August 4: Technology Terror, Breakdowns, "Web" Dip

This morning, the cable guy came to our house to install our digital cable box, Internet service, and phone line.  Yes, I have succumbed to bundling.  I'm not a big fan of technology, even though I was a computer science major for many of my undergraduate years.  (I ended up with a math/computer science minor.)  Technology, however, has not been my friend for a good portion of my life.

The Internet is wonderful for some things.  It provides quick research access.  Allows me to not get lost as easily on road trips.  Lets me watch really funny videos of cats.  (Just kidding.)  However, the Internet also enables a lot of behaviors that are quite destructive.  Gambling.  Banking fraud.  Pornography.  It kind of makes sense that such a powerful tool would also be the catalyst for powerfully dangerous activities.

Anyway, allow me to climb down from my soapbox.

So, it was a morning and afternoon of trips to Office Max, Radio Shack, and Best Buy.  After much struggle (and a few tearful breakdowns), I achieved Internet connection.  My DVD player isn't working yet, but I have about 100 more TV channels that I will never watch.  I guess it all evens out.

I do question whether all of today's trips and aggravations were worth it.  Let's see what Charlotte says:

"That's wonderful," said Wilbur.  "How is the plan coming, Charlotte?  Have you got very far with it?  Is it coming along pretty well?"  Wilbur was trembling again, but Charlotte was cool and collected.

"Oh, it's coming all right," she said, lightly.  "The plan is still in its early stages and hasn't completely shaped up yet, but I'm working on it."

There you go.  My technology is coming along all right, even if it's early stages.  Just have to figure out that damn DVD player.

Saint Marty and his big-ass remote control have a date tonight.

Press TV-DVD-AUX-#-@-PAUSE-MENU-DEMAND and then cry

November 9: No New Poem, New DVD Player, Pledge

I am sorry to report that I have no new poem today.  I have not had any time to sit down, let alone pick up a pen and write anything.  I have put up Christmas decorations.  I have cleaned my house.  I have taken my daughter to a doctor's appointment.  I have eaten some of my children's Halloween candy.  I have installed a new DVD player on my entertainment system, which consists of a flat screen TV, a VCR that my son broke almost two years ago, and a Wii game that hasn't been used for almost six months.

My old DVD player died last Sunday.  I spent three hours Sunday night trying to get it to play A Charlie Brown Christmas.  I never got it working.  So today, while I was grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.  I found a DVD player on sale for $24.  I couldn't believe it.  I threw the player in my grocery cart, along with some milk and Holly Nog, and proceeded to the checkout line.  Now, I am watching a documentary about Anne Lamott on my new DVD player at ten o'clock at night, feeling guilty that I haven't finished my new poem.

I am going to make a pledge that I will post a new poem tomorrow night.  I will probably break that pledge, but, tonight, it lets me off the hook.

Saint Marty was able to get his new DVD player to work.  That's a victory.  Tomorrow is another day.  Another 24 hours to fail as a poet.

Another pledge I will probably break tomorrow