Monthly Archives: December 2005

Computer Frustration

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The computer that I call mine is a hand-me-down from . It’s been a pretty dependable machine, and it was quite an improvement over my last – an AMD K6-2 350. But, it has had its quirks. When I first got it, if it sat off for more than a few days, it would have problems starting up. It would power up for a few seconds, then shut down. It would do that a few times, and then boot up as if nothing was wrong.

This problem has become worse over the time I’ve had it. Now, if it’s down for more than a few hours, this happens, and it takes quite a while to get it to stay on. Each time it boots, it stays on for a little while longer, and then eventually it acts as though nothing was wrong.

A new problem has cropped up. Every once in a while, the machine’s hard drive activity light goes solid and the machine stops accessing the CD-RW drive. It doesn’t even show up in WinXP’s explorer. I have to restart the machine to access the drive again.

And now, in the past few days, it has been randomly shutting off, as if I had left the machine shut down for a time. Today, I’ve noticed that everything slows to a crawl right before it shuts down.

All of this leads me to believe that there is something serious wrong with the motherboard. That’s the only thing that can explain both the problems with shutting down and with the IDE controller.

Is my diagnosis accurate? Is the machine doomed? If it is, I’d like to salvage the hard drives, the RAM, and the CD-RW and put them into another box. Does anybody happen to have a case and mobo/proc combo just lying around, collecting dust, taking up space? Maybe a mac? *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*

I’m going to keep my eyes open, check out MSU Surplus and the usual haunts, but if you see anything, let me know. :)

Update on Writing Projects

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Little City Mafia

  • The entire piece (or what I’ve got so far) needs to be typed up, and the character names need to be replaced.
  • The city name needs to be replaced with a fictional one.
  • The characters need to develop away from their outlines. No need for a second novel with too much shading of real people.
  • Research Bushido.
  • Contact about a visit to Cleveland (or him to MI) in the near future.

Adam’s Name

  • Talk to and Rick to make sure that they’re still interested.
  • Re-hash question of serial short story vs. RPG vs. novel.
  • Write the bit about Chicago.
  • Get a more thorough description of all characters – RP?

The Remembrance

  • Re-write chapter introductions as excerpts from Timothy’s writings. Drop a few more hints and explinations, as befits each chapter, through this.
  • Re-order Chapter 1 in its proper chronological order. Leave in the references to the seasons.
  • Re-distribute dream images so that the Shogun’s involvement shows up earlier. Possibly end each chapter with a dream segment, as each was begun with an excerpt.

The Glass Crown

  • Not tellin’. >;)

Steven

  • Finish re-writing what is done of Book 2.
  • Contact Ogre’s girlfriend about drawing, as well as the artists suggested earlier by you people.

Okay, now I’m -really- back this time.

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Finals are over, and the classwork is -almost- done.

4.0 in Japanese, as far as can be predicted.
4.0 in Judaism, for certain.

This semester was NOT a cake walk. I need to go back in time and slap myself stupid for thinking so. Ack.

The Smart Networks job in Flint is moving from 14-hour days for as many as we can tolerate to 8 hour days, M-F. Thank the gods for that. And, I’m going to be at work at 8:30 tomorrow morning, and hopefully finish up the Earthy Delights server before heading to Jackson for the Bean Xmas celebration.

Also, the Linux bug won’t let me go. Damn Small Linux on an 11-year-old laptop is a brilliant idea. Also, the concept of Linux on shiny (but well-aged) Apple hardware has me tweaked pleasantly.

Ok, off to actually read my friends’ page. :)

Turkey Day update

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So, Thanksgiving.

Our first turkey ever came out perfectly.

Mom Bartilson’s beans did not. Nor one of the pecan pies. We have discovered that our oven temperature is somewhere between 20 to 50 degrees hotter than what it says on the dail.

As would say, that’s hott!

Anyway, despite the undertones of mourning, it was a wonderful, official-type feeling of being a family of our own.

Oh, yeah, and Aunt Betty went to the hospital to get stiches.

still loves the Labatt’s.

Fudge.

Me + ‘s mead = saying bad words in front of my parents. Whoops.

We’re going to get a Christmas tree this year. :)

Horoscope

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In Sicily, the word “mafia” once meant beauty, charm, excellence, or boldness. In its modern usage, both in Italian and English, none of the old senses of the word have survived. It refers to organized crime, and conveys a sinister mood. I encourage you to identify a comparable thing in your own life, Taurus: a situation, influence, or relationship that was formerly a blessing, but that has now degenerated into a source of darkness. Is there anything you can do to resurrect its original glory? If it’s even remotely possible, now is the time you’re most likely to accomplish it.

Freakin’ out about Buddy.

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I’m sorry to have freaked everybody out about Buddy. Here’s the detailed situation:

Buddy is fine. He was staying at ‘s Uncle Clint’s place for the weekend while we worked in Flint. He was dropped back off yesterday evening. Before that, I was just missing him something fierce.

Once again, sorry for making people worry. :)

Horoscope from 30 Nov 2005

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1953, Ena Bridge got engaged to Tony Baker in their hometown of Kent, England. But they broke up and lost touch with each other until recently. Now they’re engaged again, planning to go through with the marriage they shrunk back from 52 years ago. I regard them as your good luck charms, Taurus. Soon you, too, will be returning to the site of a long lost dream, or revisiting a desire you abandoned years ago, or exploring a potential union you gave up on in the past.