Technology FAIL!

I mentioned the other day that I was using a borrowed computer -- sweetie's -- because my rig was in the hospital.

Got the diagnosis yesterday: logic board (mother board in PC-speak) meltdown. Some data saved, but new rig needed.

Arrrrggggghhhh.

I've been a Mac user since 1985 and the hospital is attached to the Mac store I've been patronizing since it opened in 1985. And it's around the corner from me. So I whipped out the credit card, bit the proverbial bullet, and bought the lowest-end IMac. Paid to have it delivered, but when they figured out how close I was, they decided to have a nice young man walk me home with my new rig on a two-wheel dolly.

'Wait til you see the stairs', I said to him. He saw the stairs. I added: 'There might be a few bucks for you at the top.' That was cool with him.

So I unpacked everything. Realized there were very few cables. Seems I have a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse. Cool with me. No cats here.

Turned it around to start plugging stuff like printer in. Looked at ports. Something not right.

Some readers may remember that I am still on dial-up here. Mainly because I'm a cheapskate, but also because all I do here is work, email, surf, and blog. I can go to sweetie's for videos and whatnot.

Guess what. No port for phone plug.

I called nice young computer doctor -- we had bonded over my tragedy -- and confessed explained. There must be some kinda adapter, I said. He didn't know but would look and call me back.

Called back to say he had the device in his hand BUT it cost $80!!!!

Simple extortion. I won't bite.

All right.

Not quite kicking and screaming, I'm being dragged into the 21st century. Called my ISP and ordered high speed.

But that won't happen for 5 to 8 business days, they said.

So I called neighbour and begged to use her wireless connection at least to register new Mac. She said OK. (There's going to be a few bucks in that, too.)

I lost all old documents, old emails, email addresses. This is going to take a while to recover from.

But I did register, wrote this blogpost, and voted in the Feminist Category at the CBA. Remember that you can vote every 24 hours. I'm spreading my votes around the many excellent choices.

And that's the news from this corner of DJ!