Today 14th October is the day that the new iPhone 4S is being released all over the world. I've seen a few stories of people that have been camped out for days in order to be one of the first to get their hands on this new Apple phone and even of those in NYC being offered extraordinary amounts of money to give up their hard-earned 1st place position.
I've been waiting since I returned from Italy to also get this new device. In Italy I had the iPhone 3GS and I have to say I was an addict. So much so that every time I send a text with the average Nokia old style phone that I've had since I returned to Sydney I get really annoyed and usually end up accidentally saving a draft version of the text and then swearing under my breath as I desperately try to just send a little old text.
For me the Top 3 reasons why I'm heading to the shops tomorrow to (hopefully) upgrade to the new iPhone are:
* Internet access wherever I am (and therefore the plan I am going to be signing up for has ample data included in the monthly cost!)
* Camera - I've really missed just being able to pull out my phone and take a quick random photo whilst I'm out and about not to mention the Photo applications such as Hipstamatic and Instagram.
* The "All in 1" facet, meaning I can check my emails, Facebook, SMS a friend, take a photo, check the latest news headlines all from one device.
Now, yes, there are Android options and I have been lectured by many people about trying an Android option instead of the Apple iPhone, as for them the Android benefits out-weigh those of the Apple but as I mentioned before I am an iPhone convert and my mind is made up. The early reviews of the new iPhone have all been really positive including the new operating system iOS 5, Siri (voice recognition feature), and great camera all being upgraded and of course the overall speed especially with opening Applications and the browser.
So yes, that makes me a devout iPhone user, and made me think that in this day and age we as consumers all do generally have some addiction to a technological product or gadget that we simply "couldn't live without". On a higher level does this mean we have a greater materialistic need for technology that satisfies our every need and whim, or do we regard technology as being an easier way to make our lives that bit more efficient. I personally think its a bit of both. We use and need technology yet we have our preferences for brands or products that personally we want over needing.
Happy Weekend to you all! It's Friday afternoon knock off time here in Sydney!
Friday 14 October 2011
Sunday 9 October 2011
Simple Happiness
This weekend has ended up being really great. I drove home after dinner last night and just had a feeling of happiness inside me. I love having days like that. I had breakfast in the morning with one of my brothers at Coogee beach. We chatted about all sorts of things, and enjoyed a nice catch up. This brother of mine has been working long hours recently so it was nice to have some relaxed time together. In the afternoon there was a big storm that went through Sydney, and it was just after I had sat down to do my Yin Yoga class.
About a month ago I had picked up a brochure about this form of yoga at Balmoral beach and it sparked my interest. I had never heard of this form of yoga, and rang the teacher to find out more information. Here is a website with more details http://www.yinyoga.com/. It's slightly different to the normal forms of yoga as you actually work the connective tissue, not muscles and its a quiet, relaxed practice in which poses are held for up to five minutes at a time. The class went for 2.5 hours as well, which I have to admit I was slightly daunted about prior to the class, but the time flew and I felt great when we finished. I thoroughly enjoyed the class and decided to book in also for the next one in November. I think it will be good to combine this stretching with the running and cross training sessions that I'm doing every week. It's all part of my current efforts to get a bit fitter. I'm trying!
So after my yoga class I picked up my Aunt and drove across to Surry Hills. We met with a cousin of mine, her husband and kids who are currently living in China and were over in Sydney for a holiday. We had dinner at a Thai restaurant called Sugarcane which is on Reservoir st in Surry Hills. The food was really delicious, full of flavour and service excellent. It's obviously pretty popular because it was completely full. I'll definitely go again. I hadn't seen my cousin and her family for more than five years so of course the kids were that little bit more mature and characters grown even more. They have been living in China for over two years and will be there for another year or more. I really enjoyed seeing them and hope to see them again around Christmas time when they are back in Australia for a few weeks.
That was my day, and all of that made me happy. As they say, its definitely the simple things in life. Good times and experiences with beautiful people.
And today my lovely weekend continued as I went to the annual Lane Cove fair with family as well. It was fun and my one niece enjoyed a few different rides as well. I even got to speak some Italian when I was buying my lunch as there was some Italian guys running a piadina stand. The later afternoon was more nerve wracking than anything when Australia played South Africa in the quarter final of the Rugby World Cup. It was a very tough and close match and thank goodness the Australian Wallabies won, but only just. Next weekend the two semi-finals will be France v Wales and Australia v New Zealand. Fingers crossed for the Wallabies, but they need to play really well. It's going to be very difficult to beat New Zealand. Maybe fingers and toes crossed will do it?!?!?
About a month ago I had picked up a brochure about this form of yoga at Balmoral beach and it sparked my interest. I had never heard of this form of yoga, and rang the teacher to find out more information. Here is a website with more details http://www.yinyoga.com/. It's slightly different to the normal forms of yoga as you actually work the connective tissue, not muscles and its a quiet, relaxed practice in which poses are held for up to five minutes at a time. The class went for 2.5 hours as well, which I have to admit I was slightly daunted about prior to the class, but the time flew and I felt great when we finished. I thoroughly enjoyed the class and decided to book in also for the next one in November. I think it will be good to combine this stretching with the running and cross training sessions that I'm doing every week. It's all part of my current efforts to get a bit fitter. I'm trying!
So after my yoga class I picked up my Aunt and drove across to Surry Hills. We met with a cousin of mine, her husband and kids who are currently living in China and were over in Sydney for a holiday. We had dinner at a Thai restaurant called Sugarcane which is on Reservoir st in Surry Hills. The food was really delicious, full of flavour and service excellent. It's obviously pretty popular because it was completely full. I'll definitely go again. I hadn't seen my cousin and her family for more than five years so of course the kids were that little bit more mature and characters grown even more. They have been living in China for over two years and will be there for another year or more. I really enjoyed seeing them and hope to see them again around Christmas time when they are back in Australia for a few weeks.
That was my day, and all of that made me happy. As they say, its definitely the simple things in life. Good times and experiences with beautiful people.
And today my lovely weekend continued as I went to the annual Lane Cove fair with family as well. It was fun and my one niece enjoyed a few different rides as well. I even got to speak some Italian when I was buying my lunch as there was some Italian guys running a piadina stand. The later afternoon was more nerve wracking than anything when Australia played South Africa in the quarter final of the Rugby World Cup. It was a very tough and close match and thank goodness the Australian Wallabies won, but only just. Next weekend the two semi-finals will be France v Wales and Australia v New Zealand. Fingers crossed for the Wallabies, but they need to play really well. It's going to be very difficult to beat New Zealand. Maybe fingers and toes crossed will do it?!?!?
Friday 7 October 2011
Blah! di Blah!
Right now at this very second I feel empty. I'm not sure why, maybe its more just a tired feeling. It's late Friday night, and I have an old episode of ER also on the TV. This evening I met a friend in the city at The Opera Bar which is (as the name suggests!) right next to the beautiful Sydney Opera House, and as you look out whilst sipping a drink there is a glorious view of the Harbour Bridge. This evening after having a clear afternoon with nice sun it started drizzling and then raining so the view wasn't as spectacular as usual. We then had dinner at a nearby restaurant before heading home. This week was fairly busy both at work and also socially. It was a short week as last weekend included a public holiday and I have to say it was so very nice to have three days off from work. I have caught up with a couple of friends that I hadn't seen for a while, and it was good to chat with each of them and hear their news. One is engaged and planning her wedding whilst the other has just returned from a trip to London. Nice adventures and experiences for each. I'm working on a couple of proposals at work and hoping that they come through, fingers crossed.
Yesterday Steve Jobs passed away, and people across the globe talked, tweeted, emoted, cried and simply felt sincere thanks to this man who through the past 30 years has changed and innovated technology, music and movies. He is going to be missed incredibly by his family, colleagues, friends and those that he simply touched by creating products that became indispensable in their every day lives. I personally liked all the different world and technology leaders each paying their own respects and sharing their stories about something that Jobs had done for them. I am not someone who has been using a Mac for years, but I do love my iPod and I'm desperately awaiting the release of the iPhone 4S! So Mr Jobs Thank You for turning me into a somewhat Apple addict...but grateful always to an entrepreneur and innovator for ultimately teaching and showing us all what we can achieve if we push and are indeed Hungry enough.
Tomorrow I am going to a yoga class which lasts for 2 1/2 hours. Poses are held for between 3-5 minutes each. Its a form of yoga that I've not tried before, so I'm curious to do the class and then see how I feel on Sunday...hopefully I will be able to move! I'm also catching up tomorrow night with a cousin of mine and her family, which I'm excited about. I haven't seen them for over five years, and so we will have loads to talk about. They are currently living in China, and I think that I'd actually like to try and visit them in the next year as I've never been to China and am curious to travel there. I'm also wanting to go to Buenos Aires in February as an Argentinian friend of mine from Milan is getting married there. That's another part of the world that I have never been to, in fact I have never been to South America. I remember years ago someone saying to me that people are generally drawn to either South America or Africa but rarely both. I'm not so sure about this theory, perhaps because I truly love to travel and experience new cultures and explore new places, but perhaps there is a percentage of people who will forever yearn for just one of these great continents. This week I've also booked my flights to travel to Melbourne in January for a weekend, and this will include going to see the Australian Open tennis. I have been a few times before to the tennis and it's always a great time of the year in Melbourne (even if sometimes it can be unbearably hot!), with lots happening in the city and a great atmosphere in general.
I think that is about it for now...back soon!
Yesterday Steve Jobs passed away, and people across the globe talked, tweeted, emoted, cried and simply felt sincere thanks to this man who through the past 30 years has changed and innovated technology, music and movies. He is going to be missed incredibly by his family, colleagues, friends and those that he simply touched by creating products that became indispensable in their every day lives. I personally liked all the different world and technology leaders each paying their own respects and sharing their stories about something that Jobs had done for them. I am not someone who has been using a Mac for years, but I do love my iPod and I'm desperately awaiting the release of the iPhone 4S! So Mr Jobs Thank You for turning me into a somewhat Apple addict...but grateful always to an entrepreneur and innovator for ultimately teaching and showing us all what we can achieve if we push and are indeed Hungry enough.
Tomorrow I am going to a yoga class which lasts for 2 1/2 hours. Poses are held for between 3-5 minutes each. Its a form of yoga that I've not tried before, so I'm curious to do the class and then see how I feel on Sunday...hopefully I will be able to move! I'm also catching up tomorrow night with a cousin of mine and her family, which I'm excited about. I haven't seen them for over five years, and so we will have loads to talk about. They are currently living in China, and I think that I'd actually like to try and visit them in the next year as I've never been to China and am curious to travel there. I'm also wanting to go to Buenos Aires in February as an Argentinian friend of mine from Milan is getting married there. That's another part of the world that I have never been to, in fact I have never been to South America. I remember years ago someone saying to me that people are generally drawn to either South America or Africa but rarely both. I'm not so sure about this theory, perhaps because I truly love to travel and experience new cultures and explore new places, but perhaps there is a percentage of people who will forever yearn for just one of these great continents. This week I've also booked my flights to travel to Melbourne in January for a weekend, and this will include going to see the Australian Open tennis. I have been a few times before to the tennis and it's always a great time of the year in Melbourne (even if sometimes it can be unbearably hot!), with lots happening in the city and a great atmosphere in general.
I think that is about it for now...back soon!
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