Let's see if I can properly relay how I spent my evening... I recently had Dell stop by and exchange/install a non-functioning DVD-ROM drive for a new one. Ever since then, the drive recognizes DVD's but audio CD's. For as much random backing up I do, that's pretty unacceptable. I had little else to do today so, I figured one way or another, the problem would get resolved. I attempted to check on Driver & Firmware updates for the drive and it's this generic non-documented POS that Dell admits to its existence but, lacks any support reference on. I go down the mental checklist of stuff I can try to resolve myself and resign the rest of my evening to talking to Dell Tech Support.
The cat leads me through all of the same hoops I'd jumped through on my own (and yes, I understand why that's necessary as well as starting the conversation w/ "Is my computer plugged in?"). This gentleman finally hits the wall and transfers me to another division of support. He and I hoop it up again and begin to make actual progress. In the end, we reach the agreement that I need to just make a clean XP install, update drivers and check out if the problem persists...and it didn't. Luckily after that last catastrophic crash, I've set-up an external hard drive which backs everything I care about up while I'm counting sheep. As I write this, my some-odd 55+ Gigs of music are being copied back onto my 'C' drive. I'm looking forward to nothing going on for some time now...at least until the warrantee runs out. *knocks on wooden desk*
In other happier news, I got to visit w/ AmazonRed13 today. She closed on her condo last month and began to paint and doctor the place up. In the process, she and her boyfriend inspected under some of the kitchen cabinetry and the whole thing was rotted out. Dave was able to mix it up with a crowbar all of last night while AR13 spent this morning at Ikea gandering at kitchen remodling prices. Other than some of the usual new home friction, things are going incredibly well...and that makes me beam to hear!
Tomorrow I have a brief quarterly meeting that institutes my official addition of another charge to my fold at the group home... The gentleman who I'll be in charge of I'm quite fond of, even though he has a pretty remarkable dicumented past of violence against others. A lot of my instinct about this guy and the severity of disability is he's always trying to make himself clear to those around him... That path starts with talking and reasoning on some levels. If unanswered, his last resort of communication is kicking your ass. One way or another, he'll make himself understood. Luckily he and I get along like gangbusters. He's remarkably warm and genuine and easy to get along with as long as he's met halfway on enthusiasm and effort overall.
Tomorrow evening is another gathering at ElmCityDrunk's abode... chiquitabonita and I were able to hangout there last night. Our boy had never seen Once Upon A Time In Mexico. *gasp* Hopefully turnout tomorrow will match or excede last week's and having a curfew will allow ECD some rest before work.
The cat leads me through all of the same hoops I'd jumped through on my own (and yes, I understand why that's necessary as well as starting the conversation w/ "Is my computer plugged in?"). This gentleman finally hits the wall and transfers me to another division of support. He and I hoop it up again and begin to make actual progress. In the end, we reach the agreement that I need to just make a clean XP install, update drivers and check out if the problem persists...and it didn't. Luckily after that last catastrophic crash, I've set-up an external hard drive which backs everything I care about up while I'm counting sheep. As I write this, my some-odd 55+ Gigs of music are being copied back onto my 'C' drive. I'm looking forward to nothing going on for some time now...at least until the warrantee runs out. *knocks on wooden desk*
In other happier news, I got to visit w/ AmazonRed13 today. She closed on her condo last month and began to paint and doctor the place up. In the process, she and her boyfriend inspected under some of the kitchen cabinetry and the whole thing was rotted out. Dave was able to mix it up with a crowbar all of last night while AR13 spent this morning at Ikea gandering at kitchen remodling prices. Other than some of the usual new home friction, things are going incredibly well...and that makes me beam to hear!
Tomorrow I have a brief quarterly meeting that institutes my official addition of another charge to my fold at the group home... The gentleman who I'll be in charge of I'm quite fond of, even though he has a pretty remarkable dicumented past of violence against others. A lot of my instinct about this guy and the severity of disability is he's always trying to make himself clear to those around him... That path starts with talking and reasoning on some levels. If unanswered, his last resort of communication is kicking your ass. One way or another, he'll make himself understood. Luckily he and I get along like gangbusters.
He's remarkably warm and genuine and easy to get along with as long as he's met halfway on enthusiasm and effort overall.
Tomorrow evening is another gathering at ElmCityDrunk's abode... chiquitabonita and I were able to hangout there last night. Our boy had never seen Once Upon A Time In Mexico. *gasp* Hopefully turnout tomorrow will match or excede last week's and having a curfew will allow ECD some rest before work.
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today was a fun filled day!