annafdd

Main computer started throwing kernel panics yesterday. Tried installing update this morning hoping it would fix it, but it crashed during the installation and now there is a mismatch between installed components, which means that the kernel panics happens before the computer finishes booting. In fact, before it gets to the point where I can make it spew out the CD that's inside so that I can try fixing in with the ProTools disc.

Since today started at around four when I had to run to put buckets under my leaking roof, it's not promising much yet.

Ahhhh. it's got the location too. Happy.

I have told my dad that I will leave my Powerbook with him and get a new computer in London. He's paying for it. My original plan was for HIM to buy a new laptop, but he wouldn't, saying that he doesn't need a state of the art-computer and so on.

I'm not totally happy about it for several reasons. My folks, who are not very good with computers, are not in any way facilitated by having thorough obsolete pieces of crap. I'd actually be happier with my father having a new MacBook now, while I am not thrilled by him inheriting my perfectly ok but soon to be obsolete Powerbook 12".

Also, I would much prefer to buy my computers with my money.

What I think will happen is that a new shiny Mac will be out in October, I will buy it, I will give my MacBook to my dad and give the Powerbook to some needy person because at that point it won't be worth anything.

I can afford a new laptop, but I wouldn't have chosen to buy it now, because, well, probably something will happen in October and my Powerbook is still performing well enough for me. But my father was threatening to get a PC and that would mean a nightmare of long-distance telephone support for me. He actually does need a laptop, since his main activity in retirement and giving talks about Ancient Egypt and he tells me that he's finding it more and more difficult to find overhead projectors. He was thinking about buying an overhead projector himself, but I vetoed it and told him that what he needed was a laptop and Powerpoint. He wouldn't spend the money for himself but he would for me, so this is what we settled on. As I said, I'd rather buy my computers myself.

Anyway, here I am, waiting for Backup to finish backing up the content of my hard drive here to my iPod (via a slooooow UBS1 port, one of the reasons I'm starting to feel this laptop is obsolescing), so that I can format it, install a brand new system and turn it over to my dad. I started the backup program at around 13:00 and it's now 22:41 and it's still going - the last 1% or so.

I love this little computer and I really hope he'll be happy with it. Erasing all my history on this, even with a backup, is sorta scary. This computer has travelled with me to Clarion, been spattered with the tears of at least four separate depressive episodes, and witnessed a ton of funny, warm, intimate and painful chats.

But, moving on.

Also, I gave one of my necklaces, the elaborate chocker with pearls and garnets, to my aunt because she admired it and mused that my cousin's wife would really go crazy over it. I also finished the labradorite necklace for my mom and gave it away.

I couldn't help (as usual) to spend money on presents, in this case belated presents for my dad (a tomtom satnav) and my mom (an iPod nano with radio, because the radio add-on of the iPod is really impressive and she does listen to a lot of it).

I like buying presents, because it satisfies my probably obsessive compulsive need to buy stuff but absolves me of much of the related guilt. Also it makes other people happy.

Tomorrow I'm flying back to London. I miss Zip, although the Little Black Cat has been getting probably a little more of my loving attention than she really honestly enjoys. But she's a polite cat and doesn't complain, and even wiggles away politely.

I have been feeling really well these past few days, and people who have seen me have probably thought "depressed? HER?". My mom is in a very good mood and hasn't been exhibiting any of the distressing and damaging habits she has. Maybe coming here instead of taking them to London is indeed a better option. Also, I haven't had to work, I have had all the time I wanted to sleep, I have spent a lot of time walking around Udine and eating good stuff (including some very good bread my father made with my breadmaking machine, another of my tech gifts from some time ago), and I didn't have to work. It's sad to think that work is what is making me so miserable - sad and scary.

Well, everybody's doing it...

27,200 / 100,000 (27.2%)

Apart from that: I had a hell of a time finding the damn novel (see how much I work on it?) because my spotlight is acting up, finding very little results and then making them disappear for no apparent reason. Anybody has a suggestion on how to fix this?

1. This is when you realize you've gone native for good - for the first time in my life, I finished not one but two loose leaf packets of tea (Whittard's Margaret's estate first flush darjeeling and Whittard's Genmaicha). So yesterday I just happened to be in Fortum and Mason and bought two big tins of Smoky Earl Grey and Broken Darjeeling.

Unfortunately, the Darjeeling is not as good as Whittard's (and there's a lot of it, too!) and the Earl Grey is not really my thing, I mainly bought it because I loathe the regular Earl Grey but people seem to love it, so this way I can actually offer it when somebody comes visiting - and being a mixture of lapsang suchong and other smoky varieties, at least I can enjoy it too. Whittad's is still better, though.

2. I am not a Mac apologist - I even bought an Acer Wintel once. I work painlessly with Windows machines. But this review of a previous Windows apologist turned Mac fan by Vista made me smile.

3. I wouldn't like to this kind of meanness if I didn't find it immensely heartening (and useful!) to see what the goddesses of ethereal feminine beauty look like without makeup. It is pretty obvious that the photographers went some distance to catch the ugliest moment, but they can't hide what is evident - some of these women are pretty, NORMAL human beings. (Courtney Love is a monster, but then I always thought that.)

It seems I have to take my new mac to the Apple Store to inquire into the matter of the never-resting fans.

GROAN.

New computer arrived yesterday at ten just as I had gone to sleep. Didn't get much sleep as a consequence.

Still worshipping it.

SCREEN REAL ESTATE!

Computer obviously coming with UK keyboard. Inverted commas in yet another place.