Spare Parts? Are you Kidding Me?!

My computer decided enough was enough the other day. Well, not my computer -rather the adapter that lets me power up the thing. It's been struggling for a while, but it finally gave out completely. No opening, prodding, shaking and beating, worked this time. It's not too dead to still shock me with electricity, even unplugged, when I start poking around its insides, but it's definitely deceased enough to be of no use to me whatsoever.

The beauty of the matter? It's a HP product, and like many of the major players they don't like it when people can substitute their spare parts with generic models. Meaning -the original parts for the computer can only be substituted with spare parts from the same maker. Nothing else will fit. So instead of just going out to buy a generic adapter for a humane price, I'm stuck with having to order a spare part for a rather silly amount of money. Expensive doesn't even begin to cover it. It's a freaking adapter for pity's sake!

Even better though -it's been just about two years since I bought the computer, new from the store. In that time it's become an obsolete model, the spare parts are not available from HP through ordinary ways. I'll have to go through a supplier and see if they can scrounge up a part from somewhere. Price-y, I kid you not. Considering the amount of time I need on my laptop computer each day having to substitute it with a desktop that does not carry any of my software in the mean time really sucks too much to be believed.

The people who design in this manner should be shot. There is no excuse for the shittiness that is HP. None.

Funny Thing About Compliments

I usually put my writing up for peer review at some point. Of course good feedback is always hard to come by, but there are places and persons willing to lend a hand. This time I wasn't too pleased with the writing, but it was at least a finished vignette which was more than I'd been able to accomplish for a while. It was really a pice I wanted to convert into using in one of my other stories, but I wasn't too sure about the style of writing I'd chosen and wanted input.

That's maybe a bit more background than you need, but I'm getting to the point I swear. Long story short - I put the piece up for shredding and got some responses. One thing that really made me pause was the words "not quite up to [your] usual standards". Now you may think that this was a negative remark and indeed it was, but it brought me genuine joy just the same. Why?

Because for something not to be up to its usual standards means that there are actually standards to be (and usually are) met. You with me? Being up to ones standards means being good, great, excellent. So this person had expected a standard quality for me that I didn't produce this time. And because this was actually a negative remark and not praise I can be pretty sure they meant it. Which means I'm a good writer! Yay!

Ok, so obviously it's not the first time I've had that particular notion reaffirmed, but there is just something about this sort of backhanded compliment that makes me feel all gushy and gooey inside. Praise is so hard to take. We look for it, but once we get it we rarely put much credence to it since we all know that -you're supposed to be nice. Comments like this confirm the praise however, because they're brutally honest while still implying that they think we're good at whatever it is we do.

I like being good at what I do. Makes me happy.
^^

There, I'm done.
Have a great day!

Keeping It Together

 
~*~

I think the gods
made a little,
small mistake.
But that's ok -
human imagination
will always be
our saving grace.

~*~

I'd say this cannot be happening...

...but I'm not that naive. Yes, my computer is dead, again. I wasn't going to write about it since I'm afraid people will think I'm cursed or something, but the frustration got to be too much. The gods must truly hate me, which yeah is understandable since I don't worship any of them, but still... Did the techno stuff really have to give up on me completely? I'm sitting by another computer right now, but it's not mine, doesn't have my stuff on it. This is pain people, you have no idea.

Wanderer

When the memories of dewdrops

are so short as to be overlooked

between a fallen tear

and an autumn leaf,

how do we judge time?

My old ways have changed,

but the new still go as newly born

and gentle fairies,

striking gold in the oddest

of circumstance and time.

Happy to be here though the Mara

still and always laughs joyfully

in offering reprieves.

It is the nature of night to be contrary.

It is the blessing of life and of time.

When the dark droplets fall unguarded

the ways of thunder feel more like home

again, I am leaving with the shifting tide.

Again I am tickled with the promise

of time.

Troubled Dreams, Love -poem

A poem of regret, bittersweet peace, and the haunting memories of war.

Troubled Dreams, Love

I'm falling much too deep my love.
Can see no end, no morrow.
Everything I live for love,
is turned to sweetest sorrow.

When all you have and all you hold
is turned to dust for dead men's gold,
the truth is furthest from your mind.
You try to leave all things behind.

Been falling for a while my love.
Can't seem to get to flying.
They say the light is there my love,
but still -it feels like dying.

When all you have and all you hold
's been twisted, warped, and then resold,
the lies they tell are laying bare,
but you don't mind, no you don't care.

Can see this journey's end my love.
I've kept my coin for paying.
They don't deal in faith my love.
There is no use in praying.

But pray you may and pray you might
and maybe things can be made right,
and I'll open weary eyes once more
to even out the players' score.

There you are my life, my love.
Please go back to sleep.
There are no demons here my love.
If you don't look, too deep.

10 Things I Will Never Do Again

Prompt from YaNowWhatIMean

• Dive in the shallow end of the pool. It's just not worth the headache.
• Go backpacking with my parents, I don't care how cheap it is.
• Believe anyone who says you can just grab a cab out of the harbor. If the harbor is abandoned and you have no phone number to call, there will not be a taxi magically waiting for you as you disembark.
• Ever, ever, ever live in a hotel room numbered 13 again. There is not believing in superstition and then there's sheer stupidity.
• Walk alone in a city I know is full of horny southerners who have no decorum whatsoever. Liberation of women or not, some things are just bound to cause more trouble than they're worth. All right, so I may not be able to keep that one, but it's a good thought.
• Walk through the junky section of town alone, in the dead of night, just cause it's the most direct route to my friend. Brave or not; dead is still dead.
• Fall for the "I'm so helpless and scared, please help me" routine, I really should know better.
• Tell someone I love them and expect them to understand I mean it in a general sense, not a romantic one.
• Spend hours in excruciating pain without going to the hospital, just because I don't want to waste the doctors' time. The doctors are there to alleviate pain, I should learn to just let them do their freakin' job already.
• Say yes to shallow acquaintances without knowing all the details of what they want me to do. People who look nice, aren't necessarily so.

So Many Ways to Say It - poem

Old poem, but dear. A poem about love and eternal loving.

Beloved, did you know 

that you’re my beloved?

The sun and moon may shine 

or be hidden in darkness,

but as long as there is you; 

the light will always be near.

To chase away the shadows,

to block the way for monsters.

How very strange really, 

don’t you think?

-That life can be dependent 

on such a small thing,

like the smile of a friend…

a word or two

about the love and joy you 

find in each other.

The wisdom that your soul carries, 

it amazes me constantly.

And if I travel the world 

or to the other side of the universe,

or if I stay right here

 -it’s all the same.

Because you’re with me 

in every move I make,

are there in every breath I take,

like a guardian angel.

And no matter what happens, 

I know

that you are here 

and you are mine.

As surely as I am yours,

now and forever.