Sailor §trange

So, I'm finally back on Cybertron. I am relieved to have the compy back working. Veccy has plenty of limitations that makes the desktop far more comfy.

Been going through book marks too, since I collected up quite a few while relegated to Vec. I am however annoyed at Yahoo Mail, it keeps sending me to some annoying Overview page about it's new features and to only link on the page just goes to another page that's the same. I did dig out a URL that goes to the proper mail box at least - it's now on my Bookmark Toolbar.

I still don't know what was wrong with Cybertron, but the shop checked it over and now it's working, so that's okay. It still cost, but not a ridiculous amount and I was able to go get my copy of Sims 3 University off the impromptu laybuy I put it on, as well as get my first Hobbit Lego set.

Conversely, I have three foam LARP replicas of Hobbit weapons on laybuy - Orcrist, Sting and Fíli's warhammer.

On the subject of metal versions, I somehow ended up on the Weta website, looking at some of their merchandise, and looked at their swords. Sting is around $5000, Orcrist is around $10000. Umm, not planning on that unless I win Lotto. Maybe one of the cheaper companies that puts out movie replicas though. I still want letter openers too (there's a set with Glamdring, Orcrist and Sting available on Ebay).

Also, the Dwarf Lego figures are cute. The set I got is the one that has Thorin and Bifur in it (also Azog, but I'm not hyped on him).

Not yet tackling installing my Sims expansions.

So, today has been a hot, sweaty, dusty shmozzle. Why? ( Look in the corner )

It's going to take a while for me to get to the new layout - I'm not used to having a keyboard drawer.

Well we're not getting it until Friday, but there's options on a 24" one.

I am finally back from my internet allowance-induced exile!

And I only had to bequeath an extra $30 per month for it.

Anyway, for those who don't read my dA journal, I have been having a lot of problems lately with the measely data quota my internet plan had and as a result I couldn't get into LJ. I think there's something to do with the I-stat, because that is where it always stalled.

I also did a bit of file cleaning in my Sims game which has tremendously improved the function of the game so instead of just barely limping along it's actually going somewhere. It still has it's issues, but I'm finding ways to cope with them, especially with save times that aren't half an hour - or so it feels.

The state of my recent pet project of creating sims based on some of my personal OCs has progressed to actually playing them, and I have had a consequent creative streak of imaginings about previously neglected cast members.

And most significantly, I have my netbook! This post in particular comes to you from my bedroom, upstairs from the desktop known fondly as Cybertron, curtesy of Vector Prime the potentially wandering compting device (most of it's wandering has been only within the house).

I still have to get used to some of the basic netbook things, like the feel of the keyboard (though I'm still not totally comfortable with Cybertron's keyboard, which was new as of when I got the new compy), and the mouse which is tiny (though I love the retractable cord on it).
I also have to accept SG!Ravage (the modem) vanishing downstairs while I sleep, since I'm mostly sleep daytime at the moment (though I'm pushing it back) and Mum tries her best to stay diurnal as she can with her insomnia, so usually she comes and grabs SG to use on the compy downstairs.

The other effect of the new addition is the ability to do two things at once - something that amused Mum a fair bit the first time she saw me at it. I can now be online at the same time as playing the Sims, though I still have the occasional keyboard mix-up where I try to copy-paste on Cybertron's keyboard something I'm wanting to move on Vector.

And the moving happens - if I need to move files it's usually via Ravage (MP3) or Alpha Trion (1TB portable drive), by simple dint of plugging said drive into one compy, copying files to it, unplugging drive, plugging into the other compy and copying files over.

I also hate mouse touch-pads too.

But anyway, I'm pretty sure I've missed a pile of TF fic while I've been exiled, so I'm going to go hunting.

I'm doing all the annoying little bits and pieces needed to get a new compy into order - downloading and installing useful programs, fixing up settings - all that slag.

I've not yet got onto loading The Sims 3 yet, I'm still doing the utility programs. Currently I'm waiting out Y!Messenger downloading.

It'll take a little while to get used to this keyboard, it's compact and all those various buttons that are usually in between the main QWERTY section and the side number pad are bunched into the side of the QWERTY pad. On the other hand, the keys that had got screwed up and were typing the wrong thing (" was typing @ and @ was typing " and # was typing a Pound symbol) are now typing what they should be typing.

Oh, and since no one said yay or nay on the name issue with my machinery, I have decided to rename the E: drive Prima and reassign Vector Prime to the netbook.

I also finally got around to trading in my DS Lite, and used the credit from it to laybuy a 3DS. I had to go to a different store to trade in my Gameboy games and they got me $27 off a copy of Civilization V. Both the 3DS and Civ are on laybuy, and I have yet to decide what the 3DS will get named.

Anyway, back to the wait on Yahoo.

I am finally getting way too tired of the total lack of space on my hard drive. No, I can't get another one right now, but for the time being, I am uninstalling the Sims 3 from the compy completely.

I have backed up the game, of course and I'll eventually reload it when I can do something about the HD space, but until then... well I think I'll see if one of the FF games can go on instead, though I'll have to see about the Chocobo mod if I want FF7.

That won't stop me from getting S3 expansions, I just won't be playing them for the time being.

ETA: Slag that for a pile of slag, FF7 simply won't start, even with the chocobo patch, and Griever, the savegame editor won't work. I am not playing these games without a working editor!

Maybe I'll see if I can get BG or IWD working, though BG is it's own pile of scrap because of all the mods I usually istall, but maybe the Nathaniel mod has a decent update by now that doesn't have the faults of the last one I DL'd.

Well.

Feanor was crap.

Okay, not quite totally crap but definitely on it's way out.

I have a new computer (for a given value of 'new' - it's a secondhand computer system, but better than Fea).

It's name is Primus.

It's black.

Vector Prime has had to be moved into and external housing because it didn't want to work properly when installed internally in Primus.

Anyway, I am going through that head-inducing process of trying to install everything again, but I'm stuck back where I was with Airë - the primary drive (the only drive at the moment) is only 40 gig. XP

I have, again, lost a slag-load of bookmarks, probably never to be found again, including the damn link to the non-wikia TF wiki. Can someone supply it?

I haven't even gone and looked in my mail yet, though I do know it has a heap of unread fic sitting in it.

It will be a while before I have everything organised again. Meanwhile, I am tired as slag.

I got my broadband kit today. A bit of a runaround just going to fetch it - I got out just in time for the 4 PM bus... only to realise that I'd left the card in the house and have to go back for it, thus missing that bus. I was freaking out a little as to whether the 4:30 bus would allow me enough time to get up to the post office before it closed (at 5 PM), but I was overestimating how long the bus trip would take, and got there in plenty of time.

Anyway, I'm not going to be using it for everything, the limit on it is only 400 MB, but I think it will make itself worthwhile for those big downloads I just can't tackle because of the size. For example, I have already fixed up a few problems I've been having with my Norton but haven't been able to fix before because my dial-up is too slow.

For normal things like reading LJ and fic, I'll keep using the dial-up so I can save the monthly allowance for those big things.

After seeing a thing on the news about the latest computer virus going around, and finding out that my McAfee can't be installed on Win7, I've gone and got a new antivirus - one that works with Win7.

Like last week (where she lent me $100), Mum's helped me with this again. I did a little favour for her and got the cheaper program - McAfee and Trend Micro were going for $130 while Norton 360 was only going for $118. I also ended up with a second printer as well. It's a cheap one but it probably has some ink included in the box. That at least will keep us printing for a while (until I can get my butt into gear and get cartridges for the multifunction).

I feel better now for having the new antivirus on the compy, and as added bonus, when I get myself a netbook, this copy of Norton is a 3 PC one so I can put it on that as well.

Well, anyone miss me?

First off, Windows stuffed up on me. That's what's kept me offline.

Two, I have chapter and verse to tell about: Hospital, Christmas, post christmas, and the computer.

Hospital
Hospital went fine, except when I got taken off the automatic painkiller infusion on the drip - that was hell. I also got a chest infection that wasn't all that pleasent because, hello, coughing with a stomach injury? Painful!

I didn't really have any other problems until I got out of hospital and the healing wound split in a couple of places and leaked like a right royal bugger. That still hasn't totally healed but the leakage at least has slowed down a lot.

I not eating much, which, mind you was the point of the opperation, but anyway, a big meal is now two sushi rolls. I'm also still on soft food and should stay on it until my appointment next week in the hospital.
I have had some problems with the eating - mainly insidents where I haven't chewed everything up enough and it's got stuck in my esophagus and I've vomited it back up. That hurts BTW, you wouldn't believe how much vomiting can hurt until you''ve been through stomach surgery. I consider it one of the most violent bodily reactions, ever.

Christmas And Post-Christmas
Xmas was quiet, it usually is for us. Present haul included bowls (from Castle Hampers), a lamp (well it's something I've been intending on getting, a new desk lamp), Pink's Funhouse album and a DVD of her concert at Wembley Stadium for the I'm Not Dead Tour, Masterpiece Skywarp, Voyager Grindor (aka Blackout), Deluxe Scorponok, Sentinel Prime (TFA), Patrol Barricade (TF1 toy I found lurking at Toyworld).

I bought agiftedmind a quite sizable gift - The Sims 3 and World Adventures.

Athe same time I laybuyed 'Cade's gift, I also found a twelve pack of minicons and a TFA Blurr. I got them off laybuy after xmas. Unicron is loving having more minicons, and Blurr has revealed a fondness for leashing mechs with a ribbon noose. He wants to noose 'Cade's Shockwave, but he's settled for the resident Elite Bee.

I currently have on laybuy, due to what I suspect was a clearing out of storage, the Fallen (finally!), TFA Starscream, Swerve (a twin for Silversides) and RotF Optimus Prime. And I forgot to ask Mum to drop around and put money on them *facepalm*.

Also, thanks to Mum cleaning my room while I was in hospital, Soundclaw (RotF Soundwave) has his missile back.

'Cade came round for New Years and we watched the broadcast of the Sydney fireworks. She loves Edenvale wine, which is non-alcholic but tastes like alcoholic wine. I hate it, but I'm a total teatotaller, so I never had reason to develop a taste.

She was around again yesterday, which helped some with my sans-computer stir craziness.

And on that...

The Computer
The compy went down about New Years Eve. I know this because I found it out while 'Cade was over. It apparently was a problem with a Windows file getting corrupted - a file needed to start Windows up.

Because I'd preveiously lost my XP disc to heat damage, I borrowed 'Cade's disc, hoping to get it done with that, but I'm hardly an expert when it comes to compy stuff and somehow ended up with two lots of Windows installed, one that worked but had nothing on it, and one that didn't work but probably had everything on it. Oh, the working copy at least gave me access to files, like the My Documents folder and my massive folder of stuff on the Vector Prime drive so I could do backups of all that, but none of the programs showed up and I couldn't get to my current Firefox bookmarks. As it is, I ended up deciding to take it in to the shop, since they'd know their way around a system better and found out that it was a good thing I hadn't been able to activate the second installation of XP, as it would have invalidated 'Cade's. I also ended up having Window 7 installed sooner than later.

I still lost the most recent bookmarks, but I have an old save that has the basics on it ('Cade, I do have Dust), and I'm going to have to install several programs again, including the Sims 3. I don't think I'll instal Office though, because I have plans now to get a more recent version than the one I have been using since I got the compy (said version is Office 2000, Proffessional - I'm thinking of geting 2007, Home and Office, and buying an independant copy of Publisher to go with it).

I probably still need more RAM to run Win7 really well, but I have enough to run it okay until I can get the $500 advance on my pension.


Now I should get some copy of Y!M installed again and check my email. I bet my box has a huge drift of mail in it.