The Ian Gibson column: e-mail attachments

The leaf looks a little damp on this side. But having turned it over I may as well leave it that way for the moment. Any more storms and it may well blow back, dry side up on its own! But until that happens I’ll live with the consequences.

This suggests that the ‘grumpy hat’ has been kicked under the drawing table for the cats to play with, for the moment at least. And if or when it does re-emerge, I imagine it will be in need of some laundering as a result. So, while the leaf dries out and I adjust to the new atmosphere, I am not in the mood to complain about punctures in my ‘innertubes’, as a Cheezfreind calls them (Internet world wide web lolspeak … you do the math = ‘innertubes’ ). But punctures I do have!

One of the blessings of the Internet is being able to communicate instantly, server permitting, across the world. We are all (note my proclivity for vast generalisations hasn’t diminished) getting so used to the advantages of broadband that when it fails us, in any way shape or form, the puzzled cartoon question-mark pops up over our heads with amazing alacrity. This bemused countenance has been visiting my features quite often of late.

I’ve been sending e-mails and attached pages of art to our good friend (note I’m including you all in this embrace as he’s a very accommodating fellow) John Ostrander for a few days now. But for some reason, that only the demigods of cyber space can fathom, very few are reaching his ‘node point’ on the one web to bind us all. Most frustrating! As I was hoping for some feedback as to how he felt about the story progress.

Now, I understand the concept of karma, though maybe not its minutia. So it could be ‘payback’ from the Universe for my perverse enjoyment of grammatical contortions, that are there more to exercise the mental faculties than to offer concise communication – a delight in obfuscation I suppose. So, on my own head be it, as the saying goes.

But a frustrating situation, nonetheless!

The dinosaur I spoke of in ages past, is obviously rearing his quite magnificent, if somewhat fearsome, head! And I raise a tentative hand to scratch it!

How can one e-mail message with attachment get through, while another, almost identical, get lost forever to the mystic ether of cyber space? I confess to a great deal of bewilderment, not to mention flummoxisation (if there were such a word?). There seems no rhyme nor reason to the behaviour of the Internet some days. In that, the web and I are blood brothers.

It’s all obviously a devious plot by the Royal Mail to gather custom.

But I refuse to be grumpy about it! So, when you’re next in the Post Office,  I’ll be the one in line with the big envelope and the idiot grin.

Smile and the world smiles with you. Thanks for your company and tolerance.

Ian Gibson writes regularly at Den Of Geek. You can read his last column here.