Em and the Possibilities There are no guarantees in life…only the possibilities

I’m not sure if it’s because of the SP2 upgrade or what-have-you, but Dad’s computer can now see the cable modem. This is a FABULOUS thing, since it means that I can continue to monitor the websites I’m working on with little to no interruption. Dad’s a little testy, but he’s being a good sport about it.

I was rummaging through the “camera” cabinet so that we could take Halloween pictures, and found the Kodak EasyShare CX6200 that I’d gifted the folks with an eternity or so ago. They DESPISE the camera, and cheerfully handed it over to me, since the HP Photosmart 720 has gone toes-up. They’d rather spend a fortune in photo developing, and I’d rather have the digicam anyway. They’re technophobic, and we won’t EVEN talk about my opinion of the HP camera (other than to say it sucks. *click* count to 20, miss the moment, and THEN it records.)

Alannah and I had a good long talk about friends and/or lack thereof. The fact that not a single person showed up for her Halloween party had a lot to do with it. Poor kid spent $50 of her own (saved) money buying party decorations and food, and everyone called yesterday (the day of) and cancelled. We’re going to be meeting some more homeschoolers soon, and that will help.

I think that’s all the news that’s fit to print right now. I’ll post pictures of the Halloween stuff later…right now I need to go take a nap. I’ve been getting involved in good conversation and staying up MUCH too late for the last few days. Conversation good, lack of sleep bad.

My new CPU fan came today. I took the box outside to blow the dust out of it, and to take the old fan out, since it’s COVERED in dust.

My hand slipped.

Y’know those little things that hook the CPU fan to the motherboard? There’s two of ‘em, right?

Now I’ve only got one.

Fortunately, it was the “bottom” one, so I can still hook the CPU fan to the motherboard and hope/pray it still works, right?

Wrong.

Get all the accoutrements plugged back into the computer and turn it on….and nothing happens. It won’t even pass POST.

I’m waiting for the air tank to recharge so I can blast the box out again. Hopefully it’s just a spare bit of dust making a jumper of sorts, and I can get it working again.

CRAP!

Update: If you’ve got a 300 Watt ATX power supply just sitting around, you can donate it to me
Thanks to my favorite Ogre for helping me troubleshoot.

The sore throat wasn’t from a cold. I had started taking a new herbal supplement, and I was allergic to it. The “sore throat” was my tongue swelling just enough to be painful.

I emailed Joe’s sperm donor today and asked “Do you know what your son looks like? Do you care? What exactly did I do to get dropped?” I don’t expect an answer.

We’re making plans to go to the NC Art Museum to see Matisse, Picasso and the School of Paris with Alannah. Hopefully, seeing the exhibit will help her with her artistic abilities–give her a different perspective on painting and art in general. I expect her to bitch incessantly until we get there.

When your mother is lecturing you about your toddler’s foul mouth, do NOT bust a gut laughing. Even if his “foul mouth” consists of him holding a jar of peanut butter up to you and saying “SCREW IT OPEN! SCREW IT! SCREW IT!”

We won’t be doing the Carolina RennFaire after all. At least, not this year. Alannah decided she didn’t want to go since she’s the event co-ordinator for her Halloween party this year.

[rant]
After having heard it from several different quarters, I must tell you….
I’m SICK of hearing people tell me “You really DO need to get laid, don’t you?” Do you want a cookie for stating the flippin obvious?
If by “getting laid” you mean a one-night-stand with someone who doesn’t give a shit about me or my kids, then the answer is a resounding HELL NO. Been there, done that…bought the bumpersticker AND the t-shirt. And although I really appreciate the thought involved – do NOT offer me the use of your husband/boyfriend/SO for “a few hours”. I’m flattered, but NO. The kids and I need someone who’s going to do something novel…..be HERE.
[/rant]

Insomnia sux. Well, artificial insomnia anyway. I had a soda with lunch today…now it’s 2AM and I can’t sleep.

At least I can take a nap later when Joe does, right?

Off to stare at the ceiling in the dark some more……

Feeling a bit under the weather today, so enjoy the plethora of meme tests I had saved up.

Hopefully tomorrow my throat won’t feel like I’ve swallowed a coke can, and I’ll have SOMETHING to talk about.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Blackout:: power
2. Platinum:: band
3. Leather and lace:: Stevie Nicks
4. Court:: TV
5. Mind your own business:: Mr. Spock
6. Gambling:: addiction
7. Lily:: white
8. Evasive:: maneuvers
9. Turn-on:: personal ad
10. Suspect:: from the beginning

Emily, you are Balanced-brained

That means you are able to draw on the strengths of both the right and left hemispheres of your brain, depending upon a given situation.

When you need to explain a complicated process to someone, or plan a detailed vacation, the left hemisphere of your brain, which is responsible for your ability to solve problems logically, might kick in. But if you were critiquing an art opening or coming up with an original way to file papers, the right side of your brain, which is responsible for noticing subtle details in things, might take over.

While many people have clearly dominant left- or right-brained tendencies, you are able to draw on skills from both hemispheres of your brain. This rare combination makes you a very creative and flexible thinker.

The down side to being balanced-brained is that you may sometimes feel paralyzed by indecision when the two hemispheres of your brain are competing to solve a problem in their own unique ways.

Take the test

I decided it was time to get rid of the boring green and go with WESTIE PUPPIES!

This particular herd belonged to (and the image is (c) ) my friends and former in-laws. They breed and sell them, and I WANT ANOTHER!!!!!

*cough*

Yes, well – you see…when I left Tig, I didn’t have a pet carrier for the plane. He gave Star to his Mom.

Rest after Joe’s asleep.

My computer has been making a rather loud whine for quite some time, and I never gave it a second thought….UNTIL Joe stuck his fingers in the box.

I thought it was coming from the power supply, and have been talking to a friend about a trade.

When Joe stuck his fingers in the box, he went STRAIGHT for the cpu cooling fan. He touched it ONLY for a second…but the whining stopped when the fan did.

*blinkblink*

So, I ordered a new cooling fan last night, and am exploring the inside of the box today. Thus far I have discovered:

The software that goes with my video card isn’t XP compatible – it’s too old. The card works like a dream, but I can’t watch/record TV with the computer.

The sound card is a bonafide antique. Seriously – it’s an ISA card. When I looked at it, I remembered – I traded the pci card with Tig when his blew, and took the ISA as a temporary card until we could buy new. Then we never bought me a new one. It works, it’s just old.

Floppy Drive – it died a while back and I never bothered to replace it.

RAM – can you EVER have too much RAM?

GAH I’ve gotta stop looking in there. I’m depressing myself just looking.