😄
I'm on the bus home, so I'll reply to this kind comment on my COP28 piece soon, but for now, my first thought was "Buddy, you don't see the drafts I rewrite so I'm *not* just venting at the thickness of the world."
But CoSo knows. When I announce that I'm going for a long pace before final editing and article upload... 🙃 that's when I'm cooling off and coming back to temper the futility with more proactive framing.
Speaking of, I have to pace before submitting my UBI piece tonight, too. 😅
Also: My laptop is ready for pick-up tomorrow! 🥳 One last trip into the city, and then hunkering down to write until New Year's. I might just meet this year's project goals after all.
It needed to be replaced entirely, alas. They sourced the part, and the price for the whole service is around 90CAD, which still puts the overall cost of repairs this month at 180CAD, 130 less what I would have paid for a refurbished replacement laptop... plus the cost of all the trips and wait time for a twice-fixed machine. 🙃 I *do* support repairing rather than tossing when one can, but I certainly understand why folks choose to dump and swap out instead!
@MLClark I'm sorry. Maybe Santa will leave a new laptop under your tree.
(Unless he gets mugged ...)
You know, considering the year we've had, I think Santa getting mugged is just about right to close things off. 😅 There's a short story in that, I'm sure!
@MLClark "The Night Santa Got Mugged." There's the title that sells.
Harlan Ellison used to write columns about hating to replace an item when it could be repaired. I remember one column about his obsession with finding a part to fix the old AM radio in his car. It was long since obsolete. But he wouldn't replace it.
And then, of course, there was his beloved typewriter, but we've told that tale ...
😬 I'm hearing a gentle warning not to go full Harlan Ellison. Loud and clear, my friend! Loud and clear.
@MLClark Your heart is too kind and warm to go full Harlan. Not possible.
You also have the capacity for remorse ... Yes, that's an implication ...
The real wonder is spending time around a lot of famous folks with deep flaws who also made a significant impact... and being able to hold their full humanity in tension, while not losing yourself in the process.
A certain poem by Rudyard Kipling comes to mind - "If" only I could remember its name... 😉
@MLClark Did they tell you what was wrong with the screen, or just that it's ready for pickup?
Those of us who once did tech support are curious to know. 🤔
I'm wondering if it was just a loose cable.