2017 awaits - what will it bring

As I write this first blog for 2017, I am suffering, all self inflicted I might add, they say never mix your drinks, I didn't, all were consumed separately, beer first, then red wine, followed by a small night cap to welcome the new year in.

I have so many projects building up in my head, some are just floating, some are a little more than this, I need to expand my notes and see if they might be viable, some are, so the notes I have made need to be expanded, and things put in place, to trial them. I never have had a problem with failure, without it  i just don't learn, but it would be nice to get one or two paying wins !.

I can see that 2017 is going to be a busy year, its going to involve travelling a lot, something I enjoy enormously, so the Mac is going to get a new bag, my trusty Kensington is showing signs of wear, to the point of failure. So I an looking, as yet nothing stands out, but I can't delay to long.

My Mac is still ok, its not due for replacement just yet, although I am reviewing what I need to make it work better when traveling, spare cables, a new power cable and spair video dongle and mouse, plus travelling keyboard, I like to sit back from the screen and type.

For so long, I have used Dropbox as my main storage in the cloud, thats not changing, but I am separating my private life away from business, and all my personal files have been moved to Apples iCloud, it works and its as safe as anywhere, perhaps a little safer. I made several different dropbox accounts to do this, but seeing them all at the same time evades me, so Apple iCloud wins. I tried Google Drive, and again it works, but as most of my files are Apple, it kind of needed more time to convert than I wanted to give.

Evernote still remains my archive library, it works so well, and although I tried out the others, it still remains the best.

My photo's are still in Apple iPhoto, its so good, although for sharing I tend to allow Google Photo to take a copy, and its here I let people share sets I have made, I an using Pinterest, don't ask why, it's just easy to use and it has a lot of really interesting users.

Apple pages is not the best writing program, but it works for me, so most of my papers, articles and general writing start here, ok I often export to word, simply because its the medium most other are using. Google Docs just keeps being there, is easy to use and if I asm writing lectures then this is what I prefer to use, my personal lectures I use to consult with remain as Apple, but the University lectures remain Google Slides.

Whilst I talk Apple, my iPhone is definitely up for renewal, I have an iPhone 5s, but articles on the new iPhone for 2017 sound so good, I'll wait.

Vectorwork is, and will remain, my CAD package, this year I will get to grips with 3D, I use it, but not in anger, so my next job no matter what size, will be 3D. with all the bells and stuff of BIM. I need to get to grips with Revit, but I feel a conflict might arise with Vectorworks, i'ts one or the other, and Vectorworks will probably win.

I have a huge list of academic papers I want to write, so head down. I want to complete at least two before the spring, plus get my book into shape.

Thats it, no great revelations, just getting things in order and making a few plans

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