Giants, laptops, and Neville Chamberlain
I haven't updated for a while. Floatyfish and Onib and Firinel and I went to see TMBG at the TLA. It was just as excellent as ever, though the opening act with the electric ukelele felt a little out of place.
I mentioned that I've trashed my laptop. Actually, it's just the DC input that's broken, but I fear that may mean a new motherboard. This could cost $250-odd for the parts, and if I take it to a shop, probably at least that much again for the labour, and we don't really have that kind of money lying around now. However, life without electricity is surprisingly passable: I can charge up the battery on someone else's laptop and still get to use the computer on the way home. I'm playing with Evolution.
I did have a go at getting the computer fixed yesterday. Someone recommended Eastern Computer at 15th and Locust because it was nearby, so I took the laptop over there. To begin with, you can't open the door from the outside. You have to wait for them to open it for you. When I got into the place, I explained my problem, and apologised for the state of the keyboard (the words "incurable skin disease" came in useful).
EC: Well, it'll be $65 just to take a look at it.
Marn: *trapped in headlights look* Ooooo...kay...
EC: And then if it's the dilithium wingsplottle it'll only be another $45, but if it's anything else... well, there'll be the cost of parts, and...
Marn: Okay, well, shall I leave it with you?
EC: Sign this bit of paper. *marn signs* Okay, we'll let you know by Thursday.
*marn leaves*
*marn returns*
Marn: Hey, my dad took a computer into the shop, and they fixed it, but they wiped the hard disk. Could you not do that?
EC: Oh, of course we'll wipe the hard disk.
Marn: Er. No. I want you not to wipe the hard disk.
EC: Oh. That might be extra.
Marn: Could you just leave the hard disk alone, considering you're only looking at the power supply?
EC: Well, you'll have to get your Windows disks and re-install.
Marn: No, I don't run Windows.
EC: Well, you'll have to buy a copy of Windows and install it.
Marn: No, no! I will not buy Windows! I will never buy Windows! Windows is not a part of my life!
EC: What do you run, then?
Marn: Linux.
EC: *looks baffled* Okay... I'm not sure about that... I'll ask XYZ when he's in.
So I went back to work and relayed the story to IT, who were very amused, and told me that they wouldn't have left the laptop with such a person. I began panicking, or channelling Neville Chamberlain, and said that I'd signed a bit of paper and everything, so it must be irrevocable now. Judd from IT helpfully offered to walk over there with me and get the computer back, which he did. So that was all back to square one. No harm done, but also no good done.
I spent today almost entirely wrangling Postgres with Sean. Tomorrow I'm doing something different with Erik.
Also, my nose kept bleeding. I don't know why.
I went to St Mark's at lunchtime. The congregation numbered two. The sermon was on the end of John 14, and the meaning of the word "peace" and how God's peace isn't the same thing as the world's peace. (I thought someone needed to tell the preacher about the difference between the Welsh concepts of heddwch and tangnefedd.)
When I was walking past an oak tree in the quiet, I sneezed very loudly, and a squirrel fell twenty feet off a high bough into a little side branch. It was very funny, except for the squirrel.