On the other hand.... (computer update)

My new-to-me computer is happy, and so am I!

While I was in New York last month my sister gave me her old laptop, so that I would have a computer running Windows XP. It needed a new battery so I ordered one before I left New York. It arrived two days after I returned home. It was the wrong battery.

When I called the customer service department the representative was polite but firm: it was the right battery. The fact that it was the wrong shape and size, and didn't fit into the enclosure, did not dissuade him. He did issue a return authorization and arrange for FedEx to pick the battery up at their expense.

That left me without a battery and without the money I had paid them, pending their 15-day refund process. The existing battery had about a 40 minute useful life, and I really didn't have a convenient place to use it plugged in. As a result, I didn't use it much at all, and didn't begin transfering software and data from my old laptop, in order to travel with only one.

This week I bit the bullet and used money from next month's budget to buy another battery, from a different online vendor. It arrived today, while my friend was here. I immediately installed the battery and began charging it, but otherwise left it alone. When my friend left I noticed that the "charging" light was out. The new battery was fully charged in less than two hours. Yippee!! I now have a 3+ hour battery life.

Now I have 48 hours to transfer everything before I return to New York.

What's wrong with this picture?

I thought I was done.

I had the shelf, I had all the components in the right rooms, I had them talking to each other.... I pushed the stand back where it goes and turned the power on. The result was not what I expected.

When I started this project I coiled up the cable from the wall and tucked it out of the way. You can see it right there, behind the TV, still tucked out of the way. I never re-connected it.

I can watch DVDs and listen to music in the office. I can watch exercise videos in the wellness room. For the time being, the only TV I can get is Channel 8 (KAET), badly.

The rest of the story? When we were getting ready to swap the furniture last month the first thing we did was pack up all the videos and CDs, in order to move the entertainment center. I thought I could live without them until after the remodeling next month. I have about a dozen audio CDs that were in the office and one Blockbuster DVD. The rest are still packed.

(Image is washed out because I had to play with the exposure to compensate for the bright spots.)

Not what I had in mind.

I was so close....

Although it may take a very long time for me to figure how I want things organized, once I figure that out, I want to complete the project and enjoy the benefits, whether that's moving my kitchen appliances, swapping furniture between rooms or, in this case, reorganizing my TV, VCR, etc., so that I can have music in my office and watch exercise videos in my wellness room.

I recently figured out which components I needed in each room, and how to arrange them using the existing furniture. I needed to add one shelf to the entertainment center, for the VCR. On Thursday evening I found a shelf that sort-of works at Linens 'n' Things. I was eager to get the project done: I had a friend coming over to watch a video on Saturday, and I wanted my music back.

I couldn't do it. I got this far Thursday night and had to stop. I was too tired to start reconnecting the home theater.

Instead of having all of my components working, and my office looking better, I had nothing working, and my office more torn up than ever.

Sigh.

(Wes: I'm sorry. I appreciate your work, but last month I hadn't figured out that I needed to move the VCR.)

Tying up loose ends...

Just thought I'd follow up on a few recent posts.

Housing:
Ouch! I received my lease renewal letter this week. The rent is going up $60, and that's for a full year. If I renew for six months, as I plan, the rent will be even higher.

For a very brief moment I started scrambling. I'm packing anyway for the remodel on the 17th; how much more would it take...? I stopped myself. When I posted last time I felt that I had identified the correct course of action: to renew for six months, then move. I did not know how large the increase would be, but Heavenly Father did.


My toe:
I received the results of the x-rays today: my toe is broken. I can expect a few more weeks of discomfort if I follow my doctor's instructions. Fortunately, while I was in New York I did exactly what she would have told me to do, if I had seen her when it happened.

Unfortunately, I can't stand having it buddy-taped, and I've been doing more the last few days. Predictably, it hurts more. My doctor recommended Birkenstocks; I may look for a cheap clone at Wal-Mart.


My lab work:
I also received the results of the blood tests I requested, and was pleasantly surprised. The first two weeks that I was in New York the lymph nodes in my neck acted like popcorn. I went from one swollen node on the right side to a whole strand on the right and a few on the left. I thought my numbers would be way up; that's why I requested the lab work.

Instead, my numbers are about 10% lower than they were in April! I'm not questioning it....


Wi-Fi in BWI:
It's probabably a good thing I was unable to connect to the Internet in Baltimore. "Free Public Wi-Fi" is a so-called viral network, not a legitimate provider.

I should have known better. During my layover at Midway (Chicago) there were big banner ads every 10 yards or so announcing that the transit authority offered free wi-fi in the terminals. I looked for a similar sign in Baltimore; their absence should have tipped me off.

I checked BWI's web site. Boingo is the authorized provider. You can subscribe for unlimited service or pay for 24 hour windows of service on the fly. I may establish an account just to have it available in the future.

I very much prefer changing at Baltimore on the way to Long Island. I leave Phoenix at 6:00 a.m. and have five hours to sleep. After a short hop to LI I arrive rested and ready to visit.


VCR mishaps:
I'm running 0 for 2 on the VCR programming. I sat down to watch the NCIS season finale last night. I missed taping the first hour of that, too.


Fan:
Yeah!!! My fan is fixed. Thanks, Connie!


Stay tuned....

Dancing With ... Ty Pennington???

Before leaving for New York I set my VCR up to tape the season finales of two shows.

I had heard that the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition finale would be two hours long. I didn't realize that it started one hour early.

This afternoon I discovered that I had taped the second hour of Exteme Makeover and the first hour of Dancing With the Stars.

Nuts!

Ahh! The soft, gentle breeze...

I have my pedestal fan working in the office, again.

It's not fixed, but the 40F temperature difference between Long Island and Tempe necessitated some action. The fan head is balanced on the post. The pin which should connect them is still out. I turned off the oscillation and have my fingers crossed.

A friend is dropping by tomorrow; I'll ask her to help me repair it permanently.

A Lady of Leisure...

I may spend the next two weeks with my feet up.

I saw my doctor today. To my surprise, being able to bend my injured toe without pain was not, in fact, a sign that it wasn't broken. I had an Xray taken today; I'll get the results next week.

Either I broke the toe or I tore all the ligaments in the top half. Either way, the treatment is the same: buddy taping it to the next toe, wearing a shoe with a rigid sole and rest.

Mobile computing, at last!

I'm writing this while sitting in a boarding area at BWI. Sort of.... I can write, but I can't post. I'm using WordPad.

I'm so disappointed. I thought this would be my first experience using wi-fi someplace other than my sister's home. I have a three hour layover. I have my laptop. I have my Wi-Fi card. I found a "Free Public Wi-Fi" network.

I'm showing a strong connection to the network, but my browser can't find any sites. Oh, well....

I'm on my way back to Phoenix from my sister's home on Long Island, New York.

We had a good visit. I'm very glad that I stayed the extra week. We got more done, and had dinner with my nephew last night, and I was able to set up some Creative Memories appointments for my next trip.

I have to keep reminding myself that we did, in fact, get a lot done. Visually, there isn't much change. I guess you could say that we focused on infrastructure work this trip.

We straightened out my sister's account with her cable Internet provider. We set up her wi-fi router and connected all of her (and my) computers. That allowed her to dump AOL as her ISP.

We installed her new scanner and she began getting familiar with PaperPort, the document management software that came with it.

I installed Creative Memories Memory Manager and Storybook Creator Plus software on my sister's new computer, and she loaded her photos from her memory cards, backups and other computer. All 3000+ of them!

I cleaned the screens in her faucets and shower, which previously had marginally useful water pressure.

I replaced light bulbs. Lots of light bulbs! I'm about 4" taller than my sister. It makes a difference. We bought two floor lamps for her office; I assembled one of them.

I cleaned out and swept about half of her garage. We dumped lots of trash and recycling.

We briefly saw Fire Island and Smith Point Park while renewing my nephew's fishing license. We intended to return, and to visit the Flight 700 International Memorial, but the next weekend was Memorial Day -- not the time to go the beach, if you can avoid it -- and then we had some rainy weather.

I wanted to take some "then and now" photos to make a digital album about Long Island. Early in my visit I noted some potential sites as we ran errands. We never got back to shoot the photos. The last half of my visit we had several rainy and cloudy days, and I had a few days that I needed to rest.