Life happens.........

Like I said when writing about my plan for 2008 - life happens.........

In my case it was a spill from a cup of tea over my laptop keyboard. It was not impressed. First, it started to do funny things to the screen and then just seized up and refused to recognise me at all when I tried to log back in. I guess I could get it fixed but I wasn't at all optimistic that was a worthwhile option. Plus it was overdue for renewal so I decided it was time to get out the plastic and to find and buy a new laptop.

So - as my other computer was still 'out of sorts' I had to get a new computer without an Internet connection. Long story short - I hit the newsagents for the PC mags, scoured local suppliers and rang a few numbers. Last Sunday I came across an amazing deal at the Sony Centre down at Bluewater ('he who must not be bored while I sketch' will start preening when he reads this bit as it was his suggestion that we took a look!) and I'm now the proud owner of one of these - at a great discount on the normal price I hasten to add! I have to confess I had to smile when I saw the tag line of 'raw power with refined style'. That's exactly it in a nutshell. Plus it came pre-loaded with all the software I needed (some with trial licences) so all I needed to do was take it home and fire it up

Or so I thought!

There followed the long read of the manual, useful books (I'm a Dummies fan) and more reading of the PC mags

Followed by a visit to a local computer shop for a new external hard drive for back-ups (did I mention I'd forgotten to back up as my previous one was almost full!). This time I got a VERY BIG one!

Plus I had to purchase a new modem router as the old one wouldn't support Vista. And do you know your WEC from your WPA? I didn't - but I do now!

Then I needed a new Internet security suite as my previous one was no longer listed in the PC Pro A list (see the product reviews).

Then I had to go back again as didn't have the right discs for the recovery discs - once I'd worked out how to do them........

Finally, I'd read as much of the manuals as I could cope with, had slowly pieced everything together - and I couldn't get an Internet connection. This last bit has taken over a day to sort out and after a very helpful chap called Kevin at my ISP provider confirmed that everything was set up as it should and that everything was working - but that there was a conflict somewhere. We've still not got to the bottom of it all and I'm not online as I'd planned - but I am online at long last.

Of course one of the big reliefs is that most of my reference images are archived in Flickr and most of my useful links are sitting in my "Resources for Artists" Squidoo lenses. I've lost a bit - but not as much as I could have done. I've just got this the small problem that the new security suite won't let me have access to the site as yet or a number of others which also have adverts!

Meanwhile I've zapped my way through rather a lot of paper which needed to be eliminated with my new heavy duty shredder - bought on Friday as I needed to do something during the blogging withdrawal symptoms ;)

I've also been able to do a bit more reading about 'design and composition' as a bit of light relief from reading about LANs and WANs and diagnostics and labelling all my new cables (always a good move!). So I've very nearly got a plan of action put together for design and composition - which will hopefully start very soon. However, everything is going to be a bit slower for a bit as I'm still getting to grips with a new computer (and a new keyboard), a new operating system, new software, a new security system and a new Internet connection..................

But first back to the system and software updates and the registration processes - and I must remember to go and make another cup of tea as well!

PS I knew Vista was big and often requires new hardware to run - but have you seen the size of the Windows Vista for Dummies book?!!!!!