Will I Dream?

Will I dream?

That line is from 2010: A Space Odyssey” where Dr. Chandra is shutting down SAL, in an effort to see if he can reactivate HAL 9000 (2001).  SAL allows this process, only after asking that question.

At that time of the early 1970s, computers were bulky machinery that filled a gymnasium.  Today’s computer seemed unfathomable and certainly something unattainable.

But here it sits, on my desk in front of me.  It does not have independent, self-created-thought as far as I know.  But it sure has strong will, destructive will, as I discovered back in mid-December.

Have you ever seen that dreaded black screen with squared white letters telling you that your computer has inexplicably shut down?  Over and Over?  If you have, then you are nodding your head at this very minute.  That happened to me on December 20, 2012.

My computer has been in the shop, and then returned to me clean and humble.  Will it last?  I don’t know.  But I wonder, as it sat on the work table with other broken computers, did it dream?

If it did, it had nightmares, terrible destructive nightmares.

Just Thinking about the A-to-Z...

Thinking ahead of the A-to-Z Challenge, my mind has set wondering.  This will be my third year of participation.  Looking at my first year and then at my second, I was not pleased.  Oh, there were some posts that met expectations (mine), but there were a miserable lot that had me shaking my head.  What was I thinking…

This year my plans are different.  Writing something every day for each letter forced me to come up with something, even if that something was a stab at the dark world of alphabet letters.  Also, the sheer numbers of participants had me gasping in frustration; there were so very many fine writers out in the blogging world, and there was so little time and physical endurance.

This year I will be combining adjoining letters, two at a time, skipping a day, and writing from a tilted point of view.  A with B, C with D… There will be some oxymorons, some silly thoughts, a few profound contemplations, and hopefully some interesting writing.  Interesting and very very brief writings.  Can I work with 50 words or less?  I pray so.

The problem with this Challenge is not only the incredible participants; it is also with the overly-lengthy blogs.  Seeing a blog that fills the screen makes my eyes blur.  Having to do the de-coding in the "captcha" defeats me. 

So that’s my plan.  Have you given it thought?  I bet some of you are already done—you rascals.

Christmas returns to the Sock Drawer

Christmas in the Sock Drawer returned with much celebration.  The glimmer of hope felt after the Massacre of July ’12 now burst into full flame. 

Like most good things, the flame came unexpectedly.  One day the sock organizer had been torn from the drawer and the socks had been dumped back in the drawer to co-mingle and become reacquainted.  Then soon thereafter…

The Wool Argyle from a Seattle trip remembered it best, relating the story to every new addition to the Sock Drawer.  “The drawer opened slowly with the slant of light blinding us all.  Then from the light tumbled all manner of old friends, now reunited with their beloved mates…”

Apparently, all the lost socks had been put aside until some gentle old person had sorted through the mound, reconnecting long parted socks.  Only a few lonely socks had remained behind in the basket, hoping for their own return.

“There they were:  gold toes, Easter flowers, Halloween pumpkins, ragged crew tops, and compressions!  All had been tied together, joined once again.  Oh, the glory!  You socks fresh from Kohl’s and JCPenney’s will find what it means one of these days…”

Socks awaiting their fate

So it was on Christmas Eve that the new Christmas socks were surrounded by all the Sock Drawer inhabitants.  The glow-in-the-dark Halloween socks illuminated the dark space as the elderly surgical sock with the rubberized chevrons came forward and announced the blessing on all present.

The Argyle sighed.  “…unfortunately, surgical sock had returned alone to the drawer, despite being tied with her mate.  Apparently, there was talk of his indiscretions with the lone lacey trouser sock.  He never made it back to the drawer, poor sod…”

All was well.

For previous adventures in the sock drawer:
http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/2012/11/return-to-drawer-of-sock.html
http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/2012/08/massacre-in-sock-drawer.html
and
http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-in-sock-drawer.html