Virus Alert: Jes hasn’t had her laptop online really, so I discovered this week, as the computer got slower and slower, that getting the wireless had allowed a host of critters onto her hard drive. I spent a large hunk of the day installing Windows Service Pack Two, Avast, Adaware, and Spybot, which in turn found two viruses and one hundred and one maleware and other tracking programs. The programs I installed are all shareware products and free for the downloading. Avast is as good as, if not better than, any of the other virus detection services, like Norton or Macafee, only there is no yearly fee.

So while all these programs ran, I was just a TV junky alternating between naps and various recent science fiction addictions. I’ve been watching Babylon Five for free via streaming downloads from AOL and the second disk in Fire Fly’s first and only season came in the mail yesterday. I’ve watched all four episodes twice.

I have been letting myself slip into a bit of a funk. Teaching can be kind of addictive. Maybe we use addiction metaphors too much in our lives, but I am feeling a kind of withdrawal or longing for the life I had built. It’s not easy to become part of community and then just quit cold turkey. I miss my kids.

Jes just got home from Friday night glass blowing so I think we are going to head out for a bit and get me past the threshold of our house and my mood.