|
Well, I managed to write 1,564 words last night but thanks to my laptop and its quirky little ways, it took about five times as long to write them as ought to have been the case.
The damned thing kept turning itself off! In the middle of a sentence the power would die and everything went black. I'd switch on again, open up my document, start writing and ten minutes later, black screen again! I was saving every 30 seconds or so to make sure I wouldn't lose what I'd written and going slowly doolaley.
I had paid work to do, too. I usually do some site reviews in the evening as they're relatively easy and only take about 15 minutes each but three reviews took about two hours! Can you believe that? I'd log onto the site, start looking around, make a couple of notes and bam! Black screen! Re-boot, log on, take a look around, make a couple.... and so it continued. Then the same old malarkey again when it came to doing the write up.
I'm surprised I have any hair left today!
Anyway, I think I'm going to have to invest in a new laptop whether I like it or not. It's an expense I could definitely do without but I have some money saved for one of those motorised disability scooter things that I was going to get for the summer, but I'll just have to take part of that and the scooter will have to wait. It'd would have been nice to have the scooter to get out and about more with, but that's life. Things don't always work out the way we'd planned them, do they?
I expect the HMB gang who are down at The Savoy are having a good time today and fingers crossed for those who are up for awards. I know they can't all win but I'm sure they're all very worthy candidates. Personally I'd like to see Kate Hardy come home with a prize because she seems such a nice person and nice people always deserve to win. I know that's not the criteria the judges use but I haven't read the book (I've bought it, just haven't read it yet) so I can't judge any other way.
It'll be fun hearing the stories when the romantics start trickling back at the weekend. |
This computer bloody-mindedness seems to be catching. Reading your tales of technological break-down makes me feel slightly less incompetent. I always assume PCs are a bit like horses-- they can spot a novice at 20 paces and play up on purpose, but if you're having difficulties that can't be the case!
11:36 AM
The sad truth is that, like horses, PCs have a restricted life span. Unfortunately it isn't anywhere near as long as a horse's! Mine starting spitting at me a few months back but because I hate to part with money unless I absolutely have to, I was determined to keep it going. It went to the vet...err, repair shop and had a health check and jabs, but still it's poorly. There's just no cure for age :-(
12:20 PM
This is tough. I once saw a photo of Hemingway typing away on a typewriter. Everything he wrote was hammered from key to paper. No saving, so find and replace for words, no spell check, no going back right their on the screen to fix broken sentences. Sometimes I think this would help my first draft writing, but re-typing everything just to have a copy would not be fun. When you go look at lap tops, think about a type-writer instead. This might make you jump for joy with that new lap top!
2:44 PM
Get a loan otherwise you'll be in the home for lapless writers before you can say 'oh sh....
8:11 PM
Bryan. I spent more than enough years banging away at a typewriter so really don't need to look at one to be reminded how easy things are on a computer. In my first job I used one of those big black affairs with honking great keys that you had to smack with all the strength you had, so when I was 'given' a brand new manual Olivetti, it was like all my Christmases had come at one. It wasn't until years later that I had the pleasure of using an electric typewriter and eventually one that had about 3 lines of memory! I was a telex operator in between those typing jobs and using one of those machines was like being in charge of something witches had invented. You could type to people on the other side of the world!
But y'know, I'm glad I had the old fashioned typewriter experience because I believe it has made me think before I write more than I otherwise would have done. You had to back then or the job would never get done!
Minx. I was going to get one on credit but had forgotten to take any proof of identity with me. How daft can you get? I ended up using our holiday money instead so now I'm going to have to work my backside off to earn that back before I have to pay it in July!
10:44 PM
The computer is God. OK, I'm being a bit over the top, but without a computer, I think my life would fall apart. I'd be so lost and alone.
;)
Alright, in all seriousness, computer are a pain when they play up. But a writer needs his/her tools of trade, and a typewriter just doesn't fit the bill anymore.
Best of luck with the laptop. I hope it gets well soon, and saves you a heap of money.
5:12 AM
Let's move to the more acceptable word of 'Goddess' shall we Karen? And as for going back to the typewriter, well, you might as well bring back the 'teasmade'along with the 'twintub' and a huge ammount of 'finger stalls' because all of our fingers have gone soft!!
9:04 AM
Karen. I'm afraid it's too late for the doctor - the laptop's definitely on its last legs and has now been replaced by a new shiny model. More about that later.
Minx. I wanted to write something like what you said there in my response to Bryan but the comment would have become an epic so I didn't bother.
The world's definitely moved on since the days of typewriters. We don't go to the phone box on the corner anymore because we have mobiles and the phone box is no longer there; we don't sleep with our heads in curlers because we have curling tongs; we don't put our clothes through the mangle because we have washing machines with built-in spin dryers; and we don't use a typewriter because we have computers.
Or shall we all go back to using a quill and ink? Could be an interesting project. I wonder how long it'd take to write a book then?
11:19 AM
Ooh no, mucky fingers!
And anyway what's wrong with mangles, have you got something against them, is it personal?
I've got a mangle, it used to be my mum's and the kids used to pout worms through it until I caught them, then they moved onto snails!!
4:12 PM
Oh dear my 'pout' slipped out again
4:13 PM
Hi Sharon,
Regarding your computer issues, you might want to check the battery-is it running low? Maybe the interruptions are from a bad power supply.
Mine was showing low battery and blank screen at times even when I had it plugged in...so I experimented. I replaced the battery-nope still had problems, and then tried the power supply and that did the trick...
Something to think about...
7:19 PM
Lisa. My battery died months ago so I've been using the power supply. Yes, it could be a dodgy connection there but the thing has so many other issues that it wasn't worth bothering with. The CD player doesn't work so I can't install anything, some of the keys play up so I miss letters when I'm typing (not the best thing to happen to a writer, eh?) and a few other bits and bobs. I'll keep it in case of an emergency but I really don't regret buying a new one.
Thanks for your help, though. It's nice to know there are people out there who are interested enough to make a comment :)
11:38 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home