I may be a nerd, but unfortunately I=m not a geek. For all my academic enthusiasm and eccentricity, I have no special talents with technology. I=m not that good with computers. In fact, I kind of suck when it comes to navigating the internet. This is a bit embarrassing. I mean, I can get by all right most of the time, I=m no technophobe. But marginal competence just doesn=t cut it in today=s society, not for a nerd. Case in point: my first ipod.
It started out so nicely. Just months ago, I finally bought myself an ipod, and it was one of the brand-new Nanos, you know, the ones with the screens that turn around and that come in all the colors of the rainbow (I chose purple). In my excitement, I became hasty and only skimmed the instructions. That=s how these nice experiences go so wrong so fast. Anyway, I plugged it into my computer and was flummoxed when my music library failed to download. And even more flummoxed by the sudden beeping and error messages that popped up on my computer screen. I looked at my ipod=s screen and saw that the letters of the menu were scrambled. I panicked and disconnected the ipod. It froze. Stupid machine!
I wasn=t about to take such technological mutiny sitting down. I grabbed the Geek Squad brochure that I got with my insurance plan and set out to call for assistance. After some flipping, I determined that their number was actually just 1-800-GEEKSQUAD. I picked up the old-fashioned faux rotary phone that hands in our kitchen and dialed 1800GEEKSB and stopped. There was no AQ@ on the dial. Not on the whole face of the phone. ARG!
One spaz-out later, I found Best Buy=s number on my receipt and called it. I asked to be put through to a Geek Squad representative. Before explaining the issue with my ipod, I accosted the rep with what I thought was an even bigger problem. I mean, who knows how many people have tried to call Geek Squad only to discover that the number cannot exist in the apparent absence of Q=s on phones? I cleared my throat and said AI tried to call you directly, but there is no Q on the phone.@ And just what kind of scam are you trying to pull, you rip-off artist? I very nearly added. It=s a good thing I didn=t; I=d already embarrassed myself enough. For, as the not-actually-a-con-artist told me, the Q is on the seven. At least on all the other phones in the universe but mine.
But it gets worse. After hearing me explain my problems, the rep told me to bring the ipod in. It was so messed up, I eventually just exchanged for a new one. That time, I read all the instructions. I made an important discovery, too. Ipods aren=t compatible with Windows Media Player. Whoops. You=re supposed to download itunes. Double-whoops.
So, it turns out that my original ipod wasn=t a lemon. I messed it up myself trying to use Windows Media Player to import my music. Why are these electronic things so complicated?
Maybe it=s just me. I=m behind the times. I mean, just look at the music I eventually put on that ipod! The Beatles. The Doors. Bob Dylan. Donovan. And they=re among the newer artists on there. I=ve also got Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and Charlie Parker. It=s not just music; I love just about anything Avintage.@ I mean, for all its lack of a Q I love that rotary phone. Heck, if I=d picked out our phone it=d probably be one of those two-piece 1920's ones with a crank. Could this penchant for old-fashioned things be somehow connected to my mediocre ability to adapt to modern technology? Hmm...
"College-Level Insight" or something like it:
Yeah, I'm still technologically challenged. I just re-published this post four times because transferring the essay from Microsoft Word gave me unwanted indentions that I couldn't figure out how to undo. I'm still not sure how I finally got rid of them...
I still have the same ipod, though I have way more music than will fit on it now. I've expanded my tastes to include more music from my own lifetime, as well, but I haven't gotten rid of any of those old faves! If I wasn't saving up for my trip to Russia in which I will single-handedly lift the nation from economic decay by the sheer amount of nesting dolls and fuzzy hats I will buy, I'd shell out for an ipod with more memory.
No comments:
Post a Comment