My Technological Ineptitude

My husband once asked that, when his time comes, that I engrave his memorial headstone with the words, “Lord knows I tried.” I can relate. Particularly when it comes to things technological. Computers and phones and printers all have been known to reject me. I might have given up altogether but I have children dragging, coaxing and leading me. They help me accept the next generation of gadgets, gizmos and computers. Granted, I not only accepted, but I embraced the iPhone, the Macbook Air, and the iPod Touch that they suggested. I can tweet, text and email without much thought. In fact, when I go on vacation, I am loaded down with chargers, external hard drives and headphones because I have grown attached to the convenience and diversions they offer. However, just when I start to feel secure about formatting, googling and data transfer, a new feature, the iCloud has come along to obscure things.
When it comes to this, the next greatest feature, I have no idea what I am doing. I want to join the iCloud in the sky, but I can’t seem to get things to sync. I have resources at hand to help me with my frustration. First, my children: all three are fluent in computerese. If I can arrange for them to sit them down long, they will show me how to move on with the next generation of products. I learn more watching them navigate on my computer for half an hour than I can teach myself in a month. Second, a young man who is studying computer technology will come over if I provide a snack and a small stipend. I present a list of questions and he methodically checks them off as we discuss each topic. The third option is to use online resources. There are websites, you-tube videos and on-line manuals that can solve just about any of my roadblocks. The trouble is that I run out of patience trying to decode them. The last resort is to call Apple and make an appointment at the store. They will help me with whatever my most current issue is, but, predictably, what makes perfect sense under the bright fluorescent lights of Apple Computers fades away with each mile I put between us as I return home.
I had a funny call from my aunt and uncle last week. They must be in their seventies now. They left me a voice mail about my work on our family tree (Yes, I am using Ancestry.com). The message was over five minutes. At the end, the urged me to call, email or text them. They said, “We are trying to keep up with the young people and their technology. So far, so good.”
With the overall positivity about living in an age that races ahead with generation after generation of new echnology. I shouldn’t feel downcast about a few occasional lapses. However, tonight I have 84 pictures on my iPhone that I wanted to load onto my computer to share with my readers. They resisted my best efforts to coax them off my phone onto my computer. I have reached the point that I surrender to my ignorance. I waive my hopes to upload these photos onto Flickr. The time will come when I understand the newest technology. However, just as grasp it, I know a press release will be issued that boasts news of the next generation of hardware or software that is being released. Apparently, I will always be a newcomer to the table serving technology as its entree.