Last month I told you my internet access troubles and ended with my printer dying. After some research and fervent hoping it wasn’t true, I realized that to replace my printer/fax/copier I would have to replace my whole PC. No new printers were compatible with a non-upgradeable Windows 7 PC. So…
New printer. New PC/Monitor/Keyboard. Had to buy peripheral CD drive since PC didn’t have one and expansion slots to have room for my external disk drive. And you have to go online to load all the software and activate all the features of your new stuff. The new device comes loaded with nothing but the ability to find the internet. Oh joy! Thankful my internet access was restored I plunged into cyberspace installation mode.
In the middle of moving everything to the new equipment, my editor sent back my next book for further work so I had to go back and hook up my old machine to recover some stuff I forgot to copy over to the new PC. Can you say “Things that make Kim very, very cranky”? My husband claimed none of the adventure was improving my disposition in any way. It didn’t improve his either because instead of watching him from the deck as he mowed the steep backyard, I was running in and out checking on the software load. I was inside when he hit a nest of yellow jackets and didn’t hear him screaming from inside the house. Not good.
Some of you are shaking your heads saying “How can someone who was once a CIO have so much dislike and so many struggles with technology?” Easy. My forte was the applications side and ferreting out what people needed to do their jobs. Not the blasted technical/hardware side of the IT world. I told my spouse that I had minions who dealt very well with the technical side of things.
My husband gave me these minions the year I retired (has it really been more than ten years ago?). He did that to make certain I still had minions to help me…although other than to keep smiling when I could not they were not much assistance on the hardware migration.
I survived all of it (my husband did too). Everything kinda works but I’m still tweaking things and arguing with the AI that wants me to auto back up everything to the cloud and wants to get Hollywood news alerts about people I have no idea why they are celebrities.
Then when that hurdle was successfully leaped, I went to the phone store to switch two prepay flip phones into a plan with my tablet. Being a glutton for punishment, I switched my dumb phone to a smart phone. What was I thinking? Next stop, the bookstore to get an android smart phone for senior dummies book—yes that’s a real thing. I’m working through the book and figuring out how to use this new piece of technology.
Unfortunately, things happen on a regular basis that presume you have a smart phone…so now I do. And I confess I was a little excited when I could pull up the Piggly Wiggly app at the store last week and show them my rewards card on my new phone. And I finally got the spam filter to work on all those Medicare scam calls! It doesn’t take much to make me happy.
I hope to go into fall without further technology foibles to pull me farther down the rabbit hole. Enjoy!!!!
Glad to know I’m not the only one to have problems with my PC and phone that can ruin my day. I’m looking forward to your next book so good luck working through all the growing pains of a new PC and phone. You’ll be glad you got a smart phone one day soon.
Well Kim finally took time to read your Post!! Loved every word, but I just call CJ or my son (both work in IT)to help me with all my Computer issues!! 😂
Kim: I had and still have the same issues. When you are an application expert…we only need to know who to call for the tech stuff. I got all things new and upgraded prior to my retirement date…knowing I still had access to those “smarty pants” guys that probably rolled their eyes when they would hear from me.
But…we know those same “smart pants” have no clue on how to balance payroll and GL. Nor trying to figure out why the registration system is not pulling up all the pre regs….and we know how many other issues we had to tackle over the years. My favorite is when we worked hours page by page trying to figure out why the GL was off…and it was finally discovered when we got to the last page of those monster computer sheets! I am guessing Nancy may chime in here as well.
Congratulations….you just passed the first of several hurdles of the ongoing PC and phone upgrades!!
Geez Kim, I almost wet my pants from laughing so hard! Hope Jim has recovered from the yellow jacket attack. I can empathize with the frustration and hassle of having to upgrade computers/phones. I’m going through this right now.
It takes guts to laugh at life’s misadventures–but a sure sign you’re succeeding!
Karen Hulene Bartell
Thanks so much for this great humorous take on technology!! (All so true, so true!!!) And good luck with your new equipment.
Caryl
Oh Kim! You gave me my morning chuckle! Hilarious writing… but was Jim stung during his mowing?
So nice to hear you have a smart phone! I’m sure the phone store person was duly impressed with your flip phones
Wishing you a calm Fall!🙏
Hi Kim, you make dealing with technology interesting if not funny. I enjoy your writing.
Bill(y)
Oh Kim, this made me smile. I don’t even own a computer and my android phone is about as smart as I can handle. Wishing you good blessings figuring it all out.
Dolly
Snicker … 🤪. As one former techie (nowhere near your level of competence) to another “welcome to my world”. I know you will overcome this bump in the road but I 𝓭𝓸 feel the frustration … good on the “other” Dr. Ligon for the Minions gift … just the thing to help one regain perspective 😉
So glad everything worked out for you. Read it to Chuck. He said it soinfs like the summer he has had…..all kinds of tools needing to ne worked on.
You sound like you are in our world. All this technology is almost too much for us. Good luck
Hey Kim! I can fully sympathize. Am trying to switch technologies myself and it is more than a full-time frustrating job! Best wishes, Carol
I love the minions! A cute and funny gift. Smart phones are addictive once you get the hang of them.
So so frustrating and so so true!!!
Loved my old stuff also🥺
Oh my goodness! This post had me rolling with laughter! Welcome to the modern world! Love that you’re working through it all!
This one gave me LOTS of laughs! I’ve been dealing with the computer all morning and it didn’t involve having to replace hardware. Just the usual trying to use APPS and AI that I haven’t used before.
Anyway, thanks for the smiles today! All the best as you get used to the new equipment. Hope you will eventually enjoy it all!
Linda