Technology

OK. I get it. Technology is terrific. It is gobs of fun. Very worthwhile. Creative even. And yes, I have been using it diligently for many decades. In fact, I was an early adopter in the 1970’s and 80’s. Brought some Texas Instruments game software home from Radio Shack to teach the kids a little about computers. They took to it instantly. Me? I was a lot slower.

Eventually we got one of those cheap keyboards and hooked it to some box thingy that also linked to an unused portable TV. Voila! We had a home computer. Of sorts. Very little sorts.

But that gave me courage to buy a PC for the office. The Dean said OK to the expense, and soon my office was learning Word Perfect and a few data base applications. Slowly we acquired more computing power. I ended up writing a lot of my own memos and reports rather than dictating them. Much faster. Plus, I learned how to do more in less time. Our office surged in productivity. And creativity.

Fast forward several years and I’m in the field consulting with clients, filing reports, learning email and a host of other tasks, all electronically. Even while traveling, I was productive. The boss liked it. And my staff worried about it.

Eventually I started my own consulting firm and became the chief cook and bottle washer of the business. Actually, I was the business. Only me and my clients. No other staff involved. And it remained so for the nearly 25 years I was in business.

Shift to retirement years and my volunteer efforts continue unabated. HOA assignments, newsletter writing, chamber of commerce work – committees and all plus strategic planning – and then editor of the local newspaper. Actually, three of us started that paper to fill a gap. They named me managing editor and that included recruiting 32 volunteers to write, publish and distribute the paper. I wrote everything having to do with local government, plus obituaries, community calendar, weekly editorial plus a column. Lots of writing. And proofing the work of others. Lots of that to proof. And then Rocky and I distributed the newspaper to two post offices, and several public drop off locations.

Technology was a constant companion in all of those efforts. And they continue with my free consulting/mentoring work with SCORE.org.

Only now I don’t have Rocky to help me with technology glitches. There are several, often simultaneously. Today I bought a new keyboard and mouse because the mouse had died. I couldn’t just replace that, so I eventually concluded to replace the matched keyboard and mouse. It worked. I am back to full productivity. It feels good.

On another front, the laser jet printer needs a new ink cartridge. It can cost as much as $100 but I have usually been able to find it for $45 from a cheap computer supply shop. They are out of business so I’m hustling to find another source. Back to the $90 price, I fear. So, I avoid that by minimizing printing, taking out the cartridge often and shaking it, then printing. Most of the time I get the full image printed! Sometimes so little is printed it is a puzzle to figure out. So, I’m still in a quandary to replace the ink toner.

Still on another front, Rocky’s computer is much newer and less used than my 10-year-old laptop. I have had his computer cleaned up but have not moved it over to my work position and hooked it up to my second, larger screen. I am afraid of jinxing the whole set up. So, I am asking my granddaughters for help. They know much more about this stuff than I do. No word yet if they can do anything for me. But I’m hoping they can move his Lenovo to my workstation. It is faster and larger than my laptop. I’ll use the old machine as backup and field work. Who knows, maybe I can start that project of interviewing country people at their local diners in small, rural towns. You’ll know as soon as I do.

August 16, 2024

 

 

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