New COTR page is up. I’m posting remotely so I don’t have a direct link.

Alas, out little iMac is on it’s last leg – the screen has wavy blue lines across it so that’s finally going. I’m going to do a backup, then figure out our options.

I really don’t want – or need – to buy a brand new intel Mac. None of our programs will work and the cost of upgrading would be harsh.

So I’m going to see if I can arrange for a temporary replacement somehow.

None of this should interrupt the cartoon though – unless the screen completely fizzles.

However, if you’ve been holding off on purchasing Cash & Carry, now would be a good time to buy.

Great writer, great guy. Met him at the Baltimore Bouchercon last year.
He talks about his latest project here.

Testing went very well. I guess I was a bit pumped because my partner hit the mat hard enough to toss his glasses. Oops.
Now, the girls test for their deputy black belt on Wednesday.

Here are the daughter units just before the Blue Man Group show. Tickets were a gift for their 14th birthday.

Well, I tried to work on the comic last night but my eyes just couldn’t handle looking through the wavy blue lines on our little iMac screen for very long.
I’ll do a bit more tonight and see if I can finish it.
Meantime I’m working on securing a replacement computer – another G5 mac, this time a tower.
I know, all the new ones are intel and faster. But I’d need to spend way more than I can right now not only on hardware but software upgrades.
It’ll be hard enough getting another computer up and running without also wrangling all new software.
Plus, I’m done with iMacs. They’re nice but they can’t handle our workload. I need something I can swap out parts when they go bad.
Hopefully I’ll have something this week.

Oh ACEN, you made me buy a badge in order to be able to vie for a table in Artist’s Alley, so I did.
But then you wouldn’t let me sign up for that table, and then you didn’t let me know when I could.
Now I find out registration opened up last week and after I sign up I find I’m on a waiting list.
That’s not cool. I’ve emailed them. They need to make it right – either a table or a refund.

UPDATE: So, now I’m banned from ACEN. Cool!

UPDATE II: After going through some hoops that I won’t bore anyone with, it looks like I’ll be attending ACEN after all. But it did involve a good email from ACEN. However, I do still need a table. Anyone want to share?

Yay! Got the replacement computer up and running, new monitor lots of memory etc., etc.

Just in time for the holidays and no time to do new pages for the next few weeks. Oh well, at least I can post new pages for Something to build upon.

I hate when technology fails.
I especially hate, hate, hate automated telephone systems. All they’re designed to do is take away jobs from real people. When they don’t work, they add frustration to the whole process. It took me a half hour to order movie tickets over the phone for NO GOOD REASON.
And you know what else? I don’t like it when you have real people but they’re all the way over in a different country. I don’t have anything against those people, but the system is set up where those people don’t have any real power in or knowledge of the system. So they more often than not can’t answer my questions and I have to spend my time convince them to transfer me to someone who can help me.
I’m not tech ignorant, I’m very efficient when I want to be, especially when I’m on the phone or on the web. I’m ready to do business.
So when I have to deal with a poorly designed website (like with a certain con), or navigate through a crappy phone tree system (no I don’t want to join your stinking movie club) or deal with AT&T in general, I get seriously pissed off.
I’m ready to do business. Stop being stupid and get out of my way.

When I’m in the Detroit area, I like to visit Green Brain comics in Dearborn.
It’s a nice, clean shop and my daughters are usually able to find things for all ages.
This time we had two of their cousins with us – a boy and girl who had never been to a shop before.
For him, we got a Batman in the Fifties book. For her, the first Jane Irwin Vogelein graphic novel.
The girls picked up the last in the “Beast of Burden” miniseries and the second trade of “Raven’s Children” by Layla Lawlor.
I also bought the latest in the Red Herring” series. Haven’t decided about that series yet.
Another good outing there – get to that store if you can.

Well, not exactly. But I am now a Vice President. Sure, it’s only for the Midwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, but that’s still pretty cool (I was the only candidate, and they had blackmail information to make me run BUT STILL…)
In addition to the web duties, I’ll be working on scheduling meetings and on the MWA booth at the Printer’s Row book festival. Yay me!

In other news, I’ve updated my EVENTS page with stuff for 2010. Check it out!