COMPUTERS: CAN'T LIVE WITH THEM, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM!

As you can see, I am up and typing once again. One day last week, as I paid my cable/internet bill, I saw that it was larger and there were items on it that I hadn't ordered. My phone call revealed that they had done an "upgrade" and my old tier now included some extra things that also cost extra. Lucky me. When I "opted out", they had to take down the service for a short time, and that took down the internet, as well. Turned everything back on. Oops..... not everything came back up -- my wireless router didn't know me anymore.

I called back to complain/ask for help. Was sent to tech support. Tech support took me through a whole bunch of hoops, all to no avail. I must say, that I needn't have worried about lack of exercise on THAT day! I had to unplug the cable box (the plug for that is behind the entertainment center which is snug up against the window seat and the wall); then unplug the modem box for 30 to 60 seconds (that plug is behind the computer desk, only reachable by standing on your head and squeezing between the chair and the side of the desk); unplug the wireless router (that one was easy, but I had to stand on the recliner to reach across the desk and the bookcase to where it was so the cat wouldn't toss it on the floor). I wondered if the guy on the phone could see me, because I had to repeat that exercise a few times before he gave up. He was nice enough to give me a phone number for tech support for the router company. Yay.

Of course, I wanted this resolved, so I dialed up the new tech support. I was greeted by a very young-sounding woman who didn't seem to understand me too well. EVERYTHING I said, she responded with "Uh-huh" "Uh-huh"... I kept feeling like she was just waiting for me to stop talking so she could say "Uh-huh" and feel that she was indeed helping me. The woman would be great as a psychotherapist. She had me unplug and plug things, then took me for a spin several times around and into the menus to flip switches and change readings. We chatted away about 30 minutes before she said: "I can't seem to help you, let me give you a number for one of our techs"!!!! I thought I was talking to a tech! Seems I really did get into some Big Guy's home phone and I apparently was talking to a 10-year-old! Oh, I thanked her for her help, and begged off -- I'd already been on the phone and been playing around with this for nearly three hours. I was tired, irritated, had to go to the bathroom, and was dying of thirst (forgot my trusty, rusty, ever-at-my-side water bottle in the other room). I was giving up.

The next day at work was rough, and I had no energy to call up Tech Support when I got home. Then, the weekend happened, and I had no time to play with wires. Finally, on Monday, I planned to spend at least three hours on the phone. I called the cable company, and it only took about twenty minutes to get everything working as it should through the cable. I had internet, but I couldn't unplug my laptop until the wireless was working. I called the wireless company, and this time was immediately connected to a woman who sounded like she knew what she was doing. We hit a snag when she wanted me to hook the laptop to the modem, hook the modem to the router, and hook the router to the laptop. I'd run out of wires. Glitch. Write down my case number, go buy a cable and call back later. Grrrrrrrrr.......

TUESDAY, after work ("No ma'am, my life really doesn't revolve around playing with computer equipment!"), I bought the cable, had my supper, then braced myself for some more computer abuse. I dialed in, gave my case number, and was immediately connected to a live tech. English-speaking, calm, knowledgeable. She ran a couple of tests, then had me hook up this wondrous cable monument (looked like I was playing Cat's in the Cradle with electronics--thank God, the cat was busy elsewhere!) We checked the connections, unplugged the extra cable, and....(drum-roll) it worked! I checked my email, answered a few queries, then shut the thing down. I didn't have the energy to do much more. Whew!

You know, for this same reason, I resisted buying a car with electric windows for many years -- when these things don't work, you're up the proverbial creek without a paddle; heck not even your arms to operate the paddle!

You Know You Spend Too Much Time on Your Computer if....

I put in a long day at work today, working at my computer for 8 1/2 hours, stopped for a quick salad, then went to my Photoshop Class for another couple of hours in front of my computer. Finally home, I sat down in the living room with the TV for company -- the football game was on, and I was trying to read the tiny print on the little scoreboard at the top of the screen. I know, I have a 19" TV, so reading anything isn't easy. I picked up the remote and looked at it for a minute, and finally realized that I was looking for "the button" that would "zoom" in on the portion of the screen I wanted to read.... Then I realized that I can't do that on my TV. I'm sure someone has a fancy set-up where they can do just that, but not my little TV.... Okay, you could call that a Brain Fart.... But wait, I'm not done.
Just a few minutes later, I was going through my mail, and my latest Bead Style magazine had come in. I was relaxing a bit, and sat back to browse through the mag. An ad caught my eye, and I was intrigued. I noticed the "www.blah-blah-blah" in the ad, and reached for the mouse. Ooops! Magazines don't come with a mouse. Again I was out of luck! Am I just burned out? Overtired? Overstimulated? Scary stuff here!
I don't know about you, Dear Reader, but with the advent of internet access at work, if the conversation in the office turns to weather, someone will click into the local weather report. We inform each other of current temperatures, lowest local gas prices, and race each other to see who can come up with a phone number without using a phone book. We've checked specials at our local restaurant, theatre times, and perusing our chosen "home page", can come up with the most bizarre facts, foibles and news du jour.
If you're location is urban, you are probably marvelling that I've FINALLY found the internet. Unfortunately, I tend to believe there are a lot more people who DON'T have this magic access and it would make their heads spin. The scary part is when we find ourselves without these conveniences.
Recently, I've taken full day trips to Chicago or Milwaukee with nothing more than my plain little cell phone to keep me connected to the rest of civilization. While driving, I find myself wondering about closing times at my favorite stores, and even debating the efficiency of driving to a store to see if they have what I want, as opposed to going online to see.
It's really crazy! I've always laughed at people who can't seem to function without their precious cell phones and laptops. I've become one of THEM!!!!!