Calling the Computer Gods

OK...I knew I spoke too soon about my self-repaired desktop computer. So, yes...we still have a working computer...graphics and all images. We can still do research, send and read email, blog, and most everything else. Unfortunately, when I went to watch a short video online today, there was suddenly no sound. Yep...just like the silent movies from the early 20th century minus the music track...total silence. Since I can't remember when the last time I listened to anything online and since I never use our computer to listen to CDs, I have no idea when our sound disappeared.

So now I get to figure out if I can fix the damn quiet. I'm hoping all it will take will be a re-install of the audio driver but then it might be hardware and is it really worth sinking more money into a 4-year old desktop? What do you think?

In Search of the Golfing Gods

Warning...if you have absolutely no interest in the game of golf, avoid reading this post because I guarantee you that my life at the moment is nothing but golf...golf, golf, golf!

So...how anxious was the golf manufacturer to get my clubs shipped to me so they could start charging my credit card? Well...when we returned from Carlsbad on Thursday, the first shipment (driver and woods) was already sitting on our porch waiting for us. On Friday, my putter and new hybrid club arrived and on Sunday I finally got up the courage to unpack the two boxes and put my new clubs in my nearly new golf bag.

Yesterday, Rick and I went over to the driving range and each of us hit a large bucket of balls. Sigh... There's nothing more frustrating than watching your golf balls go left, go right, squibble in front of you, bounce out of the grass tee box. I've said all along that my problems have nothing to do with the equipment...it's my swing that keeps failing me.

Today the final shipment arrived (my irons and wedges) and I've promised Rick we will go back to the driving range on Thursday to practice some more. Mind you...I've taken golf lessons for nearly 20 years (OK...I admit it) but, when you only have a golf club in your hands for 30 minutes once a month, I guess you can't expect perfection.

And while I might be the ultimate duffer when it comes to golf, apparently I'm a heck of a computer technician because our desktop continues to perform flawlessly. Thank goodness I seem to have a talent for something constructive.

Carlsbad Ka-ching and More

To continue our Carlsbad tale, Rick and I were fitted for new golf clubs on Wednesday. Rick really went down there with the idea of new irons and wedges and that's all he ordered. Still...the cost of his new clubs will basically be paid by President Bush and Congress thanks to their economic stimulus check which we will hopefully receive in a month or two. And, although I know I went with the thought of ordering some new clubs, I ended up ordering everything! That means new driver, fairway woods, irons and a putter....the cost? Well, let's just say Rick and I won't be going on any cruises for a while...a very long while.

So we came home on Thursday with pockets empty and what happens when I turn on our beloved 4-year-old desktop computer...yikes! The first attempt resulted in the monitor going black for a moment, coming back and then repeating the cycle over and over. I turned off the computer, tried again and the same thing happened...only much more frequently. Soon the display got all blocky and distorted followed by everything just freezing. Damn! All I could see was more money flowing out of our pockets at the thought of having to buy a new desktop after just spending so much money on something as frivolous as a set of new golf clubs.

Now I know zip when it comes to anything technical about our computer but being a librarian has taught me that a little bit of research can sometimes help what seems like a lost cause. So I got out my laptop and started searching for troubleshooting solutions. I soon discovered that it sounded like my graphics card was failing and, lucky me, when I went to our local computer mega-store, I discovered that my $55 graphics card was on sale for $50 plus they were offering a $40 rebate. What did I have to lose?

So today I went through all the basic troubleshooting steps in Safe Mode including using System Recovery. When nothing else seemed to cure the problem, Rick and I opened up the chassis (I think that's what it's called) and easily replaced the graphics card. And the result? Well, I'm composing this post on our desktop so, at least for the moment, I think everything is fixed.

I have to admit that I'm pretty proud of myself and, most of all, I'm relieved to know that I can enjoy my new golf clubs without feeling guilty for spending way too much money. Whew!

Happy Birthday Rick...and Cher

Yep...today is Rick's birthday and he always likes to tell folks that he and Cher share the same exact birthday...day and year. He also likes to admit that Cher looks a heck of a lot better than he does but that a little "nip and tuck" would certainly help him "turn back time" too.

We had a lovely day here in Carlsbad. First we ate breakfast at our very nice hotel and then headed off to a local course for a round of very frustrating golf...sigh. That was followed by an outdoor lunch at an Armenian cafe across the street from the beach. We then drove south along the coast to the northern part of the city of San Diego before getting on the freeway and heading back north to our hotel. After taking a very short nap, we went out for a lovely dinner at a high-end Steak and Seafood restaurant and they were kind enough to treat Rick to a Creme Brulee dessert to celebrate his big day...yum! Then we stopped at a local Starbucks for a relaxing cup of decaf and now we're back in our room watching a little television and playing on the computer.

Tomorrow is our big golf club fitting day. It supposedly takes 90 minutes of hitting golf balls over and over until they have all the measurements they need to proclaim the best set of clubs (irons and woods) for you. Rick originally thought we could play golf afterwards but I've put my foot down. No way am I going to hit golf balls for that amount of time and then spend another 4 hours doing the same on a golf course!

We leave Carlsbad on Thursday and I've told Rick I might be willing to stop and play a round of golf somewhere between here and home. What can I say...I'm a glutton for punishment.

The Sun Rises in BlogLand

Can it really be more than two months since my last post? I never intended to take a respite from blogging but a bit of depression came my way and suddenly I just couldn't find the energy to turn on my computer and blog. In fact, for a while I couldn't find the energy to do just about anything. Slowly though, I found the will to resume my daily life and activities and now I've found the will to come back to BlogLand. To be honest, I've been lurking out there for a couple of weeks now trying to catch up on what's been happening with all my blog friends and I want to thank those of you who expressed your concerns about my whereabouts in comments on this blog and my sister Lynn's blog. Hopefully there won't be any more of these sudden disappearing acts again.

So what have I been doing since the beginning of March? Here's a quick overview of what I did on my blogging "vacation":

• Worked just a little at my part-time Library job at the beginning of my absence
• Attended a retirement party for 7 (yes, 7) librarian friends I've known for many years
• Attended our friends' daughter's wedding
• Spent 5 days in Palm Desert playing golf with Rick (yep, golf)
• Played golf with Rick several times at local golf courses
• Attended the Los Angeles Times' Festival of Books
• Attended a bridal shower for the future daughter-in-law of a friend
• Took my mom to several doctor appointments at our HMO (she's having hypertension issues at the moment)
• Took my mom to our weekly Arthritis Aquatics class at the YMCA

Now Rick and I are getting ready to spend a few days in Carlsbad playing golf and being fitted for new golf clubs at one of the well-known golf manufacturers in the area. We're leaving tomorrow morning but I'm planning to take my laptop so hopefully you'll hear all about our golfing vacation while it's actually happening. And why have I suddenly decided to invest what seems like quite a bit of time on golf courses with Rick? Well...it's his birthday on Tuesday and my gift to him this year is a promise to golf more often with him. Now I'm only hoping I can continue this golfing madness once his birthday passes. Keep your fingers crossed for me.