Cold nights and crisp mornings....

Can you feel that in the air? The sudden darkness that falls, something that you don't even notice but suddenly you find yourself on auto pilot turning on your headlights and knocking up the heating a few numbers. Autumn is a forgetten season, people jump straight to Winter. In this instance (were I live anyway) it is clear to see that Autumn (par from the wind) has been misplaced and we have started the dreaded winter survival mode.

Ohhh new shoes?

Whilst I type this, the wind outside batters at my window and makes that ghoulish howling noise. Normally I love this weather, you are tucked up inside your house with diet coke (or your favourite drink) and a good book, television show etc. But I am beginning to wonder that if this is the weather NOW, what will it be like in DECEMBER?

I decided also to do some shopping online today and bought these PRETTYFUL shoes! they will make me jus under six foot ONCE i have learnt the art of walking in them. Look at them *stares at shoes*

Anyway I am going to team them up with Motel Rocks high waisted shorts I found in the sale (black cotton material) and a scallop like top from Topshop. Hopefullyyy it will work out. I also got this awweessomeee top that is grey but has a skelton outline on it, super rocky I thought. Sorry its a bit blurry (the website image went a bit weird)

Par from the usual spend spend spend of la moneyyyy, I have been doing nothing but university work and baking (uploaded a photo of my cheesecake on my twitter account: WonderPLand)

I finally got my laptop sorted with new windows etc on it. So thank you sony and the lovely man that helped me :D (the guy who worked in the sony shop) At least someone is still nice in this world.

Toodlless for nowwwww

x

Don't wear the big boots if you cant fill them

From my knowledge in my current marketing degree I have learnt that its essential for any company in any market to remember one thing about consumers: Quality service has to be carried through even after the exchange process.

Microsoft is now a company that I as a consumer would deem as using their "big boots" approach ie large market control over word programme to overlook the simple support system.

From my personal story I want to highlight that just because a company owes a lot of market share doesnt give them the right to use it to their advantage in order to "forget" about after care, or even simple thinking/strategies.

I purchased a unique one off product key for Home and Student 2010 office. I know that you can get a CD Rom but this is microsoft's new way to install office IF your computer is preloaded with a trail of the office system.

So my sony laptop, lets call it A... it froze then died (never my fault) but alas i used the office and installed it on A. Then Sony said they would replace it free of charge. I said "great!" then they said "just ring microsoft and explain what happened, they should realise you can reactivate it from their end because technically you bought something that was never consumed on the laptop" .... Cue a phonecall of anger.

Summarise Microsoft "support" which by the way is the lowest standard I have ever seen. The first issue was their phone numbers and support layout on their website is TOO complex. Have one number. Simple. You have to realise not everyone (even though I know computers) is a computer sav. The second issue was the call support. "I can give you support for the A laptop... but i cannot reactivate nor give u free support for computer B" (im shortening this because it does get rather confusing).... So off on a rage I went. Saying that you would think that big companies such as M, Sony, Dell etc etc would all get together and put a strategy in place to make sure there are certain solutions to issues that clearly happen... ie said issue of laptop breaking on me after i put the office programme on the computer. The man's reply: sorry for your problem and please call again if you need any more help. I was raging to say the least.

In summary: Sony computer broke... Sony said thats grand I will get a replacement... Microsoft said no we dont have a strategy in place for computers that break after our programme was downloaded and never used by the consumer.... RESULT? I have to fork out more money for ANOTHER disc/product key WHEN i didnt even get to use the first product key.

Big boots Microsoft... but do you have the ability to fill them successful? I think by the fact that you dont even have a clear address for a complimant department tells me you have no care in the world for after care support for your customers. IF i had a range of product choices AND didnt rely on the fact that all computers use your programme I WOULD NOT be buying another one. Maybe you should realise that if you want to be successful in the long run, you shouldnt just rely on the fact that people HAVE to buy your products, in order to create compatable office documents that are used in every office worldwide. MAYBE you should look at the longer bigger picture for company success. I doubt from my quick research that many of your customers WOULD be repeat purchasers if they had another product choice other than your office programme.

So yes. If I could I would BOYCOTT microsoft but they know, and I know that is not possible because of their large success with computer programming. I don't even want another product key/CD Rom because I am that angry.

All things yummy...and a dog

 I have previous to this post uploaded a photo of my crunchie cheesecake but this one is for my boyfriends 20th birthday, which is tommorrow. His mum is already getting him a normal birthday cake and he has yet to try my cheesecake, so alas I made him one! I always find difficulty with the biscuit base turning solid and not jus crumbling when you cut into the cheesecake. I think I did better this time. I used 41/2 oz of stork with 400g digestive biscuits. And turned the fridge extra cold so that it could set a bit easier. I just don't get a website that gives me the right ingredient ratio for biscuit to melted butter. Well enough for it not to crumble when i want to cut slicearoooss. The other photograph is of my first ever attempt of proper chocolate cupcakes. These have a nutella piped middle, so that when you mircowave/warm them up the nutella provides a "ooze" like centre. I was really pleased with these because I have never piped any ingredients straight into a cupcake or any form of cooked cake mixture BUT i was chuffed at how these turned out. On the top is a simple vanilla buttercream that I then added Bournville powder to... I used my piping kit that I got from Lakelands. Have to say I am chuffed at this photo, because I didnt half spend my entire day on them making sure I didnt get them wrong. I think though in future, deffo more buttercream mixture for the top, I found that some buns had to be left uncovered because I ran out of mixture. Sad times.

And of course the last photo is of my charlie warlie dog. He is sleeping in this photo but due to my phonearoooo flash it looks like he is just havin a afternoon nap. He should really get a bigger bed but I dont think he would be a happy chappy if we got rid of his bed. I don't want to tell you how huffy he gets if you buy him a human tesco duvet for him to lie on. Like we are doing him a diservice by keeping his bed from going mucky/mouldy especially in winter when the rain and bad weather makes him sit in bed for hours being a grumpy old man because he never wanted to go for a walk in the first place. Sour bake much?

Par from that I have been still working away in uni but i cant wait for Halloween, i am getting so excited. I miss being young though, it feels more special when you are young and indeed you don't feel as weird dressing up.

Toodles for now.x

This is a mans world...

But it deffo isn't anything with a wommmmaannn *sings* ahh its so nice to be able to sit and relax in my comfy bed and listen to the rain, but even better, i got the flu jab and i dont feel ill. WOOP WOOP to the immune system. I wanna hug it but it doesnt like body contact. What? It speaks to me....sometimes.

My nutella cupcakes (i posted a photo on my twitter) went down a treeatttt and its my boyfriend burfday soon so Im thinking of making him a crunchie cheesecake, which people seem to love. Hopefully he will like it.

Nothing much else has been happening. I have been bogged under with uni assignments. I also picked the colour for my room that I will be moving into in Feb... its called "beeswax" by Dulux. Sooo nice, like a carmel light creme colour. Yummyyyyy!

In the mean time feast your eyes on this The_Great_British_Bake_Off_Series_2_Masterclass/

YUMMYYY

x

Guess who got twitter?

Alas facebook has become dull... like a cloudy day without a hope of getting anything productive done. So i joined twitter. YES YES! i know "yay! we can hear her awesome tales of her days at uni and seeing people"... but then again apparently there are these celeb like people who use twitter also and how is a girl meant to 100% stalk people without twitter?

Par from that I had the sad realisation that I lost six years worth of photos because I deleted them from my HP computer, but then I handed my Sony computer in to get fixed... alas the photos are gone for ever unless the nice salesman keeps his word and does a transfer of my files. BOOO! (weeps)

I am finally on week 3 of uni and I am knackered so I'm making this a short blog post to update you on my twitter name. Don't hope for too much wisdom, one girl can only think of so much to say. Who knows i might become so bored that i retreat into my magical imaginary world.

Twitter name: WonderPLand

Gooddbyyeee

Are fairytales a thing of the past?

I know we live in a society were genders have to have things equal but do you actually think that because of the emphasis of how equal everyone has to be, there is no real fairytale stories of how you met your current boyfriend? Other half?

In the decades before I was born, there was courting then asking for your hand AND only then you would kiss the man on the cheek and dash off into the night. But now, its all these mini skirts and spilling out into the night to share taxi's home.

I want to be born in the decade where women stood outside their homes and pretended to wash the doorstep but gossiped about "number five having their lights on all night, are they made of money?"

But alas that decade has went and gone so I decided the best way to try to be old fashioned was to make NUTELLA CUPCAKES. what? that is sort of keeping in trend with the old fashioned ways. I have a jar of unopened nutella and i finally found a lovely recipe for cupcakes that result in fluffyyy chocolately buns, fingers crossed it will work out well.

Its starting to get so cold where I live, I feel like buying one of those FAUX fur coats because they look like little nests- walking nests (i shall name thee!)

I have to leave you lot now because I need a early night but as always I have searched the internet for a wee video and this one shows you what I am like with my food.... if i was a cat. Speaking of cats, i soooo want a kitten, terrible sad!

"Compare where you are to where you wanna be and you'll get no where"

I got a couple of songs from Sara Bareilles and one of her songs called "uncharted" has the followings lyrics in my title post.

I love her songs.... the lyrics always have the ability (similar to Taylor swift) to relate differently to each person who listens to them.

Halloween is deffoooo around the corner. I don't know if its just me, but I think the air (yes air!) smells differently round Halloween because people start to light their fires and then people let off fireworks, which have this smell... maybe im just weird?

Its too cold! I can't even believe that it suddenly got so cold overnight, I seem to be very attached to my hoody at the moment, not very attractive but it sure does keep me warm! I think the hot chocolate might have to come out again in my lovely wee Cath Kidston mug. I can't wait for winter time to come along, but shush! pretend I didn't say that, people seem to be very angry when someone mentions winter. What could be better? fires, warm drinks, scarfs, hats and snow fights! ah blissss. that whole red nose and rosy cheeks. Simple pleasures in life.

I had my three year anniversary with my boyfriend on the 5th/6th. Got a wee card, Metoyou bear with a heart and a huge bunch of flowers (lilies,roses etc) Was good fun.

Maybe I will get a oneisie (if that is even how they are spelt) tommorrow, to you know... replace the hoody. What? I am cutting back on my spending. My lovely mummy is getting me it.

Well nightarooo folk a dolks.

PS pleasseee for the fun of it: listen to this, i bought it because it made me smile.

Its not all about the soap...

I am a fan of various dramas or "soaps" as people like to call them. One in particular at the moment is Emmerdale.

For all those people missing out on the awesomeness that is emmerdale, I wanted to fill you in on one particular storyline. Now before you exit your screen, it is a interesting storyline. A girl in emmerdale, which I am not too sure of her age has just started acting a storyline that invovles her...having a bonemarrow transplant. I thought it was a excellent storyline, in the sense that not many people know any real information about this type of transplant. Yes they get kidney transplants, understand the process of liver transplants but when you say bone marrow transplant... well lets just say some people have responded in a very strange way:
"Do you have to wait until the person dies to get their bone?"...."no" would be my perplexed answer.

So if you are interested in following this storyline then you should start watching Emmerdale.

I am also gutted (even though I dont like Apple products as a consumer) that Steve Jobs lost his battle with cancer at the age of 56 on Wednesday. He showed great determination and strength throughout being told he was ill and accepted the concept that he wasnt going to win that particular fight in life.

A great quote which he said in a speech, once he found out he wasnt going to be able to treat it was this:

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

 

If that isnt a reminder to be grateful of life, then I don't know what is. Within hours of his passing, Apples shares drop 1% which only adds to the big question "Will Tim Cook be able to pull it off?" and since his disappointing release of the iphone 4s (not the iphone 5 like everyone hoped) shares dropped more. Steve Jobs was Apple. He will always continue to be the person that created such great technology back in the beginning with his apple mac's and his new thoughts on the world of technology.apples-tim-cook-continue-steve-jobs-work

I personally believe that Samsung and Apple in the future will be the main rivals of each other, especially with the current court arguments and the recent news that Samsung is taking Apple to court (normally its the other way round)

So yes.... my post summary is this: 

 

Life is ever changing, too fast for some, too slow for others, but if you take it for granted.... well you will end up with nothing.

Toodles for now.

Trying out a new programme?

 

I have decided that since I got my new Sony lappy to try out “windows live writer” which syncs with your blog (depending if the two systems are compatible) and allows you to create similar blogs without using the internet (par from publishing)

I have no idea what this specific post will turn out, but I might edit the information in it IF I need to go online to fix it. Sort of like a mini review.

Sadly my fix of the Murray trail on SkyNews is over for the weekend, so I have decided to use the time wisely, do more university work and read some business journals. I decided to read some recommend reading from my module handbook for Marketing Management. A specific article from Harvard Business Journal was very interesting to read. It talked about the idea that companies have six similar characteristics in obtaining consumers and creating a environment where the consumer not only becomes satisfied but returns to shop at the same business again (repeat purchasing, customer loyalty)

Well lets see if this works. How odd, i miss my blogger interface… *clicks publish*