Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Set up a new monitor for Chris. It's a Samsung SyncMaster 191T, a brand new 19-inch flat panel monitor for about US$800. It's a beauty. Here's my review: It seems to be perfect in every respect except: (a) I wish it rotated the video automatically when you physically rotate the screen [you have to adjust the video manually], (b) we wish it had a way of knowing when you got to exactly 90 degrees—as it is you can turn the screen a few degrees past 90 and that's annoying, (c) there's one bad pixel—not bad for as many pixels as it has, (d) it was the first time ever I had to use a Philips head screwdriver to install a monitor. Why? Well, it came with both the digital and analog cables screwed on to the monitor. The screws were so tight and the jacks set so flush to the monitor and positioned on the under-back side of the monitor with the center stand in the way that I couldn't get the digital cable off with just my fingers. I was very annoyed, but 10 seconds with the right tool fixed it right up. Anyone who doesn't have a long-necked Philips head screwdriver should go buy one before buying this monitor. Chris seems pleased with the new monitor. Despite the installation troubles, I am, too. Created a schedule template in Microsoft Word using our new design. Taught Debrah more features of InDesign, such as using transparent objects. Met with Susie about Web stuff. We created a wireframe for the proposed clinical pharmacy home page. Joel went home early today, said he wasn't feeling good. So I had lunch by myself at Nan King Road Bistro—Hong Kong style chow mein noodles, vegetarian style. Dinner at home with Patrick: crab cakes, peas, Spanish rice. I took home Heather's rock of a laptop for fixin'. My birthday present from Chris De Lay and Nate Dwyer finally showed up—they had to resend it to my work address because it never showed up at my home address. Turned out to be six pair of chopsticks that were exactly the same style as the pair Patrick and I got at Jitra for Valentine's Day 2001. We now have a set of 7! The power went out unexpectedly at about 9:10 PM, so we went to bed. I couldn't work on Heather's laptop since I didn't want to risk running out of battery power and having it die on me. From the system log on frankfarm.org, the power seemed to have come back on exactly at midnight. Weird!