The “Joys” of Technology
Mercury isn’t even in retrograde. I just checked, because despite my skepticism about all things astrological, I want to blame my techie failures in the past twenty-four hours on the alignment of the stars. No such luck, though. Even astrology has failed me. I’m stuck with my own mistakes, me and the increasingly complicated life we all lead these days.
The problems began yesterday as I was driving our new car. The car is fabulous, the nicest one we’ve ever owned because these days we’ll be bisecting the US at least twice a year and probably more. We needed something more comfy than our old, reliable but noisy/bouncy RAV4. So we bought a more luxurious and larger version with more bells and whistles than New Years Eve.
So far so good. Then yesterday on my first solo drive, I decided to call home. That should be easy, right? After all if I could drive this car into my kitchen, it could probably whip up a souffle out of whatever I have in my refrigerator. Having synced it with my iPhone, I thought I was all set.
I told the car to call home. Instead it called my Virginia landscaper, a guy named Mo. No matter how many times I told it not to call him, it ignored me.
Mo, I’m sorry. That crazy phone call from Florida? That’s your former client over on 25th Rd. Say hi to your mom for me, okay? I miss your whole family.
Of course, that’s not what he picked up when he checked his voice mail last night. What he got was more like: “Stop. Cancel. Quit, you stupid phone. Not Mo, HOME! HOME!”
Oh, well.
Having survived that adventure, I plowed right into the next one. I decided to use the new BETA editor for my email newsletters. Okay, it wasn’t perfect, but it was fun. I spent the whole afternoon and well into the evening crafting the best newsletter I could. I made lots of changes as I went, and every time I saved, saved, saved. . .
One of my earliest versions went out this morning. You know, the one with the “placeholder” photo at the top instead of the banner I added later. The one with the double spaces between sentences which skewed a couple of paragraphs? Right. That one. And, of course, I was one of the lucky emailing customers this morning. Although I realized the problem right away, my mailing program was really on the ball and sent it before I could pause the campaign. Luckily for me the actual information is all correct as sent, but still. STILL!
Here’s the good news. I know many of you got the newsletter and read it, because less than an hour later I have a bunch of new comments on my last Shenandoah Album post from people who want to enter the giveway. So all’s not lost. Just my patience and my faith in technology. Oh, and poor Mo, who somewhere in Virginia is scratching his head and wondering why a crazy lady from somewhere in Florida is shouting “stop” on his voice mail.
On the subject of the giveaway? The first Quilt Along With Emilie Richards: Wedding Ring went to Amy C, and I’ll draw the next winner today. Don’t forget there are twelve pattern book prizes, so if you haven’t commented yet, you still have time.
Oh the joys of technology! That is an ongoing joke around with a couple grandkids into the techie way of things. Love to tease them, but my are they handy to have around. Plus I love having them around anyway 🙂 would be fun to quilt with them. I wonder how their techie minds would tackle a sewing machine? Heehee….
Really happy to hear from you this morning. I think of you every time I look at my beautiful snow globe. 😉
Don’t worry…you will have that new car figured out in no time. 🙂
I really hope so. Suspect it will be like many things I own. I’ll figure out what I most need to do and forget everything else. It’s my sons who need to use every possible techie toy and relish doing so.
It’s good that I can’t afford all those new “techie” things. I would never keep it all straight. I just got a new cell phone when I renewed my contract with Verizon. I need a keyboard since that’s the way my daughters communicate with me, and I got so weary of doing it on a key pad that insisted on giving me abc rather than c. In order to get the keyboard, I had to get the touch screen. I’m a touch typist. Oh my, to find the key I want. Then to exert just the right amount of pressure on the screen. I am so challenged!!
I very definitely relate. Now that I think about it, Aggie in my Ministry is Murder books had her own fair share of techie troubles.
Saw that Arlington Central Library recently hosted a tech help session staffed by teen volunteers. Maybe your local library has something similar, or would like to start, and you could drive that new car over there for books and help?
No, I just need you to get me organized and figure all this out. I bet you could have dialed home instead of Mo.
Funny cute story- Thank you so much for the giveaway. My mother has been trying for years to teach me to quilt. Now that she is in her eighties and her memory is fading fast I have decided to learn. Hopefully it will be a good memory for both of us.
Just in time, Velma. So glad you’re taking advantage of this.
Computers are wonderful, until they aren’t.
Told my former boss that the only thing missing in retirement was IT at the end of the phone.
We all need IT at the end of the phone, don’t we?