August 26 – “Geekdom, Part Two”

 

 

I'm typing on the new computer today.  After an incredible array of snafus and reboots and retries, somewhere in the massive amount of downloads and upgrades there was a fix for the glitch I was having with lists and selections within popup windows.  Whoever figured that out over at Microsoft … hats off and kudos to you. 

 

I still have a lot to learn about just what is on this computer.  One of the most shocking things that happened in all my setup struggles yesterday came when I was trying to click on the Microsoft Office icon in the programs option.  The glitch was causing it to switch from whatever I clicked on to some random choice further up in the list.  I started treating it like a game.  I started out by lining up the Office icon.  I was even able to highlight it.  Then I would click the mouse.  That's when the action began.  The list would take on a life of its own.  It scrolled up toward the top of the list, sometimes even opening folders along the way, until it finally came to a stop.  The stop could be anywhere on the list.  That's when I got the game idea.  When the scrolling began I tried to click the mouse again to see where it would end up.  I figured maybe I could get lucky and land on the Office folder.  The first seven or eight times it opened the games folder and chose a random game, which loaded up.  I decided that maybe it wanted me to accept the games as a program, so I did that.  The only thing that did was cause it to switch to a different random option. 

 

Back to the game.  As I mindlessly clicked and double-clicked, I was beginning to fall into that eerie mode dreaded by wives of computer geeks everywhere, computer screen hypnosis.  Suddenly, the curser stopped on a folder I had never seen before.  A new program flew into being and rapidly filled the screen.  (I must say whatever it is that makes computers fast must be doubled or tripled from our last computer).  And there on the screen, looking worn and haggard and very old, was … me.  I almost jumped out of my seat.  What a frightening sight.  I had somehow activated the computer's webcam, and it was looking back at me.  Believe me, I closed that one down in a hurry.

 

As I said, someone figured out how to fix the glitch, and the computer appears to be working fine now.  Now I can move on to the droll task of installing add-on programs, followed by the drudgery of day to day work.  Ah, such a joy to have a tool like a computer.  And to think that someday all that power and capability will be available in something you can hold in your hand.  Wait a minute.  My iPhone just beeped.  Maybe it's Josh and his boys on FaceTime.  I could check my email while I'm talking to him …

 

Hosea 14:9 says, "Who is wise?  He will realize these things.  Who is discerning?  He will understand them.  The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them."

 

Father, it's a pretty simple thing to know your ways are right.  Not so simple to walk in them all the time.  Thanks for the help.  Please keep it coming.  Amen.