Ozzie! | Talk it up | Forums

Hey there, Wheezer! How's the new comp going? Been flat out here. Uni has started and I am trying to get through a monumental amount of reading (why do they set sooooo much reading? … massively long articles that I have to stick matchsticks under my eyelids to stay awake through). Plus we've got a whole lot of things underway with work – and lots of coordination with other orgs and lots of meetings (again that I have stick matchsticks under my eyelids to stay awake through). Plus we have had some serious human rights violations taking place against some particularly vulnerable people (they've been bundled into cars and driven to remote locations, beaten senseless and then dumped), so we're madly trying to arrange shelters and protection for them.

Basically I've been working until after 2am every night and kinda functioning on about four hours' sleep. I just realised that today was the start of March. I could have sworn it was Christmas just yesterday. I have a sneaking suspicion that this year will just pass in a blur.

I hope all is well with you, my friend. And that the harsh winter is beginning to abate. Those deer still hanging around?

Ramesh Kumar said:

Hi Ozzie!

This was too good an opportunity to miss. A thread named Ozzie!  I read what you posted here & I've read your humorous & serious posts too! They always lift spirits or tweak minds & when you intend them to, they even do both.

I've common to the happy conclusion that you help people not only through actions but also through words. You were missed!

Ramesh

Hey there, little brother! Missed you lot, too! Way I see it, we gotta try and leave this planet in a little better state than we found it in. And to do that, we've got two courses of action to choose from: be part of the problem or part of the solution, in whatever capacity we can. It's just that simple. No one person is going to change the world. But we can all chisel away at it, no matter where we are or what we do. Make the world immediately around you the one you want to live in, and that's a beautiful reality created. Eventually all the microcosms will become the macrocosm. At least, that's my theory!

Wheezer said:

Oooooops! Sorry Miss Ozzie! I made an assumption, and as usual, it was wrong.

It dawned on me yesterday that I hadn't seen a post from you in a couple days so thought I'd give you some flack. Just for fun. Thank goodness that didn't seem to backfire on me.

Sounds like you were righteously busy tho. So we'll let you get away with it this time.

As boring as the reading and meetings sound, the thing you mentioned about the people being beaten and dumped really stuck in my mind.

That is so far beyond acceptable that I can't begin to express the shock and anger I'm feeling about it. I wish you all the luck in the world in helping those that were beaten.

What makes people think they can do something like that?!!! Arrrrrrrrgh…..

As for my computer, I'm still enjoying the new one. The biggest problem I'm having tho is really kinda funny. The keyboard is a little bigger than on my old computer and the keys are way more sensitive. So I'm constantly double typing letters or hitting two letters at the same time, or hitting the wrong key because I didn't move my finger quite far enough to hit the key I'd wanted to. It get's a little frustrating sometimes, but it's well worth it.

A complicating factor tho, is that the programs I have to use to file incident reports for our fire department to the national reporting agency and FEMA won't run on Windows 7. So I end up using my old computer for that. So then I start typing like I do on the new computer, and I'm hitting the wrong keys or not pushing down hard enough to enter the letter at all. I feel like a tennis ball or something, bouncing back and forth between the two computers. 

It does keep things interesting. Lol.

No worries at all, Senor Wheezer! (Here's hoping it's not Senora or Senorita Wheezer!) Me thinks I should have taken a bit more time and chosen a more gender-neutral identity (ah, the wisdom of hindsight!).

Thank you for your concern over the poor folk who were beaten. Never ceases to amaze or sadden me, either. The brutality that people are capable of is quite staggering. But sadly, it's a consistent reality in this line of work. The main worry this time (and why we are working so hard to find them shelter) is that this particular group of thugs (who, without naming them directly, are given to waving flags bearing swastikas) delivered the beatings as a warning. They said next time they would kill. And we have no doubt that they meant it. And now they seem to be going for the people associated with them. Just today my partner received a threatening email (anonymous but of obvious origins), and the colleague of one of those beaten was attacked and sexually abused on the way home from work a few days ago. So we're all kinda in hyper-watchful mode at present and watching each other's backs. What makes people do that? Ignorance, hate, racism, you name it. Basically all the crappy attitudes that pervade this world. Sick, ain't it?

Anyway, as the saying goes, tomorrow's another day (actually today is another day, given that it's after 1am here!).

You made me laugh with your keyboard/finger problems! I hope FEMA isn't getting garbled reports! But hey, you didn't say if the deer were still holding mass rallies in your front yard … gotta say, I thought that must have been something magical to see. I envy you, my friend! Nature so close at hand!

And with that lovely image in my head, I think it's nearly time for me to close the books and hit the sack. Take care, hey!

black raven said:

Welcome back Ozzie Seems someone else needs to take a leaf out of Ashrafs book and have a breakHope all is well and you manage to get things under some sort of control

Hey there, black raven! I hope you finally managed to settle on an anti-spam program. All is well here – and thanks for the message. Much appreciated. And things are moving in the right direction, so no complaints. A little bit sleep-deprived, but hey, who isn't, right?

Can I just say for the umpteenth time how much I love dotTech. Before coming into this space, I had never interacted like this online. Ever. I don't think I had even left a comment anywhere, from memory. But this is something way different. You are all such wonderful people, and it's a true pleasure to get to know you all. I think Ashraf has created something really special here. Special place, special people. Yep, this is a good place to be online.

And my little brother Ramesh, I couldn't agree with you more ("Wheezer you do enrich the lives of those you touch"). You're a great guy, Wheezer. And thanks again for sharing those images. Priceless, if you ask me.

Now if I could only develop guru Karen's tech savvy … !