Glllllllllllllllll

[avevale_intelligencer]

The Countess leaves her computer on all the time. This is a hangover from the time when the monitor she was using took twenty minutes to stop jittering when switched on, and also means she doesn't have to open up the three Word documents and two web pages she has permanently on screen every single day. Unfortunately it also means that she is prey to any roving antivirus update that chances by and decides to reboot her for her comfort and convenience. And now that she is being downstairs more of the time this has more opportunity to happen.

She just woke me up with the news that when she decided at four a.m. to do a spot of writing the screen was blank and she hadn't been able to find the most recent versions of the documents. (She saves multiple copies in every available space, after too many data loss incidents, and which one she happens to be working on at any given point is largely a matter of luck.) So I slithered into her studio, leaving a trail of slime in my path and doing my best to evolve as I went into something that wouldn't do that, and within minutes tracked down the versions most recently modified. I found it a bit strange that Control-E wouldn't take me to the end, but my brain was still working on elementary tool-using and putting a really good edge on a flint arrowhead, so I just found the files, scrolled to the end, yielded the seat to her and went back to bed, clearing up the slime trail as I went.

Just settling blissfully under the covers again and--

"Zander?" That edge of panic in the voice is the best alarm clock ever devised.

The keyboard wasn't working. Carefully saved the files in the same place and rebooted. No change. Looked at Control Panel; the Keyboard panel was blank, and I had no idea whether it should be or not. It was only when I had found a spare and brought it through to try that I discovered (by means of moving furniture, because this is our house) that the wire that I had checked was plugged into the machine was connected to the graphics tablet, and the wire that should have gone from keyboard to tablet was, yes, swinging free in the night air. Reconnected, and all is well. So far.

I'm going to be sitting up till she goes back to bed. I do not need the universe to fall on my head. I can take a hint already.

Comments

[min0taur.livejournal.com]

If I read you right (after my second cup of coffee), what we've got here is the progression into consciousness as yet another microcosmic evolutionary process. Cyclic, at that, between consciousness and unconsciousness, reaching the ability to cope with technological abstrusity only on the far end of the "up" (as in "getting") cycle.

It explains so much.

You have my nomination for the Vernacular Nobel.

[jahura.livejournal.com]

I know how you feel. Try it over the phone sometime when the pager rouses you from a sound sleep and someone announces that their printer/scanner/fax/copier won't work.

Then again, avoid it if you can help it. It's much healthier.

[lisande.livejournal.com]

*lol* Don't get this wrong, I really pity you - but I feel I have experienced similar things, too.


Only I was in the countess's place... and it wasn't four a.m. *halo*

[patriciamc.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the add. I love your writing style.

Just think of a time to come when all of our computer peripherals will be cordless and powered by something better than cell batteries. You may still not get the sleep you desire and deserve, but connections won't be such a bugbear.