Hey kids! Wow I've been gone about three weeks due to a total meltdown of my computer. ( it was a laptop, and my only computer) After the IT guy worked on it for awhile, it finally went to computer heaven.
My link to you and just about everyone/everything just palunked/exploded/imploded/big big bang!
And I gotta tell you, a whole new veeeEEErrrry interesting 'me' appeared!
So let me tell you all about it....
When the crash first started, (before the IT guy told me my computer lived no more), I furiously scrambled around trying to fix it myself by running my security program, quarantining/cleaning/ washing/deleting/ yelling & crying. This is from someone who the first time my moniter literally went up in smoke, called my 'computer guy' with a 911 page, thinking that I had lost all my work, because after all, when I looked at the monitor, that is where I saw my documents, etc! (this was before 'free' internet and I only had dial up e-mail, so I have learned a few things, but still not all that much; so did I make it better? worse? I'll proboably never know.
Anyway, nothing I did worked so I gave my laptop to the IT guy expecting all positive news.
oops. not. to. be. I was stunned. And lost. (very)
Now let me tell you how attatched I was to my laptop.
I do not know any of my friends phone numbers, facebook addresses, or e-mail address by heart, nor do I have them written/stored anywhere.
I had no back up disks. (tho I do of course have their phone numbers in my phone address book...but who really uses the phone anymore?)
In the morning, before going out the door to work/appointments/whatever/ I would pull up internet pages (of course DailyKos was my number 1) to read while waiting at the bus stop, on the bus, and all around town. I live in Chapel Hill/Carrborro, NC where we have free wi-fi everywhere. Nope you don't even have to buy a cup of coffee. Need to look up the weekly specials at Harris Teeter, especially your e-vic specials? No problem! Harris Teeter has free wi-fi in the stores. Want/need to sit in the park/pharmacy/physical therapists/etc...yuppers...free wi-fi there too!
But the meat of the matter, was having to return to the tee vee to get my news. You see, it was really nice to get back to reading fully solid, holding and turning pages books. I returned to sitting across from the steepled church and slowly and thoughtfully saying all my prayers and good mornings to the universe, instead of randomly remembering whenever to say something like 'hi G...hope we all have a great day...keep me safe, yada yada yada'!!!
I rediscovered a certain slowness and sanity related rhythm and balance that I had lost 10 months ago when I had aquired that laptop. The technological umbilical cord was cut and in that manner, I was not only OK with it, but relieved a bit.
But back to the 'how do i get decent political news' question. Of course, I knew where and when to find Rachel Maddow, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert. Unfortunately Jon & Steven are too late at night most nights because of my a.m wake up needs. Robin Meade in the morning was pretty OK for my morning fix, except on days off, after one hour it's all repeat. Ok, I could read a book for the rest of the daytime until the soaps come on! But I digress.
What's a girl to do????
The first full day of no Internet and day off spent at home, I started flipping from Robin, Morning Joe and whatever was going on at CNN. I do not remember what the 'news' was that day, because I was so stunned out by 'joe' of morning joe actually dissing the republicans. That's when I came to believe that politics as I knew it was way off the rails. (no worries, that only lasted a day or two).
Early evening brought to me to a top nemesis, ta da,... Chris Matthews! Somedays, he can appear lucid and intelligent and make for good coverage, but most likely, well, not.
So I found my self yelling and sometimes throwing soft objects at my tee vee. This was not good. And Pat Buchannan seemed to be everywhere. And I can not stand that man. So more yelling and throwing stuff at the tee-vee. and lots of clicking.
I never was too good at suffering the Sunday pundits, so a lot of 'Lifetime Movies' got my attention. More reading. The nightly news of choice was Brian Williams which I find better than most, and thank you to the powers that be, for the Olympics. I went days, weeks even, with no real political news/discussions. It made for a more serene life, but ultimately got extremely boring.
So to make this long story, shorter, I got myself a desktop this time, so I will stay in touch with my beloved books, and my quirky, long winded prayers. I will make eye contact and start conversations with people on the bus and immerse myself in human everyday life once again. I will spend my time waiting for the bus appreciating the aliveness of the world around me.
And I have stopped yelling and throwing things at my teee-veeee!
Oh, and because I was gone so long and didn't receive any gold stars for my witty/profound comments, I can start to earn back my Daily Kos trusted user status.
Now I am going to do what I do best, which is to read the diaries and comments here and recommend all the ones I love the most...
see you around the site kossacks...I really really missed you and am SOOoo glad to be back!
ps. i am really at a loss about what 'tags' to use, so help please?