is drafted, and the works cited page is finished…two of the most horrible parts of a paper, so I’m already feeling better.

Research and Papers. Two things near the top of my Most Despicable Things list.

Speaking of awful things, my computer is on its last leg. (I’m sure there’s a more appropriate and punny comparison regarding computers and last legs, but I’m not geeky enough to be able to think of one) It’s a hand-me-down from KC (because he gets really nice computers and I talk him into getting a new one every couple of years so I can get a really nice computer without feeling guilty…haha) but the last 8 months or so, the power button has to be massaged, coaxed, and occasionally pounded to work; when the power comes on—the screen sometimes doesn’t…so you have to try again; and when it goes to sleep, it won’t wake up without a complete reboot. But it’s still working. However…the last couple of days it’s wanted to hang up and not start windows, then yesterday, I got a flat out refusal. After a few tries, I gave up and just closed it. Thankfully, everything is saved and backed up to external drives so it doesn’t make me panic when it hesitates to turn on anymore. LOL.

Today, I must have held my tongue right, or maybe it’s just not mad at me anymore because although it gave me the error message about windows needing to run in recovery because it couldn’t open on the last attempt, I said start it normal anyway. And this time it worked. YAY! I’m not holding my breath for the next time because it may never start again, but for the present life, I am grateful. I needed to get some of this homework done and now it’s farther along than it was. And I got to blog, so yeah.

That’s it for today. My dying computer and I will hopefully return another day. =)

PS I need some interesting ideas for documentary projects. What can I document in photographs this semester? My paper of ideas is due in 5 days and I can’t think of even one potential project for this semester. So even if I don’t use it for my documenting project, throw me some ideas to put in my paper. LOL.