Panthera uncia, week one
Wed Sep 2, 2009 In no particular order, my impressions after half a week of using Snow Leopard:
1. The user interface feels far more "instant" than even Leopard's. I love that menus finally seem to render as smoothly as they did under OS 9 and that opening and navigating folders is nigh instantaneous. Makes my trusty 2006-vintage MacBook Pro feel like a new machine!
2. I appreciate that the Time Machine menu bar icon is gray when it is off. I think the MobileMe icon should also follow suit when it is not set to sync automatically.
3. I discovered the new Input Source HUD by accident (and appreciate the after-the-fact illumination by Joe Weaks), which appears when you linger on the "Select the previous input source" shortcut (default shortcut: option-space, defined in the Keyboard preference pane). It seems like it'll be quicker and more accurate to pick from that list than the roulette-style repetitive cmd-opt-space that I ordinarily use. But I'll have to think of another shortcut, since I sometimes need to type sticky spaces.
4. Address Book can now export vCards with notes and photos.
5. I saw a black and white beachball cursor once!
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Apple, Mac, Snow Leopard, UI
Apple Pre-order Snow Leopard
Sat Aug 1, 2009 Two years in the works, you can now pre-order OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard from Amazon for (probable) September delivery, starting at $29 with free shipping:
Things to note:
1. Intel Macs only (e.g., Macs with "Power" in their names are excluded. The transition from PowerPC- to Intel-based Macs happened in 2006).
2. Single user and family pack (five-seat) versions require an existing installation of OS X 10.5 Leopard.
3. Mac Box Set single and family pack versions include full Snow Leopard installers and also include the iLife and iWork suites.
4. Snow Leopard Server requirements
I fully expect Snow Leopard's many enhancements and refinements will translate into greater speed, stability, efficiency, and elegance.
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Apple, Snow Leopard, Upgrade, Amazon
Apple Ordination
Wed Jul 22, 2009 As I come to the end of my journey of preparation for the ministry of Word and Sacrament, it seems appropriate to reflect on a quote that has stayed with me since 1991 when I first read it:
Today hardly one in a hundred considers how difficult and arduous it is faithfully to discharge the office of pastor. Hence many are led into it as something trivial and not serious; and afterwards experience teaches them, too late, how foolishly they aspired to the unknown. Others think themselves endowed with great skill and intelligence and promise themselves great things from their talent, learning, and judgment; but afterwards they experience too late how limited their equipment is, for their powers fail them at the outset. Others, while knowing there will be many serious battles, have no fear, as though they were born for contention, and put on an iron front. Still others who want to be ministers are mercenaries. We know indeed that all God's servants are wretched in the eyes of the world and common sense, for they must make war on the passions of all and thus displease men in order to please God.
—William J. Bouwsma's John Calvin: A Sixteenth Century Biography, p. 220
I guess you could say I had about eighteen years of reflection to prepare for my final examination yesterday by the Presbytery of Seattle (conducted on behalf of the Presbytery of New Brunswick). With thanksgiving to God, family, friends, and other advocates, I confess:
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3.7 NRSV)
Grocery list
Thu Jul 16, 2009 Who needs an iPhone app for keeping track of lists when you have an eager five-year-old who loves to write? As it happens, this list was enumerated by Keren and written by Amanda employing a mixture of dictated and phonetic spelling!
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