Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Confounded Again

It's at moments like these that I really consider using a different operating system. A few days ago, while my mail was being compacted (something that happens whether I want it to or not), I left the room so that the computer could complete this task in privacy. When I returned, a good portion of my mail was missing - not all of it, just the most recent stuff from the last 4 months and a few other bits and bites in the folders marked "Save", "Client Files". To sum up, just the critical information was missing. However, clever Mr. Microsoft had preserved spam messages I'd forgotten to delete and party invitations from 2005. While there are no doctors in the family, I have the next best thing, a nephew named Andrew attending the Computer Science programme at University of Waterloo. And on Sunday, the very same, Saint Andrew found my mail files and put them back where I could find them.
Today, I have been diligently cleaning up my mail, dumping the trash and saving bits and pieces on other sections of my hard disk. In order to change tasks for a bit, I thought I'd blog on the topic of taking snow photographs, illustrating this short topic with photos I've taken over the last couple of weeks.

In the past, I would normally select the files I wanted, email them to myself - a quick way of getting the files made smaller (I shoot all my photos on the superfine setting - they're enormous) - then put them in a FORTHEBLOG file. However, this function that I have used on a daily basis seems to have been updated by Mr. Microsoft so that it no longer works. (Mr. Microsoft - Update as a verb means "to bring to the latest standard of technology" Were you not listening to President Obama today?) Instead I get a very odd looking screen, with a clear indicator line saying "this email has not been sent" and sadly no button to click on saying "Send".

Like an idiot, I've repeated the steps that worked so well in the past, hopeful that the outcome would be different, and I would be able to send myself smaller copies of my photos. Sort of the way I charge around the house, opening the same doors hoping to find that missing punch bowl.

So, a minor irritation on an otherwise glorious day. On a personal note - my dear Aunt Carolyn's 7 hour surgery for tongue cancer on December 22nd was brilliantly successful (talking, eating and feeling better every day) and today we learned the cancer has not spread to her lymph nodes. Plus, I've enjoyed the wonderful inauguration ceremony in the USA. And if that wasn't enough, the sun is shining brightly.

So as far as all the photos go, I'll work on those tomorrow, in the meantime, I took the 4 minutes and loaded up a photo I took today, just because it wouldn't be my blog without one.

4 comments:

Barry said...

Barbara:
Methinks that we are on the same wave-length! Last night I wanted to clean up a bit..... PicasaWeb albums to overflowing.... so I started to delete...oh NO, don't EVER... are you sure you wish..... pictures will be lost FOREVER, wiped from your BLOG...may take @$ HOURS to DELETE...
I hope this describes the state of panic that I was in. And try to sleep??? How many pictures did I delete? Which posts will be affected?
Alas, all seems to be redeemed, a few slight alterations, and a greater knowledge that perhaps I should leave those things I know little about to others.....
I was very inspired by President Obama's speech today... I believe there is a golden sunrise for us all!

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain - or I would if I could ever figure out how to get the pictures from my camera to my Mac computer! I admire all you bloggers so much - wonderful pictures, great writing to go along with them, and you make it look so easy. But now I know the truth....
Yes, I am so happy with Obama. May the promise of this golden dawn be fulfilled in the strong light of day.

Barbara in Alabama

Jan said...

Wow--Barbara, You are speaking my language here! I haven't written a post about it, in fact, my posts don't include all this stuff (though they should-because it is always on my mind:( )) I am overwhelmed with photos that I've taken. They are totally out of control in my files. And now that Picasa has suddenly taken every photo I upload to my own private files, I am even more confused. Most of my photos don't get published because I either cannot find them, or it's too complicated! I have so many beautiful ones too...I do feel your pain here. Good to know your Aunt is going to be ok...I can relate, as I had salivary gland cancer of the palate and had half of my palate removed up into the nasal passage. It's been 5 yrs. now. I need to write a post on that;) 'Have fun' with all your snow:)

Barbarapc said...

Teza - I've been backing up like crazy - on my alternate hard drive - my computer guy said I should have a second duplicate file just with all my photos - was glad to hear that all appears to be well now for you.
Barbara in Alabama - it was a great day wasn't it! Those days when the words flow, and the photos are easily found - it is so much fun....fortunately those days that dent us truly are in the minority.
Jan - I love hearing stories about people who have done well after their cancer surgery - good on you. It can't have been easy at all. Because our seasons are so distinct, I keep my files according to date, other subsections are on travel, tours, family & friends, animals. It's not complicated, but it seems to work & it's fun to check year-to-year to see the differences in the garden.