Hey computer friends,

My PC won’t turn on anymore. It was running okay, and then I told it to go into standby. Well, it didn’t go into standby — it just shut off.

This had happened once before, and I just needed to fully cycle through the power (unplug, replug) for it to work again. But now nothing works.

After a lot of trial and error, I see that the green LED on the back of the power supply only comes on when I have the supply disconnected from the motherboard. As soon as I connect the 24-pin connector from the PSU to the motherboard, this LED goes off.

Random Google searches talk about issues with standby power … or stored static charge. Pretty sure I’ve gotten rid of any excess static from all the fumbling around I’ve done, removing modems and video cards and detaching/reattaching RAM, etc. But it seems the motherboard won’t accept the PSU anymore?

I bought LostWinds for WiiWare and love it.  Spent 2 hours on it, and I think I’m 75% through the game.  It’s pretty, though, and I just move a little fast.  I did miss some of the collectible statues, though, but it’s a game where you semi-backtrack when you get new powerups to get to places you haven’t before.  And locked doors that mysteriously open and close depending on plot progression.  There are always new areas, though.  It’s an entertaining game.  Very pretty music and graphics keep the experience smooth and soothing.

My professor talked about how her flight was delayed because of some instrument problems on the plane. Everyone was seated, and the plane left the gate twice .. but came back both times after some short taxi-ing, because an instrument was reading 200 knots of wind speed when they were still on the ground. Everyone had to switch planes eventually, and what surprised my professor the most was that people were pissed about it. Here’s the airplane pilot, responsible for all the lives on the plane, noticing a safety issue that could endanger everyone, so he makes the right decision about it. But everyone’s all “It doesn’t matter! Just fly already!”She wanted to go thank him, but I’m not sure if she could.

In other news, rock candy is still popular with college students.

I heard that some friends were going to see Cloverfield at midnight. With all the hype about it and the big group that was going, I asked to go, too, lest I miss out on all the discussion in the days to come. Plus I need to teach myself to stay up late again; I’ve been feeling still gradually better as each day passes.Well I spent the evening photographing the Shana that my friend let me borrow until it was time to hit the theatres. The weather had turned to a mild sleet, but it wasn’t really snow-likely. Anyway the movie was an interesting experience. I grew tired, so the shaky camera gave me a headache sometimes, but it wasn’t bad. The ending was perhaps expected, but you don’t really believe it at first. In the end, the movie was probably just all hype. It was very unique though and worth a watch, just so you get the experience of how different it is. Although I never did watch Blair Witch, although this film is very likely way better than that one was.

One in our group said, “Whoa, I forgot I was watching a movie,” and I think that was what/all the director wanted out of this film.

Got back. My hallmate was still awake, so I got his new Canon Rebel Xti camera for a quick Shana picture or two. But the ISO setting was wrong. Eh, it was very late, and I was ready for bed. More photos with both my camera (Canon PowerShot S2 IS, a great camera but clearly inferior to the more expensive SLRs) and his camera tomorrow. Oh, but I did set up my second lamp, and it does make pictures look a lot brighter. It’s just that Shana’s hair is a bit translucent, so there’s going to be some glare.

Well, I don’t do it for everyone .. just some close friends.  And only when it’s the first package I’ve sent them in a long time.

The organization I work for has hordes of leftover t-shirts from past events that it holds .. on a fairly regular basis.  And I mean a lot of shirts .. all with 2006 or 2007 written on them… or program titles that are useless today.

So if I have a package to send and I’m already over the weight limit to the point where I have to use a flat rate box from USPS?

I use these t-shirts as packing material.  Styrofoam peanuts?  Messy.  Bubble wrap?  Fleeting.  T-shirts to wear?  Awesome.

Crazy awesome.

Because if you’re just wearing them to sleep or around the house, who cares what it says?  And in a weird way, I’m semi-advertising my organization in other parts of the country.  Maybe.  Can’t hurt.  Hey, at least the shirt is being worn instead of sitting in a closet forever.  Maybe my friends will never enter a science competition, but at least they’ll have a shirt from one.