See that empty Reminder page on my IMac? See that empty Calendar page on my IMac? Both of them were filled yesterday, the Reminder app with about 6 categories just chock full of things I needed to remember to do...home things, craft things, things to ask J to do the next time he came over, things my mom needed J to do the next time he went to her house, things I needed to remember to talk to my mom about, calls to make, things to buy. And now they are all GONE. My calendar was filled with doctor appointments, things that I needed to mention to the doctor, symptoms plotted by date to establish a pattern, appointments with repairmen, dinner dates, etc. And now they are all GONE. Poof....GONE...all of it! There are days I really HATE computers!
Don't get me wrong. I have always loved gadgets of all kinds...especially computers. Back in 1980 I worked together with my boss (a doctor) and a computer programmer to develop one of the first medical computer systems available for the average practice in our area. Personal computers really didn't exist back then. The Commadore 64 and TRS-80 were the computers of the day. Since turn-key medical programs didn't exist at the time, the programmer shadowed me day in and day out...questioning why I did certain things, why I didn't do other things. He began programming and every line of code was based on the way I ran the office. It took close to a year before the full program was written. When it was finished and was ready to sell to other practices, I went to work for the company part time...traveling and teaching the staff how to run their practice more efficiently using a computer system. I even did minor hardware repairs when required! We had computerized medical records LONG before most people knew what they were! Now HIPPA is the bane of our existance! It's funny when I go into medical offices now and see brief glimpses of similarities to the program I helped develop. I sure hope the programmer got full credit for his developments. Our first computer was so antiquated that when I tried to type, the processor couldn't keep up! Granted, I type 130 words per minute...but imagine a computer in our day and age that could not process 130 words per minute! I even began attending college toward a degree in computer programming before Dear Hubby and I became engaged! I just LOVED computers!
Fast forward 33 years and technology has left me in its dust. Somehow in the years of raising J I lost my technological edge and have fallen the way of the dinosaurs. Don't get me wrong...I understand a lot of what my "computer geek" son says (He works for a computer repair company!), but to "do it" on my own...I'm lost! Hence, all of my important information that is now floating around in cyberspace! Of course, J may be able to recover it all and patch it all back together again, but I can't ask him to be at my beck and call whenever a techie rescue is needed!
So, I've decided to cry UNCLE...at least for my calendar and other types of organizational/note-taking functions...and go back to pen and paper. Today I ordered myself a Filofax personal organizer. I will ALWAYS have my up-to-date calendar in my purse and I don't have to worry about whether I remembered to sink my PDA with my computer. And sinking my IPAD and my IMac through the cloud? Well, you've seen the results of that endeavor! Nope. From now on I will have my reliable...electricity, bug and virus free...stone-aged organizer with me at all times. Yup, I'm a dinosaur. Just call me Dino.
Do you know what, Lin ? I think those blank pages as opposed to FULL pages are a sign to you to SLOW DOWN and prioritize. Its no good writing down every little thing and then even the LIST becoming overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteI have a quote on the top of the whiteboard in my Moms Command Centre " Don't even LOOK at the Vast, Empty Prairie of Things you do not feel Capable of Taking ON."
Rinty x
In a way I think you are right. I had already decided after this new neurologist took a look at me, I was done! No more poking, prodding, etc to pin down what is wrong. We all agree (me and doctors) but don't know what. The original symptoms started in 1999 and I am no closer to having a diagnosis. I kept thinking if they could pinpoint the fix. But maybe dealing with the symptoms and living with the symptoms is the best I am going to get! I mentioned to my diabetes dr that my dad's cancer doc recommended I see a medical geneticist. He asked if I really want to deal with the discoveries. In a way, yes, if I am more prone to get a certain cancer I want to be watched more closely. But with as many medical issues as I have right now do I want to add more? Maybe it IS God's way of telling me to open up some free time. But then again, I lost some fun stuff on the calendar too! Of course I remember the dates for then, lol!
DeleteLin, I am a pen and paper type of girl. While I love computers for the ability to reach out and see the world, I (unlike my husband and the boys) do not really trust them to retain what I need them to retain. After all a computer program is only as good as the person who programed it and there are some strange programmers out there.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I am trusting them less and less these days! Fortunately I have a MAC, and MACs are far less susceptible to viruses than PCs. But you are right..."garbage in, garbage out". J keeps telling me it is a Pebkac problem. Pebkac...Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair. He is SO right!
DeleteI agree. Plus, paper things come in so many pretty colors and patterns!
ReplyDeleteMy Filofax is "PURPLE". LOL, I have never been a purple person in the past...but recently I find myself picking more and more purple. Now my organizer will match my phone cover!
DeleteI've been around computers for many years ... they're great, but anything can and will go wrong. That's why I'm more than a bit skeptical about putting everything in "the cloud."
ReplyDeleteThe calendar on my phone is very helpful, too, but the paper calendar is what I run the household from
I agree, they are great...BUT... I think I will feel much more secure when the "business" end of running this household is safely penned in permanent ink and then the "fun" stuff can happen in the cyberworld!
DeleteI wonder what happened to them!! Odd....
ReplyDelete