Fast and Easy

Not Exactly My New PC

I'm back! And no, this post's title doesn't refer to me, you dirty-minded people!

After several weeks with limited Internet access, I finally got my new PC set up today and I have to say, it was the single easiest computer set up I've ever experienced. I don't usually do product endorsements, but my new Acer Aspire all-in-one PC has no tower; a gigantic 20" screen and required no special cords, plugs or adapters. And man, is it fast! My only (very minor) complaint, is that I'm having a bit of a time adjusting to it's rather small, almost laptop-like keyboard, though I am sure that will pass after a few days. Overall, I couldn't be happier with it. 

After clearing, cleaning and rearranging my computer desk, it was a very simple matter of plugging things in and I was ready to go in less than 10 minutes. Past PC set-ups have often taken me (someone who is decidedly less-than-savvy when it comes to electronics) over an hour. There was no cursing; no sweating and, best of all, no knee pain! Ports and CD ROM are all on the side and the mouse, keyboard and Internet receptacles are easily accessed without having to pull out an ridiculously heavy  tower. Best of all, Uncle P's Day Job offers a computer purchase loan program. I buy the PC, turn in the receipt and they cut me a check to pay it off right away, then deduct a certain amount from my check each pay-period without interest! How could I go wrong?

My old HP served me well these past six years, but I am not by any means sorry to see it go. Thank goodness, I backed up all my files. Now I'm off to find a cloud service to do it automatically. And of course, I'm very glad to be able to post again from home on a regular basis. I just hope you all haven't abandoned me!

And now, apropos of nothing other than my love of zombie movies, here's a trailer for one of the most original and intriguing zombie movies I've seen in a long time, Exit Humanity:

More, anon.
Prospero

Grrrrrr!!

What I'd Like to Do to My PC

So, last night, I came home from rehearsal for Jeffrey, all ready to blog about what a great rehearsal we'd had. I turned on my computer and then went and poured my self a drink. When I got back, I had a start-up error. Okay. Not the end of the world. I clicked to re-start. The machine whirred and clicked until I got a message that said "Windows could not start. Press Enter to run start-up diagnostic." After an hour... "No errors found. Please re-start."  You can already  see where this is going, can't you? So, long story very short - I don't know when I'll be blogging from home or with any regularity for a while. If my computer is un-fixable, it may be quite a while because I simply can't afford a new one right now. In the meantime, I'll do my best to post from the day-job.

More (hopefully), anon.
Prospero

I HATE When That Happens

I'm am currently writing to you from a silent computer. I am hoping that it's just my crappy old Dell speakers that have given up the ghost and not my HP  PC's sound card. It's certainly easier (and probably cheaper) to replace hardware than software. Oh, I know I could spend hundreds of dollars on very fancy computer speakers with super-duper woofers and tweeters, but I have a really good pair of Sony headsets for the Sony boom-box on which I listen to most of my music. I listen to a lot of music; mostly film scores. And while my 600 plus CD collection might suggest I'm a bit of an audiophile, I once dated a guy with a collection of over 2000 CDs. I imagine it's much larger now, even if he isn't (oops!). 

Since I'm about to start rehearsals for Hairspray, I've been listening to the OBC (Original Broadway Cast) recording of the show. And while most of the cast includes some rather terrific singers, listening to the otherwise amazing Harvey Fierstein sing is actually painful. For the most part, Harvey 'speak-sings' his role, much like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady  or Richard Burton in Camelot. Still that gravelly, grating voice of his is less than pleasant. Don't get me wrong - I adore Harvey. I played Arnold in his amazing Torch Song Trilogy in the second annual JTMF fundraiser and find him hilarious in movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day but I cannot get past his "singing" in this show. I hope he faired better in the revival of Fiddler on the Roof where Rosie O'Donnell played his wife. Wow, A gay man and a lesbian pretending to be a straight married couple - what's the world coming to?

But for now, trying to watch something on YouTube is very annoying without sound. Have I really become so spoiled that a day or so without sound is making me so crazy? Now I just feel like a douche. "I complained I couldn't hear until I met a man with no ears" (or something). Yes, I'm a total douche.

Maybe I need to see The Artist. Hope you can hear that amazing score in this clip, because I can't:

Wow - Jean Dujardin is gorgeous!

More, anon.
Prospero

Who You Gonna Call?

I know I've talked about and linked to The League of S.T.E.A.M. earlier this year when they released a very amusing video about trying to catch a leprechaun on St Patrick's Day.

The steampunker comedians are back, with a "commercial" for their supernatural entity removal services (the S.T.E.A.M. acronym stands for 'Supernatural and Troublesome Ectoplasmic Apparition Management').

I love the silent-movie piano version of Ray Parker's Ghostbusters playing in the background (via).

Add this exquisite bit of nonsense to the good news that the wonderful folks at Hewlitt Packard Tech Support are currently slaving away to remotely fix my home PC, and I'm having a much better day than I have since Sunday's Sordid Lives matinee.

More, anon.

Prospero

Opening Night!

It's Opening Night for the JTMF 8th Annual Fundraiser featuring Del Shores' Sordid Lives. Uncle P is having PC problems at home (I'm pretty sure I've got one of those damned Facebook viruses), so I'll be posting from the day job f until I can get it fixed.

I hope I see some of you at the show. If not, have a great weekend. And remember kids, there's no Zombie Zone this week.

More, anon.

Prospero