Progress - It's more Than Just a Word

By the time DH got home last night, I was pretty much finished getting the new computer set up and functional. I'm still stumbling around Win 10, it's not built into my fingertips yet, but the data is moved and the programs have also seemed to move well. It's not my desktop, it's a laptop, but it's a fun one and after a bit more massaging, it'll be just about perfect. 

I'm still very undecided about what to name my new 
laptop. It's being shy, and hasn't shown its personality 
to me yet, but I'm sure it won't be too much longer. 

My "Lord of the Rings Online" game will need some more tweaking before I can easily play it on the laptop. but DH and I worked on it in tandem last night and got some of the tweaks completed. That will probably take a bit longer, especially because I play it on my laptop as well as my desktop and the two settings have to be identical for it to appear on-screen properly. That's not happening right now, so I'll have to figure out a work-around. I suspect, for this game, I'll have to change my pixels from the 3840 x 2160 down to 1920 x 1080. If I can do that, it will look great on both computers and I won't have the issues I was having with the higher resolution. 

I've been playing Lord of the Rings Online since the original 
beta, more than 13 years ago. I'm not as intense about the 
game as DH is, but I enjoy it. I need to get things arranged 
so that I can play it on either my desktop or my new 
laptop with ease. That'll require some tweaking. 

So the actual migration might be over, but the murmuration of linking my programs between two different computers still needs a bit of work. That wonderful synchronicity that can exist when working in two different locations needs a bit more tweaking. I'll try to get that resolved, as well as understand the laptop and Windows 10 a bit better, at the shop today. 

Windows 10 might be a learning curve, but the wallpapers 
they have for it are stunning. I have been enjoying flipping 
through those, although I'll end up loading my own 
wallpapers down the line. 

So thanks all, for your patience during this long period of indecision and jumping into the dark pond. I think I made all the right decisions, and now I have to find a way to live with the result. Moving forward - LOL. Meanwhile, as we expect another snow of 2-3 inches today/tonight, I'm out of here. Have a wonderful weekend and please, be kind, stay safe, and wear your mask. I'll be back on Monday morning. 

The Great Migration Begins - I Truly Hate Moving Data From A to B

Today, even though I would love to be spending the day cursing my knitting, I'll be spending it working on getting files and programs moved from Franken-Smaug over to my new, still un-named, computer. It's a beauty, and I think I'm going to enjoy it very much (except for the fact that it operates on Windows 10 - not my favorite OS), but it's smaller, it's lithe and nimble, and the cover is actual leather - so kewl! I took some photos last night to share with you. 

First, a look at Franken-Smaug, as someone would 
see from the back. The four bolts at the bottom fixed 
the hinges when I had to replace them. They're actually 
at the bottom of the screen. There is clear tape at the 
upper left that holds the screen together, keeping it 
in place in the frame. It might be a mess, but it's my mess 
and it's served me well for many years. I'll be sorry 
to see it go, but it's time. 

Of course, there had to be one more stumbling block in the PPP Forgiveness paperwork. Apparently the bank, although they had first accepted it, realized that the December 31st Forgiveness Application which we had filled out and submitted (after already having submitted an earlier version in mid-December) was actually supplanted by a form issued in early January which we now have to fill out instead. Oh joy! It's not that these forms are difficult - they're quite routine by now. It's just annoying that we hadn't been told about the newer form when I had discussed forms with our loan officer two weeks ago. It's pretty easy, though, and we'll get it done quickly. I'll have to go to the shop to type the form out (it's not a PDF this time) and DH will have to initial and sign it. Then I can scan the darned thing and send it on it's way. 

Here I have Franken-Smaug on the right, with the new 
computer on the left. The new computer is propped up 
on a laptop stand. The cover is actually textured leather 
and it's really light-weight - less than 3-1/2 pounds. I could 
have gone for even smaller, but decided this one would 
be the best for my needs. The screen is incredible! Once 
I have it functional, I know I'm going to love working 
on it. And look! No bolts and no tape! A win-win - LOL. 

So I'm going to make today's post quite short and simple. I want to get the McAffee security off the Lenovo and install my Norton. I have Norton for up to ten devices and only have five registered so far. So ... I'll get the McAffee off, the Norton on, and then I can start downloading some essential programs and moving data onto  >>> GRRRR, I need to find out what it wants to be called. Right now I'm thinking of it as "Snape", but I'm also quite sure that's not its' name. It'll come clear to me yet. 

Have a lovely Friday and enjoy your day. Stay safe, be kind, and please wear your mask. I plan to be back tomorrow, hopefully with positive news about the shift of my data from one computer to the other. 

Knitting Snarls and a Hilarious You-Tube Video for Computer Transfers

DH saw his ENT doctor on Monday. Fortunately it turned out that the drainage tube from several years ago was not in his ear, but unfortunately, his problem actually is an abundance of scar tissue from the various surgeries and infections he's had throughout his life. The doctor cleaned things up a bit, and DH is back on VERY EXPENSIVE eardrops for two weeks. That means he can't wear his hearing aid for two weeks which limits his assistance at the shop. Chickie has been warned. 

Ear infections are no joke. The pain is excruciating. I used 
to get ear infections regularly as a child and I remember 
being in so much pain that I was vomiting. DH has
ear drops (2X-day, morning and night) that help him
keep infections at bay. He's on a two-week regime 
of ear drops right now and hopefully that will take 
care of this latest infection. 

Yesterday's knitting sessions were an exercise in frustration. I had no problem getting up to the part where I add the cables into the cuff, but once I hit that, the needles snarled and the stitches dropped or only partially knit. The first sleeve worked like a charm. The second ... not so much. After six attempts and more than four hours, I gave up and put everything away. I'll start again on Friday and see if I'm more successful. I'll watch a few more videos in between. Maybe there's a technique that could help my success ratio. One of my favorite teachers has a nice You Tube video about cables, so I'll spend some time watching it and learn a few tips and tricks. 

I just want to add a simple 2x2 cable on my sleeve cuff. 
I did it last week, no problem. It worked like a dream. 
Yesterday's attempt was a nightmare. So I'll have to start 
again on Friday and hopefully I'll have better luck. 

My docking station arrived at the shop yesterday. I'm looking forward to taking a close look at it and seeing how it will help me transfer items from the old to my new computer. I also grabbed my old 1TB external hard drive - I have an old "My Passport" from Western Digital that I used for system-wide backups. I'll find out how to delete everything that's currently on the drive and then I can look into using it to transfer programs over to my new Win 10 laptop. I found this absolutely hilarious video on You Tube - watch it if you want a laugh, the guy is a hoot! (link: https://youtu.be/KkeF3XdEQbA ) To make things short, he used his WD "My Passport" to migrate several very old programs onto his Windows 10 machine, and they work, even though direct transfer seemed impossible. He's worth watching just for the fun of it, though. 

OK, the guy is a total hoot! If you're just looking for the 
information on how to transfer, move to the 15 minute 
mark. But if you want to laugh along with me, listen to 
the whole thing. It's worth the time. 

So I'm planning ahead. I'm keeping the power cord for Franken-Smaug with me at all times, now. I can't trust in having power for a lot of battery life, and I don't want to be caught short on those few occasions when I need a system more up-to-date than my Win 7 desktop. I can hardly wait to have a reliable laptop once again. 

I do love my mug of hot tea in the morning. I have Earl 
Grey for breakfast and herbal for my to-go cup. I add 
Mandarin oranges for my lunch along with a small bottle 
of milk, and I'm set. Oatmeal for breakfast is always welcome 
with fresh blueberries as often as possible. Yummy! 

On that note, I'm going to bundle up, have some hot tea and oatmeal, and get going. I'll need my winter coat today - it's very cold out (only 10 F right now). I hope all of you have a wonderful and joy-filled day. Please stay safe, be kind and wear your mask. I'll be back tomorrow. 

Technology, Finance and a Day Off - How Things Can Combine In My Life

"Franken-Smaug" is getting more and more cranky - harder and harder to start up every morning. My new computer is on its way, and even though I'm dreading the horrid "transfer of data" from one machine to the other, I'll be grateful to get it done and handled. I'll probably grab an ethernet cord from the shop to facilitate transfer since I do have a docking station coming with the new laptop which should have an appropriate plug interface. The new ultra-thin laptops, like the one I purchased, only have USB-C plugs, and sometimes a USB-A and a mini card slot. I honestly don't remember what plugs my new computer has - with the docking station I can make any of them work. 

I'll be so happy when I finally have my new laptop 
in hand. Poor Franken-Smaug just wants to lie down 
for a long, long rest. I don't know if it's the 
motherboard or just the contacts of the power 
button, but he's very unhappy. 

I spent an hour scanning the bank statements last night and getting them sent to my loan officer. It took three emails to get them to her in-box which has a limit of 10 attachments. One of my friends queried "why don't they just check your statements for themselves? They're the bank, after all?" Good question, and one I had also asked. Apparently, it's illegal for anyone to have access to my bank statements outside of a very restricted group of people. We were missing one month's worth of statements during COVID, and the bank supplied copies to us, but that's as much as they're allowed to do. So now you know. 

It's not my first new computer and transfer of data from 
one to another, but it's always fraught with disaster peeking 
from every corner. I'm hoping for a smooth transfer, but 
I'll be moving from a Windows 8 system to a Windows 10 
system and there are bound to be glitches. 

DH is already up (it's 6:00 am). This is not his norm. This is my quiet time, and I'm not super happy sharing the computer room with him, even though he's quiet and playing "Lord of the Rings Online". He can't exist without the television, so instead of my quiet, the television is on with the financial channel spouting their thoughts on what's happened overnight in the nation and world. It's fairly easy to ignore, but I'm going to cut this short, take the trash out to the curb, and make my breakfast. Today will be a knitting day (my other sleeve is on my agenda) so I'll have lots of time to decompress after my morning errands. 

DH is excellent with financial stuff, where I get 
confused and rather frustrated. I've learned a lot 
over the years watching the markets and listening 
to them all day, but I'm no expert. He, on the other 
hand, can hold his own. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday. Stay safe, be kind and please wear your mask. I'll be back tomorrow. 

ARGH - It's Enough To Make Me Want to Wallow in Self Pity! That's Just NOT Me!

One of the things the bank needed from us for our PPP Loan Forgiveness were copies of our bank statements. I had taken them home mid-week last week and scanned them in - three months for one account, six for another. I scanned them in and saved them to my hard drive. I thought I had included them in the documents I sent to my banker on Sunday. She emailed me yesterday, and no. They weren't part of the multitude of images I sent along to her. So I was going to send them again. They are nowhere to be found on my hard drive. I've looked in every location I can think of under every name, and searched by dates too, and nowhere! So, today I get to find the damned things again and scan them in once again and send them out again. It's extremely frustrating. 

I have looked everywhere. It would be nice if I found the files 
after re-scanning one of the statements, but who knows. It's 
annoying and quite frustrating. 

The hardest part of getting those documents to the bank is finding the darned bank statements. DH squirrels these things away (probably wise, but it makes things difficult) and he's not at the shop on Tuesdays. I'll have time to take a serious hunt, but it's just one more step of frustration. Maybe I'll be lucky and it'll actually be someplace reasonable - like in a folder or something. But it probably won't be that easy. 

My Discover Card is my personal card. I use it for 
my own expenses and sundries. It's what I use for my 
books and e-books, and for things like my computer 
because I have a very nice credit line built up with 
them over 20+ years of use. 

I received an updated Discover card yesterday for touchless charging. I encourage my customers to use touchless whenever they can, and I'm very pleased to have received the card, but of course it's a new card number and I have charges pending on the old card which have to go through before I can activate the new one. Therefore, it will have to sit for a week or two until all of my pending items (including my new laptop) have cleared. Then I can go ahead and cancel the old and activate the new. I have to be careful to catch all of the automatic places where I have the card registered too. It's not a lot, but they're important. Just one more hoop to jump through. 

Enough of my wallowing in self pity. Isn't the word 
"wallowing" such an unusual word? I might have 
to look up the origin of the word - curiosity ... one 
of the best tools against self pity. LOL

On that rather frustrating note, I think I'm through complaining for the day LOL. Time to be more optimistic and pro-active. I can only wallow in growls for so long. All things considered, my problems are fairly minimal and certainly something that can be overcome with relative ease. And, my dental appointment was excellent - a clear slate including X-rays. Next checkup in June. Huzzah! I'll be back tomorrow. In the meantime, please be kind, stay safe and wear your mask. 

Computers, Football and Remembrance - All Good

On Sunday I bit the bullet and ordered a new laptop. I'd been researching it for almost a month, as "Franken-Smaug" started getting harder and harder to turn on. My old Toshiba has served me well over several years, but my dragon is losing his fire. Before he totally died and turned to stone, I want to get the data moved to a new piece of equipment, so I had to get something in-hand. It came down to a choice between Lenovo and Dell, and I had two different windows open with a fully configured system ready to buy, and it came down to one thing. Which one could I get into my hands faster. Lenovo won. Dell, to do the machine I wanted, would have been up to seven weeks before I would have the computer. Lenovo will be able to ship MUCH faster than that. 

The Lenovo isn't 100% what I wanted, but it came 
in at less than $1500 once they applied various 
savings for me. I'm not fond of the Intel, but it's 
actually a version that tested very well. It's got 
the hard drive capacity I required, and a great 
processor. They can ship it later this week, so 
it's a total win/win. 

So, I ended up with a Lenovo Yoga 9i (14") in Shadow Black with a docking station (which might make transferring programs and data from "Franken-Smaug" to the new kid on the block much easier) and an aluminum laptop stand because I wanted it - LOL. I got a one-year family subscription to Microsoft, a two-year extended warranty, and Adobe Photoshop Elements which will eventually replace the old Adobe Photoshop that I run on my desktop computer. It was expensive, but it came in within budget, actually $500 below the top limit I had been willing to spend. I've already transferred the funds to my account, so I'm ready to pay the bill when it comes due. 

Superbowl 55 will feature Brady vs Mahomes and should be 
a good show. DH and I purchased ribs (already in the freezer) 
to make for Game Day, and I'm quite sure we'll have way 
too much to eat during the day. But, I'm really hoping it'll 
be a good game. All too often Super Bowl games are a 
disappointment. 

We spent the day watching football - the Tampa Bay/Green Bay game was excellent fun, the Kansas City/Buffalo game was a bit boring. Of course once the Wild ice hockey game started, we switched off from football and watched hockey until period breaks. DH does have his priorities - LOL. He was an EVIL person (in a very GOOD way) and wanted to clear the pantry from a lot of leftover baking materials from the holiday season. So he made me a 2/3 batch of Chex Mix which was my primary food yesterday (I'm so addicted to the stuff), and a big batch of "Everything Bars". My holiday weight will come right back on again - *sigh*. 

I absolutely LOVE Chex Mix. Maybe because I adore 
salty snacks. DH makes a killer version of the traditional 
snack, and he had cereal and stuff to use up from the 
Christmas batch. He was going to save it for Super Bowl, 
but figured we'd have enough stuff to eat for the game, 
so he made it on Saturday. I'll have it totally eaten by 
mid-week. 

Today we both have our semi-annual dental checkup appointments, mime as soon as they open the clinic, DH about two hours later. I'm knocking on fake wood, hoping that once again I get a clean bill of health from my dentist. I'm totally petrified of dental work, although clean-and-check has never been a problem for me. If I have to have Novocaine and actual work done, however, I'm petrified. My dentist can always tell if I haven't had all of the proper prep work done because I look like a rabbit frozen in the headlights. I'd rather avoid that if at all possible - LOL. \

The Egyptians believed that as long as a name was remembered, 
that person was never truly dead. Today I remember Helen 
and Arthur (Fiondil) and keep them alive in my thoughts. I 
miss them both. 

I'm also thinking about two people I never met in person, but whose friendship I cherished. Helen was a person I met in the beading boards on early AOL and Yahoo. She was a bright light person - kind, loving, talented and filled with joy. She passed many years ago, and I remember her with a piece of chocolate cake. Today, in 2015, a great friend in the Tolkien community passed - Arthur Boccaccio, aka Fiondil. We were in touch for several years and he gave me my name, Erulisse, a word appearing in his wonderful "War of the Valar" work. Many times I would text him with a quick question or a request and he was always helpful, kind and giving. I miss him and his words. 

On that note, I'm SO out of here. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. And please, remember to be kind, stay safe and wear your mask. The life you save may be your own!