Saturday, March 5, 2011

Got it!

New phonebookAfter an initial kerfuffle about a backorder on my new computer...the new notebook’s here! The new notebook’s here! Just in time, too, because my previous laptop’s screen gave up the ghost yesterday. I spent much of the afternoon and evening yesterday getting the new one all set up, and getting some essential programs installed. I still need to get a new wireless keyboard, because the one I had doesn’t work with Windows 7. It’s a shopping day tomorrow!

Before you laugh with derision at my using a wireless keyboard with a laptop, let me head you off at the pass. When on vacation, I don’t take the keyboard with me. I use the laptop keyboard. But for everyday use, I find that the edge of the computer really cuts into my wrists, so I prefer a separate, larger keyboard. I also like a wireless mouse (I’m not a big fan of touchpads), and that I WILL take on vacation!

Anyway, I’m very happy with it. It’s so much faster! If I had to restart the old one, it took a good 15 minutes to get everything up and running, even after I weeded out the startup programs. This one takes a couple of minutes. Fun! Now let’s see what all I can fill it up with!

A quick note of thanks to everyone who sent good wishes about some family health problems. It seems like there is a lot going on right now, but things are looking up for most of those involved. I guess all you can do is just take these things as they come and do your best to make the right decisions and do the right things. That doesn’t always happen, but I think most people understand that it’s a difficult thing to be under such duress, and will have the needed compassion and understanding.

Not everyone will, of course. It’s coming up on one year since my Dad’s death, and I recall quite vividly the reaction of one particular person. I’m to the point where I can laugh about it now, because it showed so well the true nature of this person. Just ugly...ugly to the core. Such a person is surely rotting from the inside out. Well, the time is inching ever closer when they will experience such loss for themselves. You know what I’ll do? I’ll keep my goddamn mouth shut, because I know how it feels. I won’t gloat, because I know how it feels. I also find it a horrid thing to take any sort of glee in anyone’s death, no matter how much I dislike the person, or a person to whom they are connected. Especially when the person lost is such a kind and decent man as my Dad. How ghoulish and awful. A subsequent “apology” was laughable. Their initial reaction showed exactly how they felt, and their true character.

Ah well. I try to put such things in perspective, as well as in the past. I don’t forget about them, though.

On a happier note, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s basketball team ended the regular season today on a high note, with a win at UConn! They’ve never won there before, and it was a good, hard-earned win. Next up is the Big East tournament, followed by the NCAA tourney. I keep thinking about how much Dad would have enjoyed watching this team! We always talked about how we love a true “team,” not one in which one guy is the superstar. The Irish definitely have that this year, although Ben Hansbrough is a standout player, and could possibly win Big East player of the year. I guess during the tourney this year, I’ll be cheering for two. That’s okay. I’m a mouthy broad!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

O the humanity!

Computer_crashSorry I’ve been a little scarce in Blogtropolis, but my laptop is dying a painful death and I haven’t been on as much lately. I’m writing this on the computer in my secret underground lair, AKA The Basement. Actually, I don’t think the computer itself is dying, but the screen is going out...my friend Simon tells me that it sounds like the inverter is going out, and that’s not an expensive fix. I’ll get it repaired eventually and use it as a backup, but in the meantime, I should have my brand new laptop by Friday! I found a good price for a new HP at TigerDirect, and I’m looking forward to a faster computer, as well as saying goodbye to Vista!

I hope you’ll all bear with me as I get things set up. I’m trying to keep up, but not doing very well at it. I’ll be back to what passes for normal soon. Since I’m not spending as much time on the computer, I’m getting more read and I practiced the piano for a while today. I’m doing pretty good with my workouts, and while doing that, listening to some of the CDs that I’ve gotten and haven’t cracked open yet. Good stuff like the Raveonettes, the Hives, the Fratellis, Garbage...lots of great music out there, and I’m loving it! I’m still keeping up on the news, too, of course. Right now, I just don’t feel much like sullying my blog with some of the idiocy I’m seeing. At the top of the list right now is Mike Huckabee and his Aw-shucks-I’m-just-a-simple-country-boy bullshit. But then I wasn’t going to write about any of that right now. I’ll save it up for later.

I will report that I stuck to my guns (haha, so to speak!) when it came to a month without mentioning Sarah Palin! I did not write a word about her here, and on Facebook, I posted nothing. I did make an occasional comment on someone else’s post, but despite the efforts of someone who shall remain nameless (*cough* Doug *cough*), I did not take the bait, and held true to my pledge. It was actually quite refreshing. I find that I’m actually rather bored with the broad now. Yeah yeah yeah, she made a Facebook entry (rather, her assbag assistant Mansour made one). Oh look, she tweeted. yawwwwwwn She just says stupid shit that everyone pays attention to, ignoring the fact that it’s stupid and it’s shit. If she decides to run for President, I’ll have plenty to say, I’m sure. For now, I find her a non-story.

Carry on, citizens. I’ll be back at full speed soon!

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