Well!

- 43 driver downloads
- 16 application downloads
- 72 gigabites copied and recopied
- 18 system updates
- 2 relocated dll files
- 3 hours on the phone arguing with Microsoft
- countless preference configurations

and a partridge in a pear tree later, I finally have a computer that works the same way it did two days ago before this whole ordeal started.

Since the Yuletide reveal was today, I'll post the fics I wrote for that over here later, and maybe some thoughts about the process in general and the fandoms I wrote for this year.

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USA/CAN is whacked out, yo.

1-1 and these kids be insane.

18:30, Dec. 31, 2009:

Reformatted hard drive. God save my soul (and my computer). Backed up 72GB before this step, so not too worried about losing irreparable data, but still. Anytime I press that L key for 'past the point of no return', I get a cold chill down my spine. No matter how often I do it (FYI: this is the 63th time I've completely reformatted a hard drive. It's the third time I've completely reformatted a hard drive of my own, with nothing but my data on it). After 63 times, I can testify: it never gets easier. It never gets less stressful. You bite your tongue because you need the physical pain to convince yourself to do it, you close your eyes because you don't want to see those first few instants of unrecoverable, and you type the fateful keys. But you always, ALWAYS, worry. And it's never, NEVER, okay.

I killed my computer just now. Her prior personality will never be recoverable. Yes, I've wiped her three times now, in the process of making sure the system files stay intact and the rest is fresh without errors. Unless you're the NSA, that's pretty damn unrecoverable. If you're the NSA, what the fuck are you doing reading this, you have more important things to worry about. (If you're Milo or Schoonover and you're with the NSA, welcome, hope you've found something better than TeeJ on Deus Ex [or Huntress rushes on WCIII] for distraction when you code. Also, I'm not an alien no matter how weird I seem for a girl coder, I'm still the best secretary Shadow Counsel ever had, and ignore the porn when you get to that part. If you're not Milo or D.Schoon, go away.)

Two hours to plausible workability for teh computron again. Eight hours until full system return to where I had her previously, including all program installs and upgrades. One hour to Canada v. USA hockey. (I'll watch the game opening on my work computer, and might also post the first period of the Blackhawks/Devils reaction post, just to make sure that Darling Computron is up and running properly before I really test her.) Forty minutes until completion of fresh XP install. Fifteen minutes until unlimited whiskey.

Life is certainly not good, but in fifteen minutes it looks like it'll be getting better.

So. Because Microsoft is a bitch, and Windows sucks ass, I'm doing a ridiculous thing to salvage data before reinstalling the whole damn OS from scratch: I'm installing a secondcopy of Windows on the same partition as the first copy, so that I can get access to data, send the data to a disk or into the cloud, then wipe the whole damn thing and start again with reinstalling all my programs, drivers, codecs, etc. Have I mentioned lately how much Windows sucks?

If I'm really, really fast with this process, it should hopefully be done before the Hawks play tonight. You'll know I was successful if I do a game reaction post. Otherwise, consider me lucky to show up online alive tomorrow.

Ugh. FML. God hates me. It's the only explanation.

Any thoughts here about Mike Green being left off Team Canada for the Olympics?  According to Steve Yzerman, the Team Canada GM,


I thought this was a silly argument.  Green does occasionally make defensive gaffes, but if balance is what they want, the numbers don't lie.  Green is +15 and Yzerman included a defenseman, Scott Niedermayer, who is -10.  And regarding last year's playoffs, Yzerman seems to have ignored the fact that Green was playing with an injury.  Hasn't Green regularly proved himself capable of coming through in big game situations?  Not to mention, the guy finished second in Norris trophy voting last year.

Update:  good blog here: http://www.japersrink.com/2009/12/31/1227164/the-snubbing-of-mike-green

When I clicked on the link to the article at ducks.nhl.com about the three Ducks players named to Team Canada, I was amazed by the picture they had chosen to lead with. It could only be that they wanted me to macro it.

( The Best Hockey Players in Canada...? )

N.B....this started off as a comment to gotsparkly's post http://community.livejournal.com/washingtoncaps/352605.html

but...as you can see.....it got long...so I'm posting it here instead since it's days overdue.

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Jose....I agree. Basically since Varly went down it was Jose's time to shine, show he can be #1, and just let Neuvirth get a few reps here and there. Well...they're both playing @ .500 with GAA's in the mid 3s (just looking at gamelogs and doing some quick figuring)...difference being:

Neuvy's been streaky. He's had 3 great outings before this Sharks mess, and a few utter stinkbombs. I'm pretty happy given where he is progress-wise.

Jose has been earning rather than shedding his "three-or-more" moniker. He's given up three or more in 4 of 5 outings. Teams with serious cup aspirations are not backstopped by this type of goaltending....which has basically been the same since he got here. Way to show you deserve to be #1. Especially with a guy in the mix that's a mere 12-1-2. Theodore is 9-6-4 with sub-.900 save pct. A losing record on this team? Please! If you're a GM for some other team free agent shopping this season....what's the best offer you throw Theo's way? At current rates....I'd lowball him...if I wanted him on my roster at all.

------------------------

The trade: meh. I get that Clarkie was a big locker room guy, and messing with the soul of this team might be bad news. But on the ice....well...I never saw what he brought to the table. Not a lot of scoring...decent defensively....basically a decent enough cog on the 3rd or 4th line.

As for Juricina....I liked him...but I guess he was one of the weaker links in a defensive corps that's still not setting the world on fire.

It's been three days and I still feel like I know next to nothing about Chimera. I guess just blind faith in GMGM, and the deadline's a long ways away. So......I imagine come deadline time others will want Neuvirth as part of a deal.......I think Neuvy is starting caliber....but wouldn't want to give him up for cheap, like GMs sort of wanted to get Varly for last year (and god BLESS GMGM for not dealing Varly to avoid being a trade deadline "loser" last year). I think Neuvy can go for the right guy....but Neuvy would have to be the centerpiece of a package to get a real bona fide bluechipper to make it worthwhile. Thoughts?

I'm not a blogger,
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The Pens/Devils game is streaming live on Yahoo as we speak. If you're not watching it, you're insane. This has been stupid awesome hockey so far (Devils up by one, but that may change at any time), and shows no sign of being anything but amazing from now until the final horn.

WATCH THIS GAME, PEOPLE. IT'S WORTH IT.

I have but one picture this time and I think it's safe to say that I will put it behind the cut!

( No Clowns Here )