I must be careful not to taunt The Universe. HIPPIE seems to be responding to treatment. His prognosis is guarded, but the signs of recovery are there. When I turn on HIPPIE now, the black screen of OH CRAP does not appear. HIPPIE starts up as normal. In fact, a little faster than normal. Maybe that drenching washed out some dust.
The Pony says it IS possible that HIPPIE could gradually be drying out his innards. That first the warning about the fan might go away. And then the fan might start working again. I sent my important files to myself, just in case. I am tempted to try switching the plug-in mouse thingy back to that other port, to see if it is working now, but I don't want to take a chance, since that part ain't broke right now.
Good thing HIPPIE is feeling better, because The Pony is feeling worse. With a migraine. Asked to put off bringing out the replacement laptop today. Fine with me.
Meanwhile, you don't think I'm going to accept responsibility for this fiasco, do you? It's Hick's fault! I've been sitting at the kitchen table, taking my medicine, for several years without incident. But only two days prior to The Drowning, I had switched cups.
My normal drinking vessel was two red Solo cups stacked together. Because they're too flimsy/squeezy if you use just one.
Let the record show that these are from Save A Lot, and actually not SOLO, but a brand called DART.
Hick did not like the double-cup. He uses them for his Wild Turkey and Shasta Zero Sugar Cola. Hick says his lips don't fit on the double cup. That some liquid dribbles out, or goes down in the second cup. I say that's a personal problem. Somebody who doesn't know how to drink! Just like Hick keeps his lips together while sneezing. Instead of saying ACHOO, Hick says PPPPFFFFTTTT, like a raspberry.
Anyhoo... because I didn't like carrying Hick's drink to his recliner in a flimsy/squeezy cup, I bought a different kind.
Not sure what they are, but they are thicker, and have a square bottom. [Upon taking the picture, it looks like Hick's cups are actually the SOLO brand, but a square bottom version.] It's one of these I switched to for my medicine water. I use my cups for a week or two. It's only water. I'm not someone trying to clutter up the world with used cups. The square-bottom cups are stacked on the cutting block, so I just took one of them. It's a corner of the square bottom that caused my cup to tip. A round bottom cup would not have, because I'm used to its dimensions.
See there? It WAS Hick's fault!