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i bought my epson r200 printer a little more than 3 years ago. i don't do much printing but it's nice to have a printer for those rare occasions when i do need to print something out. i wanted something cheap, and possibly print out some photos. the fact that it also came with a direct-to-cd printing attachment was just an extra perk. over the years however, i ended up using the cd print feature more than anything else. the prints themselves - because they were inkjet - would bleed if they got wet. not a problem in an office environment, but i was printing out trail maps that became illegible when exposed to any moisture. i've since upgraded to a B&W laser printer (which, surprisingly, cost less than the color inkjet epson).

the epson lived for a year with my sister, who borrowed it one day and never bothered to return it. i finally got it back a few weeks ago to print some dvd's. the first thing i did was a print test. the colors were fine except for black, which showed broken bands. after 4 tests and automated nozzle cleanups, the broken lines were still there. once again internet research came to the rescue. i read how you could windex the waste ink sponge inside the printer and unclog the print heads. the instructions asked for a syringe, which i don't have, but i managed to drip a few drops of windex solution with the tip of a broken chopstick. i closed up the printer and waited an hour. when i printed a new test page, i was happy to see no more broken lines. printer fixed!

for lunch i had two tea eggs and waited for the weather to warm up. now that the month of march is here, i've been thinking a bit more about getting back into running. i've been pretty sedentary for the past 6 months and it's making me antsy. that reminds me: i've been wanting to get some new sneakers, hoping it'd make me want to run more.

later in the evening i saw a mouse run across the living room floor. i didn't get a clear look, but from the corner of my eye i saw something scurry across the carpet in my direct. i jerked off the couch to see what it was and then it suddenly changed direction and ran underneath the bookcase. normally around wintertime i usually have a single mouse sighting. although it freaks me out, i tolerate them, figuring there's enough room for everyone. so long as i keep my food in closed containers, there's nothing for them to eat, and i've always assumed (or perhaps rationalized) that they end up going somewhere else where there is food. it got me concerned though, and i went into the kitchen and put away some flour and rice i had lying around outside. maybe tomorrow if i have time i'll give the house another vacuum, making sure there aren't any crumbs lying around, but i'm usually pretty careful about that stuff.