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The intarweb is broken
Oct. 9th, 2005 02:50 pmOr at least my section of it. More precisely, my Belkin ADSL/802.11g router has gone up the spout. It utterly refuses to SYN with my phone line. The wireless networking part of it is just dandy. It's been flaky for the last couple of weeks, but I was blaming it on my USB network adapter. Also, must get a powered USB hub. The Toshie I have (provided by work) has abominable USB capability - only two ports, and they're so close together if I stick in one thumb drive, nothing else has room. It's also horribly underpowered. If I try to run my lovely iAudio from it, that's ok, but it doesn't charge. Bah.
All credit to Belkin support, though. I rang them, and once I got through, there was no hassle. They ran through the usual questions (rebooted, removed line splitter, tried another RJ-11 cable?) and since I had done all the above, they are sending out a replacement unit next week. I'd completely forgotten it had a lifetime guarantee. Which is lucky, since I don't have the faintest clue what I did with the purchase receipt.
On the other news front:
No more house-buying. I relinquished my offer. It was getting way too stressful to manage, and, since I was so crook last week, I had a bit of an epiphany that while my mortgage would be manageable most of the time, if I had ONE week being sick, I wouldn't be able to afford paying it that month. I hate being a contractor. So, I'll pay off my UK debt, and try to get at least 2-3% of a prospective house price before going there again.
It's a relief, actually. And, since I made that decision, my cold has almost gone away. It might also have something to do with the fact I found a herbal and homeopathic cough medicine - 5 minutes after I took a swig, the cough went away. Since I don't approve of complex homeopathy (where you give someone a pile of different potions in the hope that one of them works), it galls me that one of those homeopathics did in fact work. It wasn't the herbs, because herbs don't work so fast or completely. Gah. I bought it for the herbs, just to relieve the tickle. The universe has a sense of humour, and it's sarcastic.
Oh well, it gives me the impetus to do some more homeopathy research. There are about eight homeopathics in that mixture. One of them did the job and I'd like to know which one. I get the same cold about once a year (not normally so long lasting) and I'd like to take something to either knock it on the head forever, or at least have around for next time. Since I normally try to find the right potion while I'm sick (and the saying "the physician who treats herself has a fool for a patient" is completely apposite here), and I haven't succeeded in hitting the right one on the head yet, it's nice to have the field narrowed down from 200-odd potions to eight, at least two of which I've eliminated previously.
I will probably go to England again next year. While I'm in the mode of making life-enhancing decisions, I think I'll head back to England to earn some pounds to pay off my debt for once and for all. Or, if I pay it off before then, to get some savings behind me. I think I can manage 1 year to 18 months without much sunshine. It was knowing fuck-all people the first two years, and then, not having enough money and being away from home too long that got to me last time. This time, I do have friends (whom I miss), I'm vastly more marketable, I'll get a job quickly, if not beforehand (it certainly won't take two months again), and I won't be stuck without the fare home. It'd be nice to catch up with my lovely ones there. My ex has bought a flat in Honor Oak Park, not far from where I used to live, and I hope she'll be keen for a flatmate. :-) While our relationship didn't work out, we shared space well. Otherwise, no worries, I know the kind of places that I like living in, and the Time Out listings are online (I think - nothing's showing up at all there at the moment).
Project management. I've been doing a course on it this week (two more modules to follow), and I have to say, it's immensely interesting. Yikes, maybe I'm becoming responsible in my advanced years. God forbid. I think I'd like to get into it, actually, if I can overcome my complete and utter lack of organisation. One of the instructors said that managing a project basically consists of making huge lists and making sure those lists are checked off (that's a simplistic rendering of what he said). Personally, I have never made a list in my life, so, if I can get over that wee hurdle, and the fact that budgeting is an arcane science to me (haven't balanced a chequebook either - thank god for online banking, eh?), then, well, I may have something to sustain me after I burn out with being a techie. I give that about five years.
So, there you go, that's me at the moment.
All credit to Belkin support, though. I rang them, and once I got through, there was no hassle. They ran through the usual questions (rebooted, removed line splitter, tried another RJ-11 cable?) and since I had done all the above, they are sending out a replacement unit next week. I'd completely forgotten it had a lifetime guarantee. Which is lucky, since I don't have the faintest clue what I did with the purchase receipt.
On the other news front:
No more house-buying. I relinquished my offer. It was getting way too stressful to manage, and, since I was so crook last week, I had a bit of an epiphany that while my mortgage would be manageable most of the time, if I had ONE week being sick, I wouldn't be able to afford paying it that month. I hate being a contractor. So, I'll pay off my UK debt, and try to get at least 2-3% of a prospective house price before going there again.
It's a relief, actually. And, since I made that decision, my cold has almost gone away. It might also have something to do with the fact I found a herbal and homeopathic cough medicine - 5 minutes after I took a swig, the cough went away. Since I don't approve of complex homeopathy (where you give someone a pile of different potions in the hope that one of them works), it galls me that one of those homeopathics did in fact work. It wasn't the herbs, because herbs don't work so fast or completely. Gah. I bought it for the herbs, just to relieve the tickle. The universe has a sense of humour, and it's sarcastic.
Oh well, it gives me the impetus to do some more homeopathy research. There are about eight homeopathics in that mixture. One of them did the job and I'd like to know which one. I get the same cold about once a year (not normally so long lasting) and I'd like to take something to either knock it on the head forever, or at least have around for next time. Since I normally try to find the right potion while I'm sick (and the saying "the physician who treats herself has a fool for a patient" is completely apposite here), and I haven't succeeded in hitting the right one on the head yet, it's nice to have the field narrowed down from 200-odd potions to eight, at least two of which I've eliminated previously.
I will probably go to England again next year. While I'm in the mode of making life-enhancing decisions, I think I'll head back to England to earn some pounds to pay off my debt for once and for all. Or, if I pay it off before then, to get some savings behind me. I think I can manage 1 year to 18 months without much sunshine. It was knowing fuck-all people the first two years, and then, not having enough money and being away from home too long that got to me last time. This time, I do have friends (whom I miss), I'm vastly more marketable, I'll get a job quickly, if not beforehand (it certainly won't take two months again), and I won't be stuck without the fare home. It'd be nice to catch up with my lovely ones there. My ex has bought a flat in Honor Oak Park, not far from where I used to live, and I hope she'll be keen for a flatmate. :-) While our relationship didn't work out, we shared space well. Otherwise, no worries, I know the kind of places that I like living in, and the Time Out listings are online (I think - nothing's showing up at all there at the moment).
Project management. I've been doing a course on it this week (two more modules to follow), and I have to say, it's immensely interesting. Yikes, maybe I'm becoming responsible in my advanced years. God forbid. I think I'd like to get into it, actually, if I can overcome my complete and utter lack of organisation. One of the instructors said that managing a project basically consists of making huge lists and making sure those lists are checked off (that's a simplistic rendering of what he said). Personally, I have never made a list in my life, so, if I can get over that wee hurdle, and the fact that budgeting is an arcane science to me (haven't balanced a chequebook either - thank god for online banking, eh?), then, well, I may have something to sustain me after I burn out with being a techie. I give that about five years.
So, there you go, that's me at the moment.
