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I got a phone call while I was in Canberra on Monday (at an offsite in a place that was almost cut off from the outside world - there were all of two or three places where I had mobile phone reception, and internet was $25 a day!). It was the guy from our travel section. Apparently the US consulate didn't think they could process my visa in time (actually the problem was not so much processing time, but postal time to get my passport from Canberra to Sydney and then here to Adelaide). And for some reason they said I don't qualify for the visa waiver program when travelling on an official passport, which makes no sense at all.
So I am heading to Canada on Sat night with with the vague hope of possibly getting a visa while I am in Montreal, except that the travel guy wouldn't book me any flights to the US in case I couldn't go there, and I can't get a visa without a confirmed itinerary. So while I could rock up to the Montreal consulate on Monday morning (when I actually have some free time) and give them a fait accompli, what I'm actually going to have to do is ring them up, find out if getting the thing is feasible, then contact the office (with delay due to time zone differences), get them to send me stuff, and then probably take time out from the conference to apply.
I'm beginning to think one day in Washington (which is what it is going to be if I can wrangle it) is not worth it.
*sigh*
My brain, meanwhile, seems to be on an periodic cycle of excitement, terror and exhaustion.
So I am heading to Canada on Sat night with with the vague hope of possibly getting a visa while I am in Montreal, except that the travel guy wouldn't book me any flights to the US in case I couldn't go there, and I can't get a visa without a confirmed itinerary. So while I could rock up to the Montreal consulate on Monday morning (when I actually have some free time) and give them a fait accompli, what I'm actually going to have to do is ring them up, find out if getting the thing is feasible, then contact the office (with delay due to time zone differences), get them to send me stuff, and then probably take time out from the conference to apply.
I'm beginning to think one day in Washington (which is what it is going to be if I can wrangle it) is not worth it.
*sigh*
My brain, meanwhile, seems to be on an periodic cycle of excitement, terror and exhaustion.
I hate it when...
Jun. 3rd, 2012 01:33 pm...a computer decides it knows what you want.
I sort of assumed last week that my install of Office included Powerpoint. So I didn't have to fret too much about finishing the presentations I was giving overseas because I could tweak them on the run.
But of course I actually don't have Powerpoint.
I didn't even have Powerpoint reader, but in installing this I discovered I could get a free 60 day trial of Office 2010 with Powerpoint. Awesome, sez I - that is just what I need. So I download the installer, and start installing. Do I want 64 bit Office? Oh boy do I, after all I do have 64 bit Windows.
But oh no! My old Office is 32 bit and it cannot install this 64 bit trial when I have 32 bit Office installed. That would just be crazy!
Fine, sez I. Try installer again. This time it skips right over the 'do you want 64 bit with that' and just starts installing it. So I delete the installer. I delete the downloaded files the installer is trying to install. I download the installer again. The damn thing still thinks I want 64 bit Office because I said it once and who would ever, ever change their mind?
And the error that pops up saying I cannot install 64 bit Office over an older 32 bit Office helpfully suggests instructions for fixing this in CD ROM I am installing from.
Anyone know anyway around this (I'm starting to think opening a whole new account with Microsoft so the stupid installer thinks I'm a different person).
Of course none of this is helped by the fact that I am trying to pack (which always stresses me out) and the kids are just being hyper-kinetic loons today.
I sort of assumed last week that my install of Office included Powerpoint. So I didn't have to fret too much about finishing the presentations I was giving overseas because I could tweak them on the run.
But of course I actually don't have Powerpoint.
I didn't even have Powerpoint reader, but in installing this I discovered I could get a free 60 day trial of Office 2010 with Powerpoint. Awesome, sez I - that is just what I need. So I download the installer, and start installing. Do I want 64 bit Office? Oh boy do I, after all I do have 64 bit Windows.
But oh no! My old Office is 32 bit and it cannot install this 64 bit trial when I have 32 bit Office installed. That would just be crazy!
Fine, sez I. Try installer again. This time it skips right over the 'do you want 64 bit with that' and just starts installing it. So I delete the installer. I delete the downloaded files the installer is trying to install. I download the installer again. The damn thing still thinks I want 64 bit Office because I said it once and who would ever, ever change their mind?
And the error that pops up saying I cannot install 64 bit Office over an older 32 bit Office helpfully suggests instructions for fixing this in CD ROM I am installing from.
Anyone know anyway around this (I'm starting to think opening a whole new account with Microsoft so the stupid installer thinks I'm a different person).
Of course none of this is helped by the fact that I am trying to pack (which always stresses me out) and the kids are just being hyper-kinetic loons today.
