Safe mode?

[days_unfolding]

Last weekend, I installed TurboTax (from CD) and downloaded TurboTax State. When I installed TurboTax State, the machine hung as it was rebooting. Every time I rebooted it after that, it booted in Safe Mode. I tried it several times over several days. I wasn't even able to boot it with logging turned on, so there was no way to tell what was wrong. I figured that I'd have to rebuild the machine (which would be a pain given that I have both Windows and Linux on the machine). I took Friday off to fix the machine and do my taxes. I was about to call Erik to see if he had any ideas what I could try, and booted the machine for reference--and it booted perfectly well. It's been fine ever since then. I certainly prefer that outcome to the alternative, but I really don't get what happened there.

Anyway, my taxes are done. I want to file them electronically, but I need to get a Customer Service Number from the California Franchise Tax Board. (Unfortunately, that means that I need to call them. I don't like the people from the Board with whom I've interacted; people from the IRS are much nicer, believe it or not!) I tossed some chili in the crock pot while I was doing my taxes, and something about the combination of activities was really satisfying.

I have a dilemma. I've finally started to lose a fair amount of weight on my diet, and I think that's because I've been eating a lot of fiber. However, I was mysteriously sick several years ago, and the doctors thought that it might be colitis (essentially ulcers in the colon). However, the symptoms went away. They come back when I eat a lot of fiber, and this week I was sick with some symptoms. I guess what I'll do is monitor the symptoms and adjust my eating habits accordingly.

I found a book club that I want to join. There's a philosophy book club that meets monthly at the Barnes and Noble in Campbell. I also would like to find a "Great Books" reading group, but I haven't found one that's practical. (Back when I was looking at colleges, I fell in love with Saint John's College, which has a curriculum based on a Great Books reading list, but my dad convinced me that it wasn't practical.) However, I found a site that supports Great Books reading groups. They have a couple of different programs for reading groups, and I really liked this one, so I bought it to read as a reading group of one -;) I'm spicing it up a little by (for example) adding the following books to the series on love and marriage:

• Anatomy of Love
  
• Why We Love
  
• Gender Trouble
  
• Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con: A Reader
  

Comments

[papoose.livejournal.com]

My mother and grandmother were in great books groups. Is still have some of the book sets - I love them. I didn't even know the thing still existed!

[papoose.livejournal.com]

Now that I think about it they were doing a volunteer style junior great books thing - teaching adults to read. Unfortunately they are both dead so I can't ask them, though my Aunt may know.

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Apparently they are still around! The site listed a lot of groups in California; I don't know how many groups are in other states.