cybermule: (Default)
cybermule ([personal profile] cybermule) wrote2007-04-04 10:15 pm

General update

I like to start a break with a bit of a tidy up. Especially when that gets rid of the mountain of bits of paper that have been obscuring my desk at home for weeks now. I've improved the layout of my room - there's a new bookcase to give some nursery space, and my dad's set of shelves is now on my desk, which I'm really pleased with.

Other than that, from now on I'm limited to one useful chore around the house per day. The only exception to that is anything to do with plants or photos - I can do as much as I want there as they're both relaxing and sadly neglected right now. It'll be good to catch up.

Basically, I don't have to go back to work until the 23rd. Woot!

One thing - I want to get myself a cheap printer. Colour would be nice, along with low running costs (although I'm not going to print much). The crunch is that it needs to work with Linux (specifically Ubuntu). This is the sort of thing I hate organising with Linux, so if anyone knows one that will work...

We had our first ante-natal class yesterday. Along with the expectant couple from hell - they've had sickness, diabetes, waters breaking, separating pubis, wrong shaped coccyx, and the local nappy scheme didn't cover the expensive american nappies they'd had their eye on ;) Seriously, I've been blessed with an easy pregnancy, and I really do have sympathy for them. But some people just seem to be disaster areas that you can spot coming...

My mum's still ensconced in hospital. Which is great, because as she's now one week clear of any vodka consumption, she's actually reasonably pleasant company. Physically she's knackered - she can't even sit up of her own accord. If I were more religious, I would say that that sort of alcoholism is a demon possession - it sucks you dry of everything, then just re-animates you into a vicious banshee. Here's hoping it'll last a couple of months. Wouldn't it be great if she were sober for the birth of her first grandchild?*

* I know that this is probably hideously unrealistic, but it doesn't seem to help anything much to assume the worst is going to happen, so I'm just going to hope for the best

[identity profile] boglin.livejournal.com 2007-04-04 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Does she want to sober up? My brother was put on medication that makes you physically ver sick if you drink alcohol.

[identity profile] lengths.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 06:59 am (UTC)(link)
most printers will work underlinux, Cups is actually rather fine. As long as you go for a "name" and it has been around more than 6mths linux will be able to run it no problem.

(Usb adsl modems is the only significant probelm with nix compatability these days)

[identity profile] cybermule.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Cool - when I last looked, it was a pain in the bum to get a printer. I was certainly only thinking of the cheapest HP/Canon/Epson that I could find. Probably Epson, as I had a good experience with their scanners.

[identity profile] quercus.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 08:10 am (UTC)(link)
Antabuse -- I think I had some of that in a HP printer that was physically sick whenever installed under Ubuntu.


The trouble with Antabuse is that you have to already be in recovery before it's worth trying. If they've still got real problems, they're likely to just drink with and still be sick anyway.

[identity profile] cybermule.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
*grin* - I keep meeting HP-related people. I was leaning towards an Epson, to be honest. I don't think my mum's in recovery - she's a compulsive drinker to a frightening degree. Always the same with any drug - as soon as she's taken it, she instantly wants more. I'm hoping that being sober for a bit might help her think about her life.

[identity profile] cybermule.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
She's never expressed any desire to give up. Quite the contrary in fact. But then she really hasn't been sober once in the past decade (discounting DT days), so it's kind of hard to tell what her sober choices would be these days. I'm certainly going to try and encourage her to go for some counselling, even if it's not recovery related.

[identity profile] jo-kat.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 09:25 am (UTC)(link)
If I were more religious, I would say that that sort of alcoholism is a demon possession

Hell yes, I definitely believe in the vodka demon - in the past I've said and done things during a vodka blackout that have been so alien to my sober personality that I've been uttery convinced that something had possessed me. Entirely my own fault for drinking so much spirit my consciousness fled and left my brain open to the influence of 'other' spirits, however.

It would be wonderful if having a grandchild gave your mum a reason to try to stay sober. I've wondered that about my dad a few times - if either me or my brother had sprogged by now would he have less reason to drink his life away?

BTW I'm really proud of the way you've been dealing with your mum lately, I wish I had half that strength to confront my dad about his demons. **hugs**

[identity profile] cybermule.livejournal.com 2007-04-05 10:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, babe.

I've been feeling a bit guilty about not having the sprog in time for my dad to see it. But I don't think we can let ourselves think that way - if a family of your own don't stop you drinking, then I think it's unlikely with grandkids.

[identity profile] eve-of-hades.livejournal.com 2007-04-07 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
With any luck, she'll still be in the hospital for the birth. Oh I can't wait to see baby pictures!!