Listening to the Voices in my Head

Why do they have to make things so effin' difficult?

I really don't like Western Digital right now. I have three external Western Digital drives, and one Seagate, in separate enclosures. To save space, to free up USB3 ports, and to use less electricity, I got a 5 bay HDD enclosure. It was supposed to be a NON-RAID, but hey, they sent us a RAID version.

After some half-assed instructions from the seller, I contacted someone I know has great advice, Alan and I tested the 5 bay enclosure with two drives (The Seagate, and the system HDD from my old computer). They spun up without a problem. YAY!

So, Alan and I started breaking down the Western Digital enclosures (thankfully we were careful), plugged the HDDs into the 5 bay enclosure. I suddenly get messages that I have to format those drives to make them usable? Oh Hell no! So, Alan put the WD drive into the Seagate enclosure. Same message.

I did a quick internet search... "Western Digital MyBook/Elements drives not working in new enclosure". That was when I started saying naughty words. Turns out Western Digital hardwired encryption in the "data bridge". We plugged the WD Enclosure card back on to the drive, and TA DA! All data available and readable.

What I have to do, is copy all the data to another drive (fun fun) insert the WD drive into the 5 Bay enclosure, format the drive, and then copy everything back, as there is no way (that I know of) around the encrypting process. Says it's going to take at lease 11 hrs to transfer one drive. That's only if there isn't something that can't be copied while I'm asleep and stalls it all.

Why do they have to make things so effin' difficult?!?!

I don't know why, but I have been enjoying these scam buster videos.

I don't know why, but I have been enjoying these scam buster videos. Again, I can see how someone not computer savvy could be fooled with the scammer's antics.

You get hit with a very realistic looking Windows/Microsoft page, with a warning, saying your computer had been blocked, and Call this number! Don't try closing the window because it will cause irreparable harm to your computer. They of course provide a toll free number for you to call. They will help you get to either fastsupport dot com, or other website, and have you download and install GoToAssist or LogMeIn. After this happens, they are remotely connected to your computer.

They open Event Viewer, and claim all the alerts and errors are spyware or viruses.

Then they open MSINFO, which will show things have been stopped, claiming spyware or viruses have stopped them.

Then, they will open an elevated command prompt, and run dir :/s or the TREE command, saying they are scanning the computer. If you listen carefully you will hear them typing something and then OMIGOD NO, in red letters it will say at the command prompt, you have XXX amount of viruses.

Next step, they will type in NETSTAT, and it will list your IP and every placed you're currently connected. Some of those addresses with be 'foreign', aka not your computer's IP address, and tell you that this is proof hackers are connected to your computer.

Then they will open NOTEPAD and list a bunch of fake services they will provide, cleaning the system, install free security/virus software, but charge anywhere from $99.99 to sometimes over $1000.

If you question them, they will often run the SYSKEY command, which they will use to change the system password. If you don't pay the money, they won't give you the password. And if you don't have a recent back up, or calling them on a Virtual Machine, you can be stuck for it.

Again, you might roll your eyes and say "How could anyone be so stupid?", it's not stupidity, it's not knowing.

Scamming is illegal, no matter where the scammers are located, it's illegal.

Sometimes, having a legacy subscription is better

I use Skype, mostly to call the U.S.. I have an subscription that is no longer offered, and as long as I continue to renew it, it can't be changed. 600 minutes direct to phones all over the world per month, and free Skype to Skype calls.

I did notice my rates went up, so I logged into their support chat. Found out that all yearly rates have gone up, and since it's not by a helluva lot, that's fine by me. But he did mention that my subscription was 'no longer supported, did I want to update'. I told him "No thank you, I was told by R**** (person I dealt with before) said I could keep my legacy subscription, as it was 'grandfathered in', as long as I continue to renew it."

I could almost hear the crickets chirping after I typed that out. :D

So much for the surprise.

I ordered a 'surprise' holiday gift for our household, and the merchant, instead of packing the two items in a box, as they had done prior, they shipped them in their store shelf boxes. Surprise blown, as the person it was for was the one that accepted delivery.

I filled out their online form, and they replied with long schpiel about how quality of service is their priority. Then asked this:

> For our records, could you please provide photos showing the product's packaging?

I replied "What packaging? The items were shipped in their store shelf boxes, rather battered, with shipping labels slapped onto them."

I'm on the bike to nowhere. :D

Did a full 12mins on the stationary bike this morning.

Might not seem like a lot to able bodied, but I started with a slow pedal speed 5 minutes, adding 10 seconds a day. Also, I upped the resistance slightly, but not to the point that the pain was unmanageable. I had to take a break for a few days because of umm 'chafing' (the seat is not very comfortable.)

The shin issue is still annoying me, but doesn't bother me when I'm on the stationary bike, because the foot isn't flexing heel to toe, which is what is causing the shin to cramp.

It's been a week since last physio visit

And that 'shin' pain is still there, and if anything, it's worse. Yes, I can 'medicate' it away, but I've been in the process of reducing pain meds, so I really don't want to start taking them on a regular basis. Might have to, though, as it's really interfering with my daily routine! Those who know me know that I tend to push through pain, and keep going, but sometimes this pain brings me to a dead halt. It's not the knee giving me pain, but the muscle on the right side of my right calf, paralleling the shin bone.

If it keeps up, I will call physio, and see if I can be 'squeezed in' before the 25th, or shortly afterward.

Short of anything untoward happening

I am finished with Physiotherapist. I do have a 'penciled in' appointment for the 3rd of January, but unless there's something wrong, or goes wrong, I probably won't need.

The Shin Cramps: turns out the cramping is because of properly walking heel to toe. The muscle along the tibia is getting a work out, and it's not so much cramping, but just angry muscle from being used correctly. Matt did some acupuncture on the area, and it was funny watching the needles vibrate as the muscle complained, then settled down. Instructed to 'roll a tennis ball' firmly over the area. Also, if I lift the foot, and allow the leg to just dangle a bit, the pain/cramp subsides.

I also asked Matt about how much time it's taking, as a few people claimed that in two or three weeks, relatives/friends with total knee replacements were out doing stuff like mountain climbing and hiking. He slowly shook his head, and said "Not a chance. Takes 6 to 8 weeks for the surgical incision to heal. Mountain climbing or hiking would tear it open after two or three weeks." MAYBE if what they had was laproscopic, but even then, the surgeons instructions would be minimum of 4 to 6 weeks. He also said that my recovery is well beyond average.

So, I can keep doing the rehab exercises as needed (yes, I need them in the morning as the knee/leg is typically quite stiff), and then have occasional reviews with Matt and Mr Skinner, but for all intents I've been set free!

I still have a ways to go, but it will be done by daily living now.

3 Months post op

Mr S is very pleased with my recovery, even though I am frustrated. He said I was being to hard on myself, and the fact that I am at what it normally takes 6 months to get to at 3 months shows all the hard work and effort I've put into my recovery.

He was a bit concerned about how the surgical scar has turned into a keloid scar. It's much thicker, and more livid than he would like. I showed him other scars I had that were from deep cuts, and although they are faded, they are also keloid scars. There is a treatment for it, and if it doesn't work, it can lessened with laser treatment. (On an aside, the reason I have such good skin is the same reason for the keloid scarring.. a goodly amount of collagen.)

The knee is stable, the leg bends only a half a centimeter less than the uninjured knee now. And I am developing strength back into the leg. Also lost another 2kgs.

The hypersensitive spot on my knee, just keep rubbing it. It will settle down. As will the involuntary twitching of the leg. I told Mr S that I have been having trouble sleeping, and although that is normal, he was concerned how often it was happening. It's because of the pharmaceuticals.

Medications: turned out that the last prescriptions I got were slightly screwed up. I wasn't given one of them, the slow release version, which is why I have been having shitty nights sleeping because of pain. The only one they filled was the quick release one, which would wear off in the middle of the night. This was rectified and I now have the correct dose of the correct medication.

I was sent home with an admonition. Even though my knee/leg feels better, do NOT overdo it. I've recovered well above average, and I don't need to muck it all up by doing too much, and screwing it all up.