Notes to self

Softwares:

1. Documalis
2. Foxit
3. Photo Pos Pro
4. Irfanview
5. Open Office
6. FreePDF (*.tiff)

Head, say "Hi" to a wall

I have been fighting last days with my laptop: Windows went nuts, or rather it just didn't want to start anymore other than in repair mode and my only option seemed to be to recover the factory settings.
I could have stand that, noticing that the system gave me an option to make a backup of the files before recovering factory settings... if it just had done that.

When I had recovered the backup I found out that the backup was only partial and that it had missed just the most important folder: my sketches! (Or it seems to be so, I just hope it really is the only folder as I have been working, working, and workin so I haven't had much time to check in addition of fighting with this d***ed thing...)

Thank G-d I had backupped my sketches folder only few days earlier and that I had made an imported preview of the only bigger design I had been sketching after that (so, basically I just lost two biscorni and some variations of the bigger thing so not as bad as it could have been) which the backup utility was able to save.

Funny thing? After googling I came to realise that it was not Windows as such that blew it up, but bugs in HP's backup and recovery utilities... What fun!

And now I just need to find a way to get all the data off from the hard drive as it seems to me that all the data is on the hard drive, I just can't get it out from there because it's hiding "under" this version...

Yes, I AM annoyed (still, it could have been worse).

My new Love

Don't tell Him, but I fell in love today...

Kawaii! ^^ - and I know how to spend 67€/ month for next 11 months.

(My excuse is that I have been thinking of buying a new laptop for a while as my HP's touchpad isn't as good as it used to be, which bothers me tremendously when I design.)

"Your installation was a success"

No, I did not reinstall myself, but XP - finally and have spent last two hours by downloading updates from M$, drivers from HP and all the softwares I need.
And I found accidentally better FTP client than my previous one was (and this one is freeware (SmartFTP works after trial period, but doesn't start every time) - though I am already considering a minor donation for the programmer as this is great!): FireFTP. (It has cute icon too. ^^)

Clean, simple, free and works in a browser... what else you need?

This-and-that and UM

Ask anyone and they will say that I am not a bit patriotic. Ask me and I say I am not a bit patriotic. (No, I don't think the fact that my grandfathers and their fathers have fought in several wars oblidges me to be patriotic - I have reason to believe that my Pa' (paternal grandfather) was pacifist because of Winter War and the Continuation War (both of these equal WWII). Anyway...)
But I have to say that now I understand it better... For reason or another I was deeply moved by Finland's opening video in Eurovision Song Contest (as some of you may remember we won ESC last year).
But still, it was about third time every when I have any kind of patriotic feelings (1995 Finland won Hockey World Championship (this year we have 50/50 chance) and 2006 we won ESC), so it doesn't make me a patriot.

But, on important things...

UM: Week 223

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Film :: Clip
2. Dragon :: Round Robin
3. Hunger :: Desire (*innocent cough*)
4. Plucked :: Chicken
5. Dissolving :: Water soluble
6. Executive :: Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet)
7. Ridiculous :: My sleeping...
8. Mist :: Night
9. Minority :: Me
10. Map :: Paper

Re-installation

Will probably happen tomorrow, or day after it, despite of my estimation, as I am still making off-site backup... Blah!

Yeah, I need bigger external hard drive for situations like this.

It makes you wonder...

... my mother got asthma when she was about 31 (I have always said that she got asthma because of me, as she got sick after I was born). I am soon 28 and I am having shortness of breath when I walk.
I know I am in good physical condition and until recently I had no troubles to climb up the stairs with groceries or walk to the store and back. Some time ago I was still able to walk 2 kilometres in 20 minutes, when walking leisurely (I like to give myself some time to look at my surroundings and think), today... 4 kilometers and couple of errands (errands themselves took about 20 minutes) took almost two hours - and I was wasted when I got back home... My lungs felt, and still do, like they were imploding.

So, someone calls GP and makes an appointment - and, hopefully, this someone gets into tests.
Anyway, I need to get this-and-that for my allergy, bigger prescription for levocetirizine (it was meant for a year, it lasted less than six months), and, if GP is willing, something to help with my lungs. (You kind of need oxygen, m'kay?)

Computer problems

Either XP is crashing (my user profile at least) or it really is all about the fact that C drive is running short of space... HP has been acting up (losing and finding drivers, freezing up, losing my Quick launch icons) since yesterday, and I have spent my day taking backups and making list of softwares I need to install if I really go to the way of reinstalling from the scratch.
In theory, I could just reinstall system's partition (C:), but if it really is a space problem it wouldn't help in the end. (Oh well, maybe I could survive with few less music files on my laptop and give some more gigabytes to the system.)

When it rains, it pours, right?

I am creating a monster... *grin*

Proud moment of the day: I attached new case fans (quite a bargain: two fans and postage only 9,40€) to my desktop's case all on my own!
You see, usually only person who is allowed to touch insides of my little 'puter is bits_2_whole, but as I won't see her before end of the week I decided to take my first step in my road to Real Nerddom and do it myself. And, shock and awe, it works still! o_O

Otherwise I have to upset you, no stitching updates, but I, or rather my alter ego, had some lovely S.E.X. (at One Star's Light and at Sewandso). Some luscious silks, 40 count linen and beads for models of a design series I begun today. (Can you see a pattern here?!)
Now both of me (Lady P. and snowprincipessa) are flat broke, but for a good cause.

And, I have been enabling one, still unknown, designing talent to get into the business... and it seems to me that she likes the idea.

It has been an odd day - even in my standards.

But at least truth has finally been revealed: even M$ considers itself dangerous!

What makes it even more interesting is that I have disabled Windows' firewall. It shouldn't do that...

Huzzah for cleaning

I have been looking for Devil Bear for few days because I'd like to finally finish it, and after I lost all hope to actually find it in near future... I found it - of course, that is how it's supposed to be, right? - from place where it wasn't supposed to be (fortunately I had packed it to zip-log bag so no worries) under tons of papers.
And what's even better is the fact that I've measured the piece I stitched it extremely well... It'll finish big enough to fit HP there - in case I've need to carry it around before I can actually purchase laptop case for it.

So, this means that... tomorrow I seem to have two tasks: clean the floors (for about tenth time (not really) during this week and a half) and sew.

O_o

My ISP has customer service!

Whole story short: when we separated there was no change in customer info of this connection (in other words: it was left under Dan's name), and it was ok with him, "As long as you pay the bills". During these two years there weren't any problems, and as I know everything necessary about Dan I was able to handle possible problems with the connection.
Then... I called to technical support, as mentioned in previous entry, and the guy called me back and told me that they're changing the connection type in our house from HomePNA to ADSL. As he was unaware does the protocol change (well, duh, of course!) I gave a call to customer service and asked about the change... turns out they had sent modems and all necessary info to customers, but the problem was... in Finnish Post. They had delivered the parcel, but to Dan's new address and not to me (bills do come to my mailbox anyway, isn't it wonderful? *grin*), and as Dan is not most patient person, and has bad habit to assume the worst about me sometimes (even he knows there are things I'd never do he seems to assume that I can change), he had sent the box back and cancelled whole friggin' account (by accident, I presume, as his practical skills are even worse than mine and he has problems to understand what he reads - or he lacks stamina to read everything, anyway...) from end of August...
Fortunately this extremely nice customer service person did her work. She called to Dan, had the account cancellation cancelled, changed the account under my name and sent the modem to me (it should be here in next week).

And... when I'm back I'm not with that 256kB/s line, it'll be 1MB/s. It's only 5 euros more (24,90€) per month and I couldn't resist the temptation.

This'll also mean that I'm in the brink of building WLAN for myself (Demon's Den as network name sounds good, don't you think? (As most of you know me under nickname of female demon)) which means that I'll be using mostly my laptop and old desktop may become a server...
Then I only need to connect computers to my stereos (to be able to listen from my music library trough stereos and scrobble it to Last.FM) and I'm in seventh heaven.

I just hope nothing goes wrong anymore.

Nerdy stitching

As some of you know I don't own a printer and therefore I stitch my freebies from screen.

I was opening my laptop (HP from now on) in the morning, and for some reason I found that situation hilarious as I use one computer to follow design and other one runs movie I'm watching while stitching. (I think that getting HP will mean that I'll watch much more movies in future. As I don't have actual DVD player, but HP has CD-R - DVD drive in it... )

Anyway, I wont be able to fulfill my 24 hour challenge goal (I've only about an hour left). I slept quite long today, and I have had frantic (amazing, to be honest) SMS exchanging whole day so I think I'm excused.

Btw,

-3 kilos! \o/ (In about three weeks without doing anything for it!)

From Bleh to Goodie etc.

For some reason Silkweaver's shopping system has heard about my promise to ditch them for time being... as I can't place and order. It just never seems to get into Thank for your order page - and I'd so want some natural linen stitch bands from them...

*few seconds pass*

Power of complaining! Hallelujah, thank you G-d! Baruch Hashem! (And other suitable sentences...)
It went trough after I ranted a bit.
So, lovelies flying over Atlantic soon (though I could use one lovely, which you can't get from SW)!

Yes, broke my promise to myself about not ordering anything from SW, but as it's not only decision I have 'broke' (I'd prefer to use term decided to change because of a good reason) lately no one notices. And I couldn't resist those stitch bands... and red Belfast linen (and red Jubilee).
I can stop this any day... shopping.

From computers to biology

Laptop is finally at home! Dan has left the building, unlike it was supposed to be, he decided to be with his better half (they're quite cute couple, btw). But I'm not actually complaining. My menses are coming and I am so sore... I can't concentrate on being my nice self. I just seem to want to be complaining bit... erm, person few days (and I dislike pain you can't kill with painkillers... ouch)
In fact it seems to me that my inattentivity increases in this phase of my cycle, not to mention those other autistic traits (ADD and AS are both syndromes from autistic scale) I carry around. And lately it has meant that I'm even more autistic than I'm usually, or at least more often, just because my cycle is normalized.

NFH

Yes, it's arrived to U.S.A.. My Spring Needleroll, and it was loved (*evil laughter*) so therefore I guide you to this post.

And now, it's bed time for old cranky androgynes.

Aftermath of the Olympics

Latest, and last issue of Stitching Olympics Gazette.

And I've noticed that I got something more than few finished projects... Stress injuries

1. in my left hand, in joints to be exact - from holding my frame too tightly
2. in right shoulder blade which causes pain on the front because my muscles don't know which of them are hurting and which not
But hey, I brought fame and fortune for myself and People's Republic of Noncencia (Nationstates anyone?) and injuries are part of the fun in sports.

nectarfizz has pampered cross_stitch's Olympic stitchers with these nice images (more pictures for my user info!)



Nothing beats self-praise.

---

I seem to have good gadget phase as now I'm officially proud owner of Palm (got my mom's as she doesn't need it and I do (I don't need it, but I've use for it)).

500; Gold! aka. 'Citius, Altius, Fortius'

Stiching Olympics Gazette, Issue 7

First I'd like to thank chanda_m for organizing this huge sporting stitching event. Then I'd like to thank my blogging friends for encouraging comments during my fight for medals. I'd also like to thank my coffee-maker for making me those litres of coffee I've consumed during SO. And last, big thank you for my dear Winamp for providing entertainment.
This is an emotional moment and I'm humbled to be allowed to represent my country in this international event of peace and understanding.

Thank you all. *waves to mom*

And then picture



It's otherwise great but lack of thinking caused certain problems in final metres of finishing and therefore bottom seam is wonky. But it's good enough for me, and I learned something.

It's gold for me, and in fact I also made new World record! I think you all remember him still



Stitched during Olympics and as he wasn't in my original medal goals he justifices World record.

Jenna: Yes, I'm going to frame Topiary Sampler, some day (yes, myself. I'm cheap. ).

Cross posted to cross_stitch.

---

Laptop!

I got email from Dan in this morning. He has got new laptop and therefore he'll sell his old one (about year old) for me. And best is yet to come... I get 18 months time to collect that sum and I pay him then. (This just means that I've to really consider changing my internet connection to ADSL instead of HomePNA.)

500

Suitable entry for 500th entry in my blog, don't you say?

Tiny needleroll exchange and stitching goals

I just got my partner's name, and I think I have found the design which I'll use, so tomorrow I'll have little S.E.X. at Silkweavers - magnificent excuse for shopping these exchanges (and anyway I've to purchase few things).

This will be my first needleroll so I'm quite nervous, and excited! Fortunately deadline is in the end of March (27th) so I've plenty of time to figure things out.

Stitching goals

While reading Svenja's blog I realized that it's really end of the month and time to check-in with my goals.

My goals for January were:

1. Finish Valentine Exchange item!
2. Send SEBE and SECE items!
3. Stitch first part of the Silhouettes (Apparently Icy Blue).
4. Finish Winter topiary.
5. Stitch 5th part of Best Friends.

Oh, what a failure I've been....

1. Finished, ready to be sent tomorrow
2. Ready to be sent tomorrow. They'll be day late, but I've okayed it with organizer.
3. Icy is not completely finished yet.
4. Haven't even touched Winter (I think).
5. Only started with that 5th part.
6. Finished Welcome gnome as an extra (so I'm not that bad person anyway...)

Btw, thank you all for nice feedback considering mr. Gnomey.

Goals for February

1. Finish Icy.
2. Finish Winter.
3. Start with Spring.
4. Finish 5th part of Best Friends.
5. Stitch MSAL parts in time.

I think they were there.

Help with feeds

I tried Bloglines, it wasn't for me so I decided to check Firefox's extensions if there were something suitable for my needs (I'm addicted to FF's extensions, btw) and found Wizz RSS News Reader 2.0.6. It was bit cumbersome to use at first, but after few days I'm very pleased with this. No need to browse million blogs, I just open sidebar and check is there anything new. And it has preview so mostly I can say beforehand do I want to read some entry or not.
Nice little toy, if you ask from me.

My daily fix

First of all I claim that laptops with touchpad are the natural way for human beings.

I've been using Dan's laptop hour or so now and this is so easy - if we don't notice that his OS is WinXP and I'm not used to use it ("proud" owner of Win2kPro). But, ah, I love this thing.

Anyway it seems that I've to make inventory of our food stuff, as it seems that our mom hasn't completely thought about few little things, like my allergy or that there's four adults who use excessive amounts of milk (either drank with coffee or just as plain milk)...

Well, we'll survive. There's grocery store nearby...

Cats (All 11 (4+5+2)) haven't been killing each others -yet. In fact they have been enjoying more or less, at least my kids. It seems to me that my cats like to meet new cats, even if there's some tensity between them and others.

(I know I do not sound very intelligent at the moment, but I haven't ate anything today and I just don't sleep very well on hard matresses. In fact it's odd as in past I used to like hard matresses...)

...and I miss my stitching. Haven't been stitching in last 24 hours, and I'm so restless - addict, me?