Monday, February 24, 2014

IT'S MERCURY'S FAULT

If writing was all we writers had to do…
How simple our lives might be…
But in today’s technological world…
We also have to deal with electronics.
Or not, as in my case.
Recently, I bought a Mac…
Having used a PC all my computer life…
I was intimidated to say the least…
Once out of the box, I set the Mac on my desk…
And stared at it for a month.
Oh, I’d turn it on and dabble at it…
But I was still using my PC for everything.
Then one day…
I figured it was time to make the ole switcheroo.
I should have looked to the heavens though…
Mercury was retrograde…
And when Mercury goes retrograde...
Electronics are more likely to go on the fritz...
Also writing, editing and publishing are tougher...
And if I was paying attention…
I’d have seen all the clues like:
My printer that wouldn't work because…
All of a sudden it needed a new IP address…
My PC….
That kept shutting itself off…
And my Internet server that kept going out.
And all this had been going on for over a week!
So there I was one morning…
Calmly sitting at my desk with my Mac…
I turned it on, Googled the Microsoft site…
Then bought and downloaded Office for Mac.
Ah hah! Now I was ready transfer my files when…
Microsoft asked me for a password.
So I put in my Microsoft password—no good.
I then put in my Apple password—no good.
After a hundred or so attempts #%^%$ I imploded! 
I couldn’t take it anymore!
So what's a writer to do?
I pulled out the Captain, as in Morgan…
Made a stiff one and swilled it down.
OMG! It was only eleven in the morning!!!
Feeling like a loser…
I layed down to meditate but instead cried like a wuss.
Just then the phone rang. It was a friend.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“WAA, waaa, waaaa, waaaaaaa!!!” I wailed.
“My son works on computers. He’ll be right over.”
Three hours later…
Not only did my printer have a new address…
My PC was fixed…
But all my files were successfully transferred.
Am I proud to tell this story?
Hell no, but what can I say?
I’m a writer, not an electronics expert.
And Mercury was and still is retrograde.
So tell me…
Have you ever had a meltdown over electronics?
And does Mercury retrograde affect you?

Always, Em-Musing





10 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad your friend's son was able to help you! Sometimes you just can't figure out why a computer isn't working properly.

Barbara Watson said...

Sometimes only the experts can do the job. You're so right; we're writers, not computer experts. Although it would be nice to be both.

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

I don't know about Mercury in my life, but I made the switch from PC to Mac too, and was it ever an adjustment. The logic is so different. I'm finally getting used to it no, but it was a bit leap.

It's good your friend's son could help. I had to make a few appointments at Mac's "genius bar" and have them explain a few things.

Karen Baldwin said...

I did find it complimentary though that Apple thought I (and everyone else) was a genius and didn't bother to give an instruction manual.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Wonderful it was all fixed. Yes, I have at least one meltdown every week. My husband loves those.

Adam said...

I wish I did have a Mac but they are NOT in the budget. I do have an old laptop with Linux (which Android is based) on it though.

Anne Gallagher said...

OMG, yes, I know all about Mercury retrograde. I'm glad you had someone in your corner. I also know what it feels like to be defeated and crying like a baby over something as foolish as an IP address or a password.

Hope things are better for you.

Jane Jazz said...

I'm not surprised you went into meltdown. There are times when nothing you try will make technology work for you! We didn't need any passwords for pen and paper did we :-)

Arlee Bird said...

Don't get me going on this sore topic with me. I think of this daily and it's frequently bugging me. Sometimes my computer's working great, especially if it's time from me to get off. But when I really am pressed to get something done my computer will start playing with me. I'm pretty sure my computer can read my mind. It's almost as though I don't control my computer, but it controls me. Scary!

Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out

Jennifer Shirk said...

Oh, my gosh, TOTALLY. I have love-hate relationship with computers to where I came REALLY close to throwing my laptop out on my front lawn.