Ricky Buchanan ([info]rickybuchanan) wrote,
@ 2008-04-17 02:23:00
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Ugh
I feel like crap.

Neverending crash, it feels like. In fact probably little things one after the other but they PILE UP something awful.

Not looking for sympathy, just wanted to let people know why I am not much around. Haven't even managed to train MacSpeech Dictate properly yet (it doesn't like my voice changes when I tire :/) or keep up with my self-set schedule for ATMac postings :(. Very not happy about both of these things.

Also having MAJOR trouble with my right shoulder apropos of nothing. Both massage goddess and cute osteopath have worked on it and it's improving, but far from right.

And according to CFS Doc, my vitamin D ratio is 12.68 now. This will possibly mean something to others with CFS but it's Not Good. CFS doc actually thinks it's SO bizarrely bad (and different from the last set which IIRC were <2) it might be a lab mistake and wants to repeat the tests in a month. Waiting is.

I am grumpy. And lonely. But i had a lovely troll visitor today who helped me to test out my snugglebed - thanks to [info]mordwen and [info]journey2master for the snugglebed and its delivery.

Anybody wanna visit? Either for chatting or for the the "bring a book/your knitting/homework and sit with me" type of visits would be HUGELY appreciated. I is lonely. Friends have been super-busy (haven't seen bestfriends since November!) and regular visitors are all sick or away or busy or ... something.

Bah. Humbug.

r
PS
Shadow Unit is still the best thing since sliced bread.

PPS
I want one of these: Power Meters now they're a reasonable price. Anybody could pick it up for me?

PPPS
Who knows stuff about UPSs?

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[info]isabeau
2008-04-16 04:50 pm UTC (link)
*hugs*

I would totally come visit if it were at all practical :)

(and I disagree re SU -- it's *better* than sliced bread. ...well, not for sandwiches, but.)

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[info]rickybuchanan
2008-04-20 07:48 am UTC (link)
I know. *hugs*

SU is indeed better than sliced bread but I don't know any better simile :(

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[info]not_in_denial
2008-04-16 05:56 pm UTC (link)
snugglebed! when I get back from Canberra I'm going to come seeeeeeeeee yoooooooooou. *stalks*

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[info]rickybuchanan
2008-04-20 07:46 am UTC (link)
You'd better!! Or I'll have to stalk *you* and you know how sick that'd make me :)

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MacSpeech Dictate contributing to your woes?
(Anonymous)
2008-04-16 07:37 pm UTC (link)
After using the software for over a month, I finally went and bought a licensed copy today.

It does take some patience to get to work the way you want it to, but it is worth the effort. Stay with it, and I'm sure it will stabilize for you. Have you updated it to the most recent version? There are a few new features that make it a little easier to recognize your words (if you use technical words, etc).

Hope this message finds you in good spirits.

RJ, Toronto

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Re: MacSpeech Dictate contributing to your woes?
[info]rickybuchanan
2008-04-20 07:48 am UTC (link)
Thank you for the encouragement. Yes, it is. It starts off recognising great then as my fatigue kicks in my voice gets slightly slurred and it totally fails. :( My fault, not the software I think.

Still working at it.

When I do the "check for updates" it says it's up to date, but it's still the version I got on the DVD - is the update manual?

Thank you.

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[info]crypticgirl
2008-04-16 09:28 pm UTC (link)
It appears that I (a) have a four day weekend this week because of the way I've worked things over the last little while, (b) am not sick or terribly busy, and (c) snugglebed? What is this snugglebed you speak of? Let me know what works! :)

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[info]rickybuchanan
2008-04-20 07:46 am UTC (link)
Argh. Forgot to reply! Please phone me!

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[info]splodgenoodles
2008-04-17 03:14 am UTC (link)
Sorry I'm not around at all at the moment.

Too damn sick. :-(

GP is due in an hour or two.

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[info]ltlpengy
2008-04-17 04:06 am UTC (link)
Hugs for you honey

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(Anonymous)
2008-04-17 08:04 am UTC (link)
Just sending lots of *HUGS* because of being a little bit too far away to come and visit...Maizie

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[info]acelightning
2008-04-17 08:37 am UTC (link)
1. what's a snugglebed?

2. you know i'd be there until you couldn't stand the sight of me any more, if there just weren't this inconvenient planetary diameter in the way :-(

3. i know a little bit about UPSs, largely because i have one. it has powered four or five computers, two monitors, two mice, two keyboards, two KVM switches, three or four USB hubs, a modem, a hub, and a router, for long enough to shut everything down gracefully. (that means that under that much load, it will last for 15 to 20 minutes.) it will also power one computer, one keyboard, one LED monitor, one mouse, the modem/hub/router, and two USB hubs, for at least two hours. there is software that will shut down one computer gracefully when the UPS kicks in, but i don't use it, because most of the time our power outages only last a few minutes; i could also make it shut down all the computers, but it would cost me extra. (i also suspect the software is Windows-only.) if there's anything else you want to know about UPSs, just ask.

*hugs*, and feel better, dearest penguin!

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[info]rickybuchanan
2008-04-20 07:45 am UTC (link)
1. Ask Nikolai :)

2. What current can they deliver? Are the cheap ones perceptibly less good than the less cheap ones, and in what ways?

Thank you! *hugs*
r

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[info]acelightning
2008-04-20 12:17 pm UTC (link)
i'd love to ask nikolai what a snugglebed is... oh, you mean in email... ;-D

Tripp-Lite is one of the better manufacturers of UPSs - the one i've got is a Tripp-Lite, and it has performed perfectly for more than five years, without any attention from me at all. Tripp-Lite sells off-the-shelf units that start at "up to 450" and go up to 10,000 volt-amperes (which is enough for a medium-size data center).

within a given manufacturer's line of products, the more power you want out of the unit, the more expensive it will be. but some companies are cheaper than others. don't buy the really cheap ones - they're not as durable, the warranties aren't as good, and there are quality-control issues. a good-quality UPS capable of handling the modest amount of computer equipment you have shouldn't be impossibly expensive.

not only does a UPS provide electricity when the mains are off, they also stabilize the incoming power if it fluctuates at all. you'll hear clicking noises if it's doing that. just don't connect a laser printer (or a multi-function device that includes a laser printer) to a UPS. laser printers use horrendous amounts of power.

more than that, i can't tell you, because your electricity is different from mine :-(

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[info]braunie
2008-04-17 11:19 am UTC (link)
Well, dang. I'd love to hang out--besides, I've always wanted to visit Melbourne. Alas, you know the score. But I'll send my good wishes along that better times will come along. *hugs*

Heh--UPS is United Parcel Service as far as I know.


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[info]sheramil
2008-04-18 04:18 am UTC (link)
did someone say bed?

...

An hour later they were examining an expanded version of the map with, respectively, annoyance, despair and I-told-you-this-wasn't-going-to-work. In deference to the humans' limited visualisation skills the map now covered the end of the bridge; a section of a sphere twenty yards across with even more icons than the previous version. Elif could just about grasp a notion of where they were headed and that each gap in the Exclusion zone that they might have squeezed through was being closed off. Several times he was on the verge of pointing out a likely detour, only to see a dozen blinking red plus-signs converge on that spot. "It's enough to make you think it's a conspiracy," he muttered.

"Conspiracy theories grow in the spaces where you have no idea what's going on," Tai chided. "So, Russ: what is going on here?"

Russ peered at the map. "They are distributed evenly over this area," pointing, "in effect, closing off eighty percent of our possible routes. At the moment our best course is... here," indicating a long, flat loop around the edge of the Zone. "Travel time: six hundred and seventy-nine hours." Elif and Tai shared a look. Russ sighed. "I'll have Ron print out a bed for you, Elif."




foreshadowing, lol.

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[info]rickybuchanan
2008-04-20 07:44 am UTC (link)
Woot!

You can never have enough Eyelash :)

Wanna come test the bed some more this week??

Hugs,
r

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[info]acelightning
2008-04-20 12:20 pm UTC (link)
please tell me more about the snugglebed?

(can you send me a program so i can print one out?)

*hugs*

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[info]acelightning
2008-04-20 12:28 pm UTC (link)
p.s. - some random videos you might enjoy:

Discovery Channel promotional announcement, "I Love The Whole World" - see if you can spot Stephen Hawking!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5BxymuiAxQ

someone interpreting a Marilyn Manson song in sign language:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaAmlhzELpw

guy with no arms plays guitar with his feet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3gMgK7h-BA

elephants paint pictures, including self-portraits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

*hugs*

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[info]acornsndaisies
2008-04-21 04:01 am UTC (link)
I'm so sorry you're bored and lonely right now. So I thought I'd just pop in and say hi. Also, I never thanked you for your kind reply to my oh-my-god-I'm-going-so-deaf-post about a year ago. I really appreciated your support and I'm sorry I was so down at the time that I didn't respond.

I hope you get the problems with MacSpeechDictate worked out. Back before my myelin healed I tried to use a dictation program and it was very, well, flighty.

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Mac speech dictate
[info]cedar51
2008-04-26 09:22 am UTC (link)
Ricky
I'm actually dictating this whole thing via my dragon NaturallySpeaking software. What you have to learn to do is just talk to it naturally, not fast not slow just you ornery speaking voice!
Some days I'm quite pleased with it, other days I could scream. I don't really use it enough and I've never really used it for an essay, mostly because I don't know if it would really work as well as I expect.
Apparently some software does not like the person's voice but if you are prepared to persevere you should be okay.
Try to use it daily, possibly at different times because there may be times when you'll voice is stronger.
I have not had to correct anything this time except for screen (scream!)
Take care
Cathy

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