The Gaming Outpost

The theory of the butterfly effect, from which the film Butterfly Effect in which I am currently analyzing the temporal anomalies for The Examiner, is that one little detail can tip the balance of events drastically.  However, inherent in that theory is that this one little detail combines with innumerable other little details to bring about the outcome–as illustrated by recent events here.

The recent death of my mother-in-law has, in addition to saddening the family, put a serious pinch on our finances, and will continue to do so for at least a month, as the expense involved exceeds the sum of all our savings (such as they are), her insurance, and the next few paychecks, which were shortened by virtue of missed work days.  We are thus struggling financially through Christmas; we might have a tree, thanks to the interest of our eldest, whose own financial difficulties cause me to question whether he is wise to do so, but the more grateful.  Thus when late Friday my computer crashed and would not reboot, I had serious concerns about how I would pay for diagnosis and repair–but knew it had to be done somehow, even if it took a few days to do it.

Then the blizzard struck overnight, and by morning it was doubtful whether even my four-wheeled Jimmy would be able to negotiate the streets–which would have been pointless, as a phone call demonstrated that the computer place was not open anyway.  I left a message Saturday and again Sunday, but they did not re-open until today.  I will be taking the stack to them as soon as I am finished here, and hopefully will have money by the time they have fixed the problem, which hopefully will be before Christmas.  One cannot predict these things, though, so I hesitate to make any prognostications.  It might be the boot drive (I do not have boot disks for the new operating system), or the cable to the drives, or a weakening power supply.  Whatever it is, it has crippled me in so many areas.

Mercifully, I made the decision a few years ago to backup every currently active file to CD every Sunday night. That means I have copies of all the article drafts for The Examiner, and was able with only a bit more trouble than usual to upload the newest, Butterfly Effect part 5:  sophomoric antics, and to make the announcement in the usual places.  I cannot update those files, as I am using another son’s computer, and although he was happy to have me install my Windows 2000 program for his future use, I would not impose by using up his considerably more limited hard drive space with my files unnecessarily; nor would I overstay my welcome in his bedroom using his computer, but that he has other places to be enough of the time that I am only occasionally disrupting his sleep.

All of which is to say that I continue to post and announce those Examiner articles, and to post the chaplain’s Corinthians study, but that all other work is temporarily on hold pending resolution of the current crisis.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

–M. J. Young