Get Monday Started On the Right Foot

Dear internet, 350 GB external drive with most/all junk on it crashed
while swapping music files to mp3 player. Please send troubleshooting
thoughts and/or 1 TB replacement drive.

Also, it was 22 F when I woke up this morning.

Silver lining also on crashed drive?

Speculatively,

A.

ETA: Loose power cord. Did you know that CNET-respected 1 TB drives are now under $200? I know what I'm getting myself in January!

It is still colder than freezing out, but I have long underwear. Before this week is out, I plan to have more.

Nonlinear Lines of Thought

A couple of thoughts on a night after a day so cold, I broke out my disliked five year old (six? seven? Bought on Black Friday 2001?) winter coat. (My roommate likes it. So perhaps it isn't completely hideous. Or perhaps its size lets it masquerade as a puffy semi-fashionable marshmellow coat.)

[Poll #1311966]

The first is flippancy brought on by local custom; the second is sincere. On the one hand, epic history. On the other hand, I'm hearing nothing good about the state of the metro, mall, weather or sanity of security. But - history! Multiple coworkers in my age cohort are doing it!

Unless 1.) I get a fabulous deal on plane tickets, or 2.) somone throws an equally fabulous party and invites me, I may wait to see if it's sleeting before I make a final decision.