panic and flailing

I back up my work. I put it in dropbox and put it on another machine and I have the time machine backups on two computers and I print out each chapter as it’s done. So this isn’t that kind of panic.

I’ve been working on a chapter and it’s slow today for various reasons. I have an ear thing going on, family stuff, friend stuff and that sort of thing. So I finally get back into my office to get back to work, and what should happen but suddenly the computer is acting wonky. Uh oh.

So I decide to restart. Restarting often helps. When it restarted, I got this black screen of much writing which then switched to another black screen of much writing and then went to my login screen. I typed. Every keep elicited a sharp beep and no words. Uhoh. I restarted. Same thing.

I unplugged the computer and unplugged everything that was attached and then plugged it back in and it booted. I’d detached the keyboard, so I had to plug that in to type my password. Beep beep beep beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep . . . !!!! I hit a key. Beeping stopped. I typed in my password. Once again, beep for every keystroke. I’m narrowing the problem I see.

I then fetched my apple keyboard (I use a kinesis ergonomic keyboard for macs). Plugged it in. All is good. As you can tell. I can’t type on this keyboard professionally because it just isn’t ergonomic enough. However, I should be able to finish Blood Winter. Panic averted. However, I still have to try to figure out how to get this other keyboard fixed and the worst part is that I think it’s out of warranty and is fucking expensive. Woe. Woe is me.

On another note, we tried to see the northern lights last night. They were supposed to be visible from our area. We even drove north do have dinner, do a little shopping, hang with a friend, and then see them. We waited. And watched and waited. Never saw anything. Brought exhausted kids home. I’m sad. But hopefully we’ll get another chance.

And now, to attempt to work. I hadn’t yet backed up today’s work into drop box (though it was on my backup drive). That has been done. And now I’m going to get back to work. I don’t actually work out of the drop box folder because I’ve had some stuff get fouled up that way. At least working on the computer, I have regular auto backups in word and also on time machine.

I want to read a book. I have a bunch, with Matchbox Girls on the top of the list. But not yet. No books until Blood Winter is done.

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