Now you may know that I am not one to exaggerate or anything like that, but for the last 48 hours my life has indeed fallen apart. Nobody has died, that I know of. (Well, how would you word that sentence without ending on a preposition?) Nobody has lost their job, or if I have I haven’t received the letter yet. My children are still doing what they do and the least I know about that the better. So what is the reason for my life falling apart, I hear you cry?
My computer is broken. And being the age I am, I can’t even remember back 48 hours to what caused it. Was it a print command? Did I try to do two things together too quickly? (This is not a brand new shiny computer, no, this is an XP computer and it was the new thing when I got it.) Anyway, whatever I did, it began to run very slowly and wouldn’t print. Nor could I get into whatisname where the Printers thingy is kept. So I switched it off and had a few words with it.
Yesterday I didn’t have it on until tea time when it kept asking me to report things to Microsoft which I did to no avail. So what’s the point of that then, if they’re not going to fix it? Spooler SubSystem App has encountered a problem… The print spooler service is not running… Duh? Ctrl/Alt/Delete did no good whatsoever and that’s my only remedy. (Speaking of which, I even went out and bought some Rescue Remedy which gave me a nice hit of brandy but did nothing for the computer whatsoever. ) Then I wondered if Rita kitten had something to do with it. She does love my desk as a route to the sunny spot on the window-sill and is prone to escaping there, scattering speakers and crucifixes asunder, if Lucy Pussy is chasing her. Had she pulled out a wire? I spent the evening pulling out plugs and putting them back in again.
Today I realise that my life has fallen apart. Without the comfort of my computer I can do nothing. I cannot write sermons, I cannot send emails to groups, I cannot find files and print them off (oh why did I not print it out as soon as I wrote it?). And this is when you kick yourself for downloading DropBox and other such sharing things and then never putting anything in them. I clutch my iPad to my chest as I rock back and forth and wish that I’d bought a keypad for it that meant I didn’t have to type with one purple pointy thing.
I’m now waiting the arrival of Ewan the £52 + VAT per hour computer man. And I’m praying. Hard.
RevRuth's Rantings 
Fear not Ruth, You are more than the sum of your digital parts.
There is life outside the electronic sphere (I think).
Nevertheless, joining my prayers to yours for a successful outcome via (expensive) computer man,
… and relax… Life is beautiful once more. And my printers work again.
Alleluia!
…. So far as I know nobody has died!!
Having no computer is like losing a vital part of yourself so I’m glad you have recovered that missing part. I keep making resolutions about backing up more carefully and printing the sermon straightaway and then not bothering so your story has set me in that mode again and I’m grateful for the nudge.
My laptop died completely and so I have been without a computer for 10 days- just brought my new one home and so pleased to be back on line!
And I’m about to go to Iona without my iPad. I may need therapy on my return!