Our computer saga
As I mentioned before, the hard drive in our computer died a couple of weeks ago and I've been dealing with it almost nonstop since. Marc Tillet, a good friend through my brother, helped retrieve my data--which was a HUGE relief. Then, I ordered a new hard drive from TigerDirect.com, but when it arrived, I could see that the connecting pins were already damaged without even opening the package all the way. So I had to send that back and the people at TD were not really concerned with my addiction to this blog or my wife's work-from-home setup, so they informed me that the replacement would not come for another 7 days at the earliest.
Some of you may also remember that the last laptop we had died prematurely through a sudden flood of the best NC sweet tea you have ever tasted dumped directly into the keyboard. That computer has been holding down a cardboard box in our closet for the past 4 years... but I suddenly had a brilliant plan!!! Although the tea rendered the old laptop unusable, I thought perhaps the hard drive was still salvageable, and could act as a crutch for our newer old laptop until we finally receive our new disk.
So here I am, after a week of downloading updates (102 for windows alone), installing drivers, scrounging for the basic software, and blindly trying every imaginable configuration, I'm finally up and running with a six-year-old Compaq hard drive transplanted into my four-year-old HP Pavilion. So whoever is still out there reading--there's hope for this old blog yet. I'll try to put up a video sometime tonight or tomorrow.
I'm glad you got the blog running, my life has not been the same without the Travis family update.
So Carlie... when are you coming to see us?
Brooklynne -- what is your work-from-home career? (Besides being a mom, which is a lifelong career in itself....)
I work for my mom, who also works from home. She works for this guy that teaches business management to dentists, through this 3 year seminar program. My mom pretty much runs his business, since he is out doing the seminars. Anyway... I do data-entry for their on-line address book (keep it up to date, making sure all of the entries are correct, take people off when they retire or die, call to check that they haven't moved) of all the dentists west of the Mississippi River. So far, I have mostly been inputting addresses, since they just started this database not too long ago. And I also "secret shop" dentists on the phone, make fake appointments and record it. So then my mom sends in consultants to meet with the doctor and their staff and show them where they could be doing a better job at the front desk/reception according to the "program" that they are learning from my mom's boss. And really I do just about anything that my mom or their marketing person need me to do. It sounds more complicated than it is, and really it is boring, mind numbing work, but I can work when Halleigh is napping, so I am thankful for the opportunity. I only work about 2 or 3 hours a day, a little in the morning before Halleigh gets up and then when she is napping, I get paid better than any other part-time job I could get and I get to be a stay-at-home mom all at the same time, it helps to pay the bills, so it works out.
I'm thinking I'm going to make a trip sometime after my spring break, which ends March 11th. And I also have a favor to ask, if you have the time. I am applying for a substitute teaching position and I need some sort of reference or something from a former teacher. I'll give you all the details when I find them out. I hope to see you guys soon!
Nice. I am all for working at home and am investigating things that would allow me to....
Miles, I'm glad you're so dedicated. I'm around perfectly working computers everyday and still find it hard to stay consistent with blogging. You're a trooper.