Saturday, June 25, 2016

Blogging from my mom's computer which has the return key in a weird place

I picked up my laptop this afternoon but realized within minutes that the problems were still there so I returned it after work then sat in the parking lot and allowed a tear or two to escape.

After tea with a friend, I came home at 9:30 and made myself two tuna casseroles. Because this was a two-tuna-casserole-sized sadness. I wanted everything to be better. It's Friday. I wanted to stay up late and edit photos and post some memories. I wanted to check my usual websites, write a few emails, catch up on Facebook, upload some pics to Instagram...

But. 

Everything's changed. 
My data was on my computer but no software. 
My fav photo editing program, Picasa, has been discontinued and Google doesn't have it available for uploading anymore. THIS puts me at the bottom of a learning curve for any other option and I don't want to learn anything new.

The Geek Squad guy recommended Windows 10 as an operating system because he thought that might be the solution to my dancing cursor problem. I don't want to learn a new operating system. 

And all my bookmarks were gone. NOT THERE. I never really kept track of what I bookmarked, I just know I had them organized by category and if I ever needed something I could find it in seconds. ALL my auto password info had also disappeared. And I don't want to search my memory for everything. 

So I took half a pan of casserole and my phone into the living room and just sobbed. I may have mentioned my frustration on my family's Facebook Chat line and Clint immediately responded: 


Him: the global stock market lost 2 trillion dollars today after brexit happened. So

Could be worse yknow

Him: Just imagine explaining to your highschool self the importance that bookmarks will have in her future life

Me: I'm worried I might be too old or dumb to teach myself.

Him: To do...what?

Learn windows 10!?

You mean like... the exact same operating system that has been around for 2 decades now?

The one that STILL has a start button on the bottom left hand side?

That operating system?

Me: Don't minimize my meltdown.

Him: I'm not minimizing it I'm saying that it's the same OS you had except everything is more square


Why do you think there will be some sort of huge learning curve?

It still has solitaire, it still has little "x" buttons on the top right if windows to close them.

I guess I'm just baffled that your immediate response to a new OS is fear and apprehension when the whole point of them is to make what you do on a computer easier.

Yeah ur gonna not understand or learn it if you approach it with "I hate change" as your MO


It's just revenge of my younger self

All those times when my saved games were deleted or my SNES was turned off before I saved

Nobody understood my digital anguish of having to start over

No one

BUT NOW YOU DO

NOW YOU UNDERSTAND THE HORROR


Also, do you know that can still download Picasa?

There are tons of websites that let you download old software

Me: I love you.

Him: And you can easily change the appearance of Windows 10 to resemble windows 7
Him: If you really want literally nothing about computing to ever change for you from 4 years ago until (I'm assuming here?) You die

Amy: I would prefer no more changes in computing


Is there a petition on Facebook circulating about this that I can sign?

Max: Since when do you make tuna casseroles?

Clint: How many laptops have you had in a decade?

Amy: Don't answer that!


It's a trap


They're all trying to get you to admit that your feelings of grief and frustrations are invalid

It's their male response to a fear of healthy expression

Me: I love having girls in the family.

Clint: As a middle class white male, let me explain to you in detail how invalid every one of your feelings are.


They had me smiling, then laughing and from there the conversation moved on to #brexit and all things British and TV shows and tuna casseroles and photo editing software and before long a couple hours had passed and I wasn't sad or afraid of my technological future anymore. 

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Clint
2. Max
3. Amy
4. Drew
5. Danica
6. Tuna
7. Phones with data 

1 comment:

September said...

I love your family. Clint is right. You'll be just fine. You are already more technology savvy than most people your age, and those who are younger. I know I can't keep up with you! I still remember switching from a Blackberry to my iPhone and it was ALL THE ANGST IN THE WORLD but it worked out just fine. And when my laptop died I ended up with Windows 10 and I was also afraid. It's actually really nice. You'll get used to it. Especially with the 'encouragement' of your kids.
PS So if you are buying a new laptop, I bought an Asus touchscreen Zenbook UX303 and I LOVE IT. The touchscreen is actually really awesome. My brother in law recommended it to me.
Also, I would like to join your family group chats. They are hilarious!