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I technically have two computers - I have my faithful old desktop, a Dell Inspiron 8300 that was purchased in 2003 and includes a floppy disk drive AND a ZIP disk drive (woo! Old-school!), and I have my work laptop which is a Sony VAIO thingybob that seems nice. It even has the fancy fingerprint scanner that you can use instead of a password.

Problem is, my desktop has been getting progressively slower and sadder as the years pass. Just recently, it has had some kind of awful spyware-malware-bad thing happen and my Google search results started being redirected and I haven’t been able to access DasBecca which makes me sad (it redirects to an XAMPP splash page for no discernable reason - my hosts file looks normal), and it’s been paralyzingly slow. I ran some spyware controls which got rid of some stuff but it’s still super slow and just… ugh. Nevermind the fact that Firefox 3 never manages to successfully close - I keep trying to open it and it’ll pop up and say “Firefox is already running. Please close down that process or blah blah blah” and I have to open the task manager and shut down the process so I can start it up again. BLEH.

It’s old enough that I’m seriously thinking about replacing it with something shinier and fancier just so I don’t have to deal with it, but I can’t quite convince myself to do it because it would be a pretty hefty investment. I could afford a new computer, I am just not sure if I want to give up on this one yet.

I haven’t reformatted in a while, so as long as I made sure to back up my programs and files I could probably wipe my windows partition, reinstall, and be okay, but is it worth it to try to resurrect a 5 year old computer? Should I give in and get something nicer (like a refurbished Macbook Pro)?

RSS readers, you are totally missing out. Come on over!

This is the first new layout I’ve put up in a loooooong time, but I am thrilled with it. I am still working out the kinks, so please excuse any dust for the first couple of days.

Squee!

Here’s my Friday 5:

• What was the last song that stuck in your brain and wouldn’t go away?
  If you follow me on Twitter, you will know that this is Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.” For some reason it has infiltrated my brain and won’t leave me alone. Fortunately, I do actually like this song, but I still don’t want it stuck in my head forever.
• What’s something that sticks around long after you wish it would leave?
  The current administration.
• To what use did you put your last sticky note?
  Cut the non-sticky part off and used it to label a manila folder at work. Then when I am through with that project or want to switch it out, I can just replace the sticky note and the folder is unscathed.
• When did you last have Pixy Stix?
  Oh man, waaaaay too long ago. Like, long enough that I can’t remember the last time I had them.
• What is something you are a stickler for?
  Spelling. I am not totally insane about it, I promise, but I am definitely put off by misspellings (I got an email newsletter recently that jokingly referenced “Russian Roullete,” which, while it looks fancier than “Roulette,” totally put me off the joke) and misuse of words like “their, they’re and there” and “your and you’re.”

Enjoy this Friday and I hope you all have a wonderful three-day weekend! (I myself am trying to remember not to come in to work on Monday. For some reason I feel like I am going to forget.)