I know. Technology is wonderful. Except when it does not work. Except when you have to read a munual or scour the web for a solution to the unique problem your technology is posing at this moment.
I’m a calm person. Usually. Reasonable. Little bit analytical. Not so much a number-cruncher or an understander of science. But I believe any problem can be approached by analyzing the situation first and then finding the simplest, most straightforward solution.
I remember Windows 95. The blue screen of death. Being on the phone with tech support when we had tech support in the 90s. Taking a hammer to my printer. Literally feeling my blood pressure rise to the point that I thought my head would explode.
So now we have all these wonderful bits of technology that make life more fun, more information-ready, more automated. And every one of these wonders of modern technology bring us hours of serenity and appreciation for living in 2011. Until they stop doing what they are supposed to do. Until we have to DEAL WITH THEM.
My stress-inducers include:
- Smartphones, Apps, Mobile Shopping, GPS Mapping
- Computers, Software, Hardware, Internet Connectivity, Networking
- DVRs, Frozen Screens, Failure to Record the Last 30 Seconds, Failure to Playback, Failure in General
- Video Game Players, Failure to Save, Loss of Data, Online Connectivity
- Emerging Technology, New Media Formats, New Hardware
- Telephone Customer Support, Impossible to Talk to a Human/American, Not Recognizing When You Answer Voice Prompts, Not Acknowledging Keyed Entries
That’s a good start. There are more, so many more.
I have to find my Zen place and if I can’t do without my technology, at least find a way to put it into perspective when I lose half a day trying to troubleshoot. How many of us knew that troubleshooting would be something we would be required to do to survive?
