Monday, April 7, 2014

A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing

Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Image: Wikipedia

Yes,  I know I shouldn't fool around with things about which I know only a little bit and not near enough to do what I need to do. However, I recently completely ignored that understanding of myself and jumped feet first into a technological problem I should have left alone.

My cell phone had been "acting up," as I mentioned in my last post.  I occurred to me to access the phone's online user guide and find out how to fix the problem.  I read through pages of (mostly) non-understandable language until I found the section which referred to the problem I was having, and proceeded to follow the slightly-fuzzy directions for correcting the same.

I clicked here and there; deleted this and that, presuming that I was making progress.  I made progress, all right.  I progressed myself into a completely non-working phone with which I could do nada, zilch, bumpkis -- a piece of junk fit only for the trash-bin.

I took said junk to the dealer from which it came. "Uh, Lady. What in the world did you do to it?" 

After a prolonged visit, I came away with a new phone, which is working beautifully, thank you, and which has many more "bells and whistles" than my old one.  Thanks to Christmas gift cards from generous relatives, I didn't even have to shell out any of my hard-earned Social Security income.

I've made myself a promise that if this one should go wonky on me,  I won't try to fix it, but head straight to the dealer for, I would hope, a more educated approach to problem solving.

OTHER STUFF

One
I've read four books this past week, all actual hold-in-your- hands, turn-the-pages books.  The first one, a referral from Arkansas Patti at her The New Sixty blog, was The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson, a Swedish author.   The title is a mouthful, but the story is absolutely delightful, and highly recommended!  Thank you, Patti! 

Due to budgetary constraints, I'm really tight-fisted -- about almost everything, including e-books for my Kindle. Although Jonasson's book was available in the Kindle edition, it came at a price, so I requested the paperback edition from my library. After a wait of a couple of weeks --the book seems to be very popular at present -- it arrived and was picked up. It took me several days to read it. I didn't rush; I savored it.
  
On April 4, while I was at the library to return it,  I browsed the Mystery section (my favorite) and selected an armful of books -- four "cozy" mysteries and one not quite so cozy, and have read three of them. 

Why the reading binge?  I'm sorry to say it's my one of my favorite avoidance tactics.  I need to be working on my taxes!


I did make myself pull together some of the more detailed information I need for my tax filing; I'm not completely ignoring the task, just dragging my feet.

Two 
What has the image of a hummingbird to do with this post, you ask?  Gardening Daughter called me last evening to report that hummingbirds are at her feeders. Too soon!  Too soon!  It's not even warm, yet!


Tomorrow is also a day.

6 comments:

Arkansas Patti said...

Oh, I am so glad you enjoyed Alan's adventures like I did. What a mind that writer has.
I am so quickly cowed by electronics that I quit before I get too far. Guess that is a good thing. Glad it worked out in the end for you.
Hummers?? Good grief.

rhymeswithplague said...

I too have favorite avoidance tactics. For example, right now I'm reading blogs instead of choosing music for Palm Sunday.

bittenbyknittin said...

Oh, taxes. Ugh. Many years ago I started using TurboTax to do my taxes, and every year since have considered it money well spent.

I just finished Anna Quindlen's Still Life with Bread Crumbs. Very enjoyable! We have a great library system here (supported by those dreaded taxes!)

Reader Wil said...

These apparatus are all too complicated. I can handle my computer, but no sooner do I come. across a technical problem or I need my daughter's help.
Well I am glad your computer works well.
Have a great week!
Wil, ABCW Team.

StitchinByTheLake said...

The hummingbirds have been here for a couple of weeks - we didn't even have the feeder out yet when they first came, and they let us know. They repeatedly dive bombed the patio door until we noticed them and hubby dutifully made the syrup and filled the feeders, hanging them back up in their normal spot. :) blessings, marlene

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I find that I do that also- anything to put off dreaded chores. I do love to read though, so it's not really a waste of time! I've got hummers here and they are really sucking down the sugar juice!
Congrats on the new phone!