Missing Daisies

I’m bummed that I haven’t been able to get my Pushing Daisies fix these past couple of weeks. Two Wednesdays ago, I turned on the TV at 8 only to find that Dancing with the Stars was airing. Last Wednesday, I was disappointed again because ABC was broadcasting the Country Music Awards. Being Daisy-less these past weeks made me impatient, so I checked the ABC website and was assured that a new episode will grace the airwaves this coming Wednesday. Now if only I can get some of Ned’s pies to consume while I watch the show… A cup pie would be perfect…

Computer Frustrations

So, a little over 3 weeks ago, the web browsers on my desktop computer suddenly lost the ability to connect to the internet. Other programs, such as Windows Updates and Norton Anti-Virus, apparently still worked just fine, but the browsers could now only display “Unable to load page” error messages. Thinking it an internet issue, I called AT&T DSL tech support. After spending an hour on the phone with two tech reps, I was told that there was nothing wrong with the modem or the connection. If I start the computer in safe mode, the web browsers work. If I start in normal mode, something prevents the browsers from accessing the net. The level 2 tech rep (who sounded a bit condescending and put-upon) suggested that I find a friend who knows computers or take my disabled system to the Geek Squad.

The apparent culprit behind this connectivity issue is one of those automatic updates that run in the background, often without our knowledge. Something in a recent (buggy) Windows or Firefox update clearly does not get along with Norton Anti-Virus or Windows firewall. I researched the problem, and it is apparently not an uncommon one. However, none of the recommended solutions I read about have worked thus far. The only way I’ve been able to get online is with my laptop, which I bought in February to be my work computer.

It’s been over 3 weeks since I’ve been able to get online with my desktop, and I’m facing a rather drastic solution: back up all the data on the system and reimage the hard drive. This means wiping the computer clean and reinstalling all the software. Though a colleague has told me that some (techie) people routinely do this to make their computers run efficiently, I’m feeling a bit of trepidation about this step. But, I don’t really see a way around this. Everything is so web-based these days that my desktop will surely become defunct should its inability to connect to the internet become permanent. And the system is only a little over 3 years old!

This problem has doubtless been a frustrating and annoying one, but it also started me thinking about how dependent on technology (especially the information superhighway) modern life is. And that makes me a tad uneasy. I can’t imagine life without a functioning computer, broadband, and email. What does that say about me and our civilization as a whole? And so much is automated these days… things we don’t even see (for example, the automatic updates that caused the subject of this rant). How easily might things slip from our control? I suppose it is just a fact of modern life that we must accept, discomfiting as it is.

Saints Alive!

I haven’t been able to blog as often as I’d liked in the past several weeks. This is in part due to my having computer issues. But, I think I’ll save my rant for the next entry since I’d like to write about something fun before delving into a negative spiral. ;P Anyway, this past Saturday, I attended my first All Saints Day party. Guests were invited to come dressed as their favorite saints. We were informed that past favorites included The St. Petersburg Times and Mt. St. Helens.

Being a literature geek, I wrote in my evite response: Not that he's my favorite saint, but does St. John Rivers count, even though it's pronounced "sinjin"? ;P (For non-literary-types, St. John Rivers is a character in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.) When the day came, however, I was uninspired and didn’t have enough time. So, I showed up in a black sweater and blue jeans. Little did I know that my simple attire would soon become 2 costumes in one!

St. Bernard greeted me at the door. He was dressed both as the monk and the dog! He was sporting a monk’s robe, a crucifix, and a mini keg. (Yes, the mini keg was fastened around his neck.) The host, my friend Sergimus, was dressed as the US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John). I immediately asked, “Ooh, can I be a British Virgin Island?” Turns out the BVIs are not named after saints, but we came up with another Caribbean island for me to be. A few minutes later, I had cut a rudimentary shape out of printer paper, labeled it “St. Kitts,” and taped it to my sweater. (I was later told that my St. Kitts island looked like a cross between a fish and a drumstick.) The Caribbean certainly had a strong showing at the party. Another girl was dressed as St. Barth!

Shortly thereafter, KPGirl and Proof Daddy arrived. They were both wearing black turtlenecks and blue jeans. Proof Daddy said he was Val Kilmer from The Saint, and KPGirl was his understudy. I remarked that I could be the understudy’s understudy. (Not quite as inspired or funny as St. Bernard, but at least I was somewhat saintly.) Other saints at the party included Joan of Arc (who sported an awesome sword), the St. Pauli Girl, a New Orleans Saint, and (my personal favorites) the Monopoly properties of St. Charles Place and St. James Place.

It was a fun and relaxing party, with good company and good food. (The hosts made an amazing array of Chicago Deep Dish pizza.) Amidst the chatting and eating, we played a game of Wii bowling, and I inexplicably got an all-time high score of 216. I must’ve gotten something like 7 strikes and even started the game with a turkey! It was rather baffling. Then came karaoke, the highlight of which was the men’s rousing rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” We even screened a 10-minute film written, directed, and produced by several party attendees. All in all, it was a rollicking good time. :)

So This Is What It Feels Like...

. . . to vote for the winning candidate in a presidential election. How thrilling, humbling, and moving to be a part of this historic day.