I give up.

Isn't hubris a great word?

The computer is dead. I'm going to see how much it'll cost to get fixed this weekend, *if* it can be fixed.

I didn't get my texts backed up in time before it died. So all 36,700 words of my novel are as good as gone, as are all 52,000 words of my serial, and everything else I had on the computer. Poof.

I'm taking this as a sign. I'm obviously not meant to write. I'm obviously not meant to have anything that gives me pleasure or a sense of accomplishment. So, I give up.

I wish this had happened before I bought the materials for a new writing project, but whatever. Chalk it up to experience and move on. I can always give the stuff to someone who needs it.

To the people of Bluebook: I'll try to honour my committments from work, but as you know that's unreliable. I may have to retire all my characters except for Bradshaw, since I probably won't have time to write more than one character. I'd retire from the game entirely, but CS1 has had enough problems with their COs that I don't want to leave you guys in the lurch again.

I'm sorry if I'm disappointing anyone else. That's just the way things go, I guess. I forgot for a while there that I'm not allowed to make Plans.

I'm just supposed to plod along steadily in one dead-end job after another until the day I die, chasing my financial tail. Fulfilment is for other people.

I'm not even sad or angry at this point. I'm just sort of numb.

Oh, God, the timing...

Dear PTBs at NaNoWriMo,

Your timing for asking me for money is a wee bit off. No, let me correct that: completely off. Even if I had had money to give you before, which I didn't, let me tell you, I sure as hell don't have it now that I have to get my computer fixed.

I realize you sent that email to everyone in creation. I realize it's not personal. I just wanted you to know that your timing is lousy.

So, not surprisingly, you will not be getting money from me. Maybe some of the other 96% of people who haven't contributed to your cause will be able to dig in their wallets for this. Sadly, my wallet is empty.

No love,

Me

griffen makes a good point

He has declared today to be International Back Up Your Hard Drive Day.

Learn from my idiocy, folks. Go back up your stuff now. If, like me, you don't have an immediate way of backing up your files, then email them to yourself. Whatever it takes.

Okay, so that didn't last long...

There's nothing like tea and having awesome friends to make it really, really hard to wallow in self-pity for long.

So, in the space of a few hours, I have:

1- Received six separate threats of ass-kicking if I give up writing.

2- Received three separate offers to lend me a spare computer.

3- Received helpful advice from two people I don't know on what might be wrong with Cleopatra.

4- Received two other offers to help fix Cleo if it's in the people's power to do so.


Dear God, people. Did you not know that being this fantastic and wonderful and generous is bound to tip the balance in the universe and cause the apocalypse?


Seriously, y'all are marvellous. Thank you. :)

More spam concerning my computer woes

Okay, I just called the nice people at Mac 911, and the little man said it sounded like a problem common to iBooks, in which the "logic card" (he said it in French, I don't know what the real name in English is) goes wonky.

If I bring it in on Monday, they'll be able to do a diagnostic by Thursday, and tell me if that's the problem. If that's the case, Mac pays for the repairs up to three years after the original purchase date, even if the warranty has expired. w00t!

If it's not that, then it'll cost $40 for the consultation, and then we'll see.

So, hopefully fearsclave's friend EKH will be able to help me out on Sunday. If not, I shall bring Cleo to Mac 911 and let them do their thing.

I'm going to see if I can get the computer to work long enough tonight to bring it to my parents' place and "borrow" my father's extra disk drive. Maybe I'll be able to back up some of my stuff.

[Baldric]I have a cunning plan. [/Baldric]

Wow. I missed a gazillion birthdays

So, a belated happy birthday to alcinoe, and to sparrowinsky and to haisley.

And, happy birthday today to swestrup, whose computer pain I feel intensely. :P


:::throws confetti:::

*holds breath*

Don't look now, folks, but I'm posting from home.

I let Cleopatra think about her attitude for the day, and decided to give her one more chance tonight. It's been about ten minutes, and nothing bad has happened.

I have emailed myself all my important documents.

I will be monitoring the situation closely all through tomorrow.

Don't hold your breath. I don't know if this is the Computer Gods taking pity on me and allowing me to back up my stuff, or if the great Karmic Computer Wheel is swinging 'round in my favour. At the very least, I rolled a natural twenty on my "roll for dumb luck" roll.

Suffice it to say that I am *really* happy that I got to email myself my stuff. I just hope I can download it off the Sympatico server on my mother's computer.