Month: October 2007

Well, I spoke to the computer people and they say…

1. All my data including the desktop stuff is definitely on my computer
2. Even if it’s not, they have a cloned copy of my original drive, and will happily burn it to DVD for me.

I’m not entirely convinced about 1), but 2) is definitely a good sign…

Just thought I’d post some crazy YouTube videos we did watch on Sunday…

Frank Zappa – Baby Snakes

Captain Beefheart – Ice Cream for Crow

The KLF – America, What Time is Love?

Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song

Punch Rockgroin! Big McLargehuge! Steve!

The best song at Eurovision 2007

The worst song at Eurovision 2007

Arguably the most insane song at Eurovision 2007

Maybe – just maybe – I might get my computer back today. Maybe.

…Later…

Good news – I have my computer back

Bad News – Despite my telling them that there was a tonne of important stuff on the desktop, they didn’t bother to back it up. Meaning that I’ve lost about five years of work on various projects. Including…

• The Wild Southwest campaign setting
• Plying’ The Black (my Firefly card game in progress)
• The graphics for the new CD I’m making for Helen and Ali, which I was really happy with
• A bunch of other stuff I can’t remember right now, but that I’m sure going to miss as soon as I do

I’m going to phone them up tomorrow morning and see if they possibly have some kind of earlier backup lying around, but I’m not hopeful 🙁

Needless to say I am not taking my computer back to them the next time something goes wrong.

It’s the Queen’s birthday long weekend, and I’m at work.

This is completely voluntary. I simply can’t take another day sitting at home thinking of all the things I could do if I had my computer. It’s still not fixed (more problems with Windows, which I fully blame on the infamous Stealth Update back in August) and I’m just going nuts without it. So I figured I’d take my mind of things by coming into the office and catching up with some of the tasks on my extremely long work list. The fact that I’ll get some extra pay for doing so is merely a bonus 😀

The only major downside to this is that since it’s the Queen’s birthday long weekend the trains are packed with plebs heading off to the Royal Show. These are once-a-year commuters who only ever use the train to get to the Show, and have absolutely no idea of proper train etiquette. They crowd around the ticket machines in puzzlement like a Martian confronted with the Viking probe, randomly pressing buttons despite the clearly posted instructions. They harass the rail guard centre by pressing the “emergency” button and asking the operator how much a ticket to Claremont costs. They elbow their way straight through the doors as soon as they open, not giving anyone a chance to get off first, then let their multitudinous progeny run up and down the carriage screaming at the top of their lungs because “they’re excited about the show”. All of which is highly disrespectful to those of us who use the train network day in and day out.

The trains back are even worse because the multitudinous progeny are now hepped up on sugar, and loaded down with bunches of balloons, giant teddy bears, and plastic “rat-tat-tat” guns from the GI Joe showbag. Giant teddy bears apparently ride free, which if you ask me is ridiculous – they easily take up as much room as an eight year old child and should be charged accordingly. I think I shall have to arm myself with a sturdy, pointed stick before leaving for home, and apply it where necessary.

I was also planning to come into work yesterday, but instead ended up at Ryan’s place hanging around with he and Fabian. We had an entertaining day of Munchkin, watching crazy Youtube videos, messing around with Linux, watching the end of Matrix Revolutions and using up most of Ryan’s Zome constructing a proof of concept go-go dancer’s cage. It was a good day, and much more fun than working.

Well, lunch is over so I suppose I’d better get back to work. At least I can listen to JJJ with no one else here 🙂