Yesterday I finally got my primary computer up and running. The fifty
dollar cast-off from my college is still our link with the internet
world, but for the coming two weeks' intense work on my novel, I needed
something that has a working output of some sort, and at least the
appearance of solidity. Why have we limped along in such a fragile
state? I would rather waste time on almost anything in the world than
waste time trying to figure out why a computer is being so stupid.
Case in point: yesterday I plugged the new mouse into the computer and
found that sometimes I could drag files where I wanted them but at
other times the computer would give me a stupid menu.
"I don't want the stupid menu," I yelled, with my usual coyness. "I
just want to get on with my work."
It turns out that the new mouse has two sides to it. Nowhere on the
packaging or on the sheet of paper that came with it was written,
"Warning, if you press the left side, it'll do Yang thing. Press right
for Yin."
My wife came home and said her mice have always done this. No so Mac
mice, and surely they're the originals?
Meanwhile, news this week that in the fall I get to eat all the best
swill with the Lord Mayor of London, whichever one who isn't Ken
Livingstone. I have no understanding at all of how there come to be
two Lord Mayors of London, but the one with all the regalia wants me
and my Dad to be at the bottom table in October, probably somewhere in
the vicinity of the apsidistra and the Gents. I've considered wearing
my kilt and full Charlie, but I don't think that's a London thing.
David Ritchie, Portland, Oregon
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