Unexpected radio silence

I know most of you are used to me not blogging with any regularity or frequency, but I swear, this time it was NOT MY FAULT.


RIP Dell Latitude D620 #2. 1/16/07-8/4/2007

My hard drive crashed and burned. Apparently, I leave my computer on too long. Hmph.
what's this you ask? here's a snippet of my convo with the computer geeks (I do not use the term geek pejoratively... I like geeks. I am a geek... just not a computer geek)


Me: Any idea what might have caused this?
Geek 1: Do you carry your laptop around while it's still on?
Me: no, I always shut down
Geek 2: What about on standby, do you carry it around on standby?
Me: NO, i turn it all the way off. i shut it down before I carry it anywhere.
Geek 2: oh. Well. how long do you leave your computer on for? at a time?
Me: (silence....) Um... I turn it on when I get up, and turn it off when i go to bed?
Geek 1: Oh.
Geek 2: Oh. um. These laptops are kind of fragile. You probably burned your hard drive.
Me: <-- puzzled look on face? wha?
Geek 2: You should only have your laptop on for 7 hours max, then turn it off for 30min to an hour to let it cool off.
Me: Oh. Okay. (thinking... did they write this in the instruction manual? I mean, dang. who knew?)

When i took a closer look at my computer later, I saw this...



probably not a good sign. I think I have some sort of aura that tells technology to hate me. My first laptop died on the move out here (fine fine, it was 2-3 yrs old), the second got stolen from my apartment, and then the hard drive on the second died. As far as I can discern, the hard drive IS the computer. All the important bits anyway. So, all my pictures are gone gone gone. Sniff.


The day after I found out my computer's hard drive needed replacing, I was futzing around on my desktop, trying to get it connected to the internets, when I glanced over at my alarm clock. 12:00. Eh? It's 5:48pm! Wha? Ra-row. I unplug the clock, plug it back in, try shaking it, tapping it (smacking it with my hand). Nada. It's stuck on 12:00. Effers.

However, I have been extraordinarily productive in the fiber world over the last few days. I finished the fifth section of babette, and have been seaming the pieces together as I go (thanks to advice from Maryse. I've managed to get up to the increase section of Hourglass, and start the heel on my sandal sock.

Babette:

"zzzzzzzzzzzzz.... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... eh? wha?"

"damn. what's a guy gotta do for some shut eye here? SHEESH!"

Here's everything I've got seamed together. I'm working on section VI.



I told Stacey that there was a square that was BRIGHT, but that I liked it. I think the brown edging really helps tone it down though (but I still like it)





I have found that I left my Hourglass in the car, so you get a pic of Madli. She's minus 1 border right now.



Here we have the sandal socks. I have the finished one here too, as proof that i'm not just recycling old pics (b/c I wouldn't put it past me)

i need a channeling

b/c i seem to have misplaced my camera to computer cord. Seeing as I finally got my invite to Ravelry, this fact is becoming more and more disturbing to me. I know it's here SOMEWHERE. So, if anyone has any ESP abilities, please ask my Sony Cybershot PSC-200 camera cord where it is hiding (or, alternatively, where *I* carefully stowed it for easy access, hmph).

In other (non knitting) news,... you're all used to that by now, aren't you?
um. right. Took the furkids to the vet yesterday. I LOVE this vet. He's the only one at this clinic/hospital AND he only sees cats. He's in the examining room almost the entire time the cats are in the room, so I always feel like he thoroughly examines them. Oh. the news. (I think I need some ritalin maybe?) I am quite happy to report that Danger is back up to his previous healthy weight between 10-11 lbs. YAY. The IAMS food did the trick. His weight loss was his way of saying "poo poo to the fancy schmancy healthy for me food. Gimme some CARBS!" He takes after his mommy.

Of course, now the OTHER one is el gordo. Cosmo is def. a heavyweight, coming in at 16 lbs. SIXTEEN lbs!! Seems he and i should both sign up for 1800-Jenny Craig. Did I mention that I love the vet I've found? He recommended that I give Cosmo some canned pumpkin every day to help fill him up with some fiber.

In KNITTING news, I'm actively working on three lace projects

1) Reid from Knitty. I need to complete this project by July 29th. I'm gifting it to one of my professors in Denver (for her 1 yr old daughter). I'm done with the back, and right front. Half way done with left front. Two sleeves and seaming to go. Bleh.

2) Madli shawl from IK Summer 2005?. On repeat #28 or 29 of 31.

3) Mystery Stole #3. Just finished clue #1 last night, printed out clue #2 today.

too busy Ravelry-ing to knit.

must find cord.

must.