Magic Smoke
All night, I have been tossing and turning, unable to get to sleep. I tried resting, didn't work. I tried sleeping pills, didn't work. And then, at about 4:00AM, someone left me a message on my PM window. Given I wasn't sleeping, I got up to answer it. They then headed off, all was well.
I still couldn't sleep, spent a few mins killing a little time poking at a few webpages to see if I could possibly get tired.
I then got up to head to bed.
It's about this point in time that my computer decided to catch fire.
The PSU made a 'pop' sound, there were sudden sounds of fizzing, a bright yellow glowing from inside the PSU - which I could only see because my case was open - and acrid black smoke everywhere. Needless to say I dived for the wall plug to the multibox, and thankfully the absence of power resulted in an absence of fire.
Irony #1: Only this evening was I muttering about being unable to afford to replace my main boxen with an upgraded version, wanted not so much for the performance insomuch as due to the ageing nature and therefore reliability of the components inside.
Irony #2: Only this evening I had turned down an offer for gifts for my birthday, out of a mix of pride and embarrasment at the thought of charity I couldn't return. Now, for a little context, I'm not used to getting gifts for my birthday from anyone but my parents, and they're usually giving me Needed Items like clothing, car repairs, etc - the thought of having not only friends, but ones willing to spend actual money is somewhat... disconcerting, and a bit embarrasing, because my current financial state I can't even buy what I need, nevermind gifts for others (See above, and this was before the machine went splodey).
Irony #3: The main reason the gift had been suggested is because the person in question wouldn't have been able to attend any birthday party I may have had planned - with the double-whammy being that there wasn't any birthday party.
#3.1: You see, my birthday for the first time in many years, has fallen on an actually usable date (Mar 17th is a saturday, woo) at a time when I also, for a change, actually have enough friends to try and organise such a gathering. (Suffice to say I've had impeccable luck in the past and leave it at that.) Sounds good so far? Of course it does.
Which is why today (Well yesterday now), of course, I have it confirmed that The 17&18th of March just happens to be the exact weekend my ecology paper scheduled both full days of feild trips - 8:30AM starts [Which means I can't even relax in the evening, because I have to get up and do it again the next morning], long bus-rides, the works. Now, not only do I dislike feild trips in general, this is one for a paper I don't even like! Happy St Patricks, folks! Don't worry, mine is going to be... memorable.
Dear Mr Murphy:
It has come to my attention that you have possibly been trying to imply that you hate me. In relation to this rumor, I would like to offer the following information:
I get the hint.
Now, while I could have taken the feild trip - it was pretty much perfect in tone for The Life Of Reiver, did you really have to destroy my computer the same night I'd turned away charity? I mean, there's being mean, and then there's downright sadistic.
(On the basis that you kept me awake all night, I'll choose to pretend you didn't really intend to kill me, ok?)
Yours truly, Reiver.
(EDIT (1st march): SouthernMyst, along with a few others, have decided to look into if anyone is interested in providing help, from those interested in giving a hand, or at least hoping to improve the situation. It'd be hardly fair if I didn't at least give a heads-up over it.)
I still couldn't sleep, spent a few mins killing a little time poking at a few webpages to see if I could possibly get tired.
I then got up to head to bed.
It's about this point in time that my computer decided to catch fire.
The PSU made a 'pop' sound, there were sudden sounds of fizzing, a bright yellow glowing from inside the PSU - which I could only see because my case was open - and acrid black smoke everywhere. Needless to say I dived for the wall plug to the multibox, and thankfully the absence of power resulted in an absence of fire.
Irony #1: Only this evening was I muttering about being unable to afford to replace my main boxen with an upgraded version, wanted not so much for the performance insomuch as due to the ageing nature and therefore reliability of the components inside.
Irony #2: Only this evening I had turned down an offer for gifts for my birthday, out of a mix of pride and embarrasment at the thought of charity I couldn't return. Now, for a little context, I'm not used to getting gifts for my birthday from anyone but my parents, and they're usually giving me Needed Items like clothing, car repairs, etc - the thought of having not only friends, but ones willing to spend actual money is somewhat... disconcerting, and a bit embarrasing, because my current financial state I can't even buy what I need, nevermind gifts for others (See above, and this was before the machine went splodey).
Irony #3: The main reason the gift had been suggested is because the person in question wouldn't have been able to attend any birthday party I may have had planned - with the double-whammy being that there wasn't any birthday party.
#3.1: You see, my birthday for the first time in many years, has fallen on an actually usable date (Mar 17th is a saturday, woo) at a time when I also, for a change, actually have enough friends to try and organise such a gathering. (Suffice to say I've had impeccable luck in the past and leave it at that.) Sounds good so far? Of course it does.
Which is why today (Well yesterday now), of course, I have it confirmed that The 17&18th of March just happens to be the exact weekend my ecology paper scheduled both full days of feild trips - 8:30AM starts [Which means I can't even relax in the evening, because I have to get up and do it again the next morning], long bus-rides, the works. Now, not only do I dislike feild trips in general, this is one for a paper I don't even like! Happy St Patricks, folks! Don't worry, mine is going to be... memorable.
Dear Mr Murphy:
It has come to my attention that you have possibly been trying to imply that you hate me. In relation to this rumor, I would like to offer the following information:
I get the hint.
Now, while I could have taken the feild trip - it was pretty much perfect in tone for The Life Of Reiver, did you really have to destroy my computer the same night I'd turned away charity? I mean, there's being mean, and then there's downright sadistic.
(On the basis that you kept me awake all night, I'll choose to pretend you didn't really intend to kill me, ok?)
Yours truly, Reiver.
(EDIT (1st march): SouthernMyst, along with a few others, have decided to look into if anyone is interested in providing help, from those interested in giving a hand, or at least hoping to improve the situation. It'd be hardly fair if I didn't at least give a heads-up over it.)