June 13th, 1999

My Computer Woes Continue

Today I searched fruitlessly for computer alternatives that I could use to work on my stories and journal entries. I could not get into the Clarion computer room in Van Hoosen Hall because no one could find the key, and I could not get into the campus computer labs without a student pin number. I went up to the computer lab staff with my temporary student ID and said, "How do I get a pin number?"

"You already have one."

"How do I find out what it is?"

"Talk to the administration on Monday. Or find a bill. It's probably on your bill."

I went to my dorm room and checked my bill I had been given when I'd checked in.. There was no pin number listed. And that was when I started first to scream, and then to just sulk. I did not join the group of students that were leaving for lunch because I did not want to be social when everyone else was happy and I was not.

I am rescued

Then Toby came by and said, "Hilary, I heard what happened. I have a spare laptop with me. Everything works except the keyboard on it, so you'll need to get a separate keyboard to make it work, but at least you'll be able to write."

I already had a separate keyboard which I was planning to use with my laptop, so I just stood there with my mouth wide open for a minute or two. Then I said, "Really?"

"Yeah."

I hugged him so much and said thank you so many times that I think I embarrassed him.

The Workshop Officially Starts

Shortly before we all left for orientation, our fellow student Fred Ollinger arrived. He came by, carryng a backpack, a jacket and running shoes, and asked where his dorm room was. We showed it to him and offered to help him bring up the rest of his stuff. "This is everything," Fred said. I realized that I had lost the distinction of being the lightest packer of the group.

At Orientation, we had a buffet, met all of the Clarion staff, went over rules, and met James Morrow, our resident author this week. At about nine o'clock, he hands us three manuscripts to critique by the next morning at nine in the morning, and several people are trying to finish up their first new stories already. The Clarion pressure cooker has started.

Rescue Number Two

Nathan, one of the Clarion staff who specializes in computers, came by my room to check out my laptop. After trying out a number of things, he said, "Wow, this one is fucked." He then offered to take it back to the hardware lab where he works at his other job and have the folks there look at it and see if they could fix it.

About fifteen minutes later, Karen finds me to tell me that Nathan called while I was stepped out of my room for a few minutes. "Your computer is working! Nathan got it going again."

"But he told me it was fucked."

Karen grinned. "Apparently, the diagnosis of fucked was premature."

I have my own computer back, and I am ecstatic.

Hmm