My computer lives to see another day - but then what is life?

There was thunder and lightning on friday night - it was quite impressive to watch. I'd just finsihed watching a movie with some friends and we went and stood the little undercover patio/verandah thing at my house - slightly surrounded by washing - admiring the lightning while drinking our cups of tea. Of course, I didn't give another thought to things like... computers being switched on! Later, after Jack and Ruth went I tried to check something - and my desktop which has its moments of being clunky and slow but is actually an old friend wouldn't do anything. I spent hte last few days thinking it might be dead - or just need ANOTHER new power supply.. and even got one from my cousin (who tells mehe got 4 for $10 from ebay)! But just as I faced the daunting though not particularly hard task of unplugging it all and undoing the case etc, I just tried swapping it to a different powerpoint! And now it works... hurrah! Ok... possibly Jack suggested just checking... but I'm glad all the same. And I really should back up anything of importance just in case!!

The movie we watched was Ghost in the Shell - apparently a classic anime. It wasn't as cheerful and happy as some of the Studio Ghibli ones I've seen, but was enjoyable anyway. There were some philosophical elements - what is life-AI, human genes which are basically programs anyway, etc. It was interesting that they quoted some familiar Biblical snippets-'When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child. Now that I am a man, I have no more use for childish ways.' And also something about seeing now only as a reflection, but later seeing in full. About life and people, the 'evil' 'Puppet Master' said:

'It can also be argued that DNA is nothing more than a program designed to preserve itself. Life has become more complex in the overwhelming sea of information. And life, when organized into species, relies upon genes to be its memory system. So, man is an individual only because of his intangible memory... and memory cannot be defined, but it defines mankind.'

I picked up the ticket for the southern roots festival the other day (it had come registered post). In the mean time, I've been invited to a wedding (Cathy and Tom) the same day... ARRRGGHHH!! I think I'll go to wedding at 11, reception in cygnet afterwards and try to be back to showgrounds for festival for late afternoon. Hopeuflly I won't miss any of the big stuff - it opens at 10, but I am hoping it will take a while to kick off. I always seem to have clashes - I do do a lot of things, but there are days with nothing, and days with 3 things... doh!

Uni tomorrow... the only good thing is its a sleep-in compared to boot camp the day after. Actually, not the only good thing - it will be fun to be back into it, seeing people and having routine and so-on. Bring it on!