it's well-documented that i break 90 percent of items that i touch. several pairs of glasses in my youth? yup. a tv in february? check. a computer purchased in december? apparently, check.

i wrote earlier this week about the fact that, finally, the technician had arrived and, finally, the machine had been fixed. and it seemed that way for at least six hours. until it froze on me. and now it's not turned on (well, twice...but then froze within the next 90 seconds) since.

so i held for about 25 minutes today, and then i got 'shawn' on the phone. and shawn had me go through the several basic troubleshooting things: 'reset' the power by unplugging and things like that...check the battery...check the ac adaptor...attach it to an external monitor and see if that changes anything...nothing.

next step: "we need to remove your hard drive." and i started shaking. "i'm not really qualified." "oh, oh andrew no need to worry." "this is insured, right? if i break it, i'm not on the hook, right?" "certainly not. and it's not difficult and i'll help you along the way."

and it goes on like this. and i'm assured that, if i break it, they'll fix it/replace it (which, honestly, might be the best thing to happen.)

thankfully, i head to my closet to get the phillips screwdriver and, thanks to a successful-but-ultimately-unsuccessful attempt to fix a coffee table last year (since been thrown out, but it was old and beaten up when i got it...i swear), all of them were completely stripped. no unscre hard drive. no fix machine.

so shawn explained to me that "you can get a phillips screwdriver at any local store" then gave me a case number and encouraged me to call back.

so, i guess, i'll plan to do it sunday, before i go on the road. but i sure am nervous about, like, breaking it.
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nothing else to really report. last week, gurs was nice enough to burn me automatic for the people. if you've ever liked r.e.m., let me just encourage you to re-listen to that album. i owned the cassette when i was a columbia house subscriber as seventh grader, but didn't dig it. i'm a pseudo-adult now, and i can't get enough.

"sidewinder sleeps tonite" and "man on the moon" and "find the river" and "nightswimming" and "try not to breathe" and "drive" (which is just fabulous...i don't care what you say) and just about everything is absolutely fabulous. please, for your own good, listen again.

but since the computer is no longer fully functional (or functional at all), i've not been able to add it to the ipod. in due time, i hope, in due time.

but i'll probably just break it anyway.

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last point: i've forgotten to give you my prediction for the indie-turned-mainstream pop breakout start of the season. i've tested it with the biggest incubus, matchbox 20, and nickleback fan i know, and it got him, big time. it's hot hot heat's "you owe me an iou," which is infectious beyond belief. i've already heard "goodnight goodnight" at a ballpark, but i think that "iou" will be the mega-breakout-smash. as big as "float on."

and it should be, because it's mega-fantastic.