LOL Emo TIEM.

Beh. Right now I really need a hug. Nothing bad happened today... just a bit lonely is all heheh. Been kinda stressed out and stuff. Hopefully soon I will get a new job and get away from the hellhole I've been stuck with for years.

Fixed the monitor hinge fix

Made the fix look a little more streamlined. Now, instead of sticking out at the sides of the screen, the sticks are pointing up and down. Might decorate the sticks or at least paint them silver so they don't look out of place. It's not the best fix, and I still gotta worry about the lid flipping closed, but at least I have a semi-workable solution for now.

Broken Laptop Hinges - Found Workaround!

I found some craft sticks(aka popsicle sticks) and was playing around trying to find a way to keep the monitor up where I wanted it. First  I tried hot-gluing them to the bottom of the lid to act like sort of a 'door stop' but it didn't work that great - popped the monitor out of the hinges a few times and the sticks just wouldn't stay in place. Right now I'm taking a different approach; I stuck two craft sticks on the sides of the console, and two on the top of the monitor... though I might change it because it looks a bit too odd still. But at least it works.

Sick - might be a bug or allergies

So, last night I started getting the telltale post-nasal drip, and that was a clue that my nose was not going to let me sleep very well. Played around, tried to make some kind of jury-rigging that would make my computer's monitor stay up. Hinges are totally shot, which sucks but hey, it's still very good for a fifteen-buck computer.

Had to go to class today and managed to get there just in time despite the parking lot being full to the point where I had to compete with other drivers for a parking space. Finally, at around ten minutes until class, I found a parking space and the one who was trying to pull out was having trouble because I and another person were both vying for that space. Somehow I managed to claim that space for myself, and I was like, 'MINE! MINE!'  'cause I REALLY needed to get to class on time.

In class, I found out that my purse was far more reliable than the coathanger at supporting the monitor, though I am still working on an idea for making some metal support strips that will keep the lid from opening too far, as well as a pair of inner-supports that could be removed and keep it from swinging closed. The computer and display work - it's just the hinges that are shot. Also might do some drafting for the plans and maybe upload them to help others in a similar situation.

Also, I have a fiction blog here, and am currently working on an original story that I've been working on mostly in my head for years. Feel free to post a comment and any input you'd like.

Broken Laptop Hinges

The hinges on my laptop are busted now. Guess if it ain't one thing, it's another. Ah well, at least I have a few work-arounds.

Finally... IT'S GONE! TDSKiller WORKED!

After running TDSKiller, it found the culprit and cured the infected file. Then I used CCleaner and removed a lot of other crap. Might use it to do a registry scan later, but for now, it's nighty-night time. Been up for a LONG time doing the scan and now I need to sleep. Laterz!

Well... STOPZilla didn't work.

Something weird happened to my computer after I installed STOPzilla, and I had to roll it back to last known good setting. Stupid thing. I have GOT to get rid of that browser hijack!

I'm installng STOPzilla - the Google browser hijack virus has GOT TO GO!

I love the computer that I was recently given. Great little laptop, very nice to have something I can use on the couch or in bed or on the floor without lugging around a big, heavy screen or fighting to get it to read an optical disk. However, it does have one annoying aspect: the Google browser hijack virus is a PAIN IN THE BUTT! Been trying everything to make it go away, and now I think I've found the solution: STOPzilla. Links to this and other Google hijack removal programs can be found on this page.


The Google redirect virus is able to hide by injecting itself into other processes and monkeying around with the registry, HOSTS file and DNS, which can make it difficult to find and remove. However, enough people have had this problem and were able to get a fix for it.

If you are having problems with getting redirected to some unrelated page half the time when you click on a link in Google, I would recommend downloading and installing STOPzilla antivirus, BITDefender Total Security, Spyware Doctor Antivirus or Webroot Spy Sweeper. This will get rid of the aggravation of redirects, as most other antivirus programs will not be able to detect this particular malware.

Hard Disk Cleanup and Possible Employment At Krispy Kream

Today, I did some major cleaning up on my computer's hard drive, and deleted all the other accounts. Also deleted a bunch of home videos and photos that the original owner shot because they weren't mine and it just doesn't feel right to snoop. Can't get over what a good computer this is. Sure, it has a few faults like a couple wonky USB ports and a slightly loose monitor hinge, but it works like a dream. HP really made a hardy laptop. Might try helping other people fix their computers so they won't sell gems like this for so little. I could have fixed this computer for the original owners.

And this morning, I went to apply for a job at this Krispy Kream Factory that will be opening in about a month. It would be so nice to get out of my other job. Plus, if hired, I would pretty much be the IRL equivalent of an 'early adopter', so that would be cool.

I've installed Linux on another clunker laptop my mum bought, but the damn thing can't connect to the internet and the LAN port seems to be dead. At the very least, I will be able to get accustomed to working with Linux, though I would like to dual boot that operating system on a better computer.

My mum also is going to be getting a practically brand-new computer for free because the owner doesn't know how to work computers, apparently, and he thinks he ruined it. It just might be another treasure like the laptop I'm using right now. I might even be able to play around with that laptop and keep it, and give my old computers to Mum so she can use them for repairs. She's taking a computer repair class and I'm thinking of doing the same next semester. In this economy, we might be able to at least save some money or make a little by selling refurbished models.

I just can't believe how people will just give away such nice things.

Jeskola Buzz

This is an old program, one which was around for around for over a decade, and was made to emulate the look and feel of the Amiga tracker. Upon first using Buzz, you might find it quite confusing especially in the older version as the user interface is very unfamiliar. In the machines view, which is the default, you will see a box that says 'Master' on it. That is the master volume unit, and you plug the other machines into it.

Right-click in that empty space and you'll get a pop-up menu with some options including "new" which will open a submenu when selected. You can choose a generator and it will be automatically plugged into the master unit. If you want to give it some effects like reverb, delay, filter or distort, then create a new effect unit the same way you made the generator. Then, holding , you click on the generator and drag your mouse to the effect unit. That will apply the effect in real time, and there are hundreds of cool generators and effects to download from the Buzzmachines site.

Navigating the program can be quite trying at first, but here's a walkthrough. You start in the machines view, which you can come back to by clicking on the button that has a picture of a square with a hole in its upper left corner. That and other buttons are located above the work area. The button for the pattern editor, which is where you create and edit your musical patterns, looks like an old punch-card and is at the left of the machines button, and the pattern sequencer, which is where you build your song, is at the right of the machines button and has a picture of what looks like a section of roof shingles.

The buttons to the right of that group look familiar: right-facing black triangle for 'play', red circle for 'record' and black square for 'stop'. There's also a button that has a curved-edge rectangle with one arrow on top and two on the bottom - that one can be selected or de-selected, and it controls whether your composition loops. Next to that group is a picture of a table with a zig-zag on it. This is the 'wave table', which is where you load and tweak the sound-samples you've recorded. Next button has the 'blah blah' written on it, and is just for writing notes about your composition. The last button in that group shows a zig-zag with a red 'x' over it, and is a 'panic' button that you can press to disable the audio device, which is useful if you need to free up the sound card or just stop some horrible noise gremlin.

If you need more help, there is a help file that comes with the program. I recommend playing around with this program and experimenting with the different machines that you can find on the site.

Go to Buzzmachines for more information and for some very cool electronic music. There's also a site for a new, updated version of Buzz - Jeskola.net, a message board that is supposed to be 'serious', known as Buzz Church and a Youtube video to help get you familiar with this fine program!

So, try it out, and if you've made a song with this program, send me a link because I would love to hear it!

VST Planet

This website mostly showcases and provides links to Virtual Studio Technology or VST plugins, but there's a lot more interesting things you can find there. There's a section for Audio Tools which is divided into Multitrack, Sound Editor, Sequencer and Other, and each one has links to some very useful programs, including the ones I have listed in This Entry. There's a section with Links to many fine websites including KVRAudio, another great directory for VST plugins and hosts, a Music page for compositions made from showcased programs, a search engine and an Archive so you can find what you're looking for easily and even get the latest news in the world of free and cheap music software. Each day, you'll find news about free and cheap music software, plugins and even sample packs. You can make your own studio with these downloads, a PC or laptop, a pair of headphones and ideally, a microphone.

I would recommend uploading your compositions to Youtube and possibly to some radio websites like Acidplanet. You can make some money by advertising your music and signing with an independent label or selling them in an online store, though I would recommend starting by posting links to your songs and videos in a blog that you are monetizing with advertisements from Google or Yahoo.

Links to Awesome Music Freeware!

I want to spread the word about my favourite freeware programs and stuff, because in an economy like this, few can afford programs like FL Studio, Reason or Record. There are oodles of free programs out there that work just as well as the commercial models, and sometimes they're just more user-friendly.

Here are my favourites, and you may notice that they all work on Windows, since it is the operating system I primarily use. I may put in a list of Linux programs sometime in the future, when I've had the chance to test them.

I will be putting in more links in the future.

If you are a programmer and want your creation featured here, or if you would like to see your favourite software on this blog, just post a request in the comment section or email me.

Webcam Works!

I just got my old rocketfish webcam working again. Yup, I missed being able to take snapshots of my ugly face and put them online. But anyway, lots of things have changed and hopefully I am less ugly now. One can only hope. Feel free to goatse me.

Might do some videos of myself singing, and hope that it won't make your ears bleed hahaha!

Just Installed Linux Multimedia Studio

Yup, I don't think I can rave enough about how awesome LMMS is, but I almost forgot that I had already made an entry about it. Still, you guys have to download this fine program and see how good it really is!

Also, get Weird Al's latest CD. He has totally outdone himself with this one!

New Layout

Because the circles template was boring and I felt that after a year or so of inactivity, it was time for some change. I've gone through a lot of change, including getting a used computer that doesn't need to be hooked up to a big fat monitor, though I might try it out just for ducks. It'd be kinda cool to have a duel monitor setup even if the other monitor is rather bulky.

Anyway, here are some designs I put on Zazzle:


Shop for a personalized gift at Zazzle.