Smart, but oh so dumb.

Maybe it’s me,  and I’m just not smart enough to safely operate a computer,  but sometimes I wonder how the average person manages to get through the day without evaporating several hours trying to sort out computer CR*P.

Let’s talk about “updates”,  shall we??

Every so often,  I get a message from the Mother Ship saying I need to update something or other.   For the longest time there,  there was some sort of “pack”, “package” or some such thing that I was being told that I desperately needed.  

So fine.  Click on the thing,  and install the update.   Oh,  and “You may continue to work while this update is being installed.”  

Well,  that’s good.   Good thinkin’ there guys!   Well,  I feel better already.  

But wait.  At the very end, I get this message,  “Windoz was unable to install this update”.   Really?   Then why the hell did you send it to me then?   Warning me that my ASS WOULD FALL OFF if I didn’t install this update RIGHT AWAY.    I mean,  that’s serious.   I need my ass to sit on.

 

So finally after months and months of going through this routine on a semi-monthly basis,  some GENIUS at the Mother Ship must have figured out that there was a line of code missing,  or something,  and then one fine day,  IT WORKED!   Well glory be.  

What was that quote from Einstein?   “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”    I must be insane.

 

For the last couple days now,  I’ve been getting these terse reminders that once again my ass will fall off if I don’t do an update.   Well see,  along with these updates,  a person has to restart the computer.   It’s not always convenient to simply restart a computer right there and then,  but eventually I give in,  close whatever I’m doing,  and succumb to the will of the Mother Ship.   You will assimilate!

With some programs,  and we won’t get into the nitty gritty here,  once you shut ‘er off,  it’s a heck of a job getting ‘er going again.   Kind of like shutting off a diesel engine in the arctic.   Not a good idea.  Don’t want to break out the ether.  Probably not the best thing for the motherboard.

So then it happened.   The external Western Digital hard drive that I bought and had sent to the house in Canada for my daughter to bring over,  and which has been working just tickety-boo for the last few weeks,  was suddenly “not recognised”.   Are you kidding me? 

What wonderful “update”  did they send me??  And why did I need it?

Best not to panic.

Depending on how you search,  and your level of patience,  there’s probably an answer out there on the net somewhere.  It’s just a matter of finding it.   Don’t even ask me how I did it,  but we’re back in business again. 

It’s kind of like hunting in a way.  There’s the search,  with the possible location of the quarry, but then there’s the chance you just might get hurt.   There was one “download”  there that warned that I’d lose all the information on the drive.   *ulp*

See now,  that would not be good.

My butt still hurts from that clench.

Hunting squirrel.  Found a bear.  Almost got hurt.

 

I didn’t download anything,  but still managed to get it working.  It’s a mystery.  I really have no clue.

 

 

 

When things are simpler:

 

Reasonably certain these two aren’t concerned about losing files off an external hard drive…

 

 

In another mysterious area of this stuff that I’m not even going to try and figure out,  for the last couple months I would say,  I’m no longer able to see my “followers”.

I know they’re there,  since I asked my son-in-law back  home to take a look from there, and send me a count.   At the time,  there were 55.   If I haven’t thanked all the followers for following,  it’s because I can’t ‘see’ you.

So how is this possible you ask?   Well,  that other Mother Ship has decided that I’m no longer “http://thecaretakerchronicles.blogspot.com” but instead I am now “http://thecaretakerchronicles.blogspot.co.at”

Neither of those are links by the way.  Don’t bother clicking.  You’re already on the page?

So apparently I’ve somehow been “localised”.   Nobody asked me about this of course.  It just happened.  And it may very well be “.com”  from where you are.  I have no idea.

I do realise that I am,  in fact,  in Austria.  But now I can’t see my followers.   The latest scuttlebutt on the forums is,  this has yet to get “sorted out”. 

Well now,  isn’t that clever?   Wouldn’t that be like me going to the gas station for fuel,  but not having any place to put it?   When is this going to get “sorted out”?  Next year?  I’m going to be standing at those pumps for an awfully long time.

 

This probably explains why Daughter Number Two gave up on Blogger a while back,  and started paying a webhosting company $14.99 a month.   More flexibility,  and there’s no Mother Ship.

 

And yes,  I know.   Blogger is free.  Shouldn’t complain.   But really.  What’s the real cost?  Smashing my computer screen would also not be good.  And pricey.

Would you prefer to go to a free outdoor concert,  where you have to sit on the ground in the blazing sun,  possibly stung by wasps?  Or, would you prefer to pay to sit in air conditioned comfort,  in a comfy chair, and not be annoyed by somebody’s screaming kid or barking dog?    Think of that analogy when thinking about Blogger being “free”.

It’s gonna be time for a change.  But not just yet.  Need to bide my time, and wait until I’m back on home soil.   Those toll free numbers don’t work from over here.

 

Speaking of really smart people…  The clever bunch over in Texas who look after all our relocation cr*p recently decided that our “Home Leave”  funds should go to our Austrian bank,  instead of the Canadian one.  They say it was a ‘policy change’ from the Company that Cannot be Named,  but we’re thinking their just idiots.  

Their track record as idiots is exemplary,  so that whole “policy change” routine is just a bunch of fresh air.

What this means is,  apart from the annoyance of the transfer costing us €37,  (which we’ll never see again, since they “don’t pay that”)  is that I have to call our bank in Canada to try and get all their transfer information updated so that the regular expenses such as prescriptions and such,  can then be deposited there.   We’re full up here. 

And yes,  I said Texas.  If I knew why,  I’d probably tell you.  It makes no sense to me either.

 

If this had happened a couple years ago,  that would have been just fine,  since we would have had gobs of funds in our Austrian bank for the monthly stuff,  and would have quite possibly not had to put more money in there for a long,  long time.   Just go to the net,  look for flights from Toronto to Austria,  times two,  plus a decent car rental for about three weeks.  That’s more or less how much money we’re talking about.   It’s great when your cup runneth over,  but it’s the wrong freakin’ cup!  Gah!

 

Well,  I got stuff to do here,  so I’d better shut up.  

Have a fine weekend.

 

Thanks for stopping on by.

 

.