Is There a Computer in the House?

You remember in the movie, My Fair Lady, when Professor Henry Higgins sings the lyrics, “I’m an ordinary man… But let a woman in the house…”?

I am an ordinary woman and all I want right now is an ordinary computer.  That works.  That does what it is supposed to do.  When I want it to.  Is that too much to ask?

For a while now, I have been considering buying a tablet.  Which one should I get?  Which Mega Super Buy Computers, Phones, PDAs, Netbooks, Notebooks, eReaders Store has the best price?

What will I use it for?  Email?  Taking photos?  Playing games?  Writing?  Computing?  Searching the Internet?  Buying and reading books?

I recently got together with my three sisters and a couple of their husbands and almost all of them had a tablet.  iPad or Android?  After a few hours of playing games, looking at photos, watching them download movies and TV shows, I decided on an iPad.  I already have an iPhone so it should be easy to sync everything and get started.  Right?  Yeah, right!

A couple of days later, I saw a great price for an iPad 2, and bought one.  Oh the frustrations!  The hassles, the troubles, the heart palpitations, the rising blood pressure.  After two or three hours of trying to sync the flippin’ thing, we (my husband the engineer and I) had to go for a walk on the trail to calm ourselves down.

It has been a week since I bought it and so far, I have my music and photos all synced (4 or 5 hours) and I can now receive email but can’t send email (2 or 3 hours).  When I try to find free movies and TV shows, all I can find are ones to buy or rent.  My sisters say to just find it but I flippin’ well can’t!  I can’t even reply to my email on the %^&^* device!

Let a computer in the house…  What is wrong with the world of electronics and technology when the companies that make the machines have different operating systems and different cables, plugs, charging devices, carrying cases, protective cases, apps, and for all I know personal philosophies and political beliefs?

I can’t send email.

Apparently my password, which works on all my other computers, netbook,eReaders, iPhone and even the iPad to receive email is wrong when it comes to sending email.

Is there a computer anywhere that works?  When you want it to? To do what you want it to?  The first time?  Every time?  I thought not.

Today when I turned on my Netbook to write this post, I got an error message.  Windows failed to start.  Apparently new software or hardware has been added to your device and that may be the problem.  No it is NOT the problem!  No software was added.  No hardware was added. The problem is with YOU, mega-international-wealthy beyond belief-corporation.

I’m thinking of taking some hardware, like a hammer or chisel, and teaching you a lesson you’ll never forget but it wouldn’t get through to you, because I can’t send email!!!

Maureen

 

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A Small Hill to Die On – A Book Review

A Small Hill to Die On by Elizabeth J. Duncan

A Small Hill to Die on, by  Elizabeth J. Duncan, is an excellent read.  It is Ms. Duncan’s fourth mystery in the Penny Brannigan series.

The novel is set in the small town of Llanelen in Wales.  Penny Brannigan is a transplanted Canadian who has been living in Llanelen after what was supposed to have been a short visit twenty-five years earlier.

Penny is an artist who loves sketching and has spent many happy hours on the hills surrounding Llanelen, drawing the magnificent scenery.  While on one of these sketching trips with a friend, Penny comes across a partially buried body.

So begins the mystery that this amateur sleuth is determined to solve.  The story is intriguing and involves newcomers to Llanelen, two rebellious teenagers, a husband with a gambling addiction, and several townspeople, familiar to anyone who has read the three previous novels.  Mrs. Lloyd, the town busybody is a particular favourite of mine.  Penny’s boyfriend, Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Davies who is assigned to the case, and even Victoria, Penny’s business partner get involved.

Another death occurs and the pace of the book increases.  Penny’s sleuthing is putting her in danger and we find ourselves wondering if the next death could be hers.  The plot twists and turns with increasing speed as Penny gets closer and closer to the truth about these two deaths as well as one which had occurred decades ago and was just recently discovered.

Can Penny do it?  Can she discover the person or persons “whodunnit” before it is too late?

She can.  And she does.

Ms. Duncan’s descriptions of the Llanelen and the surrounding countryside make us feel as if we were there, or we wish we were there.  Ms. Duncan knows Wales and it shows.

I started reading this book this afternoon and I finished it this evening. The only complaint I have is that it wasn’t longer.  How long do I have to wait for another Penny Brannigan mystery by Elizabeth J. Duncan?

It’s very British, very cozy, and very nice.