The one and only external HDD we have at home is acting up. And it has about 200GB of precious memories and files that I need to back-up ASAP lest they all fade. There's a problem with where you connect the USB wire to the HDD and I'm afraid it got banged up pretty bad as I've been transporting the HDD to and fro recently.
In that Western Digital Terrabyte External HDD are photos and videos of at least the past 5 years or so -- countless photos of our Ikai and Issa as they grew up, photos of events and birthdays and gatherings, randoms shots taken on the least expected of days, and highlights of achievements and accomplishments. Also stored in that HDD are digitized versions of my CDs plus other music files (especially my 200+ Swing music collection), my digitized comics collections, ebooks, past sideline works, creative fiction, and a host of other multimedia content.
I'm hopeful that a trip to the WD service center along Pasong Tamo will resurrect the terrabyter HDD (what a waste if it becomes obsolete) but to be on the safe side, I need to back-up my files (all 200GB of it!). Unfortunately, that would mean that while I'm copying files from the HDD to the laptop, I'll be firmly holding the USB wire the entire time -- and no moving at that lest the connection gets lost and the data transfer gets whacked.
* * * *
I've been hit by tech-problems of late. Aside from the external HDD, my Netphone (the ZTE Blade) is also acting up.
It's not allowing me to use one side of the touchscreen hence when messaging using the QWERTY layout (Android keyboard) I can't press P, L, and the all important DEL/Backspace. It seems that the entire rightmost side of the screen is no longer touch-receptive so any application of any pressure on that side with any app results to nothing. Think about this, If I was playing Candy Crush on the Netphone, I would not be able to make any moves on the rightmost column of candies!
Powering on and off, clearing memory space, and the superstitious blowing off the dust didn't help solve the situation earlier today. So, I got the SIM out from the Netphone and inserted it into the second slot of my dual-SIM Nokia X1-01. I'll be low-tech for the meantime and will instead be using the Netphone as a mobile web surfing device.
* * * *
And for those curious, no, I haven't watched Oz the Great and Wonderful yet.
For all my announcements and excitement, I haven't had the time to sneak in a trip to the cinema. Been busy even on weekends and I've been having bouts with a combo cough-cold-allergy attack. Been slugging it out with disease for over 3 weeks now.
Last week I went to the pulmo finally and had myself x-rayed. My left lung had a slight inflammation and infection and because of my diabetes and lower immunity, I'm having a hard time shaking off the cough-cold-allergy. I was prescribed additional meds, told to get enough rest and the trip to the pulmo yesterday was a bit more positive. The inflammation and infection was still there but mending. Need to get enough rest, stay away from elements that would cause my condition to worsen, and I was prescribed a vitamin to help boost my immune system.
Just checked Sureseats.com and they still have Oz showing as of today. Most likely, it'll be on until tomorrow or Thursday. Will see if I can find a way to watch it on the big screen.
* * * *
Proud parent are Elvie and I because of the achievements of our li'l Ikai.
Ikai just graduated from Kinder 2 (Prep) with a bronze medal of academic excellence. Not exactly sure of her place in the Overall Top Ten (probably around 5th) because St. Paul College of Makati had a weird way of awarding their academic awardees -- 1 gold medalist (Top 1), 1 silver medalist (Top 2), and those from Top 3 to Top 10 all got bronze medals. I only surmised Ikai's ranking on how the bronze medalists were listed in the graduation program and the order of how they were called onstage to receive their diplomas and medals.
While she was likely 5th overall, in her own class, she was Top 1 so she received a second medal for such an achievement.
Hopefully, she'll continue to excel in her new school next school year.
* * * *
Congratulations to my friend and college-mate, Reev Bertrand Robledo, for the publication of his first book -- Gitarista.
Here's a short blurb on what the novel is all about:
"Gitarista is the story of Alejandro Sebastian, a young guitar virtuoso thrust into the classical arts scenes of the 1970s cosmopolitan Manila. Alejandro's musical journey takes him through the capital's treasured cities and vibrant lifestyle as he discovers the bittersweet romance between truth and destiny."
The blurb is taken from Reev's website and you can also read an excerpt of the novel from there as well.
Gitarista will be available soon as a downloadable book from online retailers this summer (Philippine summer, that is). Plans are underway for a paperback edition as well according to Reev's FB page.
* * * *
A few weeks back I went through my bookshelf in the process of cleaning the dust that literally settled on the hundreds of books crammed into that tight 4-shelved rectangular storage.
Since I already got them out of their places, I categorized / classified the books into those that I've already read and those that have yet to be completed (started reading but stopped) and the To-Be-Read ones (and sneezing and whizzing all through the process which probably contributed to my current cough-cold-allergy attack). I placed all those books that I've already read way back and now, every time I look at my bookshelf, what I see are those books that I've yet to read or have to complete reading.
That's the goal for now, take a book from that front pile and read it to completion or decide once-and-for-all to discard it.
By organizing the bookshelf this way, it'll be easier to pack these when we move later this year. Those books I'll be discarding will most likely come from the front pile while the rest -- completed series and favorites -- are to be packed and will be joining us in our new Laguna home in new shelves that I'll have constructed.
* * * *
Because of space constraints, not all of my books are in the bookshelf. A good number of them are actually occupying a make-shift counter-top in the room.
This collection includes all my Brandon Sanderson books -- Mistborn Trilogy, Stormlight Archives, The Alloy of Law, the two books of Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Ender's Game, Forever War, and the only non-genre book in the pack -- Being Direct by Lester Wunderman. These books are all together because they are all UK-edition versions, bigger than the regular mass market paperbacks. Now, on top of these are stacked my four Wildcards books joining other bits and pieces.
Yes, storage is a problem when you have a bibliophile at home. Especially one who has a preference for something tangible and whose pages will turn brown when the seasons turn.
