Monday, January 25, 2010

I'm Back...

Have you ever wanted to take one of these,
 
to one of these...???

Exactly one week ago my computer decided to do this...



after several days trying to repair it myself I contacted my local cable provider for assistance. A very nice young man
was absolutely no help what so ever and after several hours on the phone with him figured I would have to call in the serious artillary.


Before doing so I decided I would call my very handsome yet very capable son Josh. Now I'm not sure how everyone else deals with calling on their children for help but I resist it at all costs. My son, sweet as he can be, has little patience for my lack of tech skills and cannot understand why my feeble brain can't grasp what seems so obvious to him.
Most of our computer repair conversations go something like this:
(son) what did you do???
(me) nothing
(son) you must have done something!
(me) I swear, one minute it was fine and the next it was frozen
(son) here, you go here, do this, that happens, it's fixed...
(what I hear) blah, blah, blah!
I do try, I just can't wrap my  brain around it and the more impatient he gets with me the more my brain freezes! It finally dawned on me that this was a generational thing. He grew up with computers as part of his everyday life, for me they were an intrusion that I resisted for as long as humanly possible. I finally caved and learned the most rudimentary skills but not near enough to bail myself out of serious trouble. My attempt at getting him to understand my inability to become as tech savvy as he is went something like this:
(son) why can't you remember this, I've shown you before?
(me) I try but it just doesn't seem to stick
(son) well why not?
(me) you grew up with this, it's all common knowledge for you
(son) so you're saying you can't learn?
(me) no, it just takes me longer
(son) I don't get it!
(me) let me explain, while this is something you enjoy, it's just a necessary evil for me...suppose I were to walk you through my gardens and I told you all the common and latin names of my plants and flowers, then I proceded to tell you what conditions they needed for thriving and when their bloom times were etc. If I were to call you back in a month or so and quizzed you do you think you would remember???
(son) not a very good analogy
(me) of course it is, if it's not something you need to know or do everyday it's harder to retain
(son) grumble, humph
Now mind you, the above conversations have been repeated many times in the last five years, nothing changes. Can you understand my reluctance to call on him for help???
My husband finally convinced me to ask for #1 son's help. He was here for two days and many hours before he fixed it...so I ask you how was I supposed to fix it if even my computer smart son had trouble?
While I may resist the technological end of this thing that sits on my desk, I do miss it when it's gone so I am quite happy to be back...now I think I'll just spend the remainder of this rainy day visiting all of you!


22 comments:

  1. This is so funny, and true!!! My oldest son fixes computers for a living. Every time he visits (he lives 10 minutes away so it is often) he is asked to fix or show me something computer related. He has actually not asked the questions your son has, but I am sure he has thought them, because I have asked him to show me something more than once or twice. Funny how they just know what to do, and it does not stick with us!!!!

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  2. how true, how true!!! i really think it's a guy thing, my son is the same way!! so next time you "break it" (not that you've really broken it!) just make sure that you remember what "you did" (not that you did anything!), so when he asks you, you'll sound oh so intelligent! hee hee
    and i LOVE your flower analogy.....bravo, mom!!! hugs, :)))

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  3. Here's the weird thing though - my mom, who lives with me, hesitates to ask me for help.

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  4. Very funny - it truly is a generational thing. I didn't grow up with computers and I glaze over at too much technical information. Unfortunately, I am also that way about finance and numbers! Glad you're back!

    xo
    Claudia

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  5. Don't you just hate it when that happens? I have a very determined husband that will sit at the computer until it's fixed. Not me. I quit, really quickly.

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  6. There seems to be a lot of computer problems going around. I know nothing technically about one, so if mine goes out, to a repairman I will have to go. They do not come cheap.

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  7. That conversation is a hoot! I've almost/sort of had that one with my very own daughter... although with the computer I am okay, it's the remote control that gets me. Therefore, my walk of shame is that I can only watch what is recorded on our TV when she is at home to help me :(

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  8. Darling thanks for the laugh. I love it.

    I can't do anything with the computer and I pray to it like a little god that each day it will work.

    xoxox

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  9. I once saw a comic in the Sunday Paper that showed a man very exasperated with his computer. Finally, by the last frame it said, "WINDOWS...I'LL SHOW YOU WINDOWS!!!" along with the man (computer held above his head) as he was walking toward his bedroom window. Hee-hee!!
    So glad you got the help you needed.
    Mary Lou

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  10. I'm so glad I've got a computer savvy husband! There have been many times I wanted to smash the computer--- but the scanner is the worst one. My husband has talked me back from smashing that thing for sure! Many times! haha~

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  11. Oh all the time. Computers baffle me. then I get that look from the DH when I mess things up.
    Thanks for the info on the dental issue. I plan to hang on to this crown for as long as I can!

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  12. Sounds like you've been listening in on my conversations with my "geek" son! : )

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  13. Diva you have a total gypsy name so you are gypsy number 14. Of course you must come and park beside me.

    xoxox

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  14. Glad you are back, I've been busy myself with my mother and haven't been checking my blogs as often as I usually do. I hate tech stuff but like you can't live without it. Look forward to being in touch with you again.

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  15. I feel your pain for sure!
    Glad you are back

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  16. This Ozarks farm chick often wants to lay hands on the dang computer and pray the demons out of it 'cause I swear the stickin' thin is possessed! I hear ya sister!

    From the hills and hollers of the Missouri Ponderosa, ya'll have a wonderfully blessed day!!!

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  17. I just wanted to thank you for your visit and sweet comment.

    In the words of old Granny Clampett, "ya'll come back now, ya hear!!!"

    God bless ya'll!

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  18. What a cute post *smile* You could have been me talking because I go to great lengths to not call any of them (mostly my youngest son who is nearly 50 years old!) for help. Youngest son is just like your son. He has NO patience with me at all and has hung up on me once and accused me of NOT LISTENING, which was not true because I WAS listening. I just didn't give brat face the answer he wanted. Like your son, Dan is really sweet and loves me very much.
    Just not when it comes to my computer. Or anything else that requires technical knowledge.
    Funny how things never turn out like you think they will. My computer has been going foggy on me lately and then the screen freezes and I have to turn the thing off and reboot and even then it does it again. I'm really sweating it here! I think I see the GEEK SQUAD in my future! :(
    Hugs,
    Mona

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  19. I look forward to the day when you're sitting in your rocking chair giggling like a loon watching your grandkids try to explain something "simple" to their dad who just "doesn't get it"!

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  20. Just found your blog today... you have me laughing outloud!!!

    Found you by way of Faded Plains.

    ~Teri

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  21. Yes, I can relate! With me, it's my techy niece who does things pstrhokkkkzzttt click it's done. I ask her to go sloooow. Noooo, she just can't. So I still don't know what she did and probably never will. Fun post!

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