[nmglug] No GUI desktop

[okeefe at cybermesa.com]

I apologize for such a lengthy message but it's the one I posted to
ubuntuforums. As the subject states I've lost my GUI apparently because
the machine can't connect to X. Here's what I sent and I thank any and all
in advance!

Just to clarify, I updated some normal updates as prompted by Update
Manager about 3 days ago. I'm 16.04 and they were normal security updates.
Now when I boot  the machine starts in graphic mode as (all hand typed and
a real pain in the a**!)
[CODE]ubuntu-laptop login:[/CODE]
and I can log in as myself (ubuntu)
[CODE]ubuntu-laptop login: ubuntu[/CODE]
[CODE]Password[/CODE]
then I try, which has always worked,
[CODE]ubuntu at ubuntu-laptop: ~$ startx[/CODE]
returns
[CODE]X.Org X Server 1.18.4
Release Date 2016-07-19
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 4.4.0-97-generic x86_64 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux ubuntu-laptop 4.4.0-117-generic
#141-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 13 11:58:07 UTC 2018 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-117-generic
root=UUID=ea9f5446-2b36-4ba1-bcfs-ac786107fd58 ro vga=792 quiet splash
acpi_osi=Linux vt.handoff=7
Build Date: 13 October 2017 01:57:05PM
xorg-server 2:1.18.4-0ubuntu0.7
Current version of pixman: 0.33.6
Before reporting problems check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure you have the latest version
Markers: [I]various symbols[I]
(==) Log file: "home/ubuntu/.localshare/xorg/Xorg.1.log" time, (current time)
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
waiting for X server to shut down (II) server terminated successfully (0).
Closing log file.esetting enabled.xinit: connection to X server
lost[/CODE]
So I get no GUI at all with me as user. However, I have a guest user that
starts lightdm all by itself if I (ctrl+alt+f7) I can switch to my user in
a terminal but the desktop remains lightdm and as guest. Some apps run,
like libreoffice, and most do not like firefox, thunderbird, synaptic