Untitled

Tuesday March 23rd 2004 11:06 AM PST

I've had so little to write recently. I guess i've just been in a shitty mood. in a mess of things going wrong, only the trivial things seem to be going right. I've got the new server up and running and can't believe how happy i am. I finally am in the position where i can wrestle through the configuration without having to bug the living shit out of Jason. After years of asking him questions, it feels good to not be a tech support nightmare. (I need to buy him a few drinks)

The other day i walked into Staples and suddenly forgot to use my fuckin brain. I had a piece of paper in my hand with the EXACT ink cartridge numbers that i need. I'm looking for ink for the Epson Stylus C82. The girl behind the counter pulls out a 4 pack and hands it to me. Not the exact number, but the cartridge says it fits in the C82. Box looks about right. And the ink is MADE by epson. So $60 later i'm out the door.

Now where the fuck did i leave my brian. When did i start to think that some dipshit making minimum wage would be able to tell me what item i need. So i get the ink back home. Open it all up. Unfortunately for me it fits perfect in the printer. Same size and everything. I get all of it installed and open up the little utility for the ink levels. It spits back a rude little error message saying that i should only buy Epson produced inks. Then lists me off the numbers that i still have on a sheet of paper in my back pocket. So here is the deal. Epson makes ink for the C80 and the C82, and the cartridges are EXACTLY the same in size and shape. HOWEVER, they have a little microchip interface on them that identifies them and lets the printer read the ink level. This little microchip also ensures that Epson will continue to have you buying ONLY THEIR inks.

anyway, i needed inks. So i went back the next day, and ignored the guy behind the counter for a few minutes. During this time i identified exactly what i needed. He started to ask me what printer i needed ink for.... I just pointed to the three ink packs i needed. He asked me again... "what printer are these for?" At this point i politely explained that i had been there the day before. I let a employee get what she thought were the right inks for my printer, and she blew it. I pointed to the three packs again. "those are what i need".

So i got out the door with little help from the employees of Staples, but i finally got what i want.

BUT the quest for inks did afford me the excuse to visit the Apple Store. I used my self control. I didn't buy anything. I did however browse their bargain table.... it was really hard to pass up a few things.

Well more to come later. i always suck at catching up.