2012 is nearly over...

As we approach the end of 2012, I realize, although I created a blog, wrote on it four times, and somehow remembered the password for this entire year...or eleven months if anyone's counting, I am no more "a blogger" than a car mechanic. (I can change a tire, change my own oil and filter and that's the extent of my car mechanic expertise.)

Having admitted to my lack of expertise, a recent conversation had me laughing. I recently regaled a friend with the correlation between MY computer abilities as opposed to my brother's. I told her, what I don't know about computers would fill the Grand Canyon. To further clue her in as to my brother's lack of computer knowledge, I told her that HE calls ME for help...and I help him, sometimes for hours, long distance, from wherever his job takes him.

2012 has been a year of challenges.

• I injured my left ankle in late March, ended up in a boot and restricted from clogging...indefinitely.
• My parents moved back to Iowa for their 6 months there, which has turned into an indefinite length of time. 
• My husband and I bought a house for my engaged daughter to move into with her dogs and fiancé. 
• My son went back to Japan to work for Universal Studios in Osaka, which resulted in the end of his four-year relationship with his girlfriend.
• I, along with serval friends, planned and pulled off my daughter's wedding. (I would like to say her Dad was instrumental in helping to pay for it, but so far, he has been predictably a DICK.)
• I lost two very dear friends, one to cancer and one to a heart attack. They leave behind some lonely loved ones who are extremely strong!
• My son has decided to try his hand at standup and is taking the stage for the first time tonight. I will have to wait until he gets home to see how it went as he didn't want me in the audience. 
• I travelled to Iowa twice this year to visit my parents. Both times left me wishing things were different.
• I injured my right ankle in October just before my club's yearly Barn Dance... Yes, really. I attended with a boot on my left foot, ankle bandage on my right.
• My husband's health continues to deteriorate.
• My daughter was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which really threw me for a loop, and began treatment.
• Our pet bird of 20 years, Smokie, died on Christmas Day.

All in all, this year has been a roller coaster. I am still standing. Surprisingly enough, I haven't taken up drinking. I haven't found it necessary to take out my frustrations on those around me. I have a circle of friends who clearly know me well enough to show up when I need them and to give me space and time when I get overwhelmed. 

Here's to the end of 2012. I'm so glad it's nearly over! I look forward to 2013 being BETTER. PLEASE, OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE, let 2013 be better!

Ah, the cruelty of reality...

Well, folks, the time is approaching when reality is going to bite me hard. After having had a solid two weeks with my parents - both now 78 years of age - I see myself getting pushed to the head of the line, so to speak.

While I was there, I reset the blog that Mom started as so many people use her iPad and continue to log her out and then her password is forgotten or changed - ARGH!!! - so that she couldn't get back on to her original blog. She clearly did not utilize my 'keep your hands off my shit' recommendation so we started her a new one. (I, however, am still able to access her blog from here. WTF? Perhaps, I should have her send me her blogs and I will put them up...)

Dad's extremities are weakening, his balance is nearly gone and his speech is more and more difficult to comprehend. He informed me that he would not be coming to CA for their 'snow bird' six months. I had no response. I know that he will be at the mercy of the house and it's occupants wherever he is but know being inside for the rest of the winter will SUCK! Bundling him for outdoors will be problematic at the least, and dangerous for all involved.

I see the writing on the wall. I see the inevitable. I see the ugliness that is going to become my family as the vultures circle above the wagon. I see the crap that I have heard about from others beginning to happen and am unable to stop it but will be forced to watch the carnage. I can only hope that the fears that were expressed to me are simply that, fears, and will not come to fruition. Nobody wants to be what we call "Gradma Gie'd," and, hopefully, that will not happen. Let's all hope the expectations will not be lived down to... I tried to warn them about self-fulfilling prophecies. The sayings, "don't live inside your head," "don't borrow trouble," "never put a stone in another man's path," "take care of your own business," and "share and share alike" keep running through my head. We'll see.

How I Became a Tech Without Wanting To

Somewhere along the line, technology took over my life because someone didn't keep my Mom up with how it works. My Mom is 78 and technology...is not her friend. Most of her problem is all the people in her life have gadget envy and continually mess with her wonderful toys. When she learns to tell her kids and grandkids to, frankly, "keep your hands off my shit" her life will get much easier. But, she lets people "help" her by trying what THEY would do so they can use HER technology. This NEVER works, people. If you are going to help someone set up THEIR technological toy, you have to use passwords and usernames that make sense to THEM! Not YOU! Some of you may be saying "what the hell does this have to do with clogging?" Not a damned thing! This is not your blog! Get off me. I'm on a roll. So, for those of you who hear that the iPad is so simple, a monkey can use it. BULLSHIT! My Mom has a college degree and is world renowned. (She is certainly smarter than a monkey!) This damned machine pisses her off on a regular basis because it doesn't have a keyboard and she is no longer in the 3G/4G instant connect world. She is in rural Iowa where she is connecting with Verizon wireless...when she can get a signal. She went from urban So.CA where she had Fios and 4G as backup. This does NOT help. She expects it to instantly respond...and it doesn't. Today's issue was connecting to her blog (you can check it out at blibri.blogspot.com, I think) which is linked to her Gmail account. She was logged into her Gmail account on HER iPad when she left CA. SOMEBODY logged her out - probably to check their own shit - and she no longer had instant access to her stuff. This triggered a phone call to my house, while I was in the shower. Now, my shower is not a sacred ritual by any means. But come on! Let me finish my shower in peace! My daughter came in, phone in hand, and told me Mom was on the phone. "She can't get on her blog." I'm thinking, "let me pull a computer out off my ass and fix the problem WHILE I'M WET AND NAKED!" She asks if I can call her back when I get out. Yes, what a great idea! We (my daughter, her maid of honor, & I) were going to a dress fitting...did I mention I'm planning a wedding? Anyway, I called Mom from my cell phone and she told her tale of Internet torture. I told her I'd see what I could do and call her back. Now, my iPad is a lowly iPad2 and is not 3G so even if I have it with me, I can't access the Internet without WiFi. (This verbiage means nothing to my Mom.) I didn't have it with me anyway, and I couldn't figure out her issues without a PC, laptop, or an iPad with a connection. (This also doesn't mean shit to Mom.) So when I got home, I got on my PC and went to Google. I logged into Mom's gmail, I went to her blog and it works JUST FINE! I called her house. No answer. I called her cell phone. No answer. I called Dad's cell phone. No answer. WTF? This was some urgent shit! I had to get it done! ARRRGH! Anyway, I finished some other stuff. I had dinner. I called Mom after everyone else had either gone to bed or work or school or wherever else they needed to be and got her back on Google. I walked her through logging in and where she could find her blog. Then I told her, "tell everyone that comes into your house, 'don't touch my shit! You all have your own technology at your own homes. If you log me out from MY iPad, I will fly Mary to Iowa to KICK YOUR ASS! You can do your Internet shit from YOUR phone, YOUR computer, or YOUR laptop. This technology is MINE! Don't fuck with it!'" I expect a call tomorrow afternoon.

...let's see.

I started this blog to learn how to do it so I could show my MOM how it works. I don't know why I do these things. I guess I don't have enought stuff to do in a day that I needed just one more thing to think about on an electronic device...