Cut off from outside world!

Okay, I admit it's not as bad as all that yet, but few things strike terror in my heart like the thought of losing my internet access at home.  For reasons that are probably could possibly maybe kinda-sorta could be my fault, the wireless internet capacity on my beloved little MacBook Pro is not working.  I got tired of the wireless connection dropping randomly while I was in the middle of doing stuff that doesn't reload easily, so I unplugged the cable from the wireless router and plugged it directly into the computer.  I had to spend a few minutes reconfiguring stuff, although I can't say why -- shouldn't the computer automatically recognize its home network flowing through the cable? -- and then I was in business.  Hours later, when I finished up and wanted to restore the wireless connection so the computer could sit in a more convenient place than the middle of my living room on top of some portable file cabinets, I got nothing.  I mean, nothing: not only could I no longer connect to my router, but I couldn't even connect to any of the surrounding unsecured networks in the apartment complex. 

Hell's. Bells.

So now that I may have bollixed my computer's wireless capacity by a combination of reckless impatience and exhaustion with Mac's substandard wi-fi abilities, I'm doing penance: I have an 8:30AM appointment tomorrow at the Genius Bar.  I seriously hope they can figure out a solution, because it won't be much use to have a lightweight notebook computer with no internet capacity outside my living room.  I kicked out a postdoc application today under these less-than-optimal circumstances, but it's hardly practical to keep this up -- especially when I get through the latest round of application deadlines and can turn my attention to the diss again.

All of this is to say that I may be off-line for a bit, depending on what sort of mischief I have brought upon myself.  Meanwhile, I'm writing myself a note here: next time I can attend to the blog, I should write about the conversation I had tonight over wine and a disturbing amount of cheese with a friend and colleague.