The ULTIMATE love/hate relationship:

TECHNOLOGY

The ultimate in "I love it!" and "I hate it!"

Recently, the former was expressed when I was able to copy, collate, and staple a front/back 8 page fractions booklet for my kids in about 5 minutes. Thank you GOD for a copier in working condition!

The latter ("I hate this!") has been expressed frequently in reference to my laptop and its apparent recurring inability to actually communicate with the internet. And the fact that NO ONE can figure out why.

I vote for demon possession, but I've been told by people who really ought to know such things that demons probably don't possess inanimate objects.

I'm NOT convinced. Seeing as how this computer goes through the same series of symptoms and then complete and utter dysfunction once every six months or so... and no one who really should know such things in the world of computers can come up with any reason. *sigh*

So, I'm back to (again) factory reset or buying a USB wireless adapter, and hoping the non-wireless symptoms that have appeared all the other times don't appear this time...

But, I wanted to let the world at large know that I'm not dead, I'm simply behind the ultimate firewall.

Oh, and not laptop but technology related: My internet VOIP phone- a wireless model from Vonage- still WILL NOT connect to the router inside our apartment, but WILL connect to any of the 6 unsecured wireless networks that I walk through on my way to and from school and the grocery store.  So, when I want to talk to my sister, or parents, or friends in Chicago or Denver... I choose the least noisy street corner for the time of day, and camp out in front of some random house or apartment building or pharmacy... and i talk on someone else's internet. Because the router ten feet from my bedroom won't connect to my phone.

I'm trying to laugh about it, really. Sometimes, I succeed.

On a more serious note- prayers would be appreciated for me as I am right now going through a pretty serious "holy crap HOW am i going to live when I leave Peru???" phase... When I think about how much it's going to cost me to live in the States... even living on beans and rice, and scrimping on everything, the difference in cost of living is appalling, and the outlook for gainful employment makes me want to vomit.

So, my stomach would appreciate your prayers, becuase it doesn't want ulcers, and right now, that's what's in ITS future!  (laugh)

I'm also beginning for go through the first stages of "I won't be here for that next year" or "I won't be here when that happens in the life of so-and-so"... and it's getting tougher and tougher. Especially since I haven't got a "happy" thing to look forward to that I WILL be doing...

But, that is the topic for another blog, and the owner of this borrowed laptop (which DOES talk to the internet) would like her computer back, so I'll be writing that one later.

I love you all and appreciate the fact that you care enough about me that you're reading this! Thank you!
~mle