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We are such docile creatures, normally, that it takes a virus to jolt us out of life's routine. A couple of days in a fever bed are, in a sense, health-giving; the change in body temperature, the change in pulse rate, and the change of scene have a restorative effect on the system equal to the hell they raise. |
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Wednesday, January 28, 1998
I stayed home from work today, due to a cold and feeling rather fragile generally. So I took the opportunity to dig out my room. Being at home during the day reminded me of my last between-assignments period, in November of 1994.
At that time, I had my next job all set, but they didn't want me to start until the next month. So I took the time off and got myself on the net! This was in Windows 3.1 time, so it took a bit of doing! A colleague, Geoff Duncan, was connected (was he working there then? I don't remember.) with TidBits' Adam Engst. I think he recommended Adam's book, the Internet Starter Kit.
This was a great way to get started on the net! There was software included, and a deal with Northwest Nexus. So I spent most of that month logging on and learning about the net, while listening to NPR on the radio.
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Back to the present day: I kept working at a steady pace, stacking the books, sorting the clothes, and picking up the miscellaneous crap on my bedroom floor. The room still wouldn't please the more particular people, but one can now walk freely from the door to the computer or the bed. Clean sheets, too! And I changed the futon cover. What luxury! I'm also pleased that I not only bagged up the trash and recycle, but took it out to the bins! This isn't always easy, since it involves going out my apartment door, locking said door (I could leave it unlocked, but that's what they always say in the police crime reports in the neighborhood papers: "victim stepped out to take out the trash, leaving the door unlocked.") and going down a long hall, through a door, up a flight of stairs, through an iron gate, across the alley, and into a locked garage.
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I made great progress today, on a project I started earlier in the month. I wanted to create a site about the fannish social gathering we have every month, so I can just link to it when I talk about Vanguard. I had asked some of the founders to send me their versions of how it got started, and I took many pictures at the last party. I sorted out people's identities (I don't know everyone who comes to Vanguard.) and made thumbnail versions of the images earlier in the month. Today I finished the pages (well, mostly) and uploaded them to tripod. Thank heavens tripod does have a way for you to use a normal FTP program! It would have taken hours to upload them with their pokey web interface!
So check it out, and you'll know what I mean when I talk about Vanguard! (Oh, and sorry about the popup window. But, hey, it's free!)
And thanks to all the people who sent me mail today, cheering me up on my sick day!
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