Tell me, flist (names, music, programs)

[minxy]

Good stuff:

My computer is home! And upgraded! And it totally didn't recognize me at first, but now I've upgraded to Leopard, installed my housemate's pirated versions of key programs and copied over my (rather brilliantly recently backed up) music and photo files.

Yay updated programs everywhere!

Having been through so much with my computer, I really feel like it needs it's own identity apart from mine (I'd named the hard drive Minx, and as we know, the hard drive is gone now.) So what do we call this new version? This Minx-computer-rising?

[Poll #1156656]

Right. So I lost all the music I'd downloaded in since mid-February, and if anyone were to, say, give me a link to a download of their favorite, not-to-be-missed, this-makes-all-my-mix-playlists-ever song, or album, I think there might be cookies in it for you. Or if you just have a link to recent mixes you've announced, I'd love that too.

Not computer related:

This weekend I'm heading home, due to a bad bad very bad turn in my Grandmother's state. It actually might be better stated as a change of opinion on whether she was appropriately advocating for herself through all the fatigue and the dementia etc. Poor woman, she self-medicates through routine and this is just going to be so hard. I'll see her though, and we'll talk about knitting, and she'll smile and smile and serve up a whole plate of happy denial and I'll love her as much as I can in the time allowed.

I spoke to my brother in advance of arriving in Portland and laughed a lot. I love that guy.

I went out yesterday and am paying for it today in fatigue. Owwwwwwww, I *like* sleep, dammit! Why is it fun laughter type behavior always has to compete with sleep? I want to have my cake and sleep it off in a food coma too! Is that too much to ask?

I tried to buy the Stargate movie this weekend and was chatted up by a scifi fan who worked in the store. Apparently I don't *look* like a scifi fan, which is news to me. I mean, that's like saying your hands don't look feminine when you're a girl. I AM, people. I like SciFi therefore... He was entertaining.

Immediately after leaving the Movie shop (sans Stargate DVD, incidently. All of the little city has sold out! Woe! Maybe I'll buy it online or something,) I met a chronically charming man in the line at Trader Joes (slight German lilt, probably in his early 70s). He crossed ahead of me to get chocolate, ended up giving me a quarter of it and we talked about our fields since he's a professor emertus at my Uni. I described my field as 'biochemistry', and myself as 'newly minted', which I feel was both accurate and precise, really. He said his field was love, laughed at himself and clarified that he meant French Literature.

Terrifying, certainly. It's so entertaining to meet people who simply must charm, don't you think? I wonder what happens to them on days when they feel dull. I suspect it's a situation involving dark matter and anti-gravity.

My least competent minion has allowed four computers (FOUR) to fall into stages of disrepair due to neglect. One computer lost a monitor and some preferences settings with a power outage months ago, another is 7 years old and on it's last legs, two others are so badly virus infected the whole system on one had to be reinstalled (the other we might still lose). She's throwing blame, it's ridiculous, and I don't feel like another political mess just as the last was sorting itself out a bit. I'll deal, though. I should make sure I get some sleep tonight first, of course.

Woe for my advanced age and crazy sports habit making me feel a lack of sleep so keenly. Woe, I say!

I go home Thursday. This is so gleeful. My computer is back and faster and I think I have installed 80% of the programs I can't live without.

I'm still thinking of auditioning some new IM clients, though; anyone have one they really *like*? What about other software? Anything you would recommend? Talk to me about tools that work for you, my people.

Comments

[kazbaby]

Could be the late hour, but I'm thinking a good name would be: Chicka Chicka WoWoW

Or should a computer not be named after really bad porn music?

And yay! for having your computer back!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

While my computer is, in fact, dead sexy, I'm not sure a porn star name is the way to go. Or porn star music name, even, but I certainly am enjoying your icon!

[kazbaby]

*snicker* Yeah. That's a prime example of "why kaz should not post when tired."

Good luck with choosing a name. :D

[ladyjax.livejournal.com]

I vote for Bob. Or Fred. I once had a dog named Fred.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I knew a big Bouvier named Freddy. It was a great name for a dog, really.

My best friend growing up decided to get a rat for a pet, she decided to follow our family's tradition of naming pets after Beach Boys songs, and since they couldn't tell the sex of the rat, they named (her, as it happens) Bob-or-Anne, instead of Barbara Ann.

True story.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

Yay for computer rehab! And ack for minion. And wonderful to go about the day meeting people who are real and engage and connect.

I'm sorry about your grandmother, sending you a hug and good thoughts. I wish I had more words, it's very hard stuff. *hugs*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Very interesting discussion today with the boss about that minion. That will be interesting to see play out.

I... feel like I need to see her to know the exact situation. But family is important and time with family is good.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

Situations like that prove that we do 'live in interesting times'. Humans make life very strange some days.

And yes about seeing your grandmother and being with family. Travel safely, *hugs*

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Yay computer returned from the dead! I wonder, though, if naming it Daniel wouldn't be a bit of a curse? Maybe "Sam" would inspire it to behave and be extra smart?

surreallis posted several mixes recently...

*hugs* tight for you and your grandmother and your family. I hope the visit goes well and good times are recalled and all that jazz.

I'm still thinking of auditioning some new IM clients, though; anyone have one they really *like*? What about other software? Anything you would recommend?

I'm loving Adium (for my mac). Let's me log into all my chat-things (AIM, yahoo, msn, LJ) through one client at the same time - even allows multiple AIM names at once. Automatically logs all my chats so I can look up things later. Lots of customization options. AND I found somewhere to change the duck icon into a Stargate that whooshes when I get a message.

Non AIM software....well, Audacity is really nice if you're doing anything with sound/music beyond just listening (and I'm biased because I remember when it was just an idea and some seniors at my college were recruited to make it a reality). And...I, um, don't use much software really. Hrm.

But yay it's a minxy!

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I've been very happy with Adium on my MacBook, and second the rec.

Now to change the duck. I like my blue duck, but a whooshing 'gate so wins.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I used Adium, and will probably go back to it if I don't find something else that rocks my socks.

What did you find for a sound, though? I thought the default sound was just wretchedly like animals being flattened by a Mac Truck.

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I almost always have the sound off when IMing (it competes with iTunes!), so I'm not much help in that, alas.

I hope whatever program you choose makes your life more gleeful.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I was using Adium, and it was fine, really. Just wondered if there were any other options. Seems as though Firefox has a chat add-on somehow. Could be interesting.

I assume you also changed the 'strangled elephant' alert sound, though, when you switched to a kawoosh.

I'll look into Audacity, but I'm not actually that witty about my music. I just want to listen to it and make playlists.

Daniel did do some freaking amazing things when he wasn't dead, though, you have to admit. I may be encouraging my computer to transcend as well as ascend.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Once I found Adium (which I found when I switched from PC to Mac and could no longer use Trillian and was sad) I didn't bother looking for other options. If you do try the Firefox add-on, let us know how it is.

I assume you also changed the 'strangled elephant' alert sound, though, when you switched to a kawoosh.

Honestly, I hate computers making noises at me so much that the first thing I did with adium (and do with most programs) is create a setting wherein it makes NO sound effects. And my speakers are usually muted too. But...my Adium, the rare times I let it make noise, quacks at me. It's weird to have a Stargate quack.

I don't use Audacity often, but occasionally I've actually used it for something. It...won't do playlists, I don't think.

Daniel did do some freaking amazing things when he wasn't dead, though, you have to admit. I may be encouraging my computer to transcend as well as ascend.

This is true, and a very good argument. And maybe it's just that I've been watching Farscape, but what about Pilot?

[feather-autant.livejournal.com]

Go have a hell of a time with your Gram! Eat, knit, enjoy. It'll be wonderful. :)

As for computer names. . . I names my smart phone My Precious. *g* Maybe a clone name? After all, clones are close, but not exact copies. I rather like CeeCee, for copy cat.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

*snort* What do you have for a ring tone, preciousssssss?

[michare1a.livejournal.com]

Enjoy your time with your Gran!!

I picked Daniel, just because I think the parallels are funny, hehe. Though... you don't want it to die again, so I'm not sure how good that choice is, hehe! Bob is a pretty safe name... ;-D

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I suspect, that were I to ever meet anyone suffering from amnesia for whatever reason, I wouldn't go through a whole 'you look like a [insert name remarkably like character's actual name]' and instead would just unilaterally start calling the person Bob.

[michare1a.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I'd probably do that too, lol :-)

[or-mabinogi.livejournal.com]

Janus. The Roman god of doorways, and therefore of entry to new things. Gave us the month of January, the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one. Or if you prefer Egyptian, Upuaut represents the same thing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Oooooh, that is COOL.

[shiba-inu.livejournal.com]

Glad your computer is back. Wasn't there some Cary Grant movie with a leopard in it? You could name it after that kitty...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I totally want to watch that movie now. Bringing up Baby, wasn't it?

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

I picked Daniel, but I'm a traditionalist. Could go with Murray too since you and Teal'c are so close. :o)

BTW, leopard in 'Bringing Up Baby' is, of course, Baby. *sings off-key: I can't give you anything but love, Baby...!"

Wishing you the best time ever with your Gran. I'm off to MI/AL in early May to spend time with my newly widowed sis. Family is important.

PS: smacks your butt for claiming advanced age! Not!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Ow! Listen, I hang with 20-22 year olds, sometimes I claim age! It's all relative, anyway. Nana is 81, after all. And family is wonderfully, awesomely important. Hope your time with your sis is good.

I love that song. I want to watch that movie again, wonder if it's around here somewhere?

MURRAY! That's a great name for a computer! Aww, Teal'c!