Keep learning it's the only way to live

“Anything that you learn becomes your wealth, a wealth that cannot be taken away from you; whether you learn it in a building called school or in the school of life. To learn something new is a timeless pleasure and a valuable treasure. And not all things that you learn are taught to you, but many things that you learn you realize you have taught yourself.” ― C. JoyBell C.

Adam set up the new PC and tuned the laptop while data
transfer was underway

After pondering it took only a quick browse at Best Buy last Thursday to find just the laptop PC I wanted to replace the older one.  A new HP Envy Touchscreen, 23 inch with Windows 8 and more bells and whistles than I need but certainly a techie dream and a means to keep me busy in place when the snow blows outside as it is doing today.  We have had good luck with our Hewlett Packard computers so we stuck with that brand.

I have heard so many complaints about Windows 8 but when I saw and tried the Envy I could not fathom why.  The geeks tell me it is because people try to run windows 8 on older PC's, models without  all the smart touch technology. That sounds odd to me because most reputable places will advise consumers that software is not going to work well with this or that.  Still, I know people tend to ignore expert advise and tinker and likely make more problems for themselves.   I will take them at their word.  

Although I am fascinated and learning more every day, I have not had a bit of trouble.  I attribute that to my frustration a couple years back when I converted from my Blackberry phone to the Samsung smart and the Samsung tablet.  Back then I used every word and then some aabout the tablet especially.  But it was a learning curve and now today I am better off for it.  Once again one of my grandma's old sayings, "whenever you struggle remember you are learning and good will come of it if you just keep on at it."  Perseverance and victory.  

When Adam left Saturday after the installation and fine tuning, he reminded me that the Envy would be doing multiple updates and not to be surprised if it restarted itself many times,  He was so right, it is just like a new baby learning to walk,,,updates and then some.  If the updates are not from HP they are from Microsoft or Trend.  But we are humming along.  For a time I will keep the old PC here because it is just like anything else, the minute you get rid of something you need it.  All files appear to have been transferred, but just in case.  However, it's a relief to know ultimately it will go to Best Buy where they will recycle it, free. 

Meantime this is how the weather looks outside yet again today as another Canadian clipper sweeps low.  But with the new Envy and the new to me software, Adobe photo shop, that came along with I am engrossed and more than entertained.   I have always believed once people stop learning they are doomed, some wait and claim to be too old and sure enough they aged poorly but many quit learning as young adults thinking they are now out of school, etc.  

“The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.”
― T.H. White, The Once and Future King 

Electronic vibes and white air blips

Yesterday this old desktop, HP PC gave me a plateful of fits seasoned with the "shoulda's" and basted in "been meaning to's".   Saturday was the last I'd used it  and all was as well as it can be.  For one the Internet Explorer has long been non-interfaceable (recognizable, acceptable) with Google which is how I access my gmail and this blog and it is impossible on Facebook where I try to keep up with folks around the world.  Well not to be stopped, I switched primarily to Chrome and all was well.   
Yes,  I have been talking about replacing this HP since fall, truthfully for a year or so, how time flies.  Well then again, it could wait until after we return, supposing we get southbound soon, maybe this summer. I come from a family of people who used things up, fixed them to last and am happily married to a fixer upper all around handy person.  So just because it's older, why can't it last?  But oh no, electronic consumerism imps  and ever changing Microsoft  discourage longevity--buy new, upgrade, replace...that's the melange of these times.  

We have a lap top and Samsung tablet and smart phone but this old desk top is where I  do most of my blogging, photo work and is the keeper of data on Quicken.  It's 8 years old, well past it's prime and despite upgrades and now plenty of excess memory, even my buddies at the Geek Squad have cautioned, "It's Window's XP and there's only so much that can be done."  Yeah, yeah I know but as long as merrily we rolled along, I could make do.  

But yesterday morning it had no Internet access neither through Explorer nor Google Chrome.  I was off to the Y and  thought nothing of it, until later that afternoon, same scenario.  So I called our friendly ISP, Ace, could they be down?  After several busy signals I was sure that would be so but if so, why not the other  computers, on our network?  After a connecting with the technician who was unaware of any system wide outages and who walked me through some pinging and preliminary diagnosis of the router, we reached a blank wall.  This followed with the nasty revelation that all the network device drivers were blank, gone, fitzed out to a white as the snow today.  WTH? He could do no more  but suggested it needed a trip to the fixit shop, Geek Squad here we come tomorrow will be soon enough. 

Jerry who is excellent with all things electronic tinkered too and same result, zero, zippo, nada, naught, kaput.  Curiously all the software worked, it just lacked connectivity.  Other attempts were to repeat the unplugging router and computer, restarting, to no result. With a reluctant sigh I acknowledged maybe this was it, the end, time to buy that new one with the swipe monitors and Windows 8.  This old buggy could not  be upgraded to Windows 7 and so the XP was it's lifeline a time long past maybe the white winter had seeped into its bones.

But this morning we awoke to another blanket of white that started overnight and just kept on coming down...not the prime weather for me to be out computer shopping.    Just yesterday it was greatly melted but I spoke too soon besides, the SUV was washed.    So today all is white and the wind is blowing sideways.  A winter white that was to stop by noon did not get the message, instead has not relented all day.  Well if the old XP was deserting me I'd best hook up the external drive and back up the works again.  This is another occasional challenge where sometimes the ancient one recognizes the USB drive and other times it takes hours to be coaxed to do so.  On a whim I clicked on to the Geek Squad log in as I sat down to get it backing up.  

What a surprise it connected to Geek Squad.  How? Could it be the air gremlins or the electrons vibrating, those mysterious befuddlers that generate nasty language?  I tried the Internet, bingo right there.  I logged out restarted and again it worked.  So here I am, blogging away about impossibilities of logical explanations.  And just as mysteriously this AM all the network devices and drivers are showing up right where they should be.  While I am elated, I know it is only a matter of time and a replacement is imminent.  After all, I've been meaning to.........