First, HP printers suck.  I bought this big printer, fax, copier barely a year ago.  I went to print out the Wild Card script for my files, and it refuses to print it out with the black ink cartridge.  Instead it has somehow managed to mix the colors so it came out a dull red, rather like dried blood.  Which might be appropriate for a Wild Card script, but it’s annoying as hell.  My old Canon lasted for years upon years and never came me a bit of trouble until it just upped and died.

I called HP for help.  Was told the machine was out from under warranty, but if I’d like to give them $25.00 someone would try to help me over the phone.  Maybe I should have done it, but it really irritated me.  A nice fellow on Facebook offered some advice.  I tried all the diagnostics, etc.  Nothing worked.  I then pulled out the color cartridges.  Guess what?  It won’t work unless all four cartridges are in which is expensive since mostly what I print is black ink on white paper.  I don’t actually mail hard copy of scripts or novel manuscripts any longer.  Everything goes electronically. but if I have to write a letter I’d like it not to look like it was printed with blood.

I just noticed something weird.  I had printed out the stallion contracts from CSU.  They had been attached to an email, and they printed with black ink just fine.  I will go and check the settings in Final Draft.  Maybe the problem is there.

Next, if anybody is interested the first two sections of the Mass Effect story are posted over in Writing.

And now I have to go and try to figure out something to cook for dinner that won’t make me sick.  I really do want a new stomach.