Technological Frustrations

Today has been a day of technological frustrations for me. You have to understand - I adore technology. I've been using computers since before they were a household item. I love anything electronic.

Except today. It all started this morning when I powered on my desktop...and it wouldn't boot. I didn't even get the blue screen of death. It just sat there, black screen, but running. So I reset and rebooted. And it came on - but very slowly. We just added new memory a month ago and ever since then it's been going slower to boot. And with the new updates from MS last week, it's been even worse. But I got it going and did my daily backups and all was good to go.

Then this afternoon, I booted up my laptop so I could work on my new manuscript. Got several pages into it when I decided to move to the wireless keyboard and mouse. I've done this dozens of times before with no problem. Plugged the controller in - and sudden blue screen of death giving me a stop error message and telling me I'm trying to execute non-executable memory. Power off, unplug controller, reboot. All is well. Access my manuscript and send it to myself so I have a backup copy. Also download to thumbdrive. I am a firm believer in multiple backups.

Tried the wireless again. Blue screen. Tried downloading a new driver. Blue screen. Tried booting with it already plugged in. Blue screen.

Went to Microsoft and searched their trouble spots for the error messages (yes, I wrote them down). Nothing. It's mostly Vista crap. I do not have Vista. I still have my trusty XP PRo. But no help anywhere. So I powered down and decided to use the Alpha Smart Dana.

Except the batteries are dead.

Sigh.

So, plug it in to recharge the batteries and now, hours later than I planned on getting to work, I am.

But the frustration is still there.

I love technology.

Except when it doesn't work.

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Teasers: Pick two characters from a favorite book and describe their courtship/wedding/marriage – but put a twist on it. For instance, make Rhett and Scarlet Yankees.

Thought for the day: "It’s hard enough to write a good drama, it’s much harder to write a good comedy, and it’s hardest of all to write a drama with comedy. Which is what life is." - Jack Lemmon