…I am typing this blog post from behind a pristine, glorious, 30″ LCD monitor, courtesy of HP’s customer care department!

Finally, the broken monitor which was replaced by another broken monitor has now been replaced by a working monitor!

Now to figure out what to do with my old broken 19″ and the temporary but still functional 14″

Day 274/365

I broke someone else’s hard drive… (iPhone photo)

Well ok, not really. This one was defective. It refused to stay on. The USB cable seemed to fit kind of loosely since it was purchased and it would turn off randomly. Per the advice of a tech guy, I opened the enclosure containing the portable hard drive to see if it would help it stay on.

It didn’t.

I found myself having to push the cable in and twist it clockwise, HARD, and then hold the USB cable in that position to keep the hard drive on. If I flinched, it would turn off. It’s hard to operate a computer when both your hands are busy pushing and twisting a cable…

Refund please!!

In other news…

Day 275/365

My replacement monitor just got here a few minutes ago!! Here’s to hoping that it’s not defective too (iPhone photo)

Just three more big boxes and I’ll finally be able to call jaws of life to pry me out of my basement!

I forgot to write it as such, but that last post was actually Day 268/365. So today, I start with Day 269/365 in what will hopefully be the last segment and exciting conclusion to the Broken Screen Trilogy.

I’m still trying to attach Spielberg as the director for it but we’ll see.

Trilogies are psychologically satisfying. They are the basic building blocks to any good story.

Beginning, middle and end. Exciting introduction, obstacle, resolution.

You could condense a movie trilogy’s story structure into a single movie as long as you keep its three act structure and it wouldn’t lose anything except the extensive details that allow Hollywood to milk as much money out of a franchise as they possibly can. But money aside, the three act structure is as old as time. Ok the Greeks came up with it but whatever. Go read up on Aristotle

Here’s the story arc to my little adventure:

Act 1, I received my new monitor and started setting it up. Exciting Introduction!

Act 2, I found out it was defective. Obstacle! RAWR!!

Act 3, I received an email from HP saying they’d send a replacement. Resolution!

Ball’s in your court Mr. Spielberg! I envision a $700 million budget with me in the lead role. I’ve instructed my imaginary agent to ask for $699 million of that. Good luck making a movie for a million bucks.

Day 269/365

The big monitor box, sitting there waiting for its replacement to arrive, while its two significantly smaller friends hang around in the background (iPhone photo)

Day 270/365

After a tiring downtown shoot, I went up to Ensign Peak to relax and enjoy the view. I only managed 2 shots with my iPhone before I was caught.

I really love this shot. Anonymous, natural and best of all, peaceful (iPhone photo)

Day 271/365

Ben & Liz

Day 272/365

I actually shot maternity pictures that day, but the subject insisted I didn’t post any pictures online. Oh well. Lightpost in a parking lot (iPhone photo)

So my screen is still broken, but now it’s new and it’s huge.

But’s it’s still FRIGGIN’ BROKEN!!

Awesome (30″ screen next to Heidi’s 14″ temporary monitor):

NOT so friggin’ awesome!

There’s a thin yellow line running all the way down on the left side of the screen. Customer Care is going to be calling me within the next 2 business days. To do what, you ask? No clue. The person giving me the case number wouldn’t tell me.

My hope? They’ll send someone out to my house with a new screen.

Realistically? They’re probably sending someone out here to kill me and steal my defective screen.

There’s no thrill quite like murder and stealing broken equipment!

Waiting anxiously for anything to get here when FedEx is in charge isn’t much fun. With UPS I know I can expect a package anytime between 3:00 and 3:30pm. In fact I’m expecting a print from them today. But with FedEx it’s anytime between noon and 4 or 5pm.

And I need that new monitor!

This wouldn’t normally matter that much, but I’m required to sign for this one. It’s getting here today at some point, so I’m listening for the door as I write this. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to interrupt this blog and say “We interrupt this program for an important news bulletin: Luigi! Dee monitor! She’s ah-heer!”

Anyway, I remembered at about 11:50pm last night that I needed to find something to shoot for the day. And now that I look at it, I could have done so much better. Maybe I’ll revisit the idea today and give it more care.

Maybe…

Here it is:

Day 267/365