Life and It's Twists

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Problem 1: The Bed

I've decided that I am totally over sleeping on the floor. I don't like worrying about my futon and if I'm airing it out enough so it doesn't grow mold or get too dirty. I'm tired of worrying if my tatami going to get moldy and start making my sick. I'm tired of being next to all the dust that the tatami doesn't absorb like carpet and I'm tired of….well, having to get up and down off the floor!

I told Kae that I wanted to buy a bed and this past Sunday she took me out all day looking at different mattresses and frames. As we moved through different stores, the prices slowly got cheaper and cheaper but then so did the mattresses. I finally settled on a crappy frame that I saw in a catalogue for $100 and a nice mattress for $200 (and that's a steal since the mattress that I really wanted was $400).

I then went to Kae's house to stay the night as per usual and decided that while I was there I would peruse one of her catalogues that she claims has some of the best prices in it. In it, I found some super cute sheets!! (Will show you when I get them) and a frame for $200 that is to die for. I love it.

The problem: The frame comes with the mattress. The price remains at $200 so that can only mean that the mattress is crap.

Kae told me that I should get the frame if I really wanted it especially since I was willing to buy it at $200 even without the mattress included and if I still don't like the mattress when I get it, sell it to another ALT. (what if there are no buyers? Will deal with that when it comes)

After hemming and hawing all night, I decided to do that. The frame is back ordered so it won't come in for a few weeks but the sheets are reading to go! ;)

Kae ordered everything Monday morning. On Monday night, I got an email from the Kochi JET mailing list and it turns out that an ALT is leaving and wants to get rid of her bed for $50…

Damn it all to hell.

I emailed her and got a random picture of her bed that doesn't tell me if I want it at all. It's meant for a futon though I certainly could put a mattress on it though it might be higher than the head board in the end (also, the Japanese don't believe in box springs, just fyi) but the mattress I want is a single and her bed is a semi-double…. My final problem is that she doesn't live anywhere close and that means trying to figure out how to ship it over to my place and still have the final price be worth my while. I mean, I really like the $200 frame but it's still doesn't beat $50!!!

What to do……….

Problem 2: The Infamous Tosayamada Computer (classic win 98)

I call it "jii-chan" for "old man"

Last week I came into work and started up my computer. It of course took it's good old time as it usually does and I've learned that hating my computer is of little consequence so I just live with it. There's a phrase in Japanese for "It can't be helped" and that's really how I look at that machine.

Well, on this day (Thursday) as soon as I was done checking my mail, I left it to work at my desk and do other things when it suddenly started making a purring sound, as if it were ringing only someone had set it to vibrate mode. For a while I couldn't figure out what it was but then I stuck my ear underneath the desk and figured it out. Thank god the room was quiet and the teacher across from me also heard it otherwise I'd be in danger of looking insane.

It did it a few more times over the course of the morning and finally the teacher called the computer tech to check it out. He pulled the old man out from under the desk and did a once over. He scanned the case a bit and finally restarted it. The case was dirty and the restart took a long time but nothing out of the ordinary. He said there was no problem.

Thanks. I hope that dirty case helped you figure that one out buddy.

The next day (Friday) it continued it sporatic humming and I just let it go hoping I could back up my files before it's too late. Personally, I don't think it's the hard drive that's going but rather something else and I certainly hope I'm right. I have a grand total of 66mb that I need to save of the most important lesson plans of my life but unfortunately, this computer is so old that the only option open to me is to steal the hard drive and plug it into my lap top!

Here's how it goes:

1. Save the info via floppy – too big. I would need over 100 floppys
2. Burn it to a disc – no burner
3. USB storage – though I am shocked to find that it has a bunch of USB ports, windows 98 doesn't come with the same drivers for USB storage that windows 2000 and XP come with. Therefore, even though I can plug it in, nothing happens.
4. Email yourself the info – that would take about 7 or 8 emails which I am willing to do but unfortunately, if the email is over….2 word documents without pictures, it won't send. Not through fault of the email provider. It's just that this computer can't seem to send that much data at once.
5. Online storage such as Yousendit.com – same problem as #4

Which leaves me with no other alternative. I want that hard drive.

Either that or maybe I can network the computers together……..They do have a network…but I don't think I'm on it….questions….

AND NOW FOR MORE DIGRESSION

When I was working in the computer lab at UCF, I could always tell a person's personality by how they asked me for help.

Type A: "Someone's broken my computer, it won't work"
Jerk who knows nothing about computers but thinks he's always right.
Type B: "Something's wrong with my computer, it won't work"
Knows a few things and is realistic about life. Is a good person and is willing to learn.
Type C: "I think I broke my computer, it won't work"
Poor guy has no self esteem or simply knows when he is completely computer illiterate.

I like the last two though type B is my favorite.

With that in mind, I came into school today to see that my computer had been tampered with. It was twisted around slightly and the wires underneath my desk were all moved around. When I tried to turn it on, nothing happened.

And this is what I say

It seems as though someone has broken my computer though I wish it had been me. I wish I had thrown that Old Piece of Junk out the window a long time ago! However, the truth is that it most like wasn't anyone who broke it but simply time itself. I wish it would die already.

And so what type of person does that make me?

Type D: Evil

So I let it sit for a while and did nothing. I had no classes today and had nothing to do but all the other teachers were running around like crazy so I didn't want to bother anyone with my petty problems. (Dear lord I can't survive without my computer! There's nothing petty about it!)

Towards the late morning I finally mentioned it to the same teacher who had heard the purring on the first day. She tried to called the tech guy but he was busy with other things so I was to wait until the next day. Eh, whatever, I sat around at my desk and played old word search games.

That afternoon, the techy came in and checked out my computer…again. The man is a button masher!!! It irks the hell outta me.

He fiddled with everything on the computer. Is everything plugged in? Yes, already went through that. Well the monitor turns on, why isn't it working? Because the monitor is not the computer. What if I pull on the wires until they snap? Whatever man, just don't kill my hard drive!

In the end, it turned out that the power cord was bad…odd but I'm not arguing. I was pleased however to hear the humming not too long after it was first powered up. I'm debating throwing a small magnet down the back of the computer. Far enough away from the HD that it's still safe but enough that I can humanely do away with an old unwanted piece of junk.

Nah, too risky to the HD and my credibility.

In the end, I am thankful that I am given a computer. If I didn't have one, I just might go out of my mind. But when something's gotta die, it's best not to tamper with nature. Retire the damn thing already!

And for the record, it's about 10 or 12 years old so the techy says.

Problem 3: Pregnancy

My supervisor is pregnant. She won't be coming back when the new year begins in April. She's the best teacher I've ever worked with and her kids always do well because she is so awesome. I don't know if I can do this so well without her……

Damn it I wish she were staying.