To say technology and I are compatible with one another would be a tad incorrect. Not that we are incompatible, I hasten to add, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to write these words. I wouldn’t be able to open my Windows Live Writer program to type this… I wouldn’t be able to even switch on my computer.
Technology is baffling to me. I can drive my car, but I have no idea really how it actually works. Yes I know that I plug my key in and turn it to fire the ignition, and I press a couple of pedals with my feet to make me go and stop, but what goes on underneath the bonnet is a mystery. When I buy a new car, the salesmen must sense this, as they always lift the bonnet to show me the engine.
“Ooo” I say in complete awe, looking at a mish-mash of metal, tubes and prongs.
Occasionally, I ride a bicycle. Occasionally. The last time I rode was in 2005, when my compatibility with anything technical was really highlighted. My amazing prowess was also highlighted as well, as I’ll now explain.
Before I start, I know that bicycles aren’t exactly new when it comes to the subject of technology, but they still have a certain amount of technical parts on them, and if you aren’t exactly technically minded things become more interesting.
I was merrily cycling away along a main road, when all of a sudden the handlebars lifted high into the air. The only thing connecting them to the rest of the bike in fact were the brake cables. Now, have you ever tried stopping a moving bicycle, whilst riding it, with detached handlebars? It’s not easy, and I managed it with aplomb.
Somehow, I managed to use the brake handles, which, funnily enough still worked. I glided freely along the road, gradually slowing myself down, so I could gently ride into an incoming wall without causing any damage to me, it or the bike.
I then managed to reattach the handlebars, and continued with my cycle ride, although very carefully.
For seven years I’ve been bike free, but watching the Olympics has kind of started to make me think about… no, I must remember the Technical Me.
I bought a new computer last week. A top of the range this with capability to do that and a gazillion GB memory and whotzits hard drive was the one I set out to buy, but the computer shop were out of stock of that particular model, so I had to buy a different one. And, as the shop was closing at 7pm and I had only started to be served at 6.45pm after waiting for what seemed like two hours, I had to make my decision pretty sharpish.
So I did, and I now have this new computer. It’s good, but it’s technical.
I have an art tablet attached, which I use for the occasional piece of digital ‘artwork’. Everything is loaded onto the computer fine, but the software that I use does not work as well as it should. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve installed and uninstalled it, only for it to work once and then fail. The pen will only work in the top right-hand corner of the screen, and is very slow.
I’ll sort it eventually, I know I will, but at the moment it’s a bit technical. It (the tablet AND the software) are now waiting in limbo for me to have another go at fixing it. Hopefully, man wouldn’t have reached Mars before I get it sorted…
I set up my new email thingy with all of my email accounts, and last night, instead of my name being sent as the sender, it was sending other details. Goodness knows how I set it to do that, but it was sending parts of messages, parts of memorable information, in fact anything but my name.
I spent a good while sending emails to and fro between all of my accounts (I have several email addresses) to try and sort out what was going on. I think it’s sorted now, but I’ll have to keep an eye on things for the time being. If I send you an email, it should say that it is from Tom, but it may be from something like spectrum456, or thanks for your email…
Technology and me. A rocky relationship if ever there was one.
The thing is, and this is all the more baffling… I work with computers. I have to make sure that the programs on them work as they should. Or, to be more correct, make sure they can not be broken or crash.
I manage to make them crash all of the time. But how I do this, I just don’t know…
The Mansionic Perspective 
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