Before getting to Today's Posts, let me drop in a few personal notes.1) Vital Signs Blog is now done (we hope) with it's forced sabbatical. We experienced a severe computer virus that messed us up for several days and then shut us down completely. Claire took my Dell computer into Arn Networks and they diagnosed the problem, removed the "trojan horse" that had lodged itself deep in the booting system (where it had evaded three spyware programs: Norton, Spybot and Ad-Aware), and tuned the computer up (new plugs and points, I assume). Finally, they also installed a Kaspersky Internet Security system.
2) Whether we were specifically targeted, we don't know and never will. Our web site has been deliberately hacked three times but this computer virus could have been completely arbitrary. Whatever the case, the danger from vandals is increasing for us all and so we encourage you to take added precautions with your own computers. You know the usual stuff. So did we. So you might consider upgrading your protection. Arn recommended Kaspersky highly. So have others, including a Vital Signs Blog reader who sent me this encouraging e-mail regarding Tuesday's blog entry which mentioned Kaspersky. "I've been using their anti-virus programs for a number of years both at work and at home. It's not let me down. It downloads its updates multiple times a day, and it seems to scan faster than Norton. Welcome back on-line, and best wishes to you for a happy new year. I appreciate your well-reasoned posts. Keep up the good work!" (Thanks, J.)
3) As always, Epiphany brings our Christmas season comes to a close. And despite the computer problems and the drastic extremes of winter snow and cold, we had a terrific holiday season. A few "Santa runs," attendance at two surprise birthday parties for friends, a gang of Christmas movies, Claire reading 8 Christmas books (just 2 for me), good times with Mom including a Christmas Tea at the Life Care Center, and studying for a month's worth of Christmas sermons -- Christmas was busy and productive. And, oh yes, there were the 8 Christmas parties that Claire and I hosted.
4) Of course, because of yesterday's harsh weather, our Epiphany evening had to be postponed. (That would make party #9.) And though Claire and I turned off the lights and listened to our recording of Dylan Thomas reading "A Child's Christmas in Wales" and some Christmas carols sung by Gordon MacRae and the Boy's Town choir (circa 1962), we have left the capstone of our Epiphany evening (the reflections which accompany a solemn re-wrapping of the nativity scene figures) for our re-scheduled event. And that means, I guess, that it will still be Christmas around here until next Monday night!
