February 27, 2005
DEFRAGMENTED
I
have been saved. By a Mac warrior, a Disk Warrior and my
willingness to be saved. Do you ever feel you are all over
the place? A piece here, a piece there, pieces everywhere
and blank spaces in between? Well, so did I. Until I saw
the light. It was blue and gradually filled my whole field
of vision. Then a shield and a hand holding a sword appeared
and there was a secret message: did I agree or disagree?
I agreed. And then numbers, many numbers flashed by, my whole
life flashed by in large numbers. Then came the judgement:
43% of me was rotten, infected, fouled up, fragmented.
Did I agree? Yes. Did I wish to be rebuilt? Yes yes
yes. Totally agree. Please rebuild me, now. A
blue bar slid slowly across the screen as the blue-edged
sword went about its invisible mending business. I could
feel my splintered self snapping back together like a jigsaw
puzzle, click click click. 
Then
I understood: I and the Mac are one. Its problems and my
problems are the same. We had been fragmented and now we
are whole. Or nearly.
For the success of this operation I wish to thank Michael, who lent me his Disk Warrior to diagnose my computer's illness. And David, the Mac expert, found via an ad in my local paper, who skilfully performed the healing operation and also turned out to be a film maker of worthwhile and necessary documentaries. Any Londoners needing to have their Macs sorted out, I can recommend him.
February 20, 2005
THEY'RE LAUGHING AT ME
The
remainder of the Luxor travelogue is on hold while
I'm being made a fool of by machines. The mouse has taken
leave of its tiny senses and is running amok all over the
screen except where I want it to go. Doctor Norton says there
is a Major Fault in my Hard Disk but he can't fix it. A witch
doctor would be more competent. Files are being unrecognized.
Images vanish. Cryptic error messages from outer space appear.
The trash bin says I can't empty it because it's using the
rubbish that's in it. I am backing everything up and waiting
for Armageddit. Arma geddon
with it.
MY JOURNEY TO LUXOR (January 5 -12, 2005) PHOTOS AND TEXT, IS NOW HERE.
February 14, 2005
I'm spending less time on the blog and more time on the gnovel (number one priority for this year) but the Egypt travelogue is by no means finished. Natalie is complaining that I haven't mentioned her in my report. She says she's the one who was Hatshepsut, not me, because a cartoon can't be reincarnated. Oh but you're wrong, I reply. In ancient Egypt the Ba, an entity somewhat similar to what we call soul, was a cartoon and could assume various forms. I was Hatshepsut's cartoon soul, obviously, and still am. But to keep N quiet, below is a pic of her in our hotel room with a bottle of Barak, the local mineral water. Yes, she did come along on this journey but you already knew that, didn't you?
February 7, 2005
MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE, A BOAT, AND ANOTHER DAY LIKE THIS IN LUXOR
February 2, 2005
HATSHEPSUT'S OBELISK AND A REFLECTION ON SELF-ESTEEM
To end today's rumination here is a great quote I found at Esther's naturally nice blog:
Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. (St. Francis of Assisi)