Laptop Research & Boiler frustrations

Apparently the laptop's Graphic Card's busted and it cannot be repaired - we are still trying to find out if it can be replaced. Failing that, we have been researching for a replacement laptop. Actually, it is more the hubs researching than me. I am out of the equation since now I am not contributing to it (the old one was split 2 ways). Knowing him, he is going for "looks" and "brag factor" while I kept rolling my eyes and tell him I need good specs (because I do alot of photo-editing, and he plays his games).

But I think finally we both came to an agreement on one from Sony (I try to stay away from Sony last time because I thought it was overpriced for their specs. Anyway, times may have changed).

We went to the shops and touched and felt all the models around (Toshiba, Acer, Dell, Sony) and he still feels that the Sony is the one he likes most. So I hope (crossing my fingers and toes) that we will be booking one soon!! I can't wait to punctuate all my blogposts with photos again :)

So, what laptops do you use? Are you someone who use it for the basic stuff like email and Microsoft Office apps, or you are a heavy user (gaming, photo editing, use for DB processes?)? What were your experiences using different brands and specs of laptop? Share, if you may?

On another note, our boiler has been OOO (Out of Order) last Sunday. They sent a techinican to check on it and he told us the relay needs to be replaced. But until today, the boiler part still has not arrived - it does cause a little inconvenience to us, having to boil water for our baths and not being able to just switch on the tap and out flow hot water! Oh how we have been pampered by all these modern inventions. One day I thought to save myself the trouble of boiling water, to just use the cold water to wash my hair - and boy, I nearly froze to death washing my hair, the freezing cold water on my scalp, neck and hands. Brrrr.... lesson learnt.

I really hope it will arrive early next week. Please, no more boiler woes!

Offline

My laptop died on Sunday evening. I am now living my offline life, 24/7. What have I been doing the past 3 days without the internet, without the laptop? I have been watching alot of TV, being a couch potato. The hubs part-rejoice in this news, as he thinks I'd spend more time cleaning the house, fat chance, I told him. I am now blogging from my neighbour's place (btw, I just met this new friend of mine, Michelle Lam 2 weeks ago and we hit it off and since then, I've been bringing SW out so much more together with Michelle's daughter, Karmen). Michelle & family are going for a 3-week holiday to the USA though. So, it's me & SW again after this week. :(

I would've loved to put a photo of the error message I get when I try to start-up my computer (so that my geeky friends can shed some light into my predicament here) but I didn't want to install stuff to transfer images from my mobile phone on her lappy so, it will not happen.

So, did you guys miss me??

Meanwhile, I will wait for the Finance Minister of the household to come back from his business trip to discuss lappy replacement/repair.

On another note, I noticed when one equipment fails, a few more usually follow. Triple sigh!

Internetless

Have been internetless the past 24 hours. I woke up from a two-hour nap yesterday (one of those days where I fell asleep with Shean Wenn while putting her for her afternoon nap), and came to find that my internet connection has dropped. I checked everything: reset the modem, router, my laptop. After troubleshooting, I am convinced it was my service provider’s network issue, surely not my LAN or hardware problem.

I called Virgin Media (my service provider, we are their new customers, btw) – the IT helpdesk insisted that I repeat whatever I had done, AND, to shut off and disconnect the router, and connect my pc to their modem. I told him there is no need to (because it’s just a hassle for me to re-wire everything) – to please check HIS/THEIR network! He insists. Gawd, why must they be so annoying and not just do what I tell them to??! He told me after checking at his pc that he sees no issues with network on their side. Reluctantly I undo everything, moved my laptop over to my modem. After like a million hardwork, he had the cheeks to tell me that he had SPOTTED that it is, afterall, a Virgin Media network issue. Boy, did he get an earful from me for that! He also told me it might take up to 48 hours downtime. I told them it’s VERY UNACCEPTABLE. (I need to check their SLA, it should be 99.x% uptime).

Anyhow, I felt helpless without internet – exactly WHAT DO I DO?? Watch TV? (You see, it’s very rare that I sit down and become a couch potato).

So, this was what I did in the past 24 hours :

• Scrubbed the bath tub

• Filed my letters and bank statements (I seriously don’t do filing often enough).

• Re-arranged the contents in the cupboard in the kitchen

• Washed both toilets / bathroom

• Folded laundry and kept them away

• I was so bored, I even wiped some of Shean Wenn’s toys.

• Did some Qi Gong exercises (I neglected doing them for almost 6 months now)

• Finally changed my wallpaper on the laptop – see it here!

(Click on it to see notes)

Ahh, I felt I did so much housework in the span of 24 hours. And despite all these, I am quite sure when hubs returns from his business trip tomorrow, he will NOT notice any changes, and infact will turn to me and utter his favourite phrase to me : “Why is the house so messy!?!”.

Schweet Schmap !

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a Luke Ritchie, Managing Editor of Schmap Guides to inform that one of my Rome photos have been shortlisted to be included in their third edition of Schmap Rome Guide. It asked if I would give permission for the photo to be included electronically (online).

The said photo was one taken of the Pantheon while hubs and I went there 2 years ago. It's not shown on my flickr photos anymore as flickr only allows 300 photos to be displayed in the normal flickr account (I used to be a flickr pro account holder). I visited the Schmap website and thought why not! I submitted the photo and they wrote back to say that my photo's been included in their online guide. Cool. Do check it out, esp if you happen to be planning a trip to Rome. I've added their schmapplet - customizable widgetized version of their Schmap Rome Guide, with my published photo - at my sidebar. :)

A Twitter-er? Why, of course!

Don’t know about you, but the past 2 days has been agonizing : internet connection-wise. Connecting into the latest obsession of mine – Twitter – has proved to be a real tortoise-slow torture!

Just what is Twitter? Introduced to me by good friend Praveen (internet guru), he offered his opinion on this service launched officially in the US half a year ago but the idea actually took life about a year ago (13 Mar),“It’s a great tool to update your daily happenings and have it broadcast to your circle of friends”, to which I quipped, “But we have blogs to do that!” Almost rolling my eyes. “Yes. But Tsu Lin, wouldn’t it be nice to know (while you’re on the go) what your friends are also doing with live updates to your mobile (or your chosen mode of device)? ie Praveen is diving off the Great Barrier Reef”. Hmmm.. to convince me, I decided to put it to test.

7,000 miles and 1 week later, I find myself registering into Twitter’s mobile phone notification service. As this service is based in the UK, I’m only charged a local rate when I send my twitter updates onto the site. Pretty nifty! Praveen has his registered back in KL and he’s being charged the standard international charge. No other hidden costs of using this service, which is an ultimate PLUS!

So far, I'm hooked!

But wouldn’t it be great if a local solution were to be offered instead? According to Praveen, there would be a local solution coming up soon by the people of RapidStuff. Of course, all is still hush-hush about this project, but do “standby for an alternative which will be a whole lot more fun!”

Even the name is pretty original.
sneakpeek

Reference : Twitter blog