Our digital world and me

When my azaleas bloom I know it is spring

I grabbed the handle of my microwave oven to open it last week and it came off in my hand.

That was unexpected. I doubt it can be replaced, and I will likely have to purchase a new appliance and have the present one removed.

Recently the upper element of my toaster oven burned out. I will need to replace that, also.

I miss the days when we had things repaired instead of replaced. 

My brother, Rex, could repair almost anything. He was ingenious at creating new ways to accomplish tasks that dumbfounded others. It seemed he was born with that ability. On the farm, when I was growing up, repairs were made on farm machinery and household appliances, well water systems, and so many things. No one could afford to replace everything that broke.

Today, farmers are using digital tractors and when something goes wrong, a special technician must come out to the farm to work on the computer in the tractor and try to make it run again. It is very frustrating for the farmer who used to be able to pick up a part and replace it himself. I understand that frustration because it happens with all the digital things in my house. My TV, computer, Ipad, printer, copier, devices to play music and so much more. The sensors in my car tell me that my right rear door is open. The first and second time I checked the door. Then I told my mechanic about the false message I keep receiving. He said he could not repair it but I could go to the dealership and they could probably shut off all the sensors. Duh!!  I will just continue to ignore the "right rear door is open" message.

Is the new technology weighing us down, slowing us, and irritating us instead of being the miracle we are told to believe? I know it is more costly to replace than it was to repair a few decades ago.

Years ago we were told that we were going to run out of room for all the landfills needed for our use and throw out society. Computers and electronics must be filling up the landfills now because no one repairs them. The last three wireless all-in-one printers I bought for around $200 each. They barely last until the warranty is over. When I tried to get them repaired, I was told to toss them. "They are so cheap it costs less to buy a new one."

Two hundred dollars is not all that cheap to me. I now use an older model printer/copier that is not wireless and works better than the fancy one. 

I have no idea what I would have to pay for a new microwave over my stove, but I intend to see how long I can go without one and how much I will miss it. I do intend to call around and see if anyone can put the door handle back on this one. The oven works great. Just can't open it now.

I had a friend who bought so much and so many things she had to rent a storage space to hold most of it. Material things can't fill the needs of people who are compulsive shoppers. They often have a deep-seated issue that needs to be addressed. This friend said she had not spoken to her own daughter in ten years. I wonder if the shopping had to do with family problems.

I understand retail therapy and have found myself in need of going to Target to browse for an hour or more. But, if I purchase anything there, it is something I can use or something I want to give someone.

Still, here I am with a cluttered house I work on every day. The problem is I still use the things in my house, well most of them, and only end up ridding myself of paper. I feel I am being invaded by paper that grows overnight when I am asleep. Once it became so cheap to make copies on paper, we have been inundated with junk mail. I tried throwing out envelopes without opening them until I opened one and found a check inside. 

Well, enough of my complaining. We had a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine but it was in the sixties this morning. Later I sat on the deck in the warm weather and watched my dear neighbors as they pack to move away. I am saddened because they have been wonderful friends for years now, keeping a check on me since Barry died. Everything continues to change and I believe if we don't bend we will break. 

Hope your week will be all you want it to be. I will have a visit this week from family members and I look forward to that. Let me hear from you, my friends.

New Dell, New Windows 8, and I am a slow student

I think I am ready to return this new computer. On an impulse while watching TV, I ordered a great looking new, modern, computer, but I didn't realize how much I was behind in the new technology.

I have been working on my husband's old Dell laptop with Windows XP, which I love and see no reason to change, but my desktop was a dinosaur. While it was fine to use for my photography, it was extremely slow online. I had long since quit using it for email. But my Personal Ancestral File, PAF Genealogy program was on this old friend, with over 1000 names of family I had laboriously typed in. I wanted everything on the old computer put on my new one.

The computer arrived the week after my sister passed away. Needless to say, I had no interest in fooling with it. I asked Bob, my computer guru to come and set it up for me, but didn't even bother to go downstairs and look at it out of the box.

For the past few days now I have been trying to see if I can actually get the hang of this fancy, lovely computer. It takes little space since the entire computer is built into what I would have thought was only the monitor. I can read what is on the screen better than I have ever been able to read from any other computer. Such sharp resolution! It is a Dell with all the bells and whistles. Mainly it has Windows 8, and I had no idea that I'd have so many new procedures to learn. My computer guru said he would likely have to give me an hour's instruction before I got the hang of it.

Maybe he won't. Not yet anyway. I have done some things on my own. I installed my scanner. I have almost figured out how to use my e-mail properly. I downloaded Google Chrome so I can get into my blogs and use them. I am working on connecting to Google plus.

The process is slow and I don't know when I can get Bob over here to teach me more, but I am sure that in that other world where my loved ones have gone off to, Barry, who was my best computer guy, and June are  smiling at each other and saying, "She is going to be all right. She can do this and she will enjoy it when she does."

They always had such faith in me.