spoke too soon

That annoying computer glitch is still happening, so now I've uninstalled the KB2419640 patch (restore pointed it). Of course I'll have to keep an eye out for windows tying to reinstall it, but lets see how it goes now.

bleh - windows update scare

Fortunately it fixed itself, but my newish computer wouldn't turn on after it updated this morning - power and fans but nothing else. I let it cool down, tried again a few times and finally it fixed itself. And then it told me I had to register windows - which I've already done, good thing the box was still to hand. I thought it might have messed up something important and all my programs would be gone. It didn't help that the computer has been off for 2 weeks while I was away. I found the last update and searched online and apparently this is a windows7 64 problem with this update - some people had to get in and manually remove it (not easy if it just won't turn on). {tentative} it seems ok now.

spirobathmophobia

There's a name for it!
The fear of spiral staircases. I never used to be afraid of them. In fact when touring Britain (twice) I climbed up and down many of them in various castles. But at some point they started to freak me out. I think it was at Clifford's Tower in York. Its too heavy for the hill its on and has sunk a bit - theres a tilt. So you are climbing a spiral staircase on a sideways slope. Then there was the very narrow very long, often with no rail to hold onto. staircase to the roof of York Cathedral..so my incipent spirobathmophobia was reinforced by my claustrophobia and my general lack of fitness (am I going to have a heart attack 1/2 way up and how would they get me out). Now they make me very nervous. My brother Doug laughed at me since he thinks spiral staircases are the safest ones to fall down on the basis you hit a wall pretty quickly that stops you cold. I will still climb them, but they are no longer fun.