Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Ranting

I live in a house with two computers and I have been checking email on my phone most of the day. Nothing like reading a lengthy email on a two inch square screen - much less trying to respond with thumb typing.

To top it off, I've had over 1000 messages in my work account today that are spam bounces - someone is using the domain to send spam. Not understanding the ways of spammers I'm not sure what to do about it, but I'm pretty close to simply not allowing any email to come in on that account and having essential email sent to a different address.

I think here at almost midnight I've figured out the program with the computer was Norton and its overzealous firewall. I shouldn't even get started on Norton because I'm more than a little PO'ed at them. It seems every single time I have to load a new Norton disk my computer is screwed up for a couple of days. This was no exception. And, to top it off, I still had another 125 days left on my old subscription - but gave up trying to get that to work and loaded a new disk. One year I bought a subscription online and never figured out how to get that to work so I haven't done that again. Unfortunately, I need something to protect me from the viruses that the spammers send in their spare time, when they're not busy trying to convince me of my need for Viagra or penis enlargement or millions in a Nigerian bank.

The laptop has the exact same problem the desktop did with Norton not recognizing that the version I have still has 271 days on it. I'm five layers deep into their "fixes" and it still isn't working. Just what I need - more Norton crap to deal with. Surely there is something that actually works well, but I swear I don't know what it is. Can you say "void in the marketplace?"

The bonus computer wise, of course, is that I got to spend time on the phone with my ISP's support. Frankly, they were helpful. But, the condescending tone they use is something I could do without. Today it was all about the splitter that runs the TV and the computer in my office. She decided the splitter was the problem - it's not. Never mind that if it's a problem to have two things on one freaking outlet that when they have been out here THREE times in the last year and a half, they could have put another one in.

Needless to say, I did not get to relax today as I had hoped. I worked all day. Sometime this week I am going to take some time off. My house is full of stuff from the tea that needs to be washed and put away. Tomorrow night is Creative Sisterhood and I'm sure it will not be done by then. But, so it goes. They'll just have to walk around the things like I'm doing. There's a limit to how many things I can do and I've exceeded it.

Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day but I get to have lunch with Trish, which will be fun. Teresa and I had a wonderful lunch last week. I want more good conversation like I have with them.

However, there is one thing today that is making me do the happy dance - Karl Rove resigned. I'm not sure why I'm happy about it - the damage is done now - but I'm happy nonetheless. I am wondering what the point is. I guess to "turn over a new leaf," which could be worse. As a wise woman once told me - sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.

Karl Rove is obviously a very, very shrewd man - and a very smart one. I'm certain he has a very bright future ahead in whatever he chooses to do. Lets just hope he doesn't bring another Bush to the national political stage.

Did you hear Mitt Romney "won" the Iowa caucus? Yup. It helped that none of the front runners were there. Even Sam Brownback made a showing - and this is a man who even people who voted for him as senator in Kansas are afraid for him to be president. Bush is far too liberal for Sam.