Success! Reformatted the harddrive, downloaded the drivers correctly - and I have sound again.
Of course, now I have to call Microsoft again and have them validate this edition of Microsoft Windows.
My roommate bought a new computer last night - I was trying to figure out how to set up the router so that it would work. I have no clue. I mean, I hooked it up the way it was set up before - but I cannot get a signal to start emitting for the other computer to pick up. This is out of my area of "expertise", as I have not set up the routers that were being used before. I'm fairly sure there must be a disc that comes with them - this one doesn't have one.
Going to the website of the manufacturer - I just gave up last night as I was tired and wanted to get to bed. I have spent no little amount of time this morning getting the computer set back up the way I want it. Surveillance software; Avast! spyware; installing IE7 with tabs - I love Internet Explorer with tabs!; and other software. I mean, I could hire myself out to going around and reformatting harddrives on Windows XP and reinstalling windows for people that haven't figured out how to do it for themselves at this point.
Trust me, it took me a LONG time to understand how to do all of this stuff. I'm simply not a computer genius and doubt I ever will be. I learn what I must learn in order to not have to call some computer geek out here at $75, $100 and more per hour to have them fix it. I think the HARDEST thing that I have had to figure out is how to get sound to work. I do not have the original discs that came with this computer - all of the drivers are on those discs which were stolen out of my former house.
Now what was it I was going to do today? Oh yes, painting and fencing. Stay tuned for that junk. Lol.
So, Fin and Bobby have planted this seed in my head to try and figure out a way to get to North Carolina in early August so I can join the festivities of a giant family reunion with people I haven't seen since I was a little kid. I suppose if I set my mind to it and accept that flying out there will be WELL out of my budget - considering I would most certainly want to take my son with me - and that even having to pitch a tent in a KOA campground or something instead of doing a hotel (I hope they at least have showers at those campgrounds!), eating sandwiches and cheap stuff the entire time - I might be able to do it. I'm NOT sure, however, if I will enjoy doing all of that and spending an entire vacation in such mode.
My son, however, would probably love it, because I would most certainly want him to drive some of the way at least. Having to cover that many miles in a short period of time basically means driving all day and night. He could drive day, I'd take the night. Night driving - I believe - is really very dangerous. I don't like it - at all - especially driving trucks at night. But - Interstate driving - although it has it's perils - not near as dangerous as driving through cities. My son doesn't have his learner's permit yet - I am waiting for him to turn 16, which is in May. If he wants to drive, he is going to have to pay for his own insurance, as I cannot afford it and wouldn't pay for it if I could. I didn't get a free ride when I was growing up, I don't believe he should get the idea that everything is handed to him on a silver platter.
One of his friends that comes over now and then is working 4 nights a week - at the age of 14. He's taking in some money, considering his age, too. About $300 per week. That's pretty good for a 14 year old. He isn't supposed to be working that job at all - he's too young legally - but apparently he knows the guy that works there that knows the owner - you know, it's always about who you know. I figure that a good model for my son to look at. This kid is really helping out his parents, one of which apparently lost their job and they are tanking, fast. The kid buys his own clothes, buys food, pays for his cellphone - taking care of himself mostly.
Onto other things. The idea has been getting thrown around about combining one of the plumbing branches with ours. Our company's plumbing division is being hit even harder than the waterworks division. They have shut down stores all over the place. There is a plumbing store a mile away from our store - the idea is to have both stores running out of one complex. It would save them a chunk of change in the rental of that facility they have now - which MUST be costing them no small amount of money. That store had a forklift, a company truck and other things "necessary" for the operation of a store - at this point? They have none of that stuff, just trying to float and keep the few employees that are working there in a job.
For me? I don't care what has to happen to keep my job. If plumbing has to open up shop along side us - so beit. There's room. It would be a little crowded with all of their product and ours in the same building and yard, but - we could make it work. Or, they could find a larger facility and still be saving a lot of money. I doubt they would do that, probably tell us to make it work, whatever it takes.
The Cavco man is here - this will be his last visit. I have just about everything fixed that I was looking to get fixed. After today, no more visits. Anything further needing to be done to this place will have to occur by my own hand or a paid contractor.
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out this wireless network - totally clueless. But trying : )
Happy Saturday!
ben
3 comments:
1) KOA does have showers and quite a few other amenities and nice facilities, but they are far from the cheapest place to throw up a tent.
2) Two 850 mile days sounds dangerous; I would think you would go 700-650-300 instead.
3) I remember being thrilled to do some of the driving when I got my learners permit at 16 on a family trip from NY to Wyoming. But I doubt it was very relaxing for either parent!
4) The other thing you touched on is insurance if Caleb drives your car. In NY, insurance for any male driver under 25 is roughly triple what others pay. This means well over a hundred a month premiums.
5) High speed interstate driving is easier in some ways, as you do not have side streets or traffic lights and pedestrians to handle, but at speeds of 100 feet per second, a second or two failure to react to a rapidly developing situation (tail lights lighting up ahead) by an inexperienced driver can be disastrous. No worries about snow at least!
6) Good luck on setting up the router. Friend of mine has done it twice recently, and all I can do is be impressed. I have had such bad problems with IE7 that I have almost entirely quit using it and have mostly switched to firefox.
You know, I think I was looking into this a few years back now that I think about it. There's some kind of campground near there that is like a KOA but cheaper and the pics looked like it was a nice place.
As far as miles - I'm a driver. I've driven over a 1,000 miles in one day. I know, sounds crazy, but I've done it many times. Just getting across Texas is ridiculous if you happen to be cruising I-10. I don't really know how many miles I can drive in one day now, but I can tell you on my last longer trip of almost 500 miles a few months ago, I could have driven into the night and not slowed down.
I won't be letting him driving too fast on any roads. In fact, even IF he pays for his own insurance, he's going to have to prove that he is ready to take on the kind of responsibility that driving is. It's not going to be easy for him as far as my involvement goes - there are far too many people getting maimed and killed on the roads and much of it is ignorance, stupidity, speed and lack of attention to the job at hand: DRIVING.
I will eventually figure out the router, maybe, and with a lot of luck, and a lot of irritation, and whatever - reminds me of the first time I first encountered problems with XP - I eventually had to have someone come out and fix it for me. The price tag of that person's visit motivated me to learn how to do understand and do it myself.
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