If you've been reading this weblog for any period of time, you probably know that I have terrible luck with upgrades. This weekend, I decided to switch from Windows2000 to XP. Even armed with the foreknowledge that Windows upgrades suck harder than an F5 tornado, the experience was far worse than anything I could've imagined.

I started out by using the file transfer and settings wizard to backup (or so I thought) all of my files and application data. Then I launched the install/upgrade wizard from my desktop, but the program kept rejecting my product key. After trying a number of different workarounds suggested by the Microsoft Knowledge Base, I finally booted from the CD. Unlike the desktop wizard, the interface didn't seem to offer an upgrade option, and instead of doing what any sane person would've done...quit...I forged ahead thinking it would come up later. Well, it didn't, and it wound up installing XP on the same partition as Win2k, rendering both systems unusable which required me to reformat and repartition my C: drive, then reinstall XP all over again.

When I finally got the system up and running, I tried restoring from backup. Either my backup was bad, or Microsoft was lying through their teeth (I vote for the latter), because it didn't restore my application data and I was forced to spend several hours reinstalling all of my desktop apps. Fortunately, it did restore my documents, music, and image folders.

Afterwards, I launched Windows Update to download the requisite gazillion service packs and patches only to be told by M$'s wonderful "Genuine Advantage" validation program that my product key was counterfeit! I'd gotten the install CD at work and had been told that the product key was part of our corporate volume license, but I found out today that the CD had actually come from outside the company. After debating whether or not I wanted to wait until Monday to try and get a valid key from our corporate IS dept., I decided to call M$ "support" who promptly relieved me of $150 dollars for the privilege of sanctifying their crapware, then failed to send me the e-mail describing where the online validation program was located. I eventually found it on my own and was able to get the new key accepted by the Lords of Redmond.

Looking back on the whole sorry affair, sticking knitting needles into my nose and using them to scramble my brain like a frog on the dissection table seems like it would've been a lot more fun.

In happier occurrences, one of my oldest friends from high-school flew into town from Los Angeles this weekend for a visit. We cooked up an Easter feast for him on Sunday that included a smoked Cuban pork roast in a sherried-ginger marinade, black beans with garlic, rice, mango salsa, and fried plaintains. I uncorked the bottle of 2002 Bonny Doon Madiran Heart of Darkness I'd picked up in Santa Cruz last year to go with the meal. It was good, but a bit less complex than I remembered.

After dinner, we retired to the basement and spent the evening in the Hai'deaway chatting, drinking Zombies made with rum from my new bottle of Lemon Hart 151 Demerara, listening to Yma Sumac, and playing pinball. We eventually fell asleep while watching "Danger: Diabolik!".

I took yesterday off, and we decided to take a tour of the Leinenkugel's brewery [link] in nearby Chippewa Falls. I've visited plenty of wineries and whisky distilleries, but this was my first time inside a brewery. We were the only visitors there that morning, so we got a private tour with a guide who really knew her stuff. Fascinating. Afterwards, we had a few samples of the brewski at the gift shop. Their Sunset Wheat is an excellent unfiltered Weissbier. I recommend it.

It was a warm and sunny day, so we headed over to nearby Lake Wissota to lunch at a "tiki" bar by the boat launch, but no tikis were to be seen. Maybe they mispelled "tacky"? My friend took his leave shortly thereafter to begin a long car trek to Battle Creek, Michigan via the Mackinac Bridge [link].

Good times.