Microsoft Windows Vista is without a doubt the most frustrating operating system I have ever encountered ... and I haven't even installed it yet!
In fact, I have yet to receive it. My sad saga began with my first Vista Upgrade order back in February. When I checked back after the requisite 4-week waiting period, I was told my order had never been completed - they couldn't say why. So I sent in a second order April 3rd. According to the website (which I just checked yesterday morning) it was confirmed, although not shipped. Then last night I got a disconcerting email saying that technical difficulties had caused my order to be canceled and I had to resubmit. So I tried doing that this morning - only to be told my all-important COA number could not be validated. AARGH!!!!!
So I called them (fortunately I had saved the call centre number because the one in the email was incorrect - it took me to the Cordon Bleu Cooking School!). And according to the lady I spoke with my April order seems fine and the email probably referred to the February order.
It better have. What a pathetic operation. Apparently they are weeks behind with their shipping. There's nothing to do since I'm supposedly "confirmed" and there is nothing she could see wrong with the order; it's just pending shipping. But here's the catch: if there is an order problem and you haven't submitted a new order by April 30th you're out of luck.
I know I'm my own worst enemy. I shouldn't be feeling my heart pounding and my blood pressure rising over this. I shouldn't have my sleep disturbed and be fretting over something that is so insignificant in the vast scheme of things. But I don't handle stress well at all (at least not this kind of stress; I'm much better in a classroom full of thirty teenagers). And it's the principle of the thing. I bought a laptop (which I love, by the way, regardless of the operating system installed) that included a free upgrade to Vista Home Premium and I WILL get what I'm entitled to.
Even though I may not even install it. Certainly not right away. I'm very happy with the XP Media Centre Edition that I have, and what I've read about Vista hasn't convinced me there is any urgent need to upgrade. Quite the opposite, in fact. I'm concerned about their draconian security measures that necessitate authorizing every little action. I think if you use safe computing practices you should be OK. I'm especially concerned about programs - including Zone Alarm - that wouldn't run. And I'm wondering if it isn't a bit of a memory and resource hog too. As the old adage goes: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". And for now I'm contented. Probably the time will come when bugs are smoothed out and software is happily compatible, but I don't think it's quite here yet. And I'm toying with the idea of getting Dan a new computer for his birthday. It would automatically come with Vista, so I'd get to play around with all the new bells and whistles then.
We'll I'm feeling a little better now. A long walk by the lake helped. So did "writing it out". I really have to learn to deal with stress more effectively or I'm sure never going to see 100!
Regardless, I'd better get my copy of Vista eventually or, as my mom used to say, there's going to be "H-E-double hockey sticks" to pay!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Virginia Tech - April 16, 2007
It happened again.
A sick young man with what one reporter called a "hole in his soul" killed thirty-two innocent people at Virginia Tech last Monday. One of them was a French professor, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, formerly of Montreal.
Another was a 76 year old professor, Liviu Librescu, a Romanian who had survived the Holocaust only to die in his own classroom. But he died a hero, blocking the door for as long as he could while his students escaped out the windows.
Most, of course, were students who died tragically and far, far too young.
There are so many issues to write about: Should guns be better controlled, even outlawed? (Virginia has some of the laxest laws in the U.S., but who are we in Montreal to cast stones after the École Polytechnique, Concordia, and only months ago Dawson.) Should NBC have aired video footage that the killer sent them? (Absolutely not, in my opinion; it only gives him the publicity and attention he craved and maybe even inspires other deranged individuals to follow suit.) Were the police as efficient as they could have been - two full hours elapsed between the initial two murders in a dormitory and the classroom carnage that followed.
One thing I have to say I admired immensely, though, was the way the school - the nation - dealt with the aftermath. The next day there was an incredible memorial ceremony including the president of the country and a huge candlelight vigil. The depth of the faith of those involved was clear and clearly was a help and a comfort. I think that's something we've done poorly here. We don't create a sense of community and fellowship; people are left largely on their own to mourn and to cope as best they can.
And I particularly liked poet Nikki Giovanni's address (and also learned she is neither male, Italian nor especially old - possibly dead - as I had thought). The lines that most moved me were these:
A sick young man with what one reporter called a "hole in his soul" killed thirty-two innocent people at Virginia Tech last Monday. One of them was a French professor, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, formerly of Montreal.
Another was a 76 year old professor, Liviu Librescu, a Romanian who had survived the Holocaust only to die in his own classroom. But he died a hero, blocking the door for as long as he could while his students escaped out the windows.
Most, of course, were students who died tragically and far, far too young.
There are so many issues to write about: Should guns be better controlled, even outlawed? (Virginia has some of the laxest laws in the U.S., but who are we in Montreal to cast stones after the École Polytechnique, Concordia, and only months ago Dawson.) Should NBC have aired video footage that the killer sent them? (Absolutely not, in my opinion; it only gives him the publicity and attention he craved and maybe even inspires other deranged individuals to follow suit.) Were the police as efficient as they could have been - two full hours elapsed between the initial two murders in a dormitory and the classroom carnage that followed.
One thing I have to say I admired immensely, though, was the way the school - the nation - dealt with the aftermath. The next day there was an incredible memorial ceremony including the president of the country and a huge candlelight vigil. The depth of the faith of those involved was clear and clearly was a help and a comfort. I think that's something we've done poorly here. We don't create a sense of community and fellowship; people are left largely on their own to mourn and to cope as best they can.
And I particularly liked poet Nikki Giovanni's address (and also learned she is neither male, Italian nor especially old - possibly dead - as I had thought). The lines that most moved me were these:
We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly,
we are brave enough to bend to cry,
and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.
We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid.
We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be.
We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities.
We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears
and through all our sadness.
we are brave enough to bend to cry,
and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.
We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid.
We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be.
We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities.
We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears
and through all our sadness.
May all the innocent victims and their families be comforted and blessed. Amen
Thursday, April 12, 2007
lots to be thankful for
Well I was a pretty gloomy puss yesterday, and it's not that I've recovered so much today. But reading the posts on Oprah's bulletin board reminded me that I am so lucky compared to so many. So I started thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for and it's a quite a lengthy list, including (albeit with a few qualifiers!) ...
Essentially my sole problem is a lack of children. But it sure is a big problem. I know even according to research having children is no guarantee of happiness; there are happy moments but lots of not so great moments too. Not having them, however, is definitely not a guarantee of happiness - especially if it was an absolutely key ambition. In fact, there is a baby-sized hole in my heart that I don't think anything will ever be able to fill.
- good health (well except for feeling depressed currently)
- a nice body - lean without making too much effort
- Dan
- my sweet doggies, Topaze and Hershey, and their wonderful predecessors Perky and Nicky
- my family - especially Mommy, Daddy and Auntie Bessie. (sure wish they were here, though)
- my house - spacious and full of potential; with a little TLC it will be spectacular!
- living in probably the best place on the entire planet: Canada!
- being so near to a beautiful waterfront that I can see and walk every single day
- a job I love and feel fulfilled in (usually!), with good pay and even lots of time off
- Dan finally having a good job with decent pay and - hopefully - stability
- winning a $2000 gift card to start the year - and the new 37" LCD TV we got with it
- my intelligence
- my love of reading - and all the books in my library
- libraries in general (bookstores too)
- my comfy lazyboy
- writing (sometimes!)
- delicious food - and plenty of it
Essentially my sole problem is a lack of children. But it sure is a big problem. I know even according to research having children is no guarantee of happiness; there are happy moments but lots of not so great moments too. Not having them, however, is definitely not a guarantee of happiness - especially if it was an absolutely key ambition. In fact, there is a baby-sized hole in my heart that I don't think anything will ever be able to fill.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Happiness on Oprah
Today's Oprah was about happiness - a subject I am intimately acquainted with, albeit in the wrong way just now.
I took her 5-question quiz and came out to a 20 (out of a possible 35). Not great, but maybe even a little better than I expected given the way I've felt lately. [I was really stunned that Dan only got 18, though. He's more pathetic than me!]
Here, for future reference is the quiz:
Afterwards they had a very interesting author, Robert Holden. He's a British psychologist who specializes in the study of happiness and has written a book called "Happiness Now". He had a few interesting concepts including: "Destination Addiction" where you think you'll be happy when you get a certain thing or reach a certain point. Of course you never are, because you simply set another destination.
He also talked about people who are martyrs and take themselves out of their own lives. He said in a way they die before they die. Sad but possibly true. And he discussed how our perceptions shape - create, actually - our lives and world views more than our circumstances and the "law of attraction" so popular from the book/DVD "The Secret". There was a bit more too - I'll have to read the website or maybe even his book. I hope there's hope for me; I'm so miserable.
But I feel even more awful that Dan's so miserable. If he feels as bad as I do, it's pretty bad. I have waves of nausea in my stomach and arms and legs. They just sweep over me. I hate that I make him feel bad, though. It's far worse than feeling bad myself. He doesn't need me. He could be in a little house on an island by the ocean doing music somewhere. He doesn't need me, useless, pining and heartbroken for the family he doesn't even want.
More info: http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200704/tows_p
ast_20070411.jhtml
I took her 5-question quiz and came out to a 20 (out of a possible 35). Not great, but maybe even a little better than I expected given the way I've felt lately. [I was really stunned that Dan only got 18, though. He's more pathetic than me!]
Here, for future reference is the quiz:
He also talked about people who are martyrs and take themselves out of their own lives. He said in a way they die before they die. Sad but possibly true. And he discussed how our perceptions shape - create, actually - our lives and world views more than our circumstances and the "law of attraction" so popular from the book/DVD "The Secret". There was a bit more too - I'll have to read the website or maybe even his book. I hope there's hope for me; I'm so miserable.
But I feel even more awful that Dan's so miserable. If he feels as bad as I do, it's pretty bad. I have waves of nausea in my stomach and arms and legs. They just sweep over me. I hate that I make him feel bad, though. It's far worse than feeling bad myself. He doesn't need me. He could be in a little house on an island by the ocean doing music somewhere. He doesn't need me, useless, pining and heartbroken for the family he doesn't even want.
More info: http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200704/tows_p
ast_20070411.jhtml
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