LAPTOP UPDATE

When last I wrote, we were heading out to buy my new laptop at Staples. Fortunately, when we got there, they were sold out of the model I thought I wanted. The associate offered to order one for me, but they were also out at the warehouse, and the associate said they might not get another shipment. I was disappointed, yes, because I wanted to get on with it. However, I recognized this as a message. This was not my laptop.

Daughter Hallie agreed. "You deserve a laptop that's better than possibly the cheapest model on the market," she said.

With some frustration, I returned to the drawing board. Knowing that my next laptop could not be found in the local market, the sheer multitude of models available online was daunting. I barely knew how to begin to research, but then it occurred to me -- "laptops for writers." Sure enough, I found several articles on the subject. I had pages of notes before the afternoon was over. 

Sharing my results with Hallie, she came back with, "Yeah -- now you're talking." So, I slept on it, reviewed my notes this morning, and sent my three top choices to Hallie, indicating my first choice as an Asus Zenbook -- I just love the name! -- but independently of one another, Hallie and I both concluded that the Acer Aspire Convertible was really my laptop. 

So -- just keeping you in the loop. It should be here tomorrow. KW

SAY GOOD-BYE . . .

Technology marches on . . .

Say good-bye to messages from my old Satellite L755. This basic laptop has served me well for coming onto seven years, but last week the handwriting was on the wall. 
"I think it's infected," I wailed to daughter Hallie.
"Don't overthink this," she replied matter-of-factly. "It's time."

So, today is the day. We're going out this morning to buy the new one. More on that later.

Last week seemed stressful, so Sunday I took myself to Jo-Ann's where I was greeted in the usual friendly manner. "It's all springlike in here," I commented to the associate.
"It has been since before Christmas," she replied.
Yes, Christmas is gone now except for a few clearance items here and there. And if you were thinking about Valentine's Day -- you know, socks, decorative items for the home, or what have you in red and white -- you'd better hurry because Easter pastels are taking over that aisle. 

Hopefully I'll be back soon with my new laptop. KW

CONTINUING TECH ISSUES

My ability to effectively use my new embroidery module has been clouded by computer issues. First I had to convince the shop I had the wrong software, then it was working to solve computer issues. I thought I had it worked out. In fact, the machine worked great at the embroidery club meeting I attended in Moscow last Thursday. But again yesterday I expected a pleasurable embroidery experience but lost the time to internet searches regarding compatibility issues between Windows Vista and EC on PC, that part of the embroidery program that writes the design to my sewing machine. I ran two or three patches – and I always wonder how that will affect other computer applications. But it seems I just have no choice but to follow these leadings in the hope of being able to use my computer for machine embroidery. In the end, the fine print at the bottom of one support site said – "If you are still experiencing issues with getting your designs sent to your Bernina 430 machine, delete 'Microsoft .NET Framework' . . ." I had already deleted one version of that file; now I deleted the 3.5 version. With that the program came up and worked beautifully. Is it fixed or did it just happen?

"Look at it run," observed Mike, "doing 20 hours of handwork in five minutes."

"And doing it beautifully," I rejoined.

Meanwhile, I still don't know if the problem is "fixed" or if it will act up when I least expect it. Perhaps it will happen at the next embroidery club meeting or at some class and I will be really inconvenienced by its lack of cooperation. Mike assures me that it's nothing personal – that computers treat everyone this way.

Hallie has suggested maybe we should install Windows XP on my laptop. I'm about ready to agree. Often I read on these sites, "This issue does not exist with Windows XP." KW

IT STOPPED SHORT – NEVER TO GO AGAIN . . .

It was November 1987. My dad was ill and I hadn't been well myself. We were in the midst of a difficult time and we all knew it. Late in the afternoon Mother and I checked Daddy out of the hospital in Lewiston. It was dark but they wanted to go home. Mother would drive them back to Orofino as soon as we ran an errand. Daddy wanted to go to PayLess and buy a small heater for the bathroom. He just couldn't get warm enough.

So, I drove to PayLess and instructed my parents to stay in the car while I ran into the store. I found a small heater – an "Intermatic" in an odd '70's mustard gold. Seriously – it looked like it was leftover from the previous decade. But the price was right so I purchased it and gave it to Daddy as a gift. It was little enough to do for someone who was leaving us.

Not many days later he did leave us. Prominently placed in his desk I found the information sheet that came with the little heater on which he had written in his customary bold hand, "Kathy bought this heater. Give it to her." That little message said so much to me. It said that he knew he was going, even though none of us could speak of it. It said that he was thinking of something besides himself in the darkest moments of this life. He knew he wouldn't need the little heater, so I should have it. So, I took it home and used it to heat the bathroom for my showers during the winter months. Perhaps it was never so important to me as it was when we moved to this little modular home because the master bathroom is cold.

But it ended last night. With a loud twang – after 21 years of service – the fan in the little Intermatic heater gave out. I had just turned it on and was right there to unplug it. Today it's in the garbage can.

It's interesting how you can struggle with the things in your life – even the quality things like an HP laptop – and some little heater with an obscure brand name will last 21 years. KW

ANALOG TO DIGITAL

You probably didn’t guess that I’m among those affected by the national move from analog to digital. It won’t affect Mike and has nothing to do with our household television. It has to do with my little Sony Watchman.

I’ll bet it was at least 15 years ago that I bought the Sony Watchman for the kitchen. It cost about $30.00, I think – and I have loved it. It receives only the local station, KLEW-TV, but that’s enough. Between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. – while I work in the kitchen – the Watchman keeps me company. Because KLEW is a teaching station, I can listen to the local news twice – at 5:00 and again at 6:00 – and also CBS News (with Katie Couric) sandwiched between.

And “listen” is the operative word. With its 4.5” black and white screen, it’s not fit for watching. On the other hand, I do find myself checking the picture when the story is interesting.

“We’re going to run a test,” announces local newscaster, Matt Lovelace. “If your television set is not digital-ready, you will see a snowy screen with an announcement to call our office for more information.” Sure enough! The little screen proves what I already know -- when the analog signal goes away on Feb. 17, so will my Watchman. It’s not worth hassling with a converter box, and yet, I will miss it.

The march of technology really isn’t fair. You know some folks were still listening to the radio – and it was enough for them – when programming began to disappear because of television. It didn’t matter what they thought, how they might resist, what radio technology had meant and still meant to them – the radio programs were going away. Eras come and go, and sometimes the realization of change is abrupt.

I received shipping notification from HP yesterday. The laptop is on its way back. KW

CALL TO HP SUPPORT

At 8:55 a.m. I placed a call to HP Support to request warranty service on my HP Pavilion dv9000. This should have been a 5-minute conversation with someone I could understand. The call was completed at 9:30.

I mean, here I am – Ms. Consumer, having spent good dollars on this item for which I had waited for years – having an obsessive but gratifying relationship with said item – now discovering, after having spent hours in frustration setting it up (remember “the laptop from hell”), that it was probably a lemon from the beginning. I’m upset to begin with – and then I’m made to identify myself and my product with names and numbers at every level of the call.

There were three levels. It began with the automated super-cordial female voice asking certain questions so that she could properly direct my call. At least I could understand her. “Technical support,” I called into the phone, which resulted – after a brief wait – in the opportunity to speak with a live individual whose native language was obviously Spanish. She understood me just fine, but I had difficulties with her Spanish accent. No matter – we muddled through. A lot of the call was holding in silence anyway. She gave me a service number and told me she would transfer my call to the Pavilion Department. “Do not hang up from this call,” she tells me pointedly. “Oh-oh!” I think.

On to the next layer – and again I prayed that I could understand. Maybe I would get an American-speaking male. But no – another female whose American was even more clipped and accented than the previous “assistant.” Again, I had to provide all my personal info as well as the number provided to me in the previous conversation. She asked me to switch to another phone because she was “getting a lot of static on the line.” (I can barely understand her and she asks me to switch to another phone!) "What's wrong with your laptop?" she asked, and I was glad to be able to say the laptop had been diagnosed by a Staples tech who advised me my only recourse was to call HP Support. It probably saved at least 15 frustrating minutes of phone time. In the end I was provided with yet another number, instructions for returning the laptop to HP for service, website address for tracking the order, etc.

“When I finish with this call,” I announced to Mike, “I will be through for the day.” Just to reassure myself that I really can use the phone, I called my hairdresser for an appointment. It was good to talk to her. KW

BLESSINGS

I’m counting my blessings today – the way we should when we’re upset about something. Sometimes you just have to say: “For health, for food, for love and friends, for everything Thy Goodness sends, Father in Heaven we thank Thee” . . . because, of course, these are the important things in life. I have many blessings and I know it.

I’m telling you this because my laptop died Thursday night and I have been devastated. I knew it was coming. I noticed its tendency to be temperamental on October 23. Yes, I know the exact day because it was the day Spencer Hagen got married. Hallie tried to help at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas. She advised me there was indeed something wrong with it. ”How can I go through all that set-up stuff again?” I asked, hardly keeping the frustration out of my voice. “Oh, they won’t give you a new one,” said my savvy daughter. “They’ll fix this one – and be prepared for it to take a long time.” So, I said I would deal with it after Christmas. Meanwhile I added more photos, more family history documents, an iPod, iTunes and music and personal spoken recordings, etc., etc. . . . The potential loss of some or all of that – which, yes, I should have backed up – is not as devastating to me as the loss of the laptop itself. In just a few month’s time it had become the center of my life. Maybe God is telling me something. . . (It was useful, even with the “God” stuff.)

So, yesterday (Friday) morning Mike and I took the laptop to Staples where the tech performed diagnostics and ascertained that the laptop is indeed dead. Only one option is available, he said, and that is to call HP and they will send me a box so that I can ship it to them for repair. No one locally can help, he said. No one can touch it. It must go back to HP.

“That was quick and painful,” said Mike as we exited the store. I guess I should add “still under warranty” to my list of things for which I am grateful. And I can also add that at least we have this big old desk model from which I can carry on, if I promise to turn off the “cap lock” key and return the printer to “photo” from “scan.” KW