I just offered my first practice extraordinary form low Mass in our chapel this afternoon. It will take me some time to be graceful with all the gestures and to associate the gestures closely with the prayers. I’ve also got some memorizing to do!

When I’m in Mexico, I’ll probably practice the ordinary form of the Roman Rite Mass in Spanish. This year, it would be great to learn the roles of Subdeacon and Deacon at solemn high Mass as well.

I still have not received a call from a supervisor at ASUS. Of course, I’m leaving for Mexico tomorrow, so I doubt I’ll be able to make any progress until I get back. I may try to email them.

I called technical support again and gave my service number.

The person I talked to this time seemed pretty well informed in regard to what I wanted, but he kept insisting that since Microsoft had written the EULA, I would need to contact them. Of course, the EULA itself says that I should contact the manufacturer of the computer, which is ASUS. The representative also reminded me that they do not sell computers without operating systems. I tried to explain that the fact that I can accept or decline the license indicates that the OS is a separate component. I also affirmed that I would have taken a no-OS computer if available.

We didn’t seem to be getting anywhere, so I asked whether I could talk with anyone else. He said that a supervisor would call me, so now we wait.

“Hi, I bought a laptop, which I received yesterday. When I booted it up for the first time, I was prompted with a license agreement for Windows Vista. It said that if I did not accept the agreement I should contact the manufacturer of the computer about getting a refund for the copy of Windows that came with the computer. I did not accept the agreement, and so I’d like to see about getting a refund for my copy of Windows.”

I called technical support this time. I had to wait on hold only for about a minute before I was able to speak with a representative. He patiently let me explain what I was asking about and then looked into it. He said that he wasn’t sure where I was getting the information about being able to obtain a refund from but that I could call back and talk to the supervisor in a few hours. I have a service number now, also, so I’m starting to develop a history with ASUS.

When I called back and selected Notebook Customer Service, I was again greeted promptly by a different but equally friendly representative. I explained my problem, and she instructed me to contact Microsoft. I then explained that the EULA directed me to contact the manufacturer of the computer at which point she instructed me to call back and select Technical Support from the menu.

I’m about to try again.

On my first call to ASUS, I selected Notebook Customer Service from the menu and without waiting was able to speak with someone. She was very friendly, and once I explained my situation she transfered me. Once the transfer was made, the phone rang for several minutes, but I did not get anyone nor did I get an answering machine.

I’m about to try calling back.

My laptop arrived today, and my brother videotaped me opening the box, reading the Windows Vista EULA, declining it, formatting both hard drives, installing Ubuntu, and booting from Ubuntu.

I doubt I’ll need character witnesses to confirm that I never intended to use Windows on this machine, but I’m sure I could find a few.

Here’s a bad joke I came up with just now:

Q: What did Pontius Pilate say when St Thomas Aquinas asked him to prove Christ’s divinity?

A: “I find no cause in him” (John 18:38).

America magazine had a contest awhile ago to write an essay on the theme “the case for God.” I thought about entering it, but I had plenty of things that I was obliged to write, and I didn’t think my chances of winning were that good.

Now, if the theme is simply about proving God’s existence, that’s not exactly fresh. It’s been done. Also, once we come to know that God exists, what are we supposed to do? Walk away from the chalkboard, brush off our hands, and call it a day? The choice of legal vocabulary for the theme, however, seemed to me to imply something more than proving God’s existence; it seemed to presume God’s existence but without regarding his authority. It seemed to beg whether man needed God anymore. Not just atheism, but God-is-dead-and-we-killed-him nihilism.

My entry would have put the theme on trial, so to speak. Honestly, “the case for God”? Are we, his creatures, judges while the onus lies on God to prove himself to us? Read Job. How prideful can we be?

After debunking the theme, my essay would have gone on to discuss the time when God really was on trial and we really were the judges. Remember that? Even Pilate said, “I find no case against him.” God did die, and we killed him.

In the end, the essay would have been about our pride and God’s humility.

Cat-5’s name is now officially spelled with a hyphen.