Computer broke again. Yes, yes, I know, but this time I don't know who to blame. Mrs. Ditchman had no pity on me, as it was she who gave me ample forewarning. We got the letter in the mail from San Diego Gas and Electric a week or two ago. Evidently, they were going to shut off power for a time, on this day, at this certain hour, and they apologized for the inconvenience (and no restaurant gift certificates were enclosed, the bastards.) Mrs. Ditchman reminded me about it yesterday morning at 8:55 when I was responding to a few emails (if you didn't get yours this is why) and she mentioned that it was going to happen at 9:00. I knew this, but figured it meant "some time after 9:00" (have utility appointments ever been on time for you?) So the power shut down at 9 sharp and the screen went dark and the whole house made that low-pitched winding-down noise like you heard when Obi-Wan turned off the tractor beam and that was the end of it. I got up to take a shower.

Note to self: tankless water heater uses electricity, so, no shower. Anyway, when I got home from work the computer never came back on, so I'm back on old reliable. And yes, before you say anything, I did have it all plugged into surge protectors. What can I say? Surge protector fail. At least the new router works.

Did a little research and it looks to be the power supply to the monitor, which other folks out in Macland have been having trouble with. I plug it all in and the computer boots up, but the screen just signals a weak S-O-S from a tiny blinking light in the housing. Pathetic. And I failed to renew the service warranty. More patheticism.

Mrs. Ditchman, when I told her about it, delivered no sympathy and gave me a curt I-told-you-so, which no husband enjoys.

Still sick, tough day, nothing seems to be going right, but with a template like this, how could I be anything but pert?

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