First thought, I should not choose a title before I complete the article. That took way too much time, and it still doesn’t say what I mean. What I mean is …not sure, but here I go.
I have been writing since I could hold a pen and then my first typewriters went from the old standard to the electric and I thought that was wonderful. I remember the Christmas I got a red Smith-Carona super electric from Santa. I rushed into my black decor bedroom – it was so dark you couldn’t see without flood lights – and I sat at my desk and typed and typed and typed forever. I wrote my first nationally published short story on that machine, and I still have the check stub from the payment.
Sometime in the 1970’s, I guess was when I got my first computer and actually it didn’t seem like tooo much of a stretch to learn, but I was maybe 30ish. There was the store bookkeeping and the sales letters and I even designed my ads. In 1989 I created my first retail newsletter on a computer and eventually in 1999 when I graduated to a magazine, I did all of that also on a newer version. Thought I knew it all! But again I was in my early 50’s and eager to learn.
Unfortunately this week, my big heavy stand-up computer base has been attacked by some crazy virus that is causing it to type XXXXXX’s everywhere. Nothing by xxx’s, no O’s, and I do not think it stands for LOVE. It won’t stop unless I turn it off. This is the first time in months, maybe even over a year that I’ve had a problem with it, but still Larry has started, “I told you to get a new computer,” which he did. “Don’t spend anymore on that thing.” BUT I have a bigger problem than going to Best Buy.
My computer system is still on Windows 6. I can hear your laughter all the way to my desk. I know I struggle to get all the things I need done, that I could do in 1/10 of the time, but..I just can’t learn it. Remember I am a few months from 75, and not really in a new learning stage of life. I mean, I probably can’t, but basically I don’t want to, attempt it. I’d be lost.That would skip 7,8, and 9 in Windows, right?
Just got off the phone with my computer geek. (He knows I call him that and he just laughs every time he cashes the check.) Anyway, he said it won’t cure the virus, but will get my computer running for a while, if I just turn it off, wait a little while and restart. We’ll see what happens….OMG, it worked!
Stayin’ home, skipping Best Buy and posting Laine Hardy # 3 – Laine Makes a Quick Return to Idol. ENJOY!
(Let me hear from you if you like these or have an opinion either way. tj@tjreid.com)