In the office the computers are all newly upgraded with improved networking and the newest Filemaker programs to keep our files purring along. A man came for two days to sit and watch the swirly buttons swirl while things were upgrading.
I never imagined a life where I would use any of these words including the really imprecise ones like swirly buttons.
Meanwhile in my little office area, tucked a bit out of the fray in a corner of the original office building, there was trouble in Denmark.
Way back in the beginning of the growing season, the keyboard on my computer stopped making “m”s. In a bemused sort of grandmotherly way, I wondered what Grace or me, had spilled on the keyboard. Snacks are the price to pay for having her fix computer things for me. She is five and already has an advanced degree in computer science.
Being a bit of a disorganized thrifty person, I thought it would be manageable fun to see how much auto-correct would correct when I typed without an “m”. Not that much, as it turned out.
I also tried to play a game of sending emails and doing FB posts that didn’t have the letter “m” in them: Tweaks like changing, “Happy May morning” to ” Happy Spring”. That sort of ridiculous management of a problem that from the start required a new keyboard.
When I was growing up, I was frequently told this story about a family group who were wringing their hands trying to solve the problem of what to do with a cup of coffee that someone had inadvertently put a teaspoon of salt into. When everyone failed to solve the problem of the salt in the cup of coffee, “the lady from Philadelphia” suggests throwing out the cup of coffee and getting a fresh cup. This was the full story, I kid you not.
I never really got why this story was told so often. And who the heck was the lady from Philadelphia? But maybe had I cracked the secret wisdom of this story, I would have grasped sooner that there was only one solution to my dying keyboard. And a simple one.
I needed a new keyboard.
Sadly “simple” did not end up being the right adjective for what came next.
Now committed to a new keyboard, I started to bug all of the other members of the household to buy this new keyboard. I could have gone to the computer store myself, but I never seem to have the necessary details or know what I am talking about. I am happy to pay, but someone else needs to translate my confused requests.
No one was biting. They had their own lives, after all.
I was growing a bit testy desperate as more keyboard letters were fritzing out, and it was harder to work around the gaps. The letter “u” was gone and so was “7” then mainstays “s” and “r” flew the coop. Each day fewer letters worked. What WAS it that Grace or I had spilled?
At long last, St. Jim went to the computer place to get a new keyboard for me, but HE WAS TURNED AWAY. My computer was too old for a new keyboard to work on without some system upgrades. Perhaps I had been ignoring those upgrade notices in the right hand corner of the screen a bit too long.
Five year old computer = dinoasaur.
Weeks passed. There were always other things calling besides FB or blog posts. Weeds for example.
And let’s face it. People dodge and run when they see me coming at them with a computer problem. Our webmaster, Ben, for example. He probably wakes up every Monday with that Monday morning feeling because he knows that Monday mornings = list from his mother of computer glitches to fix ASAP- Happy Monday Ben!
I know I should learn how to upgrade things myself. It’s sort of like changing a flat tire. I kind of can do it. I have actually done it once, maybe twice, but really, isn’t that enough? Do I really need to know what to do with those messages that keep flashing on computers, phones and every gizmo I encounter with upgrade options. How long can I click “Remind me later” and have things keep functioning?
Can’t you get it dear gizmo? I’m needed down by the compost heap.
Then we began to receive messages on the office email: Was everything alright at Green Hope Farm? Where were the FB posts? Someone even wanted to know if I was dead.
The only thing that needs recycling/burial right now is the keyboard.
Anyways, that is where the situation sits today. If anyone in my family is reading this post, won’t you please upgrade my computer? Then I can access all the photos living on my computer and decorate blog posts like this one with photos of things other than technology.
I may let FB go, but I like posting photos on the blog. Please dear tech saavy relatives, please upgrade my computer. I will even give you credit. Here. With a gorgeous photo of the Flower of your choice if the deer have not eaten them. Please? Someone? Hello? Hello?