Winter Doldrums – Part 3

I’ve whined about this miserable season…it’s sleeting as I write this. Then I complained about being sick…that nonsense had me out of whack for two weeks. On the bright side, it was a good excuse to bring out some attractive images. So read on…or not. At least this post has shots from warmer, more colorful times.

We saved the worst for last. Even a lazy lout like me knows the weather or a nasty cold doesn’t have to prevent posts to the blog. Output may take longer to produce…and not be very good…but something close to progress can occur. You know what can thwart ALL progress? What can prevent any positive movement and really sour my disposition?  %!#&! COMPUTERS!

Colorful Annuals on the Front Patio (19 July 2013)

So the five-year old machine was getting creaky and less reliable. A new one would have more speed, memory and functionality…and cost the same or less than what I paid five years ago. Merry Christmas.

My mistake was thinking I could simply transfer everything from the old computer, fire up the new one and resume my happy life…or at least get to a web site quicker. I’ll reduce what happened next to a couple of grisly highlights.

While the new computer is bright, sharp and colorful, it didn’t connect to the internet. We have a wireless router that can serve the neighborhood but I have to drag the new machine to within two feet of it to connect to the internet. %!#&! COMPUTERS! Back to the store.

Seattle Hydrangea’s (3 August 2010)

Then there is Windows 8. I cannot fathom how such a big, smart company can make the next big thing so much worse than the last thing. I don’t get off on swiping and sweeping and spreading my dirty fingers all over the screen…then having to clean it regularly. But I’m an old fart. Not the target market. I get it. %!#&! COMPUTERS!

After shop visits and house calls, I decided the new machine was a lemon and returned it to get another one. More time to read-a-book or write-on-paper. This was all prelude for my personal gremlins’ coup de grace move. Once the new computer came home and was connected to the rest of the system at Images and More World Headquarters, nothing worked right.

The docking station, wireless mouse and keyboard, printer, speakers, external hard drive and scanner ALL crapped out. Part of it was the wiring configuration. Part was the need for updated software. While the new software solved most of my existing equipment issues, the scanner is simply no longer compatible with the new operating system. A perfectly good scanner that can digitize my slides and anything else is now a huge paper weight because we have moved onto the latest, new-and-improved technology. %!#&! COMPUTERS!

Viviers, France (24 April 2006)

But wait! There’s more. Not to be outdone, the gremlins marched over to Google and made it so that after I got into my blog, I no longer had access to any of the working parts. After four years using that platform, I was now frozen out of my own dashboard. So, even when I had something ready to go up, I had no way to post it.

And does a big, popular company like Google have a ‘Customer Service’ function…a place or phone number or address where you can communicate with a real person who can help you? Don’t be silly. If your problem isn’t in the FAQ or ‘Troubleshooting’ windows, which my issues never seem to be, you can avail yourself of the ever-popular User Forums. These are places where questions go to die. You select from a menu of topic areas and add your problem to the hundred others that were posted that day. Then you hope some other poor schlub who had the same problem AND was able to figure it out AND took the time to pour through the pile of queries AND was considerate enough to write back the solution you need. In the meantime, you have to check back every day to find your question…now buried under hundreds more, to see if some kind soul helped out.

I finally did figure it out. On my own…imagine that. Seemed some genius at Google decided to change my e-mail address and once I reminded them that I do not use gmail, all my internal pieces parts returned. %!#&! COMPUTERS!

Our Summer Space (19 July 2008)

It’s good to be back. I close with a shot of the old homestead in the summertime. Everything is warm and green as my bride floats in the shade. Come and visit. There may be a computer at the bottom of the pool, but it won’t take up much space.