they did not rocket away, they rose slowly

Yeah, so this really really sucks. My computer is barely useable and getting gradually worse; basically I can only do one thing at a time, and right now that thing is almost always backing up my files to box.net. I can't find my Vista install CD, so I can't send the computer to a professional place to get fixed, because if they wipe my hard drive I've paid at least a hundred dollars to make my computer completely unusable. There are things I need to be doing-- signing up for Internet service, finding a job, signing my lease, not to mention writing fic-- that I simply can't do right now, and while I'm shockingly functional 80% of the time it is amazing how hard it is to make myself eat when I haven't got anything else productive to do while doing it. And I have to get this all sorted out before the 16th, when my free box.net trial will run out.

katarin, do you know anyone with a computer running Vista? I could really, really use an install CD to borrow.