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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Silly things going wrong - gremlins?
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
This morning, preparing for tomorrow, I sorted out some carol records, some others I had for school and didn't need, which I took to Oxfam, and set up my record player.
This is an antique Pye Black Box, which uses the walls in a corner to reflect sound into the room. It cost me £6 at a church bazaar, and has played very nicely since I out a stereo cartridge in. (It doesn't do stereo, but it doesn't mess the records about.)
One of the Oxfam lot was 'Missa Luba' and then, while I was delivering cards to neighbours, I found the 'Sanctus' had become an earworm. So I went and bought the record back, and started to play it while I got the living room ready.
Only it won't play. The motor is OK, the auto playing function is OK, the stylus is picking up the sound OK, but it isn't getting through the amps at all. The connections from the cartridge look OK.
So, no old carol records tomorrow. Irritating. (Fortunately, it is my sister's friend's line of business, so he may be able to fettle it. But not by tomorrow.)
I'm quite grateful when it is this sort of thing going wrong, because it suggests that nothing worse can be managed by the forces I don't believe in.
[ 24. December 2016, 12:40: Message edited by: Penny S ]
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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Graven Image
Shipmate
# 8755
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Posted
Woke one morning to find water leaked out from under the sink onto the floor. Not a little water, a lot of water, Called the plumber who took an hour under the sink looking for a sign of dripping water. Nothing. He laid paper down and said to call him as soon as I noticed a leak again. That was Thanksgiving, I check under the sink each morning. Nothing. At the same time the ice maker in the refrigerator stopped making ice. Called repair he said it would be a day or two before he could come out. Next three days no ice. The morning he came out it was working again. I am afraid people are starting to think of me as the crazy lady who is lonely and makes up stuff to get visits.
![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif)
Posts: 2641 | From: Third planet from the sun. USA | Registered: Nov 2004
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
Sorry for your experiences.
I think that such things are often due to physical stuff we don't realize going wrong. Like someone I knew whose cars would mysteriously die under them, in traffic. No explanation found. I wondered if the the person's electromagnetic field clashed with the car's electrical system. (Some people can't wear watches, for similar reasons. At least, analog watches. Dunno about digital.)
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
@Graven Image: might not the water on the floor have been leaking meltwater from your refrigerator, when it went wrong?
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
Sighs deeply. Printer decided to play up just as I was printing out last required order of service for me (I print myself a larger version for by the organ) which I think is its death knell.
On looking at my "larger purchases" spreadsheet, something in the computer line has given up or died on me around Christmas for 5 of the last 7 years.
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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M.
Ship's Spare Part
# 3291
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Posted
I can't wear clockwork watches, they stop. I have no probs with digital watches.
M.
Posts: 2303 | From: Lurking in Surrey | Registered: Sep 2002
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Amanda B. Reckondwythe
Dressed for Church
# 5521
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Graven Image:
Woke one morning to find water leaked out from under the sink onto the floor. Not a little water, a lot of water, Called the plumber who took an hour under the sink looking for a sign of dripping water. Nothing.
Mine does that too. Not a lot of water, fortunately.
Weeks go by and under the sink remains dry. Then, by surprise . . . wet spot!
I believe water seeps through the crack where the sink bowl meets the counter, although it is well caulked. I try to be careful not to splash water up onto the counter, and always wipe it up immediately if it does splash.
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"I take prayer too seriously to use it as an excuse for avoiding work and responsibility." -- The Revd Martin Luther King Jr.
Posts: 10542 | From: The Great Southwest | Registered: Feb 2004
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by M.:
I can't wear clockwork watches, they stop. I have no probs with digital watches.
M.
Are you Uri Geller?
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Blog
Music for your enjoyment
Lord may all my hard times be healing times
take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Kelly Alves
Bunny with an axe
# 2522
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Posted
You are farting around on your phone, playing Angry Birds for two hours straight. Everything works fine.
You get a push notification that a friend of yours has lost a parent. You head over to FB to express your care. Wifi drops two bars, the page won't load, and even when you finally get there, the text function keeps hanging up on you.
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I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.
Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
My DVD recorder chose this afternoon to play up and consequently did NOT record the Doctor Who Christmas Special!
![[Mad]](angryfire.gif)
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For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Posts: 3149 | From: Bottom right hand corner of the UK | Registered: Mar 2002
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M.
Ship's Spare Part
# 3291
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Posted
Schroedinger's Cat, you're not meant to out people, you know.
M.
Posts: 2303 | From: Lurking in Surrey | Registered: Sep 2002
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Wesley J
Silly Shipmate
# 6075
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sparrow:
My DVD recorder chose this afternoon to play up and consequently did NOT record the Doctor Who Christmas Special!
Isn't it on the BBC iSlayer, and you could record it off there?
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Be it as it may: Wesley J will stay. --- Euthanasia, that sounds good. An alpine neutral neighbourhood. Then back to Britain, all dressed in wood. Things were gonna get worse. (John Cooper Clarke)
Posts: 7354 | From: The Isles of Silly | Registered: May 2004
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
You can watch on iPlayer - but can you record?
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
I can record from iPlayer via my TIVO, channeled through to my VHS/DVD recorder, but not ITV stuff which has a lock on it.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
It is apparently repeated next weekend some time at around 2 am so I will make sure to record it then.
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For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Posts: 3149 | From: Bottom right hand corner of the UK | Registered: Mar 2002
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
I got up from my bed and stood on the remote handpiece of my phone. I didn't break it but managed to press the Do Not Disturb button, which means no one can ring me. I have lost the owners manual
![[Waterworks]](graemlins/bawling.gif)
I hate technology.
Huia
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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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Rowen
Shipmate
# 1194
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Posted
Google your phone like this...
Brand name + description of problem
You may find your answers there
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"May I live this day… compassionate of heart" (John O’Donoghue)...
Posts: 4897 | From: Somewhere cold in Victoria, Australia | Registered: Aug 2001
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Og, King of Bashan
Ship's giant Amorite
# 9562
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Posted
We have consistent plumbing problems in our house, which tend to take forever to fix because they come down to totally rudimentary issues that the plumber never thinks to look for.
One month into living in our house, the kitchen sink starts backing up at the least provocation. Roto rooter shows up, nothing comes back on the snake to suggest major issues. Finally, someone goes down into the crawl space, and discovers that the issue is being caused by a drain pipe that runs uphill. Apparently water flows downhill?
Ten months later, the master bath stops draining. We call in roto rooter again, they snake the drain and hit mud, call it a broken pipe and tell us to call someone to scope the thing. Scope guy comes in, can see an issue, but doesn't think it is a broken pipe. Finally, he holds his ear up to the drain clean-out in the back yard while I run all of the sinks and toilets in the house, one by one. Turns out the master bath was never actually tied in to the drain, and has just been draining into the back yard for the last 11 months. He can tell because it's the only place where running water won't make a sound in the main drain line.
The worst part was that I needed to send a nasty "we intend to sue you on this specific date if you don't cough up some cash" letter before the builder offered to pay to fix that second pipe.
[ 27. December 2016, 23:32: Message edited by: Og, King of Bashan ]
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"I like to eat crawfish and drink beer. That's despair?" ― Walker Percy
Posts: 3259 | From: Denver, Colorado, USA | Registered: May 2005
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Graven Image
Shipmate
# 8755
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Posted
Rain water from our roof drains through an attached pipe into our neighbors back yard. His fence at one point is about 2 feet onto our property. We decided to call it even.
Posts: 2641 | From: Third planet from the sun. USA | Registered: Nov 2004
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Rowen:
Google your phone like this...
Brand name + description of problem
You may find your answers there
Thanks Rowen. I knew the solution would be simple (press and hold the button again) - and I was actually on the right track, but I didn't hold it for long enough.
Huia
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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
Christmas lights on a wreath at the window. Suddenly noticed they were off, while the tree, on the same timer, was still on.
Bulb gone, I thought. But while checking it out, I spotted that the lead coming from the transformer showed bare copper.
But thwarted the gremlins today by finding a set of 96 battery operated LEDs in the post Christmas sale for £3.75. It took a bit of winding, but is looking good. What I do with the bulbs, I'm not sure.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
We used to live in a flat which was part of a Victorian block of four. We put a battery smoke detector in the hallway. It went off randomly every few weeks / months. We replaced it. The next one did the same. Thinking it must be affected by draughts we moved it to a different part of the hallway. Same problem. As we were in an upper flat, when it went off we checked the down stairs flat too, which was a nuisance if it went off at 3am and we had to head outside in our PJs. On two occasions a couple of years apart we called the fire brigade because we thought we could smell smoke. Both were false alarms, but after the second occasion we realised that a smoke detector in the hallway was more bother than it was worth.
Chatting to a clergy person about this he asked if we knew if there had been any deaths in the flat and if the smoke detector going off coincided with any anniversaries. We didn't know the dates of the first few false alarms, but the second occasion on which we had phoned the fire brigade had indeed coincided with the anniversary of a death.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
NEQ--
Wow!
Not to in any way discount your story; but FYI insects that stray into a smoke detector can set it off. May not be figured out unless the alarm is taken apart.
Just in case someone else runs into a similar problem, that's one more possibility to check.
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
Sometimes they just become cantankerous by themselves. This week a year ago, I came home to beeping that battery needed replacing in my wired in alarm. Was attended to and whole thing fell apart and screamed at my block of apartments. It was eventually removed as nothing stopped noise. New unit was fitted which cost me almost $200. Frightfully expensive.
Six months down the track, everything went belly up again. and strata manager put me on to the Fire Alarm firm. Manager said he would have to replace it. I absolutely refused to pay anything, maintained it must be under some warranty . Then said I would be telling others of the expensive, poor quality alarms used. He suddenly thought there might be a chance it was guaranteed and replaced with a new one at no charge to me.
Our compulsory inspection in August showed all was well but the fellow doing that job said I was lucky as many give up trying to get things fixed under warranty.
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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
It was an oddly shaped hallway with both a stair up from ground level and a stair going up to the attic floor. There were probably all sorts of odd draughts. Lightbulbs didn't last long in the hallway either.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
We have a smoke alarm in our unheated garage. The battery needs replacing much more frequently than the ones inside the house - in fact, I need to buy one today.
We once lived on a busy road; the smoke alarm was sometimes set off by exhaust fumes (which probably didn't do our lungs much good, either!) Tiny sandflies can set them off, too.
[ 30. December 2016, 10:06: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
One of the Venetian blinds in my bedroom has died, I pulled the cords yesterday and they snapped. Collapse of the thing. The other one no longer changes the slat angle.
I've got the gear to put up curtains, but not the time to do it yet. I'm hoping the fittings can use the screw holes from the blind fittings.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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churchgeek
Have candles, will pray
# 5557
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Posted
For the last few days, my phone's voice mail has stopped accepting my password, which I know I did not change. A couple people might be wondering why I'm ignoring them!
It happened before, but was resolved by the next day. I haven't checked today, to be fair...
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I reserve the right to change my mind.
My article on the Virgin of Vladimir
Posts: 7773 | From: Detroit | Registered: Feb 2004
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Galloping Granny
Shipmate
# 13814
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Posted
I meticulously fill in my car log book when I buy petrol.
Apart from the mileage count and the trip meter, I can do it from the receipt, but this morning the two ball-point pens in the car both refused to write, whatever I scribbled them on.
Never mind, I have one in my bum-bag – or had. Nothing there now but a pencil with a broken point.
So I memorised the two numbers, went back in to the desk, used the chained pen on the counter, and then explained to the two guys behind the counter why I was doing it.
"Have a free one," one said, and handed me one.
When I got home, I checked both the original trouble-makers before binning them. Both wrote clearly without any coaxing needed.
GG
[ 05. January 2017, 23:49: Message edited by: Galloping Granny ]
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The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it. Gospel of Thomas, 113
Posts: 2629 | From: Matarangi | Registered: Jun 2008
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
I've had at least nine tech problems in my new work cubicle in three weeks--several to do with the phone,several with the computer, a couple with the company portal, and one with the electricity.
Today the phone went out again. Fortunately I spotted that something had pulled out from the jack and fixed it myself.
I doubtless should have put a bowl of milk out for the office hob. I'm getting what I deserve.
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
When I got home, I checked both the original trouble-makers before binning them. Both wrote clearly without any coaxing needed.
GG
My phrase for that is the perversity of
inanimate objects. Pens are amongst the worst offenders ![[Paranoid]](graemlins/paranoid.gif)
Huia
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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
I think their cousin is the pen on computer desk here.
[ 06. January 2017, 08:32: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
I have two shopping bags, last week I could not find the green, this week I cannot find the black.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Amanda B. Reckondwythe
Dressed for Church
# 5521
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Posted
Everyone knows the angels play tricks on us like that -- they're zapping the green one black, and the black one green, just to annoy you.
Oops, that's for the Conspiracy Theory thread.
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"I take prayer too seriously to use it as an excuse for avoiding work and responsibility." -- The Revd Martin Luther King Jr.
Posts: 10542 | From: The Great Southwest | Registered: Feb 2004
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
The fluorescent light fixture in my laundry seems to have died -- when I try to turn it on it makes strange noises and doesn't light. Of course this has happened right when I've decided that I need a new washing machine before the current one breaks down (it's showing signs of imminent death). I can hardly order a new washing machine and tell the salesman that the installer had better bring a flashlight if he doesn't want to work in the dark.
(I do have my handyman coming to look at the light next week. In the meantime, a desk lamp and a wee bit of natural daylight make it possible to do laundry.)
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
Jengie--
quote:
Originally posted by Jengie jon:
I have two shopping bags, last week I could not find the green, this week I cannot find the black.
Clearly, they're sending the message that you need to buy some Green & Black's chocolate. They inhale the scent, and you get to actually eat the chocolate.
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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mark_in_manchester
not waving, but...
# 15978
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Posted
My ancient bread machine caught fire this afternoon - and then the f*cker turned out to be fixable. There's another couple of hours I could have saved if I were normal, watching shite on the telly instead!
Penny, did you get your Black Box fixed?
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"We are punished by our sins, not for them" - Elbert Hubbard
(so good, I wanted to see it after my posts and not only after those of shipmate JBohn from whom I stole it)
Posts: 1596 | Registered: Oct 2010
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Penny S
Shipmate
# 14768
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Posted
I have dropped a large hint in the direction of the putative fixer, but won't be going near there for a while, so it is sitting in the corner, an attractive mahogany box, doing nothing. Having missed the opportunity at Christmas, I don't know when the next chance will arise.
I have another record player, but not in the living room, so can still listen to stuff. (And transfer it to cassette, which I can play in the living room.)
My means of transferring things to CD for the car is as follows. Use multiple function record player* to transfer to cassette. Use ancient cassette radio** in spare room with suitable lead to transfer to computer via Audacity. Burn to CD in computer. I really have to be in the right mood for that!
*Inherited from parents, to whom we siblings gave it as anniversary gift.
**Bought from elderly Polish gentleman whose hobby was fettling stuff and selling in the local charity flea market, because it was the same model as the school one, and I knew its habits. I suspect he was here as a result of WWII rather than recent incomings.
I do have some new bought electricals. Like the very last of the Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder/players sold by Maplin.
Posts: 5833 | Registered: May 2009
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