This morning I helped a friend install a plugin in GAIM via IM.  She was having issues understanding exactly what she was supposed to do between unzipping the plugin file and then installing what where.  It seems the folders that the instructions said should exist did not and it was all just a bit overwhelming for her. 

She started whining about being too stupid to understand and that it was beyond her.  I immediately told her to stop that.  It just makes things worse as I know from my own personal experience.  I also know quite well how she was feeling.  Much of this stuff is far harder than it should be. 

So I crossed my fingers and told her that she could do it and that we would.  And we did.  She copied and pasted the plugin’s instructions into IM and I started asking questions one at a time.  Keep in mind that I do not use GAIM, nor have I ever installed a plugin in it.  This was also on a Windoze machine that was not in front of me.  Luckily, I had one near my PowerBook that I was IMing from so I was able to work in a not completely blind state.

Taking it one step at a time, we found which user profile GAIM was installed under, switched to that users Application Data folder, created the levels of subfolders we needed, and then copied the dll file she needed into the bottom-most folder.  Then she closed GAIM and relaunched it.  We got her to the GAIM Preferences pane and (luckily—cause I am now completely "blind" at this point) she was able to tell GAIM to use the plugin she just installed.  Hoorah!

I am very proud of her, and, truth be told, I am very proud of myself, too!  I am not sure where I finally learned to be so supportive of others, but I am glad I did.  This past week during on campus, one of my LEEP buddies told me that I have a reputation with the LEEPers as the patient and friendly tech guy to go to when they need help.  As much as I have a hard time believing it, and as much as I want to believe it, it does my shriveled little heart a lot of good.  I guess I am beginning to believe it since I have heard similar things from several other LEEPers and even on campus students.  It still baffles me though, as it doesn’t fit my own image of myself.  But I like this image much, much more than the ones I already hold of myself.

So thanks to all my friends for allowing me to help them!  I hope I also (sometimes) help them with their own self-images as they help me with mine.

Yesterday in the mail I got an Erin McKeown CD, distillation, and another Ani tee, 32 flavors and then some.  These are things I ordered when I pre-ordered Ani’s upcoming release, reprieve.  I’m liking Erin’s CD and need to look into others.  I’ve liked Erin ever since I saw her during my 1st ever Birthday Month in 2001 with three other lovely young women in Voices on the Verge.  I also have their live album, which is simply excellent.  I’ve been meaning to pick up more Erin but just never quite got around to it.  So if there are any Erin fans out there, please send me recommendations on what to pick up next.  Anna, what do you recommend?

Around noon today I took the previous CDs back to Urbana Free and got 14 more.  I got 6 by the Cowboy Junkies, another Suzanne Vega, 3 by Elvis Costello, 2 by yo la tengo, Neil Young’s Sleeps With Angels, and Ry Cooder’s Chicken Skin Music.  So far I’ve listened to CJs’ The Trinity Session and am listening to Ry Cooder.  They are both excellent!

Yesterday I rented 3 movies for the weekend.  I haven’t watched any of them yet, but they are The Same River Twice, Missing in America, and Munich.

Of course, I’m also working on the Carnival of the Infosciences #42 for an early Monday opening.  I do not have many submissions yet folks.  Please send me some before 6 PM CT tomorrow.

And last, but certainly not least, do not forget that tomorrow is Father’s Day.