Windows 7 - early verdict

I hate this shit. It's not just that I loath learning new OSes, which I do, but the simple fact is a lot of my bread-and-butter games/programs are running into issues with Windows 7.

The Oracle suggests that I'm not alone, but surprisingly has no solutions that don't involve running a passel of third party apps and software suites just to get your games to work. I'm not trying to play dos games here, this is stuff from as recently as two years ago!

I'm exhausted, I worked all day today, I work all day tomorrow, and I'm officially giving up on the laptop until the weekend. When I next have free time, I shall spend it playing fun games on my old, slow yet stable Frankenstein rig.

Why is it that I'm always shocked when I pay for a "gaming computer" that can't play games? A bit unfair to Asus perhaps, but there it is.

Consumer Market

Youtube needs to enable a play-all function that just lets a user begin a continuous stream without being in a "playlist". I'd use it over Pandora sometimes if that was possible, but alas...

Reaping My Reward

Since I began my job, I've received two items paid for by my Unemployment Benefits. (That is to say "my pay-check".)

The first item was long overdue, seeing as how my last camera quit working about a year ago and I've been without one since then.

My second purchase was a bit of an indulgence, but seeing as how I'll be staying in hotels for a few weeks and then head down to Florida until Christmas, I felt like it wasn't a hard decision. I purchased the Asus Republic of Gamer G73JH-B1, which is a fancy shmancy name for "powerful gaming notebook", though its size and weight make it a "desktop replacement".

Indeed, my own Frankenstein PC cobbled together from cheap Chinese hardware purchased piece-meal in Den-Den Town was in vast need of replacing. It even lags when playing Bioshock 1!

Expect first impression reviews on the new stuff here in a few weeks, and more thorough reviews later on.

Meanwhile, I relish in my ability to join the ranks of the consumer. Spending money to help fight off the evil recession while simultaneously earning experience towards Journeyman Rank IT-guy; life is good.

Hiatus

It occurs to me that I must announce a hiatus. I'm going to hit the ground running, starting tomorrow. I'll be working locally for a few days, then off to Cincinnati, and after that I'll be down in Florida for eight weeks! Busy, busy!

Unfortunately, I don't yet have a laptop (though I plan to remedy that eventually,) so I suppose I shall have to cease updating for the time being.

I must pack, pack, pack!

Ciao, my friends.

The Process

I sit here in amazement, remembering what I felt after first hearing about a job what is, for this point in my life, literally a dream job. After applying for the position, I was so excited about the possibilities. I looked out the window and imagined how wonderful it would be if I could actually manage to get it.

Throughout the process of applying, interviewing, and verifying my employment history, there have been lots of ups more recently followed by lots of downs.

I'm incredibly happy to say that I managed to get the job. My dream job.

I am going to keep this short because there is a celebratory filet mignon that has my name on it.

Day Six: The End Is Near!

My grand isolation shall come to a close tomorrow.

I look forward to returning to my simple lifestyle as a gamer-gatherer. Coffee in the mornings, video games until the evening, then settling in to some family bonding before a return to gaming until I retire.

Ah, what a life I lead!

Now I must attend to my chores: there are still beers needing imbibed, and I hope to have a proper buzz before I watch WVU cream Marshall. Go 'eers!

Day Five: A Return to the Serene Siesta

Today is a day for great rejoicing! This afternoon there shall be friends over for a small cookout, though due to filial obligations they have to depart early, which happens to be perfect since tonight is Futurama Thursday!! And since I missed last weeks, I get to enjoy not one but TWO new episodes! Woo hoo!

I've had some good news regarding yesterday's crisis, and appear to be out of immediate danger (figuratively, of course) but still find myself navigating the shoals at night. We're almost to the safe harbor, so close, and my nerves can't take any more worry so I'm going to relax and enjoy life once more.

Shelby has got it in her head that she's a helicopter, and continually is shaking her ears in an attempt to lift off. It is hilarious to watch by day, but a bit disconcerting when one's attempting to sleep.

Day Four: Where our hero earns his right to a cold beer

I was awakened quite early by an errant phone call.

Little did I know that this occurrence was the least of the many bad things that would cascade into my life by noon.

I really don't feel like going into the gory details, but here's the abridged and nonspecific version:

There was some bad news in an email, followed by an outright crisis of my own careless making, followed by frantic damage control, lots of furious errand-running, emailing, and phone calls, which finally culminated in a sudden and anticlimactic finish.

Throughout this ordeal, I had the invaluable assistance of a dear friend to whom I am eternally grateful. Thank you. I'd also like to thank those friends who kept my spirits up through compliments regarding my rugged good looks. Less-than-three.

The time for panic is over. Now I simply sit here, experiencing a calm reflection that the storm has passed. Alea iacta est, there is nothing more to be done. I await my fortune.

If I were the type to believe in omens, I'd take comfort from the following event - I went outside to relax with a cigar. While standing on the deck, I saw an incredibly beautiful blue butterfly fluttering about, and I thought "it sure would be cool if it alights on my hand, like in the movies". And then it did just that.

Exile: Day Three

Well, yesterday was an experiment in extended drinking. I was able to nurse a buzz for over thirteen hours! Best of all, thanks to proper hydration efforts I awoke today with nary a hangover.

Today, unfortunately, has been a day of business. No time to take care of the beer that desperately needs imbibed until later this evening.

The expeditions' spirits are still high, as of yet. We are in good cheer and although We miss the solace of community, We are able to fake it well enough by referring to Ourselves in the royal "We".

I shall keep thee up to date with further news, should it occur. Until then, drink a beer for Us?

Exile: The Beginning

Supplies were laid in, including that which is all-important: beer.

I've just returned from gathering supplemental provisions, and feel like I'm ready to settle in for my week's exile.

What's that? Oh, you haven't heard?

Yes, for crimes against hygiene, I've been sentenced to living one full week... completely alone.

Well, "completely alone" isn't quite accurate. There is my faithful companion, Shelby, whose chief distinction is a plaque that reads: "The world's most slobbery dog".

Worry not, dear readers; I shall faithfully record my experience for posterity. It actually began yesterday, and so far it has been blissfully smooth sailing.

For now, I must be off. It is the hour of the Vidya Game, and I am late for my labor.

The Churchmouse

I went for a bike ride this evening, and happened upon a cat that was chasing a mouse. The mouse eventually got away, claiming sanctuary on the holy ground of a Baptist church. I reckon the cat would have granted him solace, if only due to a strong fear of Cat Hell if nothing else... but just in case, I ran a bit of interference for the mouse.

And so I interfered with nature. I disrupted the local mouse genetics because if that mouse couldn't escape a fat lazy house cat in the first place, maybe it shouldn't be reproducing? The theory of evolution is based on changes resulting from genetic selection; whatever combination of genes are best at living long enough to reproduce, right?

I mean really, when you think about dog breeds or different types of crops, that's precisely what we've done. We selectively breed the plants and animals in order for certain characteristics to become predominant. So why is it that when you begin discussing the application of such practices on humanity, it suddenly becomes a terrible subject that should not even be considered? Eugenics seems like an idea that, at the very least seems worth discussing, in my opinion.

Controversy shmontroversy!

"These are the demands and sayings of Lee."

So I was chilling out, not really sure what I wanted to write about now, and then got caught up with the breaking news story occurring in DC about a gunman having entered the Discovery Channel building.

Apparently, he wrote a list of demands before taking his action, and published it at www.savetheplanetprotest.com. (The link's to the Google cache version since the original site is down.)

I started doing some digging and found this thread, in which you can see his extremist viewpoint being mocked by fellow conservationists who criticize him for being unreasonable and unrealistic. This was from back when he first got arrested for protesting outside of the building in 2008. His hatred seems highly focused on Discovery, and it is creepy and fascinating to see his anger displacement and fixation on the channel when

Very interesting how the internet has created a wealth of information that can be sifted through even as events unfold. If your google-fu is strong, it's amazing what you can find.


Craziness.