I never did get around to scanning and posting the picture of the little girl on the surfboard that I promised yesterday. My home computer has been up to hijinks lately, and I got sucked into mucking around with it last night. I'm not complaining, because the mucking is something I've been putting off and that desperately needs to be done -- I just spent way more time on it than I expected, and there's still plenty to do.

I have, however, narrowed down the sound problem to the internal speaker itself or its power connection, as opposed to a driver or other software problem. I got a castoff external speaker that runs on eight -- yes, eight -- AA batteries hooked up and working to tide us over until I replace the internal speaker or get a decent pair of external speakers. (Kevin loves his Hard Radio stream.)

I'm still wondering how I managed to lose my copy of TechTool and why it is that Norton Antivirus has decided that after you spend $70 on their program they can give you the necessary updates for only one year. Granted, the annual fee after the first year is only $3.95, but it still annoys me.

I've decided that I need to get all my files backed up, now that I have the CD-RW, and reformat the hard drive and do a clean reinstall of everything before my next big freelance project comes in. That will keep me busy for a full day.

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And it looks like I may have that full day relatively soon. Our weather has finally started to shift into fall/winter mode -- slightly cooler temperatures and RAIN, which we so desperately need. (Sorry, vacationers.) I can count on one hand the days we've had rain at my house this year. Up at work in Manoa Valley is another thing, but it's still been much less than usual.

I'm surprised to see that USA Today is predicting thunderstorms for us on Saturday. Thunderstorms are quite rare here -- something about not enough landmass to build up the necessary electrical charge -- and have never been actually predicted. Of course, thunderstorms preclude working on the computer, so maybe I'll plan on getting the Saturn serviced that day instead.

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A friend asked the other day what it is that I'm doing here, keeping an online journal for all the world to see. Well, as I mentioned in the very first entry of this incarnation of the webpage, I developed a fascination with weblogs and online journals this summer. So many creative people are expressing themselves in their various ways on line -- I wanted to be a part of that.

I've kept paper journals on and off since I was old enough to write, but many times they devolve into clinical descriptions of what I did that day and/or whining about whatever I'm annoyed at that day. I have a desire to learn to put together good web pages and improve my writing. I am also the world's biggest procrastinator and lazy butt. Putting my pseudojournal into this format accomplishes several things for me.

It forces me to write and keep up with it, since I know that certain people are reading and will agitate when it's not updated.

It makes me want to write about things that are more interesting than the nap I took when I got home from work yesterday. Or at least to write about that in an interesting way, rather than just noting the fact.

It compels me to watch what I say about other people, who I might rip apart with abandon over some trivial incident in a journal that no one else will ever read. This serves an offline purpose as well, in my eternal quest to be able to argue well with reason, instead of lashing out.

It's an exercise in computer wizardry, which has fascinated me for quite a few years now.

None of this is to say that I won't ever complain or whine or get annoyed at someone or write a pedestrian entry or not update for a week or so -- those of you with me so far can see where I've broken every one of those already. But those are my guides. And virtuallori really is much more than this little pseudojournal bit.

I call it a pseudojournal because it's not really a true journal, in the sense of exploring my deep-rooted emotional inadequacies and serving as an outlet for my occasional rage at my fellow humans. It's not quite as impersonal as a weblog, although I do have some weblog-like elements. And it does incorporate pages on my other interests and activities. So, in true Lori fashion, I've decided to be unique and not try to fit neatly into the journal or the weblog or the personal page pigeonhole. (I never could decide on a narrow specialty in school or college or career, and I'm happy as a generalist who is good at and enjoys a lot of different things.)

So, friends and family and strangers, be not afraid. I will not publicly whine about how much your action annoyed me, except maybe in the most oblique way, without your name attached. I might mention you in connection with the good or routine in my life, but I won't be spilling all your personal details out there for the world to pick over. If you're out-of-sorts about something that shows up here, do tell me.
- posted by Lori @ 4:31:00 PM | permanent link | |