Geed Geed Friday
Well, it was Good Friday, but "the geed Ali Downie" had renamed it to "Geed Geed Friday" in relation to the "team night out" plugs - hence I've pinched it for the above. After a double day of it, I couldn't come up with anything better!
So, we left last night with a semi-working computer, and potentially lost my book (which included the bank card, and a few other things). Firstly, up and about, had another look via mail2wap - an email back in a response to a text I sent someone at Strathtay saying basically nothing seen, but it could be in the safe.
So, I started on the pc, STILL wondering why I could get no web at all out of it. It will connect on any connection, just it will not do any web pages or throughput. DNS settings all tried, but I was getting no throughput AT ALL - i.e. not even being able to ping the ip addresses. Basically, it looked like whatever connection or browser combination I used (2 browsers, 2 modems, 2 cables, lots of connections!), it didn't work.
Got a call from Strathtay's depot office at 0945 to the mobile, saying that "We've found a filofax... did you know you'd lost it?" This was from the depot lost property person, who agreed to leave it downstairs at the stance inspectors office. So, that was that - and an improvement. Headed to the shower - no phone calls this time! - before continuing to Ubernet, for probably my last download ever there - the BT dialller. Well, just in case, but it wouldn't save to my stick/mp3 player. So, tried emailing it to myself, but my server bounced it back to me, saying this is potentially a virus! (No "send to self" over-ride mode there then). Graeme tried to assist by moving to another computer, but no need as I said I would give it a go later.
So, got to the bus station, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the three Stagecoach Strathtay liveried Volvo Olympians from Blairgowrie depot arriving on the 57 service. Thought nothing of it, crossed the road, and went to the stance for my book. Picked it up, and thanked them, then turned around and started to walk off.
(You'll like this, because all things considered, even I did not see this twist coming!)
"Hello son...."
Yes, my mum had just came off the 57, having been up to Newtyle to visit my dad and my grandmother's sister. We agreed to go for a chat in the bus station cafe, and we exchanged news. She didn't have a lot of her own, but she was meeting my sister who arrived at the same time as one of Park's Van Hool Citylink liveried double deck Volvo coaches. They mentioned they were waiting for someone coming from Glasgow... and I pointed out that bus was sitting there... Still, a bit of a change for just over half an hour of difference anyway.
Went to MBE, and tried to download said dialler again. Wouldn't go, so I burnt it to a CD instead. After that, powercards, council tax, and a few things from the shops, before heading back home to try more with the pc.
By 1700, I'd already done one format of the pc, and noting was going. But, if I opened up Mozilla Firefox browser, then Mozilla Thunderbird email, then clicked on a link in that, it would get me SOME web. By some, I mean those with little names. BT.Com, BBC.co.uk were ok. Mozilla.com was fine. Download.Mozilla.Com was not, and Scotbus.com was not either. Soon after, I decided that the only thing i'd not tried was to remove the other hard drive. There is now an 80gb main hard drive on the pc (thus being the most I could afford - after 80gb the price breaks are not as good per gb for another few quid), and thus the 3gb one was useful to get going, but not really needed. I'd changed it from C to D - something to do with two Maxtor hard drives and the jumpering (don't start me with that - the Western Digital ones were worse!), but basically I decided the last thing I could try was a complete format, and then live on one 80gb hard drive. Backed up my work (again) before removing the D drive, inserting the Windows disc, and letting it take its course.
By 1900, I'd reinstalled the modem, and was online, getting all web fine. I'd have to reinstall almost everything else i.e. Office, Acrobat etc. but it seemed to be the only choice I had left. If it was failing now, what would it be like later?
Anyway, it's the night of the team night out! After all the f**king about above, I was feeling a bit worn, but decided I'd go anyway. I did promise... and I did turn up when it was downstairs, so I don't want to be accussed of convience. Just after 2000 left the house and went for the 4B along the Perth Road, to a new bar called Amsterdam. It used to be something else - I forget what - but it is opposite what used to be Aitken's Wine and one of the university car parks. It's beside a disued shop which used to be an ice cream place back in the days (many years now, I think!), and beside The Gate. For the bus drivers, it's between Springfield and the next one westbound.
The "Geed Ali Downie" is now social organiser of the team, following Graeme "The Ferret" Webster's move to "a classier team" a few months ago (i.e. corporate). This was the first such event that didn't involve someone's house, and not on a Saturday night when I work, either. Went in just after 2015ish, lots of people there. Surprisingly, mostly still sober. AD was standing upright as I walked in, which was good, as I thought they'd be cut by this point (they said getting drunk was the main objective). There is a large screen tv (which was showing My Name Is Earl - the episode where he stole a laptop), and there was a live jock playing a real mixture of older stuff. Not a lot of room to move, but still room for the interactive quiz machine called Hexed or something like it - a combination of Blockbusters meets Countdown. The mysetery guest was Chicco (Ghullam) who popped in for a few minutes earlier on - I saw the pictures! Anyway, lots of pictures taken by myself and others, and mine will be online in time.
I left just after 2300, giving me the option of the last 4B to Albert Square, or the last 10A to the High St/Forthill. Having had Excel 207 on the 4B in, initally waited for it coming back (no real reason), but the 10A came first with Volvo 149. Got this into the City, and a 17 and 29 were both sat there. Took 135 on the 17 round the block (£1.50 evening saver well used even for just a short trip!) and a taxi driver was deliberatly obstructing the bus driver on the way out of Whitehall Street.
Got home, and proceeded to try some more downloads to get the pc back up and running. I'd been recommended by a colleague to try an online site called eMessenger, which was a nice alternative to Yahoo's own web messenger (which hasn't worked for me for months).
Now, this is the next bit I didn't see coming. I'd logged in, two online. One particularly special gentleman by he name of Jay, who I've not spoken to in so long... several months now, partially thanks to the situation with no phone line, and him living on the opposite side of the world to me. He's been good to me, and I've also tried to be good back. He was working late - after he had to go in to work (he usually works from home) after having a systems outage (as they call it). He logged off about 0200 Saturday my time. Jay, hon, as ever, you've been wonderful... xxx
Now, ever a gluten for punishment (and with Firefox downloaded, and Thunderbird downloading six months mail), I then ran a Microsoft system update. 23 critical updates to your system - don't you just love bugware?
Went to bed at 0300 into Saturday morning, a very happy girl :-D
posted by Suzy Scott @ 23:59
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