Confessions of a technological ignoramus

I admit, I am technologically something of an ignoramus. There are so many technological features in my life that I have barely a rudimentary understanding of how to operate. We finally got our new computer up and running. Our geek-for-hire politely referred to our old system as [ahem] "geriatric"! True, it was something of a dinosaur, but I will miss having time between downloading pages to make the bed or brush my teeth! It probably sounds like we were still on dial-up, but no, it was a DHL connection. Our old computer was just that--OLD! I feel kind of sorry for it (is that the appropriate pronoun? ships are called her, but computers just seem so gender neutral). Truth be told, I can actually relate to it. I feel like I lack enough virtual memory to process the situations I am faced with daily as well! Technology doesn't help with this problem. I think we just have too many options in life to process. Take my blender for example. With the push of a button, I can: grate, blend, shred, grind, mash, liquefy, frappe, stir, beat, puree, chop, whip or mix. Under any given circumstance, I have no idea which of those items I truly need, so I just hit the highest setting and hope for the best. My digital camera offers any number of settings as well and I just stick with point and shoot! And don't get me started on computers--the options are nearly limitless, especially when online! I'm always mystified by the language in the pop ups. They always seem to be asking me questions I can't answer. Just for one day, I wish my computer would ask me useful questions, for example, "Would you like a load of laundry washed, dried, folded and put away?" YES! Or how about this one, "My sensors indicate a diaper needs changing somewhere in the vicinity, would you like that taken care of?" YES! But no. The questions I get always leave me peeking through my fingers while I click on what I think might be the right answer and hoping I don't do something stupid and irreversible. Maybe some day soon, some engineer who's still wet behind the ears will come up with a brilliant idea to create a piece of technology operated by a simple on/off switch--it will be a retro-revolution! Let me know when it happens. Until then, I'll be busy reading the manual to the blender.

The Big Pink Spot

I dropped my older two at camp today--after 3 years with the oldest one, I thought it would be easier, but I still felt a little choked up while driving away! Of course, that could be due to the fact that I was leaving my two best workers behind. This means a lot more chores for me......which brings me to the title of this blog.

Housework, to me, has always seemed a lot like the big pink spot in the Dr. Seuss book, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. It never really goes away--it just moves from room to room to room! First, the spot (mess) is in the kitchen and then it gets transferred to the bathroom, then the family room and so on...and before you know it, it's all one huge blob and somehow, no series of little cats ever show up at my house to blast the whole thing away!

So, this week, it's up to me, my 6 year old, my almost 4 year old and my exhausted husband to fend off the pink spot...wish us luck!

Sprinklers and Otter Pops

Today I am learning something about the wide world of computers from my delightful friend, Michelle, who knows so much more about all of this than I do and has agreed to hold my hand through this process.

Today is a beautiful, sunny, run-thru-the-sprinkler kind of day....not too common for even June in Western Washington. The kids (all six--with my four and her two) are having a wonderful time together and eating Otter pops to their hearts' content!

First Blog

Yay, today is the day.