Friday, March 28, 2014

Computer Angst

Yesterday I forgot that I couldn't plug the griddle into the outlet next to the stove. When I do, it overloads the circuit and trips it, and that is the circuit my old, ailing computer is hooked up to. About three minutes into making Breakfast for Dinner, the music on the computer cut out, and so did the little light on the griddle. Shoot.

We haven't turned the computer off for nearly two weeks, because we were afraid it wouldn't turn back on. To my surprise, it started up like a dream. I moved the griddle to the other side of the kitchen, flipped Spotify back on and forgot all about it.

Last night before I went to bed, I made myself a little To-Do list. I was going to include it, but decided it was too boring. So instead, just believe that it was an awesome to-do list, which would prove for once and for all how truly productive an individual I am.

When I got up this morning, I went downstairs and walked past the computer. How odd. The little green light was off. Why would my husband turn the computer off when he told me that it needed to stay on until we bought a new one? I hit the button. The computer roared to life--for exactly 2.7 seconds, and then the light shut off I tried it again. And again. And again and again and again.

It's dead.

Before you feel too sorry for me, you should know that I have a laptop. I'm working on it right now, as a matter of fact. But when I tried to hook my good keyboard to it, the cursor went all weird. It went behind the letter I was typing instead of in front of it. That is a lot harder to get used to than you would think it would be. So I'm using this keyboard that was never meant for serious typists. In spite of everything Nina taught us about taking care of our bodies, I am currently giving myself carpal tunnel.

 Nearly everything on my list requires a computer, and not just any computer, THAT computer, with all the right programs loaded and all the passwords gloriously automatic. Who can clean a house without Spotify playing in the background? Not me. I finally took "Download Spotify onto my phone" off of my other to-do list, you know the one I'm talking about--the list of things I need to do, but never get around to.

 Then the kids came home, and we had a long moral debate about whether minecraft or my writing career was a more compelling reason to use the laptop. I'm currently winning, but only because we have a wii. (Wow I'm sounding like a stellar mother. In my defense, it's raining and about 35 degrees outside).

We have carbonite, so I'm hopeful that I will just be able to type in a password and find out that my pictures, unfinished manuscripts and entire life is automatically downloaded right to the new computer. It seemed so perfect when we didn't need it, but at the moment it is sounding too good to be true. I'll keep you posted.

Instead of the post I'd scheduled, I'm treating you to this post to remind you of two things:
1. Back up everything. RIGHT NOW.
2. Technology is amazing. So are face to face interactions. I'm going to go have some right now.

1 comment:

  1. I'm so sorry for the loss of your computer. Good thing you had everything backed up. I too have fights with my kids over computer use. I tend to lose because there are so many things I should be doing instead of writing.

    ReplyDelete

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