Saturday, September 13, 2008

Technology and Me

I seem to have a cloud over me. Some kind of electrical disturbance, causing my electronic gadgets to go kerflooey. I’m listening to “Stealing God’s Thunder” by Philip Dray on tape, a fascinating book about Benjamin Franklin and his discoveries about electricity. These eighteenth century thinkers know more about modern technology than I do. Back then, things were puzzling but by applying laws of science experimenting and noting the results, they were able to draw some conclusions. Now some of these explanations might sound a little nuts today, like that thunder and lightning was caused by the consequences of sin or giant birds flapping their wings.

But we might as well be talking about thunderbirds when it comes to me and my technology. I don’t have a better reason.

I hesitate to make this list, that by making it, I’m just asking for trouble. The techno gods might smite me with more troubles. But I believe that every appliance, gadget and plugged in thing has gone haywire on me in the last month, so what do I have to lose?

I know, I know, the water heater is over ten years old. Hey, this is 2008. We’re rational people, right?

Here it is. Computer failure. Phone won’t work. After one week’s time, I realized that the wall switch had been turned off by cat sitter. GPS on fritz. Time spent lost, at friend’s trying to make it do the dumb thing again and finally a trip to best Buy and a new cord. Bought a new vacuum sealer to capture the summer fruits. Won’t seal. Needs to go back where it came from. Ipod. Craps out at the gym. Sewing machine. Feed dogs won’t come back up. Washing machine blows a hose. Clock needs battery.

New computer is dead. Turns out to be a grounded plug that needs resetting.

Making this list is actually making me feel better. First of all, it’s not as long as I had imagined. Secondly, all these things can be fixed. Throw a little money (or a lot) and some time (way too much) and they’ll get repaired, or replaced. Sure, I may have no hot water for a day or two, but at least I have water, right? And have you seen the new Nano? Cute with a capital C. I treated myself to a red one.

Did I mention that all the plugs in all my bathrooms wouldn’t work? And then suddenly did. Wait, maybe it’s a techno poltergeist. That would explain the lights that go off and on for no reason.


Join me at my launch party. September 20th at the Higuera Adobe on Wessex Place in Milpitas from 1-4pm or the next afternoon at Always Quilting in San Mateo.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe an exorcism would help? If it works, let me know, because I've got the same poltergeist. Day of furnace replacement, sewer line backs up without warning. Fix that, and the dryer stops. Actually, both dryers stop--we have a back-up from our last move, but now neither one works. Telephone won't hold a charge. The lock on my back door has suddenly decided it doesn't want to latch. Leaves you wondering, what's next?

Terri Thayer said...

That makes me feel better. I'm not alone. And sewer back ups trump all!

I feel your pain, Sheila.

Camille Minichino said...

And what about those manuals? I'm in danger of having more operator's manuals than fiction. Oh, wait, they're fiction.

I just bought a new camera with a thick manual. It turns out I'll be able to order my produce from it if I have all the settings just right. But right now, I can't take an unfuzzy photo with it.

Anonymous said...

Okay, this is freaky--just as I was about to comment, my modem disconnected. Really. I am SO not putting my laptop anywhere near yours at the Wednesday workshop!

Congrats on the new red Nano; that must make everything better. :)

Kathryn Lilley said...

I'm known at my day job for being the Gremlin Queen when it comes to laptops. Used to be we women longed for our husbands to be handy around the house. Now we want them to be IT guys, too! (Some women, anyway. In my house, I'm the closest thing to a handyman AND an IT expert. Which is why we barely have anything functioning at all!)

Betty Hechtman said...

Right, Terri, sewer backing up trumps all.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has lights going on and off and things that do weird stuff.

I am the fixit person around here and IT person. Also the only person who seems capable of changing a light bulb. The only one who can get on a ladder to clean the gutters, change the air filters, etc.

I live in a house of men. How did this happen?

Terri Thayer said...

I don't know, Betty, but you're welcome to visit me anytime!!