Monthly Archives: June 2008

unable to locate your ass

Posted in angst, nerd by

ASUS shipped my repaired SqueePC out to me last Tuesday, except the shipped it to my billing address instead of the Lab like I had requested. I called FedEx ASAP to have it straightened out, and they said they’d see what they could do.

Apparently, what they could do is LOSE THE PACKAGE. I just got a call from a stern sounding man at FedEx saying a) we can’t redirect your package because it has a “direct signature required” flag on it (meaning I have no idea when or how I’ll be able to get it, since the FedEx depot is by the airport, I work from 9-5, and I live on the North Shore) and b) we don’t actually know where your package is, because it scanned into the depot on Tuesday and hasn’t been seen since.

HOORAY!

Fuck.

I want my SqueePC back!!!!! :(

that thing i do

Posted in adventure, everyday kimli by

I have a brutal migraine that is not going away through conventional methods, so I am trying to *think* the fucker away.

Ed asked me last night why I plan things.

Honestly, I’m not quite sure.

We were talking about birthdays and events, and I was thinking out loud about what needed to be done to make the next Big Outing work for everyone involved. Halfway through my stream of thought, Ed asked me why I do it and I didn’t really have a good answer.

Part of it is because I’m afraid no one else will. Everyone I know gets so frustrated when the majority of the day is spent sitting around saying “what do you want to do?” “I dunno, what do YOU want to do?” that it’s just easier if a game plan is laid out beforehand. It’s also because with groups larger than 2 or 3, there are things to consider that may be overlooked – but since I’m so anal about details, I try to cover it. Yes, the planning is a little fun – but most of the time it’s a huge hassle, since people don’t necessarily appreciate the fact that I try to arrange stuff so there are no potentially disastrous situations.

I also tend to worry a lot. A big part of why I don’t enjoy 4×4’ing is because of the unknown – while I am almost always up for Adventure, something about driving off where you shouldn’t and without cell service or a non-homicidal human around for miles makes my inner anal spasm. What if we fall in a ditch? What if we drive into an 8’ deep puddle of crocodiles and can’t get out? What if our entire group goes missing and no one notices we’re gone for 2 weeks and we have to resort to cannibalism? As the juiciest, I’m sure to get eaten first – and did anyone bring napkins and ketchup? I truly do love Adventures, but I am just not that crazy about the Unknown outside of my comfort zone (which, to be fair, is a very large zone).

Also, I *hate* getting dirty.

When it comes to planning Events – birthdays, holidays, Big Fun Things – those I do out of love. I love my peoples, even if they drive me crazy sometimes (and vice versa – I am not much fun to be around when I am in a terrible mood). I plan things that would be fun for everyone because I love my friends and I want people to have good times. I worry about people’s birthdays – even and especially if they don’t – because I want them to know they’re loved and appreciated (and because everyone should feel special on their birthday).

That’s probably the answer right there: I do what I do because I am an anal retentive control freak with an eye for details, a wicked memory, and big squishy love for those I care about.

Awww.

My head still hurts.

click continue to breathe

Posted in nerd by

So hey, meet Banjo.

I had priced out a bunch of machines at several different vendors, but everything was insanely expensive. It looked like I was going to have to go through Dell and use their evil financing program to get a halfway decent laptop, but the relatively debt-free rebel in me refused to pay $80 a month for four years for something that would be obsolete within 2.

Then I went to Future Shop to pick up a video game. Out of sheer curiosity, I went over to look at the laptop selection. Hey, these are pretty neat. Hey, these have the same specs as what I’ve been eyeballing online. Hey, these laptops are $500-900 less than what I priced out ..

I went home and did a bunch of research, and then went back out and bought the laptop linked above. His name is Banjo. I spent most of last night removing HP bloatware and trying to get Vista to look and behave as much like XP as possible. If I ever find XP drivers, I’m wiping it and starting fresh. In fact, the whole setup process was completely alien to me – I *never* use a machine right out of the box; I always wipe the HD completely and install something that doesn’t suck. Okay, I guess I didn’t do that with my MacBook, but you get the picture. Formatting things is awesome.

It’ll take me a couple days to have everything setup properly (both the machine and my desk), but I rather like Banjo’s shiny newness already. Plus: fingerprint scanner. All my secrets, safe at last (until someone cuts off my right index finger to use the scanner and get at my unmentionables)!

It’s good that I drove into the office today only to have the torrential rains dry up an hour later. It’s also good that the bank machine made scary noises and spit out a message saying “this transaction cannot be completed; please try again later” yet on the statement, it had already taken the money from my account. It’s super duper good that the assholes across the street are busy creating another abused yard dog, and that no one in a 3-block radius got any sleep last night because the poor thing was howling and barking all night long, so much so that the cops had to be called and yet animal control will not do anything because they’re on reserve land and therefore have a free pass to abuse animals and/or the law.

Yes. Good.

another folk singer

Posted in nerd by

I had the best, most awesome idea!

I should buy a LAPTOP!

No, really. Hear me out:

I want to buy a second monitor for my PC. However, said PC was built around the time God told Jesus to invent fire (as is my understanding of intelligent design) and desperately needs a total overhaul to truly make use of a dual monitor setup (for the nerds: I’m running an underclocked Barton 2500 with 1GB of RAM and a Radeon 9600 video card). Instead of buying another monitor and essentially a whole new PC, why don’t I just buy a LAPTOP? It has a monitor built in! I could use my current monitor with it! It would be VERY SEXY!

Since I can’t make any kind of decision without a list:

Pros:

  • LAPTOP!
  • It would use less power than my PC – I am environmentally friendly!
  • Laptops come with batteries – the next time the power blows in my apartment, it won’t fry my power supply
  • So, no more replaced power supplies!
  • Laptops take up much less room than my current PC
  • New toy! Hooray!

Cons:

  • Ed thinks the idea sucks
  • Ed obviously hates me
  • To adequately replace my PC, I’d be looking at a much more expensive laptop than I originally stabbed at
  • Most new laptops are sold with Vista, and Vista is the fucking devil

I think I should do it. One of my monthly payments is about to be chopped in half, I can easily afford it, and it’s my birthday month.

Quick, someone be a Voice of Reason before I hit submit.

field of dongs

Posted in everyday kimli by

I am being cockblocked, and I do not like it one bit.

I can’t really say much more about it, so I’ll just leave it at that: there are cocks, they are in my way, and it’s making me grumpy.

Bah.

where’s your messiah now

Posted in everyday kimli by

From a work email:

Canadian Christian College University exceeded the number of daily allowable email sent with 3674 emails on May 30, 2008.

Those wily Christians and their excessive email!

I’m working from home today, and are therefore more busy than if I were in the office.

Also, I’m no longer getting a custom plate for Oscar because it costs the exact same as the repair for my SqueePC. When all is said and done, I’d much rather than portable computing power than yet another way to make my scooter more obviously mine.

It is June, so it is officially my birthday.