A lot about laptops and PIGGIES!
I am switching computers around lately like more often that I switch pairs of jeans (trufax, kids. The pair I have on now haven't been washed in about three months and I wear them nearly every day. I only wash when there are obvious stains. Is that gross?) so please excuse any type-o's I fail to catch. I'm doing my best but so many unfamiliar keyboards!
Yeah, I gave my laptop (technically my dad's, I've been borrowing it since he physically broke mine by dropping it) back to my dad who needs it because he's going to work in Vietnam for a few months. I've been hankering after a replacement for ages anyway, because it was starting to suck. BUT I am too broke to afford a new one right now, so I borrowed Jim's beautiful, shiny, new Acer until I could get the slightly dodgy one I borrowed from my friend Sara up and running. Which it now is. Hence the switching.
Compared to Jim's machine this is... rubbish. It's narrow, with a tiny keyboard that rattles like the many-bangled-wrists of a hippy drama teacher when I type. And the keyboard is about two inches off the desk which creates a terrible angle for my wrists. And the cd/dvd drive doesn't work. BUT it is faster, with a far bigger memory than the laptop I gave to my dad. AND I was lent it for FREE for an UNLIMITED period of time. So I'm pretty fucking happy! Sara, I heart you.
Anyway, today I made a guinea pig breakthrough and I'm so excited that I thought I would share! I was putting the piggies into their run (made from my guitar hero box) so I could clean them out and they could have a run about and stuff. Also I worried they were getting bored as I haven't been getting them out more than twice a week because they seem to get so scared of me... But more on that later.
Before I lifted them out, when I had taken out their house and everything, I offered some carrot, which only Merlin would take from me. But I held my hand out still and Arthur sniffed it a bit then ran away. Merlin, on the other hand, had dropped the carrot and come to sniff at my arm. Then he stayed, post sniff-age, so I stroked him a bit and he let me! Then I offered the carrot again and instead of taking it from me, he proceeded to eat it whilst leaving it in my hand!
After I picked up Arthur and moved him to the run (he still hates me, wriggles like a bitch and wont stop), I picked up Merlin, who always struggles with less conviction. I held him close to me until he was quiet, then I was able to hold him on my front and one arm and stroke him with the other hand for a little while. He let me! He didn't try to escape! He just sniffed my arm and eventually went "chirrrrrp" to himself. I offered carrot, but he was not moved. Then I put him down in the run and he had a fun time playing with his toys. AND HE WASN'T SCARED OF ME! He still doesn't like being lifted, which is fair enough, but he was okay with being held for a few minutes! PROGRESS!
Anyway, to battle piggy boredom, I have mostly just been moving their little wooden wall around, and they have in turn been shoving it around themselves, but it's not enough. Today I have reintroduced the haynet that my mum crocheted for them out of string, which they seem to love. I've been using the hay manger that came with their new cage, but it's a bit like "here's your food, eat it" whereas the haynet requires some effort to get the hay out, and they seem to enjoy the challenge. I also stuffed an old pop sock with shredded paper. Really. I read about it online whilst looking for tips on DIY toys, and at first I figured it was a stupid idea, but I tried it in the run and Merlin started dragging it around by the toe and snuggling on it like a little pillow! They've put it inside their cardboard tube so far, which is nice.
ETA: I have uploaded reviews of Underworld:Rise of the Lycans, My Bloody Valentine 3D and Role Models to my blog. The rss feed is prettyfacekitty for more like this! [/shameless self-pimpage]
Yeah, I gave my laptop (technically my dad's, I've been borrowing it since he physically broke mine by dropping it) back to my dad who needs it because he's going to work in Vietnam for a few months. I've been hankering after a replacement for ages anyway, because it was starting to suck. BUT I am too broke to afford a new one right now, so I borrowed Jim's beautiful, shiny, new Acer until I could get the slightly dodgy one I borrowed from my friend Sara up and running. Which it now is. Hence the switching.
Compared to Jim's machine this is... rubbish. It's narrow, with a tiny keyboard that rattles like the many-bangled-wrists of a hippy drama teacher when I type. And the keyboard is about two inches off the desk which creates a terrible angle for my wrists. And the cd/dvd drive doesn't work. BUT it is faster, with a far bigger memory than the laptop I gave to my dad. AND I was lent it for FREE for an UNLIMITED period of time. So I'm pretty fucking happy! Sara, I heart you.
Anyway, today I made a guinea pig breakthrough and I'm so excited that I thought I would share! I was putting the piggies into their run (made from my guitar hero box) so I could clean them out and they could have a run about and stuff. Also I worried they were getting bored as I haven't been getting them out more than twice a week because they seem to get so scared of me... But more on that later.
Before I lifted them out, when I had taken out their house and everything, I offered some carrot, which only Merlin would take from me. But I held my hand out still and Arthur sniffed it a bit then ran away. Merlin, on the other hand, had dropped the carrot and come to sniff at my arm. Then he stayed, post sniff-age, so I stroked him a bit and he let me! Then I offered the carrot again and instead of taking it from me, he proceeded to eat it whilst leaving it in my hand!
After I picked up Arthur and moved him to the run (he still hates me, wriggles like a bitch and wont stop), I picked up Merlin, who always struggles with less conviction. I held him close to me until he was quiet, then I was able to hold him on my front and one arm and stroke him with the other hand for a little while. He let me! He didn't try to escape! He just sniffed my arm and eventually went "chirrrrrp" to himself. I offered carrot, but he was not moved. Then I put him down in the run and he had a fun time playing with his toys. AND HE WASN'T SCARED OF ME! He still doesn't like being lifted, which is fair enough, but he was okay with being held for a few minutes! PROGRESS!
Anyway, to battle piggy boredom, I have mostly just been moving their little wooden wall around, and they have in turn been shoving it around themselves, but it's not enough. Today I have reintroduced the haynet that my mum crocheted for them out of string, which they seem to love. I've been using the hay manger that came with their new cage, but it's a bit like "here's your food, eat it" whereas the haynet requires some effort to get the hay out, and they seem to enjoy the challenge. I also stuffed an old pop sock with shredded paper. Really. I read about it online whilst looking for tips on DIY toys, and at first I figured it was a stupid idea, but I tried it in the run and Merlin started dragging it around by the toe and snuggling on it like a little pillow! They've put it inside their cardboard tube so far, which is nice.
ETA: I have uploaded reviews of Underworld:Rise of the Lycans, My Bloody Valentine 3D and Role Models to my blog. The rss feed is prettyfacekitty for more like this! [/shameless self-pimpage]