Alienware M11X. Friend Or Foe?

For the longest time J's been whingeing that his laptop that he bought just over three years ago is really slow.

I can't remember how many times i've heard him complain that the graphic card is so bad that even the most basic games out on the market can't run on his good-for-nothin' laptop. And that each time he gets kicked out of a game it's because his computer was lagging.

I think it all started to go down hill when he had that argument with his ex on the phone over two years ago. And in a fit of rage, he threw the phone at the screen [by accident of course] resulting in a massive crack right in the middle of it. But due to financial constraints, he never got around to fixing it and has since been using an external monitor.

Fast forward to now...

For the benefit of those silent readers who have just tuned in, my relationship with my boyfriend's obsessive gaming has been everything but good. In fact, at one point it even tore us apart and i threatened to leave.

But i'm happy to report that ever since the ultimatum and those 6 days he had to go away for business, life at home has been going relatively better than i ever expected.

Perhaps it was the distraction of trying to find a new apartment in the last month which has forced him to spend less time playing Battle Ships/World of Warcraft/chatting with his online friends. Or maybe my tears finally struck a nerve and he actually thinks our relationship is worth fighting for.

*shrugs*

Anyway, for the last two months J's been going into Mediamarkt [a store that sells electronics] nearly every week hoping the sales person would reduce the price. And each time he's gone, he has been successful.

Then yesterday he went back and spoke to another sales person and he was even able to knock down the price lower!

So when J's Christmas and birthday money finally arrived yesterday, J called me to ask whether i wanted to accompany him to Mediamarkt so he could finally get the laptop he's been dying for.

I was having a relatively good day when he called, so instead of being a bitch and throwing sarcastic hateful remarks about his gaming as i often do, i agreed quite happily to go with him.

I've realised i've wasted many precious hours of my life arguing about how i've felt ignored due to his new habit/hobby. So now i just have to remind myself to stay calm and get on with whatever i was doing.

And anyway, seeing that it's not my money to begin with, he should be able to do pretty much whatever he likes [within reason of course].

***

So first protocol was to find a mouse that didn't click so loud.

If i had my way, the mouse would be silent. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be one.

Many times i've been beyond annoyed with how loud his intense clicking has been. I can tell his computer is lagging not only by his yelling but by those irritating repetitive forceful clicks. Currently his desk is less than a metre away from the sofa in the living room, so you can imagine how distracting that can be when one is trying to watch TV.

Plus the sound travels so well through the apartment that even if i'm in the next room with the door shut i can still hear it.

A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G!



We eventually settled with a Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse. It's not the best for gaming but for the time being it'll do. It still makes a little noise when he clicks but no where near as annoying/loud as the one he currently has.

It retails for 41.99 € but J managed to bring the price down to 40 €.


Next was trying to find the correct sized laptop protector. He settled for a 12.1 inch Philips Netbook sleeve with HeatProtect in yellow/grey, the other option was lined in pink. Apparently the HeatProtect layers prevent heat build-up and protects the netbook from scratches.



And last but definitely not least, unveiling the 11.2 inch Alienware M11x by Dell and inspecting the contents of the box.

As they were about to make the final deal the sales guy who originally said he could lower the price down to 800 €, suddenly forgot he ever mentioned it.

But lucky for J, J had gone into the store earlier to speak to another salesperson and he also agreed to 800 €. Thinking that J was probably lying, the guy that was serving him went to go ask his colleague if he did quote that amount.

He did.

And because of J's persistence the guy included the Philips Netbook sleeve with HeatProtect which retails for 19.99 € for FREE! So for the Alienware M11X + Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse, it only cost him 840 €.

Dell is selling it for 949 €. And although cyberport.de is selling the exact same machine for much cheaper at 699 €, the amount stated doesn't include delivery charges. Plus one has to wait several days maybe even a week or more until it arrives.

***

So we get home and i start preparing dinner whilst J's already unpacking the items out of the box. Minutes later he calls out to me and says there's a problem.

Oh shit. Now what?

Placed on a flat surface the laptop wobbled side to side if i touched one corner. And whoever screwed on the casing from underneath didn't do a good job because it wasn't even screwed on properly.

J was so annoyed that he didn't see these mistakes at the store, he got back into the car in a huff and drove to Mediamarkt which so happened to be only 5 minutes away.

20 minutes or so later, he's back with a new laptop and the whole procedure of unveiling the ultimate netbook gaming machine repeats itself.

And would you believe it, J finds ANOTHER mistake!

The side of the screen where the glass meets the edge was not aligned properly causing it to stick out.

At this point i'm starting to think maybe J's horoscope was right when it said that he should refrain from buying electronics during December due to malfunctions. I tell him this and that just irritates him even further.

Oops. Bad timing.

So he repacks everything up... again and drives to the store for the third time believing that all good things must come in threes. But this time wishing harder that he doesn't find anymore mistakes as that's the last of its kind at the store or at any of the other nearby branches.

After having installed everything at the store and triple checking the hardware, he's back within half an hour.

And here it is...


J's new toy accompanied by his 23 inch Samsung SyncMaster F2380 monitor that i bought for him last month from his brother for 130 €.



For those who are interested, above is the review.

***

So what do i think?

Well the resolution and the machine itself is far more superior than what J used to have. Although a wee bit small for my liking, i can only hope for J's sake that it means less frustrations and less shouting.

But another positive angle would be should we ever be traveling by train anywhere again, J can easily carry his new laptop with him and we can watch movies or use the Internet should we get bored.

So now that he has possession of the ultimate travel-size gaming laptop, how do i feel it will affect our relationship?

I dunno but all i do know is he woke up this morning in a better mood. I'm not sure whether the laptop had anything to do with it or that him and his team won yesterday's online battle.

I guess only time will tell.

Who needs an Alarm Clock when you have a kid.

I apologise for my absence but since Little L arrived last Thursday, i haven't had a proper breather to sit down and regurgitate my thoughts. And trying to squeeze in work has been just as hard. The first morning Little L was here, J had to be at work at 5:30 AM and so i was in charge of taking care of the little one all by myself. There's no such thing as sleeping in when you've got a kid around.

The days are ticking by so fast but before i get caught up with things, i'll try my best to recap the past week with some highlights.

Day 1 - 01.07.2010:


Little L arrives. We then played "Pirates with fairy dust" on the playground and raced Carrera cars in the bedroom.

Day 2 - 02.07.2010:


The postman delivered my order from Alles Vegetarisch. Yay for Sojaschnetzel Gyros!

And seconds after putting away the items from the box, Luna came strolling in and decided to pee in the empty box. Unnecessary flavoring, i say!

-__-

P is for Papa.

Then whilst J was still at work, we decided to surprise him and bake Vanilla Cupcakes. Each cupcake had the persons' initial but by the time we decorated them, you couldn't see the letter.


Played Mini Golf in close to 40˚C temperatures. Went out for ice-cream. Borrowed a bunch of childrens' board games and books from the library. Finally bought three fans, a children's pool and a massive umbrella for the balcony.

Day 3 - 03.07.2010:


Decided to go swimming in the wave pool and it cost us 21 Euros for 2 Adults and 1 child. Told the lady behind the counter that Little L was 6 years old, just so we could get a 3 Euro discount.


Drove to the city to try and watch the World Cup whereby they set up a huge screen for public viewing; Germany Vs. Argentina. I'm not much of a football or Sports fan but for the sake of just going, we thought we'd check it out. We made it for Germany's first goal but left after 5 minutes because Little L couldn't handle the heat and wanted to go home - which i then wasted 3 Euros on parking.

Serves me right for trying to cheat the woman at the Swimming Pool. Never mind.


We then tried to play Monopoly City but then Little L lost interest and ended up making up her own game.

Day 4 - 04.07.2010:


Sorted out the balcony and filled the kids' pool with water.


It was the right temperature to have a BBQ without roasting ourselves. And i ate some vegetarian sausages. I recommend the Wirsten (the orange coloured ones on the right) they were the closest thing to real meat. As for the white ones, they tasted a bit off.

Day 5 - 05.07.2010:

Spent about 6 hours at Safari land and Hollywood Park in Stukenbrock. [And if you pre-order online you get a discount!]


The first section allowed you to drive in with your car. The lions and tigers were pretty much chillin' the whole time and there were rangers on duty in Zebra-wannabe camouflaged autos.

The second part was where all the rides were. It was like going back in time, some of the rides looked like they needed serious replacing.


We went on a roller coaster and when the ride was over, i dropped my wallet in between the gap as i was getting off the ride. Good thing i noticed and the guy was able to climb down and get it.

There's a reason why they tell people not bring any belongings on the ride. Oops, sorry!

Us on the water slide. And as usual, i was the only one screaming... again.


We also caught the Cowboys & Indians show and a Circus show.

Day 6 - 06.07.2010:

J and i had an appointment to see the dentist. It had been nearly 3 years since my last visit and thought it would be a good idea to get my mouth checked out now that i have local health insurance. Turned out i needed to get Deep Teeth Cleaning done.

source

It involved cleaning beneath the gum line and around the tooth area with sharp tools which are commonly used for treating gingivitis and periodontosis.

But the procedure isn't covered by my insurance, so it cost me 45 Euros plus an additional 10 Euros which i have to pay my health insurance.

The Dentist told me that i was lucky i came in now because had i waited any longer, further damage could have meant i could have risked losing some of my teeth.

GASP!

Even though i have no cavities and my teeth are well taken care of, it doesn't help that i have dodgy gums.

Plus i was also told i brush too hard and i'm wearing down part of my gums... ewwww. Now i'm forced to use a Soft toothbrush.

But my gawd, when that woman was prodding me with that metal device, my eyes were tearing. IT REALLY HURT!

Then the Dentist tells me she can only work on my teeth for 45 minutes and that i have to make another appointment to do the rest. Which means i have to fork over ANOTHER 55 Euros and have my teeth and gums prodded at for another 45 minutes.

I think i can hear my bank account crying. I should have been a Dentist.

Day 7 - 07.07.2010:

J and Little L drove up north to see the parents of The Ex. Little L insisted she wanted to stay over at their house. They live in Hannover which isn't too far from where J's grandmother lives. I'm not sure what they plan to do but i know they'll be gone for 3 days. In which time i'm supposed to finish my work so i can meet my deadline... on Friday tomorrow.

Looks like i'll be pulling an all-nighter. Sigh.

Where NOT to go, if you're trying to Save money.

Yesterday was a public holiday, which meant we enjoyed a long weekend. I'm not quite sure what the significance behind Pfingsten is but i've read somewhere it is the fiftieth day after Easter and is said to be the official beginning of Summer.


It hovered around the mid-20s degree Celsius range and for some it was an excuse to expose as much of their Winter pastiness in hopes they'd get a shade darker.

J was in a really shitty mood for most of the weekend and left me all alone on Sunday but he made it up to me by suggesting we go out and do something.

The cinema where we live doesn't show English movies and so we had to drive to Padeborn [a neighboring city] which is about 30 minutes away. The demand for non-German dubbed movies is not high, hence the poor selection in movies and weird timings. But Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was playing and since i had once played the game when i was younger, i thought why not. I was craving for my bag of popcorn anyway.

Overall, i thought the movie was OK but for 5.50€/ticket, popcorn + drink = 5€, nachos + beer = 5.50€ and ice cream nuggets = 1€, i felt we could have used the money more wisely.

Oh well.


There was a painting on the wall that i can only assume was meant to be Marilyn Monroe. But i can't help but think the artist was a bit off that day because is it just me or does her nose look a bit piggish? And is she wearing dentures?

I dunno.

We then drove back since we wanted to check out the Kirmes [the funfair] and yesterday was the last day. One particular ride J wanted to go on rotated while it swung side to side and so we made our way through trying to look for that particular ride.

: before :

We eventually found it and whilst on it i couldn't help but laugh each time the girl next to me screamed her head off. And each time we went higher, we dropped down even faster. The louder her scream, the more i laughed. I think my laughter ended up as more of a self-comforting tactic.

I won't lie and say i wasn't completely scared.

It started off fine but then the higher the swing and faster the rotation, i could feel it in the pit of my stomach. There were a few moments when i screamed too and stupid images of the barrier releasing and me falling out flashed through my head.

It felt like the ride went on forever and by the end of it both J and i couldn't wait to get off. Feeling slightly queasy we agreed that neither one of us wanted to go on anymore rides.

I swear, our tolerance for stomach churning rides have definitely gone down the older we've gotten.

I'm just grateful that we didn't eat anything before.

: after :

We needed to take our minds off things so J played a game that won him 10 tokens. And so we came home with traveling set of Chinese Checkers that neither one of us knows how to play. Having spent 5 Euros to even play, we figured it should be worth that amount.

Then as we were snaking through the funfair there was one ride where kids could sit on live little ponies and go around and around a ring.

Majority of the kids looked like they were enjoying it but there was one mother who forced her kid to get on and the boy looked like he was going to piss his pants with fear. I wouldn't be surprised if the kid grows up being scared of horses and is scarred for life. Poor thing.


And another boy was crying because his sister took the 'bigger' pony and he was left riding one of the smaller ones. Even at that age, Size apparently does matter.


J finally got to eat his Bratwurst and i refrained myself from stuffing my face with Pommes [otherwise known as fries] slathered in mayo.

I hate how everything is so ridiculously overpriced at funfairs.


But i caved when J suggested that i try some Bärentatzen: a chocolate covered wafer waffle sandwich with marshmallow in the middle.

Not convinced that it's the yummiest thing i've tasted but maybe if i slap on some peanut butter on it, i'll think otherwise.

Hope you had a good weekend.

Deutsch subtitles: ON.

Ever since we found out that most library's have a decent selection of DVDs for rent, we've made sure to take advantage of that fact. Although they're not the latest, there's always a few that are worth watching.

Image courtesy of Stadt Gütersloh.

What makes it more appealing is that renting them is free, well it's part of the annual fee but seeing that we didn't end up having to pay for the first year, renting them has made it even better. The interior of the library here is quite impressive. We usual take out anywhere between 6-10 at one go and one has a week to watch them.

So the past weekend was very much a lazy one - not including our midnight road trip.

We ordered pizzas and pretty much locked ourselves behind closed doors and had one of those movie marathons kind of weekends. We haven't had one of those in a while since J's been pretty busy at work and has had to work. So it was great to spend some quality time together and not worry that he/we had to be some other place.

Two movies that caught my attention were 2005 Derailed with Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen.



The other was called Hooligans also released in 2005 starring Elijah Wood. I'm not a violent person and neither am i a football fan. In fact, i don't really have a liking towards Sports full stop. And the sight of blood and watching somebody's head being bashed in isn't something that i call entertaining, although i really liked Fight Club - i am an Edward Norton fan.

I read some mixed reviews after watching this movie but i have to say, i quite liked it.