I’m Baaaaack!

I hate Windows updates.

As it turns out, the last series was what fouled my computer to the point where it didn’t recognize the router at all. I tried several different (expensive) devices to try to reconnect, but it just wasn’t having it. You’ve gotta love it when your troubleshooter keeps directing you to try different websites when you can’t connect to the Internet.

So, I’d just bundled the latest device back into its little box to take back to Radio Shack when the thought struck me: what if I used my old trick of restoring my computer to the last day that it was fully functional? That would have been about Dec. 10, so I used the ninth as a restore point, held my breath while the changes were made, and hoped it would work.

Well, since I’m typing longer paragraphs, you can guess how it went. And all I can say is, the Internet is another thing that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. I’ve been typing out my posts on my tablet and even my iPhone, and believe me, those methods are painful! The tablet isn’t all that user-friendly, but the smartphone is even less so when it comes to making long posts……for one thing, the screen is small, and for another, my vision is getting so bad that I almost need a magnifying glass to see the keys. (I’m going to have to do something about that once I have health insurance again.)

Anyway, I’m back online, I’ve got water, and life is good again.

And I can hardly WAIT to start my new job. I was talking to my soon-to-be manager the other day, and she was telling me about how they’re fixing up my cube and my computer and getting ready for my start date on the sixth of January. I guess I made a decent impression on the panel after all, because she told me that folks are looking forward to my arrival–“They really like you,” she said.

Did I mention how eager I am to get going?

Not only because I’ve wanted this for a long time, but because I’m getting a fresh start in a place where no one knows that I have bipolar, and I’ve got a sneaking hunch that it will do much to help me gain some semblance of control over it. This job will literally force me to be disciplined and practice good self-care, because I will not be disclosing my illness….and that means doing everything I can to suppress its symptoms. No burning the midnight oil or skimping on sleep (thanks for the curfew, Dr. A), no taking on too many projects at once, and DEFINITELY no waiting until things are spinning out of control before hollering for help.

What a difference there is between this year and last. Last December I was in a deep, dark depression that pretty much ruined Christmas and didn’t lift until mid-January; this year, it was two weeks in November, and all it took to get out of this one was a little bit of medicine and finding out that my life isn’t over after all.

Now I’ve got water, Internet, and a renewed sense of purpose…..yep, I’m baaaaack!