Old Dogs, New Tricks

This next paragraph can be skipped.  It consists entirely of a rant, otherwise known as kvetch gone beserk.

For those of you who noticed the strange post with Judi Fennell's adorable face and nothing else, well, it's because TYPEPAD thinks I don't have enough to learn and has changed the way you post.  This week has been nothing but new technologies I can't (and frankly don't wish to) understand.  Big Brother exists except I think he's taken the form of big box stores with spanking new computer systems that are "optimized" for your convenience.   I would really really really liked to be asked what is optimal for me.  Instead, somehow, after my old computer had to be sent off to the infirmary for triple bypass surgery, I made the mistake of wandering into Office Depot with a question about how to copy email messages.  Somehow, within a few minutes I had purchased a new laptop for $549 and been talked into a whole series of "improvements."  By the time I left the store with my new computer it cost me $1000 and it's a whole new operating system, a whole new outlook express and WORD 2007.  It's as if I have never before used a computer.  Not only that, the one reason I bought the service was the promised me they could copy my emails from the past three years onto the new machine but lo and behold, now, no one can find them.  Even better, "for my convenience" the technician erased the only copy I had on a $26 flash drive.  If you've read George Orwell, double-speak is alive and well.  I do not wish to join the revolution.  I just want my old Windows XP, my old Word 2000 and a zanax.  I just want the wizards of technology to stop 'improving', 'optimizing' and second-guessing what I want.  Now I finally am signed on to TYPEPAD and they've changed everything as well!

If anyone is wondering why the economy has gone down the tubes, maybe it's because all of us are spending so much time trying to figure out how to use new and improved technology, we can't get anything done.

So, apologies to Judi Fennell, whose book,Catch of a Lifetime came out last week.  She writes 'tongue in cheek paranormals' or, as she calls them, 'fairy tales with a twist.'  The cover is a nice twist on the bodice rippers of old: it's the male breasts that are displayed, and a fine set they are. 

 

Okay, this came out a bit bigger than I intended and I'll be danged if I am going to change it.  Let's just say the mermaid is out to save the world, or at least the world's oceans and what better perk than a swashbucklin' boat captain to loll around with..

If you click on Catch of a Lifetime link you can go to Judi's website and see for yourself.  I promise, the next time I get back on this I will know how to do better!

Comments

[Julia Patterson]

I don't think you should log on to Facebook anytime soon....

[Sheila Curran]

don't tell me ..they've "improved that too!"