neophobia

Wednesday, May 14, 2008


orange and pink grapefruit supremes

Another great day of productivity at the design desk. At the new big, giant, teak topped design desk. My new 24" Apple imac sits in all it's glory like a big flat screen TV, a monument to excess and buyers regret (at this point) and I have yet to bond with it - I'm still very attached to my tiny (by comparison) titanium lap top. I'm dreading the transferring of files, and what about my email account, my email currently is running through Entourage (microsoft) not through Apple Mail (the email program that comes with my mac). I bought this lap top 4 years ago from an unauthorized mac whiz guy in a back alley (I kid, kind of) who loaded it up with stuff customized just for me. He felt Entourage was a superior email program. yada yada yada. All this to say ... I need to get used to the new beast on my desk.

I've diagnosed myself with Neophobia - a Fear of New Things: An irrational fear of anything new, of innovation, of new situations, places, or things. In animal behavior, neophobia refers to the tendency of an animal to avoid or retreat from an unfamiliar object or situation. Yup ! That's what I'm talking about !

Newness is often a hurdle for me. Driving to a place I've never driven before can paralyze me, even though I know that once I do it that first time I'll be fine. I know that once my current drawing deadline is over and I have a little extra time I'll call my whiz kid nephew Michael - on Skype (a mac genius) and get him to walk me through the process of changing over to the new beast. And I know that once I get used to it ... I'll be all Like Wow ! how did ever live without you, you big, beautiful, giant, flat screen computer. In the meantime I'll just continue to look at it sitting on my big, beautiful teak topped desk, beside my sweet little silver lap top ...with awe and mild regret.

And how easy is it to cut your citrus fruits into supremes ? ? Easy ! Sigh, the small things in life that thrill. Something I've never done before but something that has continued to occupy a small space in my brain. A little - I should try supreme segmenting an orange one day has been living up there for quite some time. I finally tried it, it's SO easy, and the results are tres pleasing and very satisfying ... and not to mention beautiful to look at. Perfect for salads or just eating as is ... while feeling spoiled and decadent.

8 comments:

  1. Clever thing about the Supremes, I'll have to try it.

    I felt a bit like that when I got my new camera, it was all foreign and unfriendly, but now its fine!

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  2. Me, too. I was afraid of my digital camera until I was forced to use it for my blog. Now, I love it.

    Inch by inch, it's a cinch. (Although it does help to have a 21 year old whiz kid home for the summer. Wish I could loan him to you for a few hours.) ;)

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  3. What do you mean about "supremes"? Is this a special Canadian/New Zealand term for a particular technique for segmenting oranges? Really! I've never heard the term, but S. your oranges look luscious.

    Sometimes I have neophobia too. Like right now. I have neighbors, but can't see any houses from my house, except for one little storybook looking roof. All the houses up here (at 9,000 feet) are on a minimum of 35 acres, but a few are on a couple of hundred. My "neighborhood" is a 35 mile round trip to a tiny town of 2,000. I live 8 miles from a paved road! So first a few of my neighbors have decided we must have an electronic gate into the barely traveled road into this part of the neighborhood. Now they have erected a big, glossy, metal, official US Postal service mailbox at the entrance to this gate (you can't open the box without a key). I have participated in neither! They drive me crazy. This is the COUNTRY for heavens sakes. I fear these misguided city folk are going to want a stupid street light at the mailbox next! I hate it when city people move to the country. Or anyone with a "city" mentality! Our biggest threat here is garbage eating bears and pet eating mountain lions and gates won't stop them. I don't like changes much either and if they ever do put up a street light, I'll break the bulb with rocks.

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  4. I generally like new things, although an entirely new computer with different OS is a bit daunting. And I've never supremed citrus either, I think mostly because my mother would think it was wasteful.
    To Anya- "supreme-ing" is when you cut off the outer skin of citrus completely, then cut the flesh from the individual segments, leaving seeds and inner skin behind. So there's no skin or pith at all. If you've bought canned or jarred citrus, it's all supremes.

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  5. The great thing about Supremes now is - there is no more waste ... not now that we all compost, or at least we in Canada, all compost. Me in my backyard and city dwelling composters have compost pick up and high tech outdoor compost bins. So supreme away !

    and J. thank goodness it's not a new OS (a new email OS) but not an overall operating system. Phew for that ! I've been an apple girl ... well always.

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  6. Beautiful picture. Once you use the iMac you'll love it. It's great to watch movies on I've been told.

    Good to read you're getting a lot done on your design end.

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  7. I have a feeling that you'll love that brand new compy once you get started. If not...I'd happily trade you for my 2-yr-old ibook! ;^)

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  8. Neophobia? I like that! I think I have that! Old things are just better.

    Good luck with that Apple. They sound good in the commercials!

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