Technologically challenged
I’m sorry, internet folk. I’ve been needlessly quiet over the last week or so, and my only excuse is the depression that’s sucking me under. What’s causing it, you ask? Let me tell you. Last week, my beloved 2 year old Inspiron E1705 (Ralph) started flashing its wee battery indicator at me… amber, amber, amber, green. Which means temporary battery failure, or, more like D-E-A-D. Over the next couple of days the keyboard began to fail, and the trackpad began to move v e r y s l o w l y. Then, on Saturday, it gave me an error. Something about a file missing, and it wouldn’t boot into Windows! The horror! I called Dell’s tech support, and since I could get it to boot from the CD the “agent” suggested that I do a system restore. This puts everything back to factory settings, and he was sure that would fix the problem.
It didn’t.
I called back on Sunday and managed to get the boot issue fixed, but the keyboard and trackpad are so unbelievably slow that I can’t go about reinstalling and restoring all my files from backups. The “agent” said he would send me a new keyboard, but as of today it hasn’t shown up. I called again today, and the new “agent” said the chat session (apparently chatting is faster than speaking over the phone - who knew?) from Sunday ended before that “agent” could place the order. GAH!
Oh, and by the way, today I’m getting the original error again. It will eventually boot into Windows, but evidently a bad keyboard can cause this error. So, if I had installed a new keyboard before doing a system restore, I wouldn’t have to reinstall anything. Great. Thanks for telling me that NOW.
Don’t get me wrong… I have a backup desktop (George) I can use, but I don’t like to. I enjoy being able to sit in the relative comfort of my couch, watching (or listening, rather) to the background noise of the TV or iTunes while surfing. George is also not as speedy as Ralph, with his Intel Core Duo… he can run virus scans AND browse the internet with ease!
I’m a big weenie. Mostly I’m just upset because I don’t like it when my technology fails. I’d rather get a brand new laptop than fix the one I have, because now it’s not perfect anymore. I know, it’s nuts. Just call me crazy.
&*%%$^!### toilet paper dispenser!!!!
The very last thing I want to do on Friday at 5pm is take my final bathroom break of the day, only to find that the freakin’-frackin’ toilet paper dispenser will only give me one tiny shred of tissue at a time. That primal-sounding scream you just heard? Was me. I just injured myself — bloodied myself, even — to get the HUGE roll of toilet paper out of the &*%%$^!### dispenser, just so I could get more than one sheet. It wouldn’t even turn! It’s just the absolute last frustration I need at the end of a stressful week. Thank GOD it’s Friday, people.
Filed under indignities, me | Comments (2)If my head weren’t attached…
I often make jokes about how forgetful I am. I think I get so wrapped up sometimes in the little things, that I neglect the big picture, usually to my own detriment.
A couple of weekends ago, I had to run over to RC’s for some vehicular-type help. I called him around 7pm to see if he was free, and he suggested I come on over while the girls were having their evening snack. I hung up, grabbed my purse and keys, and headed out. I visited for a few minutes, and left their house around 8 or 8:30.
So, on my way home I decide to call my mom to chat, except I notice there’s a voice mail… from my friend Dawn. It seems that one of my neighbors left her a message — from MY home telephone — stating that they found this telephone at the corner of my street, but they didn’t know who it belonged to. She was actually afraid something had happened to me… kidnap, perhaps? Anyway, I couldn’t imagine how it got to that corner! Did I leave it outside? Did I… oh, wait. I bet I put it on the trunk when I hung up, and it just didn’t fall off until I turned that corner. Great. I am a winner!
I get home after talking to Dawn and finding out that the people didn’t indicate where they lived, only where they had found the phone. I was all set to knock on doors, when I noticed the oddest pair of teenage boys sort of hanging out around that corner. Turns out they had my phone, and I got the strangest feeling that they were expecting some kind of reward… they were just really weird kids. But, phone returned, I was just glad I didn’t have to post pictures of it. Can you imagine?
