Letters from North
America
I
often wonder how we ever
accomplished any
business in the years
before computers. It
seems to me that a great
deal of our entire daily
existence is totally
dependent upon one
operating system or
another. From the
programmed coffee maker
in the morning to the
television set at night,
when computers and their
inner workings go bad,
our lives seem to be
placed into levels of
stress not achieved
twenty five years ago.
I’m not certain all of
the progress we have
made is necessarily for
the good.
I don’t know about you,
but I’d like everyone in
my family to leave my
computer alone, don’t
mess with it, don’t
change anything, don’t
try to improve it….just
let it be. I like the
way I have it set up and
know how to use it for
the things I need. If I
want any changes, I’ll
ask for them, otherwise
just don’t do anything
to it. As far as I’m
concerned these things
are fragile. There is
nothing like typing a
letter, report or a
column that you are very
proud of and then have
it disappear into the
far reaches of the
universe never to be
seen again. You have no
idea what you did to
cause this catastrophic
event to occur and you
have no idea how to
resurrect what you have
lost. I get the same
feeling when I get a
letter from the IRS.
Last weekend I’m sitting
at my desk at home,
happily working away,
when I keep getting some
type of upgrade notice
from Microsoft. I didn’t
want the upgrade and
foolishly clicked on the
delete button. Of course
this not only deleted
the upgrade, but
apparently every thing
else associated with it
including all of my
previous operating
files. After several
attempts to start over I
go to the Microsoft
website and learn how to
download the trial
version of the software
that I have erased. This
is where the hard part
comes in. To download
requires me to type in a
35 character password or
product key.
Unfortunately for me the
8’s and the B’s look the
same so I have to retype
and retype until I get
it correct. I also have
a problem with the 0’s
and the O’s ….but that’s
another story. Once you
get the code typed in
just right, then you
have to wait for several
very long (I mean long)
minutes for the program
to download. Meanwhile
you’re afraid to leave
and answer the phone or
go to the bathroom in
fear that while you’re
gone, some secret
important message will
appear telling you to do
something that will get
you further along.
Failing to do whatever
it says may cause
irreparable harm and
perhaps increase global
warming. In fact I’m
certain that anything
you do wrong will
increase global warming.
I have no clue as to
whether or not I’m
actually making any
progress or not. The
little hourglass doesn’t
give me any indication
of how much progress (if
any) I’ve made or how
much further I have to
go. I’m determined to do
this myself and not call
anyone (much less my
children) for help. This
has now become a
personal point of pride
with me. Kind of like
going back to the health
club for the first time
in five years, you
always think you can
still bench press 200
pounds, no matter how
old you are.
Finally a little note
appears and tells me
that it is extracting
files. Panic sets into
my brain. To me
extraction means the
same as removing, I
think I’m supposed to be
adding programs and
files, not removing or
as they say…extracting
anything. But the clock
is ticking and there is
activity so I best sit
and wait in agonizing
silence while it does
whatever is trying to
do. I should not have
had that last cup of
coffee.
Finally it says that it
is finished, but nothing
appears on my big
computer. Instead it has
downloaded everything to
my laptop since I had it
on as well to help me in
my quest for
reinstatement. Once
again a wave of defeat
sweeps over me and I’m
tempted to call one of
my sons and ask for
assistance. I shut down
the laptop and go back
to the big unit and try
once more, holding my
breath and praying that
somehow, some way it
will all work out and
everything will be back
as it was. I’m not
certain God acts on
computer repair prayer
requests, and tend to
think He treats them
like requests from
football coaches.
Someone has to win and
someone has to lose, so
He just lets things work
themselves out on their
own.
However, hallelujah….I’m
saved …everything is
back and working …for
the moment anyway. I
have no idea if I did
the right thing or if
God took pity on me and
fixed it for me. I think
the prayers helped, I
certainly can’t see that
they hurt anything.
Comments go to
pperry@austin.rr.com
