A fist pump

In less than 24hrs, I’ve gone from the depths of despair to the wondrous heights of joy. 🙂 What about you ask? I’ve upgraded my Palm Treo 750 to Windows Mobile 6.0 without any major mishap. I did this despite Microsoft’s ActiveSync program refusing to connect with my device no matter what I did. I did this despite my investment in a bluetooth usb adapter that refused to sync via bluetooth with ActiveSync. I knew that I couldn’t dare upgrade to Windows Mobile 6 knowing that I couldn’t connect to ActiveSync. Why? Because all my freaking contacts, calendar appointments, tasks etc were being held hostage! So, I ponied up $9.95 for a tool (Sprite Migrator tool) which was whipped out on the eve of Microsoft announcing the release of WM 6.0 for Palm Treo 750. I backed up the items that I could and prayed to heavens that the backup was good. Then, I started on the task of reformatting my phone before even upgrading to WM 6.0. I didn’t want to take any chances of some 3rd party application mucking up this critical point in my phone’s life. After all was done, WM 6.0 popped up nice and pretty. Right away, I noticed several pretty points about it. There are still some features I would like such as being able to do a true ‘soft’ reset that’s more akin to a non-destructive recovery of a wayward computer. Currently, a soft reset of your Treo 750 means it just reboots. Right now, the best feature of WM 6.0 is the ability to turn off ATT’s proxy!!! This means no crossing my fingers and hoping that a .CAB file I pulled off the intarweb ((That’s not to say that 3rd party apps rock at times like said .CAB file. It worked wonders when my Treo was running WM 5.0)) won’t mess with the phone’s innards. It comes already packaged by Microsoft!! This ability to turn off ATT’s proxy means (for me) that I can simply install my Spectec miniSD wifi card‘s driver and pop the little thing in & I’m good to surf the internet. That was however easier said than done. Spectec’s website is not the easiest to understand, but I decided to email the contact person who led me to the files to download. I was able to get online without a problem. Without further ado, I started downloading and installing my favorite mobile phone applications like Windows Live Search, Google Maps, Yahoo to Go, Spybot for Mobile Phones, etc. As I got more confident that I hadn’t irreversibly messed with anything, I decided to tackle my bête noire: ActiveSyncing again. This time, I tried to find some free tool to replace ActiveSync on a Mac, but to no avail. Then, I stumbled upon this gem: there’s a service (Mail2Web) that allows you to create an email account that’s managed by a Microsoft Exchange Server. Well, it just so happens that there’s a feature in ActiveSync on the phone that allows you to sync your contacts/tasks/appointments/calendar to your email as long as it’s on an Exchange server. Without even thinking twice, I signed up and as I speak, I’ve got my contacts safely synced with my Mail2Web free account. Now, for something theoretically this easy, you’d expect me to breeze through it. Not so. Being worried about somehow accidently getting through on ATT’s internet network, I’d click “cancel” whenever a window popped up on the phone about connecting to the “ATT GPRS or 3G network”. And everytime I did this, my contacts et al would sync, but after awhile, I’d get a temporary network error code (0x8502000F). I was stumped and worried that I’d have to do another reformat of the phone to clear the cobwebs in my phone’s brain. I initially though that I didn’t set up the server source right so I deleted the Microsoft exchange connection toMail2Web. I didn’t read the fine print and found out that deleting that server source took my contacts/tasks/calendar/appointments with it!!! Now, I was madder than a hornet. To make matters worse, I’d installed and uninstalled the Spectec driver enough times to addle the phone’s brain such that it would show me as being connected or start randomly connecting even when the darn wifi card wasn’t in the phone!! No number of soft resets could get the phone to stop acting up. I decided to install a WM 6 compatible driver for my phone although it’s really for the Motorola Q device. This was recommended by a Henry who responded to my email for help on the right/updated drivers for Treo 750. After popping the wifi card in and then out, the phone miraculously didn’t still keep searching for a wifi signal. I did a soft reset without the card in to confirm that I wasn’t seeing things and voila! all was right with my world again. So, I decided go ahead and test my internet connection. I got right on. First order of business was to square out the Mail2Web server thingamahoochie and I’ll be damned if I didn’t get my contacts/tasks/calendar back!! 😀 Then, I was able to configure Outlook on the phone to send emails! That’s another sweet thing about WM 6 which has more options for tinkering with important settings. So right now, all is right with my world/phone.

In other news, I still haven’t done my Christmas shopping. I’m thoroughly confuddled as to what to get people, but we shall see. Take care y’all and Thank God It’s Friday!!!!!!! lol. Can you tell I’m really excited!!! I got M to take me to work today and he graciously yielded to my request even though he’s been recovering marvellously from an attack of the evil flu. Wednesday night saw M sicker than I’ve ever seen him i.e. with a 100+ fever. I like cuddling to a warm M, but he was burning up!! I eventually had to wipe him down with a wet towel which he didn’t like too much. 🙂 Still, he’s got some congestion going on and I hope it clears up soon. I also hope my immune system doesn’t succumb to any germs because I had had my bout with some sort of weird illness that lasted one night (Tuesday night). I swear I never fall ill and I think my body’s waiting for me to go home to Nigeria and have the mother of illnesses befall me. lol. It’s the strangest thing to not have been sick at all here in USA and have had lots of bouts with malaria etc at home. Oh well….

Today’s the department christmas party which I didn’t not “dress up” for. In fact, I didn’t take a shower this morning (I intend to later on in the day) and have a scarf on my head which a department worker thinks is a hat?! It’s at 6pm and I’m not so sure if I’ll be going. There’s also another department’s christmas party at 6.30pm which I’m not so sure I’ll be going for either. Then, tomorrow is the lab’s get together at the bosses’ place at 1pm. I’m starting to have second thoughts about that too because of how long it’s potentially going to last. Depending on my mood, I can be a lingerer or an in-and-out girl. We shall see says cryptic Jane.

When the cat is away…

Feel free to complete that old adage. Those words were ne’er truer on Friday. The boss was gone and several interesting things happened. Generally, I don’t care and probably would have been bad except that I did have things to do that kept my hands busy. All I’m gonna say is I hope to hell that certain someone (CS) didn’t screw anything up from having so much “fun”. It’s past 6pm and I’m still at the lab. My life can be so fun sometimes. 🙂

A wee bit frustrated

There’s a little known fact about me: sometimes, the really small stuff gets to me. We have some sort of sharing system going on. Without divulging too much, it’s a situation that’s causing me to rip the little hairs out and the kicker is that it’s over little stuff. Seriously, how do I let go of the little stuff? Grrrh.

Being busy

Wow, I feel like I’ve been ripped off. I bought a $29.99 Belkin Bluetooth Adapter from CompUSA on the 24th only for them to unleash a $20 rebate the next day (i.e. today)!!! What gives?? Well, the first thing is that I placed another order for a Bluetooth Adapter. The second is I shall be calling to request a return authorization number (RMA) in order to return the other adapter I ordered. Grrrrh.. I’m so not looking forward to working tomorrow after 4 days off the grid. 🙁

Bank drama et al

Well, well, well. The saga isn’t over yet no matter how much I’d like it to be. The first salvo has been fired by yours truly (me). My initial demands from Bank of America & Wachovia were: (i) figure out whose fault it was that a valid check issued by BoA was rejected (ii) In the meantime, get $20 in fees refunded back to me (Wachovia) (iii) Can I get my check reissued again (BoA)? Thus far, Wachovia finally agreed to refund the $20 in fees which was rather unexpected. I called their customer service line on a hunch today and I got in touch with a very understanding representative. She said the magic words that I needed to hear: “I don’t know if it was our bank screw-up or BoA’s. I just know it wasn’t your fault.” Those words were salve to my hurting bank account. Is it so hard for banks to actually empathize with their customers? So, right now, all I need from BoA is a conclusion of their so-called “investigation” and a refund of my darned security deposit. The funny/weird thing though is the money will still go to paying off my credit card bill. Talk about irony.

In other news, I think I’ve put on 10lbs this week. From the start of my 4-day weekend to the end (tomorrow), it has been a food orgy. 🙂 I spent Thanksgiving with Matt’s paternal side of the family. It was an interesting experience. The best part was getting to meet a golden retrieve named Ginger. I like to think I got along fabulously with her and her keepers. 😀 I met some new and old people & got re-acquainted. The food and booze/wine/liquor/liqueur was excellent. By the way, those last two words are pronounced differently as I learned.  Friday was spent semi-detoxifying from all the food from Thursday. Saturday, M & I headed down to Julie’s where we sampled another of her creations. This time, she made some kick ass chili (meatless and regular) which I told her hubby was better than Wendy’s chili. 🙂 I also told him that that was one great compliment considering how much I looove Wendy’s chili. Just ask M.

Finally, I’m going to have to keep this post short because Matt’s glaring at me. He needs to be up before 10am after the little get-together at Julie’s place. I finally caved in and got a bluetooth adapter for my computer. I’m hoping to be able to do fun tricks with PDA & my computer. We’ll see how that goes. I consider little peripherals like the adapter “investments.” Seriously, I’ve got peripherals for my computer coming out the wazoo. Thankfully, they are all things that are swappable so I figure when I get my laptop, I can share these items e.g. my bluetooth adapter, external hard drives, usb floppy drive, wireless adapter, etc. I’m considering going to do some work tomorrow. I’ll let you know how that goes. Till next time, ciao.

If I could, I would

*shaking head* I am really pissed off right now at two of my banks. I received a refund of my collateral ($99) from one of them and cashed this amount at the second bank around the 1st week of November. Fastforward to this morning, I checked account at second bank to find that the check from 1st bank I cashed was returned. Being the financially unsound person that I have been, this sent me in the red (with pending charges even!!). I call up 2nd bank who can’t tell me the reason check was returned because the “Returns Department” is not available. I call 1st bank to ask why their check bounced and CSR hems-and-haws. Long story short, 1st bank is doing some research/investigation. 2nd bank needs me to call to remind them to not charge me overdraft fees some something that was not my fault. I’m sick of 1st bank’s shenanigans. Before the year is over, I can going to cancel my account with them. That will be my gift and promise to myself.

As for 2nd bank (that would be Wachovia), if I could, I would cancel my savings/checking account with them. The problem is the hassle of updating other payments with new information from other account. They are awful at updating their customers with current information on their account status. After this latest fiasco, I am going to seriously consider those WaMu deals. 🙂 Afterall, this devil I know (Wachovia) is becoming to be more than I can handle. Maybe the saint I don’t know (WaMu) will spice things up.

Having a plan for the future

So, I’ve been reading up on financial articles and the like. Particularly, those that focus on how to start saving for retirement, paying off credit card debt, you get the picture. Right now, we have some “manageable” debt. Mostly what I brought with me into my union. 🙂 Sorry, M. lol. Sometimes, I freak myself out with scenarios of the bank suddenly wanting it all back. That’s not/never happen(ing)(ed) as I pay my bills on time, etc. Anyhow, my financial plan for the new year will be to be 80% free of my credit card bills. I will have them and use them. The new thing I will do is make sure that I pay the balance back in full each month.

I’ve been boning up on my news via the internet. So much is going on that it makes me wonder sometimes if I can return to the staleness of TV. lol. As me if I think that when we get cable. I haven’t watched TV in a long while save when I visit M’s sister & her husband. I don’t miss it so this whole writer’s strike is not affecting me so much. I just read at article on Yahoo about a crime that occurred in California. Apparently, a
trio of young black men (YBM) stormed a white family’s house at around 4am. They harassed the home owner for Marijuana and brained the poor man’s son with a baseball bat. Said son is currently in rehabilitation after suffering some serious brain damage. Well, in my mind, home owner justifiably shoots 2 intruders in the back as the 3rd one runs away. A rarely used law is then pulled out and 3rd intruder gets charged with murder of the other two. I the eyes of the law: “The Provocative Act doctrine does not require prosecutors to prove the accused intended to kill. Instead, “they have to show that it was reasonably foreseeable that the criminal enterprise could trigger a fatal response from the homeowner,” said Brian Getz, a San Francisco defense attorney unconnected to the case.” Therefore, my points are:

  1. Robbing a house is likely to trigger an extreme amount of rage in the person whom you are robbing.
  2. Robbery will likely get you staring down the barrel of shot gun or others in that vein.
  3. When in tarnation is it okay to break into someone’s home even if it’s just for marijuana? Check out what the 3rd intruder’s mom had to say: “Hughes’ mother, San Francisco schoolteacher Judy Hughes, said she believes the group didn’t intend to rob the family, just buy marijuana. She called the case against her son a “legal lynching.” I’m truly sorry she may possibly lose her son to the legal system, but excusing their crimes doesn’t make your position any endearing.
  4. When in hell is it okay to turn around and yell at the homeowner for trying to protect his family? Check this out: Some reverend (Amos Brown) “and other NAACP officials are asking why the homeowner is walking free.” All I can say is I hope karma turns around and bites these men in the behinds. I really would like to see how they react if they faced desperate triads who are looking for drugs & bashed one of their children’s heads in during the hold up. With his entrance, I introduce you to America’s next race baiter. Sheesh. “Tests showed Edmonds had marijuana and prescription medication in his system the night of the shooting. Edmonds had a prescription for both the pot and the medication to treat depression.” Presumably, the fact that they asked specifically for the drug means they had some wind of his condition i.e. someone at the pharmacy blabbed to the wrong people. This world really sucks sometimes. Please, read the article and think about it. The final tidbit for me was: “This man had no business killing these boys,” Brown said. “They were shot in the back. They had fled.” What do they say about leaving loose canons lying around?

I’ll end my rant with another bunch of excerpts from the article: “(home owner)Edmonds’ stepson, Dale Lafferty, suffered brain damage from the baseball bat beating he took during the melee. The 19-year-old lives in a rehabilitation center and can no longer feed himself […] I didn’t do anything wrong. All I did was defend my family and my children’s lives,” said Edmonds, 33. “I’m sad the kids are dead, I didn’t mean to kill them.” I hope the jury votes with their hearts and agree that the 3rd accomplice is culpable in their deaths. In a weird twist, here’s what I envision: jury will not find 3rd robber guilty, but will slam him with a longer sentence than if he would have been charged with the felony aggravated assault, etc.

Finally, I’m having issues connecting to the wireless network at home. The temperature may or may not be messed with. Utility bills may go high or low. But you do not mess with my internet connection. 😀 Okay, a little dramatic, but come on!! What else can go wrong? lol. I clearly haven’t read up on my Murphy’s laws. I suspect our wireless usb thingamajig may be the problem and that’s making me see red. More money down the drain. Oh well, we may just have to do that and I hope to avoid any Belkin routers. Flimsy pieces of crapola. 🙂 Oh, and you suck too, Bear Naked granola. What’s with selling granola that is not crunchy?! Okay, I’m clearly tired and ready to leave work. Take care, y’all.