I haven't written anything in quite awhile. It was shocking to find that it's been almost a month since my last entry. Thus, I immediately opened Star Office and got to writing.

Yes, Star Office! Because we're running Linux in the office now. Have I mentioned that I absolutely hate Linux? It has totally messed up everything I do. It's impossible to import .doc files because Linux redoes the formatting to its liking which, naturally, is nowhere near what I intended it to be. And it takes thrice as long to put the documents back in order because I have no (or at best a very vague) idea about what I'm doing in the program in the first place. The only chat program that works on Linux is something called Gaim and as of today it no longer supports MSN (damn, the Microsoft!) which means I'm stuck with ICQ and that, as we all know, is not the most user-friendly program on the planet.

But the worst thing Linux does (or in my case, doesn't do) is yet to be mentioned. It has completely and totally ruined the accounting program I work with. I've used the same thing for 2 years and I've been relatively happy with it. But now, thanks to the Linux crossover, we had to upgrade it. The upgrade has different layout (which I can live with), slightly different functions (which I can get used to) and very little user value. There have been serious programming flaws when coming up with the upgrade. For example, the part with numbers on it on the right hand side of your keyboard... you're all looking at it? Great! Aside from numbers there are also keys like 'plus', 'minus', 'enter' and... yes... the comma. Now, even if you know nothing about accounting you might figure these are sort of important keys. When I input numbers I don't want to be looking for the comma all over the keyboard. It's important that I have it right where the rest of the numbers are, I like it there. It has a reason for being there. It simplifies my work. And yet, in their infinite wisdom, the programmers have managed to obliterate the comma. It's not there anymore, instead I get the copyright symbol, or something to that effect. And when I called their support line all they could suggest was to use different keyboard. Yes, sure! Of course it's the keyboard's fault... there are so many of them that are different! Who are you kidding, support guy? There is a very finite number of Estonian type keyboards. They all work the same! Why shouldn't they do that with your program?

That comma thing has vexed me for quite some time. But as of yesterday I only wish it was the worst of my problems. Because yesterday I found a much worse bug, something that cannot be fixed by using a different key and suffering some inconveniences. The program doesn't allow me to input negative numbers. If you know anything about accounting you know that sometimes they're very necessary. But the stupid program rejects them. Even another call to the support didn't make things better since the guy was absolutely stumped and could only figure it was something that came with using the program in conjunction with Linux. Well, that's unacceptable! They're releasing a faulty program! And my work suffers as a result!

*****

So, that has been one reason for not writing: I've been either very busy or not been able to access my computer. And most of my writing comes to me when I'm working. I take a coffee-break and scribble something down, I get home, I review it and I post it. But lately I've been either trying to make sense of Linux or fuming at someone because I found yet another shortcoming in the program. So, in short, no time for deep reflection or not-work-related stuff of any kind.

And it hasn't been much different at home. I haven't been working on the Hellhole very much, mainly because I've run out of money but I have been doing other things that take up much of my time but leave very little to write about.

For example, for two weeks I was reading the Harry Potter books. I had only read the third one and that was years ago, when it first came out in Estonian. I found it to be interesting but nothing special so I forgot about the rest of them. But I finally got all five from Lynn. I read the first one – interesting enough, a bit childish. Well, what do you expect from a book for children? I read the second one – better. The film was very true to the book, still no strong emotions. I read the third one – liked it. It made more sense now that I'd read the previous books but I still couldn't see what the fuss was about. I read the fourth – oh boy! I can't remember the last time I had to forcibly read every passage. I was in such a hurry to find out what happened next that I was seriously contemplating to turn a few pages at a time, just to get the events move faster. I read the fifth – very good, though not as good as the fourth was. It terms of excitement I don't think I've ever read a book that's comparable to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I still have dreams about the events in the books though it's been two weeks since I gave them back to Lynn. She assured me I'd probably get over it in a month or so... that's how long it had taken her.

*****

I'm tired of everything that happens to me lately. I just wish I could exist in the monotony that was my life a few months ago for awhile and then return to life as it is now. Not that anything ultimately interesting or profound is happening, it's just the everyday life that's wearing me down. I come to work and dread what new horrors await in Linux. I go home and think about the Hellhole, what has to be done, what can be postponed and how am I ever going to afford a vacation next year. I get there and I start working on the accounting of a friend's firm that's a total mess. I try to cram in some time with friends and some fun but it's getting increasingly difficult as the deadline for the friend's accounting stuff approaches. I'm tired! And there's no visible relief anywhere! Even the autumn is wearing me down and there's nothing I can do about it unless I pull off the unthinkable: get rich and move to a tropical island. Very feasible, don't you think?

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