October 20 – “Don’t be stupid”

We had to do something about our desktop computer.  Not only was it running very slowly, but it was also giving us messages that our cpu was using a dangerously high amount of space – 78%.  Hmm.  That's not even a B average in school.  But I guess in this case the lower the score the better.  I cleaned it up the best I could, and we decided on a two prong approach to a solution.  Of course that's two if you don't include our other plan to get a new laptop.  One was to get some more memory.  Two was to get an external hard drive to make sure all our pictures are stored safely away.  We have them all on cd's, and I plan to see if I can move them onto dvd's as well.  But one more spot would make Chris feel better.  Of course Kel told me that all of those are rapidly becoming obsolete.  "The thing to do is store them online.  All the technology is going wireless now.  Wireless internet.  Wireless mouse."  OK.  I get it.  I'm an old coot not keeping up with the times.  Just let me move one step at a time.  After all, I read 1984 before it was 1984.  I still have some of that "Big Brother" stuff scarred onto my brain.    I went to Office Depot to check out the memory.  I figured that and the new laptop were the aggressive approaches to the situation.  The others felt kind of passive and reactive.  I found the memory section with a little help from one of the Nerd Herd guys.  He didn't stick around to help me any more, though.  So I picked up the first package that looked like it was the same length as the one I saw inside our computer.  It was a lot shorter, though, so I wasn't real sure about it.  It did have two gigs of memory.  I stuck it under my arm and walked over to the external hard drive section.  Lots of choices.  And several were on sale.  I read through the cards on a few of the ones that hold a terabyte (or however you spell that).  Kel said don't get any smaller than that.  I found one on sale for $79.99.  Didn't get it though.  I had yet to do my homework on how much to expect, so I wasn't sure if that was a good price or not.  That's when I decided to check out WalMart.    I headed for the front of the store.  And I had second thoughts.  I saw a different Nerd Herd guy at a computer back in the tech section, so I went back there and asked for help.  Hear that?  I asked for help.  I showed him the model info of our desktop and asked if I had picked the right memory card.  He quietly took it from me and switched screens.  It took him about a minute to find the right site.  And he said the one I picked up would basically fry my computer.  He said it could only hold one gig of memory, so I should get a different one.  I thanked him and went back to the appropriate aisle.  New problem.  There were two choice that were only slightly different numbers.  They both looked just like the one in the computer, so I knew I was on the right track.  But I had the Nerd Herd right around the corner.  I took both of them back and asked which one.  Looking a bit put out at my ignorance, he switched back to the other screen.  I noted that he hadn't closed it out entirely.  I'm sure he expected me to come back.  A few key strokes later and he handed the right one.  And he spoke his last words, "This one."    I had my answer, so I paid for it and headed out.  WalMart in my sites.  Didn't take long to get an answer there.  They had no external hard drives any more.  Routers covered the spot they used to hold down.  Did I ask for help there?  No.  Honestly, no one looked much like a Nerd Herd member.  Another day.   The installation went well, once I turned it in the right direction.  As far as I know I didn't break anything.  I powered it back up and tried it out.  Now that's how a computer is supposed to act.  Still not the fastest I've ever used, but it will definitely do.   Ephesians 5:15-17 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."   Father, I think that's the "don't be stupid" verse.  I sure felt stupid today about computers.  Help me avoid that everywhere else.  Amen.