I Seem to be Having a Bad Week

I'm not sure if my stars are misaligned or if karma has it in for me, but this week has been a little more stressful than I'd like.

The chief reason I'm stressed is technology.  And I think a lot of people have the same stressors when it comes to technology.

This week I've had to bring my lovely HP laptop to the hospital to be repaired.  I'd had to refresh  the hard drive about 10 days ago, and when I started loading software and updates and...whatever...my laptop would not install the updates, and in fact got stuck at the very beginning of booting up.

Since much of my working life is spent on this laptop, I think you can understand the terror I felt.  I'd backed up files on to my Google Drive (which is presenting its own set of problems) so that was fine.  And I have another laptop that I could use.

In the meantime I knew I had to replace my cell phone because it was showing its age and needed to head into retirement.  So that was something I had to take care of as soon as I could.  That worked out beautifully as I got an $800 phone for $80 - $40 for an activation fee (thanks Verizon) and about $40 for state taxes.

The phone at least is not cause for concern.

I actually got the laptop back last Tuesday - there were a number of registry errors and whatnot.  However, I had no desire to fight with it that day.  I was tired from errands and such, and just couldn't face it.

I finally started checking it out Thursday and was in shock.  I had been under the impression that my files would be left on my laptop - but they weren't.  The tech had restored the laptop and when that happens, files get tossed.

I am sure that the world heard my shrieks of horror and pain on Thursday night.  I had not realized either that the site where I stored my files (Google Drive) would make it very difficult for me to download files.  Which may be a good thing - there won't be the possibility that they'll be lost.  I hope.

After about 3 hours of effort, I managed to fix up my Adobe and Microsoft software.   And downloaded two folders out of millions (it seems).   That was all I could tolerate, and I gave up for the night.

Friday was much the same, though I was able to install some additional software I needed, and downloaded more folders.  But frustrations abound.  I cannot use my Amazon MP3 player because apparently I have way too many devices authorized by it.  Huh?  I checked that out and deleted 7 of the 10 devices authorized - all of which I no longer use or own.  BUT the catch is this - they have to stay authorized for 31 days.  So I can't use Amazon to play my music.

In the meantime (are you bored yet), my back up laptop seems to have gone into some kind of cardiac arrest or something.  So right now it is repairing itself and has been for a while (2 hours so far).  I don't know what will happen to that one.  I can't bear to think that that one may have to go to the hospital.

So, dear reader, I'm talking about this because it's amazing what will interfere with one's life as an artist.  I have been able to do very little art this week because I've been trying to make these darn computers work.  And I have been obsessed with doing this because I need to use the computer to manage the shop and to edit photos, documents, and so on.  And trying to download every document I need is going to be so agravavating 

I suppose I could make it work, as Tim Gunn (of Project Runway) would say.  But it's going to take such a loonnnnggg time.

Feel free to share your own computer travails in the comments section.
later,
lin