(Incidentally, is it just me or do you also hate ending sentences with a preposition? In my eyes it makes a sentence look unfinished, weak, and a bit needy, like it wants a cuddle. What do you think?)
I also have to say that I’m struggling slightly as my internet connection is pants and my elderly computer is showing signs of early circuit dementia. I am frantically bailing memory hogging applications so I can continue the finishing touches to the novel, but it’s a bit touch and go. I fear this computer will soon have to be retired and start its new life as a dust covered ‘ornament’ adorning the spare room. Somewhere in the spare room (the Spare Room of Doom) is my old iMac computer which cannot even remember its own name. I am terrified of binning it in case identify theft bastards somehow pounce on it in the local dump and manage to chisel out my bank details. They surely would have to be Neo from The Matrix, but in this day and age it’s a legitimate (but paranoid) worry, isn’t it?
The local ‘dump’…I never thought about it before (probably because I thankfully don’t spend much time musing on the word ‘dump’) but it is slightly onomatopoeic, not that it is going to be added to my favourite word list any time soon. I wonder if our local dump has a real name - perhaps something like ‘Neighbourhood Household Refuse Too Big to Get Away with Concealing in a Black Bin Bag’. Although God knows folk around here like to chance their arm – I walked past what looked like half a tree sticking out of a pile of bin bags the other day.
Anyway where was I? Ah yes. Doddery computers. So currently my internet connection is on a drip.
What you can see there is masking tape holding my broadband in place. So if anything looks shonky around here (great word invented by the lovely Kit Courteney) then you know the reason why.
And now I really do have to prise myself away – got two days off real work in order to work my fingers off getting the novel ready. Almost there, folks! In fact, I rather think this weekend will be It. Eek!
And on that happy note – I shall leave you with Abigail and Ginger. I think you can guess which is which!
35 comments:
I hate shonky internet.
Let me guess Abigail is the ginger coloured cat? :-)
Your old computer will happily go to the dump without fear of being mugged once you have removed the hard drive. Just open up the case and take it out - then either keep it or smash it with a sledge hammer (more fun) and dispose of it.
Easy...er, sort of.
If you like, you could post the hard drive from that old computer to me for placing in my Museum of Other People's Bank Details.
hello, warm greeting ^^!
would you mind to give comment on my blog?
best regards;
wishnutama
There are ways to completely erase the hard drive, but you're better off just taking it out.
Two days off in a row! Go you!
Old iMac is a collector's item! So don't think dump yet :)
Wish you all the best on completing your novel. Is it like clicking on "publish"? :)
Abigail and Ginger look sooo comfy ;-)
You know how people pan for gold? Well, most people don't know there's actually a lot of gold in computers. You can take all the gold out of your computer and sell it :)
(Computers don't work as well, once all the gold is gone. Though I also second musicobsessive's suggestion to remove the hard drive.)
Oh your poor pc!!!! Oh dear!!! My internet connection was as pants as yours probably last night - maybe it's the weather!! Hmmm.
Anyway - I hope it behaves itself enough for you to finish your novel - how exciting!!!!
I do know what you mean about discarding old pc's. I donated my old one to a charity (they clean the memory and do it up and send it on) and to this day I worry what they unearthed!!!! LOL!
Awww I like how you say sentences that end in a preposition need cuddles!! That's just so sweet!!!
Ginger and Abigail are lovely!!!!
"dump" is such a clunky word!! I much prefer your alternative. :-)
Take care
x
Haha, ending sentences with a preposition always drives me crazy, too! I'm forever going to be reminded of several lines in FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, by E. L. Koningsburg when the brother ends sentences with prepositions quite frequently and drives his older sister crazy.
Your cats are adorable! :)
Love the kitties :)
Now ... attack that novel with GUSTO!
I guess Abigail and Ginger have the days off two and they look like they know what to do with the time.
I adore the computer photo - we've all been there. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
I, for one, have always rankled at the notion that we shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition if we want to. I know it shouldn't be done, but sometimes there isn't a better place to fit it in. And even if you had said "I have a list of things as long as my arm with which to crack on," not only would you not have avoided ending your sentence with a preposition, but--if you will excuse my saying so--you also might have sounded like rather a prat, which I might have found it hard to get over. ;)
Shonky..how annoying! Sorry to hear it's on the drip!
Enjoy your writing time, while your happy cats enjoy you among their midst! Cats are so entertaining~
Thanks for visiting me...I have been to London! It is lovely; hope to come back someday~
Good Luck with the novel; I want to hear more, when time permits~
I will visit again...
Awww, your kitties are adorable!
Think about completely erasing everything from your hard drive on your old iMac and then recycling it. You won't have to worry about potential identity thieves, and it's better for the environment!
I also hate ending a sentence with a preposition! Often the sentence can be changed to avoid it, but sometimes it really can't!
Perhaps you should market that fascinating tape device! I think you could make a lot on money on it.
I would like the be one of your cats, please. They look very happy.
Oh yay, ginger kitty! I so want her! :)
Hope your internet held out and that you had a good day of writing!
You are lucky in the UK - here in the US the PC police long ago hauled away the perfectly serviceable "dump." We have to call it a landfill.
Even hoary old Strunk and White admit that ending with a preposition is OK, if it saves words and retains meaning. That's my ruler - if you can understand the sentence easily anything goes.
Good luck with the novel!
Hope your two days off are super productive. You have my sympathy with regard to internet problems. We have a slow connection here; broadband reminds me of dial-up some days!
Just get a typewriter...oh wait...
;)
We've retired a couple computers and this one act kind of wonky sometimes. I continually threaten to throw it through a window, I just don't want to replace a window. For now, it's safe. Congrats on your upcoming finish! And, being a cat lover, I adored your last photo. Enjoy your two days!
Hehe, love the idea of a sentence ending with a preposition looking like it needs a cuddle. To me it looks like someone with their mouth hanging slackly open, like a stereotypical yokel. :)
Hi Jayne
Two whole days to concentrate on your novel - how I envy you.
Good luck I hope you get it finished. Don't forget to put the bottle of Champagne on ice - you deserve it.
Linda
I agree with you about finishing a sentence with a preposition. I was always taught that it's wrong, but very often it's necessary.
Your computer seems very similar to mine. I have two, both of which are museum exhibits.
Re The Cats: Could you give me a clue please....
All the best, Boonsong
Thank you for the comment on my blog, and I may add that my computer too seems to be having a bit of a nervous breakdown lately!
This one is only a new one, but things have been going down a lot lately. I couldn't leave comment, write e-mails, and for a while, I had no followers!
So, for a while, between pulling out my hair and cursing the thing, I got in touch with Blogger Status, and they just said that they were aware of a "Technical Problem" and were working on it.
Friends in Europe were having the same problems, but not in America or Australia, so maybe it was just a Europe thing.
So, after three days, things seem to be back to normal!
Phew, what would we do without our computers?
Oh...you have a terrible Word Verification! How I hate those things....zoninga, hummm, now that could be an offensive word somewhere in the world!
Jayne...your cats look cute. Too bad about your computer. Have a nice weekend!
as to your hard drive. That is what hammers are for.
Love those kitties...
I'm sure when you said "ginger" most people thought of the color. I thought about Gilligan's Island...something may be wrong with my wiring...
like it wants to cuddle? genius.
I wish I HAD invented 'shonky', but, alas, it is an Australian word.
Come on, woman, I'm counting on you to finish up and get published so that I can come to The Glorious Book Launch!
The cats are lovely! Good luck with finishing the novel.
I don't mind the odd preposition in need of a cuddle haha.
Love your posts. Much talent!
Thank you for visiting my place and for leaving such a nice comment! AND for letting me find your place.
This was perfect since I am looking for my next read. Lots of book inspiration!
I would not be able to earn a living as a writer if I hadn't dumped the behemoth PC and invested in a Macbook. It paid for itself -- and all my other bills - in three months. It's made my freelance life possible.
Although, sometimes, when I travel, a wonky internet connection slows me down.
Al – shonky internet is the pits. And I love your guess!
Musicobsessive – Sledge hammer? Do most folk have these things in their home? :O
Mise – Haha! Can I post it with my house keys?
Wishnutrama – I only visit folk who come here and read/respond to my posts, not spam me, sorry!
Alex – Good plan.
Piedmont Writer – the two days were lovely but over too quick, as ever.
Ocean Girl – Haha – I wish it was like clicking on publish!
Christina – Abigail and Ginger are always comfy, especially if they are sitting on something important.
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