Finally...

Finally, my computer is back working correctly.  Or somewhat correctly.  Avid readers of this blog will know that my computer has been down for months now- I've subsided on my work computer and a fleeting experience with my mom's computer.  That lasted a whole week or so, and then she decided this blog wasn't important enough for her to let me borrow the computer for one second longer and demanded its return.  Also there was talk about buying me a computer from the family, especially around Christmas time, but I'm still waiting.  I'm also waiting on that Dairy Queen ice cream cake for my 17th birthday, but hey, I'm not bitter.

Luckily for everyone, Namless came through for me once again.  I've been talking about getting a computer and was leaning, on the advice of my brother, towards Apple.  When my friend Nameless caught wind of this, he felt this was in injustice to him personally- throwing away a perfectly good computer to buy some overpriced software just so I'd be cool?  It was a horror.  Even though I insisted that this was no longer a "perfectly good computer", since, you know, it didn't turn on, he was confident he would be able to fix it, and teach me a valuable lesson in the process.  I'm not sure what the valuable lesson was- something about treating your property with respect, the evils of consumerism, or how computers steal your soul.  Something along those lines.

Regardless, I watched tv and he fiddled with the computer and was able to fix it, thereby enabling me to start blogging again!  He made me buy a new battery (apparently a damaged battery can still affect your computer even when its plugged in? Who knew?  Besides Nameless, of course.) and installed a virus protection thing.  Then he removed most of my icons and all my pretty backgrounds, saying, "these are useless and eat up your memory, no wonder your computer is all messed up."  He educated me on the evils of running lots of useless programs and deleted tons of files.  When I protested that he was ruining my computer, he pointed out that, for people like me, the only thing we really need on a computer is a word processor and the internet.  I assume by "people like me", he meant, really awesome, fun, interesting people with blogs.  I didn't ask him to elaborate.  He then pointed to the Mozilla Firefox icon (I know all about Mozilla as Nicholas has been expounding on Mozilla v. Explorer for years now), and said, "See, this icon?  This is the portal to an amazing world on-line."  Nameless then suggested I was crazy for trying to throw away a perfectly good computer.  My response?  1.  It wasn't a perfectly good computer- it didn't work! and 2. Of course, I'm crazy, Nameless, have we never met?

Nameless working on my computer.  It just so happened in this picture, he IS faceless as well; this was unintended. 

So here I am now, on a day off from work, using my new battery in my old computer and feeling very hipster.  I've taken a day off because work is kinda crazy right now.  Life's also a bit crazy and I'm hoping some time off will give me some much-needed perspective and understanding of these situations.  Thus far, all I've gotten is a bunch of work-related fires to put out, two dogs and a cat laying on me while I try to watch a two-part Star Trek episode (Data gets lots in 19th century San Francisco! Its a good one!), and discussions with Nameless regarding writing skills, critical thinking, Pink Floyd, and skeeball over lunch.

Here are some things that have been going on since you heard from me last:

• I've been recruited into another handbells group.  I've been playing with the Presbyterian Church for a while now, but my Baptist Church has finally gotten its bells together and started their own, rival handbells group.  For now, I'm able to play in both, and I hope it stays that way.  I fear eventually I will have to choose- probably one day, in an alley behind the Methodist Church, we'll meet- coming from two sides of theology, holding our handbells in front of us, and begin ringing, and snapping our fingers to the beat, till we meet in the middle for a fight.  It won't be pretty, but it will sound pretty to passers-by on the street.  
• I've had some work issues.  I'm still trying to determine my best course of action- for now, I'm trying to balance laying low with standing up for what I believe to be right.  Thoughts and prayers on this issue are appreciated.
• I survived the Cleveland Junior Auxiliary Charity Ball (again). 
• I've done a lot of snuggling with Parker.  This comes as no surprise to anyone.  
• Last night at trivia, my friend Josh and I discovered, at the very same moment, that the skeeball machine in the corner of Hey Joe's isn't just decoration but actually works.  It was like a huge lightbulb went off in our heads and we reverted to being 11 again almost immediately.   A friend was kind enough to give us some quarter (just like a good mom!) and I proceeded to dominate both Josh and Laura Beth in skeeball.  This is truth, y'all, not bragging.  All those Saturdays spent at the arcade at Sawmill Square Mall in Laurel have really paid off, Mom.  You should be so proud.