On The Laptop @ Home

[howeird]

This morning after some troubleshooting it became clear that it was not the cables after all, I had a failed #2 drive in my RAID array. So I shut down the machine, and went to the laptop just long enough to check email. I work with RAID arrays a lot at the IPTV companies, and the rule is if you lose one drive you can still rebuild the array, but if you lose two you are hosed.

And since all four drives are identical make & model, installed at the same time, chances are way too high that other drive(s) could go any time now.

So I added a trip to Microcenter to my morning's plans. They stock this drive, Fry's does not, and online the quickest I would get one would be Tuesday. It cost 15% more at MC, but worth it, under the circumstances. I'll order a spare online tonight.

It is now in the machine and rebuilding. The theory is that I should be able to use the machine while the drive is being rebuilt, but all my programs were crashing on me, so I'll let it finish, reboot, and see if it's stable. I may need to re-install some programs.

 A nice man named Freeman came by at about 9:30 this morning to take a look at the aquarium I listed on Craig's List. He said about 40 a day are being listed. Surprised the heck out of me - it means lots more people than I thought are moving out of the area and/or to smaller apartments. He said mine was "cute". I do not think I will be hearing from him again. Looks like the tank is going to be dumpster-bound. I'll call Bangkok Aquarium to see if they will take the fish.

Went through the linen closet and hauled out three 13-gal bags worth of towels, sheets, pillowcases. I kept my 2 best 600TC sheet sets, a flanel set, a green sateen set, and a pair of flannel pillowcases my sister made for me. And my best 2 towel sets, four beach towels and stuff for the sofabed - comforter, two pillows, thermal blanket.  And the 15" LCD monitor.

Threw those bags in the back seat, and filled the trunk with four boxes of kitchen stuff, a box full of PC speakers and wireless keyboard/mouse and a couple of old laptop bags. Hauled it all out to Goodwill.

Stopped in at Microcenter in the Mercado. They had exactly the drive I wanted in OEM packaging, $159. And I picked up a ream of paper for 97¢. They did not have much cell phone stuff, so no replacement antenna for my Motorola V551. It fell off while I was at the theater last night.

Most of the day was spent in scenic Morgan Hill, at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival. I went because johnnyeponymous hyped a movie he was in which was being played a few times during the festival. I went so I would have something to tease him about and I was not disappointed. This is the ultimate film fest for ADD victims, nothing longer than 30 minutes. johnnyeponymous's The Last Woman on Earth was 4 minutes. It seemed much longer. I'll do a full review later, but suffice to say it was a pretty good selection of films, a wide variety of screening venues, and I only had time to see three sets of movies at two locations, plus a panel of women film makers (wrong choice, should have gone to another set of films in that time slot. More on that later). Last Woman was one of the better low-budget ones, and one of the few comedies.

During dinner break I stopped in at the Cingular store and decided to get a new phone, since the one I have qualified for a major upgrade discount. Got a Motorola Razr to replace a Motorola V551. Similar features, better camera and bluetooth works better. Same menu, which made setting it up easy. I'll see if I can use Motorola's software to transfer my ring tones.

Plans for tomorrow:
- CalTrain to SF and bus to Chinatown to look for a good wok. Meet a friend for late lunch.
- Fill out and fax paperwork for new contract agency
- See if PC RAID array is behaving itself. Write reviews of Santa Clara Players Friday night show and today's film festival movies.

Comments

I wish I could have been there

[johnnyeponymous.livejournal.com]

I'm still dealing with my foot or I'd have been there. It was a fun shoot...especially catching her when she fell out of the chair
CHris

The things you learn on your friends' page...

[susandennis]

Film festival in Morgan Hill??? I lived there in the 80's and don't even remember there was a movie theater! I need to dig up my address and see if I can find it on one of the online maps. Thanks for the remembery.

Re: The things you learn on your friends' page...

[howeird]

Well, dear, it's been a while since the 80's. I know, it seems like only 20 years ago, but...

This is only the third year of the festival.

The Cinelux movie complex is well past what you would remember as the Morgan Hill city limits. It's in a relatively new shopping center with a big Safeway and several small shops on Tennant about a block towards 101 from Monterey. Between Church and Vineyard, I think.

Re: The things you learn on your friends' page...

[susandennis]

ha... you are right. It just doesn't seem like it was that long ago. I used my Lucky's grocery bag just this morning. They handed them out when Lucky's bought out A&P there near Dunne and Monterey. It's probably a bowling alley now. I did look up my address - I had a condo in a complex off Dunne - on Creekview. It's where Jake was born.