Gee Whiz!

Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 10:40 AM This has turned out to be another one of those frustrating weeks. It seems as though everything I try to do turns out to be wrong.   The television converter boxes.   One of the biggest problems has turned out to be centered around my television reception. Even though I was getting good reception on my televisions, a message kept floating across the bottom of the screen to the effect that I needed to get a converter box or I would be unable to get many of my normal channels. Therefore, I did what sounded normal, which was to phone the Comcast cable company to speak with someone about getting a converter box.   The man I spoke with said that I definitely needed to have a converter box. Without it, he told me, I would soon be unable to receive many of my regular channels. I said that I had two TV's. He said that I would have one converter box free, but would have to pay a monthly fee for the second one. Although I thought that was highway robbery, I agreed to it. He said the boxes would be shipped to me. I tried telling him that I was disabled and needed someone else to come and connect the boxes for me, but he insisted I could do that myself. (That was a sign that he was an idiot.)   The converter boxes came, and I paid someone to connect them to the televisions for me. Although I am sure the job was done correctly, the televisions would not work. Yesterday afternoon, one of the people who helps me called Comcast cable for me. She told the man she spoke with exactly what had happened and that I would like to have the TVs put back the way they were originally. He said that could not be done because when the converter boxes were removed some type of a filter would also be removed, and that meant that I would receive still fewer channels than I had to begin with. I was not happy about that at all. (He was another idiot.)   I finally spoke with the man myself, but that was a complete waste of time. Some people have common sense, but this was not one of them. An idiot is an idiot is an idiot...   He did finally agree to send a technician out to my apartment this afternoon. I want my regular set up back, but am reconciled to the fact that I will not get it. Rather than that, I am going to receive what is "supposed" to be a better system complete with 40 music channels. Who in their right mind needs -- or wants -- that many music channels? Not me!   The cell phone.   For well over a year, I have been trying to find a cell phone that I can operate easily. I had one several months ago, but was unable to use it with ease. That meant arranging to send it back, which also meant arranging to have someone in my family box up the cell phone, and take it back for me. I had hoped that would be the end of the search for a cell phone, but that was not to be. My sister insisted that I needed one to carry with me for safety, and the head of my home healthcare agency said that I needed to have a phone in case of emergencies at home.   Last week I ordered a Cricket cell phone. It arrived on Tuesday. Unfortunately, my sister was here at the time and she almost had a fit because it was not the kind of phone that she would have gotten. She tried telling me it cost too much. That could be because her daughter and son-in-law arranged for her to get a phone through them, and she only has to pay them $10 a month. If I tried to buy one for that amount, I am sure that it would turn out to be made with paper clips and tape.   I can hold the phone easily in my hand, and have convinced myself that I will soon be able to operate it as if I had it all my life. I tried using it this morning, but I am still stuck with being unable to set it up to begin with. I just cannot seem to figure out how to store names and phone numbers in the directory. In addition to that, it is supposed to be voice activated, and I cannot even get that to work properly. The best plan I have been able to come up with is to ask for help from one of my CNAs who is able to operate cell phones as seemingly easy as blinking an eye. If she cannot teach me to use the phone then no one can.   The iPod.   A few weeks ago, I bought an Apple iPod with a touch screen. I could not get that to work for me either. In fact, I let one of my CNAs take it home with her, and even she and her boyfriend were unable to get it working.   When I went to my sister's house during the past weekend, I saw my niece (Kathy) pull an Apple iPhone out of her pocket. I asked her if she knew how to operate an Apple iPod. She asked what kind it was and I said it had a touch screen. Kathy talked with her husband, and he said that he would look at it and see if he can get it working. I saw my sister during the week, and asked her to take the iPod to her daughter and son-in-law.   I am waiting to get the results from them. If it does not work, I need to return it to Amazon.com by the end of next week. If that occurs, I have arranged for the company to reimburse me for the cost of it, rather than to replace the iPod.   Conclusion.   There used to be a time when I could operate almost anything that was electric. Computers were, and still are, my specialty. These other things remind me of children's toys, which are much more complicated. Have you ever tried to assemble something for a child at Christmas time? If you have, then you know what I mean.   I need to stop ordering things from the Internet. To do that, I would probably need to have someone take my computer away from me. In order for them to do that, they would probably have to tie my hands behind my back. That would not work for either of us.   I do not seem to have a solution, but I do have one question. Gee whiz! What interesting looking gadget will I be able to find next?