Vista Frustration

My PC Guy just left. Well, almost all of my problems are fixed. I still cannot access my AOL account on my new Dell computer. The problem is the Vista operating system. The security controls are so tight it won’t even let me, as the administrator, create files to fix the problem. Tom will have to stop back on Friday to complete the job.

According to Tom, all the problems are the result of Vista. When I uninstalled the AOL software, it caused “something” to be reset. Thus, I couldn’t access the enhanced viewer on my Ancestry.com web site (used for viewing original documents like census records.) It also caused the previous downloaded version of Adobe Flash Player to disappear. He has that working again. Only in Internet Explorer though. It still doesn’t work through G Mail. Thank you Vista!

BTW, DON’T BUY VISTA! IF YOU SEE IT, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! BUY IT AND YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. NIGHTMARES, HEADACHES, FRUSTRATION, AND WASTED TIME. What were they thinking when they devised this “upgrade?” Surely they were not thinking of us, the humble PC user. Geek arrogance reigns supreme.

After three hours, Tom had to leave for an appointment. He will be back on Friday to check my problem with my HP Photosmart All-in-One printer. I can’t blame this problem on Vista. This problem was caused by me when I tried to print a picture yesterday and the printer jammed up. In the process, I forgot that I’m not supposed to print the picture through the HP software but instead use the Windows software. By using the HP software, I changed the printer’s drivers. Now it won’t print. That makes sense doesn’t it?

Notice how the software companies routinely put out their “upgrades” without thoroughly testing them? They take it for granted that the market place (that’s us, the lowly PC user), will work out the bugs in their software. Business arrogance reigns supreme.

My friend Lar responds on my blog, “What a nightmare.” He’s got that right. My friend Jim says there will be a day when everything runs and I can enjoy using my computer and peripheral equipment. I say, that is a day I’m looking forward to. In the meantime, I’m going to spend a good part of the evening and tomorrow morning, updating my genealogy files on Family Tree Maker. That is my relaxation. I need it bad.

BTW, I could not include a picture in this blog posting because I get a message "There were errors during the upload." Since I got this message on both of my computers, I'm assuming it's Blogger that is screwing up now. At least I hope so.

List For PC Guy

Here I await my PC Guy (Tom) to fix various and sundry problems I have with my brand spanking new Dell Inspiron computer. Oh how I rue the day I decided to purchase another Dell but that's another whole story.

Not only do I have problems with my new Dell computer, I'm having problems with my HP Photosmart All-in-One printer. It has a mind of it's own. Sometimes it scans pictures, and sometimes not. This is about the 4th time I'm having Tom look at it. I've lost count the number of times we have installed and uninstalled the HP printer software.

Now I'm having a problem with my AOL mail software. I made the BIG MISTAKE of cleaning out my In Box (a New Year's resolution gone horribly wrong) and I discovered the "Quick Read" feature on my AOL In Box mail wasn't working. I uninstalled and reinstalled the AOL software on both computers; my old Gateway and the new Dell. The AOL software now works on the Gateway (well, sort of) and doesn't work on the Dell (so what else is new? Just another fun feature of Vista I suspect.)

Last night I had a new surprise. Now my music doesn't work on my blog nor on Playlist.com. Something to do with 64 bits versus 32 bits. What's that? Then, just to top everything else off, the Enhanced Feature Adobe download won't work for my Ancestry.com site. I need that feature to read the census records. Doesn't work folks. Again, I suspect Vista is the culprit here. No wonder businesses don't want to "upgrade" to Vista. IT'S NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE.

My simple question is? Why can't they make computers and printers that work for the average person? I'm not the sharpest blade in the drawer, but I can figure out most things. Not this time. I'm getting overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of just running this damn thing.

Below is my beginning list for Tom when he arrives at 11 am or thereabouts this morning. This is what I seem to spending most of my time doing lately instead of sending out clever e-mails, writing fascinating blog entries, and genealogy research. Something isn't right here.

List for Tom

1) Install AOL software on Dell computer

2) Add back AOL PFC files on Dell computer

3) Add MSN sign on to e-mail on Dell computer.


4) Make small font size on Google and AOL on Dell

5) Check double printer setup and wireless cords on Dell


6) When exiting “Welcome to Dell” from Google, screen hiccups over 70 times and leaves images on desktop

7) How to change short cut icons on Dell desktop


8) Hookup wired keyboard and mouse on Dell computer

9) Music doesn’t play on blog on Dell computer through Google. Can’t use Playlist.com. See note for Adobe download 64 bit versus 32 bit.


10) Cannot download Adobe flash player enhanced image viewer on Ancestry.com on Dell computer

11) Where is the refresh key on the Dell computer? One the Gateway?


12) HP Photosmart All-in-One printer not scanning – suspect drivers are wrong again since I tried to print through HP instead of Windows

13) Add back AOL PFC files on Gateway computer


14) How do I use flash drive on both computers? Want to back up Palm and genealogy files from Gateway computer – also move photos between computers on flash drive

15) Clean out some old programs no longer used in Gateway computer

What Would Our Ancestors Have Done?

Lately, I’ve been having my share of technical problems with my computer and peripherals. I now have two computers in my home office, along with three printers. One would think that I have all the bases covered. One would be wrong.

I won’t bore you with the details of my problems but basically it is that I now cannot scan photos in my HP Photosmart All-in-One Printer. I suspect it has something to do with the printer drivers changing when I tried to print a photo. Hewlett-Packard is so hot to get their users plugged into their continual stream of updates and ads; it is now almost impossible just to use the printer.

So now my problems are:

1) My new computer doesn’t have AOL software on it
2) My wireless printer is hooked up TWICE on my new computer
3) Multiple screen repeats on some Google searches
4) I need to disable the wireless keyboard and mouse on the new computer
5) Where is the refresh key?
6) How do I change icons on the new computer? Ain’t Vista great?
7) How do I use the flash drive on both computers?


A few nights ago I was reading about my ancestors in the book “History of the Toe River Valley.” My paternal ancestors lived in the hills of western North Carolina from the early 1700’s to the 1920’s (when my father’s family moved out to Pennsylvania.) Some might call them hillbillies but the correct term is “Appalachian pioneers.” Their occupation was farming. They grew and raised their own food. The woman, who I believed worked much harder than the men, “kept house.” This involved washing the clothes at the nearest stream, using a stick to beat the dirt out of the clothes. A chicken dinner meant going out in the back yard to grab the unfortunate chicken and chop its head off, dip the chicken in boiling water to pluck the feathers (I’ve done this), and gut it. Vegetables came from the garden, or in the winter time, from the vegetables that were canned from the summer’s produce.

Somehow they managed without to live a full life without electricity, indoor plumbing, and PC’s! Yes, they managed without PC’s. This knowledge has put my technical problems in perspective, to say the least. I sit in a warm and comfortable house, my refrigerator is stocked full, and I wash and dry my clothes (as I did this morning) while I’m on my computer updating my genealogy files. What I really appreciate is when I have to use the bathroom, it is warm and comfortable. I’ve used an outhouse. Not a pleasant experience, especially for someone as fussy as I am.

Now I wonder a hundred years from now will one of my ancestors wonder about me and my generation? Will they marvel at the hardships we have had to endure? No doubt they will. Our ancestors probably didn’t realize that they were enduring hardships. Oh, maybe the washing the clothes down at the stream. What we take for granted now will probably amaze our descendents that we even endured such “hardships.” I predict one “hardship” that will never disappear, PC problems. As Benjamin Franklin said: “Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. “Add to his quotation “PC glitches.” I wonder what my ancestors would have thought of my “problem.” Even more interesting, I wonder what my descendents will think.

A Frustrating Day

Last night I made good on my New Year’s resolution to clean out my mail cabinet. I had over 600 messages that I had to check and to either discard, file or respond to the messages. Until the wee hours in the morning, I diligently checked each message and made a good choice. I even discontinued some of those automatic generated e-mails. Thus, it was with great anticipation this morning that I turned my computer on, planning to start with a clean slate and have a productive day updating my genealogy files.

Now you probably have surmised where I’m going with this. Oh yes, I had a clean slate alright. In fact, it was so clean I brought up AOL with an error message that it loaded improperly. Good old AOL. They never let you down. My AOL wasn’t loading properly. What did I do except clean out my mail? How does it go? The best laid plans of men and mice go awry? Something like that anyway.

I tried my old computer. I had the same error message on that computer. I tried Bill’s computer, which is on the same network and the other two computers. I thought that maybe, just maybe, it’s at the source of AOL. But no, I could bring up my AOL account properly on his computer. No errors. Same network, different results. What could I have done wrong?

Here is what the problem was. I don’t have the Quick Read blurb on the mail in my AOL box. I checked my PC Filing Cabinet. My saved message showed a Quick Read description but if I went back into the file, all I saw was a blank envelope for that date. To the right of the blank envelope, it was all white space. What in the world now? Is this some kind of nefarious scheme to keep my Computer Guy in business for the New Year? I mean I like Tom and all but I'm at the point now where I'm going to have to put him on my payroll.

So what to do? I thought I would take the bull by the horns and uninstall AOL from my old computer and reinstall it from the CD-ROM I have of AOL version 9.0 (I had 9.1 on my computer but I don’t really need that version.) This took awhile to do but I was able to bring up my AOL account, minus all the mail I had saved on my hard drive. Not to worry though, I see a folder on my desktop that says “AOL Saved PFC.” Okay. Now what do I do with that? At least I can access my AOL account now and see with the Quick Read feature and see who sent me e-mails.

Next I took on the new computer. I uninstalled AOL 9.1 and reinstalled 9.0. I wasn’t so fortunate AOL, nothing happened. I suspected I would have a problem because the new computer operates on the VISTA system. Oh how I wish I took my friend Larry’s advice and got a Mac. AOL, Windows, Vista……….it all adds up to frustration.

To say I was spitting mad is an understatement. What to do? I asked Bill if he wanted to go for a ride on this sunny Sunday afternoon. He did. Off we went. Anywhere, just to get out of the house and this frustration and into the cold fresh air.

First we stopped at Big Bob’s and got a bucket full of sand. Bill needs that to fill in the deep indentation on our front lawn that the Ryan Home folks left when they installed the sod after repairing our drainage problem.

Next, we stopped at the American Legion Post 28 to put Bill’s name on the calendar for the American Legion van to pick him up and take him to Wilmington for his appointment at the Veterans Administration Medical Center two weeks hence. We used to call this in to Ron Robinson, the van coordinator but he choked to death on a piece of food a month ago and no one has taken his place as coordinator. We were told we had to appear in person at the American Legion clubhouse on Route 24 and Bill would personally have to write his name on the calendar.

Of course we had another hurdle to jump over before we could do this. We had to have a key to get in the American Legion club house. We had one but who knows where that is now? We never go there because of the smoking. The American Legion posts are private clubs so smoking is permitted and do they ever take advantage of it. We arrive at the entrance and ring the buzzer. Someone lets us in. As we expected, the place is full of veterans and their women folk. Drinking and pool playing is in full swing. And yes, it was a smoke filled hall.

We ask who to see to get a key. We’re directed to an office in the back. The gentlemen veteran in the back office checked his records and told us we had keys issued to us. We agreed that we had the keys but we don’t know where they are now. He says he can give us new ones for $8.00 a piece. It was a deal. He made up new keys for us and I gave him a $20 bill.

We leave the American Legion Post 28 club house, reeking of smoke and alcohol. Just like the old days when we used to go to the 247 Bar in Philadelphia. Ah sweet memories. Well, at least we accomplished something today. And, as an extra bonus the gentleman told us the name of the new van coordinator. But we’re keeping the keys just in case of another emergency.

We left and drove leisurely back home. Bill saw that I had a phone message from a friend. I called the friend. He wanted to know if I wanted to dine out tonight with our usual Purple Parrot group. However, this night we would be dining at the Stoney Lonen restaurant in Rehoboth Beach. The Stoney Lonen is known for its seafood dishes. I don’t do seafood but I like my friends. I think I need a night out to get de rattled. It’s been a tough day.

The Three Little Pigs

The story of the Three Little Pigs has always been one of my favorite stories. Now I know some of the regular readers of my blog are wondering "What is he talking about now?" Well, you just never know with me do you? I had all good intentions on writing a real thought provoking blog today, especially since this is the one year anniversary of my passing of a kidney stone, the most painful experience I've ever had in my life except for trying to sell my house in 2006. But, I got caught up in cleaning out my AOL Mail in box. My messages were approaching 600. At one time I had that box cleaned out but I fell behind when I worked fulltime for six weeks a few months ago at the hotel. While I was cleaning out my In Box I came across this new twist of the Three Little Pigs story that is just too good not to share. Enjoy:

A teacher was reading the story of the Three Little Pigs to her class. She came to the part of the story where first pig was trying to gather the building materials for his home. She read, 'and so the pig went up to the man with the wheelbarrow full of straw and said: 'Pardon me sir, but may I have some of that straw to build my house?' The teacher paused then asked the class: 'And what do you think the man said?' One little boy raised his hand and said very matter-of-factly ...'I think the man would have said - 'Well, I'll be damned!! A talking pig!' The teacher had to leave the room.

Thought for the New Year

A friend sent me this New Year's thought to me this morning in an e-mail. I was wondering what to post for my New Year's blog. My friend's sentiment expresses exactly how I feel this new year and for every day of my life going forward from this first day of 2009.

There comes a point in your life when you realize who matters, who never did, who won't anymore... and who always will. So, don't worry about people from your past, there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future. 'Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Happy New Year

Last night several of my friends agreed to join me for Mumbo Jumbo Burger night at the Purple Parrot restaurant in Rehoboth Beach. This was our New Year's Eve celebration. We're too old to stay up for tomorrow night's standard New Year's Eve celebration. We'll all be in bed by 10 o'clock tomorrow night except me, and I'll be working at the Inn until 11 PM. I will get home in time to watch the countdown but it will be in the comfort and quiet of my own bedroom. I prefer that alternative than to paying some outrageously high cover charge to bring in the New Year's at some eatery and then take my chances getting hit by a drunk driver on the way home.

We discussed New Year's Eve celebrations of the past and we all agreed that New Year's Eve is perhaps the most overrated holiday of the year. Big whoop. The best times I had on New Year's was back in the 70's during my peak bar hopping and socializing days. I'm long past those days both mentally and physically. I have no regrets. I've had my share of good times. (This is beginning to sound like a Frank Sinatra song.) Now it is the turn of much younger folk. I hope they are lucky enough to experience the adventures that I did in my youth. They should only be so lucky.

Normally, I'm not off on Monday nights. My work schedule is Monday and Thursday nights. However, this year my co-worker Bob, who works Tuesdays and Wednesdays, asked me to trade with him on New Year's Eve so he could attend a family function. Sure, why not? I have nothing planned for New Year's Eve. I would be glad to trade time slots with him.

Usually, my friends and I gather on Sunday nights at the Purple Parrot (or as we call it "The Feathered One") for a festive time. The Purple Parrot runs specials. Sunday nights are Prime Rib night. Mondays, are "Mumbo Jumbo Night." That's a pound of char grilled hamburger boys and girls with your own fixins. One pound. That's a lot of meat to eat at one sitting. But, the burger is so good that most of us dispatched that one pound hamburger down our pie holes. All except Wayne and myself. I can be a pig, but one pound of hamburger is a bit much for me. Wayne also had a some left on his plate too before the waiter took out plates away.

The video shows a little gentle joking about my rhinestone embedded Basic Back Shirt . I like dark solid colors but I also like color. A few weeks ago I was in the cloth section at the Dover Wal-Mart and a package of sparkling rhinestones caught my eye. Years ago I had sewed some flowers and bluebirds on my Dad's western shirt. I liked it so much, I sewed some of that same embroidery on one of my "going out to the bar" western shirts. It was always a hit. I got lots of attention. So, I thought, why not? I'm all about getting attention and spicing up life for myself and friends around me. I wasted no time in purchasing the most glittery packet of rhinestones that I could find. Yesterday, while trying to decide what to wear, the influence of the Philadelphia Mummer's Parade came out in me. All those years in the 70's when I trudged into center city Philadelphia to shiver in the cold and watch the Mummer's Parade and dart in and out of the Westbury and Allegro bars to keep warm, was coming to the fore now. Ah, to relive those memories of the past. So it was that last night, with my glittery applications, I relieved those days of yore when I was young, pretty and full of energy. If only for an hour or so. Today it is back to reality. Wrinkes, gray hairs, and an aching back.

Last night it was good to get together again with friends. To gently poke fun at one another and have a good laugh. We can never bring back yesterday but we can make today special. We did that last night. Happy New Year to one and all.