connectivity problems

When I tried connecting to the net using our fine DSL, I got a Verizon error message that included something about billing--but cattitude spoke to them and fixed the problem with his credit card yesterday.

So I dialed in. And am now getting "remote host closed connection" every time I read my email. Okay, that leaves me the Web and Usenet (at least, I think I have Usenet), which ought to be enough to amuse a hobbit for a while. I think I can use ssh to get to panix and read my mail in mutt. (This normally works, but the current situation isn't normal--for all I know the problem is with the panix mail server.)

connectivity problems

When I tried connecting to the net using our fine DSL, I got a Verizon error message that included something about billing--but cattitude spoke to them and fixed the problem with his credit card yesterday.

So I dialed in. And am now getting "remote host closed connection" every time I read my email. Okay, that leaves me the Web and Usenet (at least, I think I have Usenet), which ought to be enough to amuse a hobbit for a while. I think I can use ssh to get to panix and read my mail in mutt. (This normally works, but the current situation isn't normal--for all I know the problem is with the panix mail server.)

(no subject)

The DSL is happy again, at least for the moment. Which means my current irritation is with the Onion, which has decided to do a Javascript-only front page, without even the grace to supply a "please turn Javascript on" message. I'll wait and pull the paper out of a box tomorrow or Friday.

(no subject)

The DSL is happy again, at least for the moment. Which means my current irritation is with the Onion, which has decided to do a Javascript-only front page, without even the grace to supply a "please turn Javascript on" message. I'll wait and pull the paper out of a box tomorrow or Friday.

birthday adjective

I gave cattitude a birthday adjective yesterday.

I bought some of the adjectival objects and made others: the lyrics of "One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple People Eater", printed on purple paper; a lollipop that I am promised will change the color of his tongue; a copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon; some chocolates, in a fancy gift bag; and a feather, dyed purple, attached to the wrapping paper I used for the book. It didn't take long for him to identify his birthday adjective as purple, just the thing for a Big Purple Cat. He grinned, I grinned, we went out for a birthday dinner (at which the silly lantern next to our table was purple, by luck), and every time I said "purr" for the rest of the evening he added "ple".

I may have to do this again some time. With more pre-planning, more complex or abstract adjectives should be possible. We had fun discussing possible adjectives last night, for him or for me--"alliterative" and "peripatetic" have promise, but I want nothing to do with "plaid". Making things was fun, and so was the shopping expedition: scanning store shelves for color is both quick and amusing, especially when it's a book or chocolate shop, rather than someplace that sells things that are normally bought by color, like paint.

birthday adjective

I gave cattitude a birthday adjective yesterday.

I bought some of the adjectival objects and made others: the lyrics of "One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple People Eater", printed on purple paper; a lollipop that I am promised will change the color of his tongue; a copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon; some chocolates, in a fancy gift bag; and a feather, dyed purple, attached to the wrapping paper I used for the book. It didn't take long for him to identify his birthday adjective as purple, just the thing for a Big Purple Cat. He grinned, I grinned, we went out for a birthday dinner (at which the silly lantern next to our table was purple, by luck), and every time I said "purr" for the rest of the evening he added "ple".

I may have to do this again some time. With more pre-planning, more complex or abstract adjectives should be possible. We had fun discussing possible adjectives last night, for him or for me--"alliterative" and "peripatetic" have promise, but I want nothing to do with "plaid". Making things was fun, and so was the shopping expedition: scanning store shelves for color is both quick and amusing, especially when it's a book or chocolate shop, rather than someplace that sells things that are normally bought by color, like paint.

NaNoWriMo

It's weird--I'm nervous because I don't have a plot, exactly, and haven't even decided whether this is a science fiction story. But I'm having to stop myself from jotting down bits of actual dialogue ahead of time. Save them for other purposes, maybe.

With that in mind: "Marcie always knew what she wanted for her birthday. And she kept hoping that, some year, her mother would get it right. Her mother was well-intentioned, and always managed to get Marcie something that was almost--but not quite, crucially not quite--what she wanted."

NaNoWriMo

It's weird--I'm nervous because I don't have a plot, exactly, and haven't even decided whether this is a science fiction story. But I'm having to stop myself from jotting down bits of actual dialogue ahead of time. Save them for other purposes, maybe.

With that in mind: "Marcie always knew what she wanted for her birthday. And she kept hoping that, some year, her mother would get it right. Her mother was well-intentioned, and always managed to get Marcie something that was almost--but not quite, crucially not quite--what she wanted."