I have Postpartum Depression.
This is not my weakness. It is my challenge.
And, I will overcome it.
What is it?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
SAHM + College + iPad?
OK, I remember being in elementary and middle school. I wasn't allowed to use a pen until highschool for the most part. Pencils. I like pencils.
But things are seriously changing.
After looking at all my options I'm going (primarily) the etextbook route this semester. My macbook needs several upgrades that are more than I can afford right now so I'm also getting an iPad.
I did MUCHOS research for my classes, future courses, and what other tools I could use or would need to see how cost sensible this was. Basically, hardbacks from the bookstore would've been 800ish depending on if I could get them used or new (closer to 900 new). So. Wrong. Through some finagling on half.com it was going to be down to 600. I decided to look into the ereader route to see if I couldn't save a penny and make my life easier (keeping up with books, notebooks, and pens, and other crap with the toddler . . . ohlawd). I found out pretty fast that nookstudy, which is what my school's bookstore offers the etextbooks through, does NOT even work on the freakin' nook! What??
So, I love Mac anyway and decided to google the possibilities with the iPad. Initially, it was all very contrary. Slowly I found a couple links and blogs with great information. Basically, the whole ereader for college thing is still a work in progress but this semester all but one of my classes has the etextbooks available. Each of the programs I found allows you to use an iPad, PC, or a regular Mac. Perfect!!
So now, with one hardback, one paperback, and 5 etextbooks (6 month "rental") my cost is down to just under 400!
Now some say the iPad is pricey sure. Right now I'm kind of bummed just because I know the iPad 3 is on it's way and I can't wait for it or for the lower prices on the iPad 2 since it may not come out until just before my midterms. Oh well. The total cost to repair my Macbook Pro is something like 800 dollars right now. I had relinquished myself to getting a basic, cheap, but decent PC notebook (ewwie ewwie ewwww) and I was going to end up spending around 600 for that plus money for a new printer plus some other software I needed for the Windows computer to meet my needs.
Then I found all of this:
Kno
Coursesmart
Amazon/Kindle for iPad
Pages
Things
Articles
iHomework
Flashcards
List of FREE Apps
So, literally, I've eliminated half the crap I bought my freshman year.
I'm not the typical student. I'm taking online classes and I'm a SAHM (stay at home mom).
iPad = textbooks, flashcards, notebooks, pens, highlighters, research (via newspapers, articles, or the web), calendar, planner, organizer, alarm/reminders, sticky notes, calculator, dictionary, blackboard
Not to mention the non-school stuff . . . social networking, blogging, games and entertainment for me. learning games and entertainment for the toddler, a cookbook, workout planner, ebay, news, music, misc. reading . . .
All in one spot?? I'll take it.
Really, the only downside for me is being able to have all my pictures to update, edit, share, and store all in one place. Oh wait! They have adobe photoshop express, shutterfly for ipad, photobucket for ipad, and dropbox. It's not perfect using my husband's PC desktop but once we get a Mac desktop (the plan!) and my macbook pro is fixed up I will be workin' it for REALZ.
In the end, I think I'd rather spend the 800+ on the ipad, ebooks, and a few greats apps and accessories (they keyboard and smart cover, anyone?) instead of a load of giant textbooks and a slew of supplies from walmart!
It definitely can't hurt to try it.
But things are seriously changing.
After looking at all my options I'm going (primarily) the etextbook route this semester. My macbook needs several upgrades that are more than I can afford right now so I'm also getting an iPad.
I did MUCHOS research for my classes, future courses, and what other tools I could use or would need to see how cost sensible this was. Basically, hardbacks from the bookstore would've been 800ish depending on if I could get them used or new (closer to 900 new). So. Wrong. Through some finagling on half.com it was going to be down to 600. I decided to look into the ereader route to see if I couldn't save a penny and make my life easier (keeping up with books, notebooks, and pens, and other crap with the toddler . . . ohlawd). I found out pretty fast that nookstudy, which is what my school's bookstore offers the etextbooks through, does NOT even work on the freakin' nook! What??
So, I love Mac anyway and decided to google the possibilities with the iPad. Initially, it was all very contrary. Slowly I found a couple links and blogs with great information. Basically, the whole ereader for college thing is still a work in progress but this semester all but one of my classes has the etextbooks available. Each of the programs I found allows you to use an iPad, PC, or a regular Mac. Perfect!!
So now, with one hardback, one paperback, and 5 etextbooks (6 month "rental") my cost is down to just under 400!
Now some say the iPad is pricey sure. Right now I'm kind of bummed just because I know the iPad 3 is on it's way and I can't wait for it or for the lower prices on the iPad 2 since it may not come out until just before my midterms. Oh well. The total cost to repair my Macbook Pro is something like 800 dollars right now. I had relinquished myself to getting a basic, cheap, but decent PC notebook (ewwie ewwie ewwww) and I was going to end up spending around 600 for that plus money for a new printer plus some other software I needed for the Windows computer to meet my needs.
Then I found all of this:
Kno
Coursesmart
Amazon/Kindle for iPad
Pages
Things
Articles
iHomework
Flashcards
List of FREE Apps
So, literally, I've eliminated half the crap I bought my freshman year.
I'm not the typical student. I'm taking online classes and I'm a SAHM (stay at home mom).
iPad = textbooks, flashcards, notebooks, pens, highlighters, research (via newspapers, articles, or the web), calendar, planner, organizer, alarm/reminders, sticky notes, calculator, dictionary, blackboard
Not to mention the non-school stuff . . . social networking, blogging, games and entertainment for me. learning games and entertainment for the toddler, a cookbook, workout planner, ebay, news, music, misc. reading . . .
All in one spot?? I'll take it.
Really, the only downside for me is being able to have all my pictures to update, edit, share, and store all in one place. Oh wait! They have adobe photoshop express, shutterfly for ipad, photobucket for ipad, and dropbox. It's not perfect using my husband's PC desktop but once we get a Mac desktop (the plan!) and my macbook pro is fixed up I will be workin' it for REALZ.
In the end, I think I'd rather spend the 800+ on the ipad, ebooks, and a few greats apps and accessories (they keyboard and smart cover, anyone?) instead of a load of giant textbooks and a slew of supplies from walmart!
It definitely can't hurt to try it.
Oopsies
Ohmyword.
I always, always do this. Blog start. Blog goes. Blog goes well. Blog ends abruptly when lifes gets loco.
I hope that everyone had some fantastic holidays! Despite things being very different for our little family this year we did enjoy it. We had a tasty, relaxing Thanksgiving. We had a fun Christmas. And, New Years was very, very low key.
Things are about to get INSANE around here. I've had some health issues. We're finally getting organized around our new normal (two kids, two jobs, lots of stuff going on) and I'm really in need of an outlet like this that IS NOT facebook or something else to share the ME that is dying to be expressed. Google+ and Facebook just don't do it for me in some ways so back to the blog I come.
So, expect lots more in the coming weeks but it will be different. I'm back in school after taking last semester off for the baby and classes start in two weeks. We're jumping head first into military life this summer too. It's gonna be a crazy year.
And, I NEVER make resolutions but I did this year and here they are:
I always, always do this. Blog start. Blog goes. Blog goes well. Blog ends abruptly when lifes gets loco.
I hope that everyone had some fantastic holidays! Despite things being very different for our little family this year we did enjoy it. We had a tasty, relaxing Thanksgiving. We had a fun Christmas. And, New Years was very, very low key.
Things are about to get INSANE around here. I've had some health issues. We're finally getting organized around our new normal (two kids, two jobs, lots of stuff going on) and I'm really in need of an outlet like this that IS NOT facebook or something else to share the ME that is dying to be expressed. Google+ and Facebook just don't do it for me in some ways so back to the blog I come.
So, expect lots more in the coming weeks but it will be different. I'm back in school after taking last semester off for the baby and classes start in two weeks. We're jumping head first into military life this summer too. It's gonna be a crazy year.
And, I NEVER make resolutions but I did this year and here they are:
- 1. Do not get pregnant
- Get in better shape
- Kick PPD's butt
- Don't die when my husband is at bootcamp and SOI
- Kick school's butt
- Start getting out of debt (50% down goal!)
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