Arduous Processes

For the last several months, my aging computer has been running slower and slower by the day. In order to rectify this situation, I have embarked on the long and arduous process of wiping my hard drive and starting over in an attempt to cleanse my digital self and be rid of the demons which inevitably plague Microsoft machines. So I spent part of Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon backing up the 25 Gigs of information stored on my trusty laptop. My documents and other non-music files fit easily onto two CDs. I abandoned the CD strategy on Backup Disc 5, somewhere in the B's in my music collection. So I put all the music on my iPod and plan to download a program which will let me rip music from iPod to .mp3. I'm sure one exists--I had to do the same thing when my hard drive melted a couple Christmases ago. Now to find one that I can easily download and use.

And while I'm on the subject of arduous processes, I've been cleaning my room. It sounds rather childish and perhaps a little trite, but it is really taking a long time. Not only is there the standard mess of living in it, but I also have ten years of garbage (not literally) crammed into every crevice of every drawer and more knickknacks than I know what to do with. Unfortunately I inherited the pack rat gene and am completely incapable of throwing something away if it has any semblance of sentimental value. For example, I found a ticket stub from when I went to see the national tour of "The Producers" at the Bob Carr. Who keeps that stuff? Oh, right, me. But on the other hand, I also found my Tartu, Estonia bus pass from summer project five years ago. Now that has some sentimental value. Perhaps my best strategy for combating my pack ratty nature is to learn to discern what really matters in life. And then I could write a book about it. Maybe start Pack Rats Anonymous. The possibilities are limitless.

Why, one might ask, am I doing all of this stuff which I clearly do not enjoy? Because it means putting off looking for a job. If anyone thought graduation meant an end to procrastination, then well, they clearly do not know me. So, I'm putting off finding a job. I've done some of the paperwork, but I need to revise my resume and write a cover letter or two for principles of local schools.

Anyway, Windows Service Pack 2 is calling my name. Talk about arduous.

P.S. I'm thinking the quota is going out the window this summer. It's just not practical.