If you haven't been following my Twitter this week, then you might be wondering why I missed Monday's post on both of my blogs, and also pretty much vanished from Raverly.

Remember that old, old laptop that I managed to resurrect just in time for NaNoWriMo? The one that really just needed some TLC and a new battery?

It died. I'm officially calling it. The software is so outdated that it keeps freezing, especially when I try to get online, and that three month old battery is no longer taking a charge. Since it's a Mac, it's too expensive to fix, and at eight years old, it's not really worth it, anyway.

My "good" laptop? The newer one? No change there. Still broken, and probably too expensive to fix.

The desktop? My wireless card is fried. It died on me this week. Even moving the computer closer to the router couldn't get me a decent connection. Since it is not practical to move my entire desk or even my computer out to the living room, I'm calling it a loss. At some point in the future I will look into getting a USB wireless receiver, but that's not happening this month. We're at the point where we are taking food where we can get it, wondering if we're going to have water and electricity next month, and pretty much collapsing into a glibbering heap at the thought of another $600 fuel oil bill. We are trying to think of things we can sell. Sadly, those computers and my car are the sum total of things I own worth anything, and I need the car to get to and from work. I'm thinking about posting knitting, crochet, sewing, and embroidery classes on Craigslist, but am generally distrustful the people who use that site (myself included). Oh, and if anyone needs a 119 gallon water heater, we've got one for sale.

I am trying to be optimistic. Other than the wireless issue, the rest of my desktop still works. This is good, because it means that it doesn't really inhibbit my writing or designing, I just need to move my chair over to my television and type in my lap. No big deal.

I've also put several more rows in on the London Calling Cabled Cardigan, since a good deal of the last two days has been sitting around waiting to see if the internet is working on the computer, or if the substitute computer (borrowed from Missouri; that's another story in itself) will boot, or waiting for various software patches and updates to download and install. Basically, I've been sitting in front of the computer and not doing much else.

But, I was able to join the pockets on the cardigan last night. And I keep telling myself that I was spending too much time on the internet, anyway. Yes, I've been trying to promote my writing and patterns through social media, but really, there was a lot more time spent looking at cat pictures.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that the only thing that's going to improve this month is Googling "kittens." Repeatedly.

Like right now.

I was working in the lab, late one night...

Thanks to everyone who commented last week with suggestions on how to remove the platen on the Remington. I spent part of last week finishing with the cleaning of the type bars, and then pulled out my tool kit to take off the platen.

Once I had an idea of what I was doing, it sounded easy enough. Loosen/take out a couple of screws, make sure you know where they go, easy peasy, right?

Except I never actually made it that far. Five screwdrivers, a putty knife, and a can of WD-40 later, all I had to show for my efforts was a nice big divot in the platen knob where my screwdriver repeatedly skipped out of what is apparently the narrowest screw slot in the history of man. Two of them wouldn't even fit into the groove, one was too narrow to get any torque, and the other two just weren't up to the challenge. Even after greasing and leaving it, that screw is in there.

I've done the compressed air routine repeatedly, but there's what feels like 2-3 larger pieces of corroded metal that have fallen off of something else, and fallen under the platen. At first I thought it might be easier to take off the carriage than the platen (since that's the case with my Oliver, and that's the only machine I've been daring enough to attempt such a feat on), and at this point it looks like I might be right--not because that's the way it was designed, but because this machine is just so damn stubborn.

I'm starting to get really frustrated with my typewriters. I think I got spoiled by having my first machine be a KMM in near-perfect condition. But in every case, the machine is just this close from working: The Oliver just needs a new draw band, which I can fix as soon as I get that little clippy-thingy reattached to the carriage (I guess I'm not dexterous enough for that; I've tried a few times and it keeps falling off). The Royalite was mostly functional, I just couldn't stand it--my problem, not the machine.

And then there's the Remington. Which, admittedly, has a laundry list of problems, but most of them are pretty minor. I know there's something off on it, since the capital letters ghost when I'm writing in lowercase and often don't print at all when I shift (Hm. Wonder if that's related to any of the other problems?) I think I'm going to have to break down and take it to a repair shop, if I can find one that works on antiques around here. I found one that appears to be out of a nearby private home, but I will have to call first.

You know, right after I get my laptop fixed, since really, I need that more.

Arg. I give up.

At least for today.

Although, I did find a temporary solution to the laptop problem. Did you know that G4 laptop batteries have dropped from $70+ to less than $20? I just found out. So I ordered one and resisted the urge to order a spare. My old Powerbook has Word and a working internet connection, which is really all I need to write, and with the new battery it solves the "OMG, MUST SAVE EVERY THIRTY SECONDS BECAUSE I COULD LOSE EVERYTHING IF ANYONE TOUCHES MY POWER CORD!!" panic. Because when you're really in the groove, you might not remember to save for ten pages. Or twenty.

Ask me how I know this.

Ahem.

So while one of my writing machines insists on merely limping long when I know it could sing if it wanted to (mixed metaphores, I know. Sue me, I'm writing this pretty late), I have brought another back from the grave. Zombie computers!

Okay, I'm done now.

Enjoy your Halloween.

Retro Laptop

 

I'm a bit late this time around. Yesterday was insane, and today left me exhausted even before unexpected (though still welcome) visitors arrived. Now that the typecast is up, I think it's time for bed.

Graduated

Well, it's official. I'm graduated, and have joined the ranks of the working adult (*snort*). The day before the ceremony, my graduation present to myself (ordered a couple of months ago) arrived in the mail. You can veiw him here (You may need a Den of Angels account in order to see the thread).

I won't tell you how much I raked in from my graduation party. I will, however, tell you that I ordered a Mac Mini and a new printer (the printer was free, by the way, once I send in the rebate), so you can do the math on your own. Mac makes me squee.

So far, being Graduated isn't that exciting. Especially since I requested to start working 40 hours and am stuck with 18-25, which is exactly what I was putting in during the school year (that sinus infection? Totally a result of working 7 days a week for two months immediately after having my wisdom teeth out).

I started knitting again. I'm making a sweater out of the Spa yarn at JoAnns (is that Carron? I think it might be. It's bamboo/cotton/acrylic). I'm about halfway done with the first sleeve. Pictures when it's a little more exciting.

Speaking of excitement...I have none. See you when I do.