May what? Oh, dear Lord.

Internet Connection Sharing using ICS/NAT
Currently, certain extended features of MSN Messenger, such as voice conversations and file transfer, might not work behind Internet Connection Sharing applications and hardware (often called NATs). Basic functionality such as signing in, instant messaging, and checking e-mail should not be affected at all.

Those are the words of dirty, lying bastards at Microsoft to whom vile curses and my modest slanders do no justice. I am indeed behind a box performing Network Address Translation (often called NAT) and I can't connect to their damned network at all. I wouldn't mind, either, if it weren't for the fact that their drones are hell-bent on convincing me that I'm just imagining things.

With that out of the way, hi. I'm done with finals, done with school for a month, and done with Iowa for three. I'm writing this from my room in Rapid City, and realizing now that it doesn't really matter that I can't connect to MSN Messenger because no one is online. Everyone's cramming for finals, I suppose. Ahh, the life of a college student... such a waste, isn't it?
On my last morning in Iowa, however, I realized something. Every morning I wake up, insert my contacts, stagger to the shower, cleanse the night scum, brush my teeth, and cover myself with articles of clothing in a strange ritualistic fashion. The entire time this goes on, I am, in my mind, exploring one and only one line of thought for the twenty or so minute span. Wednesday (or was it Tuesday a month ago? It's so hard to tell) the subject was how String Cheese Incident is really a quite good live band. Before that there was something about how great it is to finally have a physics model that makes use of a meaningful fifth dimension of space-time. Were I smart, I would write this down and draw an audience in the process. Instead, I just have lots of pointless thoughts that disappear by the time I dig into my bowl of cereal. Blargh.

On an unrelated note, now I discover:

[23:47] <ViciousMark> msn messenger is a piece of crap
[23:47] <ViciousMark> they say they will be down for 10 minutes, it's been a hour now

...so I guess it's not just me, and it's not just a bane of Network Address Translation. At least I get to keep my precious scapegoat...
And what the hell? I'm writing about an Internet service being unavailable for a few moments. What is wrong with me?! Forget it. Just forget it. I'm going to go get kidnapped or something and have some new shit happen to me. Good day.

(Oh yeah... more on mailboxes.)