Tuesday Mixed Bag

WTF Computer Woes

I have spent hours and hours since Saturday trying to get my computer to work! The above error message is just one of three that keep appearing, preventing programs from operating. It has made inoperable all of the programs that I use to play music and two of the programs that allow me to watch videos and DVDs as well as two of my graphic editing programs.

I am stymied! I have searched the Internet over and over for a way to fix whatever is wrong. I have searched for the two .dlls that seem to be corrupted or missing. I have purchased and downloaded to programs that advertise they can fix the problem by cleaning and optimizing the computers registry. They don’t!

I may have to take this relatively new computer back to the Geek Squad dudes and let them work on it. If I do—which means I’ll not be posting while I am without a computer—I shall write a post letting you know what’s going on. Unless, of course, the WTF error migrates to my browsers!

The Book Review Is Coming!

A week or so ago I agreed to review Stephen Mansfield’s new book, The Faith of Barack Obama, for the Thomas Nelson publishing company. It’s a brilliant book—I’ve read it twice in preparation for writing the review—and I highly recommend it.

I fully expected to have completed the review and posted here to Nick’s Bytes last Sunday. However, with all that has been happening, I’ve not finished the final draft!

In case you happen to be from the Thomas Nelson Company wondering where the review is, please be advised:

Alex and the Clutter

Alex’s favorite napping spot, at least when I am at my desk, is on my desk beside the computer and beneath my high intensity desk lamp. With all of the muddle of stuff I’ve been doing recently, the piles of things on my desk have been growing larger and larger.

Now, before you criticize me for the mess, please understand me: I have the kind of personality that requires the stuff I’m working on to be where I can see and touch it. Otherwise, I forget that it exists! Therefore, I have mountains of stuff all over the place. OK?

Back to Alex. Since the mass of papers and such has been growing as I become involved in more and more projects, when Alex leaps on my desk—usually landing on my cordless keyboard and adding gobblygook to anything I may be writing—I have to pick the furball up and cuddle him in my right arm as I use my left hand to clear a spot for him to catnap.

Strangely, Alex doesn’t seem to mind!

Breathing Update

Since the early 1990s I have been sleeping with a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. It was initially prescribed because I was diagnosed with having sleep apnea. Since I have been a lunger in need of oxygen 24-hours-a day, the CPAP, which I have attached to my Oxygen Concentrator, is even more important than treating sleep apnea: the combination allows me to sleep and, more importantly, not to stop breathing while I am sleeping.

Several months ago I replaced the mask of the CPAP—something that I should supposedly do every six to nines months (but haven’t). I have been purchasing the masks from an Internet provider, which saves me about 60% of what I would pay a health equipment store.

That mask—which is pictured below)—was a new, diminutive style that covered much less of my face and was advertised as allowing the wearer more freedom. The only problem was: the damned thing kept sliding off my face while I slept!

Below is my new CPAP mask that arrived yesterday. There is more to it than the one I was using, besides which (surprisingly) it is much more comfortable than the abbreviated mask—and it does not slide off my face while I’m sleeping.

A Fabulous Commercial:

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