The Chronicles Of…

I got a bit of help with my PC recently from a friendly geek, who showed me how to fix up my machine. I backed up all of my important data (music/videos/games…oh, and uni work etc) onto a brand new external hard drive, and was all excited that I’d be able to start a fresh installation of Windows.

I did the reinstall, which seemed to have gone well, and started reinstalling software and downloading Windows updates. I needed to restart the computer, which I did, then it died. Again.

It just repeatedly mentioned missing/corrupt System32 hal dll files and just wouldn’t work, even after I had looked up ‘fixes’ from the Microsoft website and tried everything that they suggested.

Boo.

So I’m currently in the process of spitting the dummy, and seriously trying to work out how to get together the money to just go and finally buy a MacBook. I’m so sick of talking about it, and just want to go and do it. But I had also decided that this was the year that I’d be financially responsible(ish) and not waste money… so although I really, really want to go and buy one, I think I’m going to have to live with the old laptop that Dicker gave me a few years ago (which I’m using to type this up now) for doing uni work etc.

So does anyone know how I change my iPhone over to sync with this machine, and if I manage to do it, will I be able to change again later if/when I eventually buy a new computer (the shiny new MacBook that’s calling to me like a siren)?

Google, here I come…

Well my holiday is coming to an end pretty soon, which means I was meant to have done a whole list of activities to start the year in a good way. Let’s see how I’ve done:

1. Get my car serviced / airconditioning fixed.
Took my car to the airconditioning guy this morning, who told me it would cost almost $700 to get it working again. I haven’t even come close to getting the car serviced.

2. Find out what happened with a guitar I tried to sell in 2008.
Went into the shop who were selling it for me, and they don’t have any record of it. They’re going to call me at some stage, so who knows. I know the guy who owns the business though, and he’s honest, just forgetful, so I should hear something eventually.

3. Teach Vanessa how to drive.
Not. One. Lesson. But it looks as though we may get access to a small automatic car soon, which belonged to her Nan. We’ll see.

4. Exercise every day.
Been for a few runs, done a few pushups. Nothing too spectacular. Been swimming once or twice, which was nice.

5. Read for fun.
Read a few books, which is good. Finally, I’ve achieved one of my goals…

6. Catch up on sleep.
Yep, at least I’ve done plenty of that.

7. See friends and be relaxed.
Ditto. (This is getting good, just ignore the first few).

8. Fix my computer.
Nope. Ok, I’m slowing down again.

9. Write some songs.
No, but I did play some guitar which sort of, kind of counts?

OK, that was my version of New Year’s Resolutions. How did you lot go?

Today I went to the Apple Shop in the city to try to get my iPhone fixed. The home button has been playing up, so that I often have to reboot the phone in order to get back to the home screen (which is very frustrating).

I turned up at the shop assuming that they’d whinge about me not having the right paperwork, or try to fob me off onto Optus or something. I had my ‘cheerfully stubborn’ attitude ready to go, but didn’t need it at all! I was greeted by an iGeek who told me that there were no appointments available at the GeniusBar until next week, but that I was welcome to wait around on the off chance that someone didn’t turn up to their appointment. I was told that I was third in line (a bit like Prince Harry?), and that it may take a few hours.

I went upstairs and sat on a bench with my book, thinking that I’d wait 20 minutes or so, and then admit defeat by making an appointment, and coming back into the city next week. About 15 minutes later my phone was being serviced, and 45 minutes after that I had a brand new display fitted, and the button was working pefectly.

Yay Apple!

I was reading Tom’s blog and noticed his mention of James Gandolfini as a character in ‘Where the Wild Things Are’.

Now I can’t possibly think of Mr Gandolfini as anyone other than Tony Soprano. He was that character, and that character was him. I’ve seen him in a few other films, playing other roles, but I’ll never be able to see him as anyone else. Blame that on scripts/ acting talent/ production/ whatever, the character in the show was made real for me.

There are other actors out there who have made characters their own, and can never really move on. I think of most of the cast of ‘The Bill’ for example, who will probably never move on and get a different role.

But what about in other areas of life, beyond TV or film – are there characters in books that you’ve read, and imagined to look a certain way, that could just never be different, no matter how they were portrayed in a film? Or a definitive version of a song, whether it’s by the original composer or a particulalry inspired cover version. Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah comes to mind. No matter how many times I hear someone play that song, the version that I’ll always be comparing it to will be the one I heard on ‘Grace’, that starts with a sigh and ends with an amazingly sustained falsetto note.

Or your nanna’s sausage rolls, or your first kiss with ‘that person’, or whatever… what are some of the things that have set the benchmarks in your life?

Some fairly amusing types in the UK have decided that they’re sick of X-Factor/Idol type records being number 1 in the charts over Christmas each year, so have started a campaign to make Rage Against the Machine’s song “Killing in the name” number 1 instead.

RAGE

I’ve seen it on Twitter a fair bit, with quite a few famous types promoting it. I hope it works, I can’t stand all that bubble gum plastic music marketing crossover stuff.

(Even if I see the irony in a whole lot of people all chanting about “not doing what they tell me” at the same time…)

On another music related note, if you’re interested in hearing some great new tunes, you can go to this website:

BLALOCK

This guy puts together a monthly ‘mix tape’ of new music by indie bands, and lets you download the MP3s from his site. A lot of the bands see it as free advertising and are quite keen to get themselves onto his ‘compilations’ each month. It’s apparently very good for your indie cred.

The place where I work (and where Dicker lives), has a reputation within the organisation as being a bit quiet. It used to be a hotbed of activity that we are paid to deal with, but these days it’s mostly rather minor stuff.

This last week has certainly changed a few people’s opinions on that. We’ve had quite a number of fairly major incidents that have attracted quite a bit of media coverage, and I’ve been privileged to see first hand how experienced people deal with these major incidents.

Having said that, I’m absolutely exhausted now, and also rather disappointed that I missed out on a trip west for Chris’ birthday.

So – tell me what I missed… photos, anyone?

So I’m losing track of time a little bit. Every time I go into work my roster seems to have changed again, and I’m working a lot of nights. That means that I lose a lot of my days, and get fairly confused as to what day it is.

I’ve been spending hours at home by myself watching DVDs and wasting time, which is actually rather nice. I still feel a bit dazed most of the time though.

An example of this would be that I spent about 15 minutes last night giggling to myself about the phrase “meeee bunghole shine”, which I’m sure normal people wouldn’t do.

I’m working most of this weekend, so I’m trying to figure out what I want to do tonight – go out and be social, or stay home and be well rested?

So my current desktop is getting rather tired. It makes a horrible loud whirring noise constantly as the fan works overtime trying to keep everything cool, and is getting slower every day (or at least that’s how it feels). I think it might be time to start thinking about a replacement computer, but it’s a hard decision…

I use it mainly for the interwebs / uni work / watching movies, so I like having a fairly big screen, which makes me think that a desktop might be my best option. I love the idea of a laptop, but realistically I don’t need that portability very often, and from what I can tell you get more ‘bang for buck’ with desktops?

I’m excited by the idea of going Mac, but I’m still very wary of whether various programs would work and if I’d need to install two operating systems etc. Just the words ‘Mac Book Pro’ make me smile though, so I know what my heart is saying.

Then there’s the factor of cost. Although I’m finally earning a wage after quite a long time of being a student etc, I’ve managed to rack up some bills in that time, so I’m currently working hard to pay all of that off. I also want to look at getting a slightly larger car at some stage, so don’t want to go crazynuts on computers when I’m still financially recovering (that sounds slightly ‘GFC’, doesn’t it?).

With those factors in mind, what do people suggest? Where do I shop? Which models should I consider?
I’m still technically a uni student for another 12 months, so will that benefit me in cost at all?

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.

Firstly, it’s a bit sad that between three potential bloggers on this site, we still can barely muster up a post per week… we need to pull our blogs out, people!

Secondly, I’ve finished season 4 of The Wire, and I’m very keen to get closure by watching the final season. I’m depressed, but just have to see it through. Damn obsessive compulsive tendancies.

Thirdly, I’m about to go to bed before my final week in the fun capital of New South Wales. It’s going to be an unusual week, and I don’t really know what to expect, beyond a lot of marching. Can’t wait to be finished, but at the same time, a bit nervous about the future after Friday. To be honest, I’m nervous as can be about the whole thing…

This hasn’t been a particularly good week for me in terms of exams.

I had a practical assessment that went really well, until after I’d finished and realised that I’d left out one of the mandatory items. The assessor didn’t seem to notice, because it got ticked, but I’m waiting to get the call back.

Then last night’s exam threw me a few curly questions that I wasn’t expecting, and so hadn’t prepared for. I’m hoping that I threw together enough waffle to get across the line, but I wasn’t feeling too optimistic last night.

I’ve got a fitness test this afternoon, and due to this cold/cough thingy, I haven’t really run or done much exercise for a few weeks. Hopefully I can do enough to get through, I really don’t want to be down here for another three months…