Friday 7 September 2012

Got to re-learn how to love my p.c.

A most ghastly and stressful couple days is over!
My p.c. was down to operating at the speed of an arthritic snail, due to the amount of free space on the hard drive dipping below 1/2%. It couldn't go on so, at a cost of £43 (69$ American) I got an 'expert' online from the other side (to me) of the Atlantic.
    To cut a long story short, the instructions I got to download programs to identify exactly where the problem was, was no fun at all - involving my sitting yesterday and overnight (got to bed at 1.30 a.m.) at the computer screen for 10 mins short of ten hours, because the screen kept freezing with notices of 'unresponsive script' - +  early this morning a further 6 hours! Was near to collapse with lack of sleep - but we got there!
Now back to 84% free disk space and everything seems hunky-dory. Was worth it in the end, even if I am a bit peeved at having missed my planned cinema visit yesterday to have seen the new film 'Berberian Sound Studio'. Too late now - it's gone!  
 Brought home to me how difficult I'd now find it to live without a computer - something I'd never have admitted before I got this one seven years ago.
   Anyway, the most important thing is that I'm back to interact with my blog-chums.

8 comments:

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    1. Quick of the mark, A.M.! Thanks. Now I'll be able to devote more 'quality time' to my pals' blogs - your own being VERY high up the league.

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  2. the last sentence is a relief !

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    1. When one has no friends 'in the flesh' at all (sob sob!), Dr Spo - apart from my pussies - then these blogs are more vital than ever in keeping one sane.

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  3. Happy you got through all this and now are up and running and able to visit with your blog buddies.

    "Berberian Sound Studio," I guess, is another one that won't be shown in the US. I think this is one that I would like to see as it stars Toby Jones, whom I loved in "Christopher And His Kind" and "Infamous." Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be shown on VOD, which sometimes happens to films that do not get a huge distribution.

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    1. Paul, I was a bit premature in thinking my computer troubles were over. Got message yesterday saying that because of malfunction I had to de-install security program and download it again. Took long time to effect (yet again!) largely because my account had been lost. Hoping like hell that it's okay now, though I'm nervous about another such message popping up. But this morning, so far so good.

      I'm still pretty annoyed at having missed 'Berberian' as there's very little chance of it appearing anywhere again - only on some late-night digital channel, I expect, and which I'm unable to access or record.
      It sounds such an unusual film. Not an easy watch, I'm told, working on the subliminal - even though the sound-effect violence is done to vegetables!
      Oh well. Let's not over-brood about having missed it.
      Next on the list is 'Anna Karenina', where my attempt to book an advance ticket yesterday was unexpectedly foiled at it having been sold out. But see it I shall!

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  4. Disappointed to learn that your troubles weren't over. Hoping it stays okay now. Why does everything have to be so complicated?

    Another "Anna Karenina"? Just how many times has this been filmed? I saw a version last week on tv that I had never seen with Garbo. Have to admit that I enjoyed it. Previously, my favorite was the Leigh version. Watched the trailer of the new version and am impressed. And screenplay by Tom Stoppard doesn't hurt either. Looking forward to your review.

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    1. P.C. problems STILL not over, Paul. The big one was resolved satisfactorily - viz getting the free space on the hard drive back up to a healthy 85%, but what either I or my on-line helper did during the course of the 'cure' is giving rise to a handful of other oddities where I get strange messages popping up which I don't understand and don't know how to deal with. If I click the 'OK' button they go away but they come back again every time I turn the computer off and on again. If I had the cash I'd get this resolved once and for all. It's a real headache, though not (as yet) on such a big scale as the first one. But I'll carry on as best I can - at least until the darn thing blows up or melts.

      Still hoping to see the new 'Anna Karenina' this p.m. - unless this blasted computer detains me.
      As you've already seen, it looks really lavish from the screen trailer. I believe it's set entirely within a theatre, with the scenes opening up periodically in highly-stylized fashion. The reviews I've seen have been mixed, with high marks for originality and bravery on the part of the director - less so for some of the portrayals, with different acting styles apparently clashing. I'm also a huge admirer of Stoppard who, I believe, didn't know of what the director was going to do until he'd finished the screenplay. (Btw: How DOES one condense an 800+ page novel into just over two hours? Answer: One doesn't.)
      Anyway, no point in surmising what it MIGHT be like. Looking forward to seeing it immensely. If I don't go today, I'll definitely be going this week.
      Btw: The Vivien Leigh film version was on TV here a couple of days ago. I started watching it but, having more pressing things in hand, gave up as it seemed so far removed from the spirit of the book, which I love very dearly indeed. Given another chance I'd try again. (I don't know the Garbo version either, I'm afraid).

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