I am old enough to remember electronic typewriters. As a matter of fact, I am old enough to remember manual typewriters. Passing through the technologies, I am now proficient at my PC and my cell phone, and yes, I do text.

Last week, my computer humbled me by going totally weird. I could Google but I could not access my mailboxes on Yahoo or my cable provider.  Two cable guys came out and installed a new wire but said my computer probably had a virus and therefore they could not fix it.

Called in #2 genius son to check it out. ‘You have a virus…I told you not to go on all those sites’. (This from the kid who thinks his computer is made for Facebook only). ‘I have to wipe it clean…save all your stuff and I’ll do it tomorrow’. So he does a recovery and says ‘it’s fine’….not fine. Can now get to website but can’t open mail. ‘I told you not to go on all that stuff’(heard this before). So I called the cable company and said: ‘my computer was working fine until you guys changed this wire’. ‘Well our company is trying to merge our .com with our .net and there’s been problems with email. Aha! An answer! Coincidentally, Yahoo is merging with ATT and also having email problems. Am I just lucky or what? So I get another supervisor who helps me open an Outlook Express mailbox where I can receive mail from both Yahoo and my cable company. Mail starts coming in….then stops!

So today I spent attempting to do research for my articles, only to have my attempts sit at three bars….going no further. Out of frustration, I call cable company…..again. ‘Well, from what you told me, it is your computer and we can’t do anything about that.’ But, but, wait…..my resident genius wiped it clean and reloaded my software….can’t be my computer! ‘Well, if HIS computer is working and YOURS is not….it must be your computer.’ Wait just a minute…’it was fine until your guy pulled in a new cable’. I reached a sensitive chord….’well if you can go to the other computer and tell me what’s happening on that one…perhaps we can find an answer’. Well, thank God I also now know how to use a cordless phone! Go into #2 genius son’s bedroom and booted him off his Facebook page. Trys to load a page….guess what? We actually created the same problems as mine????

So now, in the unbelievably intelligent way that only a ‘tech’ person can do: ‘Now that we have created the problem on both computers, I will reset your modem’. The long and short of it is that I connected my computer directly to modem and bypassed router that is plugged to #2 genius son’s computer and the now doubtful, but benevolent ‘tech’ guy hits the magic reset button deep in the realms of the cable company. Ta Da! My computer is restored. Five days of frustration and not being able to work and my problem……a reset button!

Right now, I’m looking to see if somewhere on my body, the dear Lord has planted a reset button for me….maybe back to 30?